Address—G. Hayhoe
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100 and 41141. I should say 141.
Indeed, eternal counsel before the world was made, before its deep foundation, on nothingness were laid. God purposed us for blessing, and chose us in His Son to Him to be conformant, when here our course was run 141.
Speak this afternoon a little bit about the Church of God, and about its expression as God has planned it to be. We return first of all to Matthew chapter 16.
Matthew 16 and verse 13.
And when Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Putin demands say that I, the son of Man AM. And they said some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias and others Jeremias are one of the prophets.
He saith unto them, For whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter. And upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Well, I say again, how wonderful that God should have made known his counsels and purposes to us. We know that he had councils and purposes for the blessing of the nation of Israel, and he's going to fulfill those councils in the coming day. Israel are yet going to be the center Jerusalem, the city of the great king, and all the nations will be blessed in association with Israel when the Kingdom is set up, and they'll have to come up from year to year to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
But when Israel were chosen, they lost the sense of this and division took place in their tribes, as we know many of them. Ten of them left God center that he had established at Jerusalem and were scattered. And then eventually the two tribes too were taken down to Babylon. God in his grace gathered back a little remnant in the time of Malachi, in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
But weakness was among them too. But then the Lord Jesus came, And as we know, He was born of the seed of David of the tribe and the tribe of Judah. And there he was the one who had come to confirm the promises made under the fathers, the Scripture says. And all those promises centered in God's beloved Son. And as I say, they rejected him. But God hasn't forgotten his promises, and he is going to bring Israel into blessing another day.
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But I'd like to speak particularly today the vote of God is doing now, and we see in this Gospel of Matthew that that it's often spoken of as.
Dispensational and that is God had patience with that nation, waited from the call of Abraham till the coming was of Christ was almost 2000 years, while God waited in patience and that nation went on as it did. There was however, a little remnant when the Lord Jesus was born.
And we know that he was taken there to Jerusalem. And there were those ones who were waiting, Simeon and Anna, Elizabeth and Anna and Mary. They were walking in godliness. Let's not be discouraged rather than when things are weak, because we can always go by the word of God. I think it's so commendable what it says about Elizabeth and his wife. It says they were walking, and all the commandments of the Lord blames.
Well, that nice one, there was so much confusion and breakdown. Here were those who were just simply seeking to please the Lord. And Simeon had the great joy at that time of seeing the Lord Jesus brought into the temple, and Elizabeth and Anna being the ones for whom John the Baptist was born to announce the coming of the Lord Jesus.
But in America's gospel, we see that the Lord presents himself to the nation of Israel.
As their king, but they wouldn't have him. They even went so far as to say that the works that he did were by the power of Satan. What a terrible thing that was. That was what the scripture calls the unpardonable sin, to see all those glorious works that he brought, and to say that he did them by the power of Satan, by what further testimony could be given. They had rejected that brilliant outshining of grace in the person of Christ.
Was Satan how terrible?
When I see the Lord the 13th chapter, he goes out of the house and he gives those seven similitudes. He sold seeds for a new crop and tells what is going to happen consequently on their rejection. And now he come to the 16th chapter. We have the first mention in the Bible of the Church of God, That is the Church of God as we know it today. The word church just means assembly.
And there was an assembly in the wilderness, but it was not the Church of God. It was not that which we have in Christianity, with a glorified Christ at the head of it, until the Lord announces this. Here Peter makes a confession of who the Lord is. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Everything is built upon that, as Peter says in his epistle, other foundation Can no man lay than that is laid which is.
Jesus Christ. He's the foundation and believers are living stones. Remember that turned all the scriptures. But in First Peter chapter two he says he also has living stones or build up a spiritual host, an holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament there was a temple. It was built with physical stones cut under the quarries and placed into that temple.
Says there was number sound heard in the building. There was a quiet work that was going on, but they were real stones. But now the church in Christianity is not a physical building. This building here is not a church. It's a convenient meeting place, but that's all the church is, people, and they're viewed in two different ways. In the Bible, the church is viewed as a building and it's viewed as the body of Christ, as a building.
The thought is brought before us of responsibility in connection with the body of Christ, its relationship.
And the enjoyment of the gracious provision that has been made by the head of the body, which is Christ. It's viewed in those two different ways. And what is the building to? It's viewed with man as the builder. Here it's not man as the builder, but it's Christ as the builder. I say that because the Lord says here I will build my church. And that's why Ethan and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
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When men bring people into a position of profession, accept their profession, and identify themselves with the Christian testimony, why, Sometimes they're not real. But the Lord will never build 1 into His Church of who is real, and all the powers of darkness can never pluck a child out of the hand of a Good Shepherd, or remove a living stone for God from God's building. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
There was a warning when man was the builder to be careful, that is, he's told, we're told in First Corinthians 3 that when man with the builder he built in wood, hay and stubble, and the day he cleared it, there are many people imprisoned them that have taken the profession of being part of the Church of God, perhaps been baptized, perhaps joined some system of man, and they have identified themselves in that way.
But you know it's all going to be manifested in the coming day. We might deceive others. You can never deceive the Lord. So when God is the builder or when the Lord Jesus is the builder, it's always living stones, it's always reality. But then when it's looked at as the body of Christ by tells us in Ephesians chapter one that Christ is the head over all things to the church, which is His body.
The fullness of him that filleth All in all. And so as members of the body of Christ, our body is not an organization, it's an Organism, and it's controlled from the head. If it's not controlled from the head, things are going to be in disorder in the body. You know, people, if something goes wrong with their mind, then their body does things that are very wrong, very inconsistent, because they aren't controlled by the head and the head of the church.
As the body of Christ.
Is the Lord Jesus himself? People sometimes say, well, who's who's ahead of your church? There's only one head. As far as the Bible is concerned, Christ is the head. And I just mentioned too that in Ephesians, the church is viewed there as Christ's love for the church. And so the expression is head over all things to the church, which is his body. And so we see the full provision that he has made.
For the needs of his church. He loved the church he gave himself for it. He's provided those who care for it, The evangelists, the pastors, the teachers, the foundation layers, the apostles and prophets. He provided all that. The man loves his wife, he provides for her, and he does everything he can. For for happiness and for her good. Christ is the head of the body, has done that. And sad to say, many Christians don't avail themselves of the provision that has been made.
But nevertheless, that's what the Scripture shows us, that Christ is head over all things to the Church, which is his body. Oh, how important it is that we recognize him as the head. Now, in Colossians, Christ is spoken of not as head over all things, but head of the body, the Church and the thought, if I can put it very simply. So perhaps you'll get the thought in Hebrews. It's what the church is to Christ.
In Colossians, at what Christ is to the church, somebody put it this way, the man starts to talk about his wife, and he has great affection for her and all the things he'd like to do for her. Now he's talking of his affection and his care and what he wants to do for her. Then when he's done talking, she starts to talk about what he means to her. That's Colossians. And so in Colossians, he's spoken of his head. Oh, the body matures. And so in Colossians, you have the glory of this person brought out in much further way.
That had all of the body, the church. And that's why philosophy and vain deceit in the traditions of men have no place. Because if a wife respects her husband as a head who can look after things for her, then she doesn't want all the philosophies and ideas of other people, she says. My husband is quite sufficient to happily sing his price. Sufficient as head of the body. The church. Ohio. Well, we know this, brethren.
In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
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Now to come back here to our chapter in Matthew 16. The Lord is making this announcement now, and in Matthew it's not the church as the body of Christ, but rather as the House of the sea. Because it says I will build my church, Peter takes it up as living stones. And so this is what the church really is.
In God's sight we find all sorrow and.
Acts chapter 20. It says the church which he purchased with his own blood. In Hebrews chapter 12 it says the Church of the first born, which are written in heaven. You can see how it's all reality, Those whom the Lord Jesus has purchased with his own blood, that's those who are really saved, those who have been indwelled by the Spirit of God and then the church.
The first born which are written in heaven.
People have church roles down here, but the important thing is, is your name on the church roll in heaven. That's the only thing that really counts. And so the Lord is making the announcement of this consequent from Israeli rejection of him. And so there is this period that has been introduced now. That's why we call dispensation. Perhaps most of us know that the dispensation in the Bible.
Is a period of time in which God dealt in some particular way.
That is, he placed Adam and Eve in the garden and put them in innocence. They didn't have the knowledge of good and evil. Would they just in simplicity, listen to his command and obey it just because God says so? If your child understands why you tell them not to do something, it's one thing, but if they have enough respect that they'll obey you, whether they understand why or not. Why? That's real obedience. And Adam and Eve were tested in innocence. And then we find afterwards.
Man was tested without government, with no government at all. Would he behave himself in the earth if there were no rulers or magistrates? Until the earth of violence and corruption and God introduced government, then people thought they could keep God's law. So there was a dispensation of law. And so we find these different periods that man broke down in everyone. He failed in every test that God gave him.
At last, as we were saying, the Lord Jesus comes and he presents himself to the nation. Would they have him says in John that he didn't come to condemn, but to say that was a children's verse this morning. So when a woman, woman was brought to him, taken in sin, he said neither do I condemn me, and some people have misinterpreted that. There wasn't that the Lord did not condemn her sin, but he was on the way to bear her condemnation so that he could say I don't condemn you because he was going to Calvary to bear her condemnation.
So as he went here in this world, he didn't go about condemning people. He was doing good, healing the sick, raising the dead, and cleansing the leopard. Would they accept the testimony like that in grace? No, they didn't want him, he practically said. If that's what God is like, we don't want it.
They don't. They didn't want him even though he had done. He said, For which of these good works do you condemn me? And they said, no, it's not that, but it's because thou being man, make this thyself go. They didn't want God to come down the person of the side. Man would like to have somebody empty at all the hospitals here.
When that nation did that by, God postponed their blessing. He postponed it because he had promised unconditionally to bless them through the promised sea. This is Christ and brethren. That's what we come to now in this present period. He has visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name, and now he's going to set up something in the earth. You turn to Matthew 18.
For safety, verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be laced in heaven. Again I say unto you it, that if two of you shall agree on earth as such in anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven, or where two or three are gathered together.
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In my name there am I in the midst of them.
16th chapter. The Lord has spoken. I will build my church. And now people read this chapter. We would see that authority was committed in the 17th verse. It speaks about telling it to the church, and that God gave authority to the place where He His name was. There for two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst. There were two particular, perhaps I should say 3 particular things in the Old Testament associated with the center. And that was.
That they were to come there for worship. Secondly, that difficult matters that were decided there were to be decided with the Lord's authority, and they were to accept that but Deuteronomy 17 And then when the temple was set up, you remember in Solomon's prayer that he prayed and asked the Lord that any prayer that was made in or toward that place, that the Lord would hear it and answer to me, It's very beautiful to see the Lord establishing something new to place where we can gather around him and worship.
It's a place, a House of prayer. The early disciples continued steadfast in the apostle doctrine and and prayers when they when John was at least when Peter was put in prison by. It tells us prayer was made without ceasing of the church under God for him and God heard that for Ernie delivered fear. So we find that there is a new center established.
To read over and over again in Deuteronomy.
That the Lord said that there was a special city where he put his name, and that city was the place where the tribes were to come up to worship. That was where they were together, because the Lord was there. But he's about to set aside that nation. Is there nothing on earth that corresponds to that in Christianity? Well, it isn't a city. It isn't a physical building, but it's a person around whom we gather.
And where two or three are gathered together in my name.
Say here that it isn't enough just to say that we meet in his name. We must meet according to his word if we are going to associate his name with it. It tells us in the Psalms Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. I I just like to ask you, would you like somebody to use your name without your authority and say no, I don't think they should do that. If they're going to use my name for something, I think they should ask me.
And we shouldn't say that we are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus unless our position is according to His word. Now it's magnified by the word. Above all, I name. What would the meaning of a sign of in front of a doctor's office, And the doctor saw himself position and surgeon? And what would it mean if he didn't have a diploma and he had nothing to support the sign? They have no right to put out that sign unless he could support it with a diploma.
And if we say that we are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, we need to be able to support the position that we take from the word of God. And that's important. It's humbling, but it's important because we don't have any other authority but the word of God and the precious and altogether the worthy and lovely name of the Lord Jesus.
So it says, for two or three are gathered together in my name. And we know that the Spirit of God is gathering to Christ, that is his work here in this world. God visited the Gentiles to take out of them enough people for His name.
It's a work of God, and he's operating by the Spirit of 1 Spirit. We are all baptized into one body.
Where we see the announcement of it then in Matthew now if we turn over to acts, we see that.
In the first chapter of Acts.
Fourth verse And being assembled together with them, that the Lord with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which said he, Ye have heard of me, John truly baptized with water, that she shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
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Turning over to the second chapter.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as if a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. There appeared unto them clothes and tongue, like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues.
As a spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout man out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noise abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
May the Lord as we know was He accomplished that mighty work of redemption. And then forty days after his resurrection he ascended and went back to glory. But he told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem because the Holy Spirit of God was going to come. Now we know what the Spirit of operative in the Old Testament, because new words is always by the Spirit, and even creation is spoken. All that says.
By a spirit according to heavens need, I might say that every activity of the Godhead is always in Trinity, and the order in Scripture is the Father in Council, the Holy Ghost of power by which it's carried out, and the Lord Jesus the Son, the one who carries out the Father's counsels. We always find that order in the scripture and so they were to wait. There in Jerusalem the Spirit was active, but He hadn't come.
We want to confirm that you can read in John seven. It says for as yet the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified. And if you read in John 14 and 15 and 16, you'll read about the Lord saying he was going away and that he would send the Holy Spirit. So the Spirit of God came down on the day of Pentecost. They were waiting for that. And it says in First Corinthians chapter 12.
By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Here I want to distinguish water baptism is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It's water baptism. It is that by which the name of Christ is placed upon a person. But it doesn't say the soul. It is only the scriptural way by which the name of Christ is placed upon one, as I've often said if when a person was baptized.
We put the name of Christ and plummet around their neck that would help them to understand baptism, that is water baptism. They're introduced into a position in this world where in the scriptural order of things they bear the name of Christ. But when a person believe is a gospel, says in Ephesians chapter one, and move after that, she believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance.
Until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.
But there was something special on the day of Pentecost, and that was there were a number of people there. About 120 were told in the end of the first chapter that we're waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit of God came down and those 120 now were baptized by 1 Spirit into one body. That was what took place on the day of Pentecost, and it's spoken out in Peter's epistle as the Holy Ghost come down from heaven.
You notice in what I read in the second chapter, he sat upon each of them and filled the house where they were sitting. And the Bible brings those two things before us in Christianity that every true believer is indwelled by the Holy Spirit. But the Spirit of God also dwells in the house. That's why when we came together this morning, we didn't appoint somebody to take the lead in the meeting because the Spirit of God.
Is here to lead in thine says where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and he might use various members of the body. But there was something very special that took place on the day of Pentagon. It was the church's birthday. It was the formation of the Church of God on earth. When the Lord spoke in Matthew 16, he didn't say I am Billy, but I will then. And he told the disciples to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
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Like when the Air Pentecost was fully come, there they were about 120 in that upper room and the spirit of God came down. Someone has illustrated that if you had 120 beads sitting on the table and you look there and you said, oh, I've got quite a few beads there as the other is about 120. But if I put a string through them and held them up and said, what have I got now You probably say, oh, you've got a necklace.
You wouldn't say you've got 120 bees. You would see those 120 all connected together. And so you'd say, oh, that's a necklace now and that's what happened on the day of cranky boss believers. We're individuals, if I can speak that way before. But when the spirit of God came and believers were united.
Believers were individuals, if I can speak that way before, but when the Spirit of God came.
Then believers were united to one another and to Christ the heaven blind because Christ is the head of the body of the church, had over all things to the church, which is his body. So we're united to Him, Christ, and we are one. And so that was the formation of the Church of God on earth. They waited for it, but we don't have to wait now, and I might say that.
Whenever you read about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Scripture, it is always spoken of in a collective sense, never an individual sense. That is, it has to do like I was saying with putting those 120 beads on to the necklace and what happened afterwards.
If you wanted to enlarge that necklace swag, you could put more beads, but it will still be on necklace.
41 And so on the end of chapter 2 it says the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved, but I as an individual believe the Holy Spirit of God came in and dwelled my body.
After that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. And when you're endwell by the Holy Spirit, then you're sealed and it says seal on solid day of redemption. Now that means that you're marked out as belong to Christ and you're not going to lose one of his own. Everyone who is part of that one body, everyone whose name has been written above in the Church of the first born.
Why? None of those are going to be lost or sealed then it tells us too that we are indwelled. The Spirit of God is a divine person. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you. It speaks also of the anointing. That is the power that we might be able to serve the Lord and live for Him, just as a king was anointed and put into a certain position, so.
He's anointed us. He sealed us.
And he's given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, so we're not, we're not told now, when we get saved, to wait for the Holy Spirit. It's an operation of the Spirit of God that when you believe the gospel, you are sealed and the Spirit is the earnest until the day of redemption. And that's the individual part of it now, the collective thing we have brought before us here.
Just a little word also about about speaking in tongues.
We know that God gave this gift at the beginning, and what he was really showing was that the gospel was not to be confined to that one nation. Perhaps you recall that when the Lord sent out the disciples to preach, this is what he said to them. Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any cities of the Samaritans entered United.
To the lost sheep of the House of Israel, they were just sent out. To that particular nation, they were the favored nation. If roots of all bites wanted to be blessed, she had to be identified with God's people. It may even have to wanted to be blessed. He had to recognize that the most the true God was in Israel. But on the day of Pentecost, then something new happened.
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Not to be confined to 1 nation.
And it tells us we're all baptized by 1 Spirit into one body, whether we be Jew or Gentile. And the disciples were told going into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. And so in order to introduce this, God showed what he was doing by giving the gift of tongues. There was no promise that it would continue. If anybody thinks they have it today, then let me gather together a group of people like in the second of Acts from every nation under heaven and give them the opportunity that hurts them in their own language.
You know they couldn't do it. They may tell you that they have a different times, but they don't have it in the spiritual sense. I don't know what it is, but they don't have it in the scriptural sense because these were as it says, they heard every man in his own language. These were not unintelligible languages. They were languages that were known in the world. What a marvelous proof that God was reaching out to go beyond.
That special nation.
Most of us in this room, perhaps all of us, belong to gentile nations or at least backgrounds. And we we're in the body of Christ and very few of the Jews being saved. Today it is a remnant In the 70 in Ottawa. We had a converted Jew, a very happy believer, but he would tell you, just as I would tell you, I'm not a Jew anymore. I'm part of the body of Christ. He left his old position just as we left our old position.
And we were brought into a new position as members of the Body of Christ now, just to go on to the end of this second chapter of Acts.
Verse 42.
And they continued steadfastly, and the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and embracing the bread and in prayers.
And the 47th verse praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Now you see they it says they continued steadfastly and the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers we spoke about how.
The that was magnified Thy word, above all thy name, and how very important the word of God is. And so it tells us also in First Timothy 3, the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Now the Church doesn't teach that. The gathering doesn't teach, but the Spirit of God.
Teaches us, And then God, as we'll see later, raises up teachers. So I don't say, Well, brethren taught this. The word of God teaches it, and the Spirit of God makes it good in our soul. But the assembly is responsible to hold the deposit of truth that has been committed to us. There has been a deposit of truth committed to us.
Whose teachers I've learned a great deal from different teachers that have helped me to understand. But it isn't the Church that teaches, it's the Word of God that teaches. And God may use individuals to teach us more of His truths, but never mind. In the scripture the Church teaches, The Spirit of God teaches and uses different ones that may teach us about. The Church is responsible to hold the truth.
It's not Brethren's truth, it's God's truth, and we are responsible to hold it. If we are gathered according to God's mind, according to His word, then people ought to find a group of people who have no other authority on which they rest and what they believe of the precious word of God. They don't have a creed. Someone asked Mr. Garvey what is what is the creed of the group that you're with? And he said that it's the whole word of God.
Genesis to Revelation, he said. I can tell you some things I've learned from the Bible, but if you ask me my breathe, it's the whole word of going. I have no right. That I handle today is not my truth. It's not grabbing truth if the truth is gone and the church is responsible, and that's why.
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When questions are raised why we're to settle them by the word of God, that's our authority. By word is truth.
So they continued in the apostles doctrine and fellowship that is now they're introduced into walls of like mine often to walk together, except they be agreed and there's a breaking of bread and always speak of that and in prayers.
The assembly as a prayer meeting. And as I said before, when Peter was in prison, the assembly came together and they prayed for Peter. And there is individual prayer in our homes. But it's important to recognize that the assembly is a place where there should be time set aside for further affirmative. Rather interesting that.
We have the Apostle Doctrine, Fellowship, perhaps that would answer to when we come together to read the word of God and have fellowship and enjoying the things of God and the remembrance of the Lord, and in prayers, well, who added to the Church?
The Lord added to the Church. We hear expressions and Christendom such as joining the Church of your choice, but.
It's not my choice, it's his choice. My father used to have a little expression I thought was rather nice, he said. The Lord chooses my friends for me.
No people often they choose a nice group they would like to be with and maybe it's a very zealous, energetic group and they say, well that's a nice group and they really love the Lord and they want to serve him well. I'm not discounting the fact that it might be a nice group, but you and I have no right to make choices on that basis.
We are. We are responsible to gather according to the word of God. They didn't choose the people they would be associated with. And the Lord says, You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.
And so I'm not gathered with those who are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, because I like the people, although I do like them. But I'm that's not my reason. I'm there because I believe that they are gathered according to the word of God. And if you're only there because you like the people, someday something will happen and they may get pretty discouraged. But it's important to be there because the Lord is there, so you don't have to join the church.
The Lord does the joining. What we do is associate with those who are seeking to follow the word of God. But that doesn't make us part of the church. Have often said when people are received at the Lords table, it's not to become part of the church. It's because they're already part of the Church and we wouldn't want to receive someone at the Lord's table who wasn't part of the Church of God before we received them. We received them because they are that.
Till the Lord added to the church daily and pulled the verse again the church which he purchased with his own blood. And again the Church of the first form which are written in heaven. But now I'd like to just turn to the 20th of the box. Here you just see a little example here and that's fond of the back. So this way this seven years.
And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread.
All have reached, some of them ready to depart on the Morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. Well, just to call attention to that little expression upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread.
That is the day of Pentecost. Perhaps we all are aware the day of Pentecost was the first day of the week. The Lord rose on the first day of the week and appeared to His disciples that day. The next first day of the week he appeared again. And the day of Pentecost. If you want to read about it in the 23rd of Leviticus, it says there were the #7 sabbaths and the moral after the 7th Sabbath.
Was a piece of Pentecost. Pentecost means 50 days, and it was called the face of Pentecost. So that we see that that's the Christians day. The Lord grows the first day. Christianity is an entirely new thing. The Sabbath belonged to Israel. If I could put this way, the Sabbath was God's pledge of rest on the earth.
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But the new first day of the week is to remind us that there is a new saying. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. And so it was a custom of these believers to meet together on the first day of the week to great prayer, to remember the Lord and his death. And Paul came. They didn't come to hear a sermon. They did hear a sermon. Sometimes a brother might stand up after the meeting and give a little word.
Of exhortation.
But that is why we came. We came to those, right? And of course Paul the 19 and never did see those present again. He felt he had a great deal to tell them, and I'm sure he did because the New Testament wasn't all written and he had much to tell them. But that person, why they came together to listen to Paul. They came together to bring bread. And I would like to turn to 1St Corinthians chapter 10.
And raised from the 51St I speak as to why is man judgy? What I say, the cup of blessing which we bless. Is it not the communion of the thought of Christ, The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold, Israel, after the flesh, are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers?
Of the altar. But say I then, that the idol is anything, and that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything but. I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice the devils. I'm not to God, and I would not that she should have fellowship with devils. He kind of drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. He cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Now there are two chapters here, the 10th chapter and the 11Th chapter.
The 10th chapter brings before us the truth of the Lord's table, and the 11Th chapter the truth of the Lord's Supper.
It's very important that the Lords table comes first, and we see that the Lord's table is the expression of certain things. In Israel there was what was called the table in the Tabernacle, and on it there were trial rolls which represented the 12 tribes of Israel. And that was to be there continually upon the table to represent the fact that those 12 tribes.
Were represented before God.
And now we see here in First Corinthians 10 the Lords table brought before us and what it expresses, and I believe that's very important for us to understand.
There is the remembrance of the Lord, but we find here there's a difference in the 10th chapter in the 11Th that the cop comes first in the 10th chapter and the loaf comes first in the 11Th chapter, and I'd like you to observe that and notice because of the purpose in it.
Now Paul uses the things that existed at that time. If you had gone to Corinth, it's likely have today with a great many different groups. It's sad to see the testimony to the one body soul, shall I say, almost forgotten today. But if you've gone to Corinth, you would have found places where Jews assembled, you would have found it where Christians assembled, and you would have found it where heathen assembled in there at his temple.
And what he is showing, that's a very important principle, is that the act of partaking was the expression of fellowship. If a man for took of the sacrifices in Judaism, he had fellowship with the Alger. If he went to an idols temple and for took there he had fellowship with that idol. If he came to the Lord's table and he was expressing fellowship with what the Lord's table really stood for, if I can put it plainly, brethren, I don't want to go.
And work bread at a place where the truth of what the one body and the church really is is expressed. I believe it's a wonderful privilege to give expression to this truth so dear to the heart of Christ. He loved the church and gave himself for it. Every believer is a member of the body of Christ. He showed that unity on the day of Pentecost, that all those 120 who were there became associated together.
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One fellowship. And when the Samaritans and the Gentiles were brought in, it wasn't a different church. It was only to bring in of Gentiles into the church, a body of Christ. It says by 1 Spirit, you're all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles.
Well, I think it's very precious to see here what the Lord's table really expresses. I just like to say a few words on what is brought before us. You might say, well then, why is the cup brought before us first here? But you know what I think of whose table it is? The Lord of glory. The one who is God himself, and it's his table. Isn't that a very, very serious thing? And who am I?
To be able to come into the presence of the Lord of Glory, for he is in the midst and sit down there to remember him. What title do I have?
Why the only title I have is the precious Blood of Christ, like like Hebrew, Sam says.
Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiness by the blood of Jesus. And so I think it's so lovely that the cup comes first when it's talking about the Lords table. And another thing you notice in this chapter talks about communion.
Because you don't take communion present. I think I mentioned the other day, Communion means common thoughts and you can't take common thoughts. You have common thoughts. I can share common thoughts with you. We can have an agreement. If if we're talking about something, you have one idea and I have another, then we don't have common thoughts. But isn't it wonderful to have common thoughts about the value that God has placed upon the blood of Christ?
He wouldn't have any doubts if you had communion with him about the value that he has placed upon it. Some Christians have doubts, but it's because they don't have God's thoughts about the value of the blood, the blood of Jesus Christ. His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Lovely that our title is settled through the blood. It gives us title to be there and then. The lower fear is not spoken of as the physical body of Christ, but it's spoken of as the body of Christ can hold of all believers or knows what it says in the 17th verse. Are we being many? Are one bread and one body where we are all partakers of that one bread?
So we see that had an envelope. Here is a symbol for the one body. When some of us came in here this morning, there was one loaf unbroken sitting on the table. And that in the 10th chapter is set before us as a symbol of the one body of Christ. And every believer is represented in that one world. That look doesn't just represent the little company here where we are here it represents.
The one body of Christ which includes all believers.
Just illustrated as soon as a brother who I knew and he was talking to a neighbor one Monday morning and he knew that this neighbor was a real believer, a true member of the body of Christ, thought he wasn't gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. He was gathered to one of the systems that men have established. And when we met him on Monday morning, he said, oh brother, I was so glad to see you.
In the loaf on Lord's morning, boy said I was there, said I wasn't my own church. He said I saw you there and they said, oh, I must have made a mistake because I wasn't there, he said. I saw you represented in that one world and Brandon, isn't it? Lobby. As I look at that one love, I think of every believer, Impella, every believer in the world represented in that long life. That's the realm on which we need. That's the scriptural way. That's what the Lord's table is.
It's an expression of the one body of Christ. Now Allah may not be there.
But they're all represented there. The man asked if a father asked his family to put one wolf on the table to represent the one family when they came together. If some of them weren't present, the one loaf would still be what he asked them to have it. And if they met us, He asked them, that's what it would represent. And so isn't that lovely. To know that God has established such a thing in his word isn't a great privilege to break bread, not as a member of something that men established, but as a member of the body of Christ?
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And that's very precious too. Shall I say. It's more than just knowing your sins are forgiven, because I am a forgiving Sinner by great bread in the nearest possible relationship, we are members of his body of a splash of his bones. It often used an illustration that perhaps might help to bring this point home.
Take the story in the Old Testament about Rahab the harlot. She put her faith in the God of Israel and she hung the scarlet line in her window. And then the city of Jericho fell. She was delivered because she was safe under the scarlet line, a picture of the blood of Christ. But there's a little more to the story. We find out that she was introduced into the royal line of Israel. She became.
The husband of a man, The wife of a man who was in the royal line. Now what? He supposed that she comes and she sits down at the table with him as his wife and she looks across the table and says it's wonderful to be a forgiving harlot.
I think I would see him looking across the table and said you're forgiven. But there's far more to it than that. I don't think of you that way. I think of you as the one to my love, the one whom I've chosen. Brethren, isn't it a wonderful thing that the law we know is forgiven, that we can sit at the table and as it where the Lord is saying how it all affair my life, there's no spot you'll really enjoy the Lord's table and the privilege that you have if you enter into that.
And so in the 10th chapter, I say again.
We have first decided to do There through the Blood and then the truth that is expressed there in the relationship in which we stand. Oh, how wonderful to be there as a member of the body of Christ. I want to ask you, do you think that Ray had would want to go back to her old friends again after that? I don't think she would feel under law. I would say that she would be constrained by love to say, well, that's enough to ever.
Set me free from my old friends and so you know in separation isn't illegal.
Separation is a question of heart. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp there in his report. So on the 10th chapter then we have those things brought before us. The Lords table, the Cop first, the love. The loaf is a symbol of the one body of Christ. Then we have a result in separation, and we have submission. In the next chapter the sister, by her long hair and her covering, accepts the place that God has given to her.
Because she figures the place the church occupies in relation to Christ, and as the church is to be subject to Christ, saw the woman sitting at the Lords table. She expresses that she takes that place as a beautiful picture of the position in which the in which the church stands in relation to Christ. And that's why the covering and the long hair are mentioned in First Corinthians 11, because that is also.
To be seen at the Lord's table. But then it goes on in the 11Th chapter and the 23rd verse.
Before I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he break it, and said, Take he, This is my body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had sat, saying, This cup is a New Testament in my blood. This do ye as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.
For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, he do show the Lord's death, till him come. For for whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup he leaves and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation. The margin says judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
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For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chasing the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Well, here we have in this chapter the Lord's Supper. It's mentioned in the 20th verse, and the Lord instituted the supper on the night of his betrayal. He noticed the loaf comes first and then the cup in this chapter. And the loaf is not brought before us as a symbol of the one body of Christ, but rather the symbol of the physical body of Christ. That is, he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. And so.
When we break the bread as we come in, we come in and sit down as members of the body of Christ. When we break it, we remember the Lord Jesus giving His life for us, first bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, and then shedding His precious blood.
It's important in the remembrance that the Loeb is first in the Old Testament. In all the sacrifices, the animal was put to death and a bloodshed before it was placed upon the altar. For it was not possible that the blood of bulls and a goat that take away sin. And if I can put it this way, every time that they looked at the blood of the animal, they knew something was to follow.
Because the blood was shed before the sacrifice. But the Lord Jesus exhausted the judgment 1St and the blood flowing from his dad side was approved that the work was done. And so we remember a finished work that's very precious for us.
But I can put it in this way. Think of the 10th chapter as the place, the wonderful place.