Aberdeen Conference: 2018
Table of Contents
Ephesians 5:1-4
Reading
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Second Kings Chapter 6 and verse 17.
The Elijah prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see.
And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man.
He saw.
Turn to the Gospel of John.
Possible John Chapter 9.
Gospel John Chapter 9 and verse 35, The end of the verse.
Does thou believe on the Son of God?
He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast full seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee spray.
Our daughter.
We thank you this afternoon that we can be here.
We're about ready to open my word, and we desire that the Spirit of God would direct us to a passage.
That would meet the need that is present in this room.
For God, we live in a day that has its unique challenges.
We know that there are parents here that have come and perhaps.
The prayer of Elijah is on their lips.
We desire that eyes would be open.
That they would see the Lord Jesus.
That as a result of being here in the reading meetings.
And in the addresses that they would feel.
That it is Jesus himself.
That has talked to them.
We desire this to his parents.
Because we feel that same need, Lord Jesus.
To hear thy voice.
To see thee in a very fresh and real way.
And that our hearts would be drawn out to thee. And so we just ask.
That there would be sensitivity on the part of those that take part.
Be LED of thy spirit.
That the need would be met. We ask this of thee, Lord Jesus, and thy precious and most worthy name. We pray it. Amen.
My heart that I would like to suggest.
I particularly appreciated our brother Andy's prayer that we just heard.
Many times at general meetings like this we take up chapters which bring before us principles which bring before us the glories of the Lord Jesus.
Wonderful.
However.
Some of us, And maybe I'm not the only one.
Get a bit of feedback, especially from our young people.
And I understand they are fully 1/3 of those that are here at the conference.
That they are facing difficulties and problems in their lives for which they need.
Practical answers.
I appreciate that even though.
It's been a while since I was in their position.
And I wonder if the Brethren would be happy to go to the book of Ephesians.
Where we've often been in chapter one or chapter 4, something like that.
But I wonder if the brethren would consider taking up Chapter 5.
Plenty in it for our souls as to the wonderful position which is ours, that's brought before us in Ephesians.
But equally true, some really practical things that bear on our Christian pathway.
And would my brethren consider that? And if if not and someone else has a chapter, I won't be in the least bit offended?
I think it's a good suggestion. Let's do it.
00:05:07
Ephesians chapter 5. Be therefore followers of God as dared children, and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour, the fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness. Let it not be once named among you, has become a Saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving a thanks. For this you know that no *********** nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolatrous, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For you were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light.
For whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and be not drunk with wine, wherein his excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
Give me thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves 1 to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be it to their own husbands and everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish, so ought meant to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth that even as the Lord the Church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined in his wife.
And they too shall be 1 flesh.
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ in the church nevertheless. Let everyone of you in particular, so love his wife, even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Perhaps just a few comments on the chapter?
Excuse me?
In the context in which it's given, and I know this is going over familiar ground with the vast majority here.
But we know that the book of Ephesians.
Gives us the highest truth as to the believers blessings in Christ.
And so we read the first chapter, and we find that we're blessed with all spiritual blessings.
In heavenly places in Christ.
And we read the second chapter and find that.
Christ is head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the Fulton.
The fullness of him that filleth All in all we find in the 4th chapter the precious truth that there is one body.
And so on.
But then.
Excuse me?
US poor Easterners have trouble with dry air in the West.
We find in the latter part of the 4th chapter that.
We come right down to earth where we have to be told, even though we're risen and seated in heavenly places in Christ that were not to steal.
And whether or not not to tell lies to one another and we're not to get angry with one another and so on.
And once again, of course, in this chapter we find exhortations too. But as always with Scripture, the exhortations.
00:10:05
Every exhortation in Scripture is based on what we already possess.
God doesn't exhort us to do something in order to get into a position.
He puts us in the position and says, now I've given you everything to enable you to walk in the good of that position that I placed you in, and the exhortations are based on that position into which we've been placed.
And so this chapter begins with the word therefore in the first verse.
And exhorts us along very simple and yet very important lines in our Christian lives.
And as we get into the chapter, and I trust we have time to do it, we have three meetings and a potential of four depending on the character of one of the meetings. That has not yet been determined. But we see things that are just as needful today, I suggest as were needed in the days of the Apostle Paul.
And allow me to say that they are particularly apropos.
For our young people, even though they are good for all of us.
A brother told me earlier today that one of the prayers of the local assembly here in Aberdeen was that there would be ministry for every age group and I trust the Lord will will give us that and I believe He can from this chapter.
And so you will agree with me, will you not rather, Bill, that, well, these things may be very apropos for our young people. Yet as we get older, there are struggles that are unique to every, every age. And so there are children here. There are those who are young people, There's those who are raising families, some of us a little further along in the path of faith and service, some here a little further along than some of us. And so these things.
Are the scripture is applicable to us?
In anytime in at any age. And so we all need these things. I will agree that there are things that our young people are facing today that I never faced just a few years ago when I went to school and and was in the workforce and so on.
And sometimes we have to say we've not passed this way heretofore. But isn't it wonderful, as we launch out on a familiar book and chapter like this, to realize that the word of God is as applicable today as it was in the days of the Apostle Paul? It's as much for us as it was for the Ephesian Saints. And I'll just say this too, in connection with a little introduction to Ephesians in this chapter.
That, as has been said, when we think of the Book of Ephesians, we automatically, perhaps, revert in our minds to the precious truth.
That Brother Bill has outlined to us and the doctrinal side of what we have here, it's tremendous. It's wonderful. I trust these things, to some degree at least, are clear in our souls and that we're walking in the enjoyment of them. But I've been struck recently, in going through the book of Ephesians myself to realize how practical a book that I really is. And there are a number of occasions, in fact, we won't take time.
But here's a little challenge, a little homework. There are seven times in this book that were exhorted. As to our walk, I'll give you a little hint. The first time is a reminder of how we once walked before we were saved. And that's in the beginning of the second chapter, when we did follow the course of this world. In this chapter, as we go down these verses, we're going to find three further exhortations in connection with our walk.
We're to walk in love. We're to walk as the children of light, and we're to walk circumspectly as those that are wise. It's very, very practical.
Because sound doctrine leads to sound behavior. We need sound doctrine. That's true. That's the basis of it. We can't have sound behavior. We cannot have proper behavior in our walk without the fundamental doctrines of the Word of God before our souls. But if that doctrine does not lead to a sound walk in our lives, if it doesn't have a practical effect, then it is just mere doctrine. I don't want to speak.
Disparagingly are disrespectful, but it is just simply doctrine. It must if it's going to have the effect that the spirit of God would desire for us, it must get down into our souls and affect our walk. And so I think the chapter like this is very helpful for us to take up. And again, I just challenge you to go through the Book of Ephesians. Notice the practical exhortations right through the book. Yes, more specifically.
00:15:30
In the last three chapters 4-5 and six, but even before that.
Interspersed with the precious teaching that were dead and that were risen with cry, were seated in heavenly places in Christ, that were a heavenly people were disconnected with this world in every way except the fact that we're still here physically, and so on interspersed with that precious doctrine. High truth has been said, but there is a walk that ought to correspond with it, and, brethren, if taking up a portion like this.
Has a practical effect on our walk this weekend, then it's well worth taking up a portion like this.
Well, I agree very much with all that.
And in the beginning of the chapter here it says first of all.
Walk in love.
Followers of God as dear children and walk in love, and we find that mentioned a number of times in this chapter.
Because whatever the exhortations are, and whatever the truth that is before us, how needful it is that love be there.
And in Ephesus and also in other epistles, we are exhorted to demonstrate that love first of all among ourselves. Also it mentions the family here in the later verses of this chapter and ultimately in our interactions to one another.
But there is something very, very precious. And again, we don't want to go through the chapter either too quickly or too slowly. But in the second verse it reminds us there of the love that Christ had for us.
And I'm not a Greek scholar, but anyone can verify this, that the word used here both for our walking in love and the love that Christ has loved us.
Is the word that Scripture generally uses for divine love. It's that love that doesn't require an object to return that love.
Walk in love, but then it mentions.
And it's very, very beautiful to me. The way the chapter begins, it mentions, it doesn't say, and hath given himself for us in order that our sins might be forgiven.
That is blessedly true. That's the sin offering. But before the sin offering, there came the burnt offering. And we might ask, well, what is the significance of that?
I suggest this, that the burnt offering was offered up wholly to Jehovah. It was a sweet savour offering. Now, of course, we can't separate them when we bring them to the person of Christ. But the sweet savour offerings were primarily for the Lord's eyes. They were for God's eyes. That sweet savour went up to God because here was one who offered himself up to God.
And in that sense, sin was not the primary thought in the burnt offering.
We might say, why is that brought in here?
I suggest that the main reason is that for.
Your behavior and mine in the Christian pathway. It is not, for the most part, in order that I might lead a happy life, in order that things might go well for me in order that I might have a profitable time in my life. All of those things are blessedly true in the pathway of faith.
But if my eyes do not go above the horizon of myself.
I'm falling short.
The place that the Lord puts my eyes when it's a question of my walk.
00:20:05
Are all the way to God himself. And so the Lord Jesus, he first of all offered himself as the burnt offering. And it's significant that that's the first offering that we have mentioned in Leviticus. And when you and I think of following Christ, I say this very kindly, but there is often a tendency to think of ourselves.
And that it'll give me a happy pathway and the Lord will look after me well, and things will go smoothly for me. And I'll have a clear conscience and be able to sleep well at night. That's blessedly true. But let's go one step higher.
God is looking in you and me.
For the eyes to be turned upward to him to do all of these things, not simply because it will benefit me.
But because it will be pleasing to the one.
Who looks down on me with love? Who sent his son to die for me in order that I might be redeemed? And the thought?
Uppermost in my soul ought to be.
Will this please the one who gave his son in order that I might be redeemed?
Is that is that a right thought? Yes. And so, as you say, with the Lord Jesus, his first and foremost motive in offering himself was I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do again. It's hard, isn't it, to move beyond ourselves in view of many of these things?
We think of the work of Calvary in connection with what it means to our souls. That's wonderful, I trust, brethren, the work of Calvary means everything to your soul and mind. But I believe that there will be feelings produced in the heart that are only produced by moving beyond what things mean to ourselves and seeing what they mean to God on Lord's Day morning. I'll just say this in passing. So often we think more of the burnt offering.
And other aspects of the work of Calvary in connection with what it means to us.
But again, I believe to move beyond that and see what things mean to God. That is, what is going to produce true worship, That is what is going to produce affection for Christ in a way that I don't believe in any other way it can be. It can be produced. And so to walk in love as Christ also loved us. And again, I don't want to go too slow either, as Brother Bill has said. But brethren, I I'd like to just take a minute. And I I know these verses are familiar, but I'd like to go back to John's Gospel for a minute.
Just to bear out from scripture what we have been saying and first of all to read a verse in the end of John's Gospel chapter 3.
Because again, as we have this before us, it really is a question of the heart, isn't it? If if the truth doesn't get down and affect our hearts, it's simply head knowledge. And as we've often said, we can be clear as ice and just as cold and we can take in all these things in an intellectual way and it not affect our walk if the heart, conscience and the heart aren't engaged. But I just want to read a little expression here in the 35th verse of the third of John.
He says the Father loveth the Son. Now usually when we start with the subject of love, we back up to the 16th verse. God so loved the world that he gave and so on. And again we think of it in relationship to ourselves. It's a wonderful truth, wonderful aspect of the love of God. But isn't it interesting that he says here the Father loveth the Son Brethren. I believe if we can get a hold of this a little deeper in our souls, it's going to affect.
Our love.
God, our love for the Lord Jesus to begin, first of all, not with ourselves, not with His love for us, but with the Father's love for the Son. You get this expression. We won't turn to it, but we get it three times in John's Gospel. You get it in the 10th, in the 5th chapter, and you get it again in the 10th chapter, where the Father loveth the Son. But now just go over to the 17th chapter for a moment.
00:25:04
Chapter 17 and verse 23.
I'll read the whole verse. It's particularly the last expression. But I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou has sent me and has loved them. Now notice this as thou hast loved me. You know we I believe, from this expression.
We understand that the love that God has for his children, for you and me.
Is the very same love that he has for his beloved son.
I can't take that in. If it wasn't a statement of scripture, I couldn't take that in. That is a tremendous thing to consider. And that's why I say if we're if we're going to have an appreciation, a real appreciation of God's love for us, we've got to begin with His love for the Son, because it's the same love that he has for us. Now just follow along with me just for one more minute here, back to the 15th chapter.
And verse 9 As the Father hath loved me.
So have I loved you.
In other words, the love that the Father has for the Son is the same love that the Father has for his children. And the love, and I'm sorry, the love that the Father has for the Son, yes, is the same love that he has for his children. And that same love is the love that the Lord Jesus has for you and me. Now just drop down in this 15th chapter where we we are in John and notice the standard for us.
Verse 12 This is my commandment, that ye love one another, and he doesn't stop there, as I have loved you. That is the the love, the practical love, that is to be expressed and walked in. In our relationships, one with another is to be no less love than the Father has for the Son, no less love than the Son has for than the Father has for his children, no less love than the Son has for each one of his own.
That is the standard for the practical expression of love in our walk and in our relationships one with another. So this is a very, very.
Wonderful, but very serious and potent expression. Exhortation. We have at the beginning of our chapter in the book of Ephesians to walk in love. Yes, that's true. We are to walk in love. But again.
What is the standard? As Christ also hath loved us and given himself, and so on. That is the standard for the love that is to be displayed in our walk here in this world.
I add to that a little bit, Brother Jim. In the 13th chapter, John.
The same thought.
But a little bit more towards us in our responsibility and our character before this world. In the 34th verse it says a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you and you also love one another. And this is the verse.
But this shall all men know that you are my disciples. If you have loved one for another, this really should characterize us as to the world around us, that we are his disciples to the Lord.
Yes.
And so.
The world looks on as we have seen, and they recognize whether believers demonstrate that loved one to another.
But I believe one of the things we need to be reminded of, and we are perhaps giving this thought a little more emphasis, which is important. We live in a world which is focused on itself.
We live in a world where what might be called secular humanism.
Is the standard by which men live and secular humanism ultimately views everything in terms of the happiness of man and self has become the motive spring in this world.
And I speak to my own heart.
00:30:02
It infiltrates.
Our lives too, doesn't it? It rubs off on you and me as believers, so that we tend to think of ourselves. And there is a great danger. And again, I speak to my own heart, that in Christianity we look at everything is how it affects us. Does it affect us? Indeed, it does.
But as we've already said, and we don't need to keep repeating it, the burnt offering is brought before us here, before the exhortations are made. Because for you and me, first and foremost, we follow what we have here, because it is pleasing to the Lord and how it how it happens to me.
What happens to me as a result of it should not be in the picture now. Is it a happy path to follow the commandments of the Lord and to walk in what He has given us absolutely?
And I can still remember and pardon a reference to the past, but I can still remember an old brother well over 50 years ago, maybe more than that, sitting in a Bible conference and with a big glow across his face, he said, oh brother, what a blessed path it is. And he was nearing the end. Some here will recognize whom I'm quoting.
That's why this is brought before us in this chapter, because.
The blessed pathway for the believer is to have Christ first of all before us, and to remember what he's done for us. And then I follow the exhortation, not because it'll do me good, it will, but because it will bring joy to the heart of the one who loved me enough to come into this world and die for me.
Do we say that, Simply put, that we're here for His pleasure, not for our own pleasure? Christ, model that life. And as I say that I wonder if I ever have done anything that was just for his pleasure, that there wasn't something of self in it.
Well, well, we all have to hang our heads when you see that, Vern.
Self gets into everything that we do, doesn't it? And that's why in the Old Testament, the priest had to bear the iniquity of their holy things, didn't he? Even the best things that are done.
Which one of us would stand up and say self didn't get a little bit of it? Or maybe more than a bit?
But God doesn't lessen the standard because of our weakness, does he? And don't let that discourage you from following the Lord and living for him, you say I can never reach the standard. I've allowed so much in my life. Things come in, I try to do something for the Lord. And I look back in retrospect and I realized there was something a lot of self, and perhaps I didn't do things the way I really ought to have done. But don't let that discourage you, because I've appreciated more and more as I get older the thought that he's able to separate the precious from the vile, and isn't that a wonderful?
Comfort to think, brethren, that though we do something for the Lord, even on Lord's Day morning.
The brothers that take part, maybe it is there is something of self in a scripture read, a hymn given out.
How? Well, we can express things in worship and praise, but don't let that discourage you. I heard of a young man one time and he never took part all his life. He's with the Lord now, but he never took part in the assembly and all, all his life. You know why? Because his mother said to say had told him when he was a young man.
If you never open your mouth in meeting, you'll never make a mistake or say something you shouldn't. I think that was a very sad thing to to tell to tell someone. And from older ones that I've known, they said he never, as far as they knew, opened his mouth in an assembly meeting. So I just say that yes, things come in, but as Brother Bill has said, the Lord Jesus in it's typified by the high priest in the Old Testament he wears the mitre and we sometimes sing a hymn that sums it up so beautifully.
For us, he wears the mitre where holiness shines bright.
For us, his robes are whiter than heaven's unsullied light. We sometimes sing to all our prayers and praises. Christ adds his sweet perfume and love. The sensor raises these odors to consume. And when you and I stand at the judgment seat of Christ, he's going to take what was done with the proper motive and the proper spirit and attitude and according to the word of God. And he's going to reward with that, and he's going to set the other aside. It's going to be burned up and gone, and we're going to be glad it's gone and we're going to see a marble at the grace of God in in our lives. So I just say that don't let those things discourage you. Go on and enjoy the love of God, the love of Christ.
00:35:15
And seek to go on and walk for his glory in spite of those failures and things that come in.
Why the abrupt change here in the third verse?
I'll make a suggestion, Brother Vern.
Having laid, shall we say?
A good foundation on which to make exhortations, which we've just talked about.
Paul gets right down, as we would say in common language, to the nitty gritty.
And Ephesus.
As many of those large Roman cities were in, that day was riddled with sin, especially, let's face it, sexual immorality.
Very lightly thought of in the Roman Empire.
And.
Ephesus was full of it. So was Corinth. So were other places, and the capital of it all. Rome itself set the pace.
You and I, of course, live in a similar world today, and we rub shoulders with it all the time.
We hear it all the time in the workplace, in school, it's talked about and so on. You can you can't get away from it in this world. And I believe Paul is being very, very straight. Scripture does not mince matters when it comes to talking about the things that go on and the need to be careful about them.
But there's something very special. Well, that's not a very good word. There's something very important to notice. I would suggest in these.
3rd and 4th verses.
It mentions at the beginning fornication.
But what leads up to fornication?
Uncleanness that falls short of it.
What leads up to uncleanness, covetousness, wanting that which God has not given me. And that, of course is wrong in any realm, but especially in the moral realm.
Let it be. Let it not be once named among you as become a Saints. We see the same order in the fourth verse.
Neither filthiness, but what leads up to filthiness.
Foolish talking.
What leads up to foolish talking? Jesting.
Now, I don't mean that we should never have a sense of humor. I don't think that's what is meant here. But if our minds are continually turning to foolish talking and jesting, we will find out in the world of today that it will soon lead to filthiness. Because the.
Jesting that goes on in this world generally goes nowhere but downhill into that realm, and if that characterizes my talk, the world will not hesitate to carry it further, and pretty soon I'm right in the middle of it.
It says but rather giving of thanks. And then in verse five, of course it goes all the way to ************ unclean persons.
And then it says once again a covetous man. It goes through the same order as we have in the third chapter, *********** down to covetousness, or downed rather to uncleanness, down to covetousness, and then brings before us the Kingdom of God, and I say to each one of our hearts.
How many times? And I speak to my own heart because doesn't matter what age we are, we're capable of it. How many times we have seen a dear believer fall into a serious sin, Ruin their marriage, have to be dealt with by their local assemblies, Lost their jobs maybe, in some cases ruined their children's lives, perhaps.
It starts off with little things in the beginning and in the world of today. I suggest that we need to be very specially on guard with these things. And I point the finger mostly right back here. And so I believe the scripture is very, very clear and I'd like your reaction to that, Vern. Is that part of the reason why, Paul, if I could say it really takes, as we might say, the bull by the horns and goes at it very straight. Do you do you agree with that?
00:40:15
I I do. I think you get the same thing in first Thessalonians.
Where they had, they had turned to God, to God from idols, and we're looking for his Son from heaven. They were a testimony.
Throughout like Kaya, they were going on wonderfully. And in the 4th chapter he says avoid fornication. And I think, Paul, why are you even talking about these? These people are going on well, but he knew that if they got away from the Lord, they gravitate right back to what they were before they were saved.
Even in Colossians you have those similar exhortations. In the third chapter you say did the Ephesians, the Colossians, or the Thessalonians that were in the freshness of having turned to God from idols, The Ephesians, this precious truth they were able to take in the Colossians Saints. They had wonderful truth presented to them. But the flesh and a believer never changes and brethren, no matter how far we have come spiritually.
And I trust there's been spiritual growth in our lives in the last year. Many of us were here for a conference last year. I trust that there's been spiritual growth and understanding in our lives since we were here last year. But no matter how far by the grace of God we have come in our spiritual lives, the flesh is still the same. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Peter thought he could trust the flesh, but the flesh in Peter, a true believer.
Was just as corrupt as the flesh in Judas and unregenerate man. And Peter said, though all deny thee, yet will not I deny thee. He said I'll even go into death with you. But he had to learn that he, that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool. I just say this too. I think perhaps just another suggestion as to why there is an abrupt change here, and that is that in the 1St 2 verses we have something largely for the heart.
But now he reverts to something for the conscience. Because, brethren, the conscience must always be reached, and you don't have to read very far in Scripture until there's something to speak to the conscience, to prick the conscience. So I'm going to repeat an old adage that is not original with me, and I've often repeated it, but I think it bears it bears out what we're saying. The entrance of the truth is the mind.
Because there must be an understanding of the truth. Read your Bible. You want to know the truth, you've got to read your Bible. The entrance of the truth is the mind, the channel is the conscience. Because the conscience must always be reached. And the dwelling place is the heart. So I just suggest that as soon as he brings before us something for the heart here, then immediately he goes back and he says, Now I want to speak to your conscience. Yes, you Ephesians, you're able to take in this precious.
Heavenly truth.
But remember, no matter how far you've grown spiritually, how far you've come, these things are still there. And any one of us, brethren, can fall into any of these things. And one more comment that speaks to my own soul, and that is sometimes the tendency of my heart has been when I hear of a brother or sister that has been referred to, that has fallen into one of these sins. And there's been.
Excommunication from the Lord's table and a sad situation in the family and in their personal lives.
Sometimes the tendency in my own heart is to shake my head and say, oh, I can't believe that, brother. I'm surprised at that, sister. I suggest for my own conscience, brethren, Only I suggest that when I hear of a situation like that, rather than shake my head in disbelief, I examine my own heart and conscience and say, if that brother, if that sister is that vulnerable, then how much more myself let him that thinketh he standeth. Take heed lest he fall.
When he speaks of love, he talks of dear children, but when he speaks of.
The conscience here, he calls them Saints. Sanctified something.
00:45:00
What does the word St. mean for us, brother? Set apart one only ones, doesn't it? He takes us up on the position that God has already placed us in.
We don't want to flog this issue too much.
But in the last 20 years or so.
We've had the Internet.
It's a tremendous tool.
And probably the vast majority here use it. I certainly do myself.
But I would suggest that it brings more danger.
Than anything that ever went before.
I could hardly believe it when I talked to a good friend of mine. He's not gathered to the Lord's name. He was brought up, gathered to the Lord's name. But he still goes on faithfully for the Lord in what he does.
And he told me some time ago.
Several years ago now and gave me a statistic that shocked me.
He said. Do you realize, Bill, that 80% of Christian men?
In North America, are hooked on ***********.
I could hardly believe that.
But he assured me that that was not a made-up statistic, nor was it being put out simply to scare anybody. He simply said I have worked with people and I know that that is beyond any shadow of a doubt not exaggerating the problem.
I say to each one of us, let us be careful what we're looking at on our computers, because it starts with what we have here, the covetousness, the uncleanness. And as everyone knows, even unbelievers, as we think so ultimately we act. And if we judge our thoughts before they form actions, we will not find that we commit actions that we have to deal with.
And if we judge little actions before they get to be big actions, then we will judge those things before they get to the point where they have to be dealt with by our brethren. And so just just to comment on that, we don't need to say anymore, not telling anyone not to say anymore about it, but we all know what the Internet is like and.
All you young people here, you've grown up with it. Many of you have never known a time when the Internet didn't exist, and it's part of our lives. And most of you carry around a cell phone in your hands that has it all there. And I just say we need to be doubly careful in this modern world about what we allow in our minds, because the Lord brings before us here through the Apostle Paul.
How easily it can lead to serious failure in our lives. And again.
The consequences for us are very serious. But what about the Lord and what it means to him? What about that sweet smelling savour that he was? What about having him before us, even before the results for ourselves and maybe others that are dear to us?
Jim has said something that helped me and he said that says a television that brings the world into your home, but the Internet takes you out to the world, everything in the world.
What we really have here is a contrast between what we had in the 1St 2 verses as to what our position is in Christ and the love that he has for us.
But then it goes on in a contrast between the third, third verse through the 6th verse. But it gives us exhortations in between all that and it says in the fourth verse.
Of this list here. But it says rather giving of thanks and that should really characterize the believer isn't it? This world is not thankful for just about anything. We live in a self generated self gratification world and but what you characterizes the giving you thanks. And then he goes on to say here in the seventh verse be not ye therefore partakers with them and so as you say brother Bill, I'd like to.
We had such a.
Very wonderful instruction.
00:50:02
And a theme in Morningstar and I think it's very applicable as what you were saying Bill that if I repeat this if I may, in your pamphlet you wrote, I think it's it's a very good saying. It says so a thought Reaper action.
So, so an action. Reap a habit.
And sow a habit and you reap a character.
So a character and Eureka destiny.
So we have choices, don't we? And God does everything he can for the Christians pathway.
To lead and guide and direct us.
That we might.
Display his glory.
And the love that he has for us in our walk down here, we don't have to make the wrong choices.
As we have here. Is that right? Yes.
A covetous man wants what the Lord hasn't given him. A believer who gives thanks, gives thanks, because God has given him everything. And in this epistle we are brought, as we said earlier, into the highest place, the highest blessings that God ever gave to man in any dispensation. No Old Testament believer had what you and I have, nor will anyone in a future day, even in the glorious Millennial Day.
Have what compares to what you and I have, and so how wonderful it is here to see.
The contrast between the covetousness, wanting something that God hasn't given me, on the other hand, giving a thanks for everything that he has given me.
And so we come. I'm sorry, somebody else going to comment.
Bad brother Bill that if we cultivate.
The habit of Thanksgiving.
It is a safeguard for us, so when we come up against something that for which we cannot give thanks.
We're we're made aware of it. Good. Yeah.
Good. Amen. Perhaps it would be also helpful to offer any advice to any young person or even older person who may be struggling with some of these issues even now that are mentioned in verse 3.
How did they get free of it? How do they escape from it?
Well, perhaps I may be forgiven for repeating something we had at Morningstar because the whole subject there was choices and habits and some were who are here were there at the at the camp.
And.
Generally speaking, and I believe this is also borne out by Scripture, it's very difficult, if not impossible completely to erase a bad habit.
You have to replace it with a good one.
And with a habit, there are always three things. There's the temptation.
There's the, you might say, the routine of the habit. And then there's the reward.
Well, the reward, of course, for a bad habit is temporary.
We can't always replace the temptation, although I can remove myself, if possible, from temptation, but I can't entirely eliminate that because we live in a world where there is temptation. I have to go to school, I have to go to work, and the temptation is all around me.
But if I had find myself with temptation.
I replace what the world and what my old sinful self wants to do with that temptation with something better, and we don't have time to develop it in the meeting. But it brings us back to Romans 6, where we read that we are not merely cleansed from our sins by the blood of Christ.
But we are delivered from the power of sin in our lives by the death and resurrection of Christ, and so to be able to break a bad habit is usually not within my own power to do it. I may be able to do it for a short time with human energy, but the temptation will often be too strong. I need a power outside of myself. I need the Lord Himself.
And then I substitute something better for the routine of that temptation.
00:55:04
And we have that here in this chapter. Instead of succumbing to the evil thought, I turned my mind away from it and I give thanks. And then what happens? I have a reward which is not merely temporal and has a sting in it at the end, because it's only, as we know, the pleasures of sin for a season. I have a joy in my heart, and it lasts and it'll last and reward me for all eternity.
Now that's pretty brief and we could enlarge on it for a whole a whole meeting, but.
Basically I suggest that that that some of the ways that we can overcome something that we may have fallen into.
And.
As we've just said, it can happen to any of us.
Though the old illustration has often been given, if you fill a cup with wheat to the brim, there's no room for the chaff when they've just done a practical note. When they filled the water pots in the in John's Gospel at the marriage in Canaan of Galilee, it's interesting. The Lord never told them how full to fill them, but in obedience to His word, they went even beyond They filled them to the brim. You fill the water pot to the brim, there's no room for anything else.
And I'd like to go to a couple of scriptures, because James's question is a very good one. And I think it's a it's a very practical subject. It's a question of what are we filling our minds with. As has been said, we can sit in front of a computer screen and we or a television, and we can fill our minds with all the corruption of this world. Again, there's a way that those things can be used for God's glory, and I'm thankful for that. But two scriptures come to mind in this regard. The first one is in Colossians.
Chapter 3.
Maybe while you're turning there, I'll just draw on an Old Testament illustration as well. David in the 23rd Psalm said, thou anointest my head with oil. The head would speak of our mind. The oil invariably in in Scripture is a picture of the Spirit of God. It's our minds governed by the the Spirit of God in conjunction with the word of God. It's bringing every thought into captivity under the obedience of Christ.
But notice here in Colossians chapter 3 and I'll read the 1St 2 verses. If he then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above and you notice it's seeking its spiritual energy that has to be put forth where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Now I'm going to read this in in Mr. Dyer. The way Mr. Darby translates it. Set your mind on things above. Set your mind now our affections too. But I believe in the context here it's to set your mind.
Philosophy and Judaizing, teaching and other things were coming in to occupy the minds of the Colossians Saints, he says. No, be occupied with Christ where he is now.
And set your mind on those things that are above. Now back up a couple of pages in your Bible to the book of Philippians.
Philippians chapter 4.
And he's talking about prayer in verse six. We won't take time. Notice verse 7. As a result of prayer and Thanksgiving, it says. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your Now notice these two things, hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are, are honest. Whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure. Whatsoever things are lovely.
Whatsoever things are of good a good report. If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things and what are these things that are listed?
They're really the attributes of the person of Christ, aren't they? In fact, one time, and it was very edifying for my own soul. I took each one of these things that were to think about, and I went through and found scripture that denoted those things in relationship to the person of the Lord Jesus, his character, his glories, and so on. It's a very edifying study. But what is he telling us in Colossians and here? What is going to preserve us, brethren, from falling in to the degradation of this world and the things that the natural man follows and the lust of the flesh and so on?
Is to be occupied with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
01:00:02
How are we going to do that? We've got to open this book and read it. To see Christ from page to page, from verse to verse. Be occupied with him. Lift our eyes above the horizons of this world. Be occupied with the man in the glory. This is what is going to preserve us. And the more you and I are occupied with the person of Christ, the more our hearts will go out to him. And then when the conscience and the heart have been engaged, as we've been saying.
Then the feet are going to be preserved in a path of practical holiness and righteousness.
I'd like to add to.
What was said about? Well, the answer give some answer to the question you gave for a young man that might be struggling with *********** or something of the like.
And to start out, might be another shocking statistic.
But to a lesser degree, to the young women who might be struggling with it, I don't have an exact statistic, but.
And closer to 30%?
Christian women struggling with, and, from what I've read and heard, blame also on the advent of the Internet.
Bring it into the light.
Secrets thrive on.
Being secrets.
Bad habits thrive on not being faced and.
Not being named. Not being known.
We're told to walk in light.
Philippians chapter 2.
Verse 12.
Wherefore, my beloved, is ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.
Workout your own salvation with fear and trembling.
I understand the work there to mean cultivate.
We have the salvation.
And with something like this, if we are believers, if we have that salvation.
There's probably been a lot of fighting against it.
In our own strength.
Turning over a new leaf again and again and again and again.
But in my own experience, verse 13.
It's very important.
Word is God.
Which worketh in you both to will and to do.
Of his good pleasure.
Without the.
Without the power of God.
Without getting out of the way, in a sense, and allowing the power of God to be exactly that, the power of God.
Any headway or success we might have in dealing with these sort of things?
Will only be to glorify myself.
Which sets us up for another fall.
It is God which worketh in you both to will and I think anyone who's struggling with.
*********** specifically, but many other unclean habits.
Can recognize that there's a will in us if we if we have Christ in US.
There's definitely a will in us not to be involved in those things.
But the doing quite often is.
Where we keep having trouble?
It is God.
Recognize that God has given power. He does not. He's not weak.
Sit down and.
Allow his power to work.
Name evil for evil. Talk to somebody that you trust.
About it. It's not something to stand up and confess publicly and think that, well, I've done that well, It's gone. It will never come back.
Talk with someone you trust.
And as I have talked with people I've trusted and and I've talked with a lot of young men about this specific.
About *********** and I can, I just want to put it out there for those of you who might be those people that people trust.
01:05:08
A lot of times.
People I've talked to say, well, I talked to so and so. Well, they didn't give names usually, and they sort of got that deer in the headlights look.
OK.
If someone doesn't know what to say, you can give them time, or you can go and find someone else that you trust. Because these topics, as you can just tell by the way people have sort of danced around them a little bit here.
People aren't used to talking about them. They're uncomfortable.
And it's not something that we should be used to talking about publicly, I suppose.
But to those that are older, be ready with.
To listen and to point people to the Lord.
Because any amount.
Good intentions.
Or good habits.
Without acknowledging.
Christ in US.
And letting him work.
Won't work.
Thank you, Tim. That's very good.
Guess our time is up, isn't it?
The offering of the Lord Jesus himself.
That voluntary offering, giving of himself.
We just thank thee now that we have the privilege to voluntarily live our lives for the Lord Jesus. We think of these things that we've considered to get in the way and ruin our joy, take away our confidence.
And would ruin our lives. Lord, we just pray without keep us and help us to go on and with thy strength to be able to overcome with thy power to be able to quietly.
Go over. Defeat the enemy in our lives. And so we ask for Thy help. Lord, we are here because we want encouragement. We want to have joy in our hearts. We want to be refreshed, and we just thank you for this time. Help us, Lord Jesus, to listen. Help us to pay attention, and help us to exercise our hearts to go over the things that aren't right.
To throw out with thy help those things that interfere with our joy and myself. And now we thank thee for this time together. Lord Jesus, we love Thee and we pray that they'll help us to show by our lives that we do love. So we give thee thanks and my precious and my worthy name, Lord Jesus. Amen. Amen.
A Focused Christian Walk
Talk—Mark Debu
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Let's begin by looking to the Lord for his help.
Our God and Father, we thank you so much that we can be here and that we have can have Thy beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the theme of our song.
We thank thee for this time together with thy people. Lord, we thank you for being able to sing these hymns. We thank thee too, for being able to open thy word and to look to him and to learn a little bit of his life and his example. And we just pray, Lord, that what is said tonight would be according to thy will, that it might be a help to each one of us. We ask this, Lord Jesus, in thy worthy name. Amen.
You know about A little over a week ago, a local brother called me and asked if I had been thinking about something.
And I had been thinking about something, but it was something connected with work and so I told him I'd pray about it and get back to him and.
The thing I had been thinking about.
I think fits or there's a direct correlation that we can use in our spiritual lives. And if you excuse a personal reference, a lot of you here know that I have a little house painting business. Most of the time I work by myself.
But over the years I've had a few people work for me and this summer my oldest son is working for me and you know, it's a little different dynamic working for your for your dad and so on.
And I was thinking about that because, you know, I want him to be a good employee. And I was thinking about what things I expect from people that work for me, what I expect a good employee to be, and in my line of business, painting.
What you don't need is a is a fancy degree. That's really not necessary for what I do. There's many.
Jobs that you do need a degree. We wouldn't want the person that designs our bridges to have good intentions but not know what he's doing.
But so as I was thinking about that, I came up with a couple of things. And actually when the brother called, I'd been talking with Jamin about that and I said.
What I what I expect out of you is focus and motivation, if you have those two things.
You'll become a good painter. You'll be a good employee. And I was thinking of how that correlates to with us in our Christian spiritual lives. You know, I don't think there's anybody here.
That would say, well, the Lord took up with me because of certain things I have to offer.
That's not why we are here.
The Lord took up which each one of us in sovereign grace. We were all dead in trespasses and sins. There's nothing that we could offer the Lord.
That's not what he why he reached out. It was because of his sovereign law for us.
But now?
That we belong to him. I do think there's something that he expects from us. And I think if we think of it in the same way, he wants us to focus and he wants us to be motivated. And what I mean with focus is, is to know what we're here for. When Jamin in the morning clocks in, I want him to be focused on the job at hand. We have stuff to do that day, and I want him to be focused on that. I want him to be motivated.
To get the work done.
And so I want to talk a little bit about that, about the focused Christian life. And as I as I was thinking about that, the first thing I thought of is the perfect example we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I'm going to read a verse in Luke's Gospel chapter 2.
And I often think about this verse and it's it just strikes me every time I read it. And these are the first words that we have recorded that are spoken by the Lord Jesus. He was about 12 years old and it's in Luke chapter 2.
And.
Verse 49 We all know the story.
00:05:02
Had been up to Jerusalem for the feast, probably with a large company. They've been there for the feast, and then Joseph and Mary and the others left, and after a while they noticed that the Lord Jesus was not in the company. And so they went back and they looked for him and it took a little while and finally found him in the temple.
And Mary asks him, You know, what are you doing here? We were worried, And this is what the Lord answers in verse 49. He said unto them.
How is it that you sought me with you, not that I must be about my father's business?
Those are some very striking words. First of all, he was a 12 year old boy, but he was the Lord Jesus and it really shows us in those words what his life was all about. Now if you want to talk about a person whose life had one goal, had one focus, this verse shows us.
A person like that, it was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whist ye not that I must be about my father's business? He only had one focus while he was down here, and that was to do his father's business.
And you know, if we read through the Gospels, we see that that was the case day by day. We do not see the Lord Jesus ever once turning aside after an earthly pursuit. Everything was about his Father's business. And if you look at the 3 1/2 years of the Lord's public ministry.
The public ministry is really a good word for it because I don't think there was ever a more public person than the Lord Jesus during that time.
From early in the morning to late at night, he was at the Publix disposal. We see him interacting with people all the time the late at night.
He was about his father's business and whatever he did, he was a real man.
He did all kinds of different things, but it was always being about the Father's business. Let's read a verse two in Isaiah chapter 50.
Because, as I said, I want to think about what the Lord Jesus did.
As an example for us, because I want, I believe the Lord wants us to be focused too.
With his work that he has for us down here.
Isaiah chapter 50 and verse four. It says the Lord God hath given me the tongue of the Lord, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary He wakeneth morning. By morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learneth the Lord God hath opened mine ear.
And so here we see the Lord Jesus, I believe, every morning.
Starting his day in communion with the Father, that was the strength for his pathway down here.
And so, for that whole time that the Lord was here on earth, we see him with a single focus being about the Father's business. Some of his last words before he went to the cross was not my will, but thine be done. It was the Father's business.
But we can say, well, that was the Lord Jesus. He was God.
But I think we have some other examples, two of others that were the same, that had one focus in life. And the person I was thinking about was Paul.
You know when, Paul?
He was a person that the first part of his life. He was not about the Lord's business at all, as a matter of fact, even though.
It looked religious, and it might have looked to a lot of people like what he was doing was pleasing to God. It wasn't at all. This afternoon we talked a little bit about.
Things that are displeasing to the Lord, the morality, and so on. Well, it doesn't seem like Paul was involved with that, but he was involved with persecuting, putting in jail Christians. That's not pleasing to the Lord.
And yet he came to a point later in life that he could say in Philippians chapter One.
Verse 21 For me to live is Christ. For me to live is Christ. So here's this person that was going in a direction completely opposite to God's will.
00:10:00
And justice, like in each one of our lives guarding Sovereign Grace, came in and halted him on a certain road to destruction and turned them completely around.
And what was his life from that point on? It was a focused life. It was a life that has Christ as the one object and everything that he did.
Was in connection with what the Lord had for him to do. Down here now we read of the Apostle Paul traveling. We read of him interacting with other people. We know that he wrote letters. We read of him working, making tents. But it was all Christ. Everything he did was in connection with Christ.
Wanted for him to do down here and so once.
We are saved by the Lord by grace. We really do not belong to ourselves anymore. It tells us in First Corinthians 7 that we become Christ's Bomberman. We are bought with a price. We do not belong to ourselves anymore. And So what the Lord Jesus wants from us really is that same focus, that same focus in our lives, to live for him. Now, wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if we could say too, for me to live is Christ.
What we do in our lives down here is in connection with what the Lord wants us to do.
We often think and enjoy, and rightly so, that there's a time coming very soon when we'll all be with the Lord. And when we think of that, we realize that at that time there will be nothing anymore that will hinder or communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be perfect communion.
But you know the Lord.
Is looking forward to that very much. He died for his bride. He longs to have his bride by his side.
But I believe as he is waiting now for that moment to happen, he wants us as much for himself.
As we will be with him at that time, he doesn't reason in the way that, well, you're still down here on the Earth. It's OK if you give me 50% of your focus, if you give me 50%.
Of your attention he wants. All of us he wants.
Us to live in communion with him, to have that same focus.
And so it's beautiful that a man here.
That was going completely opposite of God's will.
He could say for me to live is Christ.
But then in the second chapter we have another person, and this person is kind of quite the opposite from Paul.
When I think of Paul, I think of somebody who was bold and it tells us.
In Acts chapter 19, when he was in Ephesus that there was a great riot and the whole city came together and they rushed into the theater.
And Paul says, well, I'm going to go in there. And the disciple says, no, you're not. They knew he was probably going to be torn apart. And so Paul was a bold man.
But here's another person he speaks of, Timothy. And I think Timothy was, in a lot of ways, kind of the opposite of Paul. He was a shy person. He was timid. Paul had to draw him out.
You know, Paul was a public man. He liked to go out and speak. Timothy was not like that.
Paul was a little older. Timothy was younger. Timothy seems to have been physically not that strong. I think Paul must have had an iron constitution, all the things he went through in his travels and his beatings that he got, and yet he got up and kept going. So here's somebody that maybe a lot of us can identify a little bit more with than with Paul.
But what does it say in Philippians chapter 2?
And verse 20 Speaking of Timothy, I have no man like minded.
He had no man like minded. Paul was a single minded person. It was all for Christ.
Well, Timothy was like minded. And I know I'm pulling this maybe a little bit out of context because here it's talking about the care that they had for the Philippine Saints. But I think if anybody could have such a care for God's people, it must be somebody who has a single focus on the Lord Jesus Christ to have that love of Christ for his people. And so here we have Timothy, we have Paul. I don't know, maybe we have some people here that are more like Paul.
00:15:02
Maybe we have some that are more like Timothy. We have people in between, and yet both these men, they had one focus in their life and that was to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's turn to Chapter 3 of Philippians.
Because we see here that it was something.
Very real, very practical, you know, we can talk about.
Having a single mind for the Lord. But in Paul's life we saw it being real, something he did on a daily basis and in chapter 3 verse.
13 He says, This brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
So with Paul, this was a daily living thing. He had an object before him, Christ, and he pressed towards that.
You know, and I think this was written, this epistle.
I was told it's probably about 25 to 27 years after.
He got saved.
And he says this that he hasn't reached it yet.
He's still pressing towards that mark.
And I think we can identify with that. Umm.
You might say, well, we're not as energetic as Paul when it comes to pressing toward the mark, but Paul was still growing, he said. I have not reached the goal yet.
It's something that lies on the end of the pathway, but he was pressing towards it.
And so when we think of the life of the Lord Jesus and we see the perfection, we say, well, we don't even come close to that.
And that's very true. But we can be a small have Christ as our object.
And daily pressing towards that mark. Daily in communion with the Lord, trying to represent him here on the earth, because that's really what we are here for.
Once the Lord lays hold of us and saves us.
We have all eternity with him to look forward to, but we are left here to represent him in this world. That's the essence of what we're here for.
When the Lord Jesus was down here, he perfectly displayed the Father's heart of love to this world. But now that he's gone, it is up to us to do that, and that should be our goal or focus in this life.
In chapter four, he says I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Now we might say, well, that's a little too difficult for us. It is not.
Paul was a man of like passions, like us. So was Timothy. So was everybody else.
And yet having that same new life that's been given to us too, they were able to lead lives that were had a razor like focus.
And I want to tell you something else too. I've been really impressed lately with the book of Philippians.
And the thing that really has stood out to me was, well, let's go back to Chapter 3.
I'm not going to read it, but there's some verses there in the beginning that if you read, Paul speaks of things he has given up, things that were very important to him before he was saved.
He gave up after he had to say after he had been saved, and he had.
New motivations. We talked about that little this afternoon too, when the question was asked. If we have certain problems, how do we get rid of them? How do we break those habits?
And the answer was given, or part of the answer was that we fill that void, you might say, if we give things up with better things. And Paul had done that he before he was saved. He lived a very full and a very energetic life. But it was misdirected.
But after he got saved, he got a glimpse of that man in the glory on the road to Damascus.
And what had occupied all of his time, he says. I'm setting that aside.
00:20:01
But what did he do? He filled his life with new desires, with a new object, and everything that was connected with that. His time was spent preaching the gospel, encouraging the Saints, visiting with them, and so on. And So what does he say when he looks back on those things? Does he say, well, I really lost thou everything that meant something to me.
It's kind of gone, no, he says this.
Verse seven of chapter 3. But what things were gained to me? These I count at loss for Christ.
Yeah, doubtless I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but done or filth that I may win Christ.
And so there's a progression there too, and it's something that we all have to learn experimentally when we follow the Lord, He says. What things were gained To me? All those things that in the previous verses meant everything to him.
Those I counted loss for Christ and I think that verse speaks of early in his converted life.
He counted. It's in the past tense.
But now he's 2527 years down the road, he's been serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
And you might say in the next verse we see what has happened, he says, Yeah, doubtless I count he's now speaking in the present tense. All things but loss for the excellence Excellency of Christ. So here's a man that could look back and says, 25 years ago I gave up everything that meant something to me.
And now I'm 20 years, 25 years further.
And those things mean even less to me today than they meant when I first gave them up. I haven't drifted back towards them. And why is that? Because he had something so much better. He had the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ to motivate him and to be occupied with day by day.
And so when we ask ourselves the question, how can we?
Be more focused How can our life?
Be more focused with the things of the Lord.
The answer is.
That we, just like Paul, need one object. We can only have one focus if we only have one object.
And that object should be the Lord Jesus Christ, and everything else will follow from that.
But another thing that's interesting here is.
When Paul wrote this epistle.
He was in jail.
That the whole epistle.
Is bursting with energy and rejoicing.
Isn't that beautiful?
And sometimes.
I think we all thought that or felt that. I certainly have is.
We know that we could do better very practically. We know we could do better. We know we could be more dedicated.
Do the things of the Lord, but we're afraid that if we're going to give up something.
That we're going to lose out.
Whatever it is that we enjoy, that we realize it hinders us or it slows us down in our focus and our pathway for the Lord. Oftentimes we're so afraid to give that up because we say we can't do without that. It means a lot to me.
Paul was happy. He was.
You know, at some point he was pretty much left of every person that was close or bereft of every person that was close to him. He didn't have his freedom anymore. What he loved to do most was to go out and preach the gospel and encourage the Saints. He couldn't do that anymore right now at this time. And yet the whole epistle over and over, it says rejoice in the Lord. It's full of joy. He didn't feel like he had lost out on anything.
And so.
That's what the Lord Willie wants from us. He wants us to trust him, and the Lord is no man's debtor.
If we're willing to give.
Certain things that are not helping us in our pathway, He will more than make up for them and it will help us.
00:25:03
To be more focused on Christ, it will help us to be happier down here, because a Christian can't truly be happy unless he's occupied with the things of the Lord. And so I trust that that would be.
It is there of each one of us, and you know, this little time here no doubt will help us we.
We often need to be refocused in our lives. The Lord didn't need to be refocused. He never lost his focus, but we do.
But I trust that it would be our desire for each one of us to have more of a single eye, to have more of.
Christ before us that we might follow more closely. Let's pray.
Our gone father, we.
We pray that thou wouldst help us to realize more of what we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.
And that as we are occupied with thee, Lord Jesus, it might help us to.
See the world, the things around us, more in proper perspective, things that will fall away and come under judgement.
Help us, Lord, to follow closer to be occupied with Thee, Lord Jesus, and thy life as we see it in the Gospels. The perfect example.
We prayed As for each one here, Lord, young and old.
And as we think of the many distractions that the enemy.
Puts in front of us, We feel the need of dependence. Help us, Lord.
To be dependent upon thee, to start our days.
Independence and in prayer, asking thee for help.
So we might be followers, disciples indeed, we pray to the Lord Jesus and thy worthy name.
Amen.
Trust in the Lord
Children—Tim Kaiser
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.
And previous printing not included. Let's see.
If somebody has that one and can start it.
What do you have there?
Ah, same as me. You want to pick another one?
OK #44 OK #44.
Salvation story reaping your rainbow.
Tillman can say I don't want children, not men.
Nobody ever so beautiful.
Give me some lovely help for let go.
Nobody. Ever.
Again.
Salvation story reaping over the.
Nobody ever has told me before.
Just as he entered the valley of death.
The one scentiest son is so bad to send me.
Salvation story.
Nobody, nobody, nobody ever told me.
Says tell it again, see your hand up and we'll call on you in just a minute. OK, Just a minute.
Tell it again. Tell it again.
Salvation story Repeat over and over until nobody can say.
That nobody has ever told me before.
I know people.
That I live near, that I don't think have heard.
About the love of the Lord Jesus and I just sang Tell it again, tell it again.
I should tell the people that I'm around the good news, because it is very good news of the Lord Jesus. OK, Did I see a hand up over there?
What number? 32? Nice and loud. Good #32.
What can wash away my sins? Oh, I like to sing this song.
I see this song is actually the first line asks a question.
And the second line answers the question.
So I'd like the on the first verse. OK, I won't make it too painful.
No, let's let's let's practice the first verse, just singing it. But then when we get to the second verse, just the second verse.
The guys. All the guys.
Well, yeah, we'll say the first for this pardon for for my pardon this.
And then the girls will answer thing, but the blood of Jesus.
OK, so only for verse two guys first, girls 2nd, and then the guys will do the third line and the girls will do the fourth line. And if you get confused, that's okay okay. Here we go.
00:05:01
What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
4-5 One thing this might be nothing but the monarchy.
Jesus, do you make a long time righteousness nothing but the blood of Jesus.
All precious, it is not low.
And makes me quite a small.
Low for my breath comes dying low. Nothing's up the blood of the pleasures.
OK, one more song.
OK.
Number.
41.
Around the throne of God in heaven will many children say, children whose sins are all forgiven will heaven the anthems bring singing.
Playing the children, They're sleeping glory.
Glory.
Glory.
Sake yourself? Yes. What do you want to say?
But how much can that must precious? Love me all the way and we can sing well.
OK, that will be enough seeing for now. Maybe we'll have time later.
How about the verse? Let's see, I have had it running through my mind for a week, but.
Somehow it's not in my mind at the moment, so I the reference is Psalm 34.
00:10:06
Verse 8 O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Now is there anyone here that memorized that verse?
I see 12345.
A few half hands, so anyone here that wants to say the verse?
You like to.
See there this.
OK, stand Say that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Psalm 34, eight. Good job. Anybody else?
OK.
Oh, taste and see that the world is good.
Blesses is the man that stresses in him some.
3344 to 28.
Anybody else?
It can be scary to use the mic. You don't have to use the mic.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Now.
I got to thinking.
About trust.
And I grew up with.
Five brothers and one sister and on the the third in there.
And.
I trust is an interesting word. It can. It can mean a whole lot of things.
Has a lot of things that.
Can be scary about it and since I like to.
I like to sort of have a definition. I can ask somebody that I trust for at least to help. Dad, can you help me?
What does trust mean? It doesn't have to be an all-encompassing definition, but can you help us out a little bit?
It means to believe what they say. It means you can rely upon them.
OK, to believe what they say means you can rely upon them.
So I'll give a little bit of an example of trusting.
And it's only a little one, OK?
These are Sunday School papers for this week and.
They mean a little bit.
Different to me than probably just about anybody else here because.
Well, I think the person that designed them is here.
Then they got sent to me and and I printed them on a a printing press.
And I enjoy running a big machine. I really like it.
But.
I remember struggling with the picture on this one here. The father's face here is a little bit mottled and I don't like that that's not what it's supposed to look like. But, and then I I cut it apart, cut the sheets apart and I ran it through a folding machine to fold them in half and.
So I've put a little bit of work into these and.
I do like people to appreciate them, and so I'm going to, I'm going to entrust 1 to you.
And you?
And U?
I hope that.
They get read.
And you're welcome.
I It'd be sad to see one thrown on the floor somewhere. You're welcome, or even in the garbage. I'm sure that most of them eventually end up there, but I I hope that you're welcome. You're welcome.
You're welcome. You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome. You're welcome.
You're welcome. You're welcome.
You're welcome too, and the rest of you are welcome to one later.
So.
00:15:00
I have taken something that has a little bit of value. The word of God has a lot of value, but I've entrusted each one of you with one of these sheets of paper and I I hope that it gets read and used properly and eventually dispose them properly, whatever that ends up being.
Can I? Can I?
Can I trust you kids with those?
I see a very slight nod. Can I? Can I trust you?
Yeah. OK. I I I think you're right. I'm I'm willing to trust you with them. How about that? Even though most of you, I don't really know.
And with someone I don't really know, it's.
I can trust a little bit with something that I don't.
Value. I mean, I do value them, but not not as much as some things, let's put it that way.
Now I.
Didn't look through my wallet before I came here, but we're going to look through my wallet here.
And I have some Ace Rewards $5 off your next purchase.
Like, what's this?
A free 3 1/2 inch Super Blade aluminum flashlight at Harbor Freight.
Sam's Club membership credit card.
Let's see here ATM card.
And my driver's license.
Is this valuable?
Who here would like to have a driver's license?
Would you like to have my driver's license?
That's OK. I wasn't really thinking about giving it to you.
But you would like a drivers license, would you? Wouldn't you?
I like my driver's license.
The pictures OK, but really what matters is that it means I can drive.
It's valuable to me and.
The law says, at least where I live, that I can't drive a car unless it's on my person unless I have it with me.
So I consider my driver's license fairly valuable, and this credit card was fairly valuable. I wouldn't be able to get home without it. Let's see here.
I've got.
20406080.
90959697 dollars.
Is that valuable?
Anyone here that would?
Be happy to be entrusted to 97 dollars.
Yeah, yeah, I see lots of hands.
Yeah, see a few business cards.
A picture of my wife.
I consider that very valuable. Another credit card.
Paycheck in there. I must have been to the bank recently. Let's see.
Well, that's probably about it.
So that's that's pretty valuable. I don't, I wouldn't entrust that to just anybody.
Now.
What's this?
A flip phone. Notice how he mentioned flip.
To me, this is valuable.
You know what, I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter and a two year old daughter and a wife back home that you know what, I just got a picture this morning. They went and visited my sister while I'm gone.
And they sent me a picture saying hi.
This morning.
And this is the way I can communicate very easily with my wife, with my kids.
If I have any, this is very valuable to me. I know some of you this.
Would be about as valuable perhaps as well. Anyways, we won't compare it to a Sunday school paper, but this is very valuable to me. In fact, to say I mean in the carload that I came with. It's the only phone at all, so perhaps more valuable than you expect.
And this?
Is a key.
Who would like a key to a car?
00:20:02
Yeah, I'm not planning. I'm sort of I'm, I'm, yeah, these are valuable to me.
And.
I want to.
Make I want to show.
A little bit of something about trusting. I've entrusted each of you kids with a Sunday school paper, OK?
But I consider these to be valuable in a very different way, and I don't just.
Give these to anybody.
Sometimes I give my wife.
This cell phone when hers isn't working.
I don't remember really giving my wallet. Oh yes to my wife a few times.
And these keys, well, right now this is the one that I have to keep track of for the company vehicle.
It's pretty valid. In fact, it's a couple $100 to get replaced.
So our verse was let's see now, oh taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Blessed.
Blessed is the man. What in the world, Dad, can you help us out again? What in the world is blessed mean?
Happy, happy. OK, that's a pretty simple, alright.
So if I trust the Lord, I'm happy trusting, trusting with certain things to be easy. It was pretty easy to give you those, those high school papers, so I'm going to find somebody.
And I can entrust with my wallet and my key and my cell phone.
And that's scary.
Does anyone here volunteer?
I see a hand here.
Couple hands over there.
And.
I'm just going to going to ask.
Would it be? Would it be?
Would it be wise of me?
To entrust my wallet and keys and cell phone.
To this young man.
You know.
I tend to agree. I saw a lot of heads shaking and, you know, I don't know you and I'm sorry, I I, I trust you with the same school paper, but these mean an awful lot to me.
And it's something that's easy to trust people with, and something that's hard.
So I was thinking about this before I came up here, which is probably good. And so I thought there is one person here that I do trust and that's my father. So I'd like to have him come up here and.
Happy is the man that trusts in him and so you know, we're told.
Blessed is the man that trust.
Let's see. You'll taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are happy is the man that trusts in him.
So.
If I can, I trust my father.
Seen a lot of people shaking their heads. Yes, I think they probably had good fathers.
Or perhaps they know something about my dad.
So I have my hands are actually shaking a little bit. I don't know what do you think here all I.
I'll give these to my father.
I'm waiting to get happy.
So what do you think, kids? Do you understand what trusting is yet?
See, I've given these things to my father.
Or have I?
Have I given these to you? Not yet.
Can I trust you?
Can you trust me?
Well, you've told me in the past I can.
And I guess.
You've been trustworthy in the past.
And.
Trusting is hard.
When it's something that is really valuable.
I hold on a second now I've taken care of this phone.
For.
I don't know.
At least two or three years in this wall you can see.
00:25:01
It's been mined for a while and.
If I lose this key, I'm I'm out a couple 100 bucks.
And.
But OK.
There you go.
Now folks, this is not rehearse.
Tim says he trusts me.
Give me your glasses.
This. He didn't know about this.
Thank you.
Your Bible, please.
You know, I don't think you need your glasses to find the Bible.
Tim ended up trusting me for more than he bargained for, but it's not a bad bargain.
I happen to know he needs the Bible. He's getting it back with the bookmark.
And he needs his glasses right now.
And so he's getting them back. Thank you. But the other things he doesn't need right now.
What do you think?
Can I trust my dad?
I think so.
But I tell you, I wasn't expecting that.
But I wasn't expecting this either.
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are happy is the man who trusts in him.
My dad.
Took my.
Phone and my wallet.
And my keys.
And my glasses and my Bible.
And he knows that I need my glasses.
And it sure would be handy to have my Bible here, but he also knows I don't need.
My wallet and my keys.
And my phone. And you know what?
As we go through life.
Learning to trust is the hard thing.
Particularly when people that you trust.
Sometimes people that you trust.
Aren't going to do what is best for you.
But I trust that my father is going to do what is best for me.
And you know, as I've gone through life.
There are times.
That I've trusted the Lord.
I trusted I trusted the Lord when I was 5.
I asked him to.
Wash away my sins.
I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior.
And he is my senior.
As I've gone through.
He's asked me to trust him.
With telling the truth.
He's asked me to trust him with who and Mary.
He's asked me to trust him with.
Not cheating on a test.
He's asked me to trust a man.
An awful lot of things, and some things are easier than others.
But you know that verse that some of us have memorized taught was written by David?
After he had just gone through an experience when he wasn't trusting the Lord.
But the Lord was still faithful. He was still.
He still came through and provided for him and he was so grateful.
Recognizing that it's foolish not to trust.
God, He's the only one that knows what's going to happen next. He's the only one that knows what's right in every situation. You know what?
00:30:12
I gave you all a Sunday school paper and.
We printed those Sunday school papers for children to read and to have. It wasn't very hard to give them to you.
Without my wallet and my keys and my cell phone.
I'm going to have to.
I'm going to have to.
Let my father.
Provide a way to contact my family. Provide.
A way to pay?
Gas and food.
Provide a way to get back home. I don't have any way of getting back home. I can't drive anymore.
I think in the right time my father will give me back those things.
But think about it.
What are you trusting the Lord for now?
Are you trusting him?
He's worthy of being trusted.
Blessed, happy is the man that trusts in him.
In God, Alright, how about we sing some more?
OK.
Number 50 Boy now.
I'm going to try it. This is hard. Try to smile while singing.
Oh, happy day. That fix my choice.
On Thee, my Savior and my God.
Well may this glowing heart rejoice.
And tell its raptures all abroad.
Happy day.
Happy day.
Concern. I am my love and he is smiling. He driven me around like all the time.
Like it can be honest. So one big one.
Happy day when Jesus, when Jesus falls my sins away.
Jesus.
Wants my sins away.
And rest my body hard.
Drinks from the world. The Simpsons remains. No one is from my glorification.
May Jesus.
00:35:00
My extent somewhere.
We're going to sing another one but.
Now rest my long divided heart.
You saw when I was trying to give those things to my father.
And I held them out to him.
But I kept them in my hands.
I have a hard time just speaking to kids when there's so many others here.
What are we trying to give to the Lord but not letting go of?
Dad, what was that verse you found for me this morning?
5117 Psalm 5117.
It's scary to give things up.
Psalm 5117. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart. Oh God, thou wilt not despise.
Contrite surrendered.
Not fighting anymore.
We must surrender to the Lord.
Giving away my cell phone and wallet and keys this morning.
It's not permanent, you all know that.
Now let me ask you a question, Tim.
Did it pay you to trust me? Yeah. How did it pay you? Well, you gave me $10.
That's right, when I gave Tim his Bible back, there was a $10.00 bill stuck in it. It always pays to trust the Lord.
OK, how about one last song?
OK.
#11
#11.
Let's see.
Wow, that was my favorite every gospel. I always hoped somebody would give that one out.
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?
You're going through anything hard. You know, no matter where you are in life, whatever your worst problem is, that's your worst problem. You've got something big.
Well, your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife.
I like word pictures. When the strong tides lift and the cable strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain? You can just imagine a boat going up, the water's coming up, and that rope's getting tight, pulling on the anchor. What are you trusting in? You trusting something that's going to move?
If you're trusting yourself, yes, you're trusting something that's going to move.
Trying to figure out how to not move.
We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure, while the billows roll fastened to the rock which cannot move.
Grounded, firm and deep.
And The Saviour's love? Let's sing the whole song #11.
Will your Anchor hold in the Storms of Strife?
Let's talk to the Lord.
Our God and our Father.
Give thanks that.
You've given us truth.
And love.
And grace and mercy.
That you are faithful.
We can trust you.
Thank you also for giving faith.
We ask.
Your blessing on what's been said here.
And what's been thought?
Father me.
Pray that you would be glorified.
By what goes on in the heart of each one here?
As we.
Many times have to again and again.
Remember to trust.
Thank you that you are faithful.
Give thanks.
And again we ask blessing in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Service for Christ
Address—Jim Hyland
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.
I'd like to start the meeting this afternoon with him #33 in the appendix.
Rest my soul the.
Workers.
Done. Done by God Almighty.
Son, let's turn.
Let's ask God's help and blessing our blessed God and Father. We're so very thankful this afternoon for the Lord Jesus Christ, and we thank Thee that we rest this afternoon on a finished work. We thank Thee that that work has been accomplished to Thy glory and for Thy eternal satisfaction, and that we are on our way to the Father's house, where we're going to sit down in His presence and enjoy His His company.
The sunshine of thy love for all eternity. But now, as we're on our way homeward, we thank thee for this opportunity to be together in this way.
00:05:07
And thy living word that thou hast preserved to us, We thank thee that Thou hast given us light and instruction even for these dark, difficult days. We thank thee that thou hast given us comfort and edification. Correction. And so we pray that whatever we need this afternoon might be ministered to us from this living book in the power of the Spirit. We pray that we might have Christ much before our souls, and that our hearts might go out more to him.
So we look to thee for help and blessing. Help us to stay alert too, and to take in what thou hast to say to us. We ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for his glory. Amen.
By way of introduction to the subject I have on my heart this afternoon I'd like to read 2 portions of the Word of God, one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament. The first one is in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah, chapter 42.
Isaiah Chapter 42.
And justice, the first part of verse one.
Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. And then in Lukes Gospel, chapter 22.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 22 and verse 27. For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that service, is not he that sitteth at meat. But I am among you as he that serveth. These might seem like strange verses to connect at the beginning of an address to Christians, but I have it on my heart this afternoon to take up the subject of service for Christ.
It's the subject that's been on my heart for some time. And I trust, as we take it up this afternoon, we can, in the presence of the Lord and with His help, take it up delicately and with balance. It's a subject that runs throughout the entire word of God. And so we can only hope to mention a few things and look at a few scriptures in the time that is allotted to us today. But, you know, whenever we take up a subject in the word of God.
It's always to bring before us first and foremost some aspect of the person and work of Christ, and that's why I read these verses as well. In fact, at the end of the meeting this morning, the verse was read to us in Matthew 12, I believe it is, which is a quote from where we read here in the 42nd chapter of Isaiah. And it was really when our brother read it to us this morning that it was brought before my soul.
Because we have first of all.
In connection with the subject of service and ministry for Christ, the perfect example brought before us. And I thought of this verse in connection with this subject because again, God would always direct our attention to His Son, the Lord Jesus. There was many years ago, centuries ago, a perfect man that walked in this world. That's why the heavens on occasion would open up.
And heaven would gaze down at that blessed object, a voice declared. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
There was an object in the world, as one of the writers said, that would commend the place and heaven delighted to look down on that perfect man, that perfect servant walking here in this world, the one of whom we read in Romans. Even Christ pleased not himself. And it tells us, if we were to go to the book of Hebrews in the 12Th chapter, that he was the author and finisher of faith, that is, he was the only person.
Who began and completed his service, his pathway through this world in perfection for God, Oh, what a pathway of service it was. He came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and give his life a ransom for many.
And so he could say to his disciples, I am among you as one that service. If we had backed up in the incident we read in Luke 22, we would find that there had been a little discussion amongst the disciples who would be the greatest because, you know, they were thinking of greatness in connection with how the world measures greatness. You know, when the world thinks of servants or menial tasks, they don't think of greatness. They think of those who are perhaps lowest on the social rung.
00:10:17
On the social ladder. But that's not the way it is in Christianity. And so the Lord Jesus really, very gently rebuked and corrected the disciples.
Showing them that he had taken the place of a servant amongst them, and that it was a great place to take, that it was a wonderful thing to be able to serve. He had served God, his father, here in his pathway, and now he was encouraging the disciples to not strive for worldly greatness, but greatness. And Christianity now was to take that low place as a servant. And I want to encourage each of our hearts.
And what we're going to take up this afternoon as we go to various scriptures is for every age group here.
Who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior? On your schedule card, this meeting was scheduled as a meeting for Christians, an address for Christians. And I'm thankful that it was because as I say, this is not something just for the children as we had this morning. It's not just something for the young people, but it's something too, for those who are raising families. It's something too, for those of us who are a little further along in the past of faith and service.
And it's something I trust will exercise my older brethren in the light of Scripture as well.
And so I say what's before my soul? As we have mentioned, the perfect servant is to take up the privilege that you and I have of service and ministry for Christ. I'd like to go now to a verse in the 100th Psalm. We're going to take this up under different headings. I'll introduce the heading after I read this particular verse. Psalm 100.
Psalm 100 and verse 2.
Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence, with singing. Now, some of these scriptures we're going to look at this afternoon. We're perhaps going to take slightly out of their context and make some applications, but I trust it will be relevant and that we won't take too much liberty with application. I realize this verse is Jewish in its character, as the Psalms are no doubt it will be fulfilled in a coming day.
When the remnant, and perhaps all Israel, come before the Lord, and they come with singing.
They couldn't sing, as we were reminded this morning, the Lord's song in a strange land as captive.
But there is a day coming when they're going to be established in their land and there's going to be the shout of the king amongst them and he himself in that day is going to lead the singing. Just say to that when you read the history of those that God used in connection with the revival of the truth of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus and so on. Back in the 1800s brethren were exercised as meeting formats were re established as to this verse and that's why.
Most often we come into the presence of the Lord and start our meetings with a Him. They were exercised about coming into his presence with a hit, with a song, with Thanksgiving. But I want to apply it a little bit different this afternoon in connection with this subject of service for Christ. I said we were going to take up these verses in connection with various subtitles. Perhaps we could say. And I read this because I want to stress first of all.
In connection with service and with for Christ our spirit and attitude, you know what the Lord Jesus wants is happy servant.
He wants us to take up those things He's given us to do for his glory and for the blessing of others here in this world. But he wants us to do it with the proper spirit and attitude. And some of you have late have heard me speak on our spirit and attitude as we've gone through various scriptures in the word of God. Because this, our spirit and attitude, I believe, is as important as what we do ourselves. And it's often been pointed out that in the various aspects of the judgment seat of Christ.
One of the aspects in which it's taken up in Romans is in connection with the commendation in the coming day. Not just for what we do, not even just for the motive. We'll speak of that in a few moments, but the Spirit and attitude in which we take up service for Christ.
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He wants happy servants. You remember in First Kings chapter 10, when the Queen of Sheba came to King Solomon a picture of the Lord Jesus, and she spent time in the court of Solomon, and she lists there many of the things that she observed under the administration of the Kingdom in his day, And it was a wonderful day for Israel. They were at their pinnacle in the Old Testament, but one of the things the Queen of Sheba noted particularly.
In connection with his servants.
Was that they were happy servants. They went out and stood ready to serve in their various capacities, but they did it with joy. And that's what the Lord Jesus wants from you and from me. He wants us to be happy servants. Now I realized that in service for Christ there are many routine, perhaps very what seem mundane, tasks that we take up for the Lord, but where it's not to be a drudgery.
And we're going to speak in a few moments of those things that will safeguard our service being simply routine and a drudgery. Because if it is, if there's someone here and you say, well, I go to the little assembly where I come from and and I try to help out and serve the Lord where I can. But it's pretty tough sometimes and there doesn't seem to be much joy in my service. I trust that the scriptures were going to look at subsequent to this.
Will encourage our hearts and perhaps give us a little of the antidote to a spirit and attitude like that.
Because, as it says here, he wants us to serve the Lord with gladness and to come before His presence with singing. You know I love when I see a brother or sister taking up their little service for Christ. You hear a little note of praise on their lips. Maybe they're whistling a little Him, humming the tune of some Him, perhaps under their breath, singing a few words of a Him. Although I know that there's a person who's serving the Lord with gladness.
That's really what he wants. He wants that spirit and attitude of happiness and joy in our service. Now, brethren, that doesn't mean that there aren't going to be sorrows along the way. That doesn't mean that there aren't going to be tears, Paul said in summing up his service to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20. He said, serving the Lord with many tears and temptations That befell me, by the way.
Paul had many sorrows and tears as he sought to serve the Lord and his brethren. But he said on another occasion, sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. And so I don't want to give the impression that there aren't going to be tears, that there aren't going to be times of sadness. But through it all we can have that rejoicing if we know that we are in the will of the Lord and doing that which pleases him for the blessing of others.
And for the glory of God. But now I'd like to connect three scriptures in connection with our motive.
We've spoken of our spirit and attitude. But if your spirit and attitude is not what it should be, perhaps these scriptures that we look at will speak for themselves. And perhaps, as I say, it will be a help to you in raising your spirit and giving you that proper attitude that he so desires will connect these three portions and then again make a very brief comment on them. Let's go first of all to First Samuel, Chapter 12.
First Samuel, Chapter 12.
And verse 20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not ye have done all this wickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And then I want to read 2 portions in the New Testament first of all in the book of Galatians.
Galatians, chapter 5.
Galatians, chapter 5.
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And.
Bertie, Just the end of verse 13.
By love serve one another and then one more portion in Colossians chapter 3.
Colossians Chapter 3 and verse 22.
Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh, not with thy services men's pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
I'm sorry.
Verse 23 And whosoever, and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as unto the Lord.
And not unto men knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance.
For ye serve the Lord Christ. Well, as I say, this perhaps brings before us the thought of our motive. What is our motive in service? You know, if our motive in service is not right, then nothing's right, really. And if our motive in service is not right, it is going to become just a burden to us. There's not going to be that gladness and joy and that song from our hearts and on our lips during our service for Christ. And so we find here that Samuel.
Rebuking, but also encouraging the people of God at a time of real failure and weakness in Israel. I say a time of real failure and weakness because they had desired a king, and God in his permissive will had allowed Samuel to anoint Saul as king over Israel. It was really not in his directive will the mind of the Lord, and as a result there were consequences.
And now we find that Samuel is burdened, and the people of God are feeling the consequences of their failure and sin. But what does Samuel do? Well, on the one hand, he does rebuke them. There's something for their conscience. He wanted them to realize that there had been failure come into Israel. But he encourages them as well. He could say fear not. How could he say such a thing at a time?
When things seem to be falling apart in Israel. And yet he could tell them to fear not.
And brother and I think of the day in which we live. These are days of weakness amongst the people of God, and we can't stand apart from it. If we're honest with ourselves, young and old, we have to hang our heads and confess that we're part of the failure and ruin that has come in to the Christian testimony. But all I want to say to each one of us, fear not, because it doesn't depend on us. The blessing depends on his heart. He God's desire was to bless his people here.
And God's desire in spite of us is to bless us and encourage us and encourage us in a path of faith and service. And so while he rebukes them for their sin, he tells them to go on. And what does he say? Serve the Lord with all your heart. And what is to be the motive of our service? It's to be the heart. Because as we've already said in these meetings, and as we've said many, many times, it really is a question of the heart.
I was impressed in going through the Psalms one time, particularly the 119th Psalm, to notice how many times the Psalmist speaks of wholeheartedness. With my whole heart, I will serve thee, With my whole heart I will praise thee, and so on. And that's really what he wants.
You know, brethren, he doesn't want half hearted Christians. He wants our whole heart. We see it perhaps with Daniel. He purposed in his heart as a young man that he would serve and follow the Lord, be faithful to the word of God, and oh, it stood him in good stead at the end of his life. He's still a man of God, going on faithfully, not compromising the truth, serving the Lord, praying three times a day.
But it began with wholeheartedness. It began with a real purpose. That was his motivation. Because the purpose of heart is really to have an object. It's to be motivated by an object. And what is the object for our service? It's Christ. It's not so much reward, but it's Christ that is to be the object. And I believe, brethren, young and old, that the more our hearts go out to the person of Christ.
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The more will desire to serve him and walk for his glory, and the more our hearts will go out to his people and take up his interests here in the in this world. And so he wants us to serve with all our hearts, not with Samuel's desire for the people of God. And in some in some little way, that by the grace of God, that's my desire for you this afternoon, that each of us would serve and follow the Lord not just half heartedly.
But uh, like Caleb, it says he wholly followed the Lord. And then we read in in Galatians because here's another motive. It's first of all, love for him. It's a heart that goes out to Christ. But as I say, in the measure in which our hearts go out to Christ, they'll go out to the people of God as well. His interests here in this world by love serve one another. Do you love the people of God? You can prove it by serving your brethren. You know, it doesn't take great things. And we'll speak of this again a little later.
You know, I noticed someone put a bottle of water on this podium this afternoon just before the meeting. You know, I thought of that. Probably most of you didn't see who it was, and that's OK. But it was service for Christ. It was some, some, some motivation. And I trust it was love for the for the Lord and love for their brethren that motivated them to put that water here on the podium. It's not great things. It's love for the for your the people of God.
If you really love someone, you're going to want to serve them. But then to move quickly. We read in Colossians as well, because here's something else he warns us about, and that's I service. You know, these. Once he was writing to in Colossae, many of them were no doubt slaves, or at least employees to ungodly masters. And they might have wondered, how can we be serving the Lord in this way? We've got to get up every day.
And we've got to work for an ungodly master who doesn't pay us, or at least pay us enough, who doesn't appreciate what we do, who treats us in a rough way, all the Apostle Paul says you do your work for the Lord and it's counted as service for Christ. Because at this juncture, I want to say this, we're not all called to leave our secular employment and go to foreign lands to serve the Lord as missionaries.
It's a wonderful thing if you are, and I trust if there's someone here and you're hearing that call this afternoon, that you'll listen to that call, that you'll listen to that call of the Lord. Because it's a wonderful thing if we have opportunity to serve the Lord in that way. But we're not all called in that way. But when you go back to school and you do your work to the best of your ability into the glory of God, that service for Christ.
If your testimony in your classroom and amongst those that you go to school with, that service for Christ, if you go back to work and you do your work according to the best of your ability, and you don't cheat on the time clock and you pull up your end of the team that you're working on, that's a testimony that service for Christ. Maybe I say, we're not all called to leave those things and go out in what we sometimes refer to as full time service, but we are all called to be servants for Christ where we are.
You are a servant for Christ. I am a servant for Christ, as the boys and girls sometimes sing you in your small corner, and I in mine. But he warns them here not to do. I service as men pleasers, because again, if the motivation is for Christ and out of love for his people, we're not going to serve simply to be seen by others. In fact, I believe that those quiet little services that are done for the Lord.
Perhaps without any recognition, without any thanks, because nobody knew you did it.
I wonder if those services aren't going to get the greater reward at the judgment seat of Christ, because you have to have the right motive to carry on a little service for the Lord. And I'll just say this too. It's a little bit of a parenthesis, but I just say this too in passing. As you serve the Lord, do it.
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Again, not for.
A pat on the back and don't do it.
When you're criticized for doing it, for doing something, don't try to justify yourself. You know, Jonathan, he was used one time in Israel to win a great victory. And you know, his father, King Saul came along and King Saul really tried to get the get the praise for it, for what had happened. But you know, Jonathan never tried to vindicate himself. Jonathan knew that God had the record down properly. It's often been pointed out in John 12 That when Mary poured out her ointment at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
Not only did Judas speak against her, but all the disciples spoke against her. You read that account in the beginning of John 12. Mary never spoke up. In her defense, she left the Lord vindicate her. And so maybe you've tried to serve the Lord. And you say I'm not appreciated. My brethren criticized what I do. You know, Paul experienced that too in his service. The Corinthians, Saints, they didn't appreciate Paul. They questioned his authority as an apostle.
They questioned his ministry. They even questioned his ability to present his ministry. He said That's OK. We labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. Now it's true, our brethren have good things to say to us and we need to listen to them. And Paul listened to his brethren, but he was a servant of the Lord. He sought to please the Lord in his service, and when there was criticism, he said, I know who might have believed.
And am persuaded that he is able.
To keep that which I've committed unto him against that day, he said. When there's criticism, I just leave that with the Lord. There's a day when it'll all be straightened out in the light of His presence. Again we have the perfect example of the Lord Jesus in his pathway. It says, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, He threatened not, you say. How could he do such a thing? Here was the perfect servant. He committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.
As it's just as if he said my father has the record down properly and he knew there would be, and there still will be a day of vindication when the Lord is revealed from heaven in a future day. Now let's go to Galatians chapter 6 to follow this up just a little bit.
Galatians, chapter 6.
And verse 4.
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
For every man shall bear his own burden. Well, here we have an exhortation to every individual to take up the work that God has given them to do.
Because as we alluded to earlier, the service that God has for you is not the service he has for me.
And whatever service he has for you, he's going to fit you for it. And he's going to give you all the resources that are needed to carry out that service. It's not really a question of can you do it, It's a question of is it the Lord's will for you to do it? Because if it is the Lord's will, then he's going to provide everything that's needed. Oh, it's true, He may allow certain things that will keep us dependent.
Paul had a thorn in the flesh, and the Lord said, I'm not going to remove it, Paul, but I'm going to give you the grace to go on and serve me and serve my people in spite of that thorn in in the flesh. And so God may allow certain things in our lives to keep us dependent, but I say again, whatever little service he has for you, he's going to provide everything that's needed. And as some of us were saying at the dinner table today.
God has unity. There's one body, but it's unity with the diversity everyone of us here he has fitted for some little service, and that's one reason why the believers on earth are likened to a body. We're referred to as the body of Christ, and if we were to go to 1St Corinthians 12, we would find that he takes up the illustration of a natural body because we understand very clearly in the natural body.
That every member has a specific function. You know, if I lose a hand or a foot, the other one can can take over and I can get along through life pretty well, but not as well as with two hands or with two feet. But not only that, but many members of our body have a hidden service, the hidden function that we are not, perhaps not even aware of, but if it broke down, the body would suffer.
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And brethren, I believe this that there are many little assemblies gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus that really suffer a lot because there are those in the assembly who do not carry out the little function that God has given them to perform.
I think when Paul wrote to the Saints at Colossi, he perhaps really had that in mind when?
Near the end of that epistle, he says and say to Archippeth, take heed to the ministry that thou hast received of the Lord, that thou fulfill it. You know, we don't read much about Archippus. We don't read what is little ministry or service was. Perhaps it wasn't anything really public.
But Paul felt that Archippus needed to be stirred up to fulfill his ministry, that he wasn't carrying it out in the way he ought to, and that the Saints at Colossi were suffering a lack. When you go home to your little assembly, if the Lord leaves us here, are you going to be exercised as to what the Lord has given you to do? Because, again, no matter how young or how old we are here, the Lord has given us a little service to perform.
As long as we're left here in this world, and I just say this too, it begins with small things. You know, anybody that's ever run a corporation or a business knows that, generally speaking, you don't start people at the top. You hire someone, you put them perhaps on probation. You start them at the ground level, and if they prove themselves in little things, they move, you move them along the ladder. They don't usually start in a top management or CEO position.
Now does God run something more careless than humans? And I've noticed that the boys and girls and the young people who help after the team meeting the fellowship, lunch or whatever it is, helped to clear the tables, maybe help do up the dishes, get the chairs ready for the next meeting. Those are the boys and girls and young people that God often uses later on in greater things. The work of the Lord in every aspect I believe has small beginnings.
Whether it's in your, as we were saying in a local sphere, whether it starts in the classroom, in the local assembly, at work, it always starts with those little things. God proves us in those things, trains us for His service, and then perhaps later on He will give us something else to do. But I know too, there are many that God never gives a public service to. Again, it's like the members of our natural body, they function from day-to-day and year to year. But again, they're never given an outward public service.
But our function. But their function is important. And so he says, let every man prove his own work.
And I believe, too, that there's a great deal of conflict sometimes amongst the people of God because we're not willing to take up our own work. That is, we're not content with the little service that God has given us to do. God doesn't want us to be jealous of anothers work because, again, every person has an individual service, and it's not the greatness of the service that counts, but it's doing it.
As unto the Lord, it's that heart motivation that we spoke of earlier. It's perhaps illustrated with the Levites in the Old Testament, because there's been so often pointed out, and I've heard it from the very early days of my youth, from brethren that are now along with the Lord. But they would point out to us that the Levites all had a different and specific function. And Can you imagine when the Tabernacle was ready to be taken down and moved in the wilderness?
If some of the Levites had decided that they didn't want to do that particular service, that it was either a service that was too small, had too little recognition, or it was a service that was too great and too big a burden. Can you imagine the chaos that would have caused when they got to the next location and they went to set up and all of a sudden the pins hadn't been gathered up, They were left back at the previous location, or the person that was responsible to keep the ropes and keep them from tangling hadn't taken up their responsibility.
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Or the person who carried the board said, well, that's too great a service. That's a burden I just can't. But I can't carry around. Imagine what would have happened. No, everyone of the Levites had a service, and when they performed that little service, then the Tabernacle was set up and taken down with a great deal of order and precision. And again, as members of the body of Christ, he's given each one of us a little service to do.
And won't it be wonderful, brother? And when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ to have his commendation? Not so much how well my brother or sister performed their service.
But how well I performed my service for him, and the motive and attitude, spirit and attitude, in which I carried it out, Isn't that what's really going to count in a coming day is his well done. Thou, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, thy Lord.
I do want to say something specifically for those who are a little younger here this afternoon in passing we've mentioned the Levites and the children of Israel. And if we were to go back to the book of Leviticus, I think it's the 27th chapter. We would find there that the value of a Levite from 20 years of age to, I believe it was 60 was 50 shekels. That was quite a bit, but when?
Someone who made a vow got to be 60 or over.
Their value dropped. I think it was to 15 shekels. That was quite a drop, wasn't it? Some of us are getting close to, I'm getting close to 60 years of age. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting close. My value in that way is going to drop, so to speak, as to the type that we have there, showing the value that God places on those that are younger. You know, I look into the faces of you young people. You have a lot of energy and zeal for the Lord. I'm thankful sometimes, I'm sure all the time when I'm on a trip if I have a young person.
Who will lift those suitcases of Bibles for those boxes of literature on to the next plane or the next boat, or the next Jeep, or pick up? I'm thankful for that. You have a lot of energy, a lot of zeal, and the Lord wants to use you. We're going to see, as we look a little further on. The Lord wants the best years of your life. Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm thankful for those who retire from their secular employment and their exercise to use what retirement the Lord gives them for His service. That's wonderful, you older brethren who are serving the Lord in that way and that it's tremendous. It's a great encouragement to those of us who are younger.
But again, I say the Lord wants the best years of our life. He wants us to be exercised.
In our youth as to service for him and what he has.
For us to do now, let's go to 1St Corinthians Chapter 7.
First Corinthians Chapter 7.
And verse 20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Art. S called being a servant, care not for it. But if thou mayest be free.
Use it rather. We're just going to make a very brief comment on this on this verse. I'm perhaps taking it a little bit out of its context. We know in this chapter he's Speaking of, particularly of marriage. It's really maintaining holiness in our natural relationship.
Up until this point in the epistle, he spoke of maintaining holiness collectively as gathered to the Lord's name. We can't claim to be in the presence of the Lord. Jesus has gathered to His name if we're in different to sin and allow it to continue. And so now he's talking about holiness or righteousness, practical righteousness in natural relationships, as I say in this chapter, perhaps more particularly in connection with marriage. But these little verses are inserted here and I want to apply them in connection.
With our secular employment, I realize there are some here who are nearing the end of their school schooling, whether it's high school or college or university training, vocation school, whatever. It might be your exercise perhaps, as to what the Lord would have for you. Maybe there's some just starting out in higher education as we say the exercise that you don't spend a lot of time studying for something that's going to put you into a position.
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Where you cannot serve the Lord in that position because you know there are secular jobs.
There's employment where you may find when you get into it that you really can't be a testimony in that position, that you really can't serve the Lord in that job or in in that field and so be exercised. He exhorts us here to abide in the same calling with God. And that's really what it boils down to. Again, we're not all called to leave our secular employment and go out at full time in service for Christ, but we are all called to abide in the same calling with God.
Can you go to work with the sense of God's presence with you?
Can you work at your desk or at the bench or wherever you are with a real sense of the Lord's approval and that he's there and enjoy his presence? Now let's go to the book of Joshua. We're going to move along very quickly now.
Joshua, Chapter 24.
Joshua chapter 24 and verse 15. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom he will serve, whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Well here was Joshua. You know Joshua had been a wonderful servant of the Lord.
Raised up to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan and into the good of their inheritance, the land of Canaan and Joshua exhorts the people of God here, seeks to encourage them to serve the Lord. And he says, in spite of what you do, I'm not going to give up serving the Lord. I want to apply this in connection with those who are heads of their home here. I'm thankful to see those with children and young people here.
And I want to encourage you to make your household a venue for service for Christ. I'm thankful I grew up in a home where our parents taught us the joy of service for Christ and fathers. We can't expect our children and young people someday to have a real joy, a real exercise and joy in serving the Lord if we haven't taught them that again. I'm thankful, too, for those in the assembly I grew up in who provided venues for us for service.
Who provided an opportunity to go and sing at a nursing home once a month? Who provided opportunity to put things together to take to our elderly brethren in the nursing homes or in their homes? They taught us the joy of service for Christ and I want to exercise my own soul, but especially those who still have children and families or those who are expecting children to make your home a place where you say, As for me and my house, I will serve the Lord. Many of us have this little verse on our mailbox or our front door. I trusted exercises our souls every time we enter our homes. But now let's go back to the New Testament, to Luke's Gospel.
Chapter 10.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 10 and verse 38. Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister?
Hath left me to serve alone. Bitter therefore that she helped me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. And then I want to connect it with a verse in John 12, John's Gospel, chapter 12.
And we'll read the 1St 2 verses of the chapter. Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, which had been dead.
Whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha.
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Sir, I love this. First of all, we find the Lord Jesus coming to this little home. You know, there were very few homes when the Lord Jesus was here in this world where he was really welcome. Later on it says every man went to his own home. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But there was one home at least where the Lord Jesus was welcome and often turned his weary feet to sit down in the presence of those that loved him and have his spirit refreshed.
And here we find he comes to this home on this occasion and I really believe that both sisters were busy.
They were working together because when Mary complained, she said, Carest thou not that Martha hath left me to serve alone.
When the Lord entered that home, Mary left working with Martha, maybe preparing a meal, getting the house ready.
For their divine guest. But Mary said, oh, here's an opportunity I can't miss. I want to sit down and sit at Jesus feet. And that's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful privilege Mary had. And you and I still have that privilege of sitting at Jesus feet with the word of God before us and listening to his word. But here with Martha, Martha said, we've got to get things done. It tells us that it was Martha's home. No now no doubt she felt responsible.
To have everything just right for this divine gas, and maybe to serve him some refreshment or a meal. I don't want to read into scripture more than here, but we find that Martha was cumbered with much serving. Or if you notice another translation, she was distracted. Why? Because Martha needed to be occupied with Christ. Martha had to learn a lesson. And that's why I read in the 12Th of John, because I believe for between the 10th of Luke and the 12Th of John.
That Martha learned the lesson that the Lord so patiently sought to teacher.
And that was that. True joy in service springs from sitting at Jesus feet. And so we find when he came to that home for the last time before he went to the cross. I love it. It just says. And Martha served. It wasn't cumbersome or distracting. There, no rebuke from the Lord Jesus. Because I say I believe that she had learned, like her sister Mary, that true joy and service springs from sitting at Jesus feet. I mentioned earlier that the Queen of Sheba noted.
That the servants of Solomon were standing ready to serve as happy servants. But I believe if you back up in that account, you find the answer to why.
They were happy servants because one of the things that she noticed about those servants too was.
They were the sitting of his servants. You know, we don't often think of servants as sitting, but again, I suggest that there was a time set aside in the court of Solomon where those servants could come apart, each from their busy occupation, each from serving in their proper capacity to sit down in the presence of Solomon, to be occupied with him the glories of the Kingdom, to listen to his wisdom, to see, and then acted in the administration of the Kingdom of Israel.
And then they went out and stood ready to serve as happy servants. And that's the way it will be in your life and mine. We have the privilege of sitting collectively in the presence of the Lord Jesus this morning. We have the privilege of sitting in His presence individually. We have the privilege of sitting, being in His presence, so to speak, as families with the word of God before us, hearing His words, enjoying His presence, His company. Then, and I believe, only then, can we go forth as happy servants.
And serve in what he has given us to do. But I mentioned I wanted something for every age group here.
And in this regard, I'd like to go back to First Samuel Chapter 2.
First Samuel chapter 2 and verse 18.
But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child.
Gird with a linen, he thought. There are three times in the first part of this book that Samuel as a child is referred to as ministering to the Lord. You know, you boys and girls who know the Lord Jesus as your savior. You can be a minister to the Lord. You can serve the Lord. Now you say, What did Samuel do that was considered ministry to the Lord? Well, his mother had brought him up to the temple to serve under Eli. Eli was a priest who was getting old.
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And again, I don't want to read more in the scripture than we have, but I've often wondered, what did Samuel do to help Eli? We know one thing he did was help open the doors of the temple. Eli was old, perhaps getting feeble. Those doors were heavy. I like to think, too, of Samuel perhaps helping to bring in the wood for the offerings, perhaps helping to clean up the ashes. Whatever it was so valued was it by the Lord.
That it is recorded that as a child he ministered to the Lord. You know, you boys and girls, when you go home.
As you help your parents around the house, as you display something of Christ in your life, as you are obedient to mom and Dad. As you go to school and do your work for the glory of God, as you bow your head and give thanks for your meal in the cafeteria, the Lord will so value that that he will record it in his book called the Book of Remembrance, as ministry to himself.
You may think you're just doing it for Mom and Dad. Maybe you're handing out him books for an older brother at the Gospel meeting at the meeting room. That's wonderful. But if you're doing it with the right motive because you love the Lord Jesus.
You're gonna rejoice someday to think that you've so pleased his heart that he's gonna open a book with a page.
With your name at the top and there it's going to be recorded that you gave out those hymn books. You help dad take out the trash. You helped clean up the yard on Saturday. You helped mom with the dishes or some chore. And he says that was ministry for me. That was well done. You were a good and faithful servant, boys and girls. Wouldn't you like to hear that when you stand before the Lord Jesus another day? Are you going to give him the delight of his heart?
You think it's going to be joy to your heart, but are you going to give him the delight of his heart in being able to say you are a good and faithful servant? Like to turn to another verse? Our time is almost gone. I'd like to go to Romans chapter 12 now really to really cap what we've been saying in connection with service for Christ.
Romans chapter 12 and verse one. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God.
That she presents your body, the living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or intelligent service.
And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Here we are to give ourselves in service. This isn't just giving of our substance. This is not just giving praise and worship as he desires from us. That's all service for Christ as well. But here is complete dedication. This is giving ourselves, you know, it's easy sometimes to give to some 'cause that would be has come to our attention to help another believer or someone out.
Who has a need? But it's another thing to give ourselves, isn't it?
To present our bodies a living sacrifice, You know, we may never be called on to give ourselves as martyrs for Christ.
In the way that many have and still are today. But we are called upon to put ourselves on the altar and to give our bodies a living sacrifice. Our time is gone. There's much more that could be said, but I'll just quote a verse from Revelation, the last chapter of Revelation. It says his servant shall serve him and they shall see his face again. I'm going there. There's more to it than what I'm going to bring out, but I believe at least part of the thought of that is.
That there were two types of service under the Levitical order. There was the service of burden and the service of song. The service of burden, in the way we've spoken of it this afternoon, is something that's only given to us for this life. When we get to heaven, he's going to make us to sit down and come forth and serve us forever. He's going to minister to our every joy and satisfaction for all eternity. But there is a service we're going to render to him for eternity.
The service of song We're going to open our lips and our hearts are going to burn just about burst as we praise and worship Him for all eternity. But in the mean time He desires that we would give ourselves and that each one of us would be exercised. How we can live for His glory and serve Him in a way that is acceptable and it is for the good and blessing of others. Let's pray our God and Father were so thankful for Thy word that would encourage us and admonish us.
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The press on in the path of faith and service. Even in these dark, difficult days, we're thankful for the perfect example of the perfect servant, and we pray that we might seek more and more to follow in his footsteps as he has marked out the road for us. Now we ask blessing on my word, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
The Lord's Supper
Open—Mark Rogers
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Our God and Father, indeed we thank Thee that by Thy grace we are pilgrims here.
Though often, perhaps, our ways do not reflect it, but we thank thee our God that we're on our way home.
We thank thee for all that set before us, the glory, and most of all, Lord Jesus, myself, we thank you that we've been reminded that it's our privilege.
To serve the Blessed Lord on our way home.
And now we think of this meeting before us.
As has been expressed, it's our desire, Lord Jesus, to hear thy voice.
Particularly in connection with what we need right now.
And so we know that it's the head of the body.
Dark, able, blessed Lord, to give us that from vessels that would be yielded to the and led by Thy Holy Spirit. So we ask that it may be soul of Thy goodness.
My grace, we look to thee and seek thy help, and bless thee our God and Father in the precious name of the Lord Jesus. Amen. Amen.
I'd like to perhaps continue the topic that we had in the Remembrance meeting this morning.
Where we were encouraged to look up and see our Lord Jesus.
It's a wonderful privilege that we have around the table on the first day of the week to do such a thing.
I'd like to look at 3 instances, the first instance of three individuals and the first one would be in John chapter 19.
Recently been enjoying this little portion here of someone seeing something I haven't quite seen before.
To see the Lord Jesus.
I'd like to look at it from the thief's perspective.
The thief that railed on the blessed Lord Jesus along with the other thief.
And I'd like to look at this through this thieves size because earlier.
We read that the Lord Jesus said today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
What peaceful that was, to see the one in the middle, give him that assurance. But I'd like just to read here in in John chapter 19 and verse 30 it says When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost, the Jews, therefore, because it was a preparation, that the body should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, for the Sabbath day was in high day besought Pilate.
That their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.
Then came the soldiers, and break the legs of the 1St and then the other, which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they break, not his legs.
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water, and he that saw it bear record.
And his record is true.
That you may that and he knoweth that he set true, that he might believe.
Well, we know that the Romans were masters at execution. They had the art down. They knew that someone could be put up on a cross and could survive for days on a cross. We know from history that the roads were lined with those crosses for those that did whatever deeds they were doing and judged, they were hanging there for days at a time.
And here we have the Jews make a request that these bodies not hang on the cross during their high holy day.
And so they are a masters at their execution. They know how to kill somebody. So the means, obviously, to do such a thing was to take a club of some kind. Because when you're sitting there on a cross, you're using your legs to push yourself up to get breath, and you're able to sag back down, you push up your legs again to grab breath and you go back down.
Well, the means to bring that to an end is to club the legs so that you suffocate. You just drag, you hang on the cross, you suffocate because your legs are broken.
Well, this, uh.
They they see the soldiers.
This is no surprise. The soldiers are masters at this and so they know what's coming. They know the club is there. And so it says here verse 32. Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and the other was crucified with him. Now I don't know how long one can survive in that situation when your legs are broken and you're slowly going out oxygen. I don't know. I'm assuming you might be might be able to go for a minute or so.
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Because here's what the point is. What did the thief see? Possibly the last thing he saw.
His legs were broken, but I have anticipated that soldier, that spear what didn't take long to stick him in his side, to stick the Lord Jesus in his side.
I haven't just thought about that. The last thing that the thief might have saw was to look over in his pain that he was and to see.
Stick as a soldier with tremendous anger, you could say. Stuck the Lord Jesus in his side.
And that to me is something else. To see the promise that he was given merely who knows how many minutes before hour before we don't know. And I off the top, I don't know when he, when he was gotten given that promise there on the cross today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
But to have that fleeting glance as your life is expiring to see the blood and water flow.
I'd like to look at the next instance here, just kind of a precious one here. Mark chapter.
15.
Mark 15 This follows.
Chronologically from the scene we just left in the Gospel of John. It says here verse 42 mark 1542 and went now when the even was come because of the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath. Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable counselor which also waited for the Kingdom of God, came and went in boldly into Pilate and crave the body of Jesus.
And Pilot marveled if he were already dead.
And calling into him the centurion, he asked whether he had been any while dead, and when he had knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
And he brought the fine linen and took him down and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in the supplier, which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone under the door of the supplier.
And Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Joseph beheld where he was laid.
This is a precious verse. Here sinneth the end of this chapter to see these two sisters viewing where his body was laid.
And that to me is just an absolute testimony to see where that body is laid, gazing in at that tomb as to where that body was laid.
In silence, we can gaze on the Lord Jesus.
But the last one here, I'll just take it up here in Acts chapter seven. We took up part of the chapter this morning. This morning part of it was read. I'd like to read further on down in the chapter in Acts Chapter 7 with regards to Stephen.
Here again, we have a fleeting glance.
One of his last glances that he had.
It says here and he had the complete sermon but in verse 54.
His sermon was cut short.
In verse 54 it says when they heard these things.
They were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth, and he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up.
Steadfastly into heaven.
And saw the glory of God.
And Jesus.
Standing on the right hand of God.
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
And they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 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. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice. Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
This portion is precious because here again we have the last glance of a man.
And the glance happened to be of a glorified Christ.
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And this particular verse here in verse 55 has been much meditated. There's there's been writings on it, just beautiful. I'd just like to review that.
He looked up.
Part of the problem is, is when we don't see the Lord Jesus.
Because maybe we're not looking up. I speak into my own soul in this. Looking up is the first thing in this verse.
Steadfastly is the next is the next word.
To gaze steadfastly.
But it's just not gazing steadfastly anywhere because the next verse, the next word that comes along, says into heaven.
Looking up steadfastly into heaven.
And saw the glory of God.
And Jesus.
He saw the only man in the glory right there in his vision, Jesus.
Meaning you and I to enter this room, have had loved ones, no doubt, that have passed on into the glory.
But they do not have their bodies with them.
But there is one who has his body with those wounds, and that's who Stephen saw.
Jesus standing.
On the right hand of God, a beautiful position.
Think about The last viewpoint that Steven saw was this beautiful scene as he looked up steadfastly and saw that man who he loved so much.
And then he commit, and then he says, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. He has a conversation with the Lord Jesus, putting them in a specific position.
It's beautiful to see this. The thought I had on this is that we had a we have a privilege every Lords day.
And there are those of us that have been, having have been gathered and been able to be at the Lords table for many years. And may the prayer be that we do see the Lord Jesus every week fresh.
You know, I recently met a brother in the Lord.
From down southeast.
That says that he they have their breaking of bread once a month.
So that it doesn't get old, he said.
I beg to differ.
But particularly on my heart, maybe the young people here or someone that's older, but particularly those that have not taken that step.
Realizing they have a seed at the Lord's table.
Because anyone of us may take our last step on this earth would have been nice to say. I did remember the Lord Jesus in his death as he requested last Lord's Day.
And if you're not at the Lord's table, consider the privilege that you have while you're on this earth.
The Lord Jesus didn't make a whole lot of requests, but he did say this, this due in remembrance of me. It's a very simple request.
And if you pass off the scene, if you know the Lord Jesus as your savior and pass off the scene and you haven't had that opportunity because you never took that step, I believe you're missing something on this side of glory.
And so that's what's on my heart.
Because when we're all done with this life, however long that may be.
I maybe have just a few more steps. You may have a few more steps. I don't know how many steps you have. I don't know how many steps I have but to be able to say.
I answered his request.
And I too get to see.
The Lord Jesus in his glory.
Stephen got to see it. The thief on the cross.
Got to see a unique scene I believe. I believe that he gave he was conscious enough because that spear, that anger from that soldier was there.
To look over and realize that all was accomplished.
And he had that promise from the Lord Jesus. This today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
So may it be on the hearts if you're not. If you're not, if I haven't found your place at the Lord's table.
Perhaps it would be soon while the Lord comes. This may be this morning, may be the last time.
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It may be the last time for all of us, and it's a privilege this side of glory to do such a thing.
So would ask anybody that has not taken their step at the Lords table do so and enjoy your privilege this side of glory.
Authority
Open—Bill Prost
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Perhaps we can take a few minutes, and I trust I have the mind of the Lord in this.
In talking a little about the subject of authority.
For those that were at Morningstar camp, at least during this past week, the question was raised in one of the evening meetings.
And we did our best to go over some scriptures that bear on it, but I'd like to look at it from perhaps a little different point of view. Not that we didn't cover it, I feel like. Well, let me rephrase that. Not that we didn't cover it reasonably well at camp, but we didn't really have time to say everything that perhaps could have been said. Turn with me, please, to the book, just as there are other scriptures we could turn to. But.
Turn with me, please, first of all to the book of Romans.
Book of Romans, chapter 13.
Romans chapter 13 and verse one.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.
For there is no power but of God.
The powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God.
And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Just point out briefly here that although the general context in which this scripture is written refers to the authorities in this world, that is, those in government, I believe what we have here is a general statement in verse one.
There is no power but of God, and that in verse 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God.
If I were to ask for a show of hands here as to how many particularly very much enjoy submitting to authority, I don't think there would be too many hands go up. Yes, sometimes we look up to a good leader. Sometimes we look up to someone who seems to be much smarter and much more able to point the right way than we. But to submit to that kind of a person all the time.
And especially when it goes against what we would like to do, that's not easy to do, is it? Not very easy to do. And perhaps, and I guess some of us are old enough to see this. In the last 40 or 50 years, we have seen a tremendous throwing off of authority in the world, at least in the West. It's not quite true in some countries of this world, but in Western Europe and North America.
Particularly we've seen in the world at large a throwing off of authority.
And it rubs off on us, doesn't it? It rubs off on us as believers. Because whatever the sin is that is prevalent in the world is what generally surfaces among the people of God. And so we need to be reminded of this, that ultimately all authority, whether it is the government over us, whether it is parental authority, whether it is the authority in the workplace, whether it is the headship that God gives the husband in the home.
Whatever it might be.
It's derived authority, isn't it? But all authority ultimately stems from God, and so we want to make that point right at the beginning. Because if I am going to obey authority, I have to recognize that it is derived from God.
Let's turn over now to the Book of Colossians. And there are other scriptures that would serve us in this capacity. But let's turn over to the Book of Colossians.
And we'll read there toward the end of chapter 3, verse 18.
Excuse me?
Colossians 18.
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Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Now skip to verse 20.
Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Verse 22 Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God, and whatsoever ye do. And brother Jim brought some of this before us, do it heartily as unto the as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord. You shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Now we skipped for the moment the exhortations to those in a position of leadership and authority.
And read only the verses that talk to those who are in a position in a position to submit to authority.
Why is it that Scripture invariably. Well, maybe that's too strong a word because we're going to see another place where perhaps that.
Principle that general rule is broken, but for the most part, when Scripture addresses those in authority and those in positions of submission, it addresses those in submission first.
Why do you think that is? I suggest the thought.
That God would call upon you and me to submit to authority over us.
Without necessarily trying to judge as to whether that authority is being exercised totally in a proper way.
Very important to remember.
Again, I repeat it God calls upon you and me to submit to authority, even if it is not always exercised in the proper way.
If I'm going to be the judge of whether the authority over me is acting in a right way, you can easily see where that would end. I would soon find an excuse for disobeying that authority if I didn't like what I was being told to do.
Isn't that right? I don't like submitting to authority either. It rubs me the wrong way. It always did.
Even when I was a small boy I didn't like, it bothered me.
But ultimately, that authority comes from God.
And there is a verse, I believe that.
Brings this very clearly before us. Let's turn back.
Well, let me let me let me talk about something else just for a moment before we go to that verse.
Suppose the authority is exercised in the wrong way.
Does that happen?
You know it does. Indeed it does. And I have been guilty of it, both as a husband and as a father, and probably as a master, because I ran a medical practice and had employees and I have no doubt.
That I exercised it sometimes in the wrong way.
I can remember, and it was a bit of a joke between me and my employees for a long time. But one time there was a bookmark placed on my desk that one of the girls had picked up somewhere, and on that bookmark was it was a bookmark that had been professionally made. They didn't make it themselves, but they saw it and bought it and put it on my desk.
And it simply said on that bookmark. Be reasonable, do it my way.
Ouch.
I knew what they meant.
And I don't mind admitting to you that it resulted in some changes. It resulted in monthly staff meetings where I provided the lunch and where anybody who worked there was free to bring up something that they didn't like or that they thought could be done differently, even if it included something that I was responsible for.
Of course there were some parameters put in place.
If you were going to bring up something that was being done the wrong way, you were.
Supposed to have a constructive idea about how to do it better. You weren't allowed just to gripe and say I don't know the solution to this, but I don't like it. There had to be a positive solution and it worked very well. It was very good and we didn't have nearly so many bookmarks put on the desk after that. The point is.
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Authority.
Is not always exercised in the right way. What do we do if it is exercised in the wrong way? And I would suggest two things. And if I may be allowed, I speak perhaps more particularly to the younger ones here, and I can honestly tell you I have not forgotten what it was like to be young. I really don't think I have and.
Sometimes the matter of authority becomes a huge problem.
In the home, in the assembly, in the workplace, perhaps even in the world at large. I don't mean to pick on young people. As Jim said, I love your energy, I love your devotedness to the Lord. And 1 old brother used to say if he really wanted something to happen quickly, he'd ask some young people to pray for it. Why did he say that? Because they didn't look at all the if ands, buts or maybes. They just prayed simply and the Lord answered.
Because he heard that simple prayer. And there it was. And so.
Let us never look down on our young people.
But at the same time.
As I say again, the world has become a place where authority is being challenged and I can well remember speaking to a young man and he wasn't, I don't believe, even saved. But I had occasion to be talking to him and pointing out the importance of doing something that he was being told to do.
And his reply stonkered. Me because I guess I wasn't raised that way, he said, without any hesitation, without any conviction at all, he said.
But what if I don't want to do it as if that was all the reason there had there needed to be not to do it?
Two things we need to remember.
Let's notice what we had here in Colossians chapter 3.
Verse 18.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as it is fit.
In the Lord.
Now turn back to a verse about children in Ephesians 6.
Ephesians 6.
Children, obey your parents.
In the Lord, for this is right.
We could go to other scriptures and refer to the Old Testament where there were three young men in the book of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused a command from the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Why did they? Because what they were being commanded to do would have been disobedience to the Lord.
What they were being commanded to do would have been dishonouring to the Lord.
And if you and I are thinking that we cannot obey an authority over us.
First of all, let us ask ourselves.
Will obeying this authority.
Dishonor the Lord.
That would settle a lot of problems, wouldn't it? Not whether it will be distasteful to me, not whether the authority is being wrongly used. Not whether perhaps the authority isn't walking with the Lord. Because in the case of an unbelieving master that may well be of course the case. It always is the case if he's an unbeliever.
Will, obeying what I am being told to do dishonor the Lord?
Let's bring it down to some nitty gritty.
Assembly Authority.
The Lord has put authority in the assembly, no question about it.
Do ye not judge them that are within First Corinthians? 5 says very definitely, and we are told to obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves? No question. But God has put authority there.
Is that authority always exercised in the right way?
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Sadly not. Sadly not.
And I speak to those in positions of responsibility.
And some of us were talking about this earlier.
Consists of three Rs in the English language and it applies to every sphere of authority.
Rules without a relationship.
Equals what?
Rebellion.
Now, does that make any excuse for the rebellion? Of course not, and that is why those in a position of responsible, or rather a position of submission, are addressed first. Because even if there are rules without a relationship, God doesn't say that's a good excuse for rebellion. But the fact is, it happens.
But I have to ask myself.
Will submitting to that authority of the local assembly.
Whether it is in a decision that has been made relative to me or a broader decision relative to which way the assembly is going to go, will it dishonour the Lord so that I feel I cannot go along with it. That is a good test.
But there's something else that goes, if I could suggest, and that's very great importance, but let's go one step beyond that.
Turn back to the book of Romans and this was the scripture I was going to turn to a couple of minutes ago. Romans chapter 12.
Romans, chapter 12.
The last verse verse 21.
Be not overcome of evil.
But overcome evil with good.
If an authority is being exercised, perhaps in the wrong way.
What do you and I do? Let us suppose that we've answered the question and we have said to ourselves in the Lords presence, no.
Submitting to this authority and doing what is being asked of me will not ultimately dishonour the Lord.
But what am I going to do?
Am I going to?
Get my back up about that authority. Am I going?
Grudgingly to submit to it.
Am I going to submit to it while I boil inside?
Maybe others haven't had that problem, but I sure have.
Where I submitted to authority, but I was just seething and burning up inside, thinking my Oh my.
And hoping somehow that somebody would set them straight and bring them down a peg or two, as we would say, and we're talking straight language.
Sometimes I suggest that our old sinful self can feel that way. What does the Lord tell us to do? And this chapter has already been referred to in the previous address, but notice what it says in verse 21.
Be not overcome of evil.
But that's only a half tooth.
Overcome evil with good.
I've talked to people in various positions of submission to authority, all the way from young people up to people in my own age bracket.
And sometimes they have wrung their hands and said, but I can't do anything about the situation, it's just a mess.
They're not treating me very well. The boss isn't very good, my husband doesn't treat me well, my parents don't understand me and all the rest of it.
I suggest that this 21St verse does not have any.
Age qualifications.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
I wasn't even thinking about getting up this afternoon, so I trust this is of the Lord and you'll pardon me if you if I tell a story that I have told at Morningstar camp. Just.
A week? Or maybe it was the week before last, I don't remember.
It's a secular story, but I read it some time ago and I thought it was good.
About two girls in junior high.
Who played basketball?
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And both were good.
And they were good friends too, Personally with one another. Very good friends.
But if they were both good, one was very good.
There was just an uncanny way that she had of getting that ball, and she had a nice long shot that she could do and sink a basket almost every time. She was really good.
Excuse me?
And she could.
Score probably more points than any other player in the game.
Can you guess what happened?
Her good friend started to get envious.
And I may just mention that in Scripture, jealousy is usually used in a positive sense because jealousy is wanting what is rightfully mine.
But envious, wanting something that the Lord hasn't given me.
Difference between the two?
And this other girl, who wasn't quite as good, began to be envious. She's getting all the praise. She's scoring all the baskets. And so whenever this other girl got the ball, she'd never throw it to her friend who was better than she.
Even if there was a wide open.
Area and every reasonable way that she could pass the ball to her, she never did.
She would play it, she would bounce it. She would look for someone else, never passed it to.
Her friend.
And of course, it drove a wedge between them. Pretty soon their friendship started to sour and finally the girl that was the better player laid the whole issue before her dad.
Dad, what do I do? It's ruining the team. It's ruining our friendship, causing problems. How do I handle this?
Coach doesn't seem to notice. Coach doesn't seem to be any help. What do I do?
I don't know whether her dad was a Christian, but he gave her good advice, said. You know what you do?
He said. Every time you get a chance, you pass the ball to her.
Oh my. But dad, she won't pass it to me at all. She doesn't like me. Never mind. Whenever you have an opportunity, pass the ball to her.
Well, the next game came around and of course things started going.
And the girl who was not the better player, of course, started off in the same theme and didn't pass the ball to her friend, who was the better player. But then the better player got the ball and there was her friend right there, wide open.
Perfect opportunity to pass it to her.
But she hesitated. Can you relate to that? She did. She hesitated.
And she hesitated a bit more.
But her dad was in the stands and he was a big man and he had a loud voice.
And above all, the other cheering of the crowd, he shouted out. And I'm not going to blast the mic here, But he shouted out. Pass her the ball.
She passed and the other girl scored.
What's easier, the next time, she did it again. And she did it again. And she did it again.
I think you can guess what happened after a while. The other girl, who was the lesser player, decided that maybe it wasn't so bad after all to pass the ball to her good friend because after all, she was scoring points too.
Their friendship came back together again.
They won their games. The team functioned well.
Because one girl who didn't need to and who was being wronged.
She didn't realize, perhaps, and I have no idea whether there was any Christianity involved in it at all. It was in a secular book. I read it, but.
They were. Whether they knew it or not, they were operating on a scriptural principle.
Be not overcome of evil, but.
Overcome evil with good.
We all have the opportunity to do that.
If things in the sphere in which you are.
In a position of submitting are not very good.
On the other hand, or on the one hand don't be overcome of evil, but on the other hand ask the Lord how to overcome evil with good. Is it easy to do?
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It can be.
Do we sometimes need and all?
Be with all reverence here.
Don't take this the wrong way.
But do you and I sometimes need the Lord in the stands shouting pass through the ball? We do, don't we? We need the Lord sometimes, and He may have to shout it because it's hard to do.
Do something good. Do something right, Carry on.
Be a help to that other person. Be a help to that authority.
And it's wonderful what the Lord can do, because that's the Spirit of Christ.
Our time is going and there may be someone else has something but one final point.
And to see that, let's turn first of all to first Peter 5.
First Peter 5.
And verse one.
Now we said that the Lord usually addressed the one in submission first.
Here's an exception.
The elders which are among you, I exhort, who I am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.
Feed the flock of God which is among you. Take in the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy looker, but of a ready mind.
Neither as being Lords over God's heritage, but being in samples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
And then it says likewise, Ye younger, submit yourselves under the elder, Yeah, all of you be subject 1 to another, and be clothed with humility. For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Now let's turn back to Ephesians 5, our chapter which the Lord leaves us here we perhaps will take up again tomorrow, and I don't want to trespass on what we may have in the readings, but notice this.
In verse 22, once again we have the one in submission addressed first.
Wives, submit yourselves under your own husbands, as unto the Lord, and so on.
And then in verse 25, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, the one in submission first, the one in leadership or authority second.
But look at the last verse in the chapter.
Again, a reversal.
Nevertheless, let everyone of you in particular so love his wife even as himself.
And the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Why the difference?
Oh, because when there is disorder and confusion within a severe of authority which God has set up.
God does not look first of all to those in submission as to the reason for it. He looks to those in headship, leadership, and authority.
If there's disorder and confusion in the workplace, God looks to the master and says what kind of atmosphere did you foster within that sphere of your authority?
I've often enjoyed reading about Boaz in the Old Testament.
How the servants reacted when Boaz spoke to those Reapers. What did they say? They said the Lord bless thee, Isn't that beautiful?
Boaz was a wealthy man. They were servants, reapers working for. And yet there obviously was such an atmosphere of trust and pleasure in working for him that their immediate reaction was the Lord bless thee.
Let's remember that. And so the husband is addressed first here, because God puts the responsibility on the man first of all.
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Very, very important. And if there's disorder and confusion in a marriage, God first of all says to the husband, have you done your part in the right way?
There are exceptions, of course, but how balanced the word of God is. But I say, and this is if anyone wants the reference, I'll give it to you afterward. This is quoting Mr. Wigram from his ministry back in the 1800s, but he says.
Particularly referring to marriage, he says generally if there is disorder and difficulty in a marriage, it is the higher partner that has failed first.
Generally speaking, I found that to be true in my own observation.
In Peter, the elders are exhorted first. Why? Because Peter's ministry takes up the House of God.
Responsibility in the house. It looks at believers not so much as the church. That's Paul's ministry, not so much as the family. That's John's ministry. He looks at the House of God.
Where responsibility and walk is in question.
And Peter says you elders, are you acting as real shepherds?
Real shepherds.
Oh, how much we need good shepherds today.
One of our old brethren in the 1800s says that gift is rare and so much needed. Shepherds, those who can relate to souls where they are not where they should be, That's easy. But where they are, and I don't say we should tolerate evil. We know that. And I don't say that we should accommodate evil. No, Sir, that's wrong. And sad to say, there is too much of an element in the world today that says, oh, you have to be tolerant. You have to let these things go, after all.
Look at the way the world is and God is love and love triumphs and all this.
You know that is asking God to sacrifice His Holiness in favor of His love.
God doesn't.
Abrogate any part of his character, either his love or his light, His Holiness. Both run parallel to one another.
But equally true, one doesn't replace the other. And so we have in Peter here, and we'll just turn back to it in closing. First Peter, Chapter one, there is a great deal said about how the elders conduct themselves. I don't believe we have official elders today. We have no one to appoint them because we never see in Scripture an assembly appointing its own elders. They were always appointed by either an apostle or an Apostolic delegate like Titus or Timothy.
And I don't believe we have the authority to label someone as an elder. But there is no question that God raises up those who act in that capacity. Why? Because of their spiritual weight and their godly walk and moral weight. And that's what counts. Not whether I have a label pasted on me, but whether there's a walk that commends it.
But here in.
Peter Five, We have a list of things that ought to characterize those in authority and responsibility.
And above all, there is the thought of shepherding care. And if that is in place, I believe we will generally find that it will not be that difficult for the younger to submit themselves unto the elder, because the elder will be sensitive to the needs of the younger listening to them, relating to them.
That's not always easy, and I'll confess that.
With people in my age bracket, it takes a little bit of effort.
And I can still remember. And there are those that are plenty old enough here to remember my late father-in-law, Albert Hayhoe. And he used to talk about how, and we don't have time to refer to it, how when the Shunamite woman came to Elisha and told him that her son was dead.
Elisha told Gehazi to go ahead with the license staff and lay his staff upon the face of the child.
Did it work?
Nothing happened, did it? A staff is rigid.
No, I don't see Elisha was wrong to do that. But it's a picture of something, isn't it? A staff is rigid. It doesn't bend at all.
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And it didn't do anything.
But what happened when Elisha came?
He stretched himself upon the child.
That must have been quite a job for a grown man. I don't know how old the child was, but he had to put his lips on his lips and so on. He had to accommodate himself to where that child was. The child was a picture of spiritual death and he had to accommodate himself to that child, and everything didn't happen at once.
Elisha had to pray. Then you had to go away again, come back again, showing us that we don't expect instant results.
And finally, what happens? Something kind of unusual. The child sneezed 7 times.
Sneezing.
You'd say why sneezing?
Sometimes signs of spiritual revival in life are a little different to what we would expect. Sometimes signs of recovery in a believer are a little different.
We may not think it should happen that way. Why didn't you get up off the bed? Why didn't he say something? Why did he just sneeze?
But it's an unmistakable sign that life is coming back, isn't it? No question about it. Dead people never sneeze.
And I say to my own heart.
Let me be careful that I don't just lay a staff on somebody and expect them to revive.
There needs to be that adaptation to where they are, not in the sinful way. Let me make that clear. But realizing where they are, that takes exercise before the Lord, that takes prayer, that takes.
Leading and guiding by the Lord.
But then we will find that.
There's revival. There's a bringing back. There is life. Whether it's relating to an unbeliever, sometimes it takes a long time.
Or somebody who is a believer but who has fallen into moral death, as it were.
There's always a way back, and the Lord looks for those who can accommodate themselves to that situation and give that which is needed. And so, just to repeat, in summary, we have a perfect balance in Scripture, those who are in a position of submission. Let us submit in every case, unless it is absolutely clear and definite that to submit and to obey that authority would be such a dishonor to the Lord that we could not possibly do it.
On the other hand, if we're in positions of responsibility and authority, let us remember that God looks to us as to the atmosphere and character that we foster within the sphere of that leadership and authority, and that God looks to us likewise for that needed grace and shepherding for each one within that sphere.
Understanding the Meaning of Things
Open—Aaron Deaver
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Joshua Chapter 4.
I'm not going to read too much here.
But in Joshua chapter 4.
They're given a command by the Lord to set up 12 Stones.
As a memorial to what the Lord had done for them at that time.
And I just want to read what it says in verse 6.
That this may be a sign among you that when your children ask their fathers.
In time to come saying, what mean ye by these stones?
Then you shall answer them, that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over Jordan.
The waters of Jordan were cut off, and these stones shall be a memorial unto the children.
Of Israel forever, and I want to read in connection with that.
Out of Luke.
Or not, Luke. Excuse me. First Corinthians Chapter 11.
Verse.
23 it says for I have.
Received of the Lord, that which I also deliver unto you.
That the Lord Jesus the night the same night in which he was portrayed.
Took bread.
And when he had given thanks, he break it and said, take heat. This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup.
When he had supped, saying, this cup is a New Testament in my blood.
This do ye as often as you drink it in remembrance of Maine, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup.
You do show the Lord's death till he come.
The reason why I read those in connection with each other is.
What it says in in Joshua.
When the children come and say to their fathers, what is the meaning of the stones?
You have to have an answer.
What is the meaning of the bread?
What is the answer?
What is the meaning?
Of the wine. What is the meaning of the cup?
What is the answer?
What is the meaning of the remembrance meeting?
What is the answer?
Mark made a suggestion that the the young people.
Should have a desire to remember the Lord at his table.
Why? What is the answer?
What is the meaning of the cup?
Is very personal.
When the disciples.
Little question and answer session with the Lord and his disciples.
He asked a very personal question of him and he said who do you say that I am?
Very personal question.
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Who do you say that I am?
What is the answer?
In Ezra, it says in Chapter 7, verse 10 says that Ezra set his heart to study the law.
And then he lifted, and then he taught it to Israel.
Fathers, bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. How do you do that?
By first studying.
And answering the question for yourself, what is the meaning of the bread?
What is the meaning of the cup?
What is the meaning of the remembrance meeting?
Who do you say?
Jesus is.
David and Mephibosheth
Gospel—Phil Fournier
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We're gonna sing a hymn here in just a moment, but I thought I would tell you.
Why I'm up here and not someone else?
Brother Dan Brown sent me a text and asked me if I would take the Gospel Meeting. And it's not the same speaking to a room like this as compared to the Aberdeen meeting room or the Hemet meeting room.
So it's not as easy to speak to a larger group.
But I was reminded of the times I've said no, because I have in times past and this time I said yes.
Just about 15 years ago, maybe to the day or very close to the day.
Our brother Bill War went home to be with the Lord and he was a friend of mine that introduced me to travel in the Spanish speaking world.
And help me with my Spanish. And one day I was with him in his office and the phone rang. It was after hours. He was an accountant. He had accounting business.
And for some reason he directed me to pick up the phone and answer it. And so I did. And the person on the other end of the line was a woman, a Spanish speaking woman. She was the wrong number, but she had some questions and she asked me in Spanish and my wife can tell you I love to speak Spanish. So I answered her in Spanish and we carried on a short conversation there. And behind me, Brother Bill said, give her the gospel. Give her the gospel, give her the gospel.
And I thought to a wrong number, I can't do that and I didn't. I hung up the phone and he said to me, Phil, you should have given her the gospel. He would have.
I didn't do it. I had an opportunity. I let it go, and I've had many opportunities and I've let them pass. But I'm here tonight because I want to give the gospel. I want you to hear about the dear loving Savior, the Lord Jesus. And there's probably someone better equipped to do it. But they asked me to and I didn't want to say no. So I'm here tonight. So let's sing the 1St 2 verses of #10. There's another hymn that I that I have on my heart.
It's in our echoes of grace that we sometimes use, and if I remember it, I will quote some of it to you later. But we don't have it tonight, so we Can't Sing it. So let's sing the 1St 2 verses of #10.
And the chorus. Some brother raised the tune. Please.
He is not great and great.
Oh God.
Jesus.
My dear Lord, he's taking your breath.
And.
It shall be right.
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Maybe we'll finish that after the meeting if we have time.
Let's ask God's blessing.
Our God and our Father.
Thou dost know the hearts of each in the room tonight.
There may be some here.
That do not know the Lord Jesus.
As their savior, and maybe they have passed themselves off as Christians, perhaps we cannot tell the difference.
But we know our God that taught us know the hearts of all men.
As no one else does.
And so we pray that Thy Word might reach into our hearts tonight.
The lost, the saved, each one of us, that we might hear thy voice speaking to us through Thy precious word. We thank thee tonight for that dear loving Savior, the Lord Jesus, that came down from heaven.
That he might live as a man here on earth and go to Calvary's cross and lay down his life. That we might be saved, that we might be in the Father's house for all eternity. Blessed Lord Jesus, we thank thee for this day, that we have had that privilege to sit at Thy table and worship before Thy feet.
And now tonight we desire.
To tell of the story of thy love to the lost.
Help us to do it in faithfulness. In the power of thy spirit we ask these things in thy precious name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Let's turn by way of Introduction to Titus, Chapter 3.
And there's one word in particular that.
Why enjoy in this verse?
Titus three and verse 4.
Well, why don't we read verse 3 to get the connection as to where we're going, where we've been?
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived.
Serving divers loss and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God, our Saviour toward men, appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.
Well, the word that I have on my heart there is kindness.
You know the Lord Jesus said when he was here on earth that God is kind to the unthankful and to the evil?
You know, that's amazing thing to think. If God looks down on this world, that's just as described here in the third verse, and not better, certainly worse, than it's ever had has been. For man is not upward bound. He goes downward.
And God is kind to the unthankful and to evil. He sends his reign on the just and on the unjust. So the farmer out here that.
Doesn't know God. Doesn't care to know God. He draws his water out of the reservoir and out of the river and out of the well, and God sends it down year after year. He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.
So tonight I want to talk about the kindness of God as illustrated in a store in the Old Testament. In order to get the connection, there's a couple of places I want to read. I'm a teacher, and every now and then one of my students will call me out on something that I presume that everyone knows.
And then I find out that they don't. So let's turn to First Samuel Chapter 17.
And this is where I.
Have the tendency to presume well, this is the story David and Goliath, so I'm only going to read one or two verses here for those of you perhaps that don't know about the story.
And this is a story of a nation in trouble with an enemy that was stronger than them and with the.
A proposal to settle the battle on terms of one man against any other man that the other army might put up. And there were no volunteers.
And the man's name was Goliath. He was a very strong man, a giant.
Well, well equipped, well armed, and nobody was his equal in the nation of Israel. But there was found a man, and not even a man, really a boy.
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And his name was David.
And he tried to encourage others to take up the take up the arms and and go out there and win the victory. And they wouldn't do it. And so he went forth himself and met Goliath in the strength that he trusted that God would give him.
It tells us.
Then.
Verse 50. We'll just read verse 50 to give us the conclusion of this story.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine.
Flew him, but there was no sword in the hand of David. So this shepherd boy goes out there in the strength of the Lord, and he wins the victory. And if he'd been in the service today, he would have gotten a Medal of Honor.
And you know, they did think pretty highly of him.
For a little while.
But something else happened there. There was a young man and he was mentioned today. My brother Jim Highland mentioned him. His name was Jonathan, and he saw that boy go out there.
And he said, I owe that man my life. I need to let him know. And so we find in chapter 18 and verse one.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David. And Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
Well, here we have a relationship that was built and it lasted for a long time.
And this man, Jonathan, he loved David sincerely, with a true and a pure heart.
He saw what he did. He saw the risks that he took. Jonathan was number coward himself. He had showed himself to be a man of God, a man of faith, and he'd gone up against 24 Philistines with a with just his servant, and he had won the victory and somebody else got the credit and he he let it go. As Jim said, he he knew that the Lord had the record straight.
But here his soul is knit to David. Well, I'm not going to talk anymore on the subject because now I want to switch to speak about This man had a boy and his name was Mephibosheth, but he wasn't born yet and a lot of years went by. So let's go forward to Second Samuel Chapter 4 and I'll fill you in on some of the details after we read this little section here in Second Samuel chapter 4 where we are first introduced to Jonathan's.
Son.
In second Samuel 4 and verse four and Jonathan Saul's son had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel and his nurse took him up and fled. And it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame, and his name was Mephibosheth.
So we don't really have the details of this story, but I think I can fill you in with some confidence as to the background.
As to why the nurse was running away and taking Mephibosheth with her.
As the years had gone by, that affection that was in the heart of Jonathan for David was not at all shared by Saul, his father, who was the king. He was envious.
And he saw he heard first the singing of the women. Saul has slain his thousands, and David is 10,000.
And it says Saul I David from that day forward, and he never stopped eyeing him until the day of his death.
He sought for a number of years by all sorts of means to trap David and to kill him. He intended to put him to death, but it was not successful. And the day came when Saul went out to battle against the Philistines and he was defeated. And he he's one of three or four suicides in the Bible. He fell on his own sword after he was wounded, died at his own hand. His son Jonathan was there on Mount Gilboa fighting with his father.
And he was also slain. And the Philistines desecrated their bodies and nailed them to the wall, went home to celebrate their victory.
And so there ends Jonathan in that tragic way, with Saul, his father, and his brother Malkajua. And so it was a sad picture. And when that happened, the nurse who I think was unaware of David's relationship with Jonathan, she picks up that little boy, five years old, to run away.
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Because it was the custom of the kings in those days, especially among the heathen. And Saul was the first king of Israel. So I suppose they thought that the pattern would go on the heathen kings around them. And if you have a have a a competitor that's an heir to the throne, well the thing to do is get rid of them.
And so Mephibosheth, in the process of this flight is dropped, and his feet, I suppose, were broken and never properly healed.
And so he's lame.
Both his feet.
Now, years go by, Mephibosheth gets married and we're going to read a little bit, the little bit we know that the Bible gives us. And it's my opinion that his wife died. He's left with a little boy and he's a young man and he lives in a place called Lodibar. And it's a place I think Daniel Brimlo found it for me on his Bible map. It's it's not a it's not a healthy place to live.
And he lived far from.
Jerusalem.
In obscurity.
Unknown.
Perhaps every day wondering if he's going to be found out that his grandfather was the man who tried to kill the present king.
And so let's turn to Chapter 9. And my wife and I read this story not long ago.
And I've spoken on this chapter many times. In fact, I spoke about it at Brother Bill Moore's funeral.
And it's very dear to my heart.
So I'm going to read the whole chapter and then we'll make a few comments and look at the life of this man.
And as I read it, I want you to think of the heart of David here.
As the heart of God, when he looked down on this world and saw a man far away and fearful that God's purpose was to punish him for what he was.
For who he was and what he had done. Now Mephibosheth himself here had not done any wrong to David, but his grandfather certainly had, and so he bore that stigma.
And I do not doubt that he lived in fear of the day that we're going to read about here. But it did not turn out as he thought it would. And you know God is seeking.
Sinners.
That He might save them. For we read the kindness and love of God. Our Savior toward men appeared not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Beloved one God loves you.
That is such a profound thought.
The God of the universe, the Creator God. He loves us. He loves you. He loved me.
I was everything that's in Titus chapter 3 and verse 4, verse three rather.
All those bad things are in my heart, and God loved me anyway.
So we find in this chapter we have a beautiful picture I believe of the love of God and his kindness. So let's read Second Samuel Chapter 9 And David said is there yet any left of the House of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathans sake.
And there was of the House of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when he had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he? And the king said, Is there not yet any of the House of Saul, that I might may show the kindness of God unto him? And Zyba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet his son, which was lame on his feet.
And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he's in the House of Maker, the son of Amiel in Lodibar.
Then King David sent and fetched him out of the House of Maker, the son of Amiel, from Lodi bar.
Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was coming to David, he fell on his face and did reverence. And David said Mephibosheth, and he answered, Behold thy servant.
And David said unto him, Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness, for Jonathan thy Father's sake.
And will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father.
And thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
Then king called the Zaiba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given thy masters, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertain to Saul unto all his house. Now they are for thy sons, and thy servants shall till the land for him, And thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master son may have food to eat, but Mephibosheth thy master's son.
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Shall eat bread all way at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and 20 servants. Then said, Zybe unto the king, According to all the my Lord the king hath commanded his servants, So shall I servant. Do As for Mephibosheth, said the king, He shall eat at my table.
As one of the King's sons, and Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah, and all that dwelt in the House of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
And so Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he did eat continually at the King's table, and was lame on both of his feet.
Well, I don't know how we could fail to see the picture that's illustrated here in this chapter.
But I like to think a little bit about Mephibosheth. You know, we live in a day where every man's the victim and.
Everyone is encouraged to trot out the list of wrongs that have happened in the life of each one, and how society owes something to such a one. And we think about this man, Mephibosheth. He had a lot to be bitter about, we might say. You know, naturally speaking, he was destined to the throne grandson of the king, and instead of the throne he got a pair of lame feet and.
He had a wife and I suppose there were moments of happiness there, as most newlyweds enjoy happiness and they had a little boy, and I'm sure that was a happy thing. But then his wife dies and he's left there in poverty and neglect in this place far from the palace of the King.
And with no inheritance, with no hopes.
And with a lot of dashed expectations, perhaps.
And so there he is.
And perhaps he lives continually in fear that one day David is going to find him out.
You know, I think that's the perfect picture of man apart from God.
The hymn that I wanted to sing.
And I would have if we had The hymn book is one of.
At least two. Maybe there's more, but IMSA were written in the Dark Ages. One of them is I think 111 in our Little Flock hymn book written by Bernard of Clairvaux. Oh head once full of bruises, A very profound hymn, this. This other one is in The Echoes of Grace, and it was written by.
A man whose name I don't think I could pronounce, even if I could remember it. In any rate, it was written in the 1300s, and one of the verses of that, that hymn goes like this, if I can remember it correctly, was probably translated. I'm just I doubt that it was written in English. I think the man was a German, but I'm not sure that. In any case, it goes like this.
The heart panteth after the water.
The dying for life that departs.
The Lord in his glory for sinners.
For the love of rebellious hearts call back all the days of the ages. All raindrops come down from above, all showers of summers departed. But think not to measure his love.
I love that hymn. Those are some profound thoughts that the Lord in his glory.
Desired that you and I.
Lost and guilty sinners.
Would be in his presence.
What kind of a thought is that?
Did Mephibosheth know that that was the thought that was in the heart of David? He didn't know, and so he lived far from that palace in fear. But the day came when David called for him.
And I don't think he came personally, sent some messengers and they come to the door and they knock.
And somebody probably came to the door and says, who's there? Ah, we come from the court of the king, King David, and he wants to see Mephibosheth.
Oh, this can't be good news.
What does he want?
I wonder if it's time to face the music.
00:25:01
My grandfather tried to kill him all those years.
And maybe he's got something bad.
For me, so he packs up. I think he took his boy with him, although I'm not sure.
But off they go to the palace of the king, and he comes into the King's presence.
And I'm pretty sure his knees were knocking together in fear.
And then he hears something.
David calls him by his name Mephibosheth.
And I think perhaps at that moment the thought came into the heart of that man.
Maybe this man isn't what I think he is.
Because I believe his voice was filled with love and kindness.
And then he proceeds to tell him what he has in store for him. But, you know, before he got the chance, the ship Mephibosheth falls down before him, And he says, Behold thy servant.
Brother Jim spoke to us about the Lord's service and servants of the Lord.
But you know, the Lord is pleased to use those of his own for servants. But he doesn't need us. And David didn't need a servant that was lame on both his feet. He had plenty of servants. He had people who could do what he wanted them to. No, he wanted them, Ferrissetta said at his table as one of the King's sons.
That's what he had in his heart for, for Mephibosheth.
You know, that's what God wanted for you this morning. We had the privilege to sit at the King's table and partake of his supper.
What a wonderful invitation is ours, that we would have that privilege. And that is what David wanted for Mephibosheth. He didn't want a servant, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.
They didn't want people to do works. He wanted sons in the father's house.
The Lord in his glory for sinners, for the love of rebellious hearts.
That's what God wanted. And David want him a febish it there at his table to enjoy his fellowship and his company.
What did Mephibosheth think when he heard this pronouncement? You know, it just kept coming.
I will rejoin to thee all the land of Saul thy father.
But thou shalt sit at my table.
Continually, there was a place that he was never going to lose, no matter what.
That is the gospel story. That is what God wants for you.
To have fellowship with Him for all eternity. To go no more out, to never pass from His presence.
To always be there.
Mephibosheth says. I'm going to read it.
Verse eight he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?
Ah, He felt his unworthiness. He knew he didn't deserve it. He knew he didn't have it coming. None of that was expected. It took him all by surprise.
You notice the first words that David said to him. Fear not.
Ah, isn't that beautiful?
The Lord Jesus went to the cross and died for my sins that I no longer need be afraid of God because it was my sins that made me afraid of God.
What I was by nature and what I had done.
With Mephibosheth, it wasn't what he had done, but who he was. He was the grandson of Saul.
He had only judgment to fear, only judgment to look forward to. And yet David says, I want to bless you with everything that I've got, and he's got to pour it out all upon him, and he's overcome as he falls at his feet.
Dear one, you know there was another man here, and his name was Zaiba. We're going to read a little bit more about Ziba because the interaction between Ziba and Mephibosheth is instructive for us.
Zybo was an opportunist. He was a man who took advantage of his of his closeness there to the king by by a relationship with serving Mephibosheth.
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But you know he didn't love David.
I wonder if there's any Zibas here this afternoon.
It's a wonderful thing to be in the company of the Lord's people.
This is a happy occasion, and even if you don't know the Lord as your savior, you can benefit from friendship and kindness and love.
But that's a tragic thing if that's all there is.
As I've had all the right words.
David got him wrong.
Completely. He believed everything he said. And we're going to see that in just a moment.
But he was a man with no true affection for David.
But Mephibosheth was of different, a different character. Can you imagine, if you will, just for a moment, that Mephibosheth would have turned his back and walked out of David's door and said, I don't need anything you've got to give me.
That's pretty incredible to think of.
And he didn't do that.
But you know, there are ones that do that every single day to the to the love of God. I don't need that. I don't believe it. I don't want it, and I don't need it.
But you do you need it?
Would to God you would feel that you need it. Let's go forward here.
To second Samuel 16 and a lot of events have gone boy during this time that David's failure is a father. We know it's it's a happy thing to think of of David as a type of the Lord Jesus and perhaps here in our 9th chapter a type of God the Father. And yet he was a failing man. He was a poor father. He didn't raise his children well and he got into a lot of trouble because of it.
And his children, he never displeased them by telling them no. And so as an authority figure, he was a tremendous failure. And his son Absalom rebelled against him, drove him out of Jerusalem. And while he was, he was fleeing from his own son.
Ziba shows up and this is in chapter 16 and verse one. And when David was a little past the top of the hill beholds I by the servant of Hibbett met him with a couple of ***** saddled in a pond, them 200 loaves.
Bread, and 100 bunches of raisins, and 100 of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king said in his eye, But one meanest thou by these. And Ziba sad the ***** be for the King's household to ride on, and the bread and the summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wines and the wine that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. And the king said, Where and where is my master's son?
Now this is the most bold and blatant lie that I believe I have ever read in Scripture.
And Zybe said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem. For he said to day, Shall the House of Israel restore me, the Kingdom of my father?
Then said the king, desire by behold, thine are all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth.
And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee, that I may find grace in thy sight. My Lord, O King.
Wow.
There wasn't a word of truth in what Zaiba just said, a complete lie. How he did this with the straight face, I do not know.
Because it bore no resemblance to the truth, and brethren, I speak this to believers.
Don't believe everything somebody tells you about somebody else, especially if it goes entirely against their character that you know.
This was an egregious mistake on the part of David. He knew Mephibosheth loved him.
And yet he believed a lie about him. He thought Mephibosheth had a complete change of heart.
It was entirely false.
And David never sets this thing right.
But.
The Lord has the record straight, and that's a wonderful thing to remember.
Mephibosheth knew it. Let's go forward now to Second Samuel 19.
And to quickly give you the background of the story, Absalom is defeated. He is he is slain by Joab.
And David is eventually returned to Jerusalem. And during that time, that time that he had been absent, we find out here the truth of what actually had gone on.
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Not as told by Ziba, but the truth is told to us by the unerring word of God in verse 24.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul, came down to meet the king.
And had neither dressed his feet. I want you to remember that. That's the part of him that was injured.
And he neglected that for all these months in mourning for the loss of the man that he loved.
Neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day came again in peace.
And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore, whenst thou not with me, Mephibosheth?
And he answered, My Lord O king, my servant deceived me, For thy servant said, I will saddle me and ask that on my ride thereon, and go to the king, because thy servant is lame, and he has slandered thy servant unto my Lord the king.
But my Lord, the king is as an Angel of God. Do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
Please listen to the next verse.
For all of my father's house were but dead men before my Lord the king. Yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table?
What right have therefore, have I yet to cry any more under the king?
And the king said unto him, Wise, because thou anymore thy matters, I have said, thou and Ziba, divide the land.
And Mephibosheth said unto the king.
Yeah, let em take all, for as much as my Lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
Did this man understand grace?
He did.
He said I didn't deserve anything anyway.
All the fathers, all my father's house, were dead men.
And that it set thy servant to sit at thy table.
As one of the King's sons.
What right do I have?
You know, the culture of victimhood says you've got rights and they've been violated and you need to stand up for your rights. Here's a man that didn't stand up for his rights. And you know David was unjust. I have said thou and Ziba divide the land. Wait a minute, Ziba.
The slanderer, the liar, the opportunist, the man who got that simply by telling lies about somebody else and by not doing what he was told because David had commanded him to serve him a fibashith. And when Fibbishus said I want to go to King David, he tricked him, took off without him and left him behind.
You know, Ziba said one sentence about Ziba. Oh, sorry, Mephibosheth said one sentence about Ziba. He is slandered thy servant unto my Lord.
And then he went on to say, but it doesn't matter because I didn't deserve anything anyway.
Let them take all. For as much as my Lord the King has come again in peace, Ah, David had won his heart.
The Lord Jesus wants to win your heart tonight.
He doesn't need servants. He's pleased to use us in his service.
But he wants children in the Father's house for all eternity. That's what he wants.
What portion would you like to have Ziba got to divide the inheritance of King Saul got what he wanted.
But he didn't have.
The nearness to David that Mephoviceth had. Let him take all I don't care about any of that.
My Lord, the king is coming again in peace. He would sit down with his son again at the King's table and rejoice in the presence of David and in fellowship and communion with him. That's what Mephibosheth wanted, and that's what he got till the day of his death.
Fellowship with the king. That's what God offers to you tonight.
What are you going to say?
You want to turn your back on.
Say no, no, I'd rather get Ziba's portion. A lot of things.
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We don't really know what happened to Zyba, as far as I know.
Let's turn now to someone we don't do know what happened to them, and then we'll finish our hymn turn to 2nd Kings Chapter 7.
And this this story has.
Impressed me so much, you know?
And maybe don't know, but there were two prophets about the end of the book of First Kings and into the book of Second Kings, Elijah and Elijah.
And I enjoy very much the ministry of Hamilton Smith on these two men and also Brother Clarence. And one of the things that we find about Elijah was that really he was a prophet who brought judgment on the land of Israel for their disobedience.
And as he closed his ministry, we find that the nation was not restored to God. They went on in their rebellion and disobedience. And he was very discouraged with the failure of his message or the apparent failure of it. And God had him appoint another prophet to take up his place by the name of Elijah. And we find that God, as he does in the total failure of man, he falls back on his own sovereignty, and he sends a prophet.
Who dispenses sovereign grace?
He just gives. He just gives. He doesn't ask for anything. He just pours it out and gives it to him. And, you know, that's what I enjoy about Mephibosheth. David just says I want to show the kindness of God to him for Jonathan and his father's sake. And he just poured it all out, one thing after another, and he and he gave it to him. And, you know, there are three instances of judgment in the ministry of Elijah, and they have to do with the despising of the grace of God. And that's why I want to read this tonight, because there was a man who'd heard a message of love and mercy and grace.
And he said, I don't believe it. So that's what we're going to read about here. And 2nd Kings, Chapter 7 in verse one. Then Elijah said, hear ye the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, tomorrow about this time shall a measure, a fine flower be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria, and a Lord on whose hand the king lean, answered the man of God, and said, behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?
And he That's Elisha said, Behold, thou shalt see it with on eyes, but thou shalt not eat thereof. Oh, that is a solemn statement. You young people, maybe older ones that are here. You've seen it with your eyes. Are you going to fall under the judgment of this young man? That said, I don't believe it. The Lord would make windows in heaven. That couldn't happen. The Lord has made windows in heaven and poured out a blessing.
That there's not room enough to receive it. And what are you going to say? No, I don't believe it. I don't want it. I don't need it. Oh, I trust not. Mephibosheth didn't say that.
All the rest of his life.
That one thought went through his soul. All my father's house were but dead men, and thou didst set thy servant to eat at thy table as one of the King's sons.
I hope that you have that privilege before the Lord comes. Let's sing the last two stanzas of our hymn.
#10
stands as three and four please, and we'll close with prayer.
Oh Jesus.
Christ.
Presence.
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The time gives itself being on the way to the rainbow patients or savings.
Let's pray Blessed God our Father.
We do thank thee for the windows of heaven that have been opened, that have poured out that blessing. For thou has given thine only, beloved Son, that he might come down as a man to live and to die in this world, to be hung on Calvary's cross, to be cast out, to be hated, to be spit upon, to be nailed to the tree.
But Lord Jesus.
Thou art risen from the dead on high in the glory, and thy precious blood there spilled on Calvary's cross 2000 years ago, is of the same value today as it was in that day.
Still able, still powerful, to wash away the stains of sin that might yet be on the conscience and heart of any in the room to night. Lord Jesus, we thank thee for that wondrous work of thine We pray that thy spirit, my working hearts, that they might not turn away from the dear loving Savior. They might receive him this moment and know the peace of God that passeth all understanding. Lord Jesus, we thank thee, we praise Thee, and we worship Thee.
Nine alone, worthy and precious name. Amen.
Ephesians 5:5-13
Reading
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Well, for any that we're not here on Saturday, we were considering Ephesians 5 in the first reading.
I assume we can continue with that.
We didn't get very far.
Would verse 5 be about right, or did we get beyond that? Probably verse 66. OK, I'd like to refer back to five though, so maybe we could read 5 if that's OK. But I agree we did comment on it somewhat.
Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 5. For this she knows that no *********** nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For you are sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord, walk as children of light.
For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable into the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are approved are made manifest by the light, For whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he sayeth awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves 1 to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord, For the husbands ahead of the wife. Even Christ is the head of the church, and he is a savior of the body, therefore as the church is subject unto Christ.
So let the wives be to their own husbands and everything.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with a washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy without blemish. So it meant to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hateth his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.
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For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they too shall be 1 flesh. This is a great mystery. But I speak concerning Christ in the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife, even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
The Lord has taken us.
From heavenly places and brought us right back down to the earth.
And we have heard, I'm asking us the question. We have heard that.
In the day of Joshua, it's it's taking the land or.
It correlates with this book.
So.
The enemies were different, weren't they in in Canaan than they were in a wilderness. So these things that he's bringing before us are these different enemies than we would.
Find in the wilderness you understand my question.
It seems like a a big leap taking us right out of the heavenlies brought us right back down to earth.
Well, it seems that yes, the enemies in one sense in the land were different. It's a big subject and perhaps too too much to get into in detail. But of course we know that Israel was at one part of their history in the wilderness, and that's basically what is taken up, for example, in the book of Philippians. It's the wilderness book of the New Testament And then.
They crossed the Jordan and got into the land.
And the land would speak of the appreciation of heavenly things, which is what we get in Ephesians. And so the believer is at one time in his life.
At certain times in his life, in the wilderness and at other times in the land, and the enemies are different, very definitely. It speaks here in Ephesians about spiritual wickedness in high places and so on. And that's what we wore against.
But in one sense, the temptations that they faced in the land were.
Ultimately, similar to what they faced in the wilderness, and that is they continually turned to a Dollar Tree, didn't they? And so in one sense, yes, the enemies are different because the practical side of it is.
The going through a wilderness with the glory at the end.
But then the other side of it in Ephesians is enjoying heavenly things in this life, and so God wants us to be in the enjoyment of it now. But there's conflict in order to enjoy it.
So what we get in verse five that I just wanted to mention even though we considered it.
It mentions here.
And it starts off by going with the serious thing, no ***** ******. But then it says unclean person. That's what leads to being a *********** or covetous man. That's what leads to being an unclean person who is an idolater. That happened in the wilderness, It happened in the land too. And it says.
Have that kind of A man doesn't have any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ or of God.
And of God.
We get the Kingdom of God mentioned much in the New Testament and especially in Paul's ministry. He mentions it in Colossians. He mentions it in Galatians.
And it's particularly mentioned.
In connection with Paul, when he rehearses his ministry in the 20th of Acts to the Ephesian elders, it says he preached the gospel of the grace of God, but then it says preaching the Kingdom of God.
And at the end of Acts in in chapter 28 when he dwelt 2 years in his own hired house in Rome when he was essentially a prisoner.
Again, it refers to the fact that he was preaching the Kingdom of God.
Very, very important.
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Because the Kingdom of God.
Is, in simple terms, a moral state.
That is in keeping with those who recognize the rightful king but live in a world where he is rejected.
That, to me, is a simple definition. You and I recognize the one who is the rightful king, and one day his claims will be owned in this world and the character of the Kingdom of God will reign in the Millennium.
But we are called now to exhibit that character.
And I put this out as a bit of a challenge to the children and young people here. See how many you can find.
Of the couplets of things in the New Testament that are referred both to God.
And to Christ, here's one of them.
And I believe, if I'm right, that this is the only place in the New Testament where you get the expression, the Kingdom of Christ. It's the Kingdom of God. I believe in every other place. But you can find a lot of others, and we could string them off but look for them Another one. There's such a thing as the power of God, but also the power of Christ, and so on.
And I would just suggest, not that we need to get into a long discussion on it, but.
When it's something referred to God, its nature and power, when it's Christ, it's the practical side of it in our lives. He is the one who walked through this world. He was the perfect example of the Kingdom of God, He could say in Lukes Gospel.
I'm not quoting it accurately, but he could say, say not go here or go there for the Kingdom of God. It says in our King James within you, but it should read among you.
Why? Because he was the perfect embodiment of it. And so he calls us to follow him and exhibit that character in this world.
Could you repeat that definition again, please?
Of the Kingdom of God, or of Christ, or both? Well, the Kingdom of God is a moral state that is in keeping with those who recognize the rightful king, but who live in a world where he is now rejected.
And when it's God, it doesn't matter what it is, whether it's.
Power of God, grace of God, power of Christ, grace of Christ, and many other things.
See how many you can find.
With God, its nature and power.
And character.
With Christ, it's the practical side to be exhibited in you and me in this world.
And I I just suggest that in a general way, not to pigeonhole things too tightly, but in a general way I would suggest that. And it does not mean here when it says that that kind of a person doesn't have any inheritance in the Kingdom of God, in the sense that it doesn't mean you aren't a true believer.
But what it means is you are not acting in character.
According to what a believer should be, that's, I believe, the point. If I act according there are only two kingdoms in this world, the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the devil. And if I act in the character of the Kingdom of God, then I am exhibiting what I should do as a believer if I act in the character of the Kingdom of Satan.
Then I can't at the same time say, well, I have an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. The two just don't go together. And I say that because the whole teaching of this chapter is a walk that is in keeping with the position that we've been brought into in the second chapter.
Of being risen and seated in heavenly places in Christ. But as you pointed out, Vern, I'm still here.
I'm still surrounded by a wicked world.
I don't know. Does that make sense, Jim? Yes So. Well, I trust there's no thought even in corners of our hearts today as this to be as to this being the reigning time outwardly. Yet, as you say, he does want that place in our hearts, and I often think of a line of a hymn we sing in that regard. Rain thou within our hearts alone. So with the Corinthians, they were trying to reign before the time. We need to realize it's like the parable that the Lord told.
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About the man who went into a far country to receive for himself a Kingdom and to return. He is going to come in a future day and return and take the Kingdom and we're going to be associated with him in that day. But the problem with the Corinthian Saints was that they were trying to reign before the time Paul said I would that you were raining, because if it really was the raining time, we'd be raining with you. But he said this is not the raining time and we find when.
There was confusion in that regard. In Corinth we see the moral.
Degradation and failure that had come in as a as a result. And I'll just say this too, not to belabor it, but.
The the difficulty is if we think this is the reigning time now or we like the Corinthians and there are many Christians who will tell you this is the time to reign. This is the time where a moral force to change the world what happens? We don't exhibit the character of those that are strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
We begin to settle down in this world. Not only are things going to characterize us that we have listed here, or things allowed that we're being allowed in Corinth, but we're going to settle down in the earth and think we should be a moral force to change the world. We're going to get involved in all kinds of politics and things that we think are going to better this world. And brethren, we are not a moral force to usher in the Kingdom. There is a conduct that is in keeping with those who are looking for that day.
And remember too well, it's true. We often say that the Lord's coming for us is really part of our is really our, our proper hope. That's true. But it's not the whole truth it says Looking for Well, let me read it in Titus so I I get it right because there are two things connected there in in Titus Chapter 2.
Well in fact, in fact, just in connection with the comments Brother Bill has made, let's just notice a couple of verses in Titus chapter 2 because I think it goes along with what we are saying and the proper conduct of a believer now who's waiting for that time when they will reign with Christ when he has his rightful place in this world. Titus chapter 2 and verse 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
Now notice what grace does here. Grace is a teacher teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. That's the negative. That's what we're not to deny that we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world or this present age. That's where we are right now. And then he says two things that were to be looking for, looking for that blessed hope. That's the hope that we are, we have of the Lord Jesus coming for us, perhaps even before this meeting is complete.
But there's something else that is part of our blessed hope as well, or our hope as well, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul said at the end of his life, spoke of those that love, his appearing. That's the day when he's going to come back, brethren, and he's going to take the Kingdom. He's going to be vindicated in this world that spit in his face, said away with him, crucify him. That said, we will not have this man to reign over us. He's coming back.
And who's going to be associated with them in that day? You and you and me? You and I? We're going to be associated with them in that day. Are you and I content to wait that day? If we have a sense of grace in our souls, and grace is teaching us the things that we read in Titus, and if we have a sense that this is not the reigning time now, but we are, the Kingdom of God is a moral sense. It's not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
It is to be what exhibited in your life and mine as those who are waiting for the king. Then I believe it will preserve us from moral evil, it will preserve us from settling down in this world, and it will preserve us from rising up and thinking that we need to take the position of those that are raining now.
How would you, how would inheritance fluctuate in a practical way? Like you're saying, isn't that something?
That's stable that.
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This if this characterizes a person.
He would not be saved and it's isn't it? I've always taken this that my brother used to say. God never gives comfort to a careless Christian, so.
If a person is walking like this, you would have no.
Reason to tell me when he was the Lord's exactly. And I knew the brother very well who made that comment, and I believe that's exactly the point here.
As a believer, I can't lose my salvation. And in that sense I won't be disinherited For walking carelessly, yeah, but I won't have the enjoyment in my soul of that inheritance, nor will I have any comfort in my life by walking carelessly. And that's why it says, secondly, in the next verse, let no man deceive you with vain words. And we're seeing that all around us today where Satan has persuaded people.
Yes, you can come to Christ. You can be saved. But you don't have to change. You don't have to alter your lifestyle.
You can carry on with all the things you continue to do so, and continue to do so all the things you went along with before you were saved. Because Satan knows that that kind of a believer, first of all, will not have any enjoyment in his heart of heavenly things, and secondly, he'll be no testimony to this world.
I can't be any testimony to this world if I am pretending that I can.
The Lord is my savior.
Have Christ if I could use the term, and it's a terrible term, but it it expresses the point if I can use Christ and his finished work only as a fire escape from hell, and then live my life to my own pleasure, and in a worldly way and even a sinful way.
The word of God never gives any comfort to a Christian living like that. And that's why. Isn't it that the children of Israel never did fully possess or enjoy the land that God had for them? And And not to digress, but Burns brought up the subject a couple of times and I think it might be helpful to see that the children of Israel, and I know it's been alluded to at three different points in their history, they were in three different positions.
And there were enemies of a different character in each position when they were in the land of Egypt, a type of this world, There was Pharaoh and his hosts, and that is a picture of Satan seeking to keep souls from coming under the good of redemption and deliverance. So when the gospel was preached last night, no doubt the enemy was busy to keep souls distracted because he doesn't want them, as I say, to come under the good of redemption and deliverance.
In the in the wilderness they had conflict with Amalek. Amalek is a picture of Satan seeking to hinder our walk with God through this wilderness world. But when they entered the land has been said there were a number of enemies and the real conflict for Israel never began until they went in to possess the land. And those enemies speak of Satan seeking to keep a true believer from enjoying.
Their heavenly portion, the vast panorama of spiritual blessings that are brought before us in the book of Ephesians and in the New Testament. And the enemy was right there to seek to keep them from the enjoyment of of that those things. And so, in the measure in which you and I today seek to enjoy our heavenly portion and all that is ours in Christ, you can be rest assured the enemy is going to be right there in one way or another.
And that's why on the one hand in the 11Th of Joshua it says Joshua took the whole land. Christ has secured all the blessing for us. Joshua is a picture of the Lord Jesus fact his name means Jesus Joshua took the whole land. But a couple of chapters later in the 13th chapter it says there remaineth very much land to be possessed. You say what was the difference? Well they never did really go in and enjoy and possess.
In a practical way, all that Jehovah had for them. And brethren, if we aren't dependent on the Lord, if we're not fighting that spiritual warfare with the resources we have in Christ as we get in the 6th chapter of Ephesians, we are never going to enjoy all that He has for us. And he wants us to have an enjoyment of it before we get to heaven. We can have an enjoyment of heaven before we get there.
00:25:09
I didn't mean to digress, but I think it's helpful to see those various enemies at various times. And we're in all three positions. We're in the world, we're in a wilderness, spiritual wilderness, and Canaan is not something that speaks of so much of heaven and after death and so on, but it speaks of that which we can have an enjoyment of and take possession of in our souls even now.
We often think of covetousness as money, don't we? But when it uses covetous in the New Translation, it calls it greedy, unsatisfied lust. So that can be covered as it isn't just money. Is it a drug? A person who is hooked on drugs? He doesn't care about money. Hundreds of thousands of dollars sometimes pass through his hands. All he just covered us after.
Is satisfying that desire.
So we I think that's just helpful that it covetous. It's not always money. It can be a lust or something like that, which it says is idolatry. It's something that comes between our souls and God.
Well, if we really realize, as it says at the end of verse 6, where this world is headed, it'll sober us up. Wanted. What is going to be the end result of this world that goes on without Christ?
The wrath of God.
And you and I know what the wrath of God is. We have it in Scripture. The world makes light of it and has all kinds of jokes about the fun they're going to have in a lost eternity, because they'll have all their friends with them and so on, and.
What a solemn thing it is. And if we keep that in mind.
It'll keep us from fraternizing with this world.
We have been brought into the light, and we get that more than once, don't we? We're children of light.
And we're to shed the light in this world. We're here to be light as the Lord Jesus was. And so when that light really shines, the result will be that it will expose those things that are in the darkness.
Not that we have to have a knowledge of them. Unhappily, in passing through this world we do get some knowledge.
Of the evil that's in the world. But I don't have to have a full understanding of all the evil in the world in order to walk a faithful path. I simply need to have the word of God, which tells me the right pathway.
And I will be alike simply by my walk.
And so.
It refers to the fact that in verse 7 Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light.
And that doesn't merely mean what we say. It's our entire walk. Isn't it far more important, the way we live, the way we walk, the way we behave, the things we do, and, perhaps more important, the things we don't do?
And that will lend weight to our words if we do say something, but our walk will and ought to bear out that we're children of light.
If we are not partakers.
We are going to stand out.
It was very easy to be our partaker, that we have an example in the next room. We gather there for the meals. The food is spread out on the table.
And we partake of it. It's it's right there, it's accessible and the the corruption of this world is very accessible. But people notice what we partake of and if we don't partake.
Of certain things that the world commonly does, we will stand out. That's God's intention.
I'd like to refer back to Titus chapter 2 for a minute.
And.
We read we went over the verse Titus, Chapter 2.
00:30:00
Verse 12 teaching us that denying ungodliness and willing lust.
That's not an expression that resonates much with us, but what it literally means is to say no to it. The world we're in, a world that says no to God. It says it very plainly.
And that's what denying here means, just to simply say no to it, just as.
Last yesterday, I wish I'd said no to a few dishes on that table.
And I would just add to that, John, and you'll pardon again a reference to what we had before us at Morningstar Camp, but we considered, among other things, choices and habits and if we are going to say no to something.
We have to replace it with something better.
Satan will always fill a vacuum.
And whether it is in the enjoyment of Christ or whether, as Jim brought before us yesterday, it's a matter of service.
Satan will fill a vacuum.
My mother understood that principle very well, and I said this up at camp, that I had two brothers and we were masters at getting into mischief. And her her answer to that was, well, Satan will find some mischief still for idle hands to do. I can't remember how many times I heard that, because then she'd make us get to work and that kept us out of mischief. And if you and I are enjoying Christ.
And that's what we had in the first part of Ephesians. It'll give us the ability to say no as brother John is brought before us.
If we're busy in the work of the Lord, it will keep us from much of the evil that is in the world. Much of the time that we fall into sin is because we have, well, it's a vacuum, Too much leisure time sitting around, nothing to do. And of course then we want something to do, fill our minds and we get into something we shouldn't.
And so here we're to walk in that way as children of light. But why? Because we have something better. And I suggest that's why It brings in the fruit of the Spirit in verse nine. It doesn't develop the fruit of the spirit the way it does in Galatians chapter 5, but it simply makes the contrast between what the old sinful self wants to do.
And what the fruit of the Spirit is, if I'm walking in the Spirit, it says in Galatians, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And it should read, though, that you should not do the things that you would. And so.
Again, as we head up at Morningstar, to erase a bad habit is difficult or almost impossible.
Unless you replace it with a good one.
Why does a new new translation say for the fruit of light? Not the fruit of the Spirit, but the fruit of light, is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.
I didn't know it said that, so you better explain it, Vern. Well, I'm sure you're right. I don't have questioning it. Well, it's talking about light that they're the children of light.
For the fruit of light is all goodness and righteousness and truth. But maybe you better explain that, because I didn't know that.
Go ahead and it's the fruit of the light, it says in the new translation. That is, it's when we walk in the light as the children of light, it's going to manifest the fruit. It's going to bring out what is, what is of Christ. And so rather men, rather than manifesting the things that are listed here that are not as to practical holiness and righteousness, what is the light going to show when we walk as the children of light?
Well, it's going to show those things that are of Christ.
Those attributes of Christ are going to be manifest in our lives. There's going to be a reflection of Christ in each one of us. I'd like to make one other little comment before we pass on in connection with what's been said. Because I believe another way that we are going to be preserved from falling into those things that characterize the children of darkness is to stay away from things as far as we can. I use a little illustration a week ago Saturday.
00:35:01
We were able to go with some of our brethren on a little hike in the Cascade Mountains here in Washington state. And we there were some very narrow trails along the top of those mountains and there wasn't any guardrails or anything to keep us from going over the edge. And it was a long way down there. And what did we do as we went along those trails? Now there were some young children with us. Perhaps I was one of the older ones that was there on the hike and there were some who would be more middle-aged and so on.
And what did all of us do? We kept as far away from the edge as we could. We didn't toy with the danger. We didn't see how close we could come to the edge and not fall off. No, we kept to the side where the mountain was. And I believe, brethren, that this is a warning to all of us, young and old. Again, like I say, there were different age groups on that hike, and those of us who were older tried to make sure. We warned the children and watched the children from getting too close to to the edge so that there wouldn't be a a disaster.
And I say that because I think sometimes that there's the tendency to feel, well, I know how far I can go in that, and I can go on the Internet, and I can look at certain things, but I'll only go so far. Or I can go and participate in some activity with the world. And I know how far to go. I know where to stop. Oh, brethren, as we've already had in these meetings, he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. And I don't care if you're a young person or an old person here. The flesh in in those who are older is no different than the flesh in those that are younger.
And we need to, I believe, be very careful. It says, avoid it, pass not by it, turn away. And so I just say that as a warning and a little addendum to what has already been said. And then, as again has been said, to have our minds filled with Christ, to have our occupation with him. And then, you know, concentration may sorry, consecration means both hands full, you know, if we go through life with both hands full of Christ.
Where our hands are not going to be so occupied with the things they ought not to be occupied with. You know, idle hands shed innocent blood, It tells us in the Old Testament. And that's a principle. But if we go through life with our minds full of Christ, our hands full of Christ, then our feet are going to follow in the path that he has for us, and we're not going to fall into those things. We ought not to. So if we walk as the children of light, then the light is going to show that fruit or that manifestation.
Of Christ in our lives. Do you think that's commendable? Yes. I think the contrast is verse four. That's darkness. Yes. Good. And we're not just.
We weren't just walking in darkness before we were saved. We were darkness. Isn't that interesting? He says. Here you were sometimes darkness. He doesn't say there was a time when you walked in darkness, but that's what we were by nature. But there's been a work of God in us now.
That has not just brought us into the light.
But we are light. We are light in the in the Lord. And that's what ought to be manifest in a practical way then in our lives.
We often get in Paul's ministry that word prove.
And here we get it again.
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
In one sense, we don't need to prove it if we read the word of God and.
Accept it by faith. We know what is good and acceptable unto the Lord. But I believe the thought of proving is that if I walk in the good of it, I will have the practical enjoyment of Christ in my heart.
The same brother that Brother Verne quoted a few minutes ago who said the word of God.
Doesn't give any comfort to an unfaithful and careless Christian, also used to say to us.
It is a most happy feeling.
To be able to lay your head down on your pillow at the end of the day and know that you have sought to please the Lord.
And it's true. It gives a peace and rest in the heart. And so proving has the sense of walking in the good of what the Lord has given us, and finding out, as we always will, that it brings joy and happiness to our hearts.
00:40:07
When it comes to the things of this world, when it comes to what Satan offers, yes, there is pleasure in it. There really is. But it's only for a season.
I can well remember reading the story of a girl. I had no idea. I have no idea who she was, but she was young. She had everything going for her. She was very good looking. She was athletic, she was in good health. She came from a well to do home, and from what I could gather, she wasn't particularly into all of the evil of this world. She'd been brought up well. She didn't get into alcohol or drugs. She wasn't particularly immoral.
But she just enjoyed what would be conventionally called the good life.
But then she found Christ, and after she was saved, it was rather interesting to me to read her comment, she said. Was it a good life?
Oh, she said. In many ways it was. I had everything going for me. I had good friends, everything I wanted in terms of money. We enjoyed ourselves. We had lots of good times together.
And she said, thank God the Lord, even though he wasn't in her life, never let me drift into something which was.
Really. Seriously wrong.
But then she said.
It never really satisfied.
And she said now that I found Christ.
I could never go back. I could never go back.
May the Lord resonate that within our hearts because there is pleasure out there. And you and I in North America we have We live in some of the most prosperous economies the world has ever seen. Unbelievable. Now I know it's not quite the way it was maybe 50 or 60 years ago.
When I was growing up, but still in all Canada, the US, pretty good places to live naturally, aren't they?
And not many of us worry about where our next meal is coming from, or whether we'll have a roof over our head or whether we'll have.
Ability to go to school and get an education and so on. We have it pretty good in this land.
But without Christ, it doesn't satisfy. And it won't satisfy you and me as believers either, even though we try it.
This chapter is all about.
Living in the enjoyment of everything that God has given us, but.
Very specially on the heavenly side of things, heavenly blessings.
No one ever had that before, this dispensation of grace, and they'll never have it again. What a privilege we have.
Someone has said that you can make your choice. You can choose what you do.
But you can't choose the consequences. God chooses the consequences.
That's kind of a solemn thought.
Is.
We make choices. God makes consequences.
And you see that, don't you? In illustration or contrast between King Solomon in the Old Testament and the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, we find that King Solomon at the end, near the end, at the end of his life, the last part of his life, he said. I didn't withhold myself from any pleasure.
He was a true believer, true child of God, but he didn't withhold himself from any pleasure. He had everything naturally speaking that this world could offer. And what did he write across it all? Vanity and vexation of spirit. On the other hand, Paul expressed his desire to finish his course with joy, and he could rejoice in the Lord. And of sometimes contrasted those two, because suppose that Solomon on the throne of Israel at the pinnacle of its glory.
Humanly speaking, had written rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Oh, you'd say, of course He had everything his heart naturally could desire.
But suppose Paul, when he wrote to the Philippians, had written all his vanity and vexation of spirit. Well, you'd say. Of course he didn't have anything anyway. He was imprisoned for his faith. He was in the lowest conditions of things perhaps possible to to be. But isn't it interesting? It was just the contrast.
00:45:02
Solomon tried it all, but it didn't satisfy his heart. And there were consequences in Solomon's life, although we're going to see him another day in the in heaven, but with the Apostle Paul, who had nothing of this world. He had something that satisfied his soul. He had walked in the enjoyment of those things that by inspiration he had himself presented to the Saints of God, and that we have for our enjoyment today.
He had served the Lord and felt like he had fulfilled his ministry. He'd fought a good fight. He kept the faith. He'd finished his course, and he finished it with joy. Brethren, all Christians don't. As Bill pointed out there that that young lady she felt at the end of her life that there was had been something missing, although she again will see her another day in heaven. The consequences are never that we lose our salvation, but there are consequences of.
The loss of reward at the judgment seat of Christ. There's a loss of enjoyment of those things now. And sometimes there are things even that we have to reap in this life that we will never leave until we till we leave this world.
So in verse 11 we have.
Have no fellowship, have no communion, same word, have no common thoughts.
With the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
This can be sometimes.
And I don't want to be misunderstood. I'll try and say it in the right way. We tried to say it a bit yesterday in the open meeting.
Does that mean I never rub shoulders with the world or have nothing to do with them? No.
I am in the world, but not of the world.
Some would say, well, how can I be a witness to the word this world if I'm not in company with them And so on.
Very definitely true.
But there's a difference between being in the world and of the world, isn't it? And if, as we've already said, we are walking in the light.
We will find that not only are we able to give up the world.
But eventually, the world will give us up.
That sometimes can hurt.
Pardon a personal illustration. When I was practicing medicine, there was a group of about 20 or more doctors in the small hospital where I worked and they occasionally had social get togethers to which I did not go.
But once in a while, if they held a retirement dinner for somebody or that sort of thing, I felt that perhaps it was a good thing to show up. And I don't say this I trust with any degree of pride or anything like that.
But my wife and I both noticed it that there are those who worked with me very closely, who gave anesthetics for surgery, and who worked most closely with me.
When it came to sitting down at tables at that retirement dinner.
Everyone of them made very sure that they were not at our table.
I knew the reason for that. They didn't want the conversation to go in certain directions. They wanted freedom to talk about what they wanted to talk about.
And you and I will find that if we are faithful to the Lord, if we give up the world, that is one thing. But eventually the world will give up us. Unless unless the Lord touches their hearts and there's a real interest in the things of God. And so, yes, we are going to come in contact with the unfruitful works of darkness. We are going to see it. We're going to hear about it.
And as we talked about on Saturday.
We hear about it more than ever today because of the Internet and social media of various kinds. We hear about the untruthful works of darkness, but that's different from having fellowship with them. I should avoid it, as Jim has been saying, as far as possible. But having fellowship with it is another thing, isn't it?
And the world will soon recognize where we stand on that if we walk in the light.
00:50:08
Though the reproof here isn't always what we say, is it? We think of reproving someone. We think of speaking our mind on a on a subject, or trying to correct someone on on something that they're doing or something they've said. But light doesn't make any noise. You put a light in a dark room and it chases the darkness out, but that light doesn't make any noise.
And so, as Brother Bill has said, I believe just our the presence of a believer who is walking in the character of as a child of light, we are the children of Light. Nothing changes that. But if we walk in the character of those who are the children of Light reflecting something of Christ in our lives, that in itself.
Will, can and will be a reproof. When the Lord Jesus was here he was the light of the world and it wasn't always what he said or did that reprove men men's consciences. It was just his presence.
When he walked into a room or he arrived in a city, men's consciences were immediately pricked. Sometimes they asked him to depart out of their coast. Why? Because his very presence as the light of the world reproved their conscience. And I believe we can have that effect, brethren, because I realize there are some here and who are more shy than others. Maybe there's someone here and you say, I find it very hard to speak up for the Lord. I find it very hard to give a verbal testimony sometimes.
But just show Christ by living Christ, walk in the light. And so we are, as it says in Matthew 5, it says ye are the light of the world. You know, I think that's important to realize because really all that this world is going to see of the light of Christ today is what's manifest in your life. And mine and especially brethren in a day when they've closed the pages of the light of God's word. It's not read anymore, generally speaking.
What light is this world going to see? What reproof are they going to have?
It is what is manifest in your life and mine. There's an old hymn and we don't sing it, but there's an old hymn. The light of the world is Jesus, but that's not quite accurate. When he was here, he was the light of the world. And such was the moral darkness that it says the light shone in darkness and the darkness comprehended it. Not what a deep moral darkness there was that the light didn't even penetrate it, at least to a great degree. But the Lord Jesus tells us now, the Scripture tells us now.
Ye are the light of the world. The Lord isn't here the way he was physically when he walked amongst men in the days of his sojourn on earth. He was the light of the world. But He has passed that responsibility and privilege on to you and to me. We are now the light of the world, and in that way we can. We will be a reproof even if we don't say one word aloud.
As you said a few minutes ago, Jim, and you were, it's quite right that we are not here to be a moral force to change the world.
The corollary to that is, or the opposite to That is, what did they say in Thessalonica when Paul and his company came?
They that have turned the world upside down or come hit her. Why did Paul try to change the outward world and be a moral force to turn the world around? No, but he turned it upside down all right by preaching the gospel. That's the moral force to change the world by the believer, isn't it?
We know what's going to get worse and worse. And I say this because, and you know it as well as I do, there is a strong movement, particularly in North America, that says, as we've already heard, that we ought to be out there to get the world ready for God's Kingdom. And we need to get involved in politics and anywhere else we can in public life to get the world ready for God's Kingdom. No, when Thy judgments are in the world, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Think that's in Isaiah, maybe 26, but you and I, do we still?
I don't like to quote that verse turn the world upside down, because I don't think I do. But potentially the believer has the power to do that if he's walking in the light, doesn't he?
00:55:02
And in verse 12 it says for it is a shame.
Even to the speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Today, there's not much that is secret. Things are done out in the open that were done in secret even a few years ago.
Do we recognize those things we do? Does the Word of God speak of them? Yes, it does.
Every moral sin that man falls into is pretty much mentioned at some time or other in Scripture. But here's the point. Not in a way that excites the flesh.
Or excites lust, and that's the difference between the word of God.
And I say to each one of us, and it's very, very sad.
Sometimes you'll pick up what is supposed to be a Christian book.
That tells a story of someone who found Christ.
But unhappily, I say, the publishers know what sells books.
And so they.
Right in a reasonable or a reasonable or even more than reasonable amount of lurid detail.
All the details of the sins of that individual, he or she before they got saved. Why? Because they know that sells books. People like to read that kind of thing.
Simply.
Talk about the fact that they walked in darkness, and perhaps give a few examples of the kind of lifestyle they led. That's that's OK. Scripture does that. But they go into a lot of detail, which is not necessary, and I've seen it in more than one case in books.
I believe this scripture would bear on that.
Yes, we know about these things. Scripture talks about them and tells us to avoid them. Tells us the consequences of those that fell into those sins. But if I occupy my mind with evil, I can't be occupied with what's in the light, can I? I can't be occupied with darkness and at the same time be occupied with the light. Yes. Are there times we need to be occupied with evil?
Yes, there are.
We don't need to turn to it. It's too big a subject to get into this after this morning, but in Numbers 19 we read about.
Recovery, restoration to Communion from one who is defiled.
But we notice there that the one who applied the water of purification, what happened? He had to wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. Why? Had he done the sin? No, but because he was occupied with the sin even in restoration.
He was defiled.
For the day had to wash his clothes and be unclean until the even, and so even shall we say it in dealing with.
Sin in the local assembly if it's of a character that needs to come to the attention of the assembly.
There needs to be a dealing with it. Sometimes we have to deal with.
Unbelievers and all the sin they've been involved in. What does it say in the last chapter of or the book of Jude? Hating the garment, even the garment spotted by the flesh pull them out of the fire. Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
We should never take pleasure in getting involved in sin, even though we will be.
Inevitably brought into close contact with it, even as believers, and necessarily so. But dwelling on it is never to be the object of the Christian.
And so I believe this verse would apply no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Rather reprove them. And as we've we've had proof.
Doesn't necessarily mean words. It can simply mean our walk and our department.
And can I just say this too in that regard, that when things come to light in the assembly, just as they did in Corinth, things were commonly reported and so on that needed to be dealt with for the Lord's glory, evil needs to be kept to the smallest possible circle. That's why you never find in the New Testament.
That when evil came to light and needed to be dealt with for the Lord's glory and the clearing of sin from the the Lords presence and the presence of the people his his people. That again things weren't discussed in in openly in the assembly. When the when the assembly was together they were discussed in, shall I say the brothers meeting the elders and apostles in Acts 15, where it was moral evil or I'm sorry, where it was doctrinal evil.
01:00:24
They came together to discuss the matter. That's where the much discussion took place. And so often and again, not to harp on this, but we are in a day of communication, aren't we? There's this is a day when communication is so easy and you know it's so easy to punch out a text or an e-mail and send push the send button before we even think about it. You know, it used to be you'd write a letter and then you'd think about it and maybe you'd tear up the letter and you wouldn't send it or you'd set it aside on the desk and.
A day or so later, you say, well, maybe, maybe I just better put that in the in the trash. But today, with communication so prevalent, we often spread things we ought not to spread before we really take time to consider the matter. And so evil always needs to be kept to the smallest possible circle. That's why it says in fact I we could quote but this turned to the verse. I think we've already quoted it, but it's interesting. The order in Romans 16.
Where it speaks of good and evil and how we are to.
What it is to be in our lives.
In Romans chapter 16 just the last part of part of verse 19 the last two expressions. Notice this, I would have you.
Wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. Now if I'd been writing this, I would have reversed it. I would have put Well, we need to be simple concerning evil and wise concerning good. But that's not the way the Spirit of God has recorded it. And there may be other reasons, but I I just make this suggestion our first and foremost concern and exercise as believers.
Is to be wise concerning that which is good. That's first and foremost. We've spoken of it. Filling the water pots to the brim, filling the cup with wheat so there's no room for the chaff. Filling our minds with Christ and and the word of God, wise.
Concerning that which is good.
Then there are times there, as Brother Bill has said, maybe in a specific situation we need to have some knowledge, whether it's something that needs to be taken up amongst the people of God for the Lord's glory, or someone you're dealing with who's entrenched in doctrinal error. Sometimes I've had to go to my library and read a little bit of what I'm dealing with in connection with a specific situation, but again, that is only if the need be.
We're to be first of all wise concerning that which is good. If we need to have some knowledge of that which is evil, keep it simple. Don't delve into all the INS and outs of it. That is only going to defile you. If I can put it this way. Don't go home and start reading up on all the false doctrines that have ever been propagated and are being propagated in Christendom. That's only going to defile you. Yes, if you're dealing with someone who's entrenched in one of those doctrines, maybe you've got to have some kind of a little outline to.
Counter what what they're saying from the word of God and and so on.
And so, brethren, these are very practical warnings. But I believe these are the things that are going to preserve us. And how am I going to detect something that's evil by having delved into all that's involved in that that evil. No. When, when? Again, we've often used the illustration but at the teller at the bank. And I know a lot of us use ATMs now and we don't go to the to the to the to the counter in the bank. But I'm small town. I still like to go to the counter at the bank and.
I know some of the tellers personally and you pass the time of day, but.
The teller at the bank.
How does she or he detect false money? Counterfeit currency? By handling counterfeit currency every day? No, they'd lose their job if they did. They handle the real money from day-to-day, and then hopefully, if a false bill is passed, they'll detect it because it doesn't have that feel of that which is real. And how are we going to detect evil in its various aspects? By knowing all about it? No, by being being wise concerning that which is good.
And simple concerning evil.
01:05:15
What's? What's that last part of verse 13?
And I've just read it, but all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light.
For whatsoever doth make manifest is light but.
Whatever that makes manifest is what's happening, I guess. I would think that's just saying in, in very concise terms, what Jim has just brought out. And that is, if I'm living and walking in the light, it will immediately manifest something that isn't in the light. And so all things that are reproved are made manifest by delving into all the things that aren't late. No, that's not the point.
Yes, there is a time and a place. Let me use an illustration. In traveling occasionally to foreign lands, it helps to have at least a little bit of an understanding of some of the tenants of a false religion. And when someone approaches you and starts to talk, you can, if I could use the term, talk intelligently with them because you know where they're coming from.
Even within the framework of cults in Christianity.
It was a help to me once when when a 7th day Adventist girl started arguing with me about 7th day Adventism to know where they went wrong on the person and work of Christ. And so there is a place for that, but filling my mind with all that sort of thing, even if I have a right.
Purpose in it is not going to feed my soul with Christ. Rather, I will soon find that if I am walking in the light and enjoying the light, then immediately something that isn't part of the light will, if I could use the term, jump right out at me.
Good 200 and one 201.
Three. Climb up. No transcription. Find ourselves in our lives.
Sanctification
Address—Dan Liening
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.
The 1St 5 verses of 31 in the appendix.
The 1St 5 verses of 31 in the back of the book.
Lord, thy love has sought and found us.
Rolling.
My soul.
For me.
My soul.
For you.
My soul.
God.
'S role?
On the cross to save my soul.
Man.
Free.
We shall breathe my life so much.
She escaped himself again. He's crying.
I cannot resume.
God, my God.
My God for save thee.
Yes.
Shall we pray?
God blessed God and Father.
What a theme to be singing about.
That Jesus gave himself for me.
00:05:01
And as this meeting has been called to address the younger that are in the faith.
We pray that Father, we all with them.
Might be strengthened in our inner man.
By thy spirit to have a deeper appreciation of this one, who is the Lamb of God.
That is, in his work will take away the sin of the world.
And we thank the Lord Jesus. For many of us here today, we can say that our sins are gone.
And by thy precious.
Thy glorious person, we have been set free from the law of sin and death.
And so we pray thee, precious Savior, that thou hast help us to.
Speak rightly of what thou hast done, and of thy most holy person.
So we ask this precious Lord, and pray in thy worthy precious name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Well, as others have begun their addresses up here.
And spoke of things that they had had on their heart.
Before the call came from Aberdeen.
It was the same with myself.
And I certainly wasn't expecting to stand up here for sure, but there was a line of truth that had come before me.
That.
Is a very precious truth.
And that is about sanctification.
And it's not that I want to speak necessarily doctrinally today.
Though you can't hardly get away from the fact that what has been written through the Apostle Paul.
Through the Gospels.
Has is laid down a foundation not even the gates of hell can prevail against.
So that it becomes us as we speak of these things.
To Revere them.
In our hearts, as the Apostle Paul said to Timothy, take heed to thyself.
And to the doctrine. For in so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.
Sanctification.
You know, as I understand it, it seems like this thought in the word of God. We're going to come to it in Ephesians Chapter 5.
But this thought is is might say, developed in two different ways in the Word of God.
And one is.
That we are placed in sanctification before God by the work of the Lord Jesus.
And another sense in which sanctification is spoken of is that it's a practical experience.
And I think we felt that as we've gone through the beginning of Ephesians 5 in that first reading that we had together.
In which we were made very much aware.
That we, by the grace of God, have escaped the corruption that's in the world through lust.
It's a very real thing.
And my desired dear young people.
Is to strengthen your hand in the Lord today.
You know, when Jonathan and David had solidified a relationship between them?
Because Jonathan saw him as Israel's savior, I'm sure.
That he went out to David on one occasion, and it says that he strengthened his hand in God.
And I don't know how any of us, you or myself, or any of us, can have our hands strengthened in God.
Except through a.
A realization of where God has put us.
Now the second one as to the practical experience.
Oftentimes what happens is when a young person gets saved, there's this burning desire.
To want to please the Lord.
You can't help it because you've been washed with the washing of regeneration. You have a new life. You've been born again.
And sometimes what happens is there's an effort to be more holy.
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Without starting with your feet on the solid foundation of the work of Christ.
It becomes very subjective.
And and there are segments of Christendom.
That make very much of this subjective experience.
So much so that your joy depends on how holy you are.
I had a young man one time. I met him in the barbershop.
And.
He had just gotten saved. He lived in Puyallup, where I was from.
And he told me the experience of how he was saved.
And he said, in fact, you know, I have a tongue now. Not this.
But he was talking about.
A spiritual tongue. And he said. I'd like to come over to your house.
And he had been taught, Brethren, that the apex of his Christian life depended on him being in the Spirit, and therefore he would speak in tongues.
So sanctified that he would speak that way while he came to my house.
And I didn't know what to do because my mom was home.
So I told him to come into my bedroom because I had. I had two single beds in there and I shut the door when he got in and he sat on one side and I sat on the other and.
I said, well, go ahead.
And he did.
And I had been exposed to Spanish.
Probably a little bit of French.
But here was something that I had never heard before.
So when he was done, I said, well, what did you say?
And so he interpreted what he said, and there was nothing to it.
If this was spiritual language.
It was empty.
But you see, it's possible to be so.
And I'm going to use the word deceived.
Into thinking that there is such a spiritual state.
That if you are controlled by the Spirit, if you are filled with the Spirit, you are going to speak in tongues.
He believed that.
And it set me to searching the word. And we're not going to go through that today. But when I went through the book of Acts, I got complete peace about the fact that this is not the Lord's mind.
I'm not denying that there weren't tongues in the early church, but what it has developed into today is something totally inflated from what was ordered by the word of God through the apostles in the early church.
So I came across a statement of Mr. Ballots a long time ago.
And I so appreciated it because.
Rather than put me on the dilemma.
Coming to a certain state, I thought he put it so well and this is what he said.
The first duty of faith.
As well as its sublimus acting.
Is to stand before him, that is the Lord, to stand before him and his ways.
Adoring.
And not begin by examining ourselves to see whether we're making suitable returns to the life giving grace of the Son of God. Oh, brother I. That's a choice piece of ministry.
The first duty of faith.
As well as its subliminous acting.
Is to stand before him and his ways adoring.
And not begin by examining ourselves, looking introspectively to see if I'm making a suitable return.
You know, if my eyes are on the inside, I'll never be making a suitable return.
Because according to Galatians, faith that we have in Christ works by by love.
And if the love of Christ has taken a hold of our hearts?
It's not hard to live for him.
We fail absolutely.
All the time.
But by the grace of God, there's a person out there. And I so enjoyed a statement that I read recently of Mr. Wigrams. And he said, you know, it's a wonderful thing to have Christ as your object.
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And he said, and there's something that's, I'm going to say this carefully, But he said there's something even more precious, and that's to have Christ in your heart.
And I thought of Ephesians 3 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.
Yes, he's out there. He's the one that I think has been drawn to our attention in Philippians 3 that Paul, he had set his mark to go to that prize for the calling on high of God in Christ.
Yes, he was going to that place in his heart. Nothing was going to hold him back. But he also had Christ in his heart, and I think that's a good word for us that are younger because it is truly the love of Christ that constrains us.
Not the sense of duty.
Not the sense of obligation.
But because like this hymn that we've sung this today and that's why I I gave it out.
Because as young believers, I don't know of anything that is so transforming than to think about this one who died for you and for me.
The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
So the first thing I would like to speak of.
And I know this is nothing new to most of here, but how we have been established, how we have been placed?
Where they're standing, that's unimpeachable.
You know, when Richard Nixon, president of the United States, sometime back, was impeached, I don't know that hardly any of us ever thought of that word. Impeached.
But in Mrs. Darby's translation, he speaks about that the Saints.
Let's read it. First First Corinthians chapter one.
And we're going to turn to a number of scriptures.
And end up with a little picture of all of this but.
First Corinthians chapter one and verse 7.
So that you come behind in no gift.
Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who shall also confirm you unto the end? And now that's where it says Unimpeachable.
There's not even the gates of hell.
That can prevail against one who is on this rock.
Christ is the rock, and our feet are there, by the grace of God, never to be taken off.
Now we've talked earlier in this, the meeting before this one, as to the solemnity of walking at a distance from the Lord to where you can't hardly tell if the person has been saved or not. That's possible.
It's possible to have the world so close.
To our thoughts and the intents of our lives.
That the Lord Jesus as he saw this in a public way.
Had to say to those that lay out a sea, I am about to spew thee out of my mouth.
But I don't want to cast a doubt in anybody's mind.
That the work of God was to place us in Christ before him.
Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, here it says who shall also shall confirm you blameless, or I think it's unimpeachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So in chapter one and verse 30, we're going to read this verse verse here that we're going to speak about.
It says, But of him are ye in Christ Jesus?
Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption?
What does sanctification mean?
Have you ever gone by a piece of property?
That's up for sale.
And people. Or maybe it says sold on it. Either way.
It'll say, oh, there's a sign there that says private property keep off.
To me, that's what sanctification is.
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God, in his matchless grace, has set us apart.
He said. And that's really what it means to be set apart.
And dear young person here today.
Have you ever stopped to think that the Lord and His love for your soul?
Has said I want you.
And I want you for myself, and I'm setting you apart to be just for me.
I love that thought. I love the thought that the Lord thinks of Maine as private property.
And that's why I believe the Lord Jesus said they are not of the world.
Even as I am not of the world.
How far is this from legalism?
It's miles away.
Because if we would read there the next verse there in John 17, the Lord Jesus says, therefore I sanctify myself, that they may be sanctified through the truth. What is the sanctifying power to be appreciating and enjoying the fact that you're set apart?
Is that the Lord Jesus set himself apart for our sake?
And he's up there this afternoon.
Looking down even upon a company like this, and for everyone that's trusted him as their savior, there is a jewel.
A jewel.
As we sometimes say.
When he When he cometh, when he cometh to make up his jewels, precious jewels, precious jewels. And that's what we are, brother.
We have been set apart for him to be, for his pleasure. Now it says that in the Book of Revelation because it says that we were created for his pleasure, for his will.
So because we are in Christ Jesus, he has made unto us sanctification and redemption.
Now you know as far as performance is concerned.
We might have thought that the the, the assembly at court would have been not too good of a a shining example of of teaching sanctification to there were so many things that might have been censored as far as the way they were living.
But you know, let's go over to Chapter 6.
To show that the depths from which they had been brought.
Chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians.
And this kind of reminds us of some of the things we were reminded of today, verse 9, knowing not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
And then these classification of different characters of persons that he says they shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. And then verse 11 he says, and such were some of you.
But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
I think this is so wonderful.
Because what they were, they weren't anymore in the sight of God.
If we could have delved into their private lives, it would have been like it says in Ephesians. It's a shame to speak of those things that are done by them.
But as we heard last night, the kindness and love of God towards man appeared.
And David expressed it so beautifully to to Mephibosheth, as we were told.
And so they were washed. They were sanctified. They were justified.
In the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Now let me ask you, dear young people.
Have you ever considered the fact that the Lord considers you as a sanctified person?
Do you have to go through some kind of confirmation class?
In order to be sanctified.
It's all based upon the work of the Lord Jesus. That song that we sang is so poignant. 31 in the appendix.
Hark what sounds a bitter weeping. There he went. He went in what was in the Old Testament called a valley that was neither sown nor eared. Nobody had been there before they could stand the judgment of God.
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No, he bore it all with a view that by his spirit.
And by the name of the Lord Jesus he would put us in that place of being sanctified, set apart for him.
Now you know our brother, Bob Bowman.
One time as he was reading a certain passage of Scripture, we may read it later, But he said, you know, sometimes I hear the Lord's people say, well, if the Lord leaves us here.
Dot dot dot.
If the Lord leaves us here, well then you know what he said.
He said. What do you mean if the Lord leaves us here? He said. The Lord has sent us here.
I thought that was so good. It just seems to put a noble motive. We spoke about focus and motivation the other day, but think about you and me when we go to the workplace. Some people have body shops.
And some people have.
Engineering degrees and they go to their office.
Others are carpenters, others are farmers.
In whatever way, it is as our brother Jim brought before us.
I have sent them as thou hast sent me. I have sent you.
What an ennobling thought. How can it be? The Lord Jesus said. Ye are the light of the world.
And we were told this afternoon or this morning rather, that to walk with the Lord Jesus in whatever those categories that I mentioned.
There's a light that is given off.
And what a privilege to be sent.
We say to ourselves.
Me, he sent me.
What? I'm not gifted.
I don't know how to preach.
It just seems like it's so hard for me to talk to people.
I have sent you as the Father hath sent me.
So have I sent you?
And you're looking at the one that's probably the most backward in these ways.
But it's so good, brethren and dear young people.
To remember.
That as being set apart for the Lord.
He has sent us here and he wants us to be to his pleasure and for his will.
Yesterday my brother and I were talking together and he was talking about the different decisions in life that he has to make.
In waiting upon the Lord to open doors.
And I just recalled to him what my mother-in-law said one time, and that was he said she said, even the Apostle Paul.
Could do nothing greater for the moment.
Than to carry out the will of God in his life.
So where has he placed us? Where has he placed you? Where has he placed me?
You've heard the expression bloom, where you're planted.
It may not be very pleasant at times. Circumstances may be adverse, as we heard about some of our beloved brethren this morning.
But by the grace of God, we can bloom where we're planted.
Because we have been set apart, we have been sanctified. We are there. It's not something that next year we're going to attain to.
Our feet are upon the rock. They can't be moved.
What grace, what mercy this is?
Well, there's a lot of verses I could read.
I'd like to now.
Because each one of the verses that I had looked at and I've got them written down right here because I've got a poor memory. But rather than read them all just to establish this one fact to start with, that we have been set apart for the Lord by an act of God's will to place us there.
And we are set apart. We are sanctified apart from anything we have ever done to to merit it or to to attain to it.
And were unimpeachable.
Until the day of Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah. What a savior.
00:30:03
So let's go to John 17.
Because there's the other aspect of sanctification.
And that is where we experience sanctification now. I think our brothers have faithfully brought before us that once we're saved.
And I think it was touched on this morning that.
The Lord doesn't say, OK, you're saved. Do the best you can.
No, he has given us, shall I say, material.
He's given us things in the scriptures to help us to fortify us, that we would experience this sanctification in a practical way.
I think in really simple terms, it's like Peter when he said to the to the Jewish Saints. I think it's the very last verse of second Peter. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but grow in grace.
Are we going to get to a place that where we never grow again? Maybe physically?
But I know there are some that have been quoted in this room, those that have gone on before us.
And when they spoke, they did something to your heart because they didn't stop growing. In fact, Mr. Darby was on his deathbed and it was such an encouragement to my soul, and he was talking about his.
Last days and and his death forthcoming.
But.
He said. You know, I noticed something I hadn't seen last night.
And I don't know about you, but you'd think that after 32 volumes or maybe 34 volumes, notes and comments, notes and jottings, now there's more writings that he's put out that they found, he said. I thought of something last night I've never seen before. And brother, that was an encouragement this morning about.
For the fruit of the light, isn't it? There's things that we learn all the time by by the Lord's mercy. And that's what is upon my heart. For my younger brethren and for myself, for all of us.
That rather than become stagnant.
And we see the course of the church and the seven churches, and it really did become stagnant.
That the Lord would touch our hearts today with a sense of the pristine.
Glory of being set apart for God.
You know, somebody wrote to him. Now I belong to Jesus and Jesus belongs to me.
Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity.
That's where we are. We belong to him.
In John 17 here.
It says verse 15.
And I think this was brought before us too. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil they are not of the world.
Even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth.
And the verse we quoted later, verse 19. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself.
That they also might be sanctified through the truth.
You see, Jesus is the truth.
But you know, it struck me some time ago when I read that they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
The Lord could have gone into a very detailed account of what the world is.
Sometimes we hear the expression well, what harm is there in this?
Is that the basis by which we judge what is of the world?
And I just thought, well, this is really wonderful.
Because rather than say don't go there, don't go there.
Don't partake of that, he says. They are not of the world.
Even as I am not of the world and rather than put a detailed description of what we can do and what we can't do.
He's saying to us, where is your heart?
00:35:02
Where is our heart? Where is my heart?
We had a young brother one time come to a conference.
And the young people were going, not all this was not a united thing. There was just a few that were going to go to a certain place.
And it was so sweet to me whether I understood it or not.
He came to the door of that establishment.
And he said to himself, I can't go in.
He didn't have a word from the Lord, at least not that I knew of. He felt it would have been improper for him to be there.
Now how did he come to that?
Through reading the word of God and walking with God, walking in the Lord's presence, communing with the Lord because he wasn't under a rule.
He wanted to be controlled by the Lord Jesus.
The others went in and he went to the house where he was staying.
You know, that really struck me and it it's it smoked my own conscience.
Because I thought, wow, what a wonderful thing to have a conscience exercise to discern both good and evil. You know, it says that in Hebrews chapter 5, who by well, let me read it, Who by reason of habit have their consciences exercised to discern both good and evil. I'll I'll read that though.
The strong meat belongs to them that are of full age.
Even those who, by reason of use or by reason of habit, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
You know if you as a father.
Or if you as a mother, if one of your children said, you know dad, a bunch of us were at a certain place, but you know dad, I I just didn't feel free to go.
There were some things there that I didn't think the Lord would want me to be involved there, and so I went the other way.
Father and mother.
That would be pretty special, wouldn't it?
And so I believe that's what the Lord wants for us.
That rather than having a set, a rule book of where to go and where not to go, he just says even as I am not of the world.
That's powerful.
That's commanding.
Because it's love that's making the decision.
Through the Word of God, having the senses exercised the discern good and evil.
And then by the eye.
If the eye be single, the body shall be full of light.
So we have that and then what I already mentioned I guess.
In verse 18 as thou hast sent me into the world.
Even so have I also sent them into the world. But anyway, this thought of sanctification, in a practical sense, is what we want to come to now. First, we're there in a positional way, never to be taken off that ground through the work of Christ, through the work of the Spirit. It tells us in Peter that we're sanctified by the Spirit.
Through the offering it well in another place, it says, we've been sanctified to the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
That's a positional, stable, eternal thing, Unimpeachable until the day of Jesus Christ. But now we're looking at our life in relation to daily growth, daily, considering situations. This is all a part of Christian growth.
And sanctification as to being set apart for the Lord.
There are so many verses and I want to end up in Genesis 47, so I I've got to kind of be careful here.
Well, let's just go to Ephesians 5, even though we're going to take that up probably this afternoon, but at least to get the the thought.
Verse 25 or 26 Well, let's go. 25 Ephesians 525 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with a washing of water by the word.
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You know, I I think this is very very practical here.
Now some have used the statement or the expression progressive progressive sanctification and I don't want to give off the idea that.
We are, as it were, ascending up and up and up.
But more that we are going deeper into the heart of God.
And understanding more of what his will and what his thoughts are. But anyway, the Lord Jesus is up in heaven and as we make ourselves available to that throne of grace.
It says that he is he is sanctifying us and cleansing us by the washing of water by the word.
You know, I remember somebody asking me a long time ago.
Do you have your altar in the morning?
Do you have a time?
In your daily routine.
Before you go out the door.
Where you can get into the Lord's presence and read the scriptures by yourself.
And I know there are many here that are practicing that.
You'll never be sorry for it. There's nothing like the word of God. There's nothing so fulfilling.
I remember a brother. He's not with us anymore, but there were times when he would reflect on some thought from the word of God and he would just kind of chuckle.
It struck him so deep he would chuckle a little bit and he said isn't that wonderful, you know?
And this is what we desire for us all.
But that question do you have an altar yourself in the morning?
Some people might say, well, I'm not a morning person.
I'm not an evening person.
Whatever it is, I'm not laying down a rule, but I just know that every minute you spend, every minute I spend reading the scriptures, using the helps that the Lord has given us is so fulfilling. There's nothing, as our brother said, that that girl that had seemingly had everything in her life, she was not fulfilled.
She still was empty.
And if we are honest with ourselves, we have to say I am.
An empty vessel.
Scarce one thought to thee I've ever brought.
But still.
The Word is there for us, and the Lord is going to use that word to continue.
Helping us to grow, helping us to perceive more things.
And again, to go back as brother Darby said, I never saw that before. You know, that's the way it should be, shouldn't it? No matter where we are in this this Christian course that we have?
Now there are times.
When to continue on in faith before the Lord.
There are times when we have to use some energy.
And I'm going let's go to second Timothy chapter 2.
Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse.
Well, it's just hard to know where to start here. Let's just go verse 15 study to show thyself approved unto God.
A Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Now notice, but shun profane and vain battlings.
Notice now in verse 19 the last line there just about let everyone that names the name of Christ depart.
Shun vain babblings.
Depart from iniquity, verse 21. Purge himself from these, verse 22. Flee also youthful lusts, but follow.
00:45:02
And I believe these verses at least help us to see that there's a there's a certain measure on our part.
That we see grace in the Lord, that we do these things, that we might continue to grow.
Might continue to be enlarged. You know, when the apostle Paul gave the truth of separation? I love this. It was with a view of being enlarged.
And you remember the the.
The.
The scriptures that spoke of the Nazarites thou.
The Nazarites Val to me is seen in this, and if I'm not mistaken there's 6-7 or eight times where it says he was to separate himself onto the Lord.
It doesn't say separate from.
But it says to separate themselves to the Lord. There's the key to sanctification.
You see, but it it it and the end result is that there's enlargement, there's a deeper joy than there was before.
There's a deeper gratification spiritually.
Sanctification by experience. Little by little we get it Line upon line and precept upon precept here a little, there a little. That's what I'm trying to bring out. But there are times, and especially in days of Second Timothy, when the Christian profession gets to the point where old wives fables are thought to be great.
The very vitals of Christianity are denied.
The instruction is through the assembly. How an assembly is to be?
Is to function.
If we're enjoying this, being sanctified, continually growing.
Then we look at those things, and we say, Lord, what will thou have me to do?
Depart, Shun. Purge yourself, separate from.
Those principles that deny what God has given us as regard the Church. Now I'd just like to say, well, let's come to a little bit later.
Let's stop at this point, because I want to now.
Well, let me say this one thing, that the day is at hand, brethren, and I think that verse was quoted, I don't know how many times already since we've been together, Even so come Lord Jesus.
This this.
Experience of being sanctified more and more separated more and more to the Lord is going to be finished at the coming of the Lord.
Then we shall know even as we are known.
We shall see his face. His name shall be in our forehead.
How often, as Mr. Darby said, no infants changing pleasures like my wandering mind?
We have to confess that, don't we? But then his name is there and I to me, that's like all of our thoughts.
We don't speak about time there, but could we say all the time eternally?
We'll have our thoughts just totally focused on the blessed Lamb of God.
That took our sins away.
How glorious. Now in the Old Testament there is a figure of this and I.
Say this especially because Brother John Jensen the other night said how much he appreciated a picture.
And I didn't tell him what I had on my heart, but I'm going to now.
In Genesis 47.
To me, I've enjoyed this as a picture of this.
This way of, shall I say, realizing more and more just what we have in Christ.
How full we have been blessed.
We've often heard there are those seven spiritual blessings in Ephesians 1.
And.
I think we have a picture, not necessarily of Ephesians one, but of a people who realize that they are totally dependent on Joseph. Now this is a time when there's been a seven-year or there is about to be a A7 year time of famine.
And the circumstances are very straightened. So it says in verse 13. And there was no bread in all the land, for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted or exalted. What does the word exalt was exhausted by reason of the famine.
00:50:08
And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corn which they bought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaohs house.
Now that's the first thing that people give. They need to be sustained. Now, these are Egyptians. These are not Israelites.
But I think it's a picture nevertheless of.
Shall I say this process of realizing how dependent we are, how totally linked we are with this one who's the head over all things to Egypt. You know, when he had that Pharaoh's ring put on and his signet and the people bowed the knee to to Joseph?
That tells us that this suffering young man who became the sovereign ruler of Egypt under Pharaoh.
That now they were, they were totally dependent upon him.
And so they well, let's read this. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt.
And in the land of Canaan for the corn which they bought.
Now notice verse 15. So I just want to say this dear young person.
I don't know what you've got in your bank account.
But have you ever considered that every penny of it belongs to the Lord?
And one thing that struck me, and I don't know if we're going to get to it totally here, but you know, when Christian or shall I say in Judaism rather that the people were enjoying, they commanded to give a 10th of everything that they got to the Lord 1/10.
In the end of this chapter they give 1/5.
And I'm not saying that this is what we have to give as the 5th, but I think it shows how much more Christianity and what the Lord has done for us is set us apart for Himself.
There is so much more, shall we say.
Shall I say required of us.
To whom much is given shall much be required.
We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing.
And so now here's this money.
Joseph gets all the money. The people said you can have it. I need to be sustained. And so he brings it into Pharaoh's house and when money failed.
In the land of Canaan, and in Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph.
I love that when money failed, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph.
And Joseph said, give your cattle.
Verse 16 And I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. And they brought their brought their cattle unto Joseph.
And Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle and the herds, and for the ***** and fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it for my Lord, how that our money is spent, my Lord, hath our herds of cattle. There is not aught left in the sight of my Lord, but our bodies and our lands.
Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we in our land by us, and our land for bread?
And we in our land will be servants unto Pharaoh.
And give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land be not desolate.
You know the Apostle Paul in that very same chapter that we read in First Corinthians 6. Paul says to them ye are bought with a price.
Now we spoke about being set apart.
And now we find out that he's going to buy us.
Now I belong to Jesus.
Jesus belongs to me.
I am a purchased one.
If you're in the in that circle of eternal love, you are a purchased one too.
In your body does not belong to you anymore.
Your body belongs to the Lord.
And one of the things that I would just like to pass on that has been seminated or disseminated among us for a long time.
And it kind of bears upon what we had during our first reading. And that is when Paul saw Paul in the practical sense of sanctification, he said. And I pray God.
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That your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And we often notice how when somebody quotes that verse. I don't say us necessarily, but oftentimes you hear it. Yes, body, soul and spirit.
Body, soul and spirit, Paul says. I pray that your whole spirit, soul and body, what's the difference?
Well, I think this the difference is, is that if I can say that the things number one that are most important is how I'm what is my relationship to Christ?
He's the first one, then my soul belongs to him.
And finally my body belongs to him.
And the thought that was put forth was in relationships between young men and young women.
A young brother told me not too long ago that the way of the world now is you don't date a girl.
You live with.
If you like her, then you start dating.
What corruption?
Utter corruption.
Paul says. I pray that your whole spirit, that's the most important thing for a young couple to realize.
That the basis upon which you are coming together is that you both see eye to eye on what the Word of God teaches in your relationship to the Lord Jesus. That's number one.
And in a natural way, the things that you may enjoy together, you enjoy that too.
One is not one that, shall I say, likes to crochet 6 hours a day and the other likes to go out biking.
Now, not that that can't be overcome, but it's something to consider.
That there are things that we like to do naturally.
And then finally after the marriage.
Then the body goes.
Brother Gordon passed that on to me or to the young people when I was a young people and I thought it was so wholesome. Just remember that, dear young people.
Number one, it's the Spirit, and that's to be preserved for the Lord to the soul and finally the body. And when you apply it to your being exercised before the Lord, as through having a help meet or young sister, your desire to be linked with one who fears God.
And one that you can look up to.
See to it that those three are kept in that order.
Well.
The next thing is, and this is kind of if I can find it here, yes, verse 21. And As for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt, even to the other end.
You know, I think that is so sweet because if I can apply this to a Christian day in which we live.
When the Apostle Paul was saved on the way to Damascus.
And then later on became the apostle to the Gentiles and was given a depository of truth as to Christ in the church. Excuse me, the very things that we're taking up in our reading. Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.
Well, not only were these different things shall I say they they were enjoyed progressively in Egypt, but now he's brought them into cities.
And I think that tells us that just like Israel, if you've noticed the 107th Psalm.
Is in the little couplets in the end, each at the end of each little section, all that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works through the children of men, And then it tells us they look for a city.
They look for a city. Now to the Jew, that's Zion. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment.
It's the controversy of Zion that the Jews had to do with.
Well, what does this tell us? Our city? Can I take the liberty to say that our city is being gathered to the Lord Jesus? It's the it's the communal place. Shall I say it's where we are together, where two or three are are gathered together.
Is that?
Godly social time, shall I say.
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And for some reason, I don't know why it was, but apparently Joseph saw the wisdom of gathering the people in the cities.
And I take a little. I take a lesson from that.
That when we came to the Lord as our Savior.
It was not to be heeded when somebody said, well, just find a church that that you like, you like the preacher, you like this and you like that. No, it's search the scriptures to see what the Lord says about being gathered to his name. Search those scriptures. Don't let anybody tell you, well, you know.
There's a lot of this and there's a lot of that and there's a lack of this and there's a lack of that.
Well, rather than be moved out of the city, so to speak, go to the word of God. Be persuaded, dear young people, that where you are has the countenance of Scripture, has the verification of Scripture to it.
That's what the Lord desires for us. And finally, verse 25, we will be Pharaoh's servants.
You know, in all this going and growing, finally they end up and say, Lord, we want to serve you. It's kind of like going back to what we said about.
As this thou hast sent me into the world, I send them. And so we go, as servants. That's.
Shall I say the road that we're on?
In sanctification, in growth, maybe, say better, our time is up. Shall we pray?
Blessed God our Father.
We thank thee for our young people that are here today.
And we pray for them as well As for ourselves.
In our need to be preserved spirit, soul, and body for thee.
And we thank thee for the wholesome words that we have received for the during the readings.
And we just pray Father as to.
This thought of service, or the thought of sanctification, O Lord, that thou wouldst keep us in the joy and in the growth of these things, that together, as we are in our, so to speak, our city.
That we could come together.
With love to one another. With love for the truth of God. With love to the Lord Jesus above all, even though it be feeble here.
How we thank thee for that verse that we sometimes sing and we love thee, Blessed Lord.
Even now, though feeble here.
Thy sorrow and thy cross record what makes us know thee near, and so we bless thee. Lord, we thank thee for thy death and resurrection, thy giving of thyself, that we might be set apart, and that on a righteous basis, that thou didst glorify God and thy death, and now soon are going to come and take us home to the Lord Jesus. Even so come we pray.
And ask for thy blessing for the remainder of this day.
And I worthy precious name Lord Jesus, Amen.
Ephesians 5:14-28
Reading
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Preserve free from staying. Be blameless until that great day.
Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen 288.
All those mercies.
We thank thee that thou hast set thyself apart, there in the glory for an object for our heart.
We think of the difference of being here at the conference and everything catering to this life that that was put in US.
How we enjoy each other and enjoy talking about the Lord Jesus.
But we realize the moment we step out of this place and hand out the first track, we meet resistance.
And so we think of being in this world where everything.
Calendars that life that that was put in.
We anticipate.
Being with you, Lord Jesus.
Where everything?
In that creation.
Caters to the life that we have.
What a future we have before us.
We thank thee for it. We pray now that we might gain again and.
That we might grow in grace.
And then the knowledge of thyself.
Through this little Bible reading the thy name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
If we go back to Ephesians 5, we.
Obviously have a lot of ground to cover in about an hour.
But would it be OK to start with verse 14? Is that about right?
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Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 14.
Wherefore he sayeth awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, and be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things, and to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submitting yourselves 1 to another in the fear of God, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore as a church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands and everything.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with a washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but it should be holding without blemish. So it meant to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it even as the Lord the church.
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they too shall be 1 flesh. This is a great mystery. But I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, Let every one of you in particular so love his wife, even as himself, And the wife see that she reverence her husband.
I believe this quotation is from Isaiah.
Though I can't remember the reference, but.
Awake thou that sleepest, with a minor variation.
And arise from the dead.
Yes, it's an application that could, or rather an interpretation that I believe can refer to Israel, but it's taken here in the New Testament to apply in a general way.
It could apply if someone wanted to take it that way, to an unbeliever to arise from the dead, and Christ would give him light.
Because the world is asleep and you get that also in First Thessalonians in chapter 5 don't we? Where it tells us that they that sleep sleep in the night and they that are drunk and be drunken in the night.
And so on.
But that's the characteristic of those without the light, and so we're called upon.
If we have fallen into sleep, and I believe that's spiritual sleep that is referred to here.
Were to arise and will get light. Now I say again, that could refer to an unbeliever, but it can refer to you and me too.
And it's very easy to be lulled to sleep by the course of this world, isn't it?
We live in a time scene and we have only time.
Down here to prepare for eternity.
Remember. Well, rather amusing reading about a man who was.
Largely responsible, although not completely, for building the railway across Canada. Man by the name of William Van Horn.
And he became eventually the CEO of the railway.
And he never seemed to need much sleep.
And people would ask him, why don't you get more sleep, Mr. Van Horn?
Because when you're asleep, you don't know what's going on.
And of course the before the days of.
Phone lines and all that kind of thing. The only way of communicating was by the Telegraph, and the young man that worked for the railway would amuse themselves in the middle of the night sending silly messages and jokes and everything to one another on the railway Telegraph, thinking that it wouldn't be discovered and suddenly there would be a Telegraph message sent through. This is William Van Horn. Quit your fooling around and do your job.
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They never suspected that he'd be wide awake and noticing what was going on at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, but he was.
Well, God expects that you and I.
Will be alive and awake and noticing what's going on in this world. Intelligent observers, not part of it, but very intelligent observers about what's going on and reacting accordingly, the same way as, for example, the Canadian ambassador to the United States. In no way does he take part in the government. In no way does he get involved in affairs down here.
But I'm sure he's a very keen observer of everything that goes on. But from what point of view?
How is it affecting me and how is it affecting Canada? How is it going to affect our relations and what is my reaction as a representative of Canada?
And I suggest that's what we should be in this world.
I think it's illustrated, is it not, in the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25? Because often when we take up that parable, we take it up in the gospel and we stress the side of the five virgins who were foolish and had no oil in their lamp. But I think there's something very serious for us to consider as believers, because if you had seen those 10 ladies asleep and they all slumbered and slept, it says.
If you had seen those 10 ladies asleep, you couldn't have told being able to tell who had oil in their lamps and who didn't. You wouldn't have been able to tell who was real and who wasn't. And so there was a call for them to wake up. It was evidenced later on.
Who was real and who wasn't? But I've often thought of that because a true believer can slip into a state of a spiritual, lethargic state of what is referred to here as sleep.
So that perhaps?
It's like 2 Timothy the Lord knoweth them that are His. That's a very sad condition.
And let's just go to Romans 13, where we have a very specific exhortation in this regard, which in the context in Romans 13, there's no doubt that he's speaking to believers.
Romans 13 We know this portion well, but I'll just read from verse 11 and that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. So there's no doubt that this exhortation is to true believers.
But the day of our of the Lord's coming, and when we're going to be delivered from this world and taken out of it, and get our glorified bodies and so on, it's near, and we ought to be aware of that. We ought to wake up rather than we ought to wake up to the things we've been Speaking of, realizing that we're just about at the end. And then he goes on in verse 12. The night is far spent. The day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly in the day.
Not in rioting and drunkenness. Not in clamoring and wantonness. Not in strife and envying.
But put on put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. Wealth statements are very pithy but self-explanatory and it really confirms what we've been saying, summarizes what we've been saying in the last meeting as well as what we have here in our opening verse.
The issue here is association helps you notice that the new translation says.
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from among the dead.
It gives the picture of a person, to my mind, that reminds me of stories I've heard of people who have been mistakenly taken to the morgue and they've wakened up in the morgue, and the first thing they want to do is get out of there. They don't. They know they don't belong there, and we ought to be conscious that we don't belong among the dead. There's a very striking verse in Proverbs in connection with this Proverbs 21.
And verse 16.
Proverbs 2116 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain.
In the congregation of the dead.
And better translation is even more striking. Says he'll rest there.
If I see a person resting in the congregation of the dead.
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That person is out of the way of understanding.
That's not That's no place to rest in the congregation of the dead.
We don't, brethren. We don't belong.
We're in a spiritual morgue in this world. We're in a spiritual morgue.
We should be demonstrably different.
So we're to be aware of what is around us.
Next verse see that she walks circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.
Circumspect the courses from the Latin circum meaning around and Spectra is the verb to look. So look around you, be aware of what's going on and react in a right way.
Very, very important.
We're not meant simply to slide through this world.
And.
Go to heaven, excuse me, and go to heaven at the end that is true, blessedly true. And let nothing take away from that but our walk and our ways ought to be.
A testimony to Christ and to those around us. And so we're to look around us, see what's going on, realize the kind of world we're living in, and then walk accordingly. What do we do if we're in an area where we should be looking around and don't look around?
We'll step somewhere where we don't plan to, won't we? We'll get into something that we're not looking for.
And so the believer.
It's incumbent upon him to look around him, be aware of what's going on, and then be careful where we put our feet here. Brings that out pretty clearly, don't they? And the first Peter chapter says here in.
In verse 8, be sober, be vigilant. Vigilant is the same as being diligent, right? And he says because your adversary, we have an adversary who has a lot of experience behind him.
And he's out. He's out to destroy us.
As a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour, he wants to take away in any way he can, our enjoyment.
And he puts us to sleep. And there's various methods that he uses. He could use our walk, I mean our our, our work.
Our our entertainment, our sports. There's a variety of reasons that he can put us back into that slumber state, spiritual slumber, but we are to be sober and be vigilant, as you say.
It's interesting too that the deck dictionary definition of the word circle.
Is this careful to consider all circumstances and consequences? I thought that was very good. It was brought out this morning that there are consequences. You know, we sometimes again think of things in relationship to the gospel, forgetting that they apply to the believer as well. And we sometimes quote that that verse Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap, that applies to a believer. And what we reap, we we're going to sow.
Every step we take in our Christian pathway.
Going to have a consequence, A consequence for blessing or a consequence for something that is a detriment to us in our pathway and so we want to be careful in every step we take. I don't want to use an illustration that's mundane, but when I was growing up I had an uncle who had a farm on at Lombardi, Ontario. And as children we often spent a good part of the summer on that farm and when we went to cross a pasture because that pasture was full of cattle.
We were told to be very careful where we walked, and you get the picture very clearly. If we didn't watch where we were walking, we could step in something that wasn't very pleasant. And so as children, we would go across that field from one fence to the other, circumspectly careful to consider every step and the consequence that that step might might have. And brethren, that's how we're to walk through this world. We need to consider everything we do in our lives.
You know, this is a world, a day when people live for the moment. They don't consider the consequences. You pull out a credit card and you keep spending and spending. Do people really think that that there's a day coming at the end of the month when they're going to have to pay up, and if they don't, there's going to be a consequence. There's going to be some interest slapped on we we buy something and we enjoy it for the moment, but the day of reckoning comes when we have to pay up.
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Brethren, we don't want to be careful that we don't fall into the spirit of the world, who are just living for the moment without any thought of eternity or even consequences down the road in this life. The Christian is to live in the fear of the Lord, considering every move they make, not only in connection with this life, of course, and its consequences, but whether this is going to have eternal blessing and consequence and reward at the judgment seat of Christ.
Well then we come to the word redeeming.
And I guess we all know that redeeming means to buy back, doesn't it?
Sometimes we think our time is ours, but there's one out there, the devil, who's going to take it from us, if you can.
And we have to buy it back.
But if I buy something back, there's a cost involved, isn't there?
I well remember many years ago reading a secular article.
Sitting in a dentist's office in a magazine or reading a magazine Sitting in a dentist office. Yeah, I know. Bad use of words anyway.
And the point was made just by a secular author. If you want to do something well in this world, you will have to let go a number of other things that you could have done.
Even the world recognizes that, and so I believe the word redeeming has the sense of buying back the time and using every available opportunity.
We have time only in this life.
Will we serve the Lord up in glory? I believe we will, and the hymn we sing sometimes expresses that well. Rest Lord, in serving thee as none have served below. There will be service up there, I believe, but there's a special quality to the service that's rendered under the difficult circumstances in this world. The opposition of the world, the opposition of Satan, the opposition of our old sinful self.
The limitations of our bodies that give us trouble, especially as we get older.
Many limitations.
That the Lord values that service very much. The Lord values what we do for Him. And I don't say it all applies to service. It's the enjoyment of heavenly things too. And sometimes in the world of today, our time can be very limited, can't it?
I remember reading some of the ministry of Doctor Rossier who lived in Switzerland all his life and who wrote pretty much, although he lived into the 20th century, but he wrote the most of his ministry in the 19th century.
And I remember reading and how that he wrote much of that ministry sitting in his carriage while his coachman drove him from place to place to visit his patients.
Now I remember thinking, wouldn't that be a luxury now?
It's not like that anymore, is it? At least not for most of us, anyway. The minute you get in your car, you have to have all your senses alert and you sure can't be reading or texting or doing anything like that. You better not be anyway. And.
The point is, life is very, very full today. It has been estimated today that the average man in Business Today processes as much information in one week as the average working man.
In the 19th century did in his lifetime.
Probably true. And so we need to redeem that time. And it takes effort, it takes energy. And I may have to let some things go that I otherwise could have had. But what does it say? Because the days are evil, and so Satan is going to rob us of our time.
And it's going to take spiritual energy to take it back again and use it in the right way.
We have the same thought in Psalms 91St 12.
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Read it for us, Vern. Or.
It says, So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Seems like that would carry on that we only have so many days to live for the Lord.
Excellent, Virgil. That's very good, yes.
Though there's no shortage of opportunities, either.
Mr. Darby has a footnote in connection with this verse that the thrust of it is to seize the opportunities to seize on those.
Opportunities that that God gives us. And I think, brethren, we need to be exercised when we get up in the morning. Not so much to pray and ask the Lord for opportunities, that's OK, but to pray more that we would be watchful and exercise to seize on the opportunities as they avail themselves.
And I want to say a very practical word because it burdens my soul. I have interacted with some who have and I'm going to be very plain left the Lords table because they give the reason that there aren't the opportunities to serve the Lord and still be at the Lord's table. That is not true, brethren. There are tremendous opportunities every day of our lives, again, as we said in a previous meeting.
We're not all called to go out to foreign lands to serve the Lord, but to step out our door and to seize the opportunities that are given to us.
And there is a way that we can seize and avail ourselves of those opportunities that is acceptable to the Lord, as we've been saying, according to the truth of God, based on the word of God. And we can remain where the Lord is in the midst, at the Lord's table, and still have unbelievable opportunities, whether it's for service in the gospel, whether it's in service to the Lord's people.
Whatever it may be, I say again, there are no shortage of opportunities perhaps.
On my part, a shortage or a lack of energy and diligence and watchfulness to seize on those opportunities. But let's each one consider how many opportunities do we let pass in a day. And I speak to my own soul only. But how many opportunities do I let pass in a day that are there, that I didn't redeem the time I didn't buy up those opportunities?
Theater brings that out First Peter, Chapter 3.
It's and this has to do with practical sanctification in verse 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.
That's the first step. We need to be enjoying the Lord in our own hearts and seven apartment. And then it says be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you in a reasonable hope that it is in you which make this inferior. And I I just can't even begin to recall the many opportunities that were missed because I wasn't ready. And the Lord as you say, Jim, we need to be ready in the morning.
For those opportunities that we don't miss, You know, oh, if I only had a track. Oh, if I only had this. Oh, we think about something after it's gone.
It's too late.
It's not the function of the church anyway, according to scripture, to do those things, is it? They say, well, you're not doing enough in the gospel. Well, it's not the function of the church to get out the gospel, it's the function of an individual.
At the church we.
Later will have the gospel preached here, but that's not a function of the church. That's that individual stuff responsibility, isn't it? And if there's a.
Just like we had before here when the brother spoke. That's his meeting, isn't it? We there are meetings of the assembly, but it's the individuals. If somebody can't find an A place to preach the gospel, come to Tacoma. We got we got St. Corners there that you're completely empty and plenty of people passing by there. You want to preach the gospel, but it's always just an excuse.
The assembly really is a place where the Saints get taught, but the evangelist, he goes out and brings them into the assembly. I think that's just a good because we we get these things mixed up, you know, and I was at, I was at a Bible reading one time and the brother said, well, you know, I think that people are starting to think that the Sunday School is not a meeting of the assembly. Well, it's not, you know.
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It's it's a exercise of individuals.
That's good burn. And can I just add to that, that on the other hand, I believe being gathered to the Lord's name gives us the broadest sphere of service as individuals. Because let me tell you, a little incident, it really spoke to me, Brother Garvin Seymour from Saint Vincent and I were in the South of Guyana a few months ago back in March and people always ask you what are you connected with? And Brother Garvin turned to me one day and he said Jim.
Isn't it wonderful that, and I trust this won't offend anybody, but it throw my soul, He said. Isn't it wonderful?
That in our service for Christ, both in the gospel and ministering to believers, were not shackled by some of the names that men have put on certain denominations. Because as soon as you take one of those names, it really limits you in your service and in people's minds and.
As gathered to the Lord's name, we don't take any other name but Christ. And when we go out individually with the gospel, or to help our fellow believer, and again, not just those gathered to the Lord's name, but we ought to embrace in our thoughts the whole household of faith.
And to not be shackled by one of the popular names in Christendom.
I realized at that moment gives us a broader sphere of service.
Than any other sphere of service that there is. So on the one hand, as Verne said and I think it's important we go out as individuals, we we we redeem the time as individuals. But being gathered to the Lords name and remaining with a foot in the assembly gives us a tremendously broad sphere of service. Would you agree with that Vern?
Oftentimes you just get the gospel over and over and over in some of these places.
And the people are not taught. But if a person goes out and gives out the gospel and a person comes into the assembly, he's taught.
Our time is limited and we don't want to spend too much time on this.
I will only mention one other thing.
It dates me a little bit, but this goes back to a conference 60 years ago.
Back in the 50s.
And a brother was making a strong point.
And a good one.
About Billy Graham, who was in those days fairly young and just getting off the ground and as we would say, cutting a pretty wide swath and becoming pretty well known.
And he was giving a solemn warning about connection with all of that because of.
Billy Graham being connected with those that were not clear on.
The truth of the work of Christ and the person of Christ, and how that there was compromise there, and we needed to be aware of it.
I'll never forget Harry Hayhoe's answer and I repeat it for you almost word for word.
He said. He said Brethren, my father, referring to his own Harry Hayes father, who was a tremendous evangelist in the 19th century. They used to call him the Red Bearded evangelist, apparently.
And he was very solidly gathered to the Lord's name.
But, Harry said. My father used to tell me that in the early days of brethren.
All the gospel pretty much was in the hands of the Brethren. Now that wasn't quite true, but a large amount of the gospel was in the hands of the Brethren.
And he said it was when Brethren began to fail in their testimony.
That God began to raise up preachers in what we would call the camp to reach the masses, beginning with those like Spurgeon and then Moody and Sankey, and eventually those like.
A man by the name of Tori and then Billy Sunday and then followed up by Billy Graham and so on.
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Now, he said, Brethren, don't be discouraged by this and don't be depressed by it.
But be reminded that.
These men are doing what they're doing, at least in part, because of our failure.
I heartily agree with you Vern, that.
Preaching of the gospel and Sunday School work and things like that are not assembly responsibilities according to Scripture, but.
Let's be aware of our failure in it, too.
I heartily agree with everything that's been said. I don't want to take away from it, but I believe we need to take this to heart about redeeming the time as individuals, absolutely.
Well, let's go on.
Verse 17 says be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, among other things. I believe that shows us that.
No one individual can convert the whole world. No one in convention. No one individual can be a pastor to the whole Church of God or a teacher, or whatever gift it might be.
One man said. If I believed an unbeliever, he said to a Christian, if I believed the way you do, it would drive me mad to think that there were so many souls going to a lost eternity and I couldn't reach out to them.
That's where the sovereignty of God comes in.
You and I don't have to reach every soul, only the ones the Lord has called us to reach.
Is he able to work without us? Indeed he is. Will any soul go into a lost eternity because I was unfaithful? No.
But you and I have the privilege of serving him, the privilege of understanding what the will of the Lord is. I remember my late father-in-law telling about a brother who's long since with the Lord, but who some of whose relatives are very much still among us, a brother by the name of Larson. And I never knew him either. But somebody pitched a question at him in a reading meeting, and his answer was.
Don't don't ask me that question. I'm a gospel preacher.
He understood what the will of the Lord was. There were other brethren there that had the gift of teaching, and they were the ones that should have gotten the question.
But he used. Now I don't say he never talked, but he used his gift as the Lord had given him. He used it where the Lord had placed him.
We see a man like John the Baptist that was martyred when he probably was scarcely 31 years of age. And yet the Lord puts him right up there along all of those Old Testament Saints, and says there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. Why? Because he was where he was supposed to be. He did what he's supposed to do. And above all, he honored Christ in every possible way, so that people paid him the highest compliment, they said.
John did no miracle but everything that John said of all things that John said of this man were true.
Somebody has said encourage a man in his gift. Never encourage him beyond his gift. That's what you're saying. If a man is good in the gospel, we think he must be a good teacher and we spoil him. And so he makes a fool out of himself.
So the next verse or two.
They're pretty self-explanatory. Be not drunk with wine or in his excess, but be filled with the spirit.
The Word of God does not forbid the use of wine. If the souls feel led not to have anything to do with it, that's well and good for them. It's important, though, to see that Scripture doesn't forbid the use of wine, but it does forbid the excess use of it.
I have heard dear believers not gathered to the Lords name, but I've heard dear believers make fools out of themselves by trying to persuade people that every time wine is referred to in the New Testament it was pure grape juice and nothing else and.
I hardly I hesitate to say this in public, but a poor dear brother in in India once had such a thing about wine that he decided they had to serve.
Uh, nothing but great to set the remembrance of the Lord.
But he didn't have any refrigeration, and when he served it up at the breaking of bread, it gave you such a jolt that he didn't realize that of course grape juice without refrigeration turns into pure alcohol, but here he thought he was being a good man and not serving anything but grape juice and.
00:40:13
The point is, Scripture does not forbid the use of wine, and I don't believe that using wine at the remembrance of the Lord is going to turn anybody into an alcoholic. I don't believe so. But we're warned against it. It's a solemn thing. It's a tremendous addiction in society.
And.
It's something we all need to be reminded of.
So how would you? Because a brother emailed this to me and he says, what's that mean, to be filled with the spirit? Or we live in the spirit but we're to walk in the spirit? So he said what's the difference with being filled with the spirit?
You're not filled with the Spirit by, like Danny was saying, by looking in to see. Well, I wonder if I'm filled with the Spirit, but you're as you're occupied with Christ.
The Spirit of God fills you right? Is that the way it works?
I believe so. I remember Clarence London explaining that to us, he said.
We.
Are indwelt with the spirit of God as believers, and it's very clear from John. In fact it might we might turn to it just for a moment, to the third chapter of John.
Verse 34.
And I will read it approximately as it is in the Darby. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, For God giveth not the Spirit by measure, period.
He said that in response to he, a believer said that in response to a man who was trying to teach modern Pentecostalism and so on.
So somehow, making it out that you could have more of the Spirit than you had the day you accepted Christ as your Savior, this verse settles that.
God giveth not the Spirit by measure. And what he said was I cannot have more of the spirit of God than I have when as soon as I am saved. But I hope as time goes on that the Spirit of God has more of me, and that's what I believe it means to be filled with the spirit. Clarence London pointed out that the Spirit indwells every believer. He is there to fill us with Christ.
To minister Christ to our souls. To guide and direct us in our Christian lives.
Just the same as if an apple tree is in the ground. It has roots, it's given sunlight and water. It produces apples. It doesn't need anything else.
But I can deprive it of water. I can throw a big tarp over it so the sun doesn't get at it. I can do all sorts of things to prevent that tree from producing what it's meant to do. And so you and I can hinder the Spirit by filling our lives and our hearts with something else so that He's displaced. But if the Spirit is given liberty, he'll fill our hearts. All we have to do is get the Hindrances out of the way.
An old brother once told me, he said.
God has given you the same thing for your heart that he has for his heart. And someday the Spirit of God will fill you with Christ and you'll never be unfilled again. That's a I look forward to that.
There's the thought of control too, isn't there? Because a person that's under the influence of alcohol is controlled by alcohol, and so he makes a contrast. Here we're not to be controlled by something like that, but to be under the full control of the spirit of God.
A person that's filled with the Spirit of God is allowing the Spirit of God to work in every aspect of their lives. And of course the main function, there are other things, but the main function of the Spirit of God is to minister Christ to us. And again, I just say this as a warning, and I'm speaking very plainly. If someone comes along and they're talking about the spirit and experiences they've had in the spirit and the spirit this and the spirit of that.
And they're filled with the Spirit. It's it's a yellow light if they really are, if they come along and they're so full of Christ. And their life shows that they're under the full control of the spirit of God and the headship, the lordship of Christ, and they're sharing Christ with you. Oh, there's a person who's who's perhaps filled with the spirit, a person filled with the Spirit is going to radiate Christ in their very being, and they're going to speak of Christ as they interact with others.
00:45:26
The result of the result of that eighteen would be 19 and 20, wouldn't it? The result of being filled with the Spirit would be seen to ourselves in psalms of hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in our heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. There's a barometer.
In regards to that, I don't know that we need to take the time, but if you look at Steven, he was chosen as one that was full of the Holy Ghost, but then when he was martyred it says he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up into heaven.
But the testimony was here on Earth.
The supposed power of the Spirit is if you look in the book of Acts, there are 11 Times, I believe, where the the expression is used being filled with the Spirit. And of those 11 Times, only three do they speak with tongues.
That's in Jerusalem, Cornelius's house, and in Ephesus all the rest. The other eight are speaking the word with boldness and as our brother John has mentioned, Stephen being filled with the Holy Ghost. That was such a help to me. It's it's not a foregone conclusion that if you're filled with the Spirit, you're speaking in tongues. The scripture just absolutely shows the folly of that premise.
Good.
Before we go on to the discussion of wives and husbands, we haven't got much time but.
I'd like to repeat something that came from my late father-in-law, Albert Hayhoe.
And I'm not trying to be to hide behind his name but.
I took it to heart when I was young and I think it's well worth repeating.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of Jesus, Is that what it says?
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
And he pointed out, He said, first of all, And he said, we don't want to make a man an offender for a word. But sometimes dear brethren, get up on their feet, and they address God the Father. And then they end their prayer by saying in thy name Amen.
Or something like that.
Well, again, sometimes it's a little difficult and we stumble over our words and we allow for that, but.
This is real prayer in the intelligence of Christianity.
The Lord Jesus could say to the disciples in the upper room ministry hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name? And now you and I are privileged to go to God the Father.
And asked in his name.
But then my father-in-law further pointed out, he said when we close our prayer.
It's nice to give the Lord Jesus Christ his full title.
Again, I don't want this to offend anyone, nor do we want to make a man an offender for a word.
Sometimes we can get into the habit of saying in Jesus name, Amen. And the Lord understands that, I'm sure. But it's nice to be able to say in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Why is his full title brought in there? Because.
He is Lord of all now.
He is not seen as Lord in this world. He is not accepted as Lord publicly. But you and I own him in His character of Lord. And when we pray to the Father, the Father loves to hear His beloved Son not only in his essential name of Jesus, not only in his Messiah name, because Messiah is Hebrew and Christ is Greek. They both mean the scent one. They mean the same thing.
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But it's nice to recognize who he is as Lord of All. I just repeat that I feel it's a very good remark, even though it was probably made 50 years ago.
1St is a challenge and has been a challenge to me.
It says giving thanks always.
For all things and I have looked at verse over the years and said.
Some of these things that happen are so dreadful, How can I give thanks for them? Now in first Thessalonians 5 it says giving thanks in all things or in everything give thanks, but here it says for all things and we look at some of the things around us, the things particularly.
The touches closely are the things in our lives. How can I give thanks for?
A great disappointment, and the answer is in chapter one.
Ephesians chapter One.
And verse 11.
It says in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things.
If God has his hand in my circumstance, then I can thank him.
I remember being in a prayer meeting.
A brother, Whitaker.
His. His daughter. They just had a car wreck.
And he gave thanks for it.
You know it's thanks for all things.
Because he knew that, he figured that God had some purpose in it, but it was really strange, you know?
Well, from verse 22 to the end of the chapter we have the.
Wonderful relationship of Christ in the Church and then that is used as.
An example for husbands and wives.
Most of us have heard this read over and over again, especially at weddings.
And very properly so.
Very, very beautiful to see how that God holds each one to a very high standard.
The submission of the wife is to be as unto the Lord.
Very high standard.
But the love of the husband is to be as Christ, as loved the Church.
Of very high standard too. And I don't suppose anyone of us, any husband or wife here, would want to stand up and say, and I've, I've, I've gotten there, I've reached that level. No, we haven't.
But what a what a beautiful standard the Lord gives to us. And it's adapted to human need. Because in a general way, in a marriage, a husband needs, if I can say it, respect and reverence. And a wife needs love. Now a husband needs love too, and a wife needs respect, but in a general way.
The husband looks for respect and if he doesn't get it, things don't go well. And the wife looks for love, and if she doesn't get it, things don't go well.
But what an example when we come to Christ in the church.
And something that takes us right out of ourselves into eternal realities.
That predated even the creation of this world.
You and I were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and He, I believe, looked on even before the foundation of the world. When he would have a bride, He would have a bride.
And So what an example it sets before us, and how much all of this ought to hit home to our souls in a practical way, in order that a Christian marriage might be that which others could look on and say.
Yes, that's something that could only be by the grace of God and as a divine example.
00:55:06
So this was really what was in the heart of God at the beginning, wasn't it? We'd only have to go back to Genesis. Is it Chapter 2 and see where or three? I'm not sure. But where Eve was brought to Adam, she was taken from his side. And I've sometimes said at a wedding and Speaking of this truth, that Eve was not taken from his head to be over him. She was not taken from his feet to be under him. She was taken.
Close to his heart and under his arm. The arm would speak of support and the heart would speak of affection.
And so again, it's a beautiful picture of Christ in the Church. But in our chapter He takes that and uses it to and applies it in connection with the natural relationship that has been given to us for the blessing of man on the earth.
How can that be carried out practically? You know, when you take the body of Christ.
Is just he just done getting respect or you carry it out individually or you know, I mean this is talking about the church.
You know every believer who's born again and indwelt with the spirit of God, and you're saying that there should be submission, There's not submission and.
And there's not respect, you know what I mean?
So is it just something that there's a theory?
Well, I don't believe anything in a practical sense in this chapter is meant to be simply a theory, but we are held to a very high standard, and I suppose in one sense the picture cannot be.
Applied right across the board. Because when you're dealing with the church, you're dealing with individuals that make up the church, and none of us can.
Shall I say?
Excuse me?
Enforce what someone else is going to do. We can have an influence on others, but I believe you and I are called upon as individuals.
To submit to Christ.
And.
As it says here.
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as under the Lord.
Paul, if I could say, it assumes that that is what is going to be there. Does it always happen? Sadly not.
But then what do we find when we come to husbands? We find several verses that tell us what Christ is doing, and it's the enjoyment of what he is and what he is doing that I believe will make the response in our hearts. There are seven things here.
Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. And then that we had that in the last meeting, sanctify it, cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, present it to himself, a glorious church, and so on. Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. Is that happening now The process is, but it's not complete. And as you pointed out, Vern, though there's a day coming when it'll be complete.
When the Church will be perfectly in that relationship to her Bridegroom, Christ, that the Lord is working that in us now, to what degree it is working in my life, I have to answer to the Lord.
So there's a 26th verse that he might sanctify it and cleanse it with the washing of the water. The word that's a present thing, but it could only be individually, can it? I mean, it's not the whole church that he's washing and and.
That he might present it to himself.
A glorious church that there's a practical sanctification going on now.
How? What does that mean?
Then you just spoke on it. Can you speak to that?
Little take this.
Verse 26 is what has already been said that it is a practical thing now, but I it seems to me that Paul is speaking about the church as a whole.
You know, that settles it to me. Not necessarily.
But what the churches, Different churches, you might say, different bodies that are gathered around. He's not dealing. He's dealing with the thought of Christ and the church, the whole body of Christ. But how does he do that? It doesn't seem like it's working.
01:00:11
Well, I believe, I would suggest that he has to deal with individuals in the church because we know that some are more devoted than others, some are more submissive than others. So of necessity, it's working with individuals.
But all in relation to himself as the Church.
So we're no more collectively than what we are individually, right? And that ought to exercise us individually.
Could we go to Revelation for some verses there?
In this regard, maybe we can see a little bit of what Christ is doing and maybe the end of the story.
Revelation Chapter 19.
Beginning with first 7.
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
In responsibility.
And to her was granted.
That she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness.
Of the Saint.
I was just wondering if there were two things involved there.
The work of Christ that he has done has granted me the privilege of being righteous in God's sight. But then there's the working out of that. And he says the bride hath made herself ready, says work out your salvation with fear and trembling. And so there's the fruit of righteousness in our lives and as the as the Lord would work in US.
To bring us to a knowledge of what is right in His sight and give us the power by the Spirit of God to walk in it. We see that His work would bring the Church.
Into the place.
And that's why in the Darby translation, that word righteousness in verse 8 of Revelation 19 is in the plural. The fine linen is the righteousnesses of Saints showing that it has been the working out of our salvation down here. And that robe will be in that sense what we have worked out down here.
There is a sense in which we wear a white robe as a result of the blood of Christ. Yes, but.
We work out our salvation down here and we make, if you like, that.
Fine linen which is going to clothe us in that day. And so that can in one sense only be done individually. I can't work out a role for somebody else, but in the aggregate total of it all, we will see.
What every believer has done for Christ down here, and by the time this takes place, the judgment seat of Christ, I believe will be passed. And so everything that has not been for Christ will have been taken away and burned up. And then only that which has been done for him, I believe will be there to be displayed. And this work is going to be completed, isn't it, For his glory. And I think that's tremendous, you know, if you want to see the church in her beauty.
You have to look at her in her beginnings in Acts, or in her endings in Revelation, in in between. Outwardly, I stress, outwardly is not such a beautiful picture as we well know. But isn't it a wonderful thing, brethren? And doesn't it encourage our hearts? These meetings are coming to an end. We're going to leave and go back to our everyday situations, and I trust there's fresh exercise in our hearts to live for God's glory and to take up the practical.
Exhortations we've had in this chapter and in the meetings we've had during this weekend, but isn't it wonderful to think?
That in spite of our failure, individually and collectively, there's a day coming when it's all going to be displayed for His glory. He's going to bring it all to fruition. And there's a day coming, brethren, when no sin or failure will ever penetrate the Church of God again. He's going to present it to himself. A glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And not just for 1000 years of millennial reign.
But if we were to go on, we won't go back to it. But if we were to go on in Revelation, we would find or back up in Revelation, we would find that in the eternal state, she's still the bride, she's still the church. She's still for all eternity there in her freshness and loveliness. You know, sometimes after a number of years of marriage, we pull out our wedding albums and if we're honest with ourselves, the years bring changes down. Here we look around at the marriage.
01:05:30
Tie in the world today and we see the breakdown on every hand and sad to say.
Even amongst the Lord's people we see the breakdown of that which God has instituted for the blessing of man on the earth. But, brethren, there's a day coming that when there's going to be the marriage supper of the Lamb, and for all eternity, though the bride is going to remain the Bride, the Church of God in her freshness and loveliness. And in that relationship and display in that day, nothing I say will penetrate to bring deterioration, sin, or failure.
And if that doesn't encourage our hearts, brethren, to live practically for the Lorde glory now, and seek to walk as a sanctified people now to please the Lord Jesus, then I wonder what goes on within our hearts. To think of the the thrill of our souls, to think of what's ahead, ought to exercise us to walk in practical sanctification now.
I know our time is nearly gone, but I might just make one more small remark because I've heard more than once confusion on this verse, verse 28.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
And then it goes on to say, For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church.
I have heard it said even.
Some gathered to the Lord's name that it's OK to love yourself as long as you love others in the same way.
And I would suggest that's a misunderstanding and misapplication of this verse. It is not saying we should love ourselves. That's what the world does. The world says me first and I'm going to love myself. I remember reading again in a secular book where an actress in Hollywood said very publicly, I just love me.
And it's the question of who comes first. Well, I do.
Because if I don't look after myself, no one else will. And that's the spirit of the world today. Me first.
Well, this is not an excuse to love myself, it's simply stating what is generally a fact, and that is that normally individuals look after their own bodies.
And look after themselves. And the command here in marriage is men should love their wives as their own bodies. In other words, the Lord says you are one, and don't you take your wife and use her as a slave or a servant or something like that.
You love her as you love yourself, because it is natural for us to do that, but it's not an excuse to put ourselves 1St and to say well, because I love myself.
Or because I love others, it's OK to love myself too. That's misrepresenting. I believe what the scripture is saying. We all tend to look after our own bodies and look after our own selves. And in the marriage bond, it ought to be that that same love is bestowed upon.
Upon one's wife.
You'll be saying 185.
We have a.
Home.
01:10:17
God.
And our father.
There's times like this.
When we're homesick.
And we long to be there, flesh apart.
To enjoy the Lord Jesus.
Forever. Forever. Forever.
We thank thee for such a whole.
In thy name.
Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
What Is Man?
Gospel—Paul House
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.
Well, welcome to everybody to the gospel tonight.
Like to start with #32 Please somebody started.
Nothing but.
Jesus.
So that.
Nothing of the world.
Jesus.
God makes me try and slow.
No one here inside, no, not because before.
Whenever it's a good song, please nothing but you want to see us?
My sisters not be, but the world of Jesus makes me like that so.
No wonder if I'm tired.
Nothing but the.
Before we pray, I want to just.
Explain why we sang this hymn tonight.
For a number of years, I've had the privilege to go to a retirement home every Saturday morning.
And there was.
A man that came to the meeting.
Week after week for many years.
And one day I got a phone call from another resident at the retirement home.
And he said I'd like you to come in because Herbie wants to get saved.
So I got in my truck and I went over to the retirement home.
Went up to Herbie's room. Clarence was there.
And me.
I said, Herbie, I understand you want to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior. He said. Yes I do.
So the three of us.
Prayed one at a time.
Miss Brother, this dear man, except that the Lord is a savior.
You know.
Made it worthwhile to go week after week. There's others that have been saved.
We know there was a change in the life of Herbie.
From then on.
Herbie was at the meeting, but Herbie was a different man.
But at that time, there was another man that started coming to help me at the retirement home.
00:05:02
And his name was Bruce Wood. Bruce has since gone home to be with the Lord.
But Bruce asked me. He said. Paul, would you mind if?
I ended each of the meetings in prayer and we sang a hymn.
This was the hymn.
That we sang every week and we have for years every Saturday morning.
What can wash away my sins now Herbie was.
At the retirement home, so was his mom.
Herbie was at the retirement home because Herbie is handicapped.
And Herbie passed away on Saturday, last Saturday and Herbie's funeral was on Friday and we were gone on our trip here.
And I was sad to miss Herbie's funeral.
Herbie is a vassal.
That God used for the blessing of other people.
There were times where.
I would forget after Bruce passed away, to sing this hymn at the end and Herbie would say sing, sing. He couldn't speak very well. Herbie, what do you want to sing? What can wash away my sins?
Tonight. What about your sins?
I'm going to pray for help because I'm weak and I need help.
I want to represent the Lord Jesus well here tonight.
And if there's somebody that's not saved, your sins are all over you. You're filthy, the sight of God.
Jesus can wash away your sins.
But we sang, What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Jesus had to die so that your sins could get washed away.
Let's pray. Lord Jesus, I need thy help tonight.
I'm weak.
It's hard for me with my friend Herbie passing away.
But we know, Lord Jesus, that Herbie is in heaven no more, with a handicap body.
No more with a feeding tube with a wheelchair.
But with a changed body.
Lord Jesus, we thank thee so much for the privilege.
For us to be at a gospel meeting.
And for there to be one more opportunity.
For us to think of the Lord Jesus.
And how he bowed his head and death and died, and how a soldier came and pierced his side and outflowed that blood.
The blood of Jesus Christ, Godson cleanse of us from all sin. We ask for Thy help. We ask for anyone here tonight who has never recognized their need as a Sinner.
With all their sins before a holy God and come and ask for forgiveness.
We thank thee, Lord Jesus, for dying on the cross.
And many of us that are here tonight are so thankful. Now we just pray for the audience, for those that are already saved.
But together, in prayer, they may pray for souls here in this room.
So we ask for thy blessing, we ask for thy help, and we ask above all that the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified. We pray in his wonderful name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
I want to tell you about another story, another friend of mine that went home to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven in the last couple of weeks.
Maybe 3 weeks ago.
My brother-in-law told me this story.
He was there. He was saying goodbye to his brother-in-law who had cancer.
And was going to go home to be with the Lord.
He was at his brother in Law's house.
This gigantic man came to the door.
Knocked on the door.
My brother-in-law answered the door.
He said yes, he said. Well, I've come to say goodbye to Mike.
He said OK, said how do you know? Mike said well.
It's a long story, but I'll make it short.
Said. Ten years ago I did a delivery at the farm where Mike worked.
It was a snowy evening.
The ground wasn't frozen and he went off the road a little bit and he got the truck stuck.
He said.
00:10:01
Came out to me at the truck, he said. I was really upset. I was angry. I was saying words that I shouldn't have said.
He said Mike went to the shed and got their 4 wheel drive tractor out and pulled him out with a chain.
And he was still fuming, Mad, cursing, swearing.
And Mike said to him in a quiet, calm voice. He said, Sir, I pulled you out of the mud. But he said.
You've obviously got some troubles.
He said. I've got coffee inside. We need to have a coffee.
Come on in.
The man said five hours later he accepted the Lord Jesus as a savior.
That big man, his family was a mess.
He was about to have a divorce. Children couldn't stand him. He was unhappy. He was on his way to hell and he knew it.
And Mike said to him, we need to talk.
He talked for five hours, came to Christ.
You know, he was coming a couple of weeks ago to say goodbye to Mike because Mike was about to go to Glory.
To be with the Lord Jesus.
He went into Mike's room.
My brother-in-law was there.
He said to Mike, he said, Mike, thank you.
Thank you for having the courage to tell me the way to heaven.
Thank you for telling me that there's hope for sinners. There's a way to be right with God.
He has a happy marriage.
He's united with his children.
He is reading his Bible and he is a happy man.
How could this be? The Lord Jesus saved the soul tonight. I don't know where you are, but God does, and God loves you. God loved you enough to send his Son to die on the cross of Calvary for you He suffered. For you, He shed his blood for you.
Because he loved you.
There's two people.
They came to the Lord Jesus in their need, in their sins.
And they're gone to glory.
They're with the Lord Jesus tonight. We know that on the authority of this book, the word of God.
Last week we.
Flew into Vegas. Rented a car.
Saw the Hoover Dam, never been there, always wanted to see it and it was very impressive.
Huge structure, very useful. The irrigation, flood control, you name it.
Then we drove to the Grand Canyon.
Looked over. The edge looked across.
And I said to my wife, I said, you know, if every American grabbed a rock and threw it into this hole?
It would hardly look like there was anything at the bottom. It's so big and yet it's just one of the things that God has made.
And that's who we're going to deal with tonight.
That God not only did he make the Grand Canyon.
But he made you.
God loves the Grand Canyon. He made it for his pleasure, but He made you for his pleasure too. And He loves you.
And tonight, if there's someone in the room tonight and you say?
My sins have been too bad. You know, the Bible tells us that the chief Sinner got saved.
You haven't done.
Anything like what he did.
God in his love.
Will save. He'll save to the uttermost them that come to him.
What I'm getting to with our driving trip up here to Aberdeen.
Was all the crosses that I saw along the road.
You know, there's someone this highway just outside Aberdeen. There's two.
There's another one a little further along.
Just one Rd. It's not very long.
00:15:01
The road between 86 and Aberdeen, there's three crosses. You start looking for crosses at the side of the road. There's a lot of them. You know what those represent? Those represent somebody who died on the highway.
And at home, there's a lot of them, too. It's everywhere. Death is all around us. I want to talk about one little scene I saw on our way here.
There was three. There was one Big 12 little ones.
What does that mean?
You know what it means? A dad or a mom and two kids.
That's what it means.
And you may think that you're just young. You have the whole life ahead of you.
But maybe not.
The question we have for you tonight is, are you saved?
Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal and loving Savior?
Question. How come?
These crosses are put beside the road. You think it's all Christians that have done that?
Or do you think it's a symbol of something? It's a symbol of death.
Who died on a cross?
Jesus. Did Jesus died for me? Can you say that?
Jesus died for me.
Just before we came.
The job we had was framing a house for a Christian lady.
We don't normally do that.
But we did, because she said she felt like the Lord wanted us to and we had the time.
We got the tresses up and the sheeting on the roof. I came in the next day.
And there was all kinds of Bible verses written on the side of the trusses, on the headers, one verse after another, one verse. They were beautiful, talking about the building, the foundation, all kinds of things.
Tonight I'm going to talk to somebody in this room who's not paying attention, who says?
It's not for me.
Another contractor who's doing the roof, he came into the into the structure.
He looks around, sees these Bible verses. You know what he said to me? He said. Man, she's a holy roller.
I said to him, yes, she's a Christian.
And I said. But if you neglect God in your life, you're going to pay for it.
And that this lady has accepted the Lord Jesus as her savior.
You need him to you know what he did.
He's about my age, maybe a little younger. He turned around and he walked out the door as fast as he could go.
And is there somebody here tonight and you'd like to walk out there as fast as you could? You're uncomfortable.
You know you're in your sins. They're all over you. And before God, he knows everyone of them, everything you've ever done that's wrong, everything you've ever said that's wrong. But what's worse, He knows everything. You've even thought that was wrong, and he has a complete record of that. And you're uncomfortable. Just like that other contractor. He was uncomfortable.
And if you're uncomfortable tonight, I'm happy.
Provided that you come to the Lord Jesus Christ and all your sins, and you say, Will you save me? Will you take me just like I am?
Will you wash away my sins and your precious blood?
That's what the Lord Jesus wants to do for you tonight.
That's what he did for me.
I'm just a rotten center. I'm telling you, I said bad words. I thought terrible things. I've done terrible things to people. There's people here that know some of the things I've done.
But by the grace of God, he saved my soul. He gave me a new life, and I'm headed to heaven to be with him and Herbie and Mike and you if you come to him tonight.
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Well, I would like to look at a question that we find three times in the word of God. First time in the book of Job.
Job Chapter 7.
Job Chapter 7 and verse 17.
The question is, what is man? What is man?
This book was written thousands of years ago. People don't know exactly when it was written, but God does.
I'm content to know that it was written a few thousand years ago. That's fine with me.
This question is asked what is meant.
You know when you stand at the side of the Grand Canyon?
You feel pretty small.
And, you know, up by Lake Powell, there's this horseshoe in the Canyon.
We took a little bit of a walk over to it. There's no guardrail there.
And I don't know how many feet it is down, but boy, I tell you, I don't like looking straight down and knowing that one step and I'd be dead.
So being the being a little bit afraid.
I decided that.
Instead of going right to the edge, I'd lay down, crawl over, put my head down and look over the edge. And I had my cell phone with my video camera on because my dad's severely handicapped and I want to be able to show him what it looked like.
Tell you you feel pretty insignificant.
When you're there, you realize that God made this.
It's awesome.
The God of creation.
Compared to me, just a man.
I couldn't make anything like that and neither could you.
And yet God loved you and God loved me. Why? He made the Grand Canyon, but he loved me.
He loved you. Why?
Let's turn over now to.
Psalm, Chapter 8.
The 8th song.
Same question.
Here we have David.
Who was the King of Israel?
Later on.
In his life.
Verse.
Three, when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon, and the stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the Son of man, that thou visited him?
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands, that was put all things under his feet.
This was written.
Over 3000 years ago too.
Here's another man.
He wasn't looking at a Canyon like I was last week.
He was looking up at night.
And I think everyone of us has done that too.
I live out in the country in Eastern Ontario, and there's the next biggest city is.
Probably 60 miles away.
Gets Dark, real dark.
When you look up.
You can see a lot of stars.
And I have crummy eyes, so I've got to wear glasses. But there's people that can see a lot better with telescopes than I can see with my eyes. And they see a lot more stars, and they see more and more and more and more billions of stars.
I haven't looked into it too much, but I understand that there's billions of galaxies and billions of stars and you do the math. God is big.
Why did he care about me?
Why did he care about you?
00:25:01
But he did. He does.
And he does tonight. And you're here tonight because God cares about you, and God wants you to do something about your sins tonight.
Now the question is, are you willing?
Are you willing to face God concerning your sins? Are you willing to humble yourself?
And say yes, I have sinned.
And I deserve the punishment for my sins before a holy God who made the universe in the Grand Canyon.
That's who we're dealing with, is the God of the universe. But it goes on to say in this Psalm a little bit more, thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and it talks about the Son of Man.
And you know, the New Testament explains what this means.
And if we had only this chapter and we didn't have the New Testament, we'd be kind of baffled by what it meant.
The Son of Man.
Lower than the angels crowned with glory and honor. What does this mean? Let's turn over in our Bibles to Hebrews chapter 2.
Verse 6 Hebrews, chapter 2 verse 6.
But when in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, That thou art mindful of him, Or the Son of man, that thou visitest him, thou madest him a little lower than the angels. Thou crownest Tim with glory and honor, and has set him over the works of thy hands. Thou has put all things in subjection under his feet, For in that he get put all in subjection under him he left nothing, but is not put under him.
But now we see not yet all things put under him.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things, and bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect.
Through sufferings for both he that sanctifieth and they were sanctified, are all of one for which 'cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.
Let's go on. Well, here we have the answer.
To this question what is man?
No, there's a hymn that we sing sometimes. It says, Lord, what is man tis he who died?
And we're introduced in verse 9 to a very special name.
And that name is Jesus. Jesus means Savior.
I love that name.
But I can tell you.
There was a time when I did not love the name of Jesus.
Perhaps there's somebody here tonight?
And you don't love the Lord Jesus?
I had to tell you another story.
I worked for about 8 months in the House of this lady.
She never said any bad words. She was only kind. She was very nice to us, very respectful. I enjoyed working there.
She was a Catholic lady.
Finally, I said to her. Stephanie.
You know, I've worked here for a long time. I've been impressed with the way you conduct yourself. Are you saved?
She paused. She said. Well.
You know, in the Catholic Church we don't say we're saved.
But she said, I know what you mean, she said. I love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Tonight, can you say that?
Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ and has it affected the way that you live?
You know, we spoke about Herbie. We spoke about the truck driver.
We spoke now about Stephanie.
How about you?
Maybe your life is a mess.
I don't know. I'm not from it. I don't know who you are.
00:30:04
But God knows, and if your life is an absolute mess tonight, and you're in your sins before God, there's hope.
There's a solution, and it's from God, because he loves you. You know, we read about Jesus. That's the Son of God.
The Lord Jesus became a man.
He came into this world as a little baby.
He was born in a barn in a Manger. There was number room for him when he was here. When he came here, he was born in a Manger to marry.
He grew up.
And he was.
By people like me.
When he was 33 years old.
And he was taken before a Roman governor.
Falsely accused and mocked and treated shamefully the very Son of God.
And he was condemned to die.
Three times, the governor said. Why? What evil hath he done?
The Jewish people, the religious leaders said.
Didn't answer the question.
They didn't want him.
And Pilate willing to content the people says.
Condemn Jesus to be crucified.
Who was Jesus, the Son of God?
Crucified. Yes, that's what happened to him, but that was God's plan.
I don't understand it.
I have four boys.
I wouldn't give one.
To die.
To die, but to die for sinners, for people who hated him? Yes, that's what God did. He gave his Son to die on a cross for me when I hated him.
That's how much God loved me.
And tonight.
You too can come to the Lord Jesus in all your sins and all your need.
And get saved.
You can confess your sins to God.
You know in the book of Luke there is a man that said, God be merciful to me, the Sinner.
But that's what he had to do, to have forgiveness.
And God and mercy sent his son. He's willing to save you tonight. So let's read a little bit further.
He was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. He became a man. Jesus became a man so that he could die.
That's what that means. He was made a little lower than the angels. He didn't become an Angel.
You know an Angel one day in the Bible, it tells us.
He was able to kill 185,000 soldiers, one Angel.
But Jesus didn't become an Angel to communicate to men. He became a man so that he could.
And it says here.
Verse 9.
For the suffering of death.
Crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God, should taste death for every man. The grace of God. Now you say to me tonight, what does that mean? What does it mean? Grace of God. Well, I want to tell you what the grace of God is to me. I was a Sinner.
God loved me. God sent his Son to die for me.
And did I deserve it? No.
I hated him. I remember when I sat in meetings. Boys just like you.
And I remember people preaching, and I was like this, without my fingers in my ears. But my ears were closed. I didn't want to hear.
I didn't want to hear that I was a Sinner.
I didn't pay attention, but by the grace of God.
He broke me down and he brought me.
The Lord Jesus brought me to himself.
May it be that he'll bring you.
Well ground with glory and honor.
Where is the Lord Jesus now?
The Lord Jesus is in heaven.
You know he was crucified.
On the third day, he rose again.
00:35:01
And then he went back to glory 40 days after being on the earth. 40 days. And that's where he is today. He's at the right hand of the majesty on high. That's where he is. And I know that because that's what the word of God tells us.
Now the question I have for you is, do you believe that?
If you believe that Jesus right tonight is right sitting at the right hand of God.
Then you'll do something about your sins because the Lord Jesus before he died, he said. If I go away, I will come again.
The Lord Jesus is going to come again to this world.
How did God, How did the people like me treat the Son of God? They sent him to the cross.
You think that's OK?
Or do you think God has something to say about that?
Be sure he does.
There's a verse that says be sure your sin will find you out.
This world is guilty of the death of God's son.
Judgment is ahead.
Don't be fooled to think that things are going to continue on forever.
You know, the Grand Canyon has been there for a long time.
But there's changes coming in this world, and you know what? People know it down deep. People are afraid.
They're afraid of what's coming. And tonight, if you're not saved, you've never accepted the Lord Jesus as your savior and you are in your sins, then you better be afraid. You better fear.
To fall into the hands of the living God. Tonight, God loves you.
God is providing you with his son as to be your savior. But if you say no, I don't want that.
Then then what?
Then it's judgment.
We were in a hotel down in.
Arizona somewhere.
This kid on his T-shirt, it said, I wrote it down, I'm going to read it.
Later maybe never. So do it now.
Later maybe never. So do it now.
You know, there are some people in this room.
You said no to the Lord Jesus a bunch of times.
Maybe you've said like I did.
I don't want it.
Maybe, you said. Well, I'm just young. I'll wait. I'll do it later.
But remember the story of the three crosses. The big one with the mom and the dad and the two little ones.
You might not get another chance.
So do it now.
Now I'd like to, just in closing, look at another passage in John chapter 19.
I talked about the Roman governor.
And how he could find no fault in the Lord Jesus verse 4?
Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault.
In him.
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns.
And the purple robe and Pilate saith unto them.
Behold the man. Tonight I present the man to you, God's man.
Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, He is God's man, and Pilate presented him to the Jewish religious authorities at that time. He says, Behold the man Tonight, I say, behold the man.
Jesus Christ is the only one who can save your soul, who can forgive your sins.
Who can bring you to heaven?
Tonight. Have you come yet?
Or are you saying no, not for me, not for me?
You know, there's some people that go to hell saying not for me.
I spoke to a man. This was so sad to me.
I presented him the gospel.
I told him how as a Sinner he could come and have his sins forgiven and God would take him just as he was with all his sins.
00:40:01
He looked at me.
He said. I'm an old man.
I've been this way all my life.
And that's how I'm going to stay.
To me, it was a tragedy.
He rejected the Lord Jesus Christ.
I never saw him again. Perhaps he had another chance and he did come to the Lord Jesus.
Perhaps this is your last chance.
What are you going to do tonight?
Are you going to say yes, Lord Jesus?
I have sinned and I deserve to go to hell.
But I don't want to go there and you died on the cross for me.
Because you did that.
I want to be forgiven. I want to have you as my personal savior tonight. Right now.
Will you come? Will you take the Lord Jesus?
He loves you.
He wants you. He died to redeem you.
Come tonight.
Shall we pray?
Lord Jesus.
We are here.
With this wonderful story of thy love.
Have held out its go to the cross.
How thy blood was shed?
So that sinners like us could be forgiven.
We thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for hanging there and suffering.
In our place for wearing that crown of thorns and the purple robe.
For allowing the spit of men to rundown my face.
We think of how for three hours.
There was.
The judgment of men upon thee they mocked thee. They told thee to come down from the cross.
And then there were three hours of darkness.
When the sins, my sins, were placed on thy blessed head.
When I was punished so that anyone could have their sins forgiven.
And Lord Jesus, we just pray there's somebody here tonight who's not listening, who has not come.
To thee to have their sins forgiven. Oh, we just pray that they would be disturbed in their hearts, that they would turn to the Lord Jesus. They would not have any peace and rest until they have this settled with the matter of their sins. We thank Thee, our God, for thy beloved son. We thank thee for thy plan of salvation, that vile men and women, boys and girls, could get to thy home without their sins.
But thy son had to pay, and we give thanks now for this opportunity to be together. And our God most of all. We thank thee for thy dear son. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.