Aberdeen Conference: 2017
Table of Contents
Philippians 1:1-7
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Just for the readings, the first chapter of the book of Philippians.
It's the book, Will. It's a wilderness book. It's not like Ephesians or even Colossians. It sees us still here in the circumstances of life, the troubles as well as the joys. But it's also a book that puts what's ahead before us too. And it's the book of joy and rejoicing. And it was mentioned in a prayer too, that we need to have that joy and rejoicing in our souls to press on.
In the difficulties and circumstances of life, though, I suggest that the first chapter of the book of Philippians, if the Brethren would be happy with that.
Just a second.
One verse one.
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ to all the Saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons. Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, I think, my God upon every remembrance of you.
Always in every prayer of mine, for you, all making requests with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, even as it is me for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, in as much as both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, Ye all are partakers of my grace.
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that you may approve things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offence, till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.
But I would you should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife.
And some also of goodwill. The one preached Christ of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then, Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I do therein do rejoice. Yeah, and will rejoice.
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness is always so. Now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.
For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose I want not, for I am in a straight betwixt to having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be, as it becometh the gospel of Christ. That whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs. That you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries.
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Which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which he saw in me, and now here to be in me.
So as we said already, this is really the book of Christian experience. It's the Christian here in this world with Christ as their object on their way to heaven, but still going through the ups and downs of the believers life. It's very parallel as we've said to that which we have brought before us in the wilderness history of the children of Israel.
There were a great many ups and downs, difficulties. There were joys, there were sorrows. And I suppose every one of us have to admit that's where we are here in our Christian experience. There's twists and turns. Life isn't always smooth sailing. It's not always a nice Interstate highway, so to speak. No, there are rough roads. There are crossroads. There are times, perhaps we don't know when to turn their sorrows. I know there's brethren here today.
Whose hearts are burdened.
With sorrows difficulties, but there's joys as well. And all this is brought before us in this in this epistle where the Christian the believer is viewed as the heavenly Pilgrim going through this world on their way home. But before we get into this chapter and into some other aspects, perhaps of an overall view of the the book of Philippians, as we've often been reminded when we take up a portion of the word of God.
Or we go through a book. There's always key phrases, key verses.
That helped to open and unlock the truth that is brought before us. And that's why it's important, as Timothy was exhorted, to have an outline of truth, an outline or a form of sound words and these little phrases or verses will keep us from getting off track and miss applying scripture, keeping it in its proper context. And I know it's often been pointed out, but I just like to quickly point it out again.
I've enjoyed 4/4 scripture, 4 verses, one in each of these four chapters that I believe are real keys not only to the chapter, but to the book itself.
In the prayers in the meeting previous to this, and in our brother Jerry's announcement, it was mentioned that what we really need, brethren, is Christ before our souls, and I feel this for my own soul personally more and more as we go through the circumstances of life and we get down to the end.
Of our history, here in this world, just before the Lord comes, what do we need? We need Christ before our souls. And as has often been pointed out, wherever we read in the Scripture, we don't have to read very far to find. The subject is always Christ, whether it's by type or shadow or figure. In the Old Testament, his life in the Gospels, the full exaltation of Christ. In the Epistles, his his, the fruition of everything in a coming day. In Revelation, it's all Christ.
I'd like to point out four scriptures here that bring before us Christ in a very real and unique way in the context of the book of Philippians. The first one, and then we'll get to this I trust over the weekend. But in chapter one I suggest that the key to this chapter is what we have in verse 21.
For to me, to live is Christ. You know, people are living for various things in this world today, The politician says for me to live is politics. The musician says for me to live is music. The actor says for me to live is fame. People are living for various things. The entrepreneur lives for business. I heard of a company, major company, and in having a seminar with their top echelon of executive corps, they said we want people that will.
Live and eat and breathe for this company. But what is to the Christian to live for? What is our life to be? It's Christ. Before Paul was saved as Saul of Tarsus, his whole Benton energy was to keep the Jewish law and to stamp out the name of Christ and to persecute the Christians. But when there was a complete turn around in his life on the Damascus road, now he could say, for me to live is Christ. I trust that's the exercise of every one of our hearts here.
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This afternoon.
And then very quickly in the second chapter in verse five, he says, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. So in the first chapter we might put it this way, we have Christ as our life. But here in this portion we have Christ as our example, our perfect example. I know we often read the following verses on Lord's Day Morning in connection with the sufferings of Christ and.
His coming into this world, going to the cross, and returning then to the Father, and his full exaltation. Rightly so.
But in their context here, they're given as the perfect example for you and for me, and so we have Christ as our example. In the third chapter in the 14th verse, Paul says, I press toward the mark for the prize of a high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Here we have Christ as our perfect object, brethren. I trust that's the object of your soul and mine. And if we can get a fresh glimpse of Christ as the prize, what is the prize in the Christian life? What is the goal? It's Christ and glory. And if we can get a sense of that, a fresh glimpse of that in our souls this weekend, it's been well worth more than well worth our time to be here. Christ is our object, lifting our eyes above the horizons of this world and looking on.
To Christ in glory where he is now. Then in chapter 4 and verse 13 he says I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. You say, can we really live Christ? Can we really follow his example? Can we really run the race with Christ as the object? All the resources are given. We have Christ as our strength. So again in this epistle it's Christ. Christ is our life, our example, our object, and our strength and brethren.
That was at least part of my exercise in suggesting this portion.
That we would get a fresh glimpse of Christ and our hearts would go out more to him, and that we would seek by grace to run the race until we see Him face to face.
Another way is summarizing chapter 2, Christ is the pattern for living. Chapter 3, Christ is the Power for living. Chapter 4 rather the prize for living. In chapter 4, he's the power for living.
He's everything.
We don't need to dwell too long on the introduction to this epistle.
It's obvious that Paul had, though, a very special affection for these Philippian believers.
We remember that it was.
Somewhat of an unusual way that he ended up in Philippi. He felt lead of the.
Earth felt in his own.
Heart a purpose to go and preach the gospel in Asia and was forbidden. He tried to go into Messiah and the Lord said no, don't go that way.
And then he sees the vision of a man in Macedonia saying, come over and help us.
And when Paul got there, as we recall, he found not a man but a group of women by a Riverside who were having prayer meetings. And there was blessing there. But in order to get to the man whom I believe was the one that was calling for him, Paul had to be beaten publicly and Silas too, in a marketplace and end up in prison for the night.
But the result was that the jailer got saved, and evidently others too. And so there was a very special affection between the Apostle Paul and the Philippians. Not, I would suggest, that he showed favoritism from one assembly to the other, but somehow there was a very special bond that existed here.
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And as we have noted, there was no special doctrinal error. There was no special, shall we say.
Bad practice going on among the believers in Philippi, except perhaps two sisters that couldn't get along that were mentioned in or are mentioned in Chapter 3.
But it's beautiful to see the way that the apostles affection for those believers is.
Something that he brings out very, very clearly in this first chapter because of that very special bond that existed between them.
We wanted to go to Asia to preach the gospel and reach converts.
Did not direct him that way, as you pointed out.
The first convert that he reaches there in that region in Europe, which is in Macedonia, was an Asian.
We're talking about Lydia. She came from Asia, so an Asian did get converted first there in that land. It shows us the importance of submitting to the leading of the spirit, doesn't it?
Well, when Paul wrote this epistle to them, it really had a lot of moral weight, didn't it? Because they could remember the time when things began there, as Brother Bill has brought before us with those women and later with the Philippian jailer, and when he writes to them of joy and adversity and going on.
For the Lord, in spite of circumstances, they remembered the time when he was in their city in very adverse circumstances. And so I believe often the Lord put the the divine writers, the inspired writers, He put them in circumstances to give moral weight and import to what they wrote. And when he later writes in this epistle of joy and rejoicing, they remembered Paul and Silas rejoicing at a very difficult time.
And has been said Paul might have wondered initially when he was in that prison. Well, Lord, I thought I got a vision to come over here and help someone. And what good am I doing here? We've met some ladies by the Riverside, and yes, they're devoted and so on, but what good am I doing now? My backs bleeding, I'm fast in the stalks with my fellow labourer Silas. But at midnight I don't think it was right away. It took some time to come around, but at midnight they prayed and sang praises.
And you can look it up sometime, but I've often wondered if they didn't come to the realization and remembrance of the verse in the 119th Psalm. And the 62nd verse says, at midnight I will arise and give praise unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.
They realized that what the Lord was doing was right. They followed his leading, and as stranger as the circumstance may have seemed, that it was right that what God was doing was right. And what was the result of submission to the to the will of God? Well, it was first of all rejoicing in their own soul. Then there was prayer. And then the the prisoners heard them. The jail keeper got saved. There was an assembly gathered to the Lord's name established there.
And when you read that 16th chapter of Acts, there was real fervency amongst the brothers and the sisters as the assembly was established there in in in that city of Philippi. And Paul now writes to them to encourage them to go on in that same fervor and devotedness that they had begun in. Because, brethren, that's what God wants for all of us. He doesn't want us to just start out well and have that first love and that fervency in our souls that.
Character often characterizes us when we're first saved or when the Lord first gets a hold of us and we see various aspects of the truth.
Know what he wants. And what Paul wanted for these ones he loved so well was to see them go on in the fervency and desire that they had begun with when he was in their very city. So they had known Paul, they'd seen these things exemplified in Pauls life, and now the the spirit of God uses Paul. Depend this epistle with real moral weight and import for those who were receiving it.
This pencil is a letter of thanks.
May the other epistles of Paul are written with specific burdens for those that he wrote to, but this was just a letter of thanks.
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For fellowship that he had received from those he loved so dearly, and who had supported him often before.
And in this epistle you get the appreciation, the mutual appreciation between.
The labourer for the Lord and those who have gotten the truth from that labour. And now he's in prison.
And in this epistle, he says, now you've got to fill those shoes.
You've got to. You've got to fill those shoes. I'm not there anymore.
And you've got to go on together to do it.
I'm not there to oversee any longer, and there are many who have ministered the truth to us who are along with the Lord.
And that's time now for us.
To go on in those things.
And together we have to stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of the gospel it's big shoes to fill we say we can't fill them well maybe we can't but that's still laid upon us to fill those shoes and to go on in the truth of God.
And growing up in Vessel, the older brothers used to quote Jr. Gill over and over again.
And I heard from Brother Little later, he said. Well, when brother Jr. Gill moved here and lived out his last years, every Lord's Day evening he had an address.
And he taught us the truth.
And the day came and he was so getting so old and feeble, he just sat down. He said, I can't do it anymore. You brothers have to take it from here.
And that's really what Paul's saying in this epistle. You've got to stand in defense of the gospel. You got to fill my shoes. I'm not there.
And it's just a letter of there's not a particular burden as was brought out of error and doctrine and so on, as much as it is his appreciation for them, knowing their appreciation for him as the one who brought the truth of God to them. With the Corinthians, it was different. They were calling his apostleship into question.
And consequently the truth they had received. And he says we're not ignorant of Satan's devices because the device of Satan is to divide the Saints.
From the one who has brought them the truth that he might discredit the truth that has been brought to them.
It wasn't that way with the Philippians.
Even that's why in the very first verse he mentions the bishops and deacons.
That saying he ate for them, and would long to have cared for them himself.
But fresh, fresh out of the chute, so to speak.
He's he uncharacter. It's not in every epistle that he mentions right out of the shoe bishops and deacons.
It's it's as if right out of the shoot, he just wants them to be cared for and guided them and literally looked over.
That could be helpful. That's a little bit. We've used some terms that perhaps not everybody is as familiar with. Perhaps young people particularly will find some help. But we have great outlines and scriptures in the scriptures and it's helpful to get a hold of those great outlines. And when we get a hold of those great outlines, it puts things in perspective. So Jim mentioned that this is a wilderness epistle. Perhaps some of us don't understand exactly what that means, but.
The journey from Egypt to Canaan.
Is a picture of the Christian pathway.
And so I believe we can put most of the epistles, and if not all the epistles into that, that journey. For instance, deliverance from Egypt. We have in the book of Romans, first in the Passover, the question of forgiveness of sins, and then secondly in the in the Red Sea, which is a picture.
Of our death in Christ, our identification with Christ in his death, the true meaning of baptism. That's our standing as a Christian. And then once we become Christians, of course, we enter into what's into the wilderness, just as the children of Israel did when they came out of the land of Egypt. And there we have, perhaps we can say, First and 2nd Thessalonians. Those were brand new Christians the apostle was writing to. We have the fundamentals of the individual faith.
Mr.
Some of the writers have spoken about four stages in the wilderness, some see it a little differently, but I think it's helpful to see those four stages in the wilderness. The first stage is that we just spoke of what we have in 1St and 2nd Thessalonians, and that can be called grace.
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Because there, when they grumble, what does the Lord do? His resources are sufficient to meet their need. When they need water, he's He satisfies them. When they need food, he satisfies them. But then the second stage is that Sinai, where we have not only the question of grace, but the second stage is often called government. Because the child of God is not only under the grace of God, he's also under the government of God. Whatsoever man saw it.
That shall he also reap. And that's true of a believer.
And that's especially true as a believer, although it's true universally as well. But it's helpful to me to see that. And so I I suggest that first and second Peter speak a great deal about the government of God, both for the believers and also for the world. And then the third stage of the wilderness. Remember when they got to Kate Ash Barnier?
They refused to. They despised the present land of pleasant land, as it tells us in the Book of Psalms.
And so they had to turn back and wander for 38 years. So that's the third stage, it's corrective stage.
And we might say that the epistles that are particularly corrective in Scripture in the New Testament are First Corinthians and Galatians, as we well know, not exclusively corrective, but primarily corrective. But then there's a fourth stage, and that's where I believe Philippians comes in.
So does Second Corinthians. Second Corinthians is not corrective.
But rather, it's restorative.
And we might remember in the fourth stage of the wilderness, this is after the 38 years of wandering and the first generation had died off. This goes along with what we were speaking about. Now there's a new generation, and what are they going to do? Are they going to turn back like their fathers did, or are they going to move forward? And so I suggest, as it has been suggested, the last stage of the wilderness is preparation to enter into Canaan.
Where we have the truths, for instance in Colossians, in Ephesians and I might add first and Second Timothy, I believe, and Titus we have those things that are particularly have to do with the assembly, but in the fourth stage then it's the new generation and so they have to be taught to how to prepare, just like the book of Deuteronomy.
It actually begins, I believe, in the 21St chapter of numbers.
Where they Aaron dies, and now the new generation is most responsible. The book of Hebrews fits into this category. So does Second Corinthians, as I mentioned, and other epistles as well. But I find it helpful then to see that this is the fourth stage. It's a new generation, and they have to be taught some of the principles. So in Philippians then we have this new generation being thought.
They're being prepared to enter into even higher truths. Not that they can forsake the truths they learned in the wilderness. We never get beyond that so long as we're in this scene. But they're being prepared.
To enter into those truths that are our particular portion as Christians. So I just mentioned that it's a new generation. There are some key terms. Joy is one of those. It's been suggested. It's been stated that joy and rejoicing is mentioned 18 times in this epistle.
How could that be possible? We mentioned that the apostle was in prison. We read in the end of the book of Acts. We find he had his own hired house. He's no longer in his own hired house. According to verse 12, he's now in the praetorium. He's in prison and it wasn't a pleasant place at all. How does the apostle respond to that? We were mentioning the importance of the the apostles experience. Well, how is he going to respond to being in prison?
Year after year, he'd been in prison for four years by now.
That wasn't a very pleasant existence, but this is the this is the result.
Mr. Willis, when he wrote his book on Philippians, use that little expression from Psalms, didn't he? Sacrifices of joy. And so the key expression in this epistle is joy. What a wonderful thing that is. Another key term, and then I'll stop, is salvation. And again, we've often heard that salvation in scripture is in three tenses.
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Salvation passed through the Christian when I first became a Christian salvation present, which is an ongoing thing until the Lord takes me home. It has to do not so much with standing, but with my state. How can I live the Christian life in a way that honors the Lord and brings blessing to myself? That's what Philippians is about. And then of course the future salvation is when the Lord will take us home from the very presence of sin.
So the theme here then is joy and salvation, the present tense of salvation, the new generation of being prepared to enter into their proper Christian blessings, which is figured by the land of Kena. And would you say to Eric in connection with the present aspect of salvation, that in Philippians it's not just individual preservation, but his desire was that they would go on in oneness of mind and spirit?
To workout their salvation with fear and trembling because the enemy was getting a wedge in and there was difficulties arising between two sisters. It was happened to be sisters in Philippi, but never mind. It could have just as well been brothers too. But his desire was that they would work it out for their preservation collectively as well. Is that commend itself?
Contrast in connection with what Eric said before we pass on. As we mentioned earlier, God put the writers in various circumstances to give weight and moral impact to what they wrote. And I've often thought of a contrast between Paul writing here from a prison and Solomon on the throne of Israel at its pinnacle in the Old Testament. We find that Solomon with everything his heart desired, he said, all his vanity and vexation of spirit.
Now if Paul had written that to the Philippians, you'd say, well, of course I can understand that he was in the lowest of circumstances. He had nothing, naturally speaking. But let's say in contrast, Solomon from the throne of Israel, had written rejoice in the Lord Always. And again I say rejoice. Oh, you'd say, of course he had everything. He didn't withhold himself from any pleasure. But isn't it interesting and significant that it's just the opposite? Solomon had everything of this.
Naturally speaking, he had power and fame and wealth.
The history of Israel at that time was something very noteworthy in the history of this of this world. But he said it's emptiness. It's void and emptiness because he had set his heart on those things that didn't satisfy. But the apostle Paul with nothing of this world and in very difficult circumstances, and make no mistake about it, prisons weren't like they were in those days, weren't like they are today in the Western world. I've been in some very nice prisons.
And other than not having their freedom, you think these people have everything? A naturally speaking. But Paul, as Erica said, was in very low circumstances, difficult circumstances. And he writes, rejoice in the Lord. And again this would mean something to the Philippians, because they remembered him in a prison in their very city, with his back bleeding and his feet fast in the stalks. And so again, brethren, doesn't it show that it's Christ?
It's the enjoyment of Christ in our souls that is going to lift us above the circumstances, not make us indifferent or callous to the circumstances. Paul wasn't indifferent or callous to what he was going through, but he had risen in spirit above it because Christ was everything to his soul.
We were saying a few moments ago.
It's a good thing to have a good start and the Philippians had had a good start.
But God looks at the long term, doesn't he? God looks at the long term. The Christian pathway is not a 100 yard dash. It's a marathon.
And so here Paul had such joy in these Philippians. I I appreciated your comments.
Brother Steve, relative to the joy between the labor and the joy.
In reacting to that from those with whom he had labored. And so he says here in verse 5 or verse 4.
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Always and every prayer of mine.
Making a request.
With joy.
I'm sure Paul prayed for the Corinthians too. I'm sure he prayed for the Galatian assemblies, but it was likely from a different point of view, wasn't it? Here it was with joy and.
They had started out well.
They had had fellowship with him in the gospel, not only in preaching the gospel, but as Steve pointed out.
This is really a letter acknowledging fellowship, isn't it? And Paul appreciated so much the fact that these dear believers who we read in other scriptures were on the poor side. They weren't a wealthy assembly, but they gave more abundantly as we read than they really could, naturally speaking. And as a result, Paul says, I have confidence in you. In what?
In your purpose to continue on, no. He says in verse six that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ.
If I may allow me to emphasize that.
I remember well reading many years ago in our written ministry. I think it is in Mr. Wiggum's ministry, but it doesn't matter.
He said If there is a desire in your heart and mind to go after Christ.
God will work it in you.
I say that.
To all of us. But if I may be allowed to to say it to the young people here because the pathway may look pretty daunting and the opposition and the way things are going in this world makes it very easy to say what's the use. It's not worth it. But if you and I have a desire to go after Christ, now I know every believer does in that sense. But if you and I have a purpose in our hearts and say.
I want to go after Christ and to have more of him.
He'll work it in US and he is the power to lead us on, to guide us through circumstances, to provide for our needs to put us through.
An individual tuition and schooling for every one of us in order to accomplish what he needs to accomplish and he will do it. And that's why, Paul says I have confidence in you.
Yes, he commended the Corinthians for what was good in their lives, and that was nice. With some. Like the Galatian assemblies, he didn't say one word of commendation. But with these Philippians he saw in their hearts a desire to go after Christ. And he says I'm confident.
Not in you, but in the Lord that he'll perform that with us. And so I say again, there's no need.
No need to start out well and then fail halfway through. There's no need to start out well and then make shipwreck of the faith, as Paul says in another scripture to Timothy, no, there is enough power.
In the Lord himself.
To give you and me whatever we need in the day in which we're living, to follow Christ and to go after Him, and if you and I are in the pathway of the Lord's will.
All his powers behind us, isn't it?
His fellowship, rather their fellowship with him, was a twofold thing. They prayed for him, I think that's verse 19. And they had monetary support of him. They sent a gift not once but twice at least, and so in this way they had fellowship with him. And I think it's interesting to notice too, that he's giving thanks for their fellowship in the gospel, not for their preaching of the gospel.
They were not necessarily evangelists who had the time and energy to reach out, maybe other than to share it with their in their daily occupation. But they could at least have fellowship with the gospel if they could not have the opportunity to break away from their responsibilities and to go into the regions beyond as Paul did. And that's the same for us. Not all of us are able to go into the Third World countries and eat sticks.
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Or rather, roots and shoots and different kinds of foods that they.
Or have their stomach to be able to handle those things. But we can pray for the gospel as it goes for us, We can have fellowship with it, and we can reach into our pockets and support those who are seeking to reach out in those regions beyond. And this way we can have fellowship with the gospel too. Is that right, Bill? Very definitely.
And a brother also reminded me.
Some time ago, he said. Remember that the most lasting.
Ministry of the Apostle Paul was not so much what he said, but what he wrote while he was laid aside. And so he didn't. At this point in time, as has been brought out, he didn't have the liberty to go out and around. But what the Lord gave him the opportunity to write in very difficult circumstances, we say it.
Reverently, because I'm sure the Lord used his oral preaching very, very much in that day. But what has had the most lasting effect is what he wrote, which has endured for all time, hasn't it?
That's good, Bill, because the enemy might have thought, well, if I can just get the Apostle Paul locked up in prison or even in his own hired house, well, he won't be out preaching the gospel so souls can get saved and he won't be going around to those meetings and encouraging the believers that are saved. I'll just get them locked up and that'll be it.
But the wrath of man shall praise thee in the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain the 76 Psalm tells us. It also tells us we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth. And so, as Bill has said, many of the are some of the epistles that Paul wrote were written while he was in captivity in one way or another, so that he wasn't able to orally preach. But we've got the inspired word of God preserved to us down through the centuries.
Down through the ages for our blessing. Why, God had a far greater purpose than.
In in mind and Satan could do nothing to hinder the purposes of of God. But I would like to just say this in connection with what Bruce said about fellowship in the gospel because.
It's not even just monetary fellowship. And I I'm going to take a little opportunity to thank my brothers and sisters, and perhaps the sisters even more particularly.
Who labor so hard behind the scenes compiling literature doing?
Sisters that so things for that are distributed in countries where the children have hardly have clothes to wear and if it wasn't for those sisters and those assemblies that get together.
On a regular basis and have fellowship with us in the gospel. In that way we couldn't do what we do. And I suggest too that perhaps.
When I stand with my fellow laborers at the judgment seat of Christ, some of those that never got thanked properly this side of heaven are going to get the greatest commendation they're they're going to, and that's going to be reward enough for some of us to see our fellow laborers finally get their well done by the Lord Jesus himself, Paul said on another occasion. We labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him, and it's going to be wonderful to see.
Brothers and sisters.
Have that reward of acceptance and approval that perhaps they didn't get down here, but they were willing to go on quietly. Maybe we, you know, literature work can be very discouraging if you're looking for results this side of heaven. But I believe we're going to see a great deal of the fruit of that which was done behind the scenes and handed out so very quietly and those who hand out gospel tracts.
On an ongoing basis, maybe you don't see a lot of results, but there's going to be a reward. So Paul value those who labored, and later on, in this very epistle, he commends sisters. Not just Clement, but those sisters which labored with me in the gospel. What did they do? We're not told exactly, but they somehow provided in practical ways for the apostle Paul. And he said we're thankful for it and you're going to get your reward. So be encouraged. And there are.
Multitude of ways. There's no shortage of ways opportunities to have fellowship in the gospel. If you're looking for a way to have fellowship in the gospel, you see, I'm not an evangelist. It's not given to me to preach. I can't go to leave my secular employment and go to another country.
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May be true, but there are no shortage and opportunities to have fellowship in the gospel in one way or another. And as the boys and girls often sing you in your small corner and I in mind, so be encouraged. There are many ways to have fellowship in the gospel.
The Lord alluded to that in Luke 19 when he said.
Thou could put it in the bank.
And that word bank is the same word translated fellowship.
There were those who were trading with the pound and bringing in more. And then there was one who didn't have the energy for it, put it in a napkin, I believe, and put it in the earth or something like that. And he rebukes them and says you could at least put it in the bank. He didn't have the energy for it. You can put it out where those who are trading with it, who will use it, and it's going to come back in with interest for for you. And so for those of us who may not be able to go into the regions beyond like some, we can still support it from behind the scenes in this twofold way.
By praying for the work and by giving in a monetary way to those who are engaged in that work.
The gospel not only takes in salvation of souls here, but the truth that Paul received from an ascended Christ.
And so he had confidence in the work of God, in their souls, and that it would be completed in the day of Jesus Christ. But the ground of his confidence was that he saw that they had an appreciation for himself and really what he had brought to them.
There was a love of the truth. They appreciated Paul, and that's really, I think, the correct translation of verse 7, even as it is meat for me to think this of you all, because not I have you in my heart, but you have me in your heart. There was an appreciation of the apostle and what he had brought to them. They owed everything to the work of the Spirit of God and raising up that instrument and bringing the truth to them and in His concern for the Thessalonians.
He expresses it similarly First Thessalonians.
And.
Chapter 3.
Verse 6 But now in Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you. Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you and all our affliction, and distressed by your faith. There wasn't a healthy appreciation.
For the Apostle, and what he had brought to them, and that he could see in that, that there was a work of God that was going to continue right to the end.
So tell us, Steve, what is the day of Jesus Christ?
I might be wrong, so maybe I'll keep my mouth quiet and let somebody else answer.
Anyone that display?
Of our lives will be before the world.
It's the the glory that will be in association with the Lord Jesus Christ. We're going to be there on display with him and it will be seen in that day, which should be the millennial day.
There is the day of the Lord, and there is the day of Christ. They're different. The day of the Lord is His power to subdue the earth.
Into control under His judgment that the day of Christ is to do with the display of His glory and our association with Him in that time.
So both days are covered the same millennial period. Ones to do with judgment, the other is to do with glory.
There are probably at least seven dispensational days, as I've often thought of them. You just mentioned two of them, didn't you? But there's what we have called man's day in Scripture.
I'm not sure exactly when that began. I suppose perhaps when Cain left the presence of the Lord.
That man's day began and it still goes on, and it won't end until the Lord Jesus and we have the day of the Lord, just as we've been Speaking of. That's of course the end of the tribulation period.
Which, as Bruce just mentioned, is the same time when the day of Jesus Christ begins. So the day of the Lord, the day of Jesus Christ, begin at the same time.
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Fears and power and glory. The end of the tribulation period. But we live now, as we well know, in the Day of salvation.
Behold, now is the day of salvation. Behold now as the accepted time. As we well know, it's also an evil day.
Speaks of an evil day.
And.
This coming very soon when that evil day will do the tribulation.
Which is?
That's a terrible thing, isn't it? That's another dispensational day. And then, of course, the agents of our God will really come to an end in its full extent. As we just mentioned, when the Lord Jesus appears in power and glory, it's no longer providential judgments, but it's His personal presence. And we have the day of the Lord begins, and also the day of Jesus Christ. So the day of Jesus Christ again, is displayed.
The Jesus, as we have in First Thessalonians.
For his Florian honor. And it's also going to be the time.
Then judgment takes place and then at the end of that of course we know is that.
The eternal state, so we have dispensational.
Man's day.
Perhaps we can say in the evil day.
The day of vengeance of our God. The day of Jesus Christ as we've been Speaking of, the day of the Lord, and then finally the day of God which is.
Also the day of eternity.
I think it's in Peter's epistle. Is that correct?
And I suppose that would overlap a couple days. But in today's the day of Jesus Christ is the time when what we've been speaking about will come to a fruition, isn't it? And I used to think that the day of Jesus Christ, perhaps the judgment, Jesus Christ. That's not quite correct.
Station of the results of the judgment. Seat of Christ, President. What we've been speaking about, and that's what we have is.
And the Lord.
Heard it and according to the.
That's a really wish we got confident in this very thing that he would have to be got a good work in you.
Christ Philippians gives.
We could.
What a wonderful privilege that is. I remember.
And it's taught that I don't even remember who the brother was who was speaking, but he was telling of a conversation he had.
That vision trying to just to go.
Or they were.
The city had had.
That's the present tense of salvation we've been speaking about. And the brother said to her, he said, I have a pencil in my hand. He gave it to her and he said, now you make that stand up on its tip. Well, of course you try it on the table that was in front of her and of course it wouldn't stand up. And it's a very simple illustration. But he said, well, actually I can make that stand. He put the pencil on its tip and he held it with his finger. And that's exactly what God does, doesn't he?
And Philippians tells us.
How he does that, These four things we've been speaking about. This is how, as it says in verse six, he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. God has a plan and a purpose for our blessing. He wants to see us not only end up in heaven, but he wants to see us live a life That's for his flooring and for our blessing.
2nd Thessalonians Chapter one. We'll see the difference between the day of the Lord and the day of Christ. Second Thessalonians, chapter one and verse 7.
And to you who are troubled, rest with us, When the Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished.
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Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. That's the day of the Lord. Now the next verse 10 When he shall come to be glorified in the Saints and admired and all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day. That's the day of Christ.
The Day of the Lord begins with the appearing and will extend for 1000 years. We learn that from Second Peter Chapter 3.
So the two distinct features of the same time period when they'll be in force.
Raise the question, where do we get the expression man's day? And just let's just look at it because I think it's it's helpful. It is in Scripture, but you have to go to Mr. Darby's translation to get it in First Corinthians chapter 4.
Paul writing to the Corinthians in verse three he says but with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or it should and it should read or of man's day. Paul was misunderstood by the Corinthians. They questioned everything about Paul. They questioned his authority as an apostle, They questioned his ministry. They even questioned his ability to present his ministry. But Paul said, I'm living in view of another time.
Paul's whole life was in view of the day of Jesus Christ. He was living in view of the Lord's. Well done. That's why, again, he said to the Corinthians we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. He didn't have the acceptance of the Corinthians.
But he said that's OK, I just leave.
I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. I'm not living for man's day. I'm not living for the world's approval now. I'm living in view of the Lord's approval and the full manifestation of it when all is displayed in this world. And as Erica said, and I think it's very helpful to to say it again, what we the the day of Jesus Christ.
Is the manifestation of the rewards that are given at the judgment seat of Christ. It's public display and manifestation. For the Saints of God, it's the Lords Day is perhaps vindication for the Lord Jesus, but there's going to be vindication for his people as well. He's going to declare these are the ones I and the children whom thou has given me and we're going to reflect in that day the glories of Christ.
When he when heaven opens up.
That brother throws my soul to think the day when heaven is going to open up and they're going to look up. And wherever they look at the heavenly company, they're going to see the glories of Christ reflected unhinderedly. All that ought to motivate us, brethren, to live in view not of man's approval, not of a flash of glory or applause in this world, but to live in view of the day of Jesus Christ to the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To live in view of the day when we're going to be displayed with him, This was Paul's desire. So I just say that in contrast to man's day. And that's where Eric got the expression and we use it, and it's a scriptural expression. We live in man's day now, but there's a day coming when the Lord is going to have his day, but there's the day of Jesus Christ when he's going to display his Saints with himself. Oh, if that doesn't throw your heart and mind and motivate us to live for Christ now.
Then I don't know what goes on within our souls.
Would be seeing 156.
Philippians 1:8-20
Reading
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Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11 and verse 5.
As thou knowest not, what is the way of the Spirit?
Or how the bones do grow in the womb of her, that is with child.
Even so thou knowest not the works of God, who maketh all.
In the morning so thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand, for thou knowest not whither shall prosper either this or that.
Or whether they both should be alike good.
Let's give things.
Our God and our Father, we thank thee for this opportunity to be together.
Again to open up thy word.
And our God, we were reminded yesterday of that.
Which thou hast begun, that thou art going to perform it.
We are conscious, our God, that there is a work going on even in this very room by thy spirit.
That we cannot see that thou art forming something.
And so we do pray that as we continue to open the scriptures and have Thy word before us, that there would be ministered to our hearts that which would further that work on in our souls.
That that one who is the object of thy heart would become more and more precious to our hearts.
That one.
That the gospel has presented to us our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would become more preeminent to our souls, to our hearts. And so our Father, we just seek Thy help as the scriptures are before us, that now it's ministered to our hearts again this morning giving me thanks for this opportunity as we pray our Father in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. Amen.
We're reading in Philippians chapter one.
And it's been suggested that perhaps we could start in verse 8.
Philippians, chapter One. And verse 8. For God is my record. How greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that you may approve things that are excellent, that you may be insincere and without offence, till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God. But I would you should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather into the furtherance of the gospel.
So there my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace in all other places, and many of the brethren and the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed, preach Christ, even with envy and strife, and some also goodwill. The one preached Christ of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then, notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth?
Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice. Yeah, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed. But that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death, for me to live as Christ, to die as gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose I want not.
For I have been a straight betwixt 2, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.
Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you, and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all and your furtherance of the joy of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be, as we come with the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to to you free of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which he saw in me, and now here to be in me.
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Before we pass on in this chapter, I'd like to just make a very practical comment in connection with what was alluded to yesterday in regard to the Apostle Paul and his prayers for the Saints. At various times, and certainly here, we find that, as was said yesterday, the Apostle Paul had a fervent desire and prayer for the Saints that they would go on consistently.
Not just a good start, but that they would go on consistently that at the judgment seat of Christ, as we read in another place, they might get a full reward. And what I'm about to say, I want to say to my own soul as much as to anybody, and if it what exercises my own soul exercise is yours, then so be it. But it's been very significant to my own soul to realize that in the epistles that Paul wrote, he usually speaks of his prayers for the Saints.
At times when they were going on well now, as was said yesterday, I'm sure he prayed for the Saints at Galatia. I'm sure he prayed for the Saints in Corinth who were facing real difficulties and there were things that needed to be dealt with for the Lord's glory and the clearing of sin from the assembly and so on. I'm sure he prayed for his brethren who had physical needs and were going through personal and family trials as well.
But it is very interesting that Paul usually used prayer as a preventative measure. And brother and I suggest that if we were like Paul and prayed for one another when we're going on, well, it would perhaps spare us from many things. Why is it so often we wait till we know of an assembly who's going through some real difficulty where the enemy has been busy or we pray for wait to pray for someone?
When we find out they're going through some real trial or physical problem, good to pray for our brethren in that regard. But perhaps if we would be more diligent in praying for one another when we're going on, well, perhaps it would spare us from many things. If you hear of an assembly that's going on happily in the Lord and enjoying the assembly meetings, and there's an outreach in the gospel and working together, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and so on.
That's an assembly that needs special prayer, because rest assured, that's an assembly where the enemy is going to be very busy to try to to drive in a wedge. It was happening at Philippi, as we find out later in the chapters. The enemy what didn't like the joy and rejoicing, the going on together, the outreach there was and testimony in the gospel and he was trying to bring a wedge in because there's nothing spoils testimony or working together.
For the blessing of Saints and the blessing of souls in the gospel, then contentions arising amongst the people of God. It's one of Satan's greatest tactics. Just hold your finger here and go over to Colossians, because we have a nice example in this regard of an individual who, as we would perhaps say today, was a real prayer warrior for his brethren in the 4th chapter of Colossians.
This is a man we're not told a lot about, just about 3 short references to him in Scripture. The 12Th chapter of Colossians 4 Epiphyrus, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you always laboring fervently for you in prayers that he may stand perfect and complete in the will of God. I covet this exercise of epiphyse, and I suggest that when Epiphyrus prayed for his brethren.
It wasn't just a general thing.
I suggest that when he got into his closet and got before the Lord, he prayed for his brethren, name by name and need by need and brethren. If we would do that and rejoice, as we had earlier in our chapter in Philippians, at the mention of our the names of our brethren, wouldn't it adjust our interactions together? Wouldn't it adjust what we said to and about?
One another, if we truly got before the Lord and prayed in this way, Well, Epiphyse did one other little comment about Pauls prayers and Ephesians prayers. It wasn't concerning. Shall I say the lost button or some different some practical problem. Now again it's good to pray for our brethren in connection with practical problems and difficulties. But what was the apostles prayer? What were the apostles prayers for his brethren?
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What was Epiphyse praying for his brethren?
That they would go on and grow in the truth. That they would stand fast in what they had been given and what they had enjoyed. That they there would be an even greater love in their souls for the person of Christ and for the people of God.
It was in connection with the spiritual welfare of their brethren. Do we really pray for one another in that way, and for assemblies gathered to the Lord's name in that way, that there might be a deepening in the souls of our brethren, individually and collectively, of the person of Christ, and the precious truth that has been committed to us? Brethren, I just suggest that if these things were carried out in a very practical way in our lives.
We wouldn't have to go through some of the things that the Lord allows in our lives, individually and collectively.
Birth. Second. Give an outline of the chapter before we proceed any further so that we can know the direction we're going.
After the first two verses which are his opening salutation, verses 3 through eight former paragraph and there we have the apostles Thanksgiving for their fellowship in the gospel. Then from verses 9 through 11 we have the apostles prayer that they may grow in intelligence and moral discernment. Then from verse 12 on through to verse 20 we have an update. He gives an update of his circumstances.
And the conditions in which he was found, and we see him rejoicing there. And then from the middle of the 20th verse on to the end, we have Paul's desires not only for himself but also for the Philippians and all of it. We see him not complaining. There's no bitterness, there's no request to the Philippians that they would pray for him That he may get out of his situation as a total submission, as a happiness that is incredible is profound, and it is the normal Christian experience that all of us should be.
Found walking in so I hope that's a little outline that may help in understanding the the contents of the chapter.
Where we've begun today in verse 9 forms a new paragraph, and as Jim has been saying, it's in connection with his prayer for the Saints. It's different from Ephesians 1, where you have his prayer for the Saints, for they may have the intelligence as to the truth of the mystery in connection with the glory of Christ and two spheres, heaven and earth, and so on. Here it's for their intelligence and moral discernment that they know how to walk properly, that they would not give offense to the gospel.
And that they would be a positive help.
In the furtherance of the gospel. And so this is needed too. We need moral discernment for the pathway.
And it takes spiritual understanding.
And of principles that sometimes are finally different as he speaks here. Things that that differ, but they may approve, or judge or discern the things that are more excellent with regard to the Christian pathway.
Mr. Bella gives an example.
Of this kind of discernment that's needed in the case of absorbable.
And the ones that came back from Babylon, they came back and they accepted the favor and help of the king of Persia. But when they got there they refused the help of the Samaritans.
Both of them are unbelievers Gentiles. Why would they accept one and not the other?
Moral discernment is the answer. There is differences, and when we're young Christians, we don't necessarily see these differences and we see everything sort of mixed together and we can't understand why this is so, if that is so and so on. And I are looking at scriptural principles, but if we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus, and we grow in intelligence and moral discernment in these things as he's praying here.
Will be able to walk the path with God's glory and his praise.
And that is so very important in the day in which we live, isn't it? Because.
Christian love ought to be manifested among every believer, and our hearts, as someone has said, ought to be as broad as that of Christ. But on the other hand, we need to walk in many cases, and in fact in all cases in these last days a narrow path. And that narrow path consists, as Bruce has said, of the moral discernment to.
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See that which is according to the mind of God is revealed in his word.
Sometimes there is a tendency today to gloss over things that may not be according to the word of God, and to say well in the name of Christian love will just let all these things go.
That is not real love, is it? True love acts for the Lord's glory first of all and that's why it is brought in here. And I know it's going ahead, but in verse 11 it says.
The fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.
When God's claims are met and moral discernment is the basis of our love, not only is God honored and glorified, but man, and our fellow believer particularly, is far more blessed, isn't he? And so it's important to see that. And so, Paul.
Revels in the love that the Philippian Saints were showing, not only to him, but to others, and in the truth of the gospel.
He wants it to abound more and more.
But tempered by knowledge and judgment, moral discernment and the application of the truth of God, which brings real divine love into operation, not only to show love to one another, but based on what would be for God's glory.
Translation itself. That is what we've been speaking about, it says.
That your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and in all intelligence. That you may judge and of and improve the things that are more excellent. So it's intelligence, isn't it? And full knowledge. We recently went through the songs of degrees in In the Book of Psalms.
With 15 psalms that begins with the 120th psalms and we were impressed with the truth that.
Every step.
Of, of, of light, when bowed to leads to further light.
And that's a great principle and God's word, isn't it? So as we grow in intelligence and full knowledge, and if we bow to it, the Lord will lead us on one step further and further. And so on the 120th Psalm, we see that they were at a great distance from Jerusalem. But as they bow to the further light that's given to them in each of these little psalms from Psalm 120 to Psalm 134, they're given more and more light each time.
And finally, there, in the very sanctuary of God. That's what the Lord wants for us. Full knowledge and intelligence. But we have to bow to it, don't we?
And I know it's not in our chapter, but the principle is there and you've alluded to it.
Brother Eric.
If the Spirit of God, either directly or through someone else, is showing me a truth from the Word of God.
And as you say, I accept it and walk in the good of it, Then God gives me more truth. God gives me more knowledge, more discernment.
But if I set my will against that which the Lord is seeking to show me.
Then I really put the cap on my growth at that point, don't I? God is not going to allow me to pick and choose certain lines of truth that maybe have an appeal to me and reject other things if we could say it very reverently. God doesn't put the truth out as a big smorgasbord where I can pick this or that that appeals to me and say no, I don't care for that or I don't care for this.
I need to accept what the Spirit of God is seeking to bring before me, and then I will find that the Lord will give me more and more and build on that. So it's very important because there is a solemn danger, and I speak to my own heart that the Lord brings before me something which is perhaps.
A difficulty to my soul.
And every new truth that the Lord seeks to teach me will find its corresponding antagonist in some aspect of my old nature.
00:20:06
And I may have to judge that. And more than once I have had a truth brought before me, and I have had to say to my soul, Ouch, that hurts, That goes against the grain. What grain? My will, and my old sinful self.
But if I carry on that way, God isn't going to show me more until I submit to what he is seeking to bring before me. And I don't want to lay too much stress on this. But it is important because I have seen in my own soul, and sad to say, in other believers where growth has been sadly stunted by a certain will in something.
Either a facet of my character or my outlook, or something that I have felt is right and the Lord shows me it's wrong and I refuse to bow to what the Lord is showing me.
And then I start stunting my growth, don't I? Well, there's no thought of that here in Philippi because Paul has confidence in them and what a joy it is to see him.
Exude that confidence in the love that he had for them, and of course the love that he knew existed in their hearts for him, and of course, ultimately for the Lord himself.
An illustration of that is that if it was night and you were to drive from here to Aberdeen, say.
You're the lights of your car. Just go so far, and when you drive, as far as your lights will show you, then you get more light. And if you keep doing that, you will finally get to Aberdeen from here at night. And so that's the illustration. I think Gordon gave me that illustration, but it's a good illustration and it reminds you.
Then when you're driving your car that I only get more light as I drive into the light that I already have.
That's the 119th Psalm and the 105th verse, isn't it? Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light under my path. I've used the illustration similar in connection, withholding onto a flashlight when you go to walk on a dark path on a dark night, you shine that flashlight a few feet ahead and you say, but I've got 3 or 4 miles to go before I get to my destination.
Well, as you say, Brother Vern, what's the answer? You hold on to that light and you keep moving. If you stop, the light stops. You're going to get scared. You're going to be afraid. You may even regress. You may even head backwards and say I can't do it, I'm going to return to my to my starting point. But as long as you hold firmly to the flashlight and keep moving, it's going to be sufficient light to guide you the whole way. And I would just say this too, that in John's gossip.
The Lord said, if any man desire to do his will, he shall know. If I don't know the will of God for my life, for the next step, for my life. It's not a fault on God's part. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. And I was thinking of a little prayer of Davids in the 143rd Psalm. You know, David often says something like teach me thy will and so on, or teach me thy way. But in the 143rd Psalm he says, teach me to do thy will.
And I just apply it in this way, Lord, when you do show me, then help give me the grace to take the step, take me the to give me the grace to act on it because the Lord might show me something. And I said, oh Lord, I I wouldn't mind if it wasn't something just a little bit different. I wouldn't mind if it wasn't a truth. Just that as Bill says, that that hurts like that or goes against the grain. No, David said, as it were. Teach me to do it. Give me the grace to do it. But getting back to our chapter for a moment before we pass on from these verses.
In connection with Paul's prayer for the Saints, I think it's beautiful to see the motive behind his wanting the Saints to go on and to grow in knowledge and intelligence, and to have A to be able to stand perfect and sincere in the day of Jesus Christ. Was it to commend his own ministry? No, it was for the glory of the Lord Jesus and for their blessing. And I think that's so beautiful because.
Sometimes, you know, you'll pardon a personal reference, but, you know, bringing up children, I I had to say sometimes to myself, do I want my children to go on for the Lord, for his glory and their blessing, or do I want my children to go on to the Lord because it looks good on me and commends me? There's quite a difference, isn't it? And that can carry over into the assembly. Do I? Do we want the people of God to go on for the Lord?
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And for his glory, because it looks good on something we've said or done, or tried to help them with. Or do we desire the blessing of the Saints of God for the Lord's glory and for fruit in their life, and for a full reward in a coming day? Well, Paul's desire for the Philippian brethren was that there would be consistency and growth, first of all for the Lord's glory, and secondly for their blessing.
And I think I'm going to make a little correction, you said. If any man desired to do as well, he shall know that the doctor.
Man will do his will, He shall know what the doctrine There's a critical difference, isn't there? Oftentimes we might say we want to know the Lords well, but the real issue is, are we going to do it when we know the Lord's will? That's the key, isn't it? And I think you bring out a a a fundamental powerful principle in Christianity.
That God has connected his glory with our blessing. We don't have to worry about our blessing. God will take care of that.
We if we worry about his glory, then we get the blessing. And that's exactly what we have here. The destination is the day of Christ. We were speaking about that yesterday. It's called the Day of Jesus Christ in verse 6. But it's really the same thing with some minor differences. It's that day of display at the end of the tribulation.
What's going to be displayed? His glory and the blessing that he's counseled for us. That's a wonderful truth.
Somebody asked me last night who felt that perhaps we hadn't made it entirely clear about the day of Jesus Christ because it says in verse 6.
He that hath or he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
And the question was, and Bruce brought it out very well yesterday.
Really, the day of the Lord and the day of Christ begin at the same time the one connected with the display of glory in us. When the Lord comes at His appearing, that's the day of Christ and the day of the Lord, connected with the judgments which will be necessary in this world in order to set up the millennial Kingdom.
I would just suggest, and I build on a remark that was made yesterday, a very correct remark, that the day of Christ is not the judgment seat of Christ, but it displays the result of the judgment seat of Christ. So in that sense, while the day of Christ is the display of glory, it also displays the result of the judgment seat of Christ.
Yes, when we're taken home to glory, when the Lord comes. I don't believe that the Lord does any further work in our souls in that sense to make us anymore like himself, because we will be perfectly like himself.
But between the time that the day of Christ begins? Or shall I reword that? Between the time that we are called home and the time that the day of Christ begins?
The judgment seat of Christ will have taken place, and so there will be the wonderful display.
In that day of you and me, in glory, with Christ, connected and associated with him in the closest possible way, but there will also be the display of what the judgment seat of Christ has, or what what has happened at the judgment seat of Christ.
And so in the sense of the day of Christ, the glory is a wonderful thing. But I would suggest there is responsibility connected with it, isn't there? There is responsibility. We are all going to be displayed in that glory, but also there will be the results of the judgment seat of Christ that will be displayed there. And that's why the apostle expresses.
These wishes for those Philippians.
That their lives might be such that as a result of the judgment seat of Christ.
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There would be that which was for the glory of God that had gone on in their lives down here. Would you agree with that, Brother Bruce?
Couldn't put it better. Thank you.
Is not the Lord's day? No.
Day of the Lord is not the Lord's day.
When scripture speaks of the Lord's day, he's talking about the first day of the week. We're talking about a period of time which stretches 1000 years over the earth.
When the judgments of the Lord will be.
And perhaps just make it clear too, that it has nothing to do with our entrance into heaven. You know, we sometimes, I've sometimes heard the verse in Peter misquoted about an abundant entrance, but it is not an abundant entrance into heaven that he's talking about there. When the Lord comes, if it happens before we break for the noon meal, every believer is going to have an abundant entrance into heaven. But he talks in Peter about an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom.
It has to do with the display, as we've been saying, of that which is given at the judgment seat of Christ. And it has to do with our place in the Kingdom. Because you know, there will be loss at the judgment seat of Christ. Not loss of salvation, not loss of what we're going to enjoy in heaven when we're with Christ for eternity, but there will be loss of that which he wants to reward for and our life now.
Is establishing not our place in heaven, but our place in the Kingdom. So remember it's he desires us to have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom. And so Paul here He wants them to be sincere and without offense until the day of Jesus Christ, not the Lords coming, not not the rapture, but the day of manifestation, and the day when a king shall reign in righteousness and Princess shall rule in judgment.
That word till should be 4. Yes, it should read that they would be sincere and without offence for that day.
And it's the work in us is ongoing, isn't it? This is not His work for us. He's talking about. His work for us is once and for all. The Lord Jesus once and for all, died on the cross once and for all. He took care of our sins when we came in, repentance and faith that work is complete, never to be taken up again. I'm saved and saved for eternity. But there is an ongoing work in US.
And that was what Paul was desiring. And as we've been saying his we're either growing in the things of God or we're regressing. We just, some of us remember hearing that from the older brethren. They often stressed that, didn't they, That we never stand still spiritually. The last recorded words of the Apostle Peter by divine inspiration are grow in grace, but he doesn't stop there. And the knowledge of our God and Savior Jesus, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Paul's desire was that they would grow. There would be continual spiritual growth, not just in grace but has been said in knowledge. Because we cannot really have true piety without knowledge. Sound doctrine or sound knowledge is the basis for sound behavior. But there will be in your life and mind, and so many of us were in this room last year. Think back on your life in the last year.
There's either been spiritual growth or spiritual regression. None of us, I don't believe, have stood still.
This is one of the keys to this epistle, isn't it? Because many of our Christian brethren have confused this epistle and they think it's speaking about soul salvation, but it's not speaking about soul salvation, as we pointed out yesterday, to rather speaking about salvation of our life. As Christians, we can have a safe soul and a lost life. That's a serious matter. It's helped me to understand even the very word Philippians. I know sometimes too much stress can be laid on the meanings of words and we want to be careful, but.
Philippians really means lover of horses. And we might think, well, what in the world does that have to do with anything? Well, what are horses for?
Well, they were used in warfare. In Israel's day, that's an important aspect. We are in a Christian warfare. It's not the fact that we're becoming Christians, but that we are Christians and how are we to act? And secondly, in the Roman world, as we well know in which the environment in which this epistle was written, they were often used in races.
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We're in a Christian race as a marathon, as was pointed out yesterday. So the very word Philippians tells us or gives us a hint. It's not about being saved, soul salvation, but it's about salvation of our life, the present tense of salvation. And of course the future tense of salvation is when we'll be delivered from the very presence of sin and introduced into the Lord's presence. And that reminds me, I know.
We're listening to to some.
Talks their brother Albert Hale gave on our trip we had in the last week and.
Speaking about the difference between the rapture and the appearing.
Responsibility is always mentioned in connection with the appearing, isn't it?
And our brother Albert, of course, we know, used to travel a great deal and he often would speak about this bill, you know this very well. But those of us that grew under, grew up under his ministry, remember it well as as just as much. He said often he would travel, sometimes in different parts of the world, and he would come home.
And would greet his family. And it was a happy occasion, always a happy occasion.
Then later on, maybe some issues came up that had to be settled. And that's what happens in Christianity, doesn't it? It's not a question of how well I've been living. When we have the Rapture, when the Lord takes me home, the Lord will welcome each one of us into His presence. It'll be a happy occasion for each one of us.
But at the judgment seat of Christ, it'll be a little different. And then in the display of the judgment seat of Christ, the day of Christ.
Then there will be that manifestation. I don't think it'll be the loss will be manifest, will it? Then Scripture does speak of positive loss.
In connection with the judgment seat of Christ. But I don't think so In connection with the day of Christ, does it? It's only blessing there. The world will not see what?
Transpires between myself and the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, so far as those things that needed correction.
They'll only see the glory. Is that a correct statement?
He's looking at you, Bruce.
Yes.
Brother mentioned that this is.
A normal experience for the believer in this epistle. It's not the average experience, but it's a normal experience. Human temperature normally is 98.6, but if you went to the emergency room and took everybody's temperature, it probably be something.
Pretty different than that. That would be the average.
But this is the normal path. A normal Christian experience is to be sincere or pure and without offence for the day of Christ.
The apostle saying the pathway for the believer.
Is to go all the way without a stumble and without a fall.
All the way. And you might say, well, that's pretty discouraging, brother, because I'll tell you what.
That's not me.
That's not my life.
Well, would it be more encouraging to say the path of the believer is to get up today and sin and fall?
I'll tell you what, that can't be right. It's not. The normal path is to be pure and without offence all the way home.
That's the only path that is worthy of him.
And he's equipped us for it. And if I fall, I have to say that's my fault.
And I have to judge that and get up and go on in the path that he sanctioned, a path that is pure and without offence for that day.
We just might mention this as a very practical side of what we have here. It mentions in.
00:40:05
Verse 10 Things That are excellent. It mentions in verse 11 The fruits of righteousness.
And throughout Paul's epistles, not merely in Philippians. Here Paul puts a strong emphasis on those things. If we were to read the 20th of Acts, we would find that Paul's ministry was characterized first of all by the gospel of the grace of God.
Then by the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and finally.
All the counsel of God.
All three are very necessary, but he laid a strong emphasis on the things concerning the Kingdom of God. Why? Because there is a tendency for the believer to fall into the habits and practices of the world around him. He may know that he is truly saved. He may have no question as to any his eternal salvation. But sad to say, the devil has done a good job.
Especially in the last few years.
Of persuading people that, all right, you can get saved, but you don't have to change your lifestyle. You can carry on in the way that you've been living. You can get into all those worldly things and even sometimes, well, you don't want to be too righteous. You don't want to go overboard in these things. And sometimes if you cheat on your income tax a little bit or something like that, well, everybody else is doing it. And after all, the government wastes your money anyway, so.
On and on, the thinking goes, and sometimes it's OK to tell a lie because everybody lies today, and sometimes it's just the easiest way to settle a difficulty. And I'm not exaggerating. I have seen and spoken to Christians who did it and who were, on the one hand a little embarrassed afterwards when it was called to their attention, but on the other hand, who tried to do a good job of rationalizing their way around it.
And so I believe that in the day in which we live when.
Outward morality and righteousness in the world of today is fast disappearing.
This is something that ought to be a very strong and definite characteristic of those who bear the name of Christ, and the world will hold you and me accountable to a higher standard than it has for itself. They may do those things, but then when they find out that you and I are believers.
They will point the finger at us, and rightfully so. And we find that even in the word of God, where sometimes the world rebuked someone who belonged to the Lord because the world recognized better than they did what was becoming to a child of God. And so this is a very practical side of things that I would suggest we need to remember and take to heart, especially in the day in which we live.
Let's make another comment on that, Bill. And I was thinking, I was thinking when you're talking about couple of verses in Titus that I think confirm what you say.
And bring us right down to the time that we live in, because again, as Bill has said, sometimes we might say, well, it's a different day today. Our grandparents and our parents, they might have been able to walk uprightly in in those ways and so on, But you got to realize where we're at in our history.
Let's just notice in Titus chapter 2, I'll begin reading at verse 11. For the grace of God that bring us salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Now there's much can be said about these verses, but here we find that it's grace that teaches us.
To live in this way, to deny that which is unholy and not according to the mind of God, and then to live soberly, righteously, godly, when 100 years ago in my parents day, my grandparents day, in this present age, it brings us right down where we are today. We have the resources and the grace to live soberly, righteously, and godly to live.
Uprightly in the day in which we we find ourselves.
Right here at the end of this dispensation, just before the Lord comes, are things morally dark and blocked? Yes, they are spiritually dark and black. Yes, they are. Is everybody doing it? For the most part, that's true. But this does not have to characterize the believer. And what is it in view of looking for that blessed hope? That's what we're expecting this morning. The Lord's coming for us. But something else, You know, there's two things in connection with our hope.
00:45:27
Sometimes we say the proper hope of the believer is the Lord's coming forth. That's true. But there's another part to our hope looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing that has to do with the Kingdom that has to do with what we've been saying in this meeting this morning. And we are to live soberly, righteously, godly in this present age in view of the fact that there's a day coming when the Lord Jesus is going to appear back in this world to reign in righteousness.
And we're going to appear with him, and that ought to be the motivation. Well, Christ is the motivation. But the encouragement to deny worldly and ungodly lusts and to live for God's glory in view of that day when He's going to display us as His. And he's coming, as we said yesterday, to be glorified in His Saints and admired in all them that are about him in that day.
There are two sides to it in that.
10th verse that you may be sincere that better translated that you may be pure.
And that would be the internal side, the personal, And then, and without offence, that would be the external side before the world with whom?
We walk.
Through walk.
I like Bill. What you brought out at camp. There were in your little pamphlet. You said many want to serve the Lord.
But on their own terms.
You might expound on that maybe.
Well, here in this particular part of Philippians I know services brought in later in the chapter, but.
It starts with, as Bruce was saying, with that which is internal, doesn't it? And yes, it's very true that many do want to serve the Lord, but on their own terms, and we need to have the Lord's mind about where we go and what we do.
Where I am, it says in John 12.
There shall also my servant be that is where the Lord is taking us. But it starts with a state within that is according to God's mind, and that is always the case in Scripture, isn't it? And again, it's not particularly brought out in this chapter. But worship always comes before service, doesn't it? And a moral state before God, which is in keeping with his thoughts and we don't need to turn to it. But you find the example of that in First Timothy 4.
Where the apostle Paul told Timothy, let no man despise thy youth. My those were good words. When I was young, I thought Paul had it right. But then when you go beyond that, Oh my, he says, But be thou an example of the believers. And he goes on to mention a number of categories. And then he says, meditate upon these things, Give thyself holy to them.
And then that thy profiting may appear to all, take heed unto thyself.
And unto the doctrine or teaching.
For in so doing thou shalt save.
Thyself and them that hear thee so there's an order there isn't there? And a priority. And so I can only minister what I have.
Read and digested and walked in before the Lord.
And then, and only then, am I in a right state to be used in service. And so it is important to see that. And that's, I believe, what Paul is leading up to here with these things, How important for everything internally to be right and then without offence unto others. And then, of course, there's the opportunity, as we get later in the chapter, for the preaching of the gospel and service to the Lord in other ways.
Is that?
This connection in that Kent first that you may approve the things more excellent. Is that morals or is that doctrine? He's talking about the gospel here, and those later who preached it out of contention and so forth.
00:50:04
I thought of it in connection with.
Well.
In Tacoma we have some people that are coming go to another meeting.
And if you were to observe these meetings, you would think, well, we're all, we all do the same thing. It's just they need just like we do. They hold a lot of things that we do well, why shouldn't we all be together then? It comes in discernment, doesn't it? Why aren't we together and we have to deal with that well.
These people, they don't believe that there's just one table. They don't believe that there's just one place.
But that's important, isn't it? You have to be discerning.
So is that what's being taken up here, discerning the things?
That are.
Or is it moral? Well, verse 9 says that you may abound more and more in knowledge and all intelligence. The word judgment should be there intelligence. So he wants us to be intelligent in the principles in the mind of God.
But then there's a moral working out of it in verse 10, where he talks about our life and having a moral discernment to to live and walk in a very difficult day in which they've been called and we have been called to live.
So you have both.
And it's always in that order, isn't it? Because as we alluded to earlier, sound behavior must be based on sound doctrine in a very general way. That's the difference between the epistles to Timothy and the epistle to Titus.
In the epistles to Timothy, it's really the need for sound doctrine, because doctrine was being given up, especially in the second epistle. And that's why Paul said to Timothy when he listed certain things that had characterized his life that Timothy had seen manifest in falls life. He said, first of all, thou has fully known my doctrine, and that was the basis for everything else. He goes on to list other things, his purpose, his faith, and so on, and even his afflictions and so on.
But it began with sound doctrine. So in Timothy you have the need for sound doctrine. In Titus, it's a question of sound behavior. It's doing good and good works and so on. But those good works had to be based on the fundamental truth of the word of God. And that's why we first of all need to have a knowledge, don't we? We don't. And I just say that because I think sometimes we who are older give the impression when we talk about these things.
That knowledge isn't all that important.
It's not enough, that's true. It's not enough. But it is important. It is the basis. We need to read our Bibles. All of us young people. You need to familiarize yourself with the word of God. You're not going to be able to serve the Lord acceptably. You're not going to get that full reward that he desires for you and that a that a commendation of approval that he desires for you. Unless.
It's based on sound doctrine. So I think what Bruce has pointed out is very helpful that it's first of all verse nine, it's not verse 10 and 1St and then verse nine, it's verse nine first. And that's the basis for then there to be that which was morally acceptable and could be will be commended in the day of Jesus Christ.
I think that's exactly what you have in Colossians chapter one.
Exact order flosses one in verse 9.
This is one of those things to pray about in the prayer meeting or at other times about individuals or assemblies, rather than, just as you put it, the missing button.
In verse nine of Colossians 1.
With this 'cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you.
And to desire that she might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That's what we've been talking about.
And then it goes on in verse 10. Why, that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in or I think it should read by the knowledge of God.
Going by so there's that continual growth, isn't there?
Knowledge not an end in itself.
00:55:01
But a practical.
Display of it in the life.
The truth will preserve us if it is acted on in communion with the Lord.
1St for that that's in Psalm 40.
Psalm 40.
And verse.
11 With no withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord, this is the part. Let thy loving kindness and thy truth continually preserve me so when the truth is held.
In affection for the Lord and in communion with Him, we it will preserve us. The principles of God's Word will preserve us. Why don't I today go down the street and meet with the Baptist while you're having this meeting here?
Was a question that chapter Brown asked his audience many years ago, and he answered it by saying.
Principles of the Word of God.
So the truth guides my feet, as long as I'm found in communion with the truth.
It has a preserving effect.
So maybe we can put it this way to sum up these remarks. In that connection, the entrance of the truth is the mind, because we must have a knowledge. And so we read the word of God. We take the truth in initially through the mind, but it's not the dwelling place of the truth. The the entrance of the truth is the mind. The channel is the conscience, because the conscience must always be reached. This book was written not merely for our intellect, but for our conscience.
And the dwelling place is the heart. And when the truth takes root in that way in our souls, it's going to have its preserving effect. Let me summit again. The entrance of the truth is the mind, the channel is the conscience, and the dwelling place is the heart.
We need to understand understate the verse that Brother Bill alluded to. I'd like to read it. It said First Timothy, Chapter 4, verse 16.
I believe it is.
First Timothy 4 and verse 16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine Continue in them, For in doing so thou shalt save thyself, and them that hear thee.
There's that practical salvation that we've been talking about.
The doctrine of Scripture, if held properly, will preserve us and save us from all kinds of error.
I wonder if we should move on. In a few minutes, we have left versus, as we mentioned before, verses 12 Through 20. Then we have Paul's circumstances. Previously, he's been occupied with them. Now we have his circumstances. It's one thing to speak to others and say this is what you should be doing, and this is what I'm praying for about you. But how about yourself? And so we have Paul's circumstances.
We might just mention that.
In verse 12 he wants them to know what happened to them.
But he sees God's hand behind all his circumstances. Doesn't he have unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace or praetorium, and in all other places? I just mentioned that we mentioned it yesterday, but in the end of Acts Paul had his own hired house.
Perhaps that was relatively comfortable, but here he's no longer in his own hired house, He's in prison in the Pretoria, and so it wasn't a pleasant existence when he wrote this book. These are his circumstances. And so the telescope turns around and says now, OK, Paul, the spirit of God, as it were, says OK, how about Paul? He can speak of others, but how about Paul? How is he getting along?
In his circumstances.
There's something that.
Was told a long time ago, which helps with this book.
In the first chapter Paul was ready to die for the gospel. That's the 20th verse and 21St verse, according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing shall I be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death, just talking about the gospel.
01:00:09
Chapter He's Willing to die for the Saints.
You get that.
In the 17th verse. Yay. And if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.
So he's willing to die for the Saints, and the third chapter he's willing to be a martyr is that I may know him in the 10th verse, and that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering be made conformable unto his death. If by any means I might attain into the resurrection of the dead, so he would have to die to do that. He's willing to be a martyr for Christ. But perhaps the 4th chapter brings before us.
The the great thing he.
Dive to circumstances.
He he says.
I have learned both. How to abound?
Can we have these sign of circumstances and still live for the Lord in an opulent country like we live in?
In in luxury, yes, he had learned to abound, to be abased, and to abound.
So everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both bound and suffering. I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me, and so I don't say that we ought to forget our circumstances.
But we ought to live above them. I've seen men who preach the word of God, and yet maybe it's one of their children.
Went the wrong way. It just took the heart out of it. The circumstances. We have to live above the circumstances. And so I believe that the greatest thing was that Paul had learned to die to circumstances, not to let that.
Control. His joy in the Lord is that yes, he didn't become callous or indifferent to his circumstances. He felt what he was passing through. He desired on more than one occasion the prayers of his brethren concerning his circumstances. But as you say, with Christ before him, and the enjoyment of Christ in his soul, he had risen above his circumstances, and he had, as you say, a joy that didn't.
Depend on his circumstances.
And, brethren, we need to covet that for our own souls. Do you and I have such a joy of Christ in our souls? We are not indifferent to circumstances, but that joy does not depend on circumstances, Paul said on another occasion, sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. He knew what tears were. He knew what sorrow was. He served the Lord with many tears and temptations, as he said in Acts 20.
But he had that joy that was through it all. As it says, your joy, no man taketh from you.
Heard a brother say once if I had the power of God, he was speaking hypothetically. Oh, for for one day, he said. What changes I would make? But if I had the wisdom of God, I wouldn't change anything.
And so it is true here with Paul, isn't it? He's rising above circumstances, but he's not despising him. He sees the hand of God in each one. And I I don't know how much detail to go in here because of time, but I want to mention in verse 19 because there's been some confusion for I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer. Again, we know it's the present tense of salvation, but in Paul's case, it's not a question. He's not asking them to pray that he's released from prison, is it?
Some have suggested that, but I don't believe it's correct.
It's the present tense of salvation, he says. I want to live in the good of what God has for me in the circumstances in which he's placed me. That's salvation. That's the lesson for each one of us. That's normal Christian experience.
We sing 200 and 56256.
Relationship With Our In-Laws
Address—David Mearns
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.
Maybe just before we pray, we can turn in our Bibles.
To so actually the last comment that Vern Clark made in the last reading Philippians chapter 4.
The Philippians chapter 4.
He read to us.
In the 12Th verse, I know how to be a based. I know how to abound everywhere and in all things. I am structured both to be filling, to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I sure appreciated that comment being made.
I'd like to look at the previous verse though.
In verse 11. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I've learned in whatsoever state I am.
Therewith to be content.
The Apostle Paul didn't come equipped.
With what we have here in these verses, it was something he had to learn.
And it's something that we have to learn too, don't we? We don't come equipped with it. He didn't. And it's marvelous to see this. Well, let's just look to the Lord now.
Our God and our Father.
We thank thee for the Lord Jesus.
We thank thee that it's our privilege to be here and to have been under the sound of our precious word.
This yesterday and today and we just would ask now as we would open it yet again.
That would be mindful of thy purposes in our lives and how to help us work things according to my gracious will. And there are those things in our life, our God, that sometimes is difficult for us to comprehend. And yet we know that our overall And so as life purposes ripen in our lives, we just would pray for special grace. The last few steps that we have before we hear that showed and we're called home or Jesus to be with thyself.
And so in the next little while, our God, we will just ask for special help that we would be found hearing by voice. We'd ask this our God as we give thanks and the worthy and the precious name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
There were two portions of scripture that were read that.
Directed my heart to the thoughts that I have before me this afternoon.
I.
I say that because I had anticipated him taking something up entirely different.
But Brother Jim read to us from the Psalms this morning and Psalm 107, and I'd like to look at that just for a moment before I turn to the portion that was brought before us yesterday at the prayer meeting, Psalm 107.
And so this morning we had the sixth verse read to us. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. He led them forth by the right way that they might go to a city of habitation. All that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works, to the children of men. You know we have that sixth verse, don't we?
Repeated in the 13th verse.
We have a repeated again in the 19th verse.
And we have her repeated again in the 28th verse. But I was thinking of that which just came before the 28th verse. And I understand the prophetic thought here, but I just like to look at.
For our sakes this afternoon in our practical lives in in verse 24.
These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep, for he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, and lifteth up the waves thereof.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the to the depths, and their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end. Now that's an interesting portion. And I'm not from here. I'm not even from close to here.
00:05:06
So I don't know the folks here. Yes, I touch in with folks here. I know Jim because he lives close by, and I know Bill because he's in our own assembly, but everybody else is from a piece away. So I don't know the circumstances in anybody's lives.
So I have no agenda as to what I'm taking up tonight. I just this afternoon just trust that we would be able to look at what the Lord has laid on my heart and be able to profit from it. As I read read this portion this morning in the in the prayer meeting, I thought of these ones that are at their wits end and you know.
I'd be a fool to think that there's not a large percentage of people here that have found themselves in that kind of a condition at some time in your life, and perhaps even now.
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble. He bringeth them Out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm.
And the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet? So he bringeth them under their desire to have an oath that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children.
Of men.
Now turn with me to the book of Exodus.
Brother Jerry brought this portion before us which has given birth to which is to follow in the next little while if the Lord should tarry.
He brought before us this discourse between.
Jethro, Moses, father-in-law and Moses.
In the 18th chapter of Exodus.
And Jethro, the priest of Midian Moses, father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses.
And in.
Verse six he said unto Moses, I thy father-in-law, Jethro, and come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. And Moses went out to greet his father-in-law, and did obey his sense, and kissed him.
And they asked each other.
Of their welfare.
They came into the tent. Well, not just a sweet little discourse that was given to us as we embarked on our prayer meeting yesterday.
Just to have that characteristic where we could together discuss each other's welfare. I I just love this and and they came into the tent and Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done.
I love that too, to see these two coming together, and to see them having this sweet fellowship, and to see that Moses relays all that the Lord of Daniel wilderness journey was still before them. But he relays all that the Lord have done. And he says here under Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way.
How the Lord?
Delivered them, and Jethro rejoiced for the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed.
Be the Lord who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who have delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
I know that the Lord is greater than all gods from the thing wherein they dealt proudly. He's above them.
Jethro, Moses, father-in-law, took a burnt offering sacrifices for God, and Aaron came and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses, father-in-law before God.
I really love this.
And ask a question now, though it's been interesting to me.
This beautiful scene between.
Moses and his father-in-law.
What I want to have before us in the next little while is what is.
The relationship we have with our in-laws.
That's rather a different subject to take up in a setting like this.
I've been impressed with a family line of things. There's so many things we can take up with regards to the family. There's fathers, there's mothers, there's sisters, there's brothers, there's aunts, uncles.
00:10:09
What about our in laws?
This is a beautiful scene here.
This here.
On our little sheet says it's an address to young Christians.
I was impressed. This morning I was talking to a young man and he was telling me about his sister-in-law and I thought, he can't even be old enough to have a sister-in-law and.
Preteens.
I was talking to another young man who wasn't married yet, little nephew on his shoulder and I thought.
You know the the the subject of in laws.
Effects almost all of us.
Some of us their father-in-law.
Son of her brother in laws.
Some of us are sons in laws.
Some of us are all three.
Some of us are mother in laws.
Some of us are sister in laws.
Some of us are daughter in laws.
Some of us are all three.
What does the scripture say?
As to our relationship with our in laws.
I'm pretty safe here, I think I only have one that's here.
But I have lots of them.
And I stand before you here.
Having conducted myself in a way where I have spoke unadvisedly with my lips.
With regards particularly.
Some of my sister in laws and I have offended them.
And I'm thankful that they've been very gracious. I have a couple of brothers, I have a couple sisters, my wife has brothers and sisters. I have lots of in laws.
As does most people here.
What does the Scripture have to say about this subject? Let's turn to First Samuel.
First Samuel.
First Samuel, Chapter 18.
I know there's young men and there's young women here.
Perhaps anticipating to be married.
You know the very last thing in your mind is the concept of your in laws.
The very last thing.
It was with me, but I know too that there's a lot of young families here.
There are those here who have just been married. You've just been introduced to the subject, perhaps not having entertained thoughts at all.
But those of you who have young children?
You know.
That there's a manner into which we conduct ourselves.
As in laws, That's for good.
Sports for bat?
So here in First Samuel 18 we read this.
It's interesting. In the 12Th verse, it says Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him. You know, we were to look back and we were to look at this verse. We would say, you know, we really should be reading that verse, that David was afraid of Saul because David has just had two javelins thrown at him. You'd think after 2-2 javelin throws that David would be the one that's afraid. But no, it's Saul.
Was afraid of David because the Lord was with him.
Now, as we embark on this subject, it's my purpose to look at the features of some of those who are in laws that are beautiful features that if you young people.
In your early years.
Are conscious of these features.
It would be for tremendous profit in your life, should the Lord carry.
So here in First Samuel 18.
And we read in the 23rd verse.
And Saul's servants.
Spake, Let's go down to the 22nd verse rather. And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the King's son-in-law.
00:15:06
And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David, And David said, Seemeth it.
To you, a light thing to be.
A King's son-in-law.
I dare say.
It's not a light thing for any of us.
To be it in law of any sort.
And David didn't look at it as a light thing.
He took it very, very seriously. And if we were to go on down the passage, we won't. Let's go down to the.
Well, let's look at verse 28.
And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David. That's what he was afraid of in the 12Th verse. And Saul became Davidde enemy continually. Then the Princess of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. And his name was, if we could read the marginal reading on Mr. Darby's translation.
His name was very precious. This thing was very precious. I would just like to suggest that, David.
At this point in time, he's already taken Michael for his wife. He is now the King's son-in-law. He does not look at it in a like manner. And the feature that we see here in connection with David, it says he behaved himself wisely and his name was very precious.
Oh, young person.
Far to talk to all your peers.
Would they say this about you?
They just so appreciate even the mention of your name because of the way you conduct yourself.
You know, David did that.
Did that.
They hate themselves more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious. Let's turn now to the Book of Genesis.
The book of Genesis.
Genesis 26.
Genesis 26 verse 34.
And he saw was 40 years old when he took to wife Judith, the daughter of Bury the Hittite.
And Bath Shamath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, which were a grief of mind.
To Isaac.
And to Rebecca.
You know, that's a that's a sad, sad statement, isn't it?
And I, you know, there are young people here, just consider the relationship that you have with your parents.
And just think of making bad decisions in your life and landing your parents like what we have here.
They were a grief of mind unto Isaac and Rebecca.
You know, this story starts off with.
You know the romance of Wilt thou go with this man?
And the response is I will go, and don't we love that chapter? And isn't it taken up time and time again on the wedding day? What happened?
Is this is this what we're reading here?
Turn over a chapter 27.
We're turning over a chapter, but we're actually turning over.
Probably 45 years.
Mr. Kelly would say 45 years. I can only come between 42 and 45. I'm not sure if you do the math backwards, but just read this.
A Genesis 28 And Rebecca said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Hath.
00:20:02
So 45 years early, earlier.
We read that the daughters of Hathaway, grief of mind to Isaac and to Rebecca, and now here, 45 years later, Rebecca says, I'm wary of my life because of the daughters of health. You know, is this what the Lord has for us with our children?
That they should enter into a scenario with marriage and then for us to have this this condition that has been there for years with with Isaac and Rebecca, after we we read the, as I say, the romance of the, the, the, the.
The chapters earlier.
You know it's not what the Lord has for us.
Just think of you, younger couples with young children.
Is this what the Lord would have for us?
What? What happened?
There's there's a lot of things that happen. We even talked about them in our last meeting. They are.
They're very.
They're very solemn, you know, I was thinking I was reading in my personal reading.
Let's read it.
To Matthews Matthews. Gospel, the 14th chapter.
Sorry, we're just going to take a little slide trip here, Matthew 14.
I was reading about Peter.
And.
In Matthew 14 we have this, this little story of the the ships in the midst of the sea. It's tossed with the waves. Matthew 1424 and.
The wind is contrary. The 4th watch of the night. Jesus went to them walking on the water. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying it is the Spirit, And they cried out for fear. And straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be a good cheer his I be not afraid. Peter answered him, and said, Lord, if it be thou did me come to thee in the water. And he said, Come, Peter came down under the ship, and walked on the water to go to Jesus.
When he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink. He cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him and said unto him, Old thou little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? When they were coming to the ship? The wind ceased neither when the ship came, and worshipped him, saying of a truth, thou art the Son of God. I was. I read that whole portion, because I was affected by.
We take up this portion and we see Peter. He walks in the water and it says. Here, though when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid.
And beginning to sink. You know this world has an expression.
I believe this is.
Very important with regards to the life of Isaac and Rebecca. The expression is this, don't sweat the small stuff.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
You know we need to have the Lord.
In every detail of our lives. And this, this portion here with Peter saying this with Peter saying you know when he saw the wind boisterous.
He was afraid, and he began to think as if to say that if the wind wasn't boisterous and the water was perfectly clear, that we don't probably be able to walk on the water.
Like, are you kidding me?
Sometimes we.
Sometimes we treat the Lord that way. We think we can look after things in our own lives that are small and not recognize that I am so desperately dependent upon the Lord for now in my next breath.
Well, we don't.
Well think of those things. And so Peter, you know if the winds boisterous and it's it's really blowing, well, he's going to sink. But if it was perfectly calm, he'd have no problem walking on the water. And I believe that Isaac and Rebecca.
Didn't look after the small things in their lives.
We read of Isaac's eyes getting dim. We read of the savory meat.
I'm not sure how much he asked the Lord to bless.
His appetite for savoury meat. But there's so many little things in our life that they're very important.
And we need to realize that the Lord.
Is in full control of everything. And yet those small things. Yes, he's in full control. But Oh no. We only need the Lord for the big things. Well, what a sad commendation we have here. Rebecca. Sister Isaac, I am weary of my life because the daughters of Hath.
00:25:14
Let's go to First Samuel.
First Samuel.
First Samuel, Chapter 4.
This is a very sad time.
In the history of the people of God.
The word of the Lord came to Samuel. The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Israel went out against the Philistines. That battle, we don't have any direction from the Lord here.
To go to battle, nothing whatsoever.
And it doesn't end well.
Fact We see the Philistines have more discernment than the people of God. But let's go down to the 19th verse pick up on our subject.
And this is in connection with Eli.
His daughter-in-law.
Finis, his wife, was a child year to be delivered, and when she heard the tallings of the Ark of God was taken, and her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed, and her pains came upon her.
And about the time of her death the woman that stood by her said unto her, Fear not, for thou was born a son. And she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is the part of Israel, because the ark of God was taken.
And because of her father-in-law and her husband, and she said that Glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.
And I thought of this dear woman, and it's interesting. The next time we read Ichabod, it's when the Lord is reviving things in Israel.
But here it says that she was greatly affected by three things.
First and foremost, that the Ark of God was taken. Oh, can't we learn from that?
Which there affected her the most.
Was that which was most precious in the sight of God. And then we read.
And that her father-in-law and her husband were dead.
And I would just suggest.
For all of our hearts, and particularly for you dear young people, the feature that we see with this dear woman.
When she travels and there's pains that come upon her, it says here. And she bowed herself.
She bowed herself.
Oh, that that would be my deportment.
Regardless of the difficulty that comes across my pathway in my life.
I would take up with this feature of this dear woman, and she bowed herself.
Now, the greatest victory we read of in Samson's life. It's right at the end of his life. Takes those pillars. What does it say? And he bowed himself. Now I covet that feature, you, dear young ones.
As you anticipate, perhaps taking a partner?
If this is a feature in your life.
It is most precious in the sight of God.
Most precious.
And she bowed herself.
I won't take up the concept of Ichabod. It's you can look at it in your in your personal reading.
Let's turn over to.
First Samuel.
First Samuel 22.
First Samuel 22.
There's some other features here.
That we see, and this is in connection with David First Samuel 22.
It's a rather sad, sad story when we consider what Doig does in the ninth verse.
00:30:02
And Saul says in the 13th verse. Saul said unto him, Why have you conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, that thou has given him bread and a sword, and has inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, and lie in wait as at this day? And him like answered the king, and said, who?
Is so faithful.
Among all thy servants as David.
Which is the King's son-in-law.
And goeth at thy bidding.
And he's honorable.
In the house.
You know, the first feature we find here is.
It doesn't say that he's gifted. It says that he's faithful. That's what it says. Who is so faithful among all my servants as David, which is this King's son-in-law?
Well then it says here too, of all my servants, all that servant character, you know.
Dear young ones.
That servant character is such a characteristic to covet.
It's it's a beautiful characteristic you know we if we're to turn to we're to turn to Lukes Gospel the 10th chapter we have the man that leaves jerk Jerusalem and he's going down to Jericho and.
A priest comes by.
You know, I believe the priest was a good man.
But he lacked that servant character and he just kind of looked at the situation and says, you know.
I just can't go there. I can't go there.
The lead bike comes along.
Another Goodman.
And.
He looked the situation over.
Same thing.
All right. This man's half dead. I I can't go there.
You know, I wonder if even the Samaritan, I understand the.
Prophetic teaching of what we have there, but the Samaritan himself perhaps came along and looked at the situation, maybe said the same thing.
I'm not sure I can go there. And the Lord says, yeah, you need to go there.
Sometimes the Lord does that with us, doesn't he? And if we don't have that servant character.
Not afraid to get our hands dirty.
There's not going to be the blessing like that man was brought into. Well here we find it's it's it's that feature that a Himalayk, you think of the disaster that happens in this chapter and yet it's pointed out David has this servant character.
As the King's son-in-law. And it says at the end here that goeth at thy bidding.
And is honorable at thy house. You know David conducted himself.
In such a manner that the the Lord was first, wasn't he in in Davidde life and that was that was manifested by what's portrayed here And I thought, you know, in my personal reading I've been I was reading of.
Reading of Thomas, actually.
We sometimes sing that little song. Don't be a doubting Thomas, just lean upon his promise. I prefer to look at some of the other features that Thomas had, and one of them is.
You know, there are four people in the New Testament that say this, they say.
My Lord, only four.
Paul says it in flipping 3 that we have it, we have it in John's Gospel.
21 With Mary, she says, My Lord, we have at Luke's Gospel early on as Elizabeth speaking with Mary, she speaks about the mother of my Lord. And then we have that feature of Thomas, don't we? What's Thomas say? He says. My.
Lord, My Lord, in person is the Lord Jesus, Lord of your life, is he Lord.
Are you in the driver's seat or the Lord in the driver's seat?
Is the Lord in the passenger seat?
Floor in the back seat.
Is the Lord maybe not even the car at all?
My Lord.
It's a beautiful characteristic.
Oh, that we would take up with what's pointed out here in Davidde Life, who is so faithful among all thy servants as David?
00:35:08
Which is the King's son-in-law.
Forth of thy bidding in his honorable 9 house, Mark's Gospel, Chapter One.
Mark's Gospel Chapter one.
Maybe there's someone here?
And you really identify.
With Rebecca.
And Isaac?
Did we throw the towel in?
So it's too late.
Can't do anything about.
This in law relationship.
Marks Gospel chapter One.
Verse 28 immediately.
His fame spread abroad.
Thread all the region roundabout Galilee forthwith.
When they were coming out of the synagogue, they injured into the host of Simon and Andrew and James and John.
Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever.
And on they tell him of her, and he came.
And took her by the hand.
And lifted her up.
And immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Now as I consider Peter.
What? What? What transpires here is a little different than what he he writes in his epistle where he says husbands dwell with your wives according to knowledge. I'm not sure that when he wrote that if he was willing to bring a whole parcel of company home when his mother-in-law was sick in the house, you know, there are a lot of things that the Lord works with us in our lives.
And uh.
And we've been, we've been reading that, haven't we, In, in, in, in Philippians and how the Lord is working with us our entire lives. And I I thought, you know.
In the assembly where I find myself, there's a number of old men.
Umm, some of the new young people. You're looking at me and saying I'm an old man.
I was amused by we were standing in line with breakfast this morning and my wife said to someone who was my peers, it's interesting they put all the young couples in this, this hotel over here.
Saying that my wife and I were a young couple and I'm thinking, you know, there are those who are older though in our own assembly, our own own local assembly, old men.
And they are sweet, sweet old men. And you know, I'm smart enough to know that it wasn't always so.
It wasn't always so I look at older ones here.
Some sweet old men, sweet old women. And the Lord has worked with you. And the Lord has worked with you. And there's a sweetness now that we enjoy. Well, Ernie, in Peter's life we didn't quite see that same sweetness.
But here in this portion we find that.
Simons wifes mother lay sick of a fever.
This world has some pretty negative connotations.
That they make with regards to mother-in-law's.
The Lord has just taken mine.
She's home.
There are.
I was sort of customer service a short while ago.
And they went away for the weekend. They are trout fishermen, they are fishing and they came back from the weekend that I was working with them and I said so how the weekend go, they made this comment.
They said, oh, it was a bad weekend. It was worse than a family fight.
I thought that's a sad statement to make sure we don't have such a thing amongst the people of God.
You know, here we have.
Simon's wife's mother.
She's got a fever and often there is that kind of a situation with regards to our in laws. It's a fever, things get pretty warm.
00:40:06
Pretty hot And what is the? What is the solution?
In this case.
Simons wifes mother lay sick of a fever and Anon they they tell him of her, She came and took her. He came and took her by the hand.
Oh, that we would allow.
The Lord to do that in our lives when we have failed in every way possible.
To just cast ourselves in the Lord, and let him take us by the hand, and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her, she ministered unto them. You know I love this. I love this.
As I say, I've conducted myself in a way.
That's been pretty obnoxious.
With regards to some of my in laws.
And they have been very gracious.
And the Lord has sometimes come in just like this.
Taken us by the hand.
Lifted us up.
Can we turn to the book of Ruth now?
The book of Ruth.
The book of Ruth and the second chapter.
We've all enjoyed many thoughts with regards to the book of Ruth, and it's not my purpose to go through there, but to stay with our subject. Let's look at the eighth verse of Luke of Ruth, chapter 2.
And said, boys under Ruth, here's thou not my daughter, go not to glean in another field. Now they go from hence, but abide here.
Fast by my maidens.
Let thine eyes be on the field.
That they do reap and go thou after them. Have I not charged the young men, that they shall not touch thee? And when thou art of thirst, go into the vessels and drink of that which the young men have drawn. Then she fell in her face. Oh, my, here's the same characteristic that we have in connection with Eli's daughter-in-law.
And bowed herself to the ground.
And said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes?
That thou shouldst take knowledge of me.
Seeing I'm a stranger.
It's to me it's so forceful forceful the the response here at Boas because Boaz, it says here. And Boaz answered and said unto her.
Noticed.
The first and foremost feature.
That comes out.
With regards to boaz's attraction, truth.
And your Boaz?
He understood the concept.
Of perhaps a stigma being attached to someone you know if you were to go to the book of Joshua.
We would find what it says about Joshua's have Boas, his mom and.
There, let's look at it.
Joshua.
It's in the.
That's where the walls of Jericho are coming down.
I guess it's 6.
Joshua 6.
I'm not sure what feelings Solomon had.
As he took Rahab for his wife.
00:45:01
She's a marvelous light.
In this Old Testament one of the most beautiful pictures of an evangelist, if you look at the marginal reading here, when the two spies it says, Joshua said in verse 22. Joshua said unto the young, The two men that had spied out the country go to the harlot's house and bring out then to the woman and all that she hath as you swear unto you. And the young men that were supplies went in and brought out Rahab and her father, and her mother and her brethren and all that she had. And they brought out all her kindred. Look at the marginal reading there all her families. I I picture that household of of Rahab's to be packed to the doors.
Because all these ones came out. But then there's this stigma where it says brought out all her kindred and left them without. At the camp of Israel, there was a spot that they were put while the children of Israel went on with their business. Well, sometime between then and now we have Boas.
And the first and foremost feature that stands out with Boas, as we have here in the book of Ruth.
Turn back there, where we were, the second chapter, it says. Boaz answered, and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law.
Since the death of my husband.
How thus by father thy mother, the land of thy nativity, and there come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
So what constitutes? What constitutes an in law?
Maybe we should have started with this in law.
Is part of our family.
That does not have our blood running through their veins.
That's what an inliers we could take up the subject of adoption. We could take up the subject of.
Step parents and stepchildren, but the concept of an in law.
Is it's part of our family.
That does not have our blood running through their veins.
And it takes special grace, not for me, Takes special grace for them, Take special grace for me too. It takes very special grace. You young people that are very young, that have brothers in laws and sister in-laws, you've never thought of these things. They are very, very real. Because what happens is we don't see the difficulty until 30 years down the road.
And we have people that have this relationship with their in laws that we read about in the book of Genesis with Rebecca and Isaac, and it just didn't happen.
There was a long process that made it happen. There was lots of red, yellow lights. There was lots of red lights. And then there's this situation.
Oh, Boaz, he understood the comment. And I would say to those of you who are my peers, how have we taught our children?
As to how there?
To conduct themselves with their in laws.
How have I done that?
That's a searching thing to my own soul.
Here, boys, he looked at Ruth, And that first and foremost feature was it hath fully been showed me all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law.
Let's turn to.
We'll end with this.
In Peter's epistle.
Second Peter.
Chapter One.
Looking for the verse that says above all. Here we are, first Peter chapter 4. Sorry.
First Peter, Chapter 4.
And verse 8.
Above all things.
Have fervent.
Love among yourselves.
00:50:02
For love shall cover the multitude of sins I was visiting with Vern just before the just before we ate lunch. And it's interesting, you know.
Everyone of us, we we view ourselves.
As walking right down the middle of the road.
That's where we view ourselves.
Some of our brethren are off to the right hand side a little bit and some are off to the left hand side and some are off to the right ditch and some are off to the left ditch. But we ourselves we're right pretty much down the center and.
We all think that way.
How can it happen? You know, sometimes I can justify some of my relationships by saying, well, you know, it's really under the guise of faithfulness that I find myself in this kind of a scenario. And sometimes that's true.
But the Lord would have us to recognize that we need to be able to view other people's perspectives.
To do that is a big help. A perspective is an interesting thing. You know, we I mentioned this is this to someone earlier today.
Our eldest daughter was was just married last August.
And and we went to.
We went to Melissa and Claytons, the wedding reception in Saint Louis, because some of the folks couldn't get to Rideau Ferry and.
Seeing I get there and they've been married 3 weeks and we come to the breakfast table and Melissa wants to tell us something about what happened on her honeymoon 3 weeks before and she says dad back when we were first married.
And I'm, I think, are you kidding me?
But she's dead serious.
I'm not trying to be funny. She's portraying in her mind what happened way back three weeks ago when they were first married and you know.
Are my dad told me once when I was first held Melissa as a young baby, said David. Always remember when you're visiting with her, what it's like or what it was like to be her age. And that's a good thing for us to do as brethren, as we intermingle with one another, as we react with one another, as we speak with one another, to remember there's another perspective.
To remember that.
What's important is the word of God.
And the glory of God.
But to realize that sometimes there are others that have a different perspective than mine, I wouldn't have used that expression that Melissa used in connection with three weeks before, but she used it.
And was perfectly normal.
Well, may we? As it says here in first Peter four and verse 8 above all.
Have perfect love among yourselves. Love shall cover the multitude of sins.
This hospitality one to another Rd. grudging, you know. We looked at the vessel at the vestal meetings we were speaking about. Jim mentioned the the joy was to go to to Europe and to see the brethren. They came together and it was hugs and kisses and tears and when they left it was hugs and kisses and tears and I was thinking.
What about on a weekly basis with our local brethren?
Do we have that same fervency? I come here and I haven't seen folks for a long time and I've got lots of hugs.
People don't know me as well as Jim as well as Bill.
But do we have that same care and that same love for our brethren? Do we have it for our in laws, whoever they may be?
Well, this has been a different subject, obviously, but it's what the Lord laid on my heart. Trust that the Lord can bless His word.
Maybe we could just pray.
Our God and our Father, we thank thee that it's our privilege to open my precious word and to read from these blessed pages and.
We thank the our God for the way Thou has brought us thus far along the pathway.
Thank you for Paul having learned and whatsoever state he found himself, that he was content.
Oh our God, We just would pray that our testimony to our brethren, to our families, to this world, would be our joy in the Lord. Give us our God to have joy. Give us as we.
Entertain these thoughts that we go forward our God with thankful hearts for that which I was done in our lives and picking us up our God.
And we just would pray that we would conduct ourselves in a manner that's consistent with my precious word, that we would manifest some of these characteristics that we have seen. So we just would ask our God for thy blessing upon my precious Word, and pray too for the balance of the day and tomorrow. If that was tarry, that would be a time of real profit for us. We'd ask these things as we give thanks.
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And worthy in the precious name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Philippians 1:20-30
Reading
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Has been suggested that perhaps we start at verse 20 this afternoon. It's the last starts, the last section of this chapter, and we did make some general comments to concerning the preceding verses. But there's much precious truth in these last few verses, and it's been suggested that perhaps we start there and take these up this afternoon.
Doctor one verse 20. According to my earnest expectation, my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death, for me to live as Christ, and to die as gain. But I but if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose I won't not, for I am in a straight twixt 2 have any desire to depart.
The booth Christ, which is far better nevertheless to abide in the flesh, is more needful for you.
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be, as it become with the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God.
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which he saw in me, and now here to be in me.
It's beautiful to see the spirit of the Apostolism that here.
Just referring back for the moment to verse.
18 Where he has to take note.
In the previous verses of those who preached Christ of contention and strife.
And yet he was confident, because the Lord would use his word. And He does, even if things are not always done in the right way.
But again, it's perhaps more beautiful to see as we started here with verse 20.
Where Paul has a desire.
For himself that in nothing he should be ashamed.
He coveted that continued boldness which he had had before, and although he doesn't say so here, I am sure that in the back of Paul's mind there had to be the sense in his soul that there had been failure, as we know.
Zeal Yes. A right motive, yes.
But failure as to the mind of the Lord in going up to Jerusalem.
And seeking to preach the gospel to the Jews when the Lord had sent him to the Gentiles.
And we don't read of any specific blessing as a result of that trip, but only trouble that landed him in prison.
Was everything finished? Was everything done for? No. I believe Paul really got before the Lord about all of that, so that the time came in his life when, as it were, you would seem that he hit rock bottom. He wanted to speak to the Jews, he wanted to try and convince them of the truth of the gospel, and all it did was cause a riot, which again landed him in prison.
But what did the Lord do? The Lord encourages him by saying Paul, don't worry, you're going to confess me before those in Rome. I'm not quoting that accurately.
But there is a desire here, and I just lay some emphasis on it.
That Pauls desire was that Christ would be magnified.
Whatever it cost.
It carries us back, does it not, to John 12 and maybe we can go back there for a moment.
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John's Gospel, chapter 12.
And we read this passage with all.
Reverence.
Realizing that, here is the most awful dilemma.
If we could refer to it that way from 1 eternity to another.
Verse 28 or verse 27 John 12 and 27.
Now is my soul trouble.
And what shall I say?
Father, save me from this hour.
But for this cause came I under this hour.
And there are 4 words in our English language that settled the issue. Father, glorify thy name.
Going back to our chapter in Philippians.
We find the Apostle Paul essentially taking the same view.
Except that here he says that Christ shall be magnified in my body.
Whether by life or by death.
That ought to be the foremost purpose, the foremost aim of our life, that Christ be magnified.
Does it mean sometimes that I am expendable? If I can use that term, does it mean sometimes that I have to give up, perhaps something that is very near and dear to me in this world? Possibly. Does it mean sometimes that I have to go through a difficulty that I find very hard to face?
Then the Lord would carry me back to John 12 and say, here was one.
Who faced the most awful difficulty that you and I will never have to face, could not face?
And the answer is found in those words, Father glorify thy name, and so May God give us the grace to have the same outlook as the apostle Paul here.
Who desires?
That he doesn't want to be ashamed. Not that it reflected on him, but he doesn't want to dishonour the Lord's name in any way. He desires that boldness, whatever it cost. Did he lose his life at the hands of the Romans? History tells us he did.
But whether it was by life or by death?
Whatever it cost, if Christ was exalted, that was all that mattered.
Think of saying.
Oh, brother Hayhoe, he says. Love your brethren, serve them well.
Overlook as much in them as you can.
Never let them be your object. Christ is that.
And that really is the way that Christ will be.
I can put it another way that there will be a reflection of Christ in your life and mine. Just go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 3, because we often talk about these things and.
Perhaps some who are younger, and perhaps some who are not so young, we may wonder, well, how can this be practically carried out in my life? It's all right to talk about the Apostle Paul.
Sometimes we talk about the early martyrs and how Christ was magnified even in the circumstances they went through surrounding their death. But you say, how could this be true In my life? I realized that perhaps none of us here in this room will be called on to be burnt at the stake, or perhaps even in prison for our faith and so on. But many are, and many are magnifying Christ in those circumstances that they're going through even today.
But let's notice something very practical for us in the end of the third chapter of Second Corinthians, he says. But we all with open face beholding us in a glass. The glory of the Lord, or perhaps a better rendering looking on The glory of the Lord with unveiled face are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. How is there going to be a reflection of Christ in your life and mine? I suggest it is only in the measure in which we are occupied with Christ.
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Where he is now, in the measure in which you and I have Christ before our souls, as that object Burns just mentioned that Christ is to be the object, and in the measure in which Christ is that object, and as Paul spoke of later in the book of Philippians, Christ is the prize running the race with Christ and glory before him, Then there's going to be, if I can put it this way, an unconscious reflection of Christ in our lives.
You know, Paul wasn't just trying to, within himself generate these things. No, these things in Paul's life were a result of Christ being his object. It was a result of being occupied with the man in the glory, having the prize, the goal in view.
It's AI believe this verse we read in a Second Corinthians, perhaps an illusion back to what you have in the Old Testament with Moses. When Moses came out from the presence of God on the Mount, the children of Israel couldn't look at him. His face shone, but you know he wished not that his face shone. It was the unconscious reflection of being occupied, being the presence of God on the mouth. And there will be Christ magnified in our body no matter what we have to go through.
And many of our fellow believers this very afternoon are going through excruciating circumstances, some this day facing martyrdom. But Christ can be magnified, as Christ is the object. And I think what you say, Vern, is very good. Our brethren are never given to us as the object for faith. They're given to us as an encouragement whose faith follow not the person, but whose faith followed, but Christ and Christ, where he is now at the right hand of God.
Is always the object for faith.
And in this way we will be raised above our circumstances and to be able to glorify, magnify God in our bodies, the Christ in our bodies. How did how did Paul know that he would be faithful in death? I remember when I was first saved and read some missionary autobiographies that and I went to this where I was going and I said I I I'm really going to have to do something because I don't think I can be a martyr.
And he said, well, God will give you grace until he calls you to be a martyr. But Paul seems to say he's going to do it anyway. I mean, how did he? How could he be so sure?
It was his desire.
He desired that in life or in death.
Christ would be glorified and magnified in his body. And which of the two was it? It was both.
He lived for Christ many years, and then he was martyred for Christ and death. And in both he he glorified God, and he magnified Christ in his body.
And there's a beautiful spirit here again, isn't there? Because.
His only the only way Reason. He was content to remain in the body.
For a little time further was if it was for the furtherance of the truth and the blessing of the people of God, I think, isn't that a beautiful spirit? And not to get ahead. But when Paul speaks of being in this betwixt too, and not knowing which, you know when he when Paul says here to depart and be with Christ is far better. That has more import than if Peter or James or any other New Testament writer.
Had penned this. You know, we we quote this, and we often quote it in connection with the loss of a loved one and so on.
We know it's true from because it's scripture, but Paul knew exactly what he was talking about. Brethren. He'd been caught up to the 3rd heaven temporarily.
There he heard unspeakable words that it was not lawful for a man to utter. When he says it was far better, he knew exactly what he was talking about from experience. But he says, if if the Lord wants me to stay here, even knowing what's there, if the Lord wants me to stay here for the furtherance of the truth and the blessing of the people of God.
Then I'm content, brethren, if we all had that spirit in our souls.
We would all be a tremendous blessing, both in the gospel and to the people of God. In our quiet way, in the little corner where he's put us in our home assembly is, do we really say, Lord, you've left me here another day, Lord, you've left me here another time. I'm content because I want you to make me a blessing. I want Christ to be magnified in my body, and I want to be a blessing in the propagation of the truth and the Saints of God.
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How much would our lives be changed if Christ was really, truly the object of our life?
Yes, we would run with endurance. The race that is set before us and Paul endured a lot of things, things.
Many of us will never be called on to pass through in the path of faith, but it's Christ as that object that causes us to run with endurance, the race that is set before us.
It has been mentioned before, but it bears repeating that.
When Paul says for me to live is Christ.
It's quite a statement to make, isn't it?
I have to say I would very much hesitate to make that statement.
But Paul could say it, I believe with all honesty.
However.
You and I can live Christ in whatever circumstances the Lord places us, can't we, Paul could say to those who were slaves, who had no freedom whatever to go anywhere, and perhaps were under the the authority of their masters 24 hours a day, he could say.
Ye serve the Lord Christ.
I remember well reading about a girl who was the eldest in her family.
And her mother was very poorly in health, and as a result she had to take over much of the household duties and the care and providing for her younger brothers and sisters, because her father, of course, was at work all day. And she said to a servant of the Lord once when he came through, she said, you know, I would really like to have done something for the Lord, but by the time I finished all that, I.
Had to do at home and looking after the house and looking after my brothers and sisters, she said.
I didn't have time to do anymore. I didn't have energy or strength to do anymore.
And he encouraged her. He said, If you did what you did unto the Lord, that is just as much service as anything else.
And so it's not where we are. It's rather the motive that is behind it. And if Christ is before us, we will find that He will shine out in us wherever we are, and we will find that it is for Him, won't we? And so Paul could say for me to live as Christ.
Where had he spent many of those years and was still spending them? In prison? In prison?
Couldn't get out to go anywhere. Couldn't do this or that. Couldn't go and visit his brethren, couldn't preach the gospel, and yet he could still confidently say for me to live is Christ.
And the only way we can do that.
Is.
If, as the scripture in 2nd Corinthians 5 says, the love of Christ constraineth us, I can't do it in my own strength. I can't simply get up in the morning and say, well, today I'm going to live for Christ. That's a good motive to have. But what has to be working in my heart above everything else is affection for Christ and if I go back to Calvary's cross.
If I go back, as we have a moment ago, gone back to John 12.
Then my affections will be drawn out, and I will say, as Paul no doubt did, I want to live for him, because there's really nothing else worth living for.
Tendency to compartmentalize our lives, don't we? And we maybe we don't do it consciously, but unconsciously we say, well, I'll do this for the Lord, and this is kind of my part. And that's a dangerous thing, isn't it? And we sometimes hear people say, well, I'm going to do such and such.
That's my Christian liberty. But the only true Christian liberty is doing that which pleases the Lord, isn't it? And so in the Old Testament we read about the consecration of the priests. And I know there's a little different thought on this, but the common thought among the commentators is that the very word consecration means to fill the hand, both hands full of Christ. That's true consecration.
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And that's the pathway to true Christian blessing.
It's not Christian liberty to go out and say, well, it's OK to do such and such and such and such because it's not prohibited. Maybe in Scripture That's not true Christian liberty, is it? True Christian liberty is to do what pleases and honors the Lord, and that brings a peace and a joy that's unknown otherwise.
We need to get that in our souls. The Satan has told us this lie, and we hear it repeated all the time. That I have these Christian liberties. To do such and such that we really know is dishonouring that the Lord it's only done for self. That's not liberty, is it? The only true Christian liberty is that which is consistent with our new nature, that which is consistent with Christ as our object, and that which is consistent with the movement of the Spirit of God that brings.
True blessing.
That brings true peace. That brings true joy. Everything else is really ******* and slavery. We don't think of it as it is, but it is, and it's often led to ruined lives.
Similar to what we have there, isn't it? In verse 21. Not a legal thing, as we say, but the real spring, the the mode of spring is to be in the Lord's presence and to realize his love for us. How could we do anything else? How could we dishonor such a one? It's not I, but Christ. That's a good Christian motto, isn't it?
The departure that he's Speaking of here is not the departure that we're looking for.
This is referring to him passing through the article of death and departing to be with Christ, and he mentions that it's far better, and I think the other translation says very far better.
And so often we Christians, we get our texts out of context, and we think that he's talking here about the rapture and being called home to heaven in a glorified state. How many times I've heard brethren refer to the rapture and someone will chime in and say yes to depart to be with Christ, which is far better.
But that's what he's talking about here, is to depart, to be with Christ in the separate state, as having the body laid off in the grave and the soul and the Spirit rising to be with Christ, which is far better.
It's interesting. He doesn't say this is the best state that one could have. He said it is better because there is something that's even better than that. The best of all is the glorified state, which we're waiting for. So depart, To be with Christ is better, but to be with Christ in a glorified state is the best. And that's what we're looking for. That's the normal Christian hope.
In speaking at my father's grave some years ago, it came home to my soul. And I said on that occasion, if we could get one inkling of what my father is enjoying now, as absent from the body and present with the Lord, we wouldn't wish him back for one moment. And not only that, but if he had opportunity to come back, he wouldn't desire to come back for one moment, because once he's in the was in the presence of the Lord that eclipsed everything, everything else.
And so, as you say, this is the state of things of those who have died in faith. Our sister Lois Clausen now has departed to be with Christ, which is far better. But I've often thought of it too, from their perspective, from this world's perspective, and our perspective, as Paul says, they've departed.
But for them, they've arrived now, not arrived in the glorified state and and what's going to be experienced when we are together with them, ushered into the Father's house and so on. But they have, they have arrived, they're there now. They're waiting. They're simply waiting in a better waiting place for the same thing we are.
What are they waiting for? They're waiting for that time when the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of the Archangel. They're going to rise the body and the is going to be reunited with the Spirit in a glorified state. And then we with them, we're going to have the change and be caught up. So they're waiting for the same thing we are. They're just waiting in a far, far better place. And brethren, isn't that our comfort? Isn't that our? Doesn't that give us courage to go on, to stand by the grave of a loved one and realize?
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That what they are enjoying in the presence of the Lord is so far greater than anyone of us could anticipate that I say we wouldn't wish them back for one moment, nor would they want to return.
There's a scripture that brings out what has been said about the better place, the best place we find in Philippians 3 where it says for our conversation is in heaven. This is verse 20 from whence also we looked.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like under His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able.
Even to subdue all things unto himself, that's the very best place.
Sometimes when a believer passes into the Lord's presence, it's said and and we don't want to make a person an offender for the word, but we do want to be accurate, don't we? And intelligent. It's often said, well they're face to face with the Lord but that really is not correct. Is that again, we don't want to make anybody an offender for the word but.
Face to face.
Is what's going to happen when we're raised at the resurrection at the Rapture and we see the Lord face to face, isn't it?
That's that's a special time and something we have to look forward to. That's the best thing we were speaking about. So when a soul passes into the Lord's presence, it's not face to face, They're in the Lord's presence, to be sure. But when the Lord comes at the Rapture, takes us all home, then we will see Him face to face.
Are they in glory?
Now.
Brother Conrad was expounding on this yesterday to some of us outside on the Fourier.
What would you say?
Well, no, I was just thinking of.
In Galatians, where it says we by the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness.
It's not that we're waiting for righteousness. We have We are made righteous. Now righteousness is hope is that final step.
When those of us who have been chosen.
And then called and justified.
And soon we're going to be glorified, we're going to be in the presence of the Lord. We're going to be with and like himself.
And that is the final step. We wait for that.
Be in glory is to be in a glorified state, and the departed Saints are not in glory yet.
There's one in glory, and that's Christ. He's glorified.
There is a glorified man in heaven, but the Saints who have departed are with Christ. They're in a condition of state that is far better.
They're in bliss. They're in state of bliss and paradise. But glory is yet to come for the Saints.
So just we won't turn to it, but for the sake of time. But it'd be a little homework to go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and read the first few verses of that. And it gives us the state, the present state of the departed Saints, doesn't it? And it speaks of them there. In their unclothed state, that is.
Spirit is with Christ. They're absent from the body, as he says in that portion, and present with the Lord. It's one or the other. We're either in the body and still here in this world, or we're absent from the body and we're present with the Lord. But he speaks of them as being unclothed. And they, again, as I said earlier, are waiting for the same thing we are. And that is the time when we will get our glorified bodies. So I just challenge you to go back and read those verses at some point and it will give you.
The state of the believer.
Waiting for the The same thing that we are waiting for the Lord's coming to take us to himself.
We'll all get home at the same time.
It's not like a baseball game where the runners come home one after another. We're all going to get home at the same time. He's going to carry his bride across the threshold of the father's house and introduce us there himself to that home that he knows the place that is prepared for us.
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We're all going to go in together.
He created us spirit, soul and body.
Christ is there, spirit, soul and body. And the psalmist says I shall be satisfied when I awaken thy likeness, Spirit, soul and body. That's when satisfaction comes. It would not be to just be there as a bodyless souls.
Satisfaction will come when we awaken his likeness.
Might mention two a verse that's often misunderstood in the well known chapter of First Thessalonians, chapter 4. I'll just read it, but it says For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore, comfort one another with these words? Well, I know when I was younger I thought, oh, I guess those that are in the grave are going to get to heaven first. But that's not what it says, does it? What it means is that they get their glorified bodies, they rise up where they are, and then we all go up together. Just as you were saying, Steve.
We all enter into heaven together so they don't get to heaven first. We all get there at the same time.
The scriptures speak of this as the resurrection of the Just Resurrection. It's helpful to understand it has to do with the body. It's the resurrection, resurrection of the Just or the First Resurrection. But the First Resurrection has installments, and I find it enjoyable to think that the first installment of the First Resurrection has already occurred.
There's a party of one.
In in heaven. Excuse me.
And he is.
Glorified He is that risen, ascended, glorified man, party of one as the first fruits. He's there, and the rest of us will follow soon.
Fact that this is better we see in the Rapture, but that's not the end of the first resurrection, is it?
Christ is the first fruits and then the rapture is the second phase and then we know there's a third phase and that's at the end of the tribulation. Now in Revelation chapter 6, there's some souls that are under the altar and they would like to be raised at that time, but the Lord says no, wait a while, wait till the rest of your brethren. I'm paraphrasing, but.
The rest of your brethren that are going to be martyred during the tribulation.
Are ready, and then you'll all be raised at once. So they desire that better position. It is a better position. They were souls under the altar, but they desire to have their glorified bodies, and indeed they will at the last stage of the first resurrection. But that's at the end of the tribulation, isn't it?
So really there's three stages to that. First resurrection, Christ, the first root fruits, Afterwards they that are Christ that is coming, and then those that are martyred during the tribulation period, at the very end of the tribulation period, they're raised up. We have that in the end of Revelation.
But they desired that earlier on at the in the first part of the tribulation that's showing that it is a superior position to have our glorified bodies. So everyone that has a part in the first resurrection is has a heavenly portion. And that little statement, I think it was Mr. Lundin made that years ago when I was a young person and that helped me to understand those three parts that you have just brought out. Everyone who has their part in the first resurrection has a heavenly.
Glorified portion Just make this little warning comment to, you know, as we speak about these things.
It is so good when we talk about them to stick to the language of scripture and not to go beyond those things that we become fanciful in our interpretation or idea of how these things are going to be or what they are and so on, how they're going to unfold Scripture. God has recorded by scripture enough so that by faith we understand these things and know what our loved ones are experiencing. Now know what's ahead for us. And be careful brother not to take your doctrine from Hims. You know I think sometimes and we say I'm thankful for him as we sing that are built on doctrine and.
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That we have good, solid hymns.
But you know, there are many hymns, not always the ones we sing, but there are many hymns that are not sound as to these things. And they've taken perhaps poetic license, or they've taken some fanciful conception or perception of what heaven is like or what our loved ones are experiencing now, and they put it into poetry, into music. Be careful, make sure that those things are based on the truth of the word of God. And don't be go beyond the language of Scripture.
We might even add to that the danger of these books on out of body experiences, might we? Let's stick to Scripture because Satan can give demonic visions and we want to be very careful about that because they might even rob men of their own salvation. They think, oh, I guess we all get to heaven. I saw my grandfather there.
Was he Was he redeemed with the blood of Christ, or did he just happen to be there? So just a word of warning, brethren, Let's not get so foolish.
Taken up with these things will stick to scripture. That's a sound foundation.
Now.
What brother Steve brought before us, we find that, and it isn't that in the 14th of John. So I'm going away. I have to go away. I've been with you for three years, but now I have to go away. But I'm going to the father's house.
But don't worry, there's not only room for me there, but there's room for all of you.
And I'm going to come back and take you to be with myself. So we know that they're going to be in the Father's house. But there's others who are resurrected at that time, the Old Testament Saints, so.
We can't say that they were in the father's house, can we? I mean.
So there's different aspects to this and some things we don't know.
On the cross today thou shalt be with me in paradise again. Stick to the language of Scripture.
We have an explanation.
For chapter 27 of Matthew and verses 52 and 53 in regards to this very subject.
It's resurrection.
But not resurrection after the order of the first resurrection that our brother Bruce has been bringing out.
There are ten such incidences in the Scriptures where someone is raised from the dead but have to die again because it's not a resurrection to glory, to glory, or to glorified state.
That's one of the.
10 different such resurrections.
You'll notice that this is not a resurrection to the glorified state, because the graves had to be open to let them out.
And when the glorified state takes place, and the Saints are raised at the coming of the Lord, they which are dead and with Christ will not need to have a grave open to rise to be with him.
Maybe we can explain that, Bruce, because like this subject has come up, and I think that's very helpful. When Lazarus came out of the grave, they had to roll away the stone. When they came out of the graves in the incident in Matthew, the graves were opened because they came out with bodies that were still subject to physical hindrances. But when the dead in Christ are raised at the at the Rapture, they're going to be raised with glorified bodies.
Bodies that are not subject to physical hindrances, and that's why we don't read of the graves needing to be opened at that time. So those fathoms of water or that city that was long built over that graveyard, it's not going to be a hindrance to the dead in Christ rising at the resurrection because they are raised with those glorified bodies, I say, that are not subject to physical hindrances and it's apart from our chapter. But to just follow that out, here we sit in this room the afternoon.
If the Lord Jesus gave the shout this afternoon, you and I who are alive and remain will need to undergo a change. And it's actually interesting that in our First Corinthians 15 it is the change of the body that is mentioned in the twinkling of an in connection with the twinkling of an eye. We shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. Why? Because they're in the state we're in now. There is something between us and the cloud between US and the Lord that would hinder the bodies in the state they're in now from rising to meet the Lord in the air.
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But there will be that instantaneous change of the body, so that this ceiling above us and the roof or whatever floors are above us, I'm not sure what's above us, but it's not going to be a physical hindrance for you and for me to rise from these chairs and to meet the Lord in the air. Because we're going to have glorified bodies. We're going to have it says bodies of glory, like unto his body of glory. And you remember the Lord Jesus.
In resurrection, when the disciples came together, the doors closed for fear of the Jews.
Those four walls and those closed doors were not a hindrance to the Lord Jesus coming and standing in their midst. He had a body that was not subject to physical hindrances. And that when we undergo that wonderful change, that's the type of body that both the dead and Christ are going to be raised with, and that we are going to be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye, and then we're going to be raptured out of here to be with the Lord forever.
Is that right? Bruce is, And there's one exception, and that is the Lord's own resurrection. The graves were open, the grave was opened. It wasn't for him to get out. It's for the Saints to see the witness and the evidence of the fact that he had risen.
And so in simple terms we could say that those bodies of the Saints which slept and which arose in Matthew 27 there.
They were given their bodies for whatever period of time the witness was needed, and as a brother remarked at a Reading meeting many years ago in response to a question, well what? What happened to those bodies? He said. They went back into the graves where they came from to await the shout. When Moses and Elijah were on the mount of Transfiguration, they had bodies given to them for the occasion, but they were not glorified bodies.
There's one man, as Brother Bruce was mentioning in The Glory, now with a glorified body.
Every other one awaits as we get in First Corinthians 15 Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ that is coming.
The living Saints put on mortality.
Saints that have died, they put on incorruptibility. That's First Corinthians 15. It talks about the two categories of Saints, the living and the dead.
And sometimes there is a mystery about these things, because when he did see them on the Mount, they're looked at as men. When it's men, it's body, soul, spirit. So there is a mystery in some of these things.
Right.
You.
Well, perhaps getting back to our chapter, we find in verse 25 that Paul has a confidence in the Lord as he says here. I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.
So, as we have said, Paul submerges his desire to be with Christ. And as Jim was saying.
Paul knew what he was talking about, but he submerges that in the greater desire to be of an encouragement to his brethren. And it seems, although we don't have any direct record of it in scripture, it seems from the way we read Scripture that this desire of Paul was answered. It seems as it says in verse 26, he says.
You're rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me.
By my coming to you again, well, we have no direct record in scripture that Paul was released from prison at this time.
But it seems as if reading the whole context of Scripture that probably he was, and at least for a short time was able to visit these dear Philippian Saints, and quite probably others as well.
Then apprehended again, this time without any release, and that's when, as we know, he wrote Second Timothy.
00:45:02
Realizing that there wasn't going to be a release, he says I am now ready to be offered up in the time of my departure is at hand. I don't believe in any way that that destroyed the hope of the Lord's coming, but in this case, it seems that the Lord revealed certain things to Paul as his servant that were going to happen in that way. So it seems that very likely Paul was released from prison that this excuse me, this wish was granted.
His desire and his confidence in the Lord were not based merely on a personal desire, but he had a sense in his soul that the Lord was going to do that.
The 27th verse in Mr. Darby's translation. I think it's very helpful, he says, Only conduct yourselves worthily of the glad tidings of Christ. It's interesting in Pauls ministry that he often exhorts the Saints to walk worthy, and some of us have taken this up recently, but in the in several of his epistles we have this expression, and it's always in connection with the context of the epistle. Again, we stress context.
So in the book of Ephesians they're told to walk worthy of their calling, their vocation, because that's what's brought out in Ephesians, the heavenly calling of the believer and their position as being in Christ and seated with Christ in heavenly places. And then he exhorts them to walk worthy of that calling. In the book of in first Thessalonians, he exhorts them to walk worthy of God. They didn't understand many things. They were new converts, but they did understand one thing. They turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
And to wait for his son from heaven. In Colossians he tells them to walk worthy of the Lord, because the subject of Colossians is the lordship of Christ, and owning that lordship, that headship in our in our lives. But here we find there to walk worthy of the glad tidings. As we mentioned earlier in these meetings, it seems that there was a real freshness in Philippi, and there was a real testimony as to the truth and the gospel and.
A real joy in.
Going out with with the gospel and there had been blessing and the enemy was coming in, as we find later in the epistle, to try to spoil this testimony, to bring contention in so that the testimony in the gospel would be spoiled and people would look at that group of Christians and say they can't even get along amongst themselves. How can they give us the truth or present to us the gospel? And so Paul here. He tells them to walk worthy of the glad tidings and brethren if we're going to.
Propagate the gospel, whether it's in some personal work or whether it's working together in our home assembly.
In some gospel work, which, by the way is a very healthy thing for the Brethren to the Saints of God to to carry on together. But there is a conduct Let's not let something come in to spoil our testimony, whether it's individually or collectively, we are to walk worthy of that which has been committed to us. Remember, Paul wasn't able to get out and preach and minister, and like he had been, he's exhorting the Saints to carry on.
He has confidence that he'll they'll do it. But he says, remember your walk, remember what you do and your interactions with one another are going to have as much weight, for good or for bad, as what you say. Walk worthy of the glad tidings.
That he says, stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together with the faith of the gospel. There's a there's a tendency, at least I recognize it on myself. You know, if there's so many crazy things that go on now that you almost sometimes feel embarrassed to give out the gospel because you're associated with those who are.
Piping these covetousness into the very living rooms of the people that you're giving the gospel to. So there is a tendency to kind of back off, isn't it? I mean, Satan is deliberately.
00:50:07
Brings these things out so that you kind of feel embarrassed because the gospel's been maligned so much. Is that is or is that? Am I reading my experience into my brother?
In Paul's day, as we had earlier, and we didn't read the Vert touch shot so much on the verses. But there were different reasons people were preaching the gospel. Some was even in contention to make Pauls bonds worse. But that Did that discourage Paul in presenting the gospel? Did he tell the Philippians? You need to back off a little bit because this is not a good testimony? No, Paul didn't want to be ashamed. He wanted to have that same confidence and boldness. He wanted the Philippians in spite of what was happening.
Some had the wrong motive in preaching the gospel, but he says, just leave that the Lord can use that. The Word of God is not bound, whether in truth or pretense. Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice. Yeah, and will rejoice. And brethren, I rejoice that every way the gospel goes out. There may be a lot of other fluff, as you say and stuff mixed with it, but the Word, if it's the Word of God, God can use it. But what is our responsibility?
We're to walk in the truth. We're to walk worthy of the glad tidings and to present the truth in all the purity in which it's been handed down to us. Thank God for men who have handed it down, expounded it to us in the past. I'm thankful for a heritage of godly men who presented the truth and the gospel in its purity. And it's not just the gospel of the grace of God that we're going to have preached tonight. Paul's gospel was the whole gamut of truth.
That was, that was given to Paul to present thank the Lord. It was given to me in purity by godly men of a past generation, faithful men, and we are our responsibility now is in spite of us. What you say is true, but in spite of all that we are to walk worthy of the gospel and to present the truth and not and leave the results with the Lord and leave others. You know, the Lord said when they wanted to call down fire on on some, the Lord said, let them alone. If they're not, if they're not against us, they're they're for us.
Whatever way the truth is going out, be thankful Eldad and me dad in Moses day prophesied in the camp and.
Joshua wanted to forbid them. Moses said no would all the Lord servants would were prophets and the Lord would put his spirit upon them. So we're thankful for any way the truth is propagated. But you and I have a responsibility because so much has been committed to us.
I would also suggest that perhaps there's something.
Very practical for us here.
We, excuse me, We know that in the Word of God, things like gospel preaching and other outreaches are presented primarily as an individual exercise, not an assembly responsibility. And that is true. Again, there's no reason why individuals can't work together. And we see it in the Apostles Day where Paul and Barnabas and later Paul and Silas, and in another place that talks about Paul and his company.
Evidently there were others like Luke and Timothy and various ones that traveled with Paul, and in whatever way they could, they helped. But it was not an assembly responsibility. It was an individual one, however.
An old brother once said to me, and it's true, he said. Bill, if there is no outreach in the gospel, there often is not much blessing in the Assembly.
And he went on to make a remark that I hope doesn't tread on any toes. But it's true, he said. Bill brethren that preached the gospel together find it much harder to get into arguments in Brothers meetings.
True. It's true. Why? Because.
There's inflow and there's outflow and that makes a healthy Christian, and in the long run it makes for a healthy assembly. And I suggest there's something of that here because Paul does not say only let your conversation or your conduct be as it become with the truth of God.
That would have been true, and that would have been nice to say. But he doesn't say that. He says the glad tidings are the gospel of Christ. And what's the result? He says that ye stand fast in one spirit.
00:55:12
With one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, if we are seeking to reach a lost world with the gospel, it binds us together in a wonderful way, doesn't it? And so I suggest that that thought is implicit here, because although Paul knew that the.
Responsibility of gospel outreach rested primarily with individuals. He's writing here to an assembly.
Because the outreach and the exercise and energy to do so inevitably impacts on the collective testimony, doesn't it? So we need to remember that there needs to be inflow. That's what we get in a reading meeting. There needs to be in being in prayer before the Lord, but then there needs to be outreach as well, in whatever way the Lord may lead that we can do it.
Properly. Meetings are good and I don't. I feel that we should have them.
But if I give out the sleep practical, if I give out 10 tracks in a year, I reach more people than the gospel being preached in the Assembly. I mean, that's just practical, and that's what it should be. I mean, we should be out giving it out and bringing them into the Assembly. Any other same refreshment to our own souls too, isn't it? As Bill says, water running into a pool and never running out makes the pool stagnant.
And I believe this that yes, I agree with you Vern, that we need to individually be exercised to and it refreshes our soul when we share Christ in the gospel. But I have noticed like Bill, that assemblies that are involved in some kind of gospel outreach are usually happy assemblies where there's refreshing.
And that when they come together for ministry or prayer meeting or whatever it is other assembly meetings, there's usually a vibrance because the Dead Sea is dead, because there's no outflow. It has an intake, but not an outflow. And I just suggest that, and it may not be necessarily a Sunday night.
Gospel meeting, where is just a few of the Saints? But again, there's a multitude of ways that we can reach out. And I know we're not all evangelists either, but there's a multitude of ways where we can be involved in in outreach. You know, I was thankful growing up in Smiths Falls, there was a couple by the name of Grace Osborne and Grace Wills, and they used to get us young people together on a regular basis and get us to put together little track packs or put together little bags of fruit and different things.
And then go out and visit in nursing homes and share the gospel with in in different ways and many different ways. They used to get us together to go out and sing at a nursing home once once a month and and that kind of thing. And I just say to those of us who are older in the local assembly.
Teach our young people to reach out in the gospel. Don't expect a young person at 18 years of age to all of a sudden have a desire to reach out in the gospel. If we as parents or as brethren haven't given them that platform and taught them that we need to teach our children the joy of reaching out, going out maybe with another family, and going out and doing something in the gospel. Get together the young people together in the assembly and.
Decide on some way we can reach out. Maybe a little hobby class for three or four nights, or a little summer Bible hour.
And there's little ways too, but I believe that it gives vibrancy and and freshness to the people of God collectively. When we're striving together for the faith of the gospel, then we don't have time to be over occupied with the idiosyncrasies and faults of one another.
If we're working together for a common cause, I remember when I was in university, a couple of us.
Had what? What evolved into a gospel meeting Friday night in a very public place and people would wander in and and listen for a while and wander back out and the meeting would go on maybe an hour and a half or so.
And sometimes it was Saturday night and went on for a number of years while we were in school and and I can remember showing up in.
Myra Lords day morning after it seems like you get, you know, there's there's a million ways to be wrong. You know, as sinners we turn each one to our own particular way and there's just a million different ways to be wrong out there. And we're sitting there. Oftentimes it'll be after the meeting and you just feel peppered with all of these objections and and questions and and and reputations and all that. And you go to the meeting the next morning and you sit there in your chair and 1 by 1 The Saints come in and you just shake your head and you say.
01:00:27
You know it's with men it's impossible to be saved.
But with God, all things are possible. And you look at the Saints come in, whether they come in, you know, no matter what they're wearing or they're coming late, you you just marvel to see them with a trophy of the grace of God and you just marvel that God would work and that we would receive the truth of the gospel and be changed. And so I heartily agree with you what you say, Jim, and and and secondly, I just add this, you know, again.
A personal reference, but.
I wasn't saved till I was 23 years old.
And the same year, later in the year, maybe it was 11 or 12 months later, my younger sister was saved at a gospel meeting at a conference in Fredericton, NB. And so we were talking afterwards and.
And she said, you know, I heard the gospel before.
And she said this after she got saved. And I said, well, when did you ever hear the gospel? I said, you know, we were raised together. I never remember hearing the that I was a Sinner and that I needed to accept Christ in order to be saved, she says, Well, yeah, after swim practice.
She said I was maybe six or seven, and after swim practice I was on the swings with Scott Mcclay and we were swinging on the swings and he told me the whole gospel and told me about being saved and about going to heaven and about the Lord's coming and all the rest. At 7 years old, that little boy had taken in what he had heard that his church I suppose it was, and he was giving it to this little girl next to him on the swing and it was maybe 18.
I don't know 19 something like that 15 years later. It was her time and she believed the gospel of her salvation sealed with the Holy Spirit.
So then he says that nothing terrified by your adversaries, there's always going to be opposition. If it's giving the gospel personally, if it's working together with your brethren, if it's locally in your hometown or your own meeting room or it's going to the foreign mission field, the enemy is going is always as he was in Paul's day, opposed to the gospel. But I I still remember Gordon and Dave will forgive me for telling a story about their father, but.
I remember Charlie Little saying to Charles Whitaker one time, who seemed fearless when it came to giving out the gospel and tracts and so on, talking to people. Charlie Little said to him, Brother Whitaker, you're fearless when it comes to giving out the gospel, he said, Oh, Charlie, he said, these people in North America can't hurt you. When I was in Africa, I feared the headhunters. Now I thought of that because here we are in North America, we might get reproached for the name of Christ.
There might be a sneer, but, you know, in the days when Paul wrote they stoned the apostles, there was physical persecution. They threw them in prison. And many of our brethren, as we've been saying, are still experiencing this kind of thing today. What do we have to suffer? What do we have to fear? Yes, there's going to be opposition. I remember one time at the Nova Scotia Gospel tent, they threw stones at the tent. And Mr. Berry told us after be thankful, they threw them at the tent. In the days of the apostles, they threw them at the apostles.
And so we need to have spiritual courage. And that's what Paul was was seeking to encourage the Saints of God to to go on in spite of the opposition. He wasn't. He wasn't glossing over things. He wasn't saying. If you go out with the gospel, if you work together for the faith of the gospel, it's all going to be easy and you're going to see wonderful results and there's not going to be opposition. No, he has no illusions. He had suffered and was suffering for the faith.
Suffering for the gospel, suffering for his testimony for Christ. Now, he says. I'm encouraging you to take the up the torch and go on, but I want you to realize there's going to be adversaries, but in the end there's one who's greater. And if you strive together for the faith of the gospel, there's going to be blessing as a result.
Perhaps in connection with striving together in the Gospel, a look at Acts chapter 13. There's going to be a gospel meeting tonight. Probably one person get up and preach the gospel to us. If the Lord leaves us before that, there's going to be a prayer for the gospel.
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Max chapter 13 Just look at the 1St 5 verses real quick. There's these certain brothers that are that are come together in the spirit. The Holy Ghost says separate unto me.
Barnabas and soul for the work, or until I have called them, and they they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, they departed unto Seleucia, and from fence they sailed unto Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis they preached the word of God in the synagogues to the Jews they had John to their minister. Here we see a bunch of people.
Maybe you're not an evangelist, but.
You can show up to the prayer for the gospel, and you can be there and show fellowship in that work.
Yes, it's something we can all have a part in, in one way or another. I don't think there's any one of us who can stand apart and say, well, it's not for us to strive together for the faith of the gospel. As we've said in these meetings, there's something, some little part for every one of us to fulfill. Our time is gone, brethren. But I just trust that as we've taken this up and again to go back to what perhaps is maybe the key of this chapter and that is verse 21 for to me to live.
Is Christ.
Brethren, I trust that for my own soul, and for yours as well, that having taken up this chapter, having been here at these meetings this weekend, that you and I have this fresh desire and exercise not to live for this world, not to live for its applause or its its approval, but to live Christ. And we won't turn to it. But in the third chapter, he says something else. He says that I may win Christ.
You know, the politicians out to win votes, the actors out to win applause. People are out to win different things. Are you and I out to win Christ, to have his approval? And at the end of it all, when we stand before him, what's going to matter how well we planned our lives down here, how well we got along down here, know what's going to matter is his approval, his sense given of what was for his glory and for the blessing of.
Of souls, whether the lost, or for the Saints of Saints of God.
And to hear his well done in that day, that's what's going to make it all well, worthwhile and brother, not just for us but for his joy. You know we think of our joy to be there and wonderful to get a little reward perhaps, but let's live. So we give him.
The joy that we rejoice his heart in being able to say, well done, thou good and faithful servant.
One more thought I might add to what you have said about We all have a part in the gospel. One of the things that I've noticed and the opportunities that I've had to give out the gospel is that it's really hard to give the gospel out in an empty room and when the gathered Saints have an exercise to have a gospel meeting.
And they supply a room and someone is asked to have the gospel and there's nobody there, even the gathered Saints who are already saved. It's very difficult for the person standing up to present the gospel if there's nobody there in the room to hear it. And I would just say that the part that all of us can have is is, as was mentioned, pray for the gospel and then also to.
Be a part.
Of the meeting by being there and singing the opening hymn and and being a support to the one who has the privilege of giving out the gospel.
66.
Lord, thou has drawn us after thee. Now let us run, and never tired.
I comfort, be thyself, our hope, our soul, desire, Our present Savior, While nor fear nor sin can come if thou art near.
Gospel 1
Gospel—Josh Costron
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Wondering if we could open the Gospel Meeting by singing hymn #10 #10. If somebody could raise the tune please?
Just ask the Lords help.
Our God and Father.
Tonight we look up.
And we look to thee for help.
As thou knowest, the hearts of all men now knowest.
Who in this room tonight?
Is.
Real and who is a child of God?
And who is not real? It is on that broad Rd. that leads to destruction.
And we look to The Tonight asking me for the work of thy spirit.
And any soul here that might be lost.
Yassi for clarity of thought.
We ask that thy Spirit would take Thy word and power, apply it to the consciences of those who earn their sins here tonight.
We commit the message into thy care, and we thank thee that we have a message to tell to this lost and perishing world.
In an hour such as this.
We ask for blessing upon thy precious word tonight, and we commit it into thy hands and ask this in the worthy name of the only Savior of sinners, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Well, before I open tonight with my subject that's on my heart, I was thinking a little bit today about how there is much that is being spoken of about fake news.
And all you need to do is open the newspaper and all you read about is bad news. But I'm thankful tonight to announce that we have good news, the good news of God's salvation.
That we can preach and announce to this lost and perishing world.
And we're going to open God's Word tonight.
And God has.
Given us this, his precious word that we can read from this book.
And, you know, I was driving down a street a couple weeks ago.
And I saw this billboard that said.
Be prepared to question everything.
And I have thinking about that a little bit.
And isn't that man's disposition on everything with respect to God?
He calls it into question.
But may I suggest tonight that we're not here?
To question this book.
But rather, God has some questions for you.
And with the Lord's help, we're going to open it. And, you know, it's important that.
You listen to what God has to say.
It's God's word, I think, of what Paul says. Even as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel. Even so we speak not as pleasing men, but as God, which trieth hearts, for neither at any time used we flattering words.
I'm not here tonight.
To put on a production.
Or tantalize your thoughts and get you all stirred up. But I'm here to give you the word of God, I trust.
And not to.
Be fake. You know, there's that expression that goes on out there. Oh, get real.
Let's get real tonight.
God desires truth.
In the inner parts.
And he looks right down into your soul tonight.
And he knows.
Where you are, where I am. And he knows if you belong to him or not.
Now the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.
This word, God's Word, is that which judges you and I. We don't judge it.
And so man would like to sit in judgment of this book.
That's the wrong place to be.
00:05:01
God has given us a profile, you might say.
As to where each and everyone of us is as a lost fallen creature.
There's nothing like his word. And Paul was given.
This word to preach and it is our pleasure tonight, and privilege and responsibility to preach the word of God to you.
And so I'd like to turn to our subject in Acts Chapter 10 tonight.
And here's a man who had to hear words whereby he and his house might be saved.
His name was Cornelius.
And I'd like to start in Acts chapter 10 and verse 33.
Immediately therefore, I sent to thee.
And thou hast well done that thou art come.
Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
Then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth. I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.
But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him.
The Word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all.
That word, I say, you know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee. After the baptism which John preached how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.
For God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree.
Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he.
Which was ordained of God to be judge of the quick and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness.
That through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive.
Remission of sins.
Well, Paul.
Says here that.
Now therefore, are we all here present before God?
And it's our prayer and our desire.
That each one of us, and especially those who are in this room not saved, and you know who you are.
That you would consciously get into the presence of God tonight.
Ignore the crowd. Ignore the speaker.
But get into God's presence.
And have a real sense that God knows you through and through. The Bible says that neither is there any creature that does not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
God looks right down.
Into your heart tonight.
And he knows.
If you're saved or not.
So we're thankful that you're here.
We're thankful that you've come.
And as Paul could say, Peter rather.
Now therefore, are we all here present before God?
To hear all things that are commanded thee of God. God has a message for you.
God wants you to know.
That you need him. You need his son.
And God commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men that he hath raised him from the dead.
You see tonight to reject the gospel.
Is incredibly dangerous.
00:10:00
You and I don't know when we will take our next breath and when it will be our last.
Says that our breath is in his hand.
And he can take it in a moment. And so now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
Don't put it off.
See that you refuse, not him that speaketh.
For if they escape not him who spake on earth, how shall they escape him that speaketh from heaven?
You can't escape God.
And so God in his matchless grace and his mercy.
Has perhaps brought you here tonight to hear the gospel one more time.
And he wants you.
To listen to close in on that offer of salvation.
To receive His Son or Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior.
Peter says here that God is no respecter of persons. We live in a day and age in which.
Man likes to boast of his social status.
And where he sits.
On the rung of society.
And he puts a lot of stock into that.
Trying to make a name for himself.
Trying to be a cut above the next guy.
Doesn't fly with God.
You know the cross tonight.
Is the great leveller.
It puts us all on even ground.
There is none that doeth good. No, not one.
God is no respecter of persons.
And So what I'm saying to you tonight is just come as you are.
You know God looks down into your heart and you might say, well, I'm not that bad. The Lord Jesus said from within the heart of man, precede evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye, blasphemies, pride, foolishness.
All these evil things come from within.
And they default the man.
Sound familiar?
I think you're pretty good.
It also says that we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived.
Serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that, the kindness and love of God, our Savior toward man, appeared not by works of righteousness, which we have done.
But according to his mercy, he saved us.
That's society today. That's you. That's me. And God has given us an outline of the character and profile of man. There is no other book in the world.
That puts his finger on the problem of mankind, like God's word, because God is the one that searches every heart and he's the one that knows it.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked who can know it?
You know, you and I think we know our own hearts.
But we really don't.
You think you're not as bad as the guy in the penitentiary.
Who's serving some life sentence for some heinous crime that he did?
You think you're not as bad as the thief?
Who's living a lie?
You think you're not as bad as the drunkard who's ruined his life?
You think you're a cut above?
Now the Lord Jesus.
Exposes the hearts.
It says his birth that the hearts of many shall be revealed.
Came into this world.
And he exposed the hearts of man as he lived his life in perfection, and walked amongst his own creature.
And the hearts of many were revealed.
00:15:04
Now the cross is the great leveller.
We're all lost and we need a savior.
And it's Jesus Christ who is the one that can save us.
And bring us to God.
God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him, the word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ. And that's why the good news of salvation is so good.
Because we can offer peace.
The Lord Jesus.
He has made peace through the blood of his cross.
By faith.
We have peace with God.
And it's faith that you need tonight. Repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And so we can say that God has offered peace to this world through the gift of his Son, through the work of his son, through acceptance of his son.
And if you'll only accept him tonight, you'll know what I mean.
There's a bunch of people in this room tonight.
That can testify to the the conforming power of the gospel.
It says that I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God and the salvation unto everyone that believeth. It's as though Paul was saying, you know, the gospel works.
The gospel works.
He lived it.
He called himself the Chief of sinners.
You have this.
Outwards life of righteous righteousness laden with pride carried himself about as though he was better than the next.
Condemning and persecuting Christians, and then God the Lord Jesus smote him on that way to Damascus, changed his life.
It has pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them which believe.
We preach Christ crucified.
Into this world, it's a foolish message that God would send his son to die for those who hate him.
That's foolishness, they say.
But I don't determine to us which are saved is the power of God.
You ask any Christian who's come to Christ.
And they can testify to the very thing that I'm trying to tell you tonight is that the gospel.
Works. If I can put it bluntly, it works.
You're looking for peace, because if you're in your sins tonight, I know you're searching for something.
You're searching for peace. God says that there is no peace, saith my God to the wicked. And if you're in your sins tonight, you are wicked.
God offers you peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And whosoever will may come.
Preaching peace through Jesus Christ.
He is the Lord of all. Thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved.
He is the Lord of all.
Do you know him as your personal savior and your Lord?
It's a question.
That we each must answer before God.
It says here in verse 38.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth.
With the Holy Ghost and with power.
Who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.
I don't know of any greater message.
00:20:02
Then this that God sent his Son into the world.
To meet.
To become one of us.
To reach us.
The Apostle John could say that that which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon in our hands of handle.
The word life, and that life was manifested, and we have seen it, and shown unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, has been manifested unto us.
They handled him. God came down, became a man and walked amongst us.
I don't know of anything greater.
Than that.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, we see Jesus, who has made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, that he by the grace of God, should taste death for everything.
Is there a message that is greater than that?
That God would send his own Son into the world, and that the Lord Jesus.
Would come.
God manifests in the flesh.
Take his place amongst men.
Being made.
In the form of a servant.
And fashion as a man become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Lord Jesus came into this world.
And he walked a perfect life.
He came to reach us. He had a work to do.
He had to go to the cross.
There's no other way.
And so.
I don't know of anything greater.
Than the love of God.
I want you to know this tonight.
That God loves you.
That the Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven.
Into this world to save the likes of you and me.
You go to the cross, lay down his life.
The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God.
He went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all things, which he did.
As I said.
They handled him, they saw him, I often think.
What the angels must have thought.
When they look down into that Manger.
And they're their creator.
There he was.
I often thought too.
What they must have thought as they viewed him walking through this life and perfection.
Manifesting the love of God in everything that He did.
Reaching out.
Having compassion on those.
Who needed it?
And ultimately, to be rejected, crucified, cast out and nailed to a criminal's cross.
And what must the angelic host? What must have they been thinking?
That they're their creator.
Was hanging on a cross.
For his enemies.
What love?
God has for you and I.
And this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.
Here in his love, not that we love God, but that he loved us.
He sent his son to manifest to you and to me how much he loves us.
Go to the cross, lay down his life.
And in the midst of incredible hate, display incredible love.
00:25:04
That this world has never seen before.
The Gospel Tonight is a love story.
And the world can promote their love story, but God has something infinitely greater.
When God himself would come to rescue you and I.
Through the death and work of his son. If you'll only have him tonight.
Lord Jesus loves you and he gave himself for you.
Perhaps we can just turn.
Look at loop 24.
And take in.
The account.
Sorry.
Let's look at Luke 23.
We'll start in verse one. And the whole multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate.
They began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation.
Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ the King.
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And he answered him, and said, Thou sayest it?
Then, said Pilate, to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.
And they were the more fierce saying. He stirred up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean, and as soon as he knew that he belonged in the Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was a Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad for his desires to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
Then he questioned him with many words, but he answered him nothing, and the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
And Herod, with his men of war sediment not, mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves. Isn't this something?
That the world can agree on this? That they hate Christ.
Somebody had mentioned earlier that we live in a day and age when the name of Jesus is hated.
And it's evident and blatant.
The world can agree that they hate Christ. They can be at enmity without with each other on other matters, but on this subject.
They agree that they hate Christ.
And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers, and the people, said unto them.
You brought this man unto me as one that perverted the people, and behold, I have examined him before. You have found no fault in this man. This is the second time now.
Verse 15 Now no nor yet heard, for I send you to him, and lo, nothing worthy of death is done in him unto him.
Third time.
I will therefore chastise him, and release him, for of necessity he must release 1 unto them at the feast. And they cry out all at once, saying, away with this man, And release unto us Barabbas, who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder was cast into the prison pilot, therefore willing to release Jesus, speak again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
And he said the 4th time. Now he said unto them, And the third time it says, why? What evil hath he done the testimony here four times?
That he's done nothing wrong.
No. He went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.
The testimony of Scripture as to the Lord Jesus Christ was that in him was no sin, He did no sin, and he knew no sin. He was the Holy Spotless Lamb of God.
The Lamb of God, which would take away the sin of the world.
00:30:02
Lord Jesus is perfect because he is God and man.
The same person.
It couldn't be anything less than perfect.
And so this multitude, in their hate cries out, crucify him, crucify him.
And the testimony?
As to him is that he's done nothing wrong.
He's found no cause of death in him.
He says I will therefore chastise him and let him go.
And they were instant, with loud voices requiring that he might be crucified. In the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed the leadership now.
And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired. But he delivered Jesus to their will. The world desired a murderer.
That's what they got. The Prince of Peace, they cast out.
They didn't want him. And how is it for you tonight?
Do you want Jesus?
He wants you.
Are you seeking the Lord tonight? He's seeking you.
Bible says seek ye the Lord while he may be found.
Call ye upon him while he is near, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord. For he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
God wants to pardon you tonight.
God wants to deliver you from the chains and the ******* of sin that's ruling over your life and ultimately will sink you into a lost eternity if you reject the Lord Jesus as your Savior, God's offer of salvation.
The Lord Jesus was delivered to their will.
Let's turn to verse 33.
And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary.
There they crucified him in the malefactors one on the right hand.
The other on the left.
And said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, and they parted his raiment and cast lots.
Calvary means a place of skull.
And isn't that a picture of man?
An empty head, he boasts in his intelligence, and his wisdom so-called.
His achievements and all that. But when it comes to God and God's beloved Son, he is an empty head.
They crucified the Son of God.
Put him to an open shame.
Hung him in the midst.
Of two malefactors.
And the Lord Jesus Christ our Father forgive them.
For they know not what they do.
That is in a display of his heart of love. I don't know what is.
You think that in those moments, as he hung there on that cross, he would be thinking about himself.
You think he would be thinking about how he got into this situation?
No. He came to accomplish the will of God. He came to do his Father's will. He came to die.
He was not rebellious. He didn't turn back.
And he looks up upon those who were crucified, who had crucified him. And he says, Father, forgive them.
They know not what they do.
And the people stood beholding, and the rulers also with them derided him, saying he saved others, let him save himself. I'm thankful tonight to know that he didn't save himself. He could have come down from that cross. He could have wiped out humanity in a moment, and he would have been justified in doing so.
But he didn't do that. If he came down from that cross, you and I wouldn't have a savior tonight. We wouldn't have a message to preach.
We wouldn't have good news to tell you that God loves you.
And that the Lord Jesus died to save you, and that God has opened the floodgates of blessing if you'll only have his son.
00:35:08
And he wants to give you eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
He didn't come down from that cross. His love held him there.
And the soldiers also mocked him.
Says in verse 36.
Verse 37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself, And the superscription also is written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. This is the king of the Jews.
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself, and us.
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Does not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man have done nothing in this.
Verse 44. And it was about the 6th hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the 9th hour, and the sun was darkened in the veil of the temple.
Was rent in the midst?
Three hours.
God refused to let the sunshine.
And he takes up with his own son.
My sins.
And there in his unmitigated wrath.
Pours out all His judgment upon His beloved Son against sin.
Which is so outraged him in His Holiness.
And there the Lord Jesus as he hangs.
You could say, Father, or rather, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Communion with his father had been broken.
And there he hangs, alone.
Answering to God.
For the sins of those who would receive him as savior.
And for.
All that sin has done to this creation, He answered for it.
3.
He hung there in darkness.
That's a darkness, friends, that you and I cannot Pierce or look into.
And for those of us that know Christ.
We'll spend our holy eternity.
In wonder and amazement.
So we contemplate His love and His grace that reached down to touch us.
Lord Jesus dismisses his spirit.
And he cries. It is finished.
The work is done, there's nothing left.
And now God comes out to you, and says, Come unto me.
All ye but labor are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Lord Jesus is calling out to you.
Work is done.
And he offers you free salvation.
There is none other name under heaven.
Given among men, whereby we must be saved.
You can't save yourself.
Christ is the Savior of sinners.
Think about seeing where only he is God.
Could bow his head.
And dismiss his own spirit.
Lord Jesus said foxes have holes.
The birds of the air have nests. The son of man hath not where to lay his head. As he went through this world, he couldn't find a resting place.
He was despised and rejected of man, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him.
But he lays his head on his own breast.
00:40:01
And dismisses his spirit.
A man in his last act of hatred.
As if he couldn't get enough.
Takes that spear and plunges it into the side of the Son of God.
If forthwith came thereof blood and water.
The water to cleanse the blood, the safe, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
How can you get right with God? Well, it's to accept Jesus tonight as your savior.
And his blood can wash away all your sins.
He is our righteousness.
For we have none of our own.
Well, I'm back to Acts chapter 10.
Would have seen where God Himself the person of his beloved Son.
The Lord Jesus.
We take up our sins.
This blessed savior.
And his wondrous love.
That's what we present to you tonight and you can know him.
You can know him.
You can come to him even now. Accept him as your own personal savior.
And it only takes a moment.
A moment of faith.
One look to Jesus saves the soul.
They slew him and hanged him on a tree. Verse 39.
God raised him the third day and showed him openly.
Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
The Lord Jesus God blessed forever.
Come down. God manifests in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached under the Gentiles, believed on in the world and received up into glory.
God set him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
God raised his Son and gave him glory, and tonight we preach A risen Christ. The story doesn't end with a dead Christ in a tomb.
He went into death in the third day. He rose again. It's as if it's God's stamp of approval on that work. And he raised his son and set him.
His own right hand in heavenly places.
God raised him up the third day.
Whom they And this is the one whom they slew, hanged on a tree, God's answer.
To his son's work.
Was resurrection.
Place of victory The victory has been won.
He has conquered death.
He's conquered the enemy.
And now he's reaching out to this world.
God so loved the world.
That he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be judge of quick and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins, the Lord Jesus.
Is offering free salvation to you?
Remission of sins.
It's not good news.
To tell you about judgment.
But the result of the rejection of God's good news of salvation is that He will judge you.
00:45:04
And send you to a lost eternity.
If you reject.
The message of his love to your never dying soul.
That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
And God tonight.
Is reaching down.
And he has his hand outstretched to you.
And he wants you to reach into his.
And he wants to give you the gift of God.
Which is eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let's get real tonight.
Do you know him and if you don't?
I can't guarantee you that you're going to have the next 5 minutes.
Never mind the next hour or the next day or week.
Accept it now.
Come to Christ and receive free salvation. Know what peace is. Have your sins washed away.
And experience a joy that this world cannot offer you. Let's pray.
God and Father.
We ask for blessing upon Thy precious word tonight. We pray for any Sinner who is lost and in their sins here tonight.
That they would close in on that free offer of salvation and receive Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as their own personal Savior.
We thank thee for the moments that we have in this life, even now to proclaim the good news of salvation in a needy world of lost and perishing centers. So asked, we asked tonight for blessing upon my precious word here and elsewhere wherever it has been told forth and the Lord Jesus has been presented as the Savior sinners, we just thank Thee for that great love, thy goodness, And Lord Jesus, we thank Thee for coming from.
From glory and coming into this world.
To go to the cross, lay down their life.
To be raised again the third day.
And to show this world.
Of love to offer free salvation to whosoever will. So we ask thee for blessing now, and we pray in Thy precious name. Amen.
Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Children—Mark Debu
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.
This morning.
I'll need a him she somewhere.
Thank you.
There's any more younger ones that want to come sit up front. Don't be shy.
Who has a song that they would like to give out to get started with?
What number?
#8, what's your name? Connor. Connor. All right, thank you. Connor #8 if somebody would like to start that.
#15
I'm glad you gave that one out because I want to talk a little bit about some of the things that are in here.
And there's still room in the front row to so many more young ones 1-2 you want to give out of him.
Number six, what's your name? Landon? All right, number six.
Before we sing a couple of more, Couple more let's OK, I'll try to remember that. Let's look to the Lord 1St and ask for His help.
Adam, Father, we thank you so much that we can be here this morning.
And we thank you so much for the Lord Jesus Christ, because it's of what he did.
In his loving coming down and going to the cross that we can be here this morning.
And we thank thee for these songs that we can sing about the Lord Jesus and about what he did.
But also about him coming back to take his people home.
And this morning, Lord Jesus, it's our desire and our prayer that each one here, and we think especially of the ones in the front row, the younger ones, We know the Lord Jesus as their personal savior. So we pray for help as we speak of thee a little bit, Lord Jesus, and open thy word.
And we will be able to concentrate and to listen to that word and that it might help us.
We pray this now in Thy worthy name. Amen.
OK, before we sing another song, I have a question.
Probably a slim chance, but by any chance, is it somebody's birthday here today on the front row? A younger one?
No. OK. That was kind of how about today's July 2, how about in the next couple of weeks, is it anybody's birthday here in the first couple of weeks of July?
You see one there? All right. When's your birthday?
July 12 OK, what's your name?
Abigail. All right. Anybody else?
I know there's somebody else here, and he's right there. I don't know if he's going to put up his hand. Was there somebody else there? All right. You're landing, right? When's your birthday?
July 13. Do we have a July 14th?
Where's that pointing?
Oh, right here.
What? July 5th? OK, all right, Trevor.
Yeah, I found out on Friday at the picnic that we shared the same birthday. We're both July 14. I've got a few years on him, though. OK, so we got Trevor. We had Abigail, there was Evan, and there was Landon. All right, I might ask one of you guys to come up in a few minutes. Don't worry, we're not going to sing for you. But I want to ask you some some questions, if that's OK.
You had a song, right? What was your song?
Which one?
Less assurance, OK. I don't know. Does anybody know what number that is?
Is it in here?
We can probably ask leasing a verse of that blessed assurance What's your name?
Logan. OK, Logan. All right. Could somebody start Blessed Edition?
Who has another number?
You do?
21 I should know your name, but I forgot it. What's your name? Elliot. All right, #21 please.
00:05:01
I will sing one more. Who has the last one?
All right.
#14 what's your name? Tucker. All right, Thank you, Tucker.
Is there anybody here that all right, Elliot?
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. First on 215. Very good. Anybody else? All right.
Of not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man loves the world.
The love of the Father is not in him.
First John 215.
That's very brave.
All right. Do you have anybody else right you want to say?
Heather is not found. The book of life is casting like a fire.
All right. Anybody on this side?
You want to say it good?
Here's another one.
Love not the world.
Neither the things that are in the world.
Amen. Love the world.
The love of the Father.
Is not in him.
First storm 3:15 Thank you.
You want to say it?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
X1631.
Whatsoever.
Believe in him.
Shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 315. Thank you.
OK.
Let's turn to Matthew chapter 22.
And we'll read a story there.
Matthew Chapter 22.
And verse 2. This is the Lord Jesus, He's telling a parable.
And he says this the Kingdom of heaven is likened to a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding, and they would not come again. He sent forth other servants saying, Tell them which are bidden. Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen, and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready common to the marriage.
They made light of it.
That made that means they kind of made fun of it.
And went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. And when the king heard thereof, he was wroth, and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Then said he to his servants, the wedding is ready, for they which were bidden were not worthy, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage.
So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. And the wedding was furnished with guests.
00:10:01
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hit her not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
All right.
So.
We'll talk about this a little bit in a second, but is there any of those people that receive the card who are having a birthday soon that's willing to come up for a couple of minutes?
And answer a couple of questions, they're not hard questions. So we had Landon, Abigail, Evan and Trevor. Any of you want to come up for a couple of minutes or or not?
Should I choose one?
Are you willing to come up, Trevor?
Oh, oh, Landon. OK, it's OK You're off the hook. Landon is coming.
Oh, and we got two. Well, that's good. That's going to work. All right. Well, you stand here. Like I said, it's going to be very easy. So you two are going to have a birthday soon, right? Is either one of you going to have a birthday party?
Do you think you'll have a birthday party?
You're not sure? You're not sure you don't have birthday parties? Well, let's say you're going to have a birthday party, otherwise it wouldn't work, right?
If you're going to have a birthday party, who are you going to invite?
Who would you invite? You don't have to name names, but would it be your friends?
Would you invite your friends to your birthday party? Yes. How about you, Landon? How many people do you think you would invite?
Well, let's let's do it different. Who in this room would like to come to Landon or Abigail's birthday party?
Do you think you'll invite all of them?
Are you going to invite all these people to your birthday party?
Might want to talk with mom about that, but that's nice. It's good. Why would you not invite all these people? They're all nice people. Why would you not do it? Actually, it's good that Trevor didn't come up because he could actually do it. They have room enough.
But we can't, right? How many of these people could you all fit in your house? Could you fit them all in at your party? I couldn't. Boy, I would have a hard time fitting in one section.
All right. And how long is your birthday party going to last?
What do you think? If you go to a birthday party, how long does it usually last?
About 3 hours. Yeah. I think my boy went to a birthday party a few days a few weeks ago, and they were. It was on a Saturday and they were supposed to get around 10:00 and then they were going to have pizza together and it says come and pick him up around 1:00 or 1:30. So it's about 3 hours. All right, good. You guys can go back to your seats. Thanks for coming up.
Well, I want to talk about.
Something a little bit similar. It's not exactly a party, but it's a wedding feast.
And it's called the marriage peace of the lamb. Now, when the brother called and asked me if I would have a word for the kids, I asked the Lord to give me something and I started thinking about birthday parties and invitations. You know, the reason we're all here today is because the people of the Aberdeen Assembly invited us. Otherwise I would be back home in Kirkland going to meeting there. But we're all here because we've been invited.
By the local veteran. And So what I have here on this little card that some of the kids got.
It's a little invitation, and it's an invitation to the marriage supper of the land. You know, there's a day coming really soon that there's going to be a great feast in heaven.
And you know, the first verse that was read on Friday at the prayer meeting at the conference here talked about the Father's house having many mansions or abodes and the Lord going there to prepare a place for us.
And because the Lord went there, and when he went to the cross first all of us.
Are invited to that great feast that someday will happen. You know, I don't think there's ever been a feast or a party in this world where everyone was invited.
00:15:05
You know this feast. The whole world is invited. You know we have the gospel last night. And Brother Josh, Josh made it very clear that whosoever will may come.
So everyone here that can listen, that can understand what the Lord Jesus did, is invited to that feast. And so sometimes we have parties here or we have a conference that we invite people to.
But they're quite a bit different than this feast that's going to happen in heaven soon.
You know, when we have a party here, like a birthday party or even the conference, it's limited. You know, the invitation to come to this conference went out to many assemblies.
And if everybody would have said we're coming at some point the Brethren were here, would have to say I'm sorry, but we're, you know, we had a conference in Kirkland.
Some weeks ago and there was a point that I had to e-mail people back and said I'm sorry, I have to put you on the waiting list. We are. We ran out of rooms. We don't have any more rooms at the hotel.
That this feast will never run out of room. You know, we read it here about a king preparing A feast wedding feast for his son. And there's a story similar in Lukes Gospel and it says yet there is room.
And we sometimes sing that hymn at the Gospel Meeting. Yet there is room.
So.
When we read that verse in John four, maybe I should read it in John 14.
It's a well known verse.
Verse two, it says In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you I'd go to prepare a place for you.
You know, if you have an A conference or even a birthday party, you make some preparations, don't you? In order to have so many people here together, make sure they all have a place to stay, Make sure they have a seat, make sure there's food. It takes a lot of work.
While the Lord Jesus he went to prepare a place.
For everyone, because everyone is invited to be with him for all eternity in heaven.
But you know what I believe in? Maybe somebody can correct me if I'm wrong. That place was prepared the moment the Lord Jesus went into heaven.
Right.
Why? Well, it says in the story that we read.
All things are ready. All things are ready when the Lord Jesus went back to heaven after he had gone to the cross.
After he had taken the punishment for our sins.
After he had shed his blood to wash away our sins, there was nothing more that needed to be done for us to be able.
To go to heaven and to go to be with him.
And so on this card, it says several things. It says what are you invited to? It says the marriage supper of the lamb.
And it says where in heaven?
When? Very soon, very soon. That feast that you're all invited to is going to take place very soon. You know, we often speak about the Lord coming back to take His people to be with him, and that can be any moment. Well, I believe it's not going to be very long after that that we're going to have this marriage feast of the land. Because you know what, the Lord Jesus has been looking forward to this for 2000 years.
And justice before he went to the cross, He ate the Passover with His, with his disciples. And He said with desire, have desire to eat this with you. He really wants to be together with His people. He enjoys their fellowship.
Well, he's looking forward to this even more than he was looking forward to eating the Passover with his disciples.
How long is this going to last?
Well, I wrote on here for all eternity.
The feast in itself is probably an event, but we're going to get to spend the rest of eternity with the Lord Jesus.
You know, if you have a birthday party, you look forward to it, and even conference, you look forward to it for a long time and you're excited about it.
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And then before you know it, it's over.
No, maybe this afternoon and certainly to more of many of us will be going away again to our own homes or wherever we're going and the Aberdeen Conference will be over for this year.
But when this marriage fees comes.
Will be enjoying the Lord, and it will never end. How about that? Have you ever heard of a feast that never ends?
Knowing in the book of Esther speaks of a feast, and I think it was 180 days that the king invited all the important people of the Kingdom and he had a feast for 180 days. Hey, I have a hard time imagining that, but this happy time, perfect time together with the Lord will never end.
Who wants to go to a feast like that? I do. I do. But then it says here at the end what to wear.
And that's important, you know, it says in this story, it says this. I'll have to turn back to it.
So it says in verse four of Matthew 22.
All things are ready.
And then the invitation went out. So this little card here is an invitation, and I can actually hand that out to you because the Lord has told us to go out with the gospel and invite people into this marriage feast. Isn't that amazing that God wants to use us to hand out invitations to this whole world to come to the feast that he's going to prepare for his son?
You know, I can't hand out invitations for people to go to the White House. I can't do that. But I can hand out invitations for people to go to the feast that God is going to prepare for his son. Isn't that amazing?
And so you can see in the story that the invitation goes out over and over again. It never stops. And I was thinking about that. What an amazing thing that is. You know, the Lord Jesus came into the world and people rejected him and that the worst thing that they could to him.
And right after they crucified him, what happened? The gospel started going out. Isn't that amazing?
People did the worst thing they could to the Son of God and God because his love. Right after that he started sending out the gospel, the glad tidings. What if you had a friend and he did something kind of mean to you and the next week was your birthday?
Would you be going up and say, hey, I want you to go to my birthday party?
I don't think I would somebody. That's something mean to me, but that's not how God is, children. God is love and man that the worst they could to him and to his son. And he says now, because I'm love, I'm going to invite you to be with me for all eternity in heaven. What an amazing God. He didn't need a few months or a few years to kind of get over the fact that man had.
Killed his son.
He didn't need that because his love.
But here, there's a little warning here at the end of the story.
It says the king came in in verse 11 to see the guests and he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. I don't know much about this, but I heard that it was the habit in those days to practice that if you went to wedding feast, as you went in, they handed you a garment that you put over. So everybody would be kind of it would be obvious that you were invited to that feast. And here was a man in this story who had somehow gotten in and he hadn't put on this wedding garment.
And what happened with him? He got kicked out. He got taken out.
How sad is that?
Well, it tells us that all things are ready and we often hear that we don't have to do anything.
To be saved. But really there's something we have to do.
And it's not something that we have to do to workout our own salvation, but we need to accept the Lord Jesus Christ.
This feast.
Everybody in this whole world is invited.
But if you don't have the wedding garment, if you don't have the Lord Jesus.
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You won't get into this feast.
Do you have to do anything to get that wedding garment? You just have to believe.
You just have to believe. And so it's wonderful that we have a God who is so big that he can invite everyone. And not only that, he's made everything ready.
But there's this one little thing that you have to do and it's very important, and if you don't do it, this invitation is not going to do you any good.
You need to have the Lord Jesus Christ. And so I was thankful when your children gave out these sins. Think every one of them was a gospel? Everyone.
Talked about what the Lord Jesus did and.
Accepting him is the one thing we need to do now.
This piece of paper card stock is really not worth that much. I tried to calculate and I think it's about $0.03 because I bought a pack pack of them and you're holding about 12:45 piece of paper card stock. So it's about $0.03 that you're holding. But if you believe what says on it, and if you believe the Lord Jesus Christ, this invitation is the most valuable thing.
That you have.
Now I want to show you something here.
Because value is a very relative thing.
How much is this piece of paper worth?
$1.00 How about this one?
$20.00 but they're the same pieces of paper and it's the same ink, they just mixed it around a little bit. So once there's one and the other says 20. So why is this one worth 20 times what this one is worth?
Do you know?
Or not? Who knows why is this one worked one and why is this one worth 20?
It's kind of a good question, right? There's some that are exactly the same and they're worth 100 look.
That's exactly it. That's exactly, he says. Because people believe that they're worth whatever the number is on there. So people have come to some kind of an agreement and we all accept that this is worth 20, this is worth 1.
And there's pieces of paper that are just a few cents worth of paper that are worth thousands of dollars. You know, if you would hold.
Like a letter that a person had a famous person president had written 100 years ago. Or what if you had an original copy of the Declaration of Independence? It's just some paper that it would be worth maybe millions of of dollars.
And so to a lot of people in this world, you would hand this.
Or you would hand the tract and it's worth nothing to them. It's worth nothing. It's not even worth the three cents of paper.
Why?
Because they don't have any appreciation of what the Lord Jesus did. Isn't that sad?
Here's God, and He sent his Son into the world to die for people's sin.
And man hung him on the cross. Man is responsible, and yet God and his goodness and love hands out these invitations. And every time the Gospel goes forth, it's an invitation.
Whosoever will may come, and so this can be worth nothing. This can be worth $0.03.
But if you believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the invitation to this marriage, Feast of the Lamb is worth is priceless.
Let's end by going to Revelation chapter 19, because that's where we have that term.
A marriage Feast of the Lamb.
We'll just read one verse, verse 9.
It says this, And he said unto me, Right blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Bless it, that means happy, happy, are they that are called, and to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And so.
There's nothing like the gospel message it was spraying.
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The Lord to to have something for the children.
And justice.
This this was put on my heart and it's the most important subject that there is.
You know, there's so many wonderful things in this book, and the same with this book. It's just some pieces of paper. But if you believe that this is the word of God.
It's priceless.
There are so many wonderful subjects in here, so many wonderful things that we can talk about. But there's nothing like the gospel message. There's nothing.
Like the story of the Lord Jesus going to the cross?
For our sins. And on these scarves that I printed out before you are invited, there's a line, there's a blank spot, and the kids that gave out a ham or was their birthday, I put their name on there.
And so it said Trevor or Elliot or Abigail, you are invited.
This invitation.
It's a personal invitation. It's for each one, and I got a whole stack of them. So if if any of your kids want one, you can come up after, after we've prayed and I write your name on there. And it's a personal invitation. And it's not from me. It's not my feast. This is a personal invitation from the God of this universe to spend all eternity with him. You'll never get an invitation like that.
You know, there's sometimes people that get invited to the White House.
While I wouldn't want to trade this invitation for an invitation to the White House or any other place, there's nothing like God inviting sinners to have their sins washed away and spend all eternity in His presence. Bless it. Happy are they that are invited to that. Let's pray.
Our God, Father, we thank thee for this wonderful invitation that we have, and we thank the our Godfather that thou has made it possible.
By sending thy beloved Son into this world to die for us. But we think of how much it cost thee to prepare.
That marriage supper, how much it costs thee to be able to invite us to spend eternity with thee. And so we thank thee now, and that we can talk about that. And we pray especially this morning, for these younger ones in the front row and sprinkle throughout. We pray that they would realize.
That God.
Is calling each one, inviting each one of them to be saved and to be happy and to be ready.
For when that time comes, Lord Jesus, when thou will call all thy people to be with thee for all eternity, we pray this in thy worthy name. Amen.
Dispensational Ways of God
Address—Steve Stewart
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Could we sing #200?
And 20.
200.
And 20.
Let's look through our garden father for help.
Our God and our Father, we look to thee this afternoon.
We thank thee for.
What thou hast brought before our souls and the opportunity privilege to give thanks to thee this morning with my beloved son.
And we pray that as we take up the Holy Scriptures this afternoon, that.
That he would be glorified and on him in the reading of Thy word. And so we just pray for help.
That he would be glorified thy Saints would be edified that.
The thoughts would be clear, expressions simple.
And the time constraints.
It all would fit in and so we just asked thy help.
Now and give thee thanks to for thy love and thy grace and thy goodness. To us the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord's help, I'd like to.
Speak a little this afternoon on some of the dispensational ways of God.
And.
The transitional time in the beginning of the book of Acts.
That take us from the dispensation of law into the day of Grace.
And to speak to some of the glories of our Lord Jesus Christ connected with that.
And of our place and portion in Christ. And so I really enjoy the very broad.
Landscapes of Scripture Brother last year was here expressed the same thing, and so one of those very broad backdrops is in Second Peter in the third chapter.
Second Peter Chapter three, we get three worlds.
Verse 6 Whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished, but the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment. And then in verse 13 nevertheless we.
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
There are three worlds in Scripture given to us in this chapter. One is passed. It was overthrown with a flood.
One is yet to come.
New heavens and new earth. And there are similarities between those two worlds.
Neither have distinction of nations or languages. Neither.
Had government in the sense of restraint and rule.
Upon men, there may be other similarities as well.
But the world that now is, is the world in which the dispensations of God unfold in all his ways and his dealings with men on this earth.
And in the book of Genesis, when Noah stepped off the ark, we get the beginning.
In this present world, the world that's reserved in judgment, fire is stored up for that day. And Peter says the elements of this present world are going to melt with fervent heat.
But until that point, the dispensations of God unfold in this world, and the first principle we'd like to look at is in Genesis.
In the 8th chapter.
Genesis Chapter 8.
And verse 21 Noah having offered burnt offerings, the Lord smelled a sweet savour. And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground anymore for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I again smite anymore every living thing as I have done and then.
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In Chapter 9 and verse 5. And surely your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast, will I require it and at the hand.
Of man at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
God had left man to himself in that world that was overthrown with a flood. There was really no order dealing of God with man at that time. And he said all the end of all flesh has come before me and he said I will destroy. And so he did. And Noah steps off into a new world and God says I cannot take this new world up.
On any other principle. But then the fact that man is evil from his youth.
Every imagination of his heart. And so God is going to operate on that principle from that point forward in this world. And if we mistake that principle, we mistake what this world's all about, and we mistake even the very character of God.
And so he says, I'm not going to let man just go on his own as I did before the flood. And he institutes in principle with Noah government.
Man is responsible to restrain man. If he murders like Cain murdered Abel, then man was responsible to deal with the murder of the offender and in principle government is given to Noah.
That principle developed overtime as God came down and divided man by languages and nations developed and governments developed in those nations.
Families are of God.
He told them to spread abroad in the earth by their families.
Nations are of God, though through judgment He divided men into nations.
Evil may come in now, and so that man would not be bound to those institutions of evil should come into family or nation. God introduces another principle, and we're going to look at that in Genesis chapter 12.
Verse one now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Abraham, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, into a land that I will show thee, And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing.
As time went on in, nations developed, idolatry came in.
And in those families spread abroad on the earth, corruption came in.
Now since those institutions are of God.
Except this principle that we get in chapter 12 had been introduced. Man would be bound to those things and to go on with the evil that might come into them.
And so he brings another principle in the call of God.
And this man Abraham is Abraham is called by God, and he's called to get out of those very things that God had established.
To leave them where they are, not to reform them, and he leaves them where they are, in any interest that he might have in them.
And he is called out.
And the principle, the dispensation, we might say, of calling, is introduced, at least in principle, Now connected with calling is something else.
Promises.
And so as soon as God calls Abram out, he gives him promises, I will make him be a great nation.
And these two great principles go on through scripture government.
And the call of God and the promises that are attendant upon that call.
They are developed.
In a nation, later on in the scripture, and that nation was Israel.
When Jacob's family went down into Egypt and they multiplied and they became a great people, the time came for the birth of that nation.
And then Hosea 11 we read out of Egypt.
And I called my son.
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And that's what it means in Romans, that at 9:00 that to them pertains the adoption sonship. They had a place nationally as God's son. No other nation had that. God separated them out from all the nations on the earth, and He called them.
Out as his own.
And in First Chronicles 29, when Solomon is crowned.
He said on the throne of his father David. But it says there then Solomon sat on the throne of Jehovah.
And God brings the seed of his government in this world and puts it in that nation, Jerusalem being its capital. And now this principle of government, this dispensation of government, and this dispensation of the call of God, are brought together in the nation, the people of Israel.
And they are the heirs of the promises made to Abram.
Because along with promise along with calling goes promise.
But God brought something else in.
Let's look at Galatians chapter 3.
Galatians, chapter 3.
And verse 19.
Wherefore then serveth the law, It was added because of transgression, till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made.
God was going to test man.
In these times of his dispensational ways.
And he's going to test man under the law.
In his dispensation of government and calling.
And in that time he dispensed judges.
And he dispensed priests, and he dispensed kings.
And the law tested man to see if he could produce anything for God.
In the world before the flood, the end of all flesh had come before God.
But now in the world, the present world, the world that now is under the restraint of government.
Under the blessing of the call of God, man is tested.
A principle of law. Would he produce anything for God?
And we know the history of Israel.
As to their failure under that law, those judges, those deliverers, we have them listed there in the Book of Judges. Go on and on until finally, the very last one needs a deliverer himself, Samson.
The priesthood as we see it in Eli, in the beginning of Samuel and his wicked sons, God has to judge.
And both father and his sons are slain in one day.
Looking onwards, Saul is made king.
And God has to reject him and say I'm going to choose a man after my own heart, but I'd like to turn to.
A verse.
In First Samuel.
When God pronounced judgment on the priesthood in its failure.
He gave a prophecy to young Samuel.
First Samuel, Chapter 2.
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And verse.
35.
Let's read verse 34. And this shall be assigned unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons on haphony and finnaas in one day.
They shall die, both of them, and I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before mine anointed forever.
Turn over for one more verse in Zachariah and the 6th chapter.
Zechariah 6.
In verse 13, Speaking of this same one that God would raise up.
Even he shall build the temple of the Lord.
Zechariah 613 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne. And he shall be a priest upon his throne, and the council of peace shall be between them both.
I know we're passing over volumes just to give a little outline to come to the place I would like to annex.
Man tested under the law.
Failed, and God had to take Israel, and he had to cast them out of that land that he had given to them.
The law came in, We read in Galatians in between the giving of the promises and the fulfillment of the promises, and it came in because of transgression. It came in to fully show what man was, not only that he sinned, but that he had a root nature that wanted to sin. He wanted to transgress. He not only had bad fruit, he had a bad root, and the law came in.
To illustrate that and prove.
What man was?
And so God cast him out, cast Israel out of that land of promise.
They had failed.
Under judges, the priesthood had failed and we know the history of the kings. Mr. Darby sums it up quite nicely.
In the synopsis he said. I can't quote it exactly, but.
The the sum of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah goes to show one thing that the first man cannot hold the scepter in righteousness.
But what of this priest that had been promised, spoken of, prophesied of this king?
And we find out in Zechariah it's one person who is both priests and king.
That will build the temple of the Lord.
That is going to.
Be in the place of those who had failed, one who would be holy for God.
One upon whom the glory of God could rest.
Well, he's given in type in a man named Melchizedek in the book of Genesis who came out and blessed Abraham, says Melchizedek was the king of Salem and he was the priest of the Most High God.
Let's turn over to the book of Hebrews in the 7th chapter and just get a few details.
On this one who was a foreshadow of Christ.
Hebrews Chapter 7.
Verse one for this Melchizedek king of Salem, priest of the most High God, who my neighbor returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him to whom also Abram gave a tenth part of all first being by interpretation king of righteousness. That's what Melchizedek means.
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King of righteousness.
After that, also King of Salem, he was literally the king of a place called Salem.
Salem means peace, so he goes on to say, which is king of peace without father. We don't read of him having a father, mother without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days or end of life, but made like unto the Son of God abideth the priest continually.
This priest, that God was going to raise up that young Samuel.
Received a prophecy about.
A faithful priest that Zachariah speaks of. He'll set a priest upon his throne was foreshadowed by this man Melchizedek, who was both king and priest king of righteousness.
And King of Peace, Priests of the Most High God. Most High God is a millennial title of God when it's going to be evident that God is the only God above all else. That man ever worshipped in this world, he is the Most High God.
It's a millennial title.
And the priesthood is a millennial priesthood, a priesthood that is going to be.
The one upon in in the person of Christ, in which all the promises are brought in and made good.
And Melchizedek comes out in that day of Abraham's victory, and he brings forth bread and wine.
And Christ is going to come forth in that millennial day.
As Melchizedek did, and he's going to bring bread and wine. Not literally, but he's going to bring and be in his person, the one who sustains this whole earth like they call bread, the staff of life. He's going to sustain this whole world in that day. And wine that speaks of joy he is going to be.
The one who supplies joy and blessing to the whole earth and that millennial day.
In Isaiah 32 it says Behold, a king shall reign.
And righteousness and the effect of righteousness is going to be peace.
Quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in peaceable habitations when he reigns, a priest upon his throne, King of righteousness, the effect of righteousness in this world is going to bring peace.
And so Melchizedek, a fit picture of the Lord King of Righteousness and King of Peace Sustainer.
Of the whole world.
And so the Old Testament prophecies looked on.
To that coming.
Anti type of Melchizedek the Lord Jesus Christ.
But there was a further test yet to come.
And that was a test, not under law.
But under grace.
And we had read to us this morning.
Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Grace and truth. The fullest display of grace and truth that this world has ever had and ever will have. We beheld His glory, the glorious of an only begotten with the Father, full of grace and truth.
This is my son. Surely they will reverence my son.
But all we know what they did to that one who was the full divine revelation of grace and truth. They took him and nailed him to a cross of wood.
They said we will not have this man to reign over us and God tested man and grace.
And that test came to its end.
At Calvers Cross.
They produce nothing for God under the law and finally had to be cast out of their land. God brought a remnant back in order that Messiah would be born in that land according to prophecy, but when presented to them, they rejected him, cast him out, nailed him to a crossover wood.
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You know in.
Anticipation of.
And in knowing his rejection the Lord in Matthew 23, he's in the temple.
And he convicts them of their sin of stoning the prophets, and all that God had sent to them to reach their conscience. And they were about to put him on that cross.
And he longs over them, and he says, how often I would have gathered thy children under my wings, or gather thy children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But ye would not.
And he's like the glory cloud in Ezekiel in the time when Israel was going to be cast out of the land because of their failure and their sin against God and their idolatry.
And Ezekiel sees in the Spirit the glory cloud, the Shekinah glory in the temple, just like the Lord Jesus was in the temple there in Matthew 23. And the glory cloud is restless back and forth in the temple.
And Ezekiel has shown the wicked abominations that were taking place in that temple. And finally the glory cloud crosses the threshold. It goes out of the east side of the city and up to the mountain on the east side, and it's gone.
And in Matthew 23 the Lord convicting them of their sin.
And expressing in his heart for them, he lingers over them, and he finally crosses the threshold of the temple. He turns back with one hope. He says, you'll not see me again till you say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And then he leaves, and he goes out of the temple. In chapter 24 he goes through the city, out the east side, up to the mount of Olives, where the glory cloud.
Left and they didn't, and they won't see him again.
Till they say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the glory.
Had departed.
Their house was left unto them desolate.
He was not there.
Well, we know glorious truth that after the cross, he was raised from the dead. Let's turn to Acts Chapter One.
Acts Chapter one.
After the Lord was raised from the dead, he continued with the disciples, says 40 days, and verse 3 verse four, and being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but he shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time?
Restore again the Kingdom to Israel.
At this time, at the time of the pouring out of the Spirit of God, would he restore the Kingdom to Israel? Perhaps they thought of the Old Testament prophecies.
God would pour out His spirit upon all flesh, their sons and daughters prophecy.
It's not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his own power, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things while they beheld, he was taken up.
In a cloud received him out of their sight, while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went out. Behold, 2 men stood by them in white apparel.
Which said also, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come.
In like manner as you have seen them go into heaven.
That Shekinah, Glory Cloud and Ezekiel went up on the Mount of Olives and it was gone and the Lord Jesus here.
00:30:08
On the Mount of Olives because it says they returned. In verse 12, from the Mount of Olives he went up into heaven.
And Zachariah, Chapter 14, we read that in that day he's going to stand again upon that very mountain.
And that's what the angels mean when they say he's going to come in like manner. He's not going to have some spiritual and visible return. He's going to come physically, personally and stand on this world in the same way that he left it.
But he had worked for them to do.
And he and their thoughts are directed towards that work. They were to wait for the promise of the Father in Jerusalem.
The Sakina glory went back to heaven. The promises of God made to Israel are in advance. They wait a coming day to be fulfilled.
The principle of calling and promise involved in that? What about the principle the dispensation of government?
Jehovah's throne was number longer in Jerusalem.
They had been cast out of that land long before.
And we read in Daniel that that authority, that sword, that responsibility, and that way of government is transferred to the gentile powers.
In Romans 11 and verse 29 we read that the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance, whom God has called and to whom he has made promises, He will not change his mind.
Though they may be in advance, but he doesn't say that about government. And so government, the sort of government.
Departs to the Gentiles, but the glory went back to heaven. It didn't go to another city. Zion was the place that he had chosen to place his name.
That was what was in his heart, and that place was where the promises would be fulfilled.
Well, the Lord Jesus has gone back to heaven here in the book of Acts, and the apostles are directed to some work that the Lord has for them. We're going to read a parable in Luke that gives us that work in a picture that the disciples.
Were going to take up.
Luke, Chapter 13.
The backdrop in Luke 13 is that the Lord had spoken to them, that judgment was coming because of the rejection of him in chapter 12, and they needed to really get right with God before that judgment fell. They needed to repent. When he spoke of repentance, there were some that said, oh, what about those Galileans that Pilot slew? They probably needed a repentance. He says no.
If you don't repent, you're going to perish too, and that is verse 5.
I tell you, Nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise.
Perish. The promises are in abeyance. The glory cloud has gone back to heaven.
But the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. And God is going to bring Israel into blessing again, but it's going to hinge upon their national repentance for their sin of crucifying their Messiah.
It hinges upon that.
And God is going to work that in his time.
Here's the parable.
Verse six He spake also this parable. A certain man had a fig tree planted in a vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. And he said also unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down. Why cometh at the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it. And if it bear fruit well, and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
The work of the disciples.
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That.
They were directed to.
Was a work of calling Israel to repentance.
And it was going to be carried out in the power of the Spirit of God.
And so in Acts chapter 2, the Spirit of God comes down.
And he takes up his abode and those disciples, well, we know from other scriptures the church was formed at that time. That's not my purpose to take that up.
The Lord had said to them to tarry in Jerusalem, till they be endued with power from on high, ye shall be my witnesses.
And that's the first thing they did.
They went out and began to preach.
And they were a witness to Christ, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his glory.
And in Acts chapter 2 upon the preaching of Peter, let's look at a few verses.
Verse 23 Him being delivered by the determinant council and foreknowledge of God, you have taken him by wicked hands of crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holding of it. Verse 30 the end of the verse he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.
Verse 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses, therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having shed forth, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, and has shed forth this which he now see and hear. Verse 36 Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, and ye have crucified both Lord.
And Christ all they were pricked in their hearts, Men and brethren, verse 37 What shall we do? Peter said unto them, Repent.
Repent.
Not only individually.
But as a nation?
Their blessing hinged upon their repentance.
While many believed verse 41 glad they received the Word and were baptized 3000 souls.
Verse 47 praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church or added daily such as not were saved.
Should be saved.
There was judgment hanging over that nation because of the guilt of crucifying our Messiah.
And not only were these saved in their soul, but they were going to be saved from that judgment to come. They were standing on a new ground, having received Christ and been baptized. They were to be saved from that coming wrath.
And then in chapter 3 again the preaching of Peter.
Verse 14 He denied the Holy One and the just, and desired a murder to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.
Verse 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times, or so that the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive, until the times of the restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
What is he saying? If they would repent nationally?
Of their sin and crucifying the Lord of glory, the Prince of life.
God would send Jesus, who is in heaven, back down to this earth to establish that Kingdom and bring all the promises of God.
Connected with the call of Israel.
Into fruition.
The times of refreshing that great Jubilee, when everything would be put back as it ought to be, the time of the restitution of all things, the subject of all the prophecies of the Old Testament, is that he would come and do just that. Would they repent?
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Oh God, was done testing man at the cross.
Don't think he's testing, man now.
In what we call the Day of Grace, that was done at Calvary, and nor is he testing. Here we read the parable word. The fig tree was digged about and done to see if it would bear fruit. It was not a test of man in these chapters to see if he would bear fruit for God, but it was a picture of the work of the Spirit of God.
On Israel to produce repentance.
That God might bring the blessing in. He was done with testing man at the cross. It's not a test.
He proved what man was already.
But it's the efforts of the Spirit of God. He's like that man digging about that fig tree to try and produce repentance.
Chapter 6.
One of those witnesses was a man named Steven.
And in their opposition to the testimony He bore, they drew him before.
The Council.
It says in chapter 6.
Verse 10 They were not able to resist the Wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.
Verse 15 And they that said, and the council looked steadfastly on him, and saw as it had been.
His face, as it had been the face of an Angel.
I want to pause there. I hope this isn't going to make it confusing.
I want to pause there before we look at Chapter 7.
And go back in our thoughts when the Lord Jesus was received out of their sight.
In that cloud, what happened on the other side of that cloud?
No human eye but.
His observed it.
But we get it in the scriptures.
Let's turn to Hebrews.
In the 5th chapter.
Hebrews Chapter 5.
Per SE, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him, called of God and high Priest, after the order of Melchizedek.
The Lord Jesus is creator of all. Everything is his. He created it.
He's the son of God and consequently the heir of all things. It's all his. He's the son and heir.
But when he went to Calvary's cross.
That which had fallen under Satan's power. Through man's sin he won.
Through the victory at Calvary, everything is his by right as Calvary's victor and son of man.
Everything is his. Every blade of grass. Everything. The entire created universe is his. Through the work of Calvary, he bought it all.
In Numbers 25.
Sin had come into Israel in an awful way. Fornication.
And the children of Israel committed that sin with the Moabites, and there was a man who brought a Midianitis woman into his tent.
To sin with her. And it says there were many there in the congregation of Israel weeping before the Tabernacle, and Moses was there.
What an affront to God. Moses was God's representative.
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The people helpless.
But here comes a man named Finna has, and he takes a javelin in his hand, and he goes into that tent, and he thrusts both of them through, and he puts away sin from the sight of God. In Israel he was a priest.
He was a warrior priest.
And God says, But Finna has because he was zealous for my sake, he shall receive an everlasting covenant of the priesthood, and it shall be his and his sons. And in the millennial day, the sons of faithful Finnaas through the line of Zadok are going to minister before the Lord in the Millennia Temple.
He won an everlasting covenant of the priesthood because he was zealous for God and put away sin before the sight of God in Israel with that javelin. You know our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was son and heir and Creator, and all belonged to him, and those are his glories. Yet he won glories as Son of man at Calvary's cross that he did not have before through the victory of Calvary, and it was not.
With a javelin in his hand.
But his spear pierced his side.
And forth was king morale, blood, and water. And he triumphed over death and hell, and the enemy of our souls, and put away sin from the sight of God and all its awfulness. He'd rather die than let sin subsist in the sight of God.
And what was the response of God? He raised him from the dead, and the disciples saw him ascend up into the glory. And on the other side of that cloud, think of that scene.
When he was Son of God left that place. Now he comes back in all the glories of a finished and accomplished work at Calvary, and all the sweetness and fragrance of his own person. As Son of Man, he steps into the glory.
What a hush in the vault of heaven.
His God rose up to greet his son.
Saluted of God.
Is how that verse could be translated. It's a greeting of greatest formality in which a title of honor and glory is conferred upon his son, saluted of God, High Priest forever.
After the order of Melchizedek, he won an everlasting covenant of the priesthood to the cross.
What an acceptance.
For that glorified Son of man.
And he's invited by God, sith thou, on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. And so we get it in the 110th song. Thou art priest forever.
After the order of Melchizedek.
All on the other side of the cloud.
His eye alone saw it was there, one knee, and all of the created intelligence in heaven that was not bowed.
When God greeted that glorified.
Son of Man, who so glorified him the hours of darkness at Calvary.
Let's go back.
To.
Acts 7.
Read in Hebrews, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross.
He's entered into that joy.
But Stephen being taken by the Council in Chapter 7 of Acts.
And the things whereof he was accused by them as to disrespect for Moses, the Law, the Temple.
He really addresses all of those things.
And then the end of Chapter 7.
He really brings home their sin.
Verse 51 E Stiff, necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you'd always resist the Holy Ghost as your father's dead. So do ye.
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All that dinging about of the fig tree of Israel.
That effort of the Spirit of God through the testimony and witness of the disciples.
Did not bring Israel to repentance.
They resisted the Holy Ghost, which of the prophets have not your Father's persecuted, and they have slain them, which showed before the coming of the just one, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.
Who received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it, when they heard these things that were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him.
With their teeth.
All resisted spirit.
Broken Law, Crucified Messiah.
Stone prophets.
They refuse their own blessing and that offer of repentance to Israel as a nation. Would they just repent and God would send Jesus? That door was closing.
They were closing it.
On their own blessings.
Verse 55.
Or 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart. They gnashed on him with their teeth, but he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God.
Oh, think of it. That's where the Glory cloud had departed.
He looks up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus.
Standing on the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see the heavens open and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Now that scene that had been closed to every human eye is open to faith.
The angels had directed the disciples attention back to the earth. Why stand ye gazing up? Don't stand gazing up. You've got work to do.
But now by the Spirit.
He looks up into the open heavens, and the Spirit directs his gaze upward.
The offer to Israel is done.
And they were about to seal their sin with the blood of Stephen Christ martyr.
But he looks up and he sees him in his place of power and honor.
In glory.
And acceptance at the right hand of God.
The glorified Son of man.
They cried out with a loud voice, and stomped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul, All Saul.
Saul so anxious.
So anxious to make sure everything was done according to the law.
Don't stone him yet. The witnesses need to be first.
Let's do this right.
And they laid their clothes at the feet of Saul.
And Stone, Stephen.
While he called on the name of the Lord.
But his gaze was still upward.
And beholding the glory of the Lord, he was changed into the same image from glory.
To glory from glory and he says.
To the Lord Lord Jesus receive my spirit, and he becomes more like his master who said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit from glory to glory. And then he says, Father, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge again an imitation of his glorified master.
Who said father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
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Changed into the same image from glory to glory.
And then he fell asleep, and he's yet going to imitate his master again.
In resurrection.
And then Stephen the Church received her pledge that this earth was not her portion.
That glory was her portion.
That the man at God's right hand, his place was her place.
His inheritance was her inheritance.
His home was her home.
She had inherently calling. She was not of this earth. She belonged to that place.
For that glorified man was the right hand of God.
And she has a heavenly formative object.
In the glorified man, Christ Jesus.
That's the object for your heart and mind.
Our look is to be ever upward.
We're never going to be more like Christ because we want to be.
Are only going to be more like him as we gaze upon him.
In glory.
As were occupied with him there, we too will be changed.
Into the same image Philippians 3.
Philippians 3.
Verse 13, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do.
Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth under those things which are before.
I press toward the mark for the prize.
Of the high calling of God.
In Christ Jesus.
All that man at whose feet they laid their clothes, God picked them up as a chosen vessel.
Made on his own, he said. You're going to fill Stevens shoes?
And now we see in here, he says. I've seen Christ in glory. It's eclipsed. Everything else. There's only one thing I want.
And I don't care what it takes to get there, even if it's by death. I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings because that's the path that led to the glory. Peter says I was a witness of this sufferings. I look forward to the glory. Paul says I was a witness to the glory and if it means sufferings to get there, then that's what I'll take.
The call of God.
Albeit be taken up and government in this earth in Christ and Israel, and Israel once again reign over the nations, and he shall set as a priest upon his throne, and he will make good all the promises of God, as we read in Psalm 22. He will pay his vows before the great congregation. The sword is with the Gentile powers till that day, meanwhile you and I.
Have been called by God.
A heavenly calling?
That, like Abram of old, rises above every other claim upon us. We are gods. We are Christ.
It's a high and a holy calling.
And it has an object, a prize before our souls. Christ in glory #35.
Our God and our Father, we ask thy blessing on Thy precious word. May Christ be made more precious to us. May we each behold him in glory and be changed into the same image. So no, it's the work of Thy Spirit We commit ourselves to thee. And the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Christ a Current Resource for Our Needs
Open—Jim Hyland
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How precious he is.
And now we've just sung of this little while that we have until we see him.
When he's returned for us, then we will have no more needs.
Right now, there are many needs.
And.
Short time that we have before us.
That by thy spirit thou was raised up once.
That hath thy word.
And have thy mind, and present it in such a way that each one of us.
Has our hearts reached our needs met?
In whatever capacity and way is necessary, I don't know.
The name of thy son, the Lord Jesus. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Manners spake in time passed under the fathers by the prophets.
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world's, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had.
By himself purged our sins, or if you notice another translation made the purification of her sin of sin sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high before I comment on this portion.
I'd like to go back without turning to it and thought to what Stephen brought before us in the last meeting at the end of the 7th chapter of the book of Acts in connection with the stoning of Stephen. Because I suggest there that what we really have was the fulfillment of the Lord's words in connection with the sin against the Holy Ghost. Steven read to us there that they did always resist the Holy Ghost and I believe, the sin against the Holy Ghost.
Was a national sin for Israel.
If I can put it this way, God gave 2 great testimonies to that nation. He gave the testimony of his Son, the Lord Jesus, walking here in this world as it were. I will send my son, they will reverence him, but they rejected the Lord Jesus.
And at the cross they said, we have no king but Caesar. And they had him taken out and wrote out of that holy city, Jerusalem, that had deteriorated to such a point. It had religion without Christ, and they had him nailed to a Roman cross. And God had nothing more for that nation. At that time. He'd given them those two great testimonies, and he had told them if they sinned against the Holy Ghost, he had nothing more for them at that time. Thank God he's going to take them up again.
On the grounds of pure sovereign grace, when Zion is addressed in a future day and as was brought before us, there is a national repentance and he gives them, there will be a National Heart transplant for that nation as we get in Ezekiel and other places. And he'll put in within them a new heart that will respond to himself. And it's very significant that the Lord Jesus, when seen by Stephen, was standing there.
I just make this suggestion standing on the threshold of heaven, waiting to come back and bless that nation. If they had received the testimony of Stephen in the power of the Holy Spirit. And it's very significant that that is the last time that an appeal goes out to the nation as such. It's the last time that an appeal goes out to the Jewish leaders. It's the fulfillment of what you have in Luke 19 where it says.
They sent a messenger after him saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
That was not at the cross. At the cross they said we have no king but Caesar. But in the stoning of Stephen they sent a messenger after him saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. And so I suggest that the Lord Jesus at that point then sat down as he is presented to us in the book of Hebrews, because as we know, Hebrews is written to the Jewish believers, those who were exhorted on the day of Pentecost.
Repent and be baptized and saved.
Ourselves from this untoward generation. A generation had rejected the Lord Jesus, and for a Jew it was necessary that they sever the tie with the nation that had rejected Christ to be brought into blessing on the grounds of Christianity. And so we find then that the apostle writes to these Jewish believers, and he presents to them and to us, not Christ standing on the threshold of heaven.
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Waiting to come back and bless a nation, but seated as a resource for those individuals who now had come in under the blessing of Christianity and were now a heavenly people. And I believe there's much to encourage you and and me. Someone has said that Hebrews opens to us the heavens in a very unique way. You know, when the Lord Jesus was here, as one has said, there was an object in this world that might comment that would commend the place.
Often you read of heaven opening up and heaven being occupied with the dearest object of heaven's heart, the one that God would always occupy his people with. The Lord Jesus walking here in this world was worthy of heaven's attention. The heavens are open this afternoon, not so much that heaven can look down, but that we can look up by faith and be occupied with the Lord Jesus where he is now.
See not as he was, not walking in this world as a homeless stranger not hanging on a cross of shame with a crown of thorns, but to look up and see him crowned with a crown of glory and honor. I say this is the one that God would always occupy his people with.
And brethren, I trust that as a result of these meetings this weekend, we've got a fresh glimpse of the man in the glory and that our hearts have gone out more to him. And as has often been pointed out in the book of Hebrews, we have Christ seated at the right hand of God on four different occasions. And I know we've gone over these scriptures many times, but as Peter said, I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things.
Though you know them and be established in the present truth, they say there's three hours to learning review, review, review. And this is never more true than it is with the precious scriptures, the precious truth of God. And so we find that as this book opens and it opens in a very unique way, it's the only book that opens in without it, the only epistle that opens without a Apostolic name.
Because later on, Christ is presented as the apostle and high priest of our profession, and there's no earthly name, no earthly apostle given to detract from that in any way. It begins in a unique way, with God and God presenting the it's God and Son. It's the Son that is immediately presented to us. It's heaven open, so we can look up and be occupied with God's beloved Son. And here we find that this one who was the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person.
Now seated at God's right hand, and I believe here in the first chapter, it's a broader thought than just our being brought into blessing. Because as I read in Mr. Darby's translation, he's made the purification of sin. Now it's true, he's purged our sins. Thank God for it. But the work of Calvary, the work of God's son and the gods. Amen to it. By raising him from the dead and seating him at his own right hand.
Has a far, far greater ramification and scope than just our being brought into blessing. Later on in the second chapter, it tells us that, as seated at the right hand of God, he's there having tasted death. Not so much for every man, but for everything.
Because when man sinned in the Garden of Eden, the whole creation came under the curse of sin, Not just man, but as it tells us in Romans, the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain. But there is a redemption for this creation coming on in a coming day, And that redemption is because of the work of Calvary. It's all based on what was accomplished there, to the glory and satisfaction of God.
And if we ever question in our souls whether God is satisfied with the work of Calvary, just look up and see where he is, where the Lord Jesus is now. I say it's God's Amen to the work of Calvary, and it's God's pledge that there's a day coming.
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When not only are we going to be with the Lord Jesus and have the full redemption, the redemption of our bodies, but there's a day coming when this world is not going to feel the effects of sin like it it does now. It will be the fulfillment in the eternal state, I believe of the words of John the Baptist, behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. That hasn't happened yet, and we don't have to go very far in our experience from day-to-day to realize that that hasn't happened yet.
In the Millennium it will be to a great degree when righteousness reigns, but the real fulfillment won't be until the eternal state, the day of God, when all that has been tainted with sin and creation is done away and the elements melt with fervent heat.
And there's a scene wherein dwelleth righteousness, a scene where sin will never penetrate again. And So what a day that's going to be. And so he's made the purification for sin. Just another little thought here in this first, in this third verse. Again, if you notice Mr. Darby's translation, he seats himself down. Now, as we said, on one hand, God has set him there as God's. Amen to the work of Calvary.
But here he's it's a little different thought He seats himself down. I know we repeat our illustrations, but I'll repeat a little illustration that helped me to understand or appreciate at least part of the thought of what we have in him seating himself down. When I was in business, we would often be called to do a job for a company or a corporation, and we would go in and install fire and safety equipment as the law and the insurance required.
And after the job was finished, I usually had an interview with the person who hired me, be they the plant foreman or the president of the company or whoever hired me. And I would go into that man's office to sit down and go over the invoice and present it to him. But, you know, I have to say that as I entered that person's office and sat down in their presence, it was rarely with a feeling of real confidence because there was always in the back of my mind.
That maybe the job hadn't been done to their satisfaction, maybe I had inadvertently left something out or forgot something, and maybe they weren't completely satisfied with the work that I had done. Maybe they weren't even going to be satisfied with my invoice when I presented it. But all I think of the Lord Jesus. On the one hand, God perfectly satisfied, raises him there and seats him there, and on the other hand, the Lord Jesus in perfect confidence.
When his feet left the Mount of Olives and he returned, the hour came that he returned to the father.
He could return in perfect confidence, he had said. I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, and all think of the feeling that must have passed between the Father and the Son. The Father, completely satisfied the Son in confidence, seats himself down. Oh brother, this is the object for your heart and mind. This is the one that we need to be more and more occupied with.
To lift our eyes above the circumstances of life. To lift our eyes above all that's going on all the sad horizons of this world. And I have no doubt there's brethren here, young and old today, whose hearts are troubled as you think of leaving this place, you say. I just don't know if I can go back to the circumstances of life, family problems, personal problems, sometimes problems in the local assembly, problems and difficulties at work.
Just trying to keep up with the grind of life.
But all I want to encourage our hearts, my own especially, to leave here with a fresh glimpse of the man in the glory, to see what he means to God, to see him there, seated in perfect confidence. This, I believe, is what's going to give you an eye, confidence and courage to go on in the circumstances of life. We've had a tremendous weekend, wonderful to be gathered to the Lord's name and around the person of Christ.
Precious, precious privilege to have the living word before us. Wonderful to be with dear brethren. And thank God they are dear brethren. But oh, as our brother Brimley used to say, Bob Brimley used to say, we're going to go back where the rubber meets the road. There's going to be those circumstances. There's going to be ups and downs and twists and turns, but all let's have Christ before our souls. Let's go on to the 8th chapter.
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Chapter 8.
And verse one Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum we have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. We won't read any further, but here we find, if we were to back up in these chapters at great length, the spirit of God has brought before us the Lord Jesus.
As the High priest and has been pointed out, not a priest after the order of Aaron and his sons, but a priest after the order of Melchizedek. And thank God we have one who's living for us. We're again. We're going to leave this place and go back to the circumstances of life if the Lord doesn't come. But all I want to encourage you to look up into the open heavens and see that you have a great High priest interceding for you.
Living for you, praying for you every moment of every day to preserve us in the path of faith and service. We find he's there as our High priest, taking on the one hand our prayers and praises and presenting them to the Year of God. I like the way the hymn writer put it to all our prayers and praises. Christ adds his sweet perfume and love. The sensor raises these orders to consume. This is a little aside, but it is interesting and it's confirmed later on in this chapter.
That the Lord Jesus never operated as a priest here on earth. He couldn't have. You know, you never read of the Lord Jesus going into the temple and offering a sacrifice. Why? Because he was not from the priestly tribe of Levi, He was from the kingly tribe of Judah. And it would have been very out of character for the Lord Jesus to operate as a priest after the order of Aaron here in this world, but now as a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
In at the right hand of God in heaven, He's there taking our prayers and praises and presenting them to the ear of God. I find that a great comfort. You know, there are things in our prayers and praises that perhaps are imperfect at best. But isn't it a comfort to know that by the time they reach the ear of God, he has taken them and molded them so that they are are perfect and and acceptable to God? I believe that's an encouragement to all of us.
This is again, a little parenthesis, but I would just encourage the brothers. You know, on Lord's Day Morning maybe you feel you can't express things the way some of the older brothers can or some others can. But just a little word of praise and Thanksgiving. Maybe it's a little bit, Maybe it is imperfect, maybe it isn't expressed quite right. We need to pray intelligently, of course. I don't mean that. But be encouraged that he takes our prayers and praises and he adds his sweet perfume in that way.
But then he's also living for us, to make intercession, to preserve us through the ups and downs of life. It says we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was, and I want you to notice this. He was in all things tempted like as we are yet without sin, you know there's nothing you're going to pass through in the next while until the Lord leaves us here, that the Lord Jesus hasn't passed through as a man himself.
There's nothing we pass through that the Lord Jesus hasn't passed through sin apart so that he not only sympathizes with us, but he empathizes with us. Sometimes I can sympathize with a brother or sister as they go through a circumstance, but if I've never gone through a similar circumstance, I can't empathize. Again, the hymn writer put it this way, With joy we meditate the grace.
Of God's high priest above his heart is filled with tenderness. His very name is love, He in the days of feeble flesh.
Poured out his cries and tears, and though ascended, feels afresh what every member bears you say. Nobody knows what I'm going through. Nobody understands me. That may be true as far as any other earthly connection or relationship, but look up into the open heavens, see the Lord Jesus seated at God's right hand as your high priest, and avail yourself of his high priestly work and notice it's the right hand, because that is the place of power.
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And he's able to save to the uttermost. That's present salvation that we've been talking about in these meetings. He's able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. He's able to bring you through. You don't have to fail. You don't have to stumble in the Christian pathway. In fact, in the measure in which we avail ourselves of the high priestly work of the Lord Jesus, we won't need his advocacy for restoration, and we won't.
Fall or stumble in the path of faith and service.
Things are very real. These aren't just mystical concepts. These aren't just theologies. These things are very real. We have a man, a man who passed through this world in the circumstances of life. We have a man. A glorified man, yes, but a man at the right hand of God living to make intercession. One who had said to Peter, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and.
How wonderful it is to think.
That we have one who's praying for us every hour of every day. Wonderful privilege to pray about our own problems and needs. Wonderful privilege to pray for one another. But then to realize that there's one at God's right hand praying for us. Let's go over to the 10th chapter.
Chapter 10.
I will begin reading at verse 11 and every priest standeth daily ministering and offering.
Oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering hath he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. As has often been pointed out, Hebrews is a book of contrasts he goes over.
Everything that they had under the old order of things, under the Mosaic Law and the Levitical order of things in the Old Testament, and so on.
And he contrasts that. He brings it out, and then he says, you've got something better, You've got just what. These were pale reflections. And for people, foreshadows of you have Christ. Everything has been fulfilled in him. So I say you, Hebrews presents to us Christ in a very wonderful and unique way. And here we have a contrast between the Old Testament sacrifices and the Supreme.
Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.
Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices that could never put away sin. You know, in the Old Testament it is significant that in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and in the temple built at Jerusalem under the direction of Solomon, there was never a seat for the priests because their work was never finished. They stood daily offering those sacrifices. In fact, it was always a sign of moral weakness and ruin in the Old Testament.
When you have a pre seated, I'll give you one example.
Twice in the book of Samuel you have Eli the precedent, and we know the sad condition in Elis family and in Israel. And the first time you have him seated, he's watching Hannah as she prays, but he has no discernment as to what is taking place. Later on you read of him seated again, and they bring him word that the ark of the Lord had been taken by the Philistines, and his head goes back and his neck breaks and he dies.
Well, that's just a little aside, but there was number no seat for the priest in the Old Testament. And they understood this very clearly. And the Levites and the the children of Israel understood this very clearly. When they brought those sacrifices from day-to-day and year to year, that sacrifice simply atoned for that one sin and then they had to bring another and another and another. But in contrast, this man, the Lord Jesus.
After he had offered one sacrifice for sins. And that's where the comma should be.
Forever sat down on the right hand of God because the thought here is that He will never rise up again to take up the question of sin. Yes, He will rise up in a coming day to take up the question of righteous judgment when he comes back to this world and then to reign in righteousness. But as to the question of sin, God is completely satisfied if you ever question your salvation again. Just look up and see where the Lord Jesus is now.
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Where God has seated him in satisfaction as to the question of sin. I want to say this ever so carefully, but if God were to refuse me now, having availed myself of the finished work of Calvary, he would have to refuse his own dear Son, and that is absolutely impossible. That is the security in which I stand before God as to the work of Calvary and.
It's it. It's effect and and power.
And so he has sat down at the right forever, sat down at the right hand of God. And, you know, it's very interesting.
That it tells us as he's seated there, what he's thinking about. You know, we rarely have in Scripture what the Lord is thinking about as he's seated in heaven. But what is the Lord Jesus thinking about as he seated at the right hand of God this afternoon, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool? The Lord Jesus is looking forward to that day.
When he's going to come forth and he's going to be vindicated, not in heaven, he already has that. He's been given a crown of glory and honor in heaven, but he's going to be vindicated on this very planet that spit in his blessed face on the very planet in the world where they cast him out and didn't want him.
And nailed him to a Roman cross. It's going to come back. Not in lowliness and grace, but he's going to come back in power and glory. He's going to take up the judgments of this world. And then, as we've had in these meetings, he's going to reign in righteousness. It tells us he's coming. Who's right? It is. It tells us he's coming, crowned with many diadems.
I looked up that word one time and I have enjoyed ever since what that word in the original has. The thought of it's a diadem is that which is worn by right and title as by royal birth. He's coming, I say whose right it is. No one will question his right or title in that day. They questioned it when he came the first time, but he's going to come again and he seated there thinking about this. Do we think about it? Do we love his appearing?
Are we looking forward to that time when not only is he going to come and call us to himself?
That's our blessed hope. But the glorious appearing to think that our Savior is going to have His rightful place, the one they treated so despicably when He was here the first time. The one who has redeemed us and the One is going to take us to himself for all eternity, and the one we're going to be associated with in the Kingdom. Doesn't it thrill our hearts? I trust it thrills our hearts, brethren, to think of that day when His enemies are going to indeed be made His footstool.
Well, for by one offering he perfected forever then that are sanctified. What a security we have in Christ.
Based on that work, but not just based on the work, but the fact that he is now seated at God's right hand. Earlier in this epistle he's referred to as the forerunner. He's already there.
And he's the assurance that you and I are going to get there. If there's four runners, there have to be after runners, and we're going to get there because the Lord Jesus has been accepted there. And there he is in the presence of God, seated at his right hand. Now let's look at the last incident in which he seated in Hebrews.
Chapter 12 and verse one.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us. And let us run with patience, or really endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith or of faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Well, here he's seated again, and this time he seated as the object for faith. It's not so much that he's the the author and finisher of our faith, but he's the author and finisher of faith.
That is, the Lord Jesus as a man hasted through this world in the path of faith and service, and he's the only one that never digressed from it. He's the only perfect man that ever walked in this world in the path of faith and service.
And having done so, God has seated him at his right hand as the object for you and for me as we run the Christian race. If we were to back up to the 11Th chapter, we have a tremendous list of men and women who lived by faith here in this world at various times in history, and their histories are recorded to encourage us because no matter what the circumstances.
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No matter what the age we live in, there are the resources to live for by faith for God's glory.
But the individuals that are mentioned in the 11Th chapter are not the object for faith. It does say of those that have gone before whose faith follow. And I'm thankful for those that I have known in my day. And it says whose faith follow but not the person. And so as soon as that list is completed, he takes our eyes from that list given to encourage us, and he takes our gaze heavenward to the person of Christ.
The object for faith. He takes our eyes to the only perfect man and brethren. If we're looking for perfection in our brethren, we're going to be disappointed. If we're following someone else, we're going to be disappointed. You say that brother let me down, but I'm sure that brother or that sister, they'll never let me down. Oh, be careful. We often quote that verse. I've seen an end of all perfection. And if you're looking for perfection in your brothers and sisters.
As precious and dear as they are, you're going to see an end of all perfection. There's been many in my day, and by the grace of God, and I know it's only the grace of God. Brethren, I understand that. But by the grace of God, I haven't followed them. Or I be. I wouldn't be here this afternoon. I'd be somewhere else, if I'm sure many of us can think of those that we once looked up to. And in some way or other they missed the path. And we're thankful for the preserving grace of God.
We didn't follow them, but that Christ is our only object. I trust, brethren, have I an object, Lord below, that would divide my heart with thee? How often we sing that precious hymn. I wish we'd sing it more often, and I wish we'd listen. I wish I would listen to the words and take them more to heart.
To have that only object for our souls. Thank God for dear brethren, thank God for those who've been an encouragement and a blessing to us whose faith we've seen, and we are to follow their faith. But all thank God we have the perfect object, the Lord Jesus, because as we have here, the Christian life is likened so often to an athletic event or a race. And it's not, as someone has already said in these meetings, it's not the 100 yard dash.
It's not the Sprint.
We're told to run with endurance. The race that is set before us, the marathon runner, trains very different than the sprinter. The sprinter is taught to train to put everything into those few 100 yards because in a few moments the race is over and those those few moments really count.
But the marathon runner is taught to endure and to pace himself, and I know there are believers here today who have run a lot more laps in the Christian race than I have. You're a lot further along in the Christian pathway. And I'm sure if we were to talk to them this afternoon individually, they would tell us, oh, it's only been by the grace of God and with Christ as the object that we've been preserved and so.
We talked about rewards in these meetings. Rewards are not the object either there or the motive. They're an incentive given to us, but they're not to be the motive or the object. Christ is to be the motivation. Christ is to be the object. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the one who ran the race here and is seated at the right hand of God. I would just say this too, in passing.
That when it speaks of the joy that was set before him, sometimes we think of it in connection with his joy in going to the cross to have a people for himself. I'm sure there was a joy in that. But that's not the context of what we have here. The joy we hear in the book of Hebrews was the joy of returning to the Father, having completed the path of faith and perfection, and having satisfied God at the cross.
As to the question of sin, and what a joy it must have been to return to the Father, having accomplished that, and now to be the object for you and for me, O brethren, the heavens are open to faith, just as Hebrews presents to us. Look up. We don't see Christ with the natural eye, the way John and others saw him who saw his, His moral glories here in this world. Listen to him handled of the word of life. But is he any less real to the eye of faith? No. Look up, be occupied with him.
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And leave this place if the Lord leaves us here, with Christ as that object, and a fresh desire to follow him in the path of faith and service.
I.
Besetting Sin and Getting to the Root
Open—Bill Prost
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Guess I should have known there'd be water here.
Brethren, I have a burden on my heart that I hope you'll allow me to share with you.
Our brother Steve has given a most.
Enjoyable and wonderful overview of God's ways with man and where it all culminates.
Wonderful to enjoy these things.
And we have enjoyed in the reading meetings the first chapter of Philippians, which, as we have mentioned in the readings, gives us normal Christian experience.
But I couldn't help but notice.
And I appreciated it, a remark that Jim made when he was speaking to the effect that there.
There are sometimes those who start out well in the pathway of faith.
And then somehow, things don't go so well.
We're all susceptible to it.
But I would suggest that there is one thing that affects all of us, both individually and collectively.
And that is.
Are we willing before the Lord to judge the root of some particular sin, some particular failure in our lives, that if not judged, may eventually result?
In our making shipwreck of the faith now, it doesn't have to be that way.
But how easily it can come about?
Let's turn to a few verses in the Book of Psalms, most of them well known to us.
First one in Psalm 19.
Psalm 19.
Verse 13.
Keep back thy servant also from.
Presumptuous sins.
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psalm 51.
Psalm 51.
Verse 10.
Create in me a clean heart.
O God.
And to renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence.
And I'm going to read this as it is more accurate in the Derby translation and take not the spirit of the holiness.
From me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold Me.
With thy free spirit and then back a little to verse 6.
Behold, thou desirous truth in the inward parts.
Psalm 139.
Psalm 139.
And notice the tense of the verbs in the verses. I want to read verse one.
Oh, Lord, thou hast searched me, and knowing me thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off.
But now go down to verse 23.
Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.
And finally the verse that we are all familiar with in first John chapter one.
First John one and verse 9.
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If we confess our sins.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Most, if not all of us here are familiar with.
The fact that not only are our sins washed away through the blood of Christ.
But we have deliverance from sin through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Romans 6 and other scriptures make that very clear.
And maybe we have in the words of that verse in Romans 6, and we won't turn to it. But maybe we have reckoned ourselves to be dead indeed under sin, but alive unto God.
Maybe we have at least.
In a general way taken that position.
But I speak to my own heart. How many times there are things that perhaps are hidden in my heart.
Besetting sins The sin which doth so easily beset us as we read in Hebrews 12 how many times there is a besetting sin that lurks in the background.
They sing a song sometimes up at Morningstar Camp.
I can't repeat all the words, but it goes something like this. My heart is like a house and how that I open the door to let the Savior in. And there are many rooms in which we visit from time to time and now and then. But then there's a room where I don't go.
Because in the bad English that suits the cadence of the hymn, there are some things in that room that I don't want no one to know.
Yes, and maybe for a time in my life the Lord allows me to go on, but then he puts his finger on that sin and says it's time.
You need to deal with it.
And whether we do it or not may have a long, reaching effect on our lives. And how many times that can be true. And again, I speak to my own heart.
David could say thou hast searched me.
He knew that. But then at the end of Psalm 139, he recognizes that maybe there's more, maybe things need to be reviewed again. And so he asks the Lord search me and know my heart.
David knew what he was talking about. He had a fall.
And you know, sometimes the root of a sin is far different from the fruit.
How can we say that?
Turn back for a moment to Second Samuel.
What does it say there?
Second Samuel. I think it's chapter 12 maybe.
Second Samuel, Chapter 12.
Yes.
Second Samuel 12.
We all are generally familiar with David's sin, but let's read what happens when Nathan the Prophet comes to him in verse 7.
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed the king over Israel, And I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul. And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah. And if that had been too little, I would, moreover have given under these such and such things.
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord?
To do evil in his sight thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
Very instructive and revealing.
Notice that Nathan does not even mention the initial act of adultery.
He heads for the root of the problem.
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Far different from the immediate cause on the surface.
Why does he?
Speak of something different.
Oh, because the root of the problem was not merely lust after another man's wife. It went far deeper than that. It was, if I might put it this way, the excuse me.
The abuse of Davide power and authority as a king.
And that included adultery. It included the whole picture. But what was even more serious than the initial lust and act of adultery was the attempt at the cover up.
And we could cite other examples. Time won't permit us. Job was in the same boat. So was Abraham and others. There was some failure in their lives, but God knew how to get at the root of the problem. And sometimes only the Lord can help us to identify the root, but He wants to get it out.
I grew up on a farm and I loved gardening and I don't know what you call it out here, but in my day we called it pigweed.
Very, very common weed in the garden. A long tapped route that went a long way down and if you tried to pull that weed out, especially when the ground wasn't too moist, it would invariably break off.
And sometimes we boys thought that was enough until my dad saw it. And then he would make us do whatever was necessary, even if it meant getting a trowel or a shovel.
Get that root out.
That's why it says in one John 1:00 and 9:00.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. But there's more than that.
The forgiveness is to forgive the fruit, but to cleanse us from all unrighteousness means he wants to get at the root.
May God give us grace to do that. Pardon me for saying this because I know my own heart only too well, but I have seen those who were faced up with a serious root in their lives and who were in denial about it. Or perhaps taking the other tack, they looked at others and said, well, others are guilty of sins too. They're just as bad as I am, and how easy it is when somehow I am faced up with a serious root in my life.
That I go on the attack to others instead of saying.
Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
I'm not answerable for someone else, but I am answerable for myself.
Excuse me?
I hesitate what I'm going to say next.
I had it on my heart and I prayed about it. I hope it doesn't step on any toes.
I have no situation or anything in mind when I say this. It has been on my heart for a long time.
If there's a need to judge a root individually.
Is there sometimes a need collectively?
Turn back to Second Chronicles.
Chapter 6.
Solomons prayer at the dedication of the temple.
And notice what he says here, among other things.
Second Chronicles 6.
And verse.
28.
If there be dearth in the land.
Oh, that's collective.
If there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locusts or Caterpillar.
Caterpillars, I should say.
If their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land, whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be.
Then what prayer, or what supplication, so ever, shall be made of any man?
Or of all thy people, Israel.
But notice this.
When every man shall know his own sore, and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hand in this House.
Our brother Steve commented that in a coming day there is going to be a national repentance of Israel.
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A national change of heart. But it will be a national repentance. And if we were to go back and we don't have time to the book of Zechariah, we will find that nobody points the finger at anybody else.
In Second Samuel Nathan pointed the finger at David and said Thou art the man. But in Zechariah we read the House of Nathan shall mourn apart, and the House of David shall mourn apart, and so on. Nobody will be pointing the finger.
There will be national.
Repentance.
Is it necessary sometimes, as an assembly, turn over to 1St Corinthians for a moment.
This verse has.
Carried a lot of weight with my own soul. I pass it on to you for whatever the Lord.
May lay on your heart as well as mine. First Corinthians, chapter 3.
Verse 2.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able, for ye are yet carnal, and notice this.
For whereas there is among you, and being in strife and divisions.
Are ye not carnal and walk?
Is meant.
That characterized an assembly.
And we notice that.
There were many other serious things going on in Corinth. There was wicked immorality going on. They were getting drunk as they came together.
To remember the Lord, they were taking one another to court and other things.
But the first thing the apostle addresses is envying and strife and divisions.
Is there a reason for that? Is there a reason why that was the first thing he addressed?
We would probably have addressed the immorality, we would probably have addressed the drunkenness and many other things.
Paul addresses something. Why? Because the spirit of God knew how widespread that would be.
Pardon me if I sound a bit emotional.
A few years ago.
My wife and I were in England.
We'd love to visit our brethren there, but this wasn't a good opportunity because we were jet lagged.
Day was night and night was day.
I don't even remember now where we were coming from.
So he stayed in a hotel in the southeast of England.
I don't know whether we did the right thing, but my wife and I.
Said to one another.
We're not far from a place called Tunbridge Wells. Let's drive there.
We had a rental car, so we drove there.
And it didn't take too long to find a meeting room.
A meeting room where Brethren began to meet way back in the 1800s. Same one.
There were people still meeting there. There was a sign there giving the meetings.
Remember we got out of that car?
And looked at that meeting room.
Gazed at it for a long time.
As many know, it was the epicenter.
Of an issue that caused one of the division, one of the biggest divisions among brethren, well over 100 years ago.
Was it right to respect the decision taken there? Absolutely.
But was there more going on than merely a case of discipline? That ought to have been simple? Indeed, there was.
When you know the inside story.
Which I have read and heard from various ones.
There was strife and envy.
Family feuds, personal grudges and all the rest of it.
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And I don't believe they are any longer gathered to the Lord's name.
I suppose it's all right to tell this story because it happened between 50 and 60 years ago.
And everyone involved has long since with the Lord.
But I knew of an assembly where they had a case of discipline that came up.
That ought to have been simple, and it caused the assembly to split down the middle.
The discipline was carried out, but the strife and difficulty continued until after a year and a half they did a wise thing by calling in brethren from 2 neighbouring assemblies.
And those brethren came in and looked over the situation and finally made some wise remarks.
They said, brethren, your issue of discipline is rather complicated and we would have to be here a month in order to get a handle on it. But they said, brethren, that is not your real problem.
They said, brethren, there has been strife and envy and personal grudges and family feuds.
And bad feeling in this assembly for 20 years.
Deal with that.
And you will find the Spirit of God will make you of one mind as to what to do about your problem.
Excellent words.
I'm thankful to tell you that the brethren of that assembly took it to heart and it worked.
Again, I am emphasizing that I point the finger at no one or any particular situation.
All I say is that if there is a need for personal judging of a route, is there sometimes need of a collective judging of a route.
If the problem in Tunbridge Wells had only been concerning that assembly, God could have kept it localized. He allowed it to affect brethren in a widespread way.
And we don't go into the reasons for that. The Lord knows.
But how often? When a difficulty arises, there is a need to point the finger right here.
And if Israel, when Caterpillar and locusts and all the rest of it, overran Israel, there was a need for every man to know the plague of his own heart, and there to be a collective repentance. Oh, how much more among you and I.
Among you and me, I should say, who have the privilege we've dwelt on our privileges and a brother just remarked to me just.
This afternoon, the wonderful privileges that you and I have, we have far more than Israel had.
Far more blessing, far more reason to walk before the Lord.
Are we willing to pull up the roots of problems? We can do it.
The Lord is ready to help us do it.
May God give us grace.
Not merely to look at something on the surface and say we'll cut off the chute.
That's what it means in Philippians chapter Chapter 3. Beware of the concision. That's kind of snipping off the fruit of the flesh without getting to the root of it. Now I hasten to add, and you all know how true it is, that we will always have the flesh with us until the Lord comes. It will be an ongoing thing, but if there is a bad route that the Lord is calling upon us to deal with.
Let me start right here and then if there's an opportunity.
Let it spread collectively.
So that the Lord has his way with us, He wants to make us what we had in Philippians, one with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. Oh, how wonderful that is. But on the other hand, what an awful testimony it is when those who have the gospel and have the whole truth of God.
Are found at loggerheads with one another, and most of the time it's something that isn't that important. Now I don't say there aren't important things, there are right principles that need to be upheld.
Allow me to take one more minute.
And maybe some of who heard me tell this story before, but let me repeat it again. It impressed me at the time, and it was well over 40 years ago. I remember well.
00:25:10
And I wasn't around at the time. I only heard about it afterward.
We lived in town at that time for a short while, and way back in the 1970s there used to be a man that came up and down the street with a little apparatus on a cart, and he sharpened scissors and knives and all the rest of it. He had a little bell that he rang as he went down the street and all you had to do was run out with whatever piece of cutlery, scissors, knives, whatever it was, and he would sharpen them for you on the spot.
Well, my wife was up to her elbows in baking, so she quickly said to our daughter, who was four years old at the time. Here, here's some money, take this knife out and get him to sharpen it.
Well, it was rather a formidable looking knife, about a 10 inch carving knife. And of course our son who was only about two years old, He toddled along to see what it was all about and apparently the two of them stood there while this man honed that carving knife to a razor sharp edge.
Well, the man's mother tongue was in English and as he turned to hand that knife back, he quite naturally hesitated a little, handing that formidable knife to a little 4 year old girl and her two year old brother. And his comment to her was now, you know, killing the brother with that.
Well, our daughter was a good mimic, and the only reason I found out about it was that she came into the house and repeated that to my wife, complete with the accent and everything.
And of course, it was a little amusing.
But I thought of that, and pardon me if I go a moment overtime. Is a knife a good thing to have? I love sharp knives and I sharpen my own knives, and my wife's too. I've got a special apparatus in the basement of that. I use it with special belts with certain amounts of abrasiveness on them, so that we can put a razor edge on that knife. And my wife really appreciates them in the kitchen.
That's like divine principles, isn't it?
Very, very good when they're used properly and used in the power of the Spirit of God and according to God's Word.
But oh how damaging, how terrible they are when used in the wrong way. That man, quite properly was afraid that our daughter might not be safe with that knife. She was, but he was a little concerned and I could see why.
Brethren.
We have divine principles. It's good to behold them.
But let's if I can say it not to be funny, but let's be careful not to kill the brother with them.
Thank you.
Game #235.
35.
The truth is.
For us this afternoon.
Gospel 2
Gospel—Paul Cedarland
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Maybe before we pray, let's read one verse in First Timothy.
First Timothy chapter one and verse 15.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Let's look to the Lord in prayer.
Our blessed God and our Father, We thank thee tonight for thy beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
That one who came from the heights of glory to seek and to save that which was lost. We thank the earth, Father for that one who went to Calvary's cross, and therefore that judgment that we deserved. And we thank thee. The full and free salvation be can be proclaimed through the finished work of thy beloved Son. So we look to thee for that help as we contemplate a few scriptures this evening, and think on thy love and what thou hast done. We thank you for the great salvation now it's provided.
So we praise you for the gospel of Thy grace.
And for the Lord Jesus, and pray for thy blessing on thy word in Jesus precious worthy name. Amen.
Maybe we could also sing hymn #4.
Christ is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior. For me long I was changed in sins, darkness. Now by His grace I am free. Him #4.
So say girls.
Maybe we could turn this evening to Lukes Gospel, Chapter 10.
Luke, Chapter 10.
In verse 30.
And G is the Santerine said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise A Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him.
And passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed.
Came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an end and took care of him.
And on the Mall, when he departed, he took out 2 Pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more.
When I come again, I will repay thee.
This little story this evening is a picture to us.
First of all, of man's lost and ruined condition. This man went from Jerusalem, he went down to Samaria. He left a place of privilege and blessing and he went down, down, down. And that's what man has done. Man has departed from God. And if we went clear back to the Garden of Eden.
When God placed man in a garden where he could have everything that was good for him.
Man chose to listen to the lie of the devil instead of believing God. And if you're without Christ tonight.
That is what you are doing.
The gospel is to turn souls from the power of darkness to light.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus, you are under the power of Satan. If our gospel we hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of those that believe not. Thus the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them.
And so the Bible tells us, all have sinned and come short to the glory of God.
There is no difference.
There is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not we know that some have.
Outwardly fallen into sin more than others.
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But we're all sinners. Every child of Adam's race is a Sinner and on the road to hell, unless you have trusted the Lord Jesus as your own personal savior.
Some may be worse sinners than others if we turn.
Last evening our brother mentioned Cornelius, and he was one that prayed often, did good works, yet he still had to hear words whereby he might be saved. So maybe your life outwardly is good.
But the Bible solemnly states, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Thankful to say that the Lord Jesus, no matter how good of a Sinner you are or how bad He came to seek and to save you, if you will take your place as a guilty Sinner.
Before a holy God.
You will be able to accept the blessing of God.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. God's desire for you this evening is that you might be saved. This is the last gospel meeting at this conference.
This may be.
The last Gospel meeting there ever is. If the Lord Jesus were to come tonight, this would be your last chance.
Do not trifle with your last chance. This is.
The gospel has to do with eternal issues, matters concerning life and death.
A few days ago we passed through a park and there was a big rock and people were climbing up this rock.
And a little bit before that we had talked to a park Ranger and she was all excited about this climbing rope that she had.
And it was so strong and yet lightweight. And she said it has to be strong because your life depends upon it.
Well, I want to say tonight, it's your life depends upon the Lord Jesus, that he is an all powerful savior, that he will never let you down.
Will you come to him as a needy Sinner? Come now with this reason together, saith the Lord. Though you're sick, be a scarlet.
They shall be as white as snow, though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool. So the gospel goes forth to whosoever will.
Rich or poor? Strong, Weak. Sick Well.
All you need, the only fitness he requires, is for you to feel your need of him.
Need of a savior You need. You do need one. I think this man in the story here who didn't doubt that he needed a savior.
He goes down and man has departed from God. And not only have they departed from God, but they have told God depart from us. If we turn over to the book of Job, we know that's what characterize it says of Cain, that Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. That's what man has done today. And Cain's descendants had to have something to fill the void in their heart. So some of them had the musical instruments, some had the works of art.
Some had their commerce, and it's the same way. In the world we live in today, men are filling their minds and their hearts with every everything except for God.
The the only one that can truly bring them true blessing and happiness is a very one they're leaving out of their life.
The world is full of misery and sorrow and sin, and it's because man has rejected God. There's a verse in Hosea that says, oh Israel.
Thou hast.
Now has rejected me, but in me is thy hope. Thou hast forsaken me. I believe it is but in me as thy help found.
And justice, like Israel, when they turned away from the Lord, there was only one helper, and that was the Lord.
I say tonight there's only one helper for you, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.
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Will you have him tonight as your savior and Lord?
Or do you choose that hard taskmaster Satan?
He is a liar from the beginning.
Deceiver.
Dragging souls down to hell. He knows that he has but a short time, and he's seeking to keep you distracted tonight so you don't listen to God's word.
Scripture tells us the entrance of Thy word giveth light. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword.
Piercing even to the dividing asunder.
Of soul and spirit, and is a discerner the thoughts and intents of the heart.
All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do you have to do with God tonight.
If you have not had to do with him yet, if you have not trusted the Lord Jesus as your savior, you're lost and you're on the road to hell.
How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? God has provided a great salvation through the finished work of His beloved Son.
Are you trusting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus?
Are you trusting in the?
Your own ideas?
I refer back to Cain. Another thing that characterized Cain was.
His own way, he wanted his own way, His own religion, rather than what? God?
Abel. It says by faith. Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Faith is believing God's testimony. Will you believe God's testimony? It's not my thoughts, not my opinion, nor is it your thoughts or your opinion that matter. What matters is what God says. We have a God, and his word is stable and sure forever. O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
Will you listen to the word of God tonight? Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God tells us in Peter being born again, not a corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. Where is your faith?
Like I say, we looked up on the side of this mountain and saw these people putting their so-called protection in the side of the mountain.
All their confidence in that rope, in that protection they had placed hanging there hundreds of feet up, one slip, one failure, and I commented to a lady that was standing there taking pictures, I said these people put their faith, they have a lot of confidence in that.
Their protection there, but I said.
The Lord Jesus is one in whom we can have full confidence and he will never fail.
That protection could fail. There's been people who were climbing and thought they were ever so safe. There was a man in Washington state climbing a rock by the Columbia River. Nezzie got higher and higher. He reached and grabbed a rock, and that rock was not solid. It was not loose, and he fell to his death. He had climbed, been all over the world and climbed the mountains, but he died right there in his home state.
What is your confidence in?
Him writer could say, on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.
Where is your faith? The Lord Jesus, Is that all the way home? Savior. He's a great savior and he's provided a great salvation.
But you need to avail yourself of that salvation. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Behold now with the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We have no guarantee we are at the picnic the other day.
And our brother.
One moment he was there and appeared to be in fine health and the next minute he was laying on the ground.
Well, thankfully.
He knows the Lord, and so if he would have.
Gone into eternity. At that moment he would have gone to be with Christ, which is far better.
But David could say there is but a step between me and death.
Someone else has said there's only a heartbeat between me and Eternity. There's only a heartbeat between you and Eternity, my next door neighbor, just within the last two months here.
Went to a ball game with his with his son.
Had a good fun time at the ball game and then that night he went to bed and never woke up again, passed into eternity.
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What about you? If you were to drop over the God in whose hand thy breath is, hast thou not glorified? It says in Daniel.
Have you given honor to the Son? Have you trusted the Lord Jesus as your savior? Or are you rejecting the Savior that died on Calvary Cross, that dear loving savior we spoke about? Will you have him tonight?
He says, Come unto me, all ye didn't labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
It's not like the rest of this world. He's the one that made you. He can give you satisfaction. You know, a man is broken. Tonight I heard a story that years ago, the big clock in England there, Big Ben was broken and they didn't know how to fix it.
And a man came to that town near and he looked up and he saw that clock was broken. And he said, what's the matter? Why isn't Big Ben working?
And they said, we don't know how to fix it. It's broken. You know, he went and fixed it. And they said, well, how were you able to fix it? And he said, I was the one that designed that clock.
And so.
Man is broken tonight.
The only one that can fix him is his maker.
Where Jesus alone can satisfy your heart. He is the only one that can give you lasting joy, lasting peace. He's the only one that can give you true life. He could say I am come, that they might have life and that they might have it abundantly. All this world talks about life. There's lots of songs about I want to live and it's my life. I can do what I want. The world has lots of songs about life.
But they don't know what true life is, He tells us in John 17 This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom now has sent. And so the Lord of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, came from the heights of heaven down into this world. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.
That ye through his poverty might be made rich.
He came into the scene in this story that Samaritan came right where that man was in the ditch. He came right where he was to help him. There were those that passed by and you know if you are in true need, oftentimes the world just leaves you lane they that's when they let you go is when.
You're right when you need the help. I worked with a man and he got Ms. and his wife dumped him.
Told them that she just couldn't handle it. That was it, right in the time when he was counting on her help.
She, just as it were, threw him out. And that's the way the world is.
Prodigal had lots of friends when he was prospering and everything was going fine and he had lots of money to throw away on him. But when he began to be in want, where were those friends?
And so it is. But I'm thankful to say, there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. There's one that will never leave you, nor forsake you, never let you down. And that's the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone can satisfy your heart. We had that verse at the beginning of conference.
Brother Bruce, read Thou openest thy hand and satisfyeth the desire of every living thing. We have a Savior. That's a giving Savior. He came from the heights of glory.
To give his life a ransom for many.
I was passing through the parking lot out there. I saw a verse on the vehicle. Christ died for our sins.
According to the scriptures.
Another verse said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. As we were passing, I think it was Idaho Falls. We saw another sign, a big billboard.
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So the gospel is available. God has made it simple. He hasn't asked us to do some hard thing.
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The Word is naive even in thy mouth in thy heart. That is the Word of Faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thy heart, that God hath raised him from the dead.
Thou shalt be saved.
Have you trusted the Lord Jesus as your savior? Have you come as a guilty Sinner and cried out for mercy?
Will you come? If you have not done so, don't wait.
Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, And that without remedy God has provided a remedy for you to be saved now, But if you neglect.
That salvation.
Where will you be? You'll spend eternity in a lost You'll have a lost eternity without hope and without God, where there's weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. That's not God's desire for you to go there. God's desires that you might be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Will you come?
This Samaritan came to him and bound up his wounds. Do you have wounds? You know sin leaves scars. Sin leaves wounds. It ruins lives. But the Lord Jesus is to take Abel, to take the most broken life, the most ruined, reckless, wretched Sinner that we know. And he can make him appraise a vessel of praise for his glory and honor. He can give him joy and peace.
In a life worth living.
Oh, if you're living in your sins tonight, you have nothing to live for.
A man at work, He was a.
Bragging about the things that he did in.
To me. And you know, I told him, I said, you know, I was in your shoes once, just a center on the road to hell and doing whatever I wanted. And I said, you know, the Lord Jesus.
Pick me up and save me. And you know I wouldn't want to trade places with you for one second to have hell hanging over your head. A lost eternity. Would you want to? Why would you want to continue?
In such a position.
If I gain the world but lost the Savior, were my life worth living for a day, could my yearning heart find rest and comfort in the things that soon must pass away?
What, though I might live without the Savior, when I came to die, how would it be? Oh, to face the valleys gloom without him and without him for eternity? There's nothing more solemn than that, but there's nothing more beautiful than to know the Lord Jesus as your own savior and Lord. He's a He's a Good Shepherd, and He's given his life for the sheep. He gave his life for you and for me.
And We sing to Him, though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon.
Pardon for you and for me.
The Scripture says, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return unto the Lord for you, for he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Tells us not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.
Or maybe someone here that thinks because they've outwardly lived a good life, they've gone to church and done nice things for people, maybe they think that that's going to make them acceptable with God, but you know, it only takes one sin to keep you out of heaven.
And you are lost if you don't know the Lord Jesus, if you haven't received Him. Scripture says as many as received him to them gave the power to become the sons of God.
Even to them that believe on his name, have you believed on the name of the Son of God? Have you put your trust in him? Or if you do, He will receive you, He will save you, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and now shout be saved.
Well, where Jesus is a Good Shepherd, he's a good savior. He came from those heights of glory to save you.
The Lord of glory, the maker of the universe, came and became a man. There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, all Have you come to know him as your Redeemer? He shed his precious blood that your sins might be put away. He suffered that just for the unjust that you might be brought to God.
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That giving savior came down right where we were.
Came down, went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil.
When he saw the leper he could reach out his hand and touch him all. He could have spoken the word and healed that leper. He touched that blind man he touched Peters wifes mother who was sick of a fever. Others is because he came that close to us. He wanted to show his heart of love, identified himself with his creature. He knows he passed through everything, every circumstance.
That we could pass through sin apart. Do you have sorrow tonight? He knew what it was to be sorrowful. He could say, behold and see if there be any sorry sorrow like unto my soul. But with the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Yes, he had sorrow beyond anything we'll ever know.
Have you experienced pain? He knew more pain than any of us.
Have you been laughed at? Says they laughed him to scorn. Have you been mocked? Sitting down? They watched him there. They mocked him.
Spit in his face. Have you been made fun of all the Lord Jesus has been through all those things?
And.
If you'll come and trust him, you have a heart that perfectly understands every circumstance you've ever been in and everyone that you're ever be faced with apart from sin.
He we sing to him all the joys and all the sorrows he passed through apart from sin.
He came that near full of grace and truth, he could take the little children up in his arms. He came to make known the heart of God and he did. He fully declared the heart of God. No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten son which isn't abusing the father he had declared him. Old man was man believed Satan's lie. Satan's lie was that God is a hard taskmaster. He's out to get you. He's just waiting for you to get to do something wrong.
That's not true at all.
God's desire is to bless you. And I want to tell you, my friend, that God will bless you more than you could ever bless yourself all. We think all we could if we could just arrange our circumstances. If we could just do this or do that, we could bless ourselves so much, our life would be so much happier and so much better. There's a God that loves you so much that he wants to bless you more than you can bless yourself.
He said God is good and God is a giver God of his fullness of all we received in grace upon grace. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
So the Lord Jesus, his life was characterized by giving, His more blessed to give than to receive, He could say. And that's what his life was characterized by, love and grace and goodness manifesting the heart of God.
You know though, man has departed from the presence of God, though he's a Sinner and a guilty Sinner, a hell deserving Sinner. God loves the Sinner. He doesn't love the sin, but he loves the Sinner. He loves you. He loves me.
Who will you have him? You know we couldn't come into God's presence.
But God has made a way whereby guilty sinners may draw an eye, and that is through the cross of his beloved Son. No man would not have the Lord Jesus.
They could say we will not have this man to reign over us. They took the Son of God, let him up Calvary Hill and nailed him to across the wood, pierced his hands and feet.
And hung him up between heaven and earth, placed the crown upon his head, and smote him.
The servant struck him with the palms of their hands. That very God had given them the strength, and they turned it, turned around, and used it against the very one who loved them, and it came to bless them.
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Spit in his face, mocked him, hung him up on a cross. Sitting down. They watched him there.
Think of it. Man, his creature making himself comfortable in the presence of the suffering Son of God.
Where Jesus said Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
The last act to that blessed hand before they put the nails through it, was to reach and touch a man's ear. Who had been a man that had his ear cut off, either cut off a man's ear, Lord Jesus. The last act of that hand, he stretched it forth and touched that very man who would come against him. He touched his ear and healed him.
Oh, is your heart against the Lord Jesus tonight?
He wants to touch you and heal you. Will you have him? Oh, my friend, you are passing into eternity.
Christ was rejected, they crucified the Lord of glory. He is despised and rejected. A man, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, but.
He's gone. He's done more than that. He suffered righteously, one who had never done one thing wrong. He suffered from the hands of his creature, and their man's sin was told out. Man's heart was told out.
But the heart of God was told out to. And so we clined that there on those three hours of darkness, the Lord Jesus.
Bore the judgment that you and I deserved.
Christ suffered for us, the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God. Have you come to the Saviour?
That worked, which he did, those hours of darkness he suffered for sinners.
While they are all forsaken alone. Oh, and that's three hours of darkness, he could say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring? Oh my God, I cry in the daytime, and thou hearest not in the night season. I'm not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel. Why was the Lord Jesus forsaken there? It was because of our sins.
So that we might never be forsaken.
God punished the Lord Jesus for my sins and yours, if you'll have him as your savior.
Will you accept that work that he's done in those three hours of darkness He bore the sins of all that will believe on him that work that he did is sufficient to cleanse the vilest Sinner? Will you come to him? Will you accept that work and.
They sitting down, they mocked him, they brought him vinegar to drink, and the Lord Jesus could say I thirst.
After he had borne that judgment.
Hymn writer could say in his thoughtless souls distress, I have learned my guiltiness.
Oh, how vile. My lowest date since my ransom was so great. Have you realized that the work the Lord Jesus did, that finished work He accomplished when He bore the judgment of a holy God against sin, that judgment that we deserved?
When he bore my sins in his own body on the tree, that was for you.
He died for you, and if you were the only Sinner in this whole world, he would have come for you. That's how much he loves you. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. God has blocked the road to hell with the cross of Christ.
Oh, the work that he did is sufficient.
His work is there available for whosoever will.
Will you have him?
He will not fail you. Will you trust him?
Lord Jesus after he bore the judgment of a holy God against sin in those three hours of darkness.
He could say, I thirst. And they brought him the vinegar. And when he finished, when they had given him the vinegar, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up the ghosts. He laid down his life for you and for me, perfect sacrifice for sins. And then one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water, the blood of Jesus Christ.
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God's son cleanseth us from all sin.
Will You Trust That Precious Blood?
Will you come to the Lord Jesus as a needy Sinner?
And receive him.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Thou shalt be saved.
Turn you, turn you. Why will you die? God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turned from his evil way. Will he turn to the Lord Jesus tonight? He's the only Savior. There's none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Were two men were fishing.
In the northern waters.
One was a believer, one was not. They were young men and the one brother had often mocked The other brother and their brother would pray. He would throw things at him and make fun of him. As they were fishing, they were fishing in separate boats, cod fishing.
The one brother fell over backwards into the water, and he couldn't swim.
His other brother saw him out of the corner of the eye, Corner of his eye, and he hastened to.
With his boat to get there and that brother that couldn't swim, he went. The man that couldn't swim, he went down into the water.
And went down once, went down twice, went down. The third time he was well, he was going. He went down twice and he came up and he knew if he went down a third time it would be the last time and that would be it. And at the last second.
Brother who reached out his hand and that man that was ready to drown. He stretched up, stretched his hand up one finger as high as he could, and his brother reached down and grabbed him. He was saved by one finger.
And I want to say, perhaps there's someone this evening that doesn't have a lot of faith.
If you have any faith, put it all in the Lord Jesus. Cast your all on Jesus today.
He's a worthy savior, and he will not fail you.
He will save you.
Will you come to him? Don't wait.
Judgment is coming.
Because there is Wrath. Beware.
Lest he take thee away with a stroke, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. There's been a great ransom paid through the Lord Jesus. That finished work that he did is sufficient.
There's many in this room that have trusted the Lord Jesus and he has never let us down. And if you come to the Lord Jesus, he will never let you down.
Come unto me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. He hasn't asked you to do something hard. Simply come.
Now look, there's life and a look at the crucified one. There's life at this moment for thee. Oh we look to the Lord Jesus tonight, look unto me and be saved all the ends of the earth.
Ram God beside me there is no savior. Lord Jesus is a just God and a savior, and he died for you.
When you have him, don't wait. This could be your last chance.
Told this story before, but I'll tell it one more time.
There were some men that have gone up climbing a mountain and they were coming back.
They were exhausted, exhausted from the trip.
And as they came down across the snow, there was a crevasse that's a big crack in the snow.
And it was pretty wide.
And one of these men.
And they jumped across one by one. But one of these men was so exhausted that he just hung back. And he he was pale.
And tired from the exertion of the effort to climb this mountain, and the guide saw him standing there, unable to jump across, and he reached his hand across to him.
And he said this hand has never failed the hand that trusted.
And that climber, he reached his hand over and grabbed that guy's hand and he was paid, pulled across that crevasse.
To safety.
And I want to say, you know that guy, he could have failed. He could have let the man down.
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With the word Jesus he will never fail, and I want to say, the Lord Jesus has his hand, as it were, outstretched to you.
In his hand has a nail print in it that was there because of his love for you.
And he can see his hand has never failed.
The hand that trusted it. Will you trust that Savior? Will you come to him tonight? Oh come now to Jesus, That dear loving Saviour receive him this moment and peace shall be done. Will you have him? He alone can save you.
The time is short.
Come now.
Let's look to the Lord in prayer.
Her blessed God and her Father, we thank you for the gospel, thy grace. We thank thee for the Lord Jesus and that precious blood that he shed on Calvary's cross. We praise you for that finished work, and we thank you that the gospel goes forth to whosoever will. So we do just pray that if there be, we pray earnest to your Father. We feel that there are those here in this room yet lost in their sins, so we would cry to thee that thou it's work.
Or Father, we know that thou art evil, so we pray that thou hast blessed thy word. Or Father, we cry to Thee. We thank you that thou art a just God and a Savior, and we thank you for that grace and that thou art rich in mercy. Our Father, we thank you for thy love and give you thy son.
So we pray for Thy blessing upon Thy word.
In Jesus precious name, Amen.
Open Mtg. 8
Open—J. Hyland, B. Prost
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.
How precious he is.
And now he's just some of this little while that we have until we see him.
When he returned for us, then we will have no more needs.
Right now.
There are many needs.
And.
Short time that we have before us.
But by thy spirit I was raised up once that.
Half thy word.
And have thy mind, and present it in such a way that each one of us.
Has our hearts reached our needs met?
In whatever capacity and way is necessary, well known, in the name of thy son, the Lord Jesus. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Manners spake in time passed unto the fathers by the prophets.
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world's.
Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person.
And upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had.
By himself purged our sins, or if you notice another translation made the purification of her sin of sin sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high before I comment on this portion.
I'd like to go back without turning to it and thought to what Stephen brought before us in the last meeting at the end of the 7th chapter of the book of Acts in connection with the stoning of Stephen. Because I suggest there that what we really have was the fulfillment of the Lord's words in connection with the sin against the Holy Ghost. Stephen read to us there that they did always resist the Holy Ghost and I believe, the sin against the Holy Ghost.
Was a national sin for Israel.
If I can put it this way, God gave 2 great testimonies to that nation.
He gave the testimony of his son, the Lord Jesus, walking here in this world, as it were. I will send my son. They will reverence him. But they rejected the Lord Jesus. And at the cross they said, we have no king but Caesar, and they had him taken out and wrote out of that holy city, Jerusalem, That had deteriorated to such a point. It had religion without Christ, and they had him nailed to a Roman cross.
And God had nothing more for that nation at that time. He had given them those two great testimonies.
And he had told them if they sinned against the Holy Ghost, he had nothing more for them at that time. Thank God he's going to take them up again.
On the grounds of pure sovereign grace, when Zion is addressed in a future day and as was brought before us, there is a national repentance and he gives them, there will be a National Heart transplant for that nation as we get in Ezekiel and other places. And he'll put in within them a new heart that will respond to himself. And it's very significant that the Lord Jesus, when seen by Stephen, was standing there. I just make this suggestion.
On the threshold of heaven, waiting to come back and bless that nation. If they had received the testimony of Stephen in the power of the Holy Spirit. And it's very significant that that is the last time that an appeal goes out to the nation. As such. It's the last time that an appeal goes out to the Jewish leaders. It's the fulfillment of what you have in Luke 19, where it says they sent a messenger after him.
Saying we will not have this man to reign over us, that was not at the cross. At the cross they said we have no king but Caesar.
In the stoning of Stephen, they sent a messenger after him saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. And so I suggest that the Lord Jesus at that point then sat down as he is presented to us in the book of Hebrews, because as we know, Hebrews is written to the Jewish believers. Those who were exhorted on the day of Pentecost, repent and be baptized, and save yourselves from this untoward generation.
A generation had rejected the Lord Jesus, and for a Jew it was necessary that they sever the tie with the nation that had rejected Christ to be brought into blessing on the grounds of Christianity. And so we find then that the apostle writes to these Jewish believers, and he presents to them and to us, not Christ, standing on the threshold of heaven, waiting to come back and bless the nation.
00:05:28
But seated as a resource for those individuals who now had come in under the blessing of Christianity.
And we're now a heavenly people, and I believe there's much to encourage you and me.
Someone has said that Hebrews opens to us, the heavens in a very unique way.
You know when the Lord Jesus was here, as one has said, there was an object in this world that might command that would commend the place.
And often you read of heaven opening up and heaven being occupied.
With the dearest object of heaven's heart, the one that God would always occupy his people with.
The Lord Jesus walking here in this world was worthy of heaven's attention.
The heavens are open this afternoon. Not so much that heaven can look down, but that we can look up by faith and be occupied with the Lord Jesus where he is now. See not as he was not walking in this world as a homeless stranger, not hanging on a cross of shame with a crown of thorns, but to look up and see him crowned with a crown of glory and honor. I say this is the one that God would always occupy his people with.
And brethren, I trust that as a result of these meetings this weekend, we've got a fresh glimpse of the man in the glory and that our hearts have gone out more to him. And as has often been pointed out in the book of Hebrews, we have Christ seated at the right hand of God on four different occasions. And I know we've gone over these scriptures many times, but as Peter said, I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things.
Though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
They say there's three hours to learning, review, review, review, and this is never more true than it is.
With the precious scriptures, the precious truth of God. And so we find that as this book opens, and it opens in a very unique way, it's the only book that opens without it, the only epistle that opens without a Apostolic name. Because later on Christ is presented as the apostle and high priest of our profession, and there's no earthly name, no earthly apostle given to the track from that in any way.
It begins in a unique way, with God and God presenting.
It's God and Son. It's the Son that is immediately presented to us. It's heaven opened so we can look up and be occupied with God's beloved Son. And here we find that this one, who was the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, he's now seated at God's right hand. And I believe here in the first chapter, it's a broader thought than just our being brought into blessing.
Because, as I read in Mr. Darby's translation, he's made the purification of sin.
Now it's true. He's purged our sins. Thank God for it. But the work of Calvary, the work of God's son and the gods, Amen to it, By raising him from the dead and seating him at his own right hand, has a far, far greater ramification and scope than just our being brought into blessing. Later on in the second chapter, it tells us that as seated at the right hand of God, he's there having tasted death. Not so much for every man.
But for everything, because when man sinned in the Garden of Eden.
The whole creation came under the curse of sin, not just man.
But as it tells us in Romans, the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain. But there is a redemption for this creation coming on in a coming day, And that redemption is because of the work of Calvary. It's all based on what was accomplished there, to the glory and satisfaction of God. And if we ever question in our souls whether God is satisfied with the work of Calvary, just look up and see where he is, where the Lord Jesus is now.
00:10:00
I say it's God's Amen to the work of Calvary. And it's God's pledge that there's a day coming when not only are we going to be with the Lord Jesus and have the full redemption, the redemption of our bodies, but there's a day coming when this world is not going to feel the effects of sin like it it does now. It will be the fulfillment in the eternal state, I believe of the words of John the Baptist. Behold the Lamb of God.
Which taketh away the sin of the world. That hasn't happened yet, and we don't have to go very far in our experience from day-to-day.
To realize that that hasn't happened yet in the Millennium. It will be to a great degree when righteousness reigns, but the real fulfillment won't be until the eternal state, the day of God, when all that has been tainted with sin and creation is done away and the elements melt with fervent heat. And there's a scene wherein dwelleth righteousness, a scene where sin will never penetrate again, and So what a day that's going to be. And so he's made the purification for sin.
Just another little thought here in this first in this third verse. Again, if you notice Mr. Darby's translation, he seats himself down. Now as we said, on one hand, God has set him there as gods. Amen to the work of Calvary. But here he's it's a little different thought. He seats himself down. I know we repeat our illustrations, but I'll repeat a little illustration that helped me to understand or appreciate.
At least part of the thought of what we have in him feeding himself down.
When I was in business, we would often be called to do a job for a company or a corporation.
And we would go in and install fire and safety equipment as the law and the insurance required.
And after the job was finished, I usually had an interview with the person who hired me, be they the plant foreman or the president of the company or whoever hired me. And I would go into that man's office to sit down and go over the invoice and present it to him. But, you know, I have to say that as I entered that person's office and sat down in their presence, it was rarely with a feeling of real confidence because there was always in the back of my mind.
That maybe the job hadn't been done to their satisfaction, maybe I had inadvertently left something out or forgot something, and maybe they weren't completely satisfied with the work that I had done. Maybe they weren't even going to be satisfied with my invoice when I presented it. But all I think of the Lord Jesus. On the one hand, God perfectly satisfied, raises them there and seats them there, and on the other hand, the Lord Jesus in perfect confidence.
When his feet left the Mount of Olives and he returned, the hour came that he returned to the father.
He could return in perfect confidence, he had said. I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, and all think of a feeling that must have passed between the Father and the Son. The Father, completely satisfied, the Son in confidence, seats himself down. Oh, brother, this is the object for your heart and mind. This is the one that we need to be more and more occupied with.
To lift our eyes above the circumstances of life. To lift our eyes above.
All that's going on, all the sad horizons of this world, and I have no doubt there's brethren here, young and old today.
Whose hearts are troubled as you think of leaving this place, you say? I just don't know if I can go back to the circumstances of life, family problems, personal problems, sometimes problems in the local assembly, problems and difficulties at work just trying to keep up with the grind of life. But all I want to encourage our hearts, my own especially, to leave here with a fresh glimpse of the man in the glory, to see what he means to God.
To see him there, seated in perfect confidence, this, I believe, is what's going to give you and I confidence and courage to go on.
In the circumstances of life, we've had a tremendous weekend, wonderful to be gathered to the Lord's name and around the person of Christ.
Precious, precious privilege to have the living word before us. Wonderful to be with dear brethren, and thank God they are dear brethren.
But all, as our brother Brimlow used to say, Bob Brimlow used to say, we're going to go back where the rubber meets the road.
There's gonna be those circumstances. There's gonna be ups and downs and twists and turns, but all let's have Christ before our souls. Let's go on to the 8th chapter.
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Chapter 8.
And verse one Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum we have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. We won't read any further, but here we find, if we were to back up in these chapters at great length, the spirit of God has brought before us the Lord Jesus.
As the high priest and has been pointed out, not a priest after the order of Aaron and his sons, but a priest after the order of Melchizedek. And thank God we have one who's living for us. But again, we're going to leave this place and go back to the circumstances of life if the Lord doesn't come. But all, I want to encourage you to look up into the open heavens and see that you have a great high priest interceding for you, living for you, praying for you every moment of every day.
To preserve us in the path of faith and service, we find he's there as our High priest.
Taking on the one hand our prayers and praises and presenting them to the year of God.
I like the way the hymn writer put it to all our prayers and praises. Christ adds his sweet perfume.
And love the sensor raises these orders to consume. This is a little aside, but it is interesting and it's confirmed later on in this chapter.
That the Lord Jesus never operated as a priest here on earth. He couldn't have. You know, you never read of the Lord Jesus going into the temple and offering a sacrifice. Why? Because he was not from the priestly tribe of Levi, He was from the kingly tribe of Judah. And it would have been very out of character for the Lord Jesus to operate as a priest after the order of Aaron here in this world, but now as a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
And at the right hand of God in heaven he is there taking our prayers and praises.
And presenting them to the air of God, I find that a great comfort. You know, there are things in our prayers and praises that perhaps are imperfect at best. But isn't it a comfort to know that by the time they reach the ear of God, he has taken them and molded them so that they are are perfect and and acceptable to God? I believe that's an encouragement to all of us. This is again a little parenthesis, but I would just encourage the brothers. You know, on Lord's Day morning maybe you feel you can't express things.
The way some of the older brothers can or some others can. But just a little word of praise and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving.
Maybe it's a little bit. Maybe it is imperfect. Maybe it isn't expressed quite right. We need to pray intelligently, of course, I don't mean that. But be encouraged that he takes our prayers and praises and he adds his sweet perfume in that way. But then he's also living for us, to make intercession, to preserve us through the ups and downs of life it says we have, not in High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
But was, and I want you to notice this. He was in all things tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
You know there's nothing you're going to pass through Indiana the next while until the Lord leaves us here that the Lord Jesus hasn't passed through as a man himself.
There's nothing we pass through that the Lord Jesus hasn't passed through.
Sin apart so that he not only sympathizes with us, but he empathizes with us. Sometimes I can sympathize with a brother or sister as they go through a circumstance. But if I've never gone through a simple, similar circumstance, I can't emphasize. Again, the hymn writer put it this way. With joy we meditate. The grace of God's high priest above his heart is filled with tenderness. His very name is love He in the days of feeble flesh.
Poured out his cries and tears, and though ascended, feels afresh what every member bears you say. Nobody knows what I'm going through. Nobody understands me. That may be true as far as any other earthly connection or relationship, but look up into the open heavens, see the Lord Jesus seated at God's right hand as your high priest, and avail yourself of his high priestly work and notice it's the right hand, because that is the place of power.
00:20:03
And he's able to save to the uttermost. That's present salvation that we've been talking about in these meetings.
He's able to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him. He's able to bring you through.
You don't have to fail. You don't have to stumble in the Christian pathway. In fact, in the measure in which we avail ourselves of the high priestly work of the Lord Jesus, we won't need his advocacy for restoration, and we won't fall or stumble in the path of faith and service. These things are very real. These aren't just mystical concepts. These aren't just theologies. These things are very real.
We have a man.
A man who passed through this world in the circumstances of life We have a man. A glorified man, yes, but a man at the right hand of God living to make intercession. One who had said to Peter, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. And how wonderful it is to think that we have one who's praying for us every hour of every day. Wonderful privilege to pray about our own problems and needs.
Wonderful privilege to pray for one another, but then to realize that there is one at God's right hand praying for us. Let's go over to the 10th chapter.
Chapter 10.
I will begin reading at verse 11, and every priest standeth daily, ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
As has often been pointed out, Hebrews is a book of contrasts. He goes over everything that they had under the old order of things, under the Mosaic law and the Levitical order of things in the Old Testament, and so on.
And he contrasts that. He brings it out and then he says you've got something better.
You've got what these were pale reflections and people foreshadows of. You have Christ. Everything's been fulfilled in Him. So I say Hebrews presents to us Christ in a very wonderful and unique way. And here we have a contrast between the Old Testament sacrifices and the supreme sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. Every priest standeth daily, ministering and offering oftentimes.
The same sacrifices that could never put away sin. You know, in the Old Testament it is significant that in the Tabernacle, in the wilderness and in the temple built at Jerusalem under the direction of Solomon, there was never a seat for the priests because their work was never finished. They stood daily offering those sacrifices. In fact, it was always a sign of moral weakness and ruin in the Old Testament when you have a pre seated.
I'll give you one example. Twice. In the book of Samuel, you have Eli the precedent.
And we know the sad condition in Eli's family and in Israel. And the first time you have him seated, he's watching Hannah as she prayed, but he has no discernment as to what is taking place. Later on you read of him seated again, and they bring him word that the ark of the Lord had been taken by the Philistines, and his head goes back and his neck breaks and he died. So that's just a little aside, but there was no pre, no seat for the priest in the Old Testament.
And they understood this very clearly. And the Levites and the children of Israel understood this very clearly. When they brought those sacrifices from day-to-day and year to year, that sacrifice simply atoned for that one sin. And then they had to bring another and another and another. But in contrast, this man, the Lord Jesus, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins. And that's where the comma should be.
Forever sat down on the right hand of God.
Because the thought here is that he will never rise up again to take up the question of sin. Yes, he will rise up in a coming day to take up the question of righteous judgment when he comes back to this world and then to reign in righteousness. But as to the question of sin, God is completely satisfied If you ever question your salvation again, just look up and see where the Lord Jesus is now.
00:25:13
Where God has seated him in satisfaction as to the question of sin. I want to say this ever so carefully, but if God were to refuse me now, having availed myself of the finished work of Calvary, he would have to refuse his own dear Son, and that is absolutely impossible. That is the security in which I stand before God as to the work of Calvary.
And it's it's it's a effect and and power.
And so he has sat down at the right forever, sat down at the right hand of God. And, you know, it's very interesting.
That it tells us as he's seated there, what he's thinking about. You know, we rarely have in scripture what the Lord is thinking about as he seated in heaven. But what is the Lord Jesus thinking about as he seated at the right hand of God this afternoon, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool? The Lord Jesus is looking forward to that day.
When he is going to come forth and he is going to be vindicated not in heaven, he already has that.
He's been given a crown of glory and honor in heaven, but he's going to be vindicated on this very planet that spit in his blessed face on the very planet in the world where they cast him out and didn't want him.
And nailed them to a Roman cross. Gonna come back not in lowliness and grace, but he's gonna come back in power and glory. He's gonna take up the judgments of this world. And then, as we've had in these meetings, he's going to reign in righteousness. It tells us he's coming. Whose right it is. It tells us he's coming crowned with many diadems.
I looked up that word one time and I have enjoyed ever since what that word in the original has. The thought of it's the diadem is that which is worn by right and title as by royal birth. He's coming, I say whose right it is. No one will question his right or title in that day. They questioned it when he came the first time, but he's going to come again and he seated there thinking about this. Do we think about it? Do we love his appearing?
Are we looking forward to that time when not only is He going to come and call us to Him self? That's our blessed hope, but the glorious appearing to think that our Savior is going to have His rightful place?
The one they treated so despicably when he was here the first time, the one who has redeemed us and the one who's going to take us to himself for all eternity, and the one we're going to be associated with in the Kingdom.
Doesn't it thrill our hearts? I trust it thrills our hearts, brethren, to think of that day when his enemies are going to indeed be made his footstool. Well for by one offering ye perfected forever them that are sanctified. What a security we have in Christ based on that work, but not just based on the work, but the fact that he is now seated at God's right hand. Earlier in this epistle he's referred to as the forerunner.
He's already there, and he's the assurance that you and I are going to get there. If there's four runners, there has to be after runners and we're going to get there because the Lord Jesus has been accepted there, and there he is in the presence of God, seated.
At his right hand. Now let's look at the last incident in which he's seated in Hebrews.
Chapter 12 and verse one. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.
Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which dost so easily beset us, and let us run with patience, a really endurance the race that is set before us.
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith or of faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross.
Despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Well, here he seated again, and this time he seated as the object for faith.
It's not so much that he's the author and finisher of our faith, but he's the author and finisher of faith.
That is, the Lord Jesus as a man hasted through this world in the path of faith and service, and he's the only one that never digressed from it. He's the only perfect man that ever walked in this world in the path of faith and service.
And having done so, God has seated him at his right hand as the object for you and for me.
00:30:04
As we run the Christian race, if we were to back up to the 11 Chapter.
We have a tremendous list of men and women who lived by faith here in this world at various times in history, and their histories are recorded to encourage us. Because no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the age we live in, there are the resources to live for by faith, for God's glory. But the individuals that are mentioned in the 11Th chapter are not the object for faith.
It does say of those that have gone before whose faith follow, and I am thankful for those that I have known in my day.
And it says whose faith follow but not the person. And so as soon as that list is completed, he takes our eyes from that list given to encourage us. And he takes our gaze heaven word to the person of Christ, the object for faith. He takes our eyes to the only perfect man and brethren. If we're looking for perfection in our brethren, we're going to be disappointed. If we're following someone else, we're going to be disappointed. You say that, brother, let me down.
But I'm sure that brother, that sister, they'll never let me down.
All be careful. We often quote that verse. I've seen an end of all perfection, and if you're looking for perfection in your brothers and sisters, as precious and dear as they are, you're going to see an end of all perfection. There's been many in my day and uh, by the grace of God, and I know it's only the grace of God, brethren, I understand that. But by the grace of God I haven't followed them, or I'd be. I wouldn't be here this afternoon. I'd be somewhere else.
If I'm sure many of us can think of those that we once looked up to and in some way or other they missed the path and were thankful for the preserving grace of God, that we didn't follow them, but that Christ is our only object. I trust, brethren, have I an object, Lord below, that would divide my heart with thee? How often we sing that precious Him? I wish we'd sing it more often and I wish we'd listen. I wish I would listen to the words and take them more to heart to have that only object for our souls. Thank God.
For dear brother, and thank God for those who've been an encouragement and a blessing to us whose faith we've seen, and we are to follow their faith.
But I'll thank God we have the perfect object, the Lord Jesus, because as we have here the Christian life.
Is likened so often to an athletic event or a race. And it's not, as someone has already said in these meetings, it's not the 100 yard dash, it's not the Sprint we're told to run with endurance. The race that is set before us, the marathon runner, trains very different than the sprinter. The sprinter is taught to put, trained to put everything into those few 100 yards because in a few moments the race is over. And those those few moments.
Really count.
But the marathon runner is taught to endure and to pace himself.
And I know there are believers here today who have run a lot more laps in the Christian race than I have.
You're a lot further along in the Christian pathway. And I'm sure if we were to talk to them this afternoon, individually, they would tell us, oh, it's only been by the grace of God and with Christ as the object that we've been preserved. And so we talked about rewards in these meetings. Rewards are not the object either. There are or the motive. They're an incentive given to us, but they're not to be the motive or the object. Christ is to be the motivation.
Christ is to be the object. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the one who ran the race here and is seated at the right hand of God.
I would just say this too, in passing that when it speaks of the joy that was set before him.
Sometimes we think of it in connection with his joy in going to the cross to have a people for himself.
I'm sure there was a joy in that, but that's not the context of what we have here.
The joy we hear in the book of Hebrews was the joy of returning to the Father, having completed the path of faith and perfection, and having satisfied God at the cross as to the question of sin. And what a joy it must have been to return to the Father, Having accomplished that, and now to be the object for you and for me, O brethren, the heavens are open to faith, just as Hebrews presents to us.
00:35:05
Look up. We don't see Christ with the natural eye. The way John and others saw him who saw his, His moral glories here in this world. Listen to listen to him handled of the handled of the word of life.
But is he any less real? To the Eye of Faith? No. Look up, be occupied with him.
And leave this place if the Lord leaves us here, with Christ as that object, and a fresh desire to follow him in the path of faith and service.
All right. Is it really? Do you get anything?
Where? Come on. Yeah.
Today. Come on.
Crazy.
Good luck together.
Where are you from? The train? I say you.
00:40:17
Guess I should have known there would be water here.
Brethren, I have a burden on my heart that I hope you'll allow me to share with you.
Our brother Steve has given a most.
Enjoyable and wonderful overview of God's ways with man and where it all culminates.
Wonderful to enjoy these things.
And we have enjoyed in the reading meetings the first chapter of Philippians, which, as we have mentioned in the readings, gives us.
Normal Christian experience.
But I couldn't help but notice.
And I appreciated it, a remark that Jim made when he was speaking.
To the effect that there are sometimes those who start out well in the pathway of faith.
And then somehow, things don't go so well.
We're all susceptible to it.
But I would suggest that there is one thing that affects all of us, both individually and collectively.
And that is, are we willing before the Lord?
To judge the root of some particular sin, some particular failure in our lives.
That, if not judged, may eventually result.
In our making shipwreck of the faith now, it doesn't have to be that way.
But how easily it can come about?
Let's turn to a few verses in the Book of Psalms, most of them well known to us.
First one in Psalm 19.
Psalm 19.
Verse 13.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins.
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psalm 51.
Psalm 51.
Verse 10 Create in me a clean heart.
O God, and to renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence.
And I'm going to read this as it is more accurate in the Darby translation.
And take not the spirit of Thy holiness.
From me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold Me.
With thy free spirit and then back a little to verse 6.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts.
Psalm 139.
Psalm 139.
And notice the tense of the verbs and the verses I want to read.
Verse one, O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me.
Thou knowest, my down sitting, and mine up rising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.
But now go down to verse 23.
Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.
And finally the verse that we are all familiar with in first John chapter one, first John one and verse 9.
00:45:16
If we confess our sins.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Most, if not all of us here are familiar with the fact that not only are our sins washed away through the blood of Christ.
But we have deliverance from sin to the death and resurrection of Christ.
Romans 6 and other Scriptures make that very clear. And maybe we have in the words of that verse in Romans 6 and we won't turn to it, but maybe we have reckoned ourselves to be.
Dead indeed, under sin, but alive unto God.
Maybe we have at least.
In a general way taken that position.
But I speak to my own heart. How many times there are things that perhaps are hidden in my heart.
The setting sins the sin which doth so easily beset us as we.
Read in Hebrews 12 how many times there is a besetting sin.
That lurks in the background.
They sing a song sometimes up at Morning Star Camp.
I can't repeat all the words, but it goes something like this. My heart is like a house.
And how that I opened the door to let the Saviour in, and there are many rooms in which we visit.
From time to time and now and then. But then there's a room where I don't go.
Because in the bad English that suits the cadence of the hymn.
There are some things in that room that I don't want no one to know.
Yes.
And maybe for a time in my life the Lord allows me to go on, but then he puts his finger on that sin and says.
It's time you need to deal with it.
And whether we do it or not may have a long reaching effect on our lives.
And how many times that can be true? And again I speak to my own heart.
David could say thou hast searched me. He knew that. But then at the end of Psalm 139, he recognizes that maybe there's more, Maybe things need to be reviewed again. And so he asks the Lord search me and know my heart.
David knew what he was talking about. He had a fall.
And you know, sometimes the root of a sin is far different from the fruit.
How can we say that?
Turn back for a moment to Second Samuel.
What does it say there?
Second Samuel. I think it's chapter 12 maybe.
Second Samuel, Chapter 12.
Yes.
Second Samuel 12.
We all are generally familiar with David's sin, but let's read what happens when Nathan the Prophet comes to him.
In verse 7.
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel.
I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul. And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom.
And gave thee the House of Israel, and of Judah. And if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight?
Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife.
And hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
00:50:00
Very instructive and revealing.
Notice that Nathan does not even mention the initial act of adultery.
He heads for the root of the problem.
Far different from the immediate cause on the surface.
Why does he speak of something different? Oh, because the root of the problem was not merely lust after another man's wife.
It went far deeper than that. It was, if I might put it this way, the ABI. Excuse me.
The abuse of David's power and authority as a king and that included adultery. It included the whole picture. But what was even more serious than the initial lust and act of adultery was the attempt at the cover up.
And we could cite other examples. Time won't permit us. Job was in the same boat. So was Abraham and others. There was some failure in their lives, but God knew how to get at the root of the problem.
And sometimes only the Lord can help us to identify the root, but He wants to get it out.
I grew up on a farm and I loved gardening and I don't know what you'd call it out here, but in my day we called it pigweed.
Very, very common weed in the garden, a long taproot that went a long way down and if you tried to pull that weed out, especially when the ground wasn't too moist, it would invariably break off.
And sometimes we boys thought that was enough, until my dad thought, and then he would make us do whatever was necessary, even if it meant getting a trowel or a shovel.
Get that root out.
That's why it says in one John 1:00 and 9:00.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, But there is more than that.
The forgiveness is to forgive the fruit, but to cleanse us from all unrighteousness means he wants.
To get at the root.
May God give us grace to do that. Pardon me for saying this because I know my own heart only too well.
But I have seen those who were faced up with a serious root in their lives.
And who were in denial about her.
Or perhaps taking the other tack, they looked at others and said, well, others are guilty of sins too. They're just as bad as I am and how easy it is when somehow I am faced up with a serious root in my life that I go on the attack to others instead of saying.
Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
I'm not answerable for someone else, but I am answerable for myself.
Excuse me?
I hesitate what I'm going to say next.
I had it on my heart and I prayed about it. I hope it doesn't step on any toes.
I have no situation or anything in mind when I say this. It has been on my heart.
For a long time.
If there's a need to judge a root individually.
Is there sometimes a need collectively?
Turn back to Second Chronicles.
Chapter 6.
Solomon's prayer The dedication of the temple.
And notice what he says here, among other things.
Second Chronicles 6.
And.
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If there be dearth in the land.
Oh, that's collective.
If there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locusts or Caterpillar.
Caterpillars, I should say.
If their enemies besieged them in the cities of their land, whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be, then what prayer, or what supplicationsoever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel.
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But notice this when every man shall know his own sword and his own grief.
And shall spread forth his hand in this House.
Our brother Steve commented that in a coming day there is going to be a national repentance of Israel.
A national change of heart. But it will be a national repentance. And if we were to go back and we don't have time to the book of Zechariah, we will find that nobody points the finger at anybody else.
In Second Samuel, Nathan pointed the finger at David and said Thou art the man.
But in Zechariah we read, the House of Nathan shall mourn apart, and the House of David shall mourn apart, and so on. Nobody will be pointing the finger.
There will be national.
Repentance.
Is it necessary sometimes, as an assembly, turn over to 1St Corinthians for a moment.
This verse has carried a lot of weight with my own soul. I pass it on to you for whatever the Lord.
May lay on your heart as well as mine. First Corinthians, chapter 3.
Verse 2.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able, for ye are yet carnal, and notice this.
Forever, as there is among you and being in strife and divisions.
Are ye not carnal and walk?
As met.
That characterized an assembly and we noticed that.
There were many other serious things going on in Corinth. There was wicked immorality going on.
They were getting drunk as they came together.
To remember the Lord, they were taking one another to court and other things.
But the first thing the apostle addresses is envying.
And strength and divisions.
Is there a reason for that? Is there a reason why that was the first thing he addressed?
We would probably have addressed the immorality. We would probably have addressed the drunkenness.
And many other things.
Paul addresses something. Why?
Because the Spirit of God knew how widespread.
That would be.
Pardon me if I sound a bit emotional.
A few years ago.
My wife and I were in England.
We love to visit our brethren there, but this wasn't a good opportunity because we were jet lagged.
Day was night and night was day.
I don't even remember now where we were coming from.
Shall we stayed in a hotel in the southeast of England?
I don't know whether we did the right thing, but my wife and I.
Said to one another.
We're not far from a place.
Called Tunbridge Wells. Let's drive there.
We had a rental car, so we drove there.
And it didn't take too long to find a meeting room.
A meeting room where Brethren began to meet way back in the 1800s. Same one.
There were people still meeting there. There was a sign there giving the meetings.
Remember we got out of that car?
And looked at that meeting room.
Gazed at it for a long time.
As many know, it was the epicenter.
Of an issue that caused one of the division, one of the biggest divisions among brethren, well over 100 years ago.
Was it right to respect the decision taken there? Absolutely.
But was there more going on than merely a case of discipline that ought to have been simple?
Indeed there was.
But you know the inside story.
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Which I have read and heard from various ones.
There was strife and envy, family feuds.
Personal grudges and all the rest of it.
And I don't believe they are any longer gathered to the Lord's name.
I suppose it's all right to tell this story because it happened between 50 and 60 years ago and everyone involved has long since with the Lord, but I knew of an assembly where they had a case of discipline that came up.
That ought to have been simple and have caused the assembly to split down the middle.
The discipline was carried out, but the strife and difficulty continued.
Until after a year and a half, they did a wise thing by calling in brethren from 2 neighboring assemblies.
And those brethren came in and looked over the situation and finally made some wise remarks.
They said, brethren, your issue of discipline is rather complicated and we would have to be here a month in order to get a handle on it. But they said, brethren, that is not your real problem.
They said, brethren, there has been strife and envy and personal grudges and family feuds.
And bad feeling in this assembly for 20 years.
Deal with that.
And you will find the Spirit of God.
Will make you of one mind as to what to do about your problem.
Excellent words.
I'm thankful to tell you that the brethren of that assembly took it to heart.
And it worked.
Again, I am emphasizing that I point the finger at no one or any particular situation.
All I say is that.
If there is a need for personal judging of a root, is there sometimes need of a collective judging of a root?
If the problem in Tunbridge Wells had only been concerning that assembly, God could have kept it localized.
He allowed it to affect Brethren in a widespread way.
And we don't go into the reasons for that. The Lord knows.
But how often? When a difficulty arises, there is a need to point the finger right here.
And if Israel, when Caterpillar and locusts and all the rest of it, overran Israel, there was a need for every man to know the plague of his own heart, and there could be a collective repentance. Oh, how much more among you and I.
Among you and me, I should say, who have the privilege we've dwelt on our privileges and a brother just remarked to me just.
This afternoon, the wonderful privileges that you and I have, we have far more than Israel had.
Far more blessing, far more reason to walk before the Lord.
Are we willing to pull up the roots of problems? We can do it.
The Lord is ready to help us do it.
May God give us grace.
Not merely to look at something on the surface and say we will cut off the chute.
That's what it means in Philippians chapter Chapter 3. Beware of the concision. That's kind of snipping off the fruit of the flesh without getting to the root of it. Now I hasten to add, and you all know how true it is that.
We will always have the flesh with us until the Lord comes. It will be an ongoing thing.
But if there is a bad route that the Lord is calling upon us to deal with.
Let me start right here and then if there's an opportunity.
Let it spread collectively.
So that the Lord has his way with us, He wants to make us what we had in Philippians, one with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. Oh, how wonderful that is. But on the other hand, what an awful testimony it is when those who have the gospel and have the whole truth of God.
Are found at loggerheads with one another, and most of the time it's something that isn't that important. Now I don't say there aren't important things, there are right principles that need to be upheld.
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Allow me to take one more minute and maybe some of whole heard me tell this story before, but let me repeat it again. It impressed me at the time and it was well over 40 years ago.
I remember well.
And I wasn't around at the time. I only heard about it afterward.
We lived in town at that time for a short while, and way back in the 1970s there used to be a man that came up and down the street with a little apparatus on a cart.
And he sharpened scissors and knives and all the rest of it. He had a little bell that he rang as he went down the street. And all you had to do was run out with whatever piece of, uh, cutlery, scissors, knives, whatever it was, and he would sharpen them for you on the spot.
Well, my wife was up to her elbows in baking, so she quickly said to our daughter who was.
Four years old at the time. Here, here's some money. Take this knife out and get him to sharpen it.
Well, it was rather a formidable looking knight, about a 10 inch carving knife. And of course our son who was only about two years old. He toddled along to see what it was all about and apparently the two of them stood there while this man honed that carving knight to a razor sharp edge.
Well, the man's mother tongue was in English, and as he turned to pan that knight back, he quite naturally hesitated a little at handing that formidable knife to a little 4 year old girl and her two year old brother. And his comment to her was?
Now you know, killing the brother with that.
Well, our daughter was a good mimic, and the only reason I found out about it was that she came into the house and repeated that to my wife, complete with the accent and everything.
And of course, it was a little amusing.
But I thought of that, and pardon me if I go a moment overtime. Is a knife a good thing to have? I love sharp knives, and I sharpen my own knives and my wifes too. I've got a special apparatus in the basement of that. I use it with special belts with certain amounts of abrasiveness on them, so that we can put a razor edge on that knife. And my wife really appreciates them in the kitchen.
That's like divine principles, isn't it?
Very, very good when they're used properly and used in the power of the Spirit of God and according to God's Word.
But all how damaging, how terrible they are when used in the wrong way. That man, quite properly was afraid that our daughter might not be safe with that knife. She was, but he was a little concerned and I could see why.
Brethren.
We have divine principles. It's good to behold them.
But let's if I can say it not to be funny, but let's be careful not to kill the brother with them.
Thank you.
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