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And verse 13.
And we went before the ship and failed under our sauce. Then handings are taken. Paul was so heavy, appointed minding himself to go afoot. And when he met with his *** off, we took him in and cleaned the metal ringing and he sailed them. And during the next day over in Cure and the next day we arrived at Fairmont. And now that's brilliant.
And the next day with dreams of believers, so before when determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia, who is hated if it were possible for him.
Pentecost and the leaders he sent to emphasis and and follow the elders of the church, and when they were under them, we know from the first day that I came in the news.
After what manner I've been with you at all season, the Lord, the Lords, who know their mind, and with many fears and temptations, which would even tell me by the lying and weak of the Jews.
Kept back nothing that was possible to do. But I served you and the thoughts publicly and from house to house, testifying and All Souls in the bridge.
We had four dogs and things toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and now the whole I go bound under Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall be told me there.
That the Holy Ghost, with witnesses in every city and bonds and affliction, divides me. But none of these things move me, neither can't all my life itself.
Joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. I know that ye all among whom I am gone, decreasing the Kingdom of God, shall see my Faith No More. Wherefore I take you to record this day, and I am sure my blood of all men.
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Well, I know this after my departure, so grievous war is entering among you not bearing the flaw.
All the whom cells are men Arise. These are worse things to do. Draw away disciples after them.
And remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every man, night and day, with tears.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace.
Which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance from all them which are sanctified.
I have coveted no mango or gold or a cow.
You ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered under my necessities, and the them that were with me. I showed you all things, how the soul are supported, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he says it is more blessed to give and to receive.
And when he is not spoken, he kneeled down and and raised them all, and they all left sore and and fell on Pauls neck and kissed him sorry most of all the words that he speak, that they they should see his face. No, no more.
And there's something on the ship.
Get back and say things about what we had yesterday.
Any particular about about the state statement about?
I think that I that I didn't say enough or had and had enough that that.
The statement, the truth, I believe believe is who.
Is.
2nd.
We have a statement we make sometimes. Nothing, nothing but the truth can pull the truth. No, we don't. We don't believe that in the Bible. I don't believe. But you think it's true anyway. Nothing. Nothing but the truth. Who told the truth?
But.
Love. Love must be with it. And in Second Thessalonians chapter two we have only company left after the churches are not out.
Together unto him and verse one and one of chapter 2, second, Second Thessalonians give the rapture when we arrive there in glory. And they're they're going to be people left on the earth. No, no serious and and no sound. If there's anything there's any in this room who have the knowledge of the of the truth and haven't received the love that in your heart, you'd better consider what this chapter says.
And then down in verse 10.
With all the civil bonus of our unrighteousness in in them that Perry perish, it's those those that are perish. Why? Why do they perish? Because they receive not the love of the of the truth that they might be saved.
Sound love is very important with with truth and love.
A prayer of love is obedient. It's not it's not what we say the truth that we love God, God. It's what we do, do what we are, it's ingredients. So that is that is very important in connection with the truth. We learn, learn, but we are to learn truth. Doctrine comes first, first and exhibition in the basement on it, we had much had much about that yesterday.
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Another thing I'd like I'd like to say.
Bread.
Yes to him to read the verses and what they what they say to me.
In verse 7, upon the time the 30th day of the week when they when they the same as a game together 22 Brad, Brad that says to me that it's purpose. There's no there's no action there, it's purpose. And then and then we're going down to verse 11 when he when he therefore was come up again and had broken bread and eaten and talked a long while even till the break of day.
So he departed tells me that that is when they built bread.
I can't accept in my own thinking that they broke bread twice, but we received.
That is the way it reads and don't contest what has been said too much.
But I do think it's rather important and we've had much upon that and I would like to restate the fact.
I call it a fact. I think it's so that everyone in this room who has knowledge.
Who knows the doctrine? Who knows that they're saved? Who is a light and who is not? Breaking bread is more responsible than if he or she does break breath. The Lord has invited you to come to His table.
There is a table of the Lord today where the supper is kept. The apostles had already established that they would do so on the Lords day. The pattern is set now and the place is here today with a heavenly truth is known and it's nowhere else on the face of the earth that iron was. It really can't be then where Saints are gathered together under the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now Jesus has asked you to remember him and to break bread in remembrance of him.
And it is not difficult. He wants you to do that. I can't invite you, but he has and you are very responsible. To answer his request a flow had.
Finished what he was saying to the folks that show us he gets into a ship.
And he goes on and he travels here and these verses 131415 and 16.
The work of the Lord goes on, Who was a chosen vessel to bear the name of the Lord before the Gentiles?
And the people of God and those that are in fernity, kings. We learn of his travels. He was carried up to Rome. He bear witness before seizure, at least in Caesars household and in Jerusalem. So he has more work to do, and the Lord guides him and he passes on. Well, this is for everyone of us in our little measure that we are to be a witness in our local assembly. But when we travel we'll become the Walla Walla or go to Toronto or.
Or any other part of the world in the measure in which we have privilege and responsibility we're to carry it out. So I think we find Paul a pattern and.
His heart was with me since there at Ephesus.
And he wants to.
Here's it there, but he doesn't have time, so it takes.
The guidance from the Lord, I believe.
To tell a group to come to him.
There has been teaching.
In recent years.
That you can't have a meeting unless all the assembly is present. I don't find that in scripture.
Brothers were not under law, were under grace, who was an apostle and as a pastor.
Pulls a certain group to come to him and he teaches them. He ministers them. Here is an example of a meeting when you didn't have the whole assembly together they were coming to in verse 17.
Well, we need the subject that you were speaking on Clem of breaking bread, remembering the Lord.
I don't believe there is a thought in scripture anywhere that would be higher than the desire that the Lord Jesus placed.
On that very thing, in Luke 22 he says I have heartily desired. In Luke 17 there were 10 lepers that met him and he tells them to go and show themselves one of the priests and as they went it said they were cleansed.
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One of them. When he realized what had happened, he turned around and went back.
And he falls down at Jesus feet and gives glory to God. He acknowledges him for who he is. He gives him glory in the Lord. Jesus cannot instant said.
Were there not ten Cleanse.
Where are the 9?
The desire of his heart was to have had all ten of them come back and worship him.
I believe there's there's nothing more important in the life of a Christian than to obey that one simple request.
This do in remembrance of Maine. The Lord appreciates it, and He surely appreciated that. And it says that he was a Samaritan and a remarkable statement. He was a Samaritan.
And we don't see it in the Old Testament, that's true. But when you take and look at mammon.
The first thing Niemann wanted to do when he was cleansed with worship.
And I believe that should be true of every heart of a saved soul worship. Remember the Lord in his death? I believe there's one of the ways we can honor and glorify him.
Believe this is very important when it says in the seventh verse.
The disciples came together to break bread, and I believe they did it. Brethren, we come together on Lord's Day Morning.
That is the purpose and I don't believe it should be drug out to the last minute.
I'm not saying there's any said order, so let's remember the purpose is to break bread.
And the Spirit of God will make it clear when the time comes. And let's break bread. I do believe they broke bread.
Because the word for Paul preached says discourse. He talked to them and it says he talked to them.
Until morning or midnight. And then it says he talked a long time, long discourse thing. That's the way it is. In the other translation I noticed, Kelly says that this second reference to his breaking bread and eating the word eaten there in the original is tasting for himself, whereas the word to eat as it's given out in the First Corinthians take and eat and the other areas.
Where he said it, I'm sorry. In Luke that word for eat there to eat is to partake of.
Difference and Kelly says, and I believe it's right, but we'll leave it that the second time. He had been long talking and it was getting late early for him really in the in the morning and he was going to leave it a long journey. And Kelly says he actually refreshed himself. He actually refreshed himself. He believes it could have been the same low, that's no problem. But it wasn't a breaking of bread. And I just leave that because of the different word you could look at in Kelly's portion there.
A different word in the original for each. This second time it was to taste.
For his enjoyment or his nourishment.
One thing that typically the remembrance of the Lord has been restored in the last day.
That we were speaking somewhat yesterday about this being a type of the history of the church. And we can all be thankful that that we have the privilege of breaking bread in the last days, like say one or two things about the the truth keeping us if we go to Proverbs the second chapter.
The 10th verse.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall preserve the understanding, shall keep thee to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh forward things, believe the paths of uprightness.
And walk in the ways of darkness.
I think there are three things that we might say are brought together. Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.
And the truth is knowledge. We might have a great deal of knowledge as to the content of scripture but if we do not mix knowledge with wisdom then we will lack understanding. And it says here understanding shall keep free if we some verses that were mentioned yesterday on the 24th of Proverbs.
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Your wisdom is in house building.
By understanding it is established by knowledge. Shall the chambers be filled with all present, precious and pleasant riches. I believe here we find wisdom applied to the Word of God, giving the understanding necessary that we might put Scripture in its proper place. We're speaking a little bit yesterday about dispensational truth, and I believe that is what we have here. The house. A Carpenter builds a house, but he doesn't just start with a pile of wood.
Who starts with a plan? And there has to be wisdom first of all to design the house. The architect puts the plan in order, and I believe that's the purposes of God. And then the Carpenter can take understanding of the plan and take the pile of wood and create a house. And then if you want to furnish the house, you understand which rooms to put the furniture in. And we need understanding. You wouldn't just come in and place furniture Willy nilly through the house, you would put the proper furniture in the proper room.
And so as we read this through the word of God, we can take the wisdom of God, apply it to God's plan, and we can furnish the house with those things which are fitted to the room, and we can then have then they become precious and pleasant riches. We can see the furnishings which embellish the plan of God, And Scripture is in its right place. So the truth in itself, although we might understand everything or see the things that are in the word of God, until we apply understanding.
They will not bear the fruit to to God, and and be that which would be pleasant and precious.
What our brother saying by turning to proverbs one and then the proverbs 4.
In proverbs 1.
Verse 7.
We have.
Proverbs 17 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
In Corinthians it says we all have knowledge, but mere knowledge. Perfect, yeah.
Let the Lord not just to get knowledge and then to apply it to turn the 4th chapter proverbs.
This reason the first verse of Proverbs 4, because this is.
Helpful, I think.
Get ahold of the difference between male age and wisdom and understanding that is progress. And here your children now are you one of God's children? I am. Listen here, the instruction of the Father. We can take this.
As being shown as Mother David. Or we can take this for ourselves as being my Father, the Lord God.
The instruction of her father and attend to know understanding. He wants us to go on to understanding. When I give you good adaption, how you can apply that to the New Testament, to the doctrine of the apostles, they continued steadfastly in the apostles. Daft, And you get knowledge there forsaking up my Lord. Well, it's the word of God as we have it today for us. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
I want her brother Dave is bringing before us of those.
Tenant or cleanse? Only one return to give thanks and he was a Samaritan. Doesn't that touch our hearts? Have we have failed to get into our hearts what God has given to us?
I love this and how He has left us something to do. I speak of the Lord our Savior now, but then it goes on verse four. He taught me also and said Him to me.
Let thine heart retain my words, keep my commandments, and live. We need the word of God, We need obedience to it.
New knowledge puffs up, but when it's applied and kept.
Keep my commandments and live get wisdom. Now knowledge is applied. It is wisdom. Now knowledge applied is wisdom. But then we go further, it says.
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Get understanding. Forget it. Now neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsaken that. And she shall preserve thee. Now the soul is kept. Love her responsibility.
She shall keep me. This is what keeps us. But young brother is speaking to me about the necessity of bringing love here we have it. Love her and she shall keep being. Wisdom is the principal thing. Knowledge of planet is the principal thing. Therefore get wisdom. Then how does it conclude in this next, this next statement? That's all I getting Get understanding. I believe that understanding is our souls getting into the purposes of God.
And his results for us now.
Big truth, The purposes of God were to have children.
To have a family and glory.
To get them. That's the reason that's where we're going to be in the glory.
But the Lord doesn't want to wait till we get to the glory to have communion with us. Turn to John 14 He wants it now. There is a provision for it now to have this communion and the Lord.
Both the Father and the Son want it.
And don't they want it in our hearts? Don't we want to return to give glory to God, like that Samaritan that's cleansed?
We have been cleansed. There are two verses in John 14, the 21St.
The 23rd they express the love of communion.
That passed my commandments and keepeth them. This is obedience to knowledge, the Word.
Here it is that loveth me. Obedience is the proof of love.
And he that loveth me what shall be loved of my father? And I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. This is not the door we're going to. This is the present. This is right. Now, Now, verse 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, what will he do? You keep my words. I say, obedience is a proof of our love.
And my Father will love him. Think of it, my father will love him, and we will come and make our abode with him rather than this is the love of communion God the Father and God the Son wants with His saved ones.
Right now there is a provision and a special place for it that we've had in that upper room. It abides yet that moral place, enjoying the heavenly position that belongs to us.
There are two outstanding verses in this 20th chapter. There are many, of course, but.
The first one is the 7th one they came together to break bread and the next one.
The 32nd one and now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace.
Which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. The brother Clem was just saying about obedience and love. I commend you to God and to the word of His grace. Thankfully, that's what we have in our hand today.
And we can follow it. There's so much going on.
In Christendom today about do.
Do this, do that, do the other thing.
When Paul here commends them to God, into the word of his grace, it says which is able to build.
Europe.
And that's how we get built up.
By accepting the word of God's grace.
Embrace the seven through 12. We have such a beautiful picture. The churches history presented to us as we had it before us yesterday. We see the place that the doctrine of Paul had in the beginning of the churches history and then in Utica we see that sad picture how the churches will come by sort of asleep.
It is finally seen in a lifeless state. We see it coming down to the better level of the world.
But then we see that wonderful revival of the truth through the apostle Paul. His ministry brought before us met tripe, and as we gone in the chapter he I believe we've seen a beautiful way how that testimony is to be maintained. Because here Paul recounts his own testimony. His ways as the eldest of the assembly of emphasis are called over to him. He shares with him something of what characterizes his testimony and beloved as we have known the benefit.
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Of the recovery of the truth or deduction of Paul brought unto us. I believe as we go on in our chapter, we shall see some of the ways in which this testimony can be maintained in our day, with all those fearless influences coming in that we see brought before us in the latter part of the chapter.
So we see there the testimony. God is helpful in this world. We see the subtle influences that undermine it. And then as our brother just pointed out to us that wonderful 32nd verse, we see the rain starts that is less than 12. These last and closing days to maintain their testimony until as we read there in the 11Th verse, even till break of day. What a wonderful privilege to have these.
This pattern given unto us as to what should characterize our testimony in these remnant days.
Interesting to notice here too that this entire portion of the word of God is is bathed in love. At the first verse of our chapter he embraced the disciples. That is, they have been going through some persecution and there was a commonality of of trial, of standing for the Lord and so he embraced them. And now we find in the portion we've been on the last day or so how He embraced this young man.
He loved him and the application.
His that this is when the the truth was revived, but nevertheless he went to this young man and embraced him. And then the last part of the chapter, we get the same thing, more embracing. Only this time you say the disciples are embracing him. I think, Beloved, as we are enjoying the truth of God and the Spirit of love, that there is this, this overwhelming affection not only for Paul's doctrine but for.
The spirit of it will produce affection for Christ. And so we see all of this, this bathing in love, embracing one another. And, you know, you might wonder how Paul could go on in such stability and such power.
In the path that he got to put him in. But I think in verse 13 you you get the intimation of this where Paul's power and his strength was.
You see, when the ship went around the peninsula to come to a source, Paul says he chose to walk. That is, it's about a 2025 mile walk. And so he had at least an entire day to muse to be by himself. And so there's a time for enjoyed fellowship with your brethren and times like this, but it is imperative, as Paul I think illustrates here, that we have time.
To ourselves, I think it's in 140 Psalm where the psalmist in time of discouragement, he said. I remember I meditate and I muse.
Those 3 graces have been given to us that we might make good these these good things that we hear and strengthen us, that we can go on in the in in faith and love. Remember Paul said, a whole fast with the sound of sound words that I have given unto you in faith and in love.
Those are ever linked together. And so I I believe this is what we see. Here is a little picture how Paul was able to do that and the only way that you and I can do it.
As we remember and we meditate when the news on these things that have been administered to us.
Right. That was not delaying or slowing down the journey. He was having a little time apart, and it's a very important thing for us to have a little time apart with the Lord. And he had that. He didn't visit on the way or anything like that. But it wasn't the easiest way to do, the easiest way if we go by the ship.
And bloodied still have the brethren with him and and not the time apart. And I hope we all understand each one of us must have a little time apart. Makes me to realize that. And children need to realize that there is a time. Sometimes we have to find it, do we not?
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But he had that. But notice that in the 16th verse, he said. Paul determined.
The sale by emphasis, going past emphasis, because he wasn't going to spend much time. He wasn't. He was in a hurry. And if he got to emphasis his heart and his brethren were to just draw on him there for a time, You know, sometimes that happens where going someplace.
And it just tears your heart when you got it past an assembly. But sometimes you have to pass an assembly. You pray for them, your hearts there. In fact you leave some of yourself while you go by. But that happens sometimes. So Paul, his heart was at emphasis. You only have to read the epistle to the Ephesians to tell why, wonder if it wasn't that. They received his word and they had it and it was beautiful. In fact, it wasn't much to say against him as late as Revelations in in the third chapter, second chapter, but then it says when.
He sent from Malidas verse 17 two episodes and he called the responsible ones or the the ones there who really had the care, the ones with the oversight.
He called them. No doubt there was several, maybe many elders at Ephesus. These were appointed officially Apostolic appointment by by the Apostle, or through his his giving the power to do it. We do not have that today. But he had his heart in Ephesus, and so everything we have on the rest of this chapter was pouring out his heart with a dear brethren at Ephesus.
Realizing what's going to happen when he's gone, this is the last time he would see them. And brethren, what he's bringing out is now full in our presence in this world today. That's it. Because the Spirit of God does that, does he not? The situation is raised up in a different church or assembly that is applicable to our needs today. So we have everything in the word of God that we need. So as we read on, we're going to find that, But Paul knew it would start right away.
That's the point. And so he had his heart to those dear Ephesians, and he called the elders of the assembly and they came to him. Isn't that lovely?
Verse 18 There's that which could speak to each one of us.
You know from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons.
Does that not speak of our walk, both before our brethren and before the world?
And our walk is going to tell others just what we are.
We need to be so careful.
That we do not slip, shall we say, and only the Lord can keep us.
Not the one little wrong act.
Can destroy a lot of good.
Well, may the Lord keep us walking before him as his children.
And thinking to bring glory to him by our walking ways.
We might add to that.
The what Paul said to Timothy in First Timothy.
Chapter 4 in the last verse for this is instructed for us first. Timothy 4 and verse 16. Take heed unto thyself. Now this comes first. That's the walk and ways our brothers speaking about.
There's a common proverb, actions speak louder than words. That is the world that reads the Christian.
And then what they see.
More than they do than what they hear.
And our moral power is only according to our obedience to the word of God. So Paul says, first attempt. They take heed to myself and to the doctrine continuing them both. This is the way.
Carrying on the world, continuing them, for they shall. In doing this thou shalt both, save thyself your practical.
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Testimony, Timothy, If you continue in these things you know, obedience of a walk of purity and holiness, and the doctrine that you have heard, you'll keep yourself and them that hear thee. Now, the history of how that's come down to us, he writes in Second Timothy, Chapter 2. Let's look at that. This is for us. This is the manner of the truth being preserved.
And the second Epistle of Timothy in the second chapter, the first verse, then Therefore my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. If you read that now, therefore, my son be strong in the law, you'd be all wrong, wouldn't you, That this position was over with under grace, and there is no set pattern to how to conduct a.
Moving I don't believe we have a pattern to how we're to construct our worship meeting in our chapter in in Acts 20.
It's grace and the Spirit of God and the Lord who is in the midst, is there to guide but destroying the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that last heard of me, Paul, This heavenly truth came through Paul among many witnesses, others heard it. We've got a few of them here in our chapter. Quite a few of them.
And the same commit thou, Timothy, you get it? And who you're going to give it to, to faithful man.
What is required is faithful and wise stewards in Luke 12.
Not intelligent, not gifted men, faithful.
Who shall be able to teach others also? I believe, brethren, And we have a history sitting right here.
That the truth we've got.
In our hands I trust. In our heads and in our hearts, and in our walk has come direct from Christ through Paul, ministered somewhat by Timothy, by faithful men, right down to 1989.
They really value. Are we going to hold it? Well, Paul says in our chapter, verse 18. He knew from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons have been said.
Before the Saints and before others. Then what does he say? Serving the Lord?
I say to everyone of you, brothers, you have no one over here but the Lord, neither do I.
The Lord is our master. We have no hierarchy. We're served the Lord. How do we do it? With all humility.
We are nothing.
We are nothing.
May we ever remember.
Pull a beast himself.
Encounters A privilege. Well, what a pattern we have. Do we carry on? And this is all of us to serve the Lord with all humility of mine and with many tears. For the love of Paul, for the Saints that we have it. We are feeling it by our one overall brethren. We are here and they're serving the Lord and we're thankful. So the pattern is for us to follow that we have here.
There were the temptations and there was a glaring in weight of the Jews.
Thank God when.
The US don't feel that. But what about our dear brethren in Peru? We've been praying for them. Persecution can come yet to this land, but here is something for us to think about, to take the heart.
To expression all occasions, if we look at The Four Seasons that we have, we have of course the the private life, the home life, the family life, the school and work life as well as.
Now this question you might come up on your statement and I think there is an answer to it.
Galatians 1/2 You explain that to us. I want to listen to your expertise. What I find it.
Detract from what you've said, because I agree that there is one church. There is one church. But the young people are pretty sharp. You know, they'll read this verse and they'll say Galatians 1/2.
All the brethren which are with me under the churches of Galatia.
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There is plural, but what you have said, I agree with that. There is one church, but there are local representatives.
That one church. And Galatia was a province. It wasn't a city.
It was a province. You have different assemblies in Washington, for instance.
We are together, brethren, in our Datsun, but locally Walla Walla has their responsibility, and Kirkland has there and Tacoma has there. And so it is so. The spirit of God, writing through Paul, says the churches in Galatia. There was one in one city and one in another, but they were all members of the same body and as such, Christ Church.
So I just thought I'd point that out. That's that's the way it is, isn't it, Jim?
I might mention, just to substantiate what's been said, X 931 Then had the churches rest throughout all. Judea, that's a province, and Galilee, that's a province, and Samaria, that's the province. These were not cities and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied. So when it's dealing with the province, as you say, it's it's the churches and when it's the local.
City. It's the church in the city the Church of God at Corinth and so on. So we have both expressions, don't we? In the Word.
And they don't conflict either.
1St 18 little phrase.
A roast 19 Rather and with many tears.
How the apostle felt.
When possibly some were going astray, we know from the epistles of Tennessee there were those that went astray, those that even introduced wrong doctrine. But whatever the cause was, there was tears. He felt it.
And the love there is one body. If one member suffer, all the members suffer with us.
And so do we really have tears for those that are going through trial or where we see their danger to the assembly or to some dear one in the assembly?
Other tears is a real concern for their condition.
I believe there should be. We should feel more.
The trials and difficulties and the dangers that our dear brethren are going through where there is one body.
We should all suffer with it. There's another verse that takes up both things we've just been talking about.
In Second Corinthians Chapter 11.
The burden that Paul had.
Serving the Lord with tears.
The burden that he had expressed at the last after he had listed all the sufferings in the body that he went through. Now he had five times received the Jews 40 stripes save one in verse 3024. Think of what he's listing.
And a whole list of it in Second Corinthians Chapter 11. And now we've dropped down to the.
The last thing that he lists in verse 28, besides those things which are without that which cometh upon me daily, what was his burden now? The care of all the churches, Not just for it, not just Thessalonica, not just those in Galatia. He had all of them on his heart. What a, what a servant we have in Paul.
Expression temptations is very remarkable here, too, is it not? And we might well ask ourselves the question, what did this temptation are these temptations consist of? He says that temptations which befell me by the lying in weight of the Jews. And may I suggest the thought that the temptation for the apostle Paul really was just to turn down his doctrine a little bit with others, to make it less offensive, not to be so outspoken in things, perhaps to avoid those things that could have drawn off the enmity and the opposition of the Jews, the religious ones there. But we see how wonderfully.
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Paul deals with these temptations, rather than compromising in any way, are allowing his testimony to be weakened or compromised, he says.
And how I kept back nothing of us what was profitable unto you. But I've showed you and I've taught your public land from house to house and so forth. So we see that Paul would not allow his testimony to be weakened by the opposition that was there. Believe there's a test for us too, because in our day there might be a tendency to compromise a little bit in order to meet perhaps the demands of expediency. You know, we feel that perhaps there for a reason of expedience that we could perhaps.
Leave out certain offensive parts in our testimony and so forth, and try to avoid.
That approach, the opposition that we would call for, but here I believe we see a shining example in the Apostle Paul that he continued on giving faithful in a whole truth of God, regardless of whatever position our persecution this might bring about as a result the new translation there, Hardy says.
Through the plots of the Jews.
Temptations, which happened to me through the plots of the Jews, which would sort of reinforce what you were just saying. They they tried to trick the well and get the apostle to soften the message, didn't he?
And we're in danger of that, aren't we?
Going back to the tears for just a moment, like to think of what was said in Acts 9.
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me always there trial and difficulty? Are you passing through trial, then, our blessed head in heaven?
Heals that trial along with us.
So. So why persecutors? Thou me the head in heaven, 1000 And he feels it. Now he knows what source trials mean, for he is felt the same.
Years ago my brother was bringing out some very making some strong statements and I mentioned to him, I said don't you think that's rather hard? And he said there has to be a Jeremiah.
And I asked him, Well, where are your tears? I think that those who do fake to minister Christ may well pray for a tender, compassionate hearts that are touched and filled by divine grace.
It was mentioned by our brother that Paul did not compromise, although he had compassion. But when it came to doctrine, when it came to the truth, when it came to the person, the Christ and the work of Christ, there is no compromise, not even to accommodate his brethren. And and brethren, if we accommodate any believers for any reason, it's compromised. We can't do that. We can show love and compassion, but we can't do that. And Paul is bringing that out.
Now it's wonderful that it's with tears and all that, and I believe he had a feeling in his heart. But when we read the Epistle to the Galatians, there is no compromise there. He stood fast on the truth and he loved those Galatians, but he couldn't work that love out at that moment. It was too serious a matter he was bringing forth to the Galatians.
Remember that, brethren, I know a lot of them say, well, for the sake of these that come in, for the sake of those we talked to will have to break it down this way. No, we don't. The word of God is the word of God. It's got power. We don't want to break it down. We don't want to give up any of this. And I really feel very strongly on this. It is one of the things that's creeping in and it says that one of his warnings.
Grievous rules sometimes is very clear. That's from without in the 29th verse, but from your own selves.
Speaking perverse things.
And and we've got to be very careful about our own selves, brethren. We're responsible to the Lord for the truth that we have by grace.
It isn't necessary to give up truth because because of love. In fact, it should work the other way. I'm going to read Romans 9. The apostle says I say the truth in Christ. I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I have wished that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to flesh. It was a moment.
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Wish not a settlement.
He had the same intensity of love for his Jewish brethren that Moses had when he said, brought me, I pray thee out of thy book. He repeats it again in chapter 10, verse one brethren, my hearts, desire, and prayer to God, for Israel is that they might be saved, and there's nothing harder to bear than that which comes from those that we love the most, which is opposition. And Paul, he was opposed by the Jews.
With a hatred that he had against the Christians earlier. He knew what it was. He had had it. He hated the name of Jesus. He barely thought with himself to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus. And then he got saved while his Jewish brethren still had that same frame of mind, and he felt the awfulness of it. And his love for them was so wonderful.
That he would even wish himself to be accursed from Christ. For his brethren after the flesh, Paul is often mentioned. I don't like it when I hear it. He's criticized for some of the failures that he made in Jerusalem or would to God that when I failed, that when each of us failed, it would be because we loved someone so much that maybe we went too far in seeking to reach them. But Paul failed out of an intensity of love for his Jewish brethren.
And he was willing to die for the name of the Lord Jesus at Jerusalem. God didn't call him to Jerusalem. He called him. And when he was at Jerusalem he appeared to him. And he says, I send you far hints to the Gentiles. They heard him to that point and then they rushed upon him. They would have torn him to bits unless some Romans intervened. But he loved them and and if he did fail, in some ways it was a failure of love, not a failure selfishness.
Is so often the case with with us.
As he that hath God's word, let him speak God's word faithfully. I don't think we can ever deviate from that. As Brother Bob has said, when it comes to the word of God, we cannot compromise. If we do, we're putting ourselves in the position of opposition to God himself. Well, Paul said in this 20 and 21St verse, I kept back nothing that was profitable. That's the key. And have showed you and taught you publicly and then testifying both to the Jews.
And also to the Gigi. Now notice in the 15th chapter how he stood firm.
In the 15th chapter first verse, certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren except to be circumcised after the manner of Moses. You cannot be saved a lie of the devil, That's what it is. It's a lie of the devil. It's not true. Therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them.
And they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other them should go up to Jerusalem. And the apostles and elders about this question it was too serious. And notice how Peter came in. I'll just brief it quickly. Verse some eight Peter speaking God, which knoweth the hearts bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us the Jews, and put no difference between US and the Gentiles, purifying their hearts.
By faith then he says notice this verse 11. We believe this is a juice.
Jewish Christians now I mean that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We shall be saved, even as the Gentiles now lovely.
He couldn't compromise, even to his own people. There is no compromise.
This is no time for the Law of Moses. Now we have the truth, now the one who is the Word, who's everything. And so we can see how Paul had to stand fast, Peter as well, and others for the truth, brethren. And that's all we're saying. What a wonderful privilege we have to have the truth and the Spirit of God ministering to us all by grace. Let's cherish it.
Of course. Because today, let's your speech be always with grace. That's the key. We're living in this wonderful dispensation of grace. And Paul knew what grace was. He he had grace. Always.
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But with salt seasoned with salt, that's the truth. Everything ought to have grace as its base. Brethren would never at the expense of truth.
Season with salt.
We have a wonderful faithfulness in the book of Jeremiah, chapter one and beginning with verse 17, this is what Jeremiah was told by the Lord as to his testimony, chapter one and verse 17.
Thou there forget that thy loins and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee. Be not this made at their faces, lest I confirm thee before them. For behold, I have made thee this day the 10th city, and an iron killer, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the Princess thereof, against the Prince thereof, and against the people of the land.
And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee. For I am with thee, says the Lord, to deliver thee in our Germanic rest, on the promise of the Lord. That although all should be against him, he had the Lord in his pride, and there was enough for him to continue in faithfulness in his testimony, regardless of all the opposition that was there. You read, X15, that Bob was referring to. You don't get Paul saying very much.
But if you read Galatians 2 And I want to read it now, because there you find how faithful and uncompromising he was in firmness for the Lord. Galatians 2 gives us when he went down to Jerusalem, or went up to Jerusalem. It says, 14 years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by Revelation and communicated unto them that gospel which I preached among the Gentiles.
But privately to them, which were of reputation less by any means, I should run, or had run in vain. He was told by Revelation to go to Jerusalem, that question of whether the Gentiles were to be put under law, that the Judaizers brought down to Antioch, and said, except to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, you cannot be saved. He went right to the seat of that which was Jerusalem, to settle that issue, and then it says in verse 3. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privileged to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into ******* bring bring us into ******* to whom we gave place by subjection. No, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you, but of these who seem to be somewhat whatsoever they were, It maketh no matter to me. God accepteth no man's person, but they who seem to be somewhat.
In conference added nothing to me, but contrary wise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me.
As the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go to the heathen, and made of the circumcision. Well, it was those verses where he he stood so firm at Jerusalem. You don't get that in X15.
But here you find some of the things that went on behind the scenes, speaking those in private, communicating the gospel in the fullness that he had it. He he was far ahead in his understanding of the the, the liberty of grace, far ahead even of the apostles at Jerusalem. And he communicated these things. And you can see from the verses that Bob read that Peter came out with, that beautiful they shall be saved.
We shall be saved, even as they the Gentiles. That's something that you would never have said.
Well, no doubt he was taught. And yet Peter later on in Galatians 2 he has to be rebuked by that same apostle Paul, because when he came to Antioch he was to be condemned. I was stood into the face, Paul says, because he was to be blamed, he refused to eat with the Gentiles. When these Jewish brethren came and you were talking about being faithful to the truth of God, he was an apostle, Peter that failed in faithfulness and he had to be publicly rebuked by another apostle.
Because of his failure, his failure was so serious that it really was destructive of the gospel of the grace of God. And it's important how we conduct ourselves, especially being in a position like Peter was in. So he pronounced a wonderful pronouncement in Acts 15, but then he slipped back into into succumbing to the peer pressure. Young people at school, one of the greatest things that will be thrown against you is peer pressure.
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Compromising, watering down the truth of God because of the pressure of the group that you might be moving in. That can happen to us in the assembly, that can happen to us in the world, can happen to us in every sphere and sphere in which we move. Peer pressure. Are we going to stand true and fast to the truth of God, or are we going to yield to the pressure, circumstances and those round about us? It's it's an important thing. Carl stood fast here when he went to Jerusalem.
That we might have the truth of God in our hands today.
Verse that we're on.
I have kept back nothing that is profitable. And he goes with verse 27 where he says, I have not shown to declare unto all the council of God. Now Paul was a follower of his master, Jesus. In this let's turn to John 12 and notice the last verse, the last.
2 verses.
Even the Blessed Lord.
Who had words to speak?
He had a Commission, he had a message to carry and he was.
Faithful unto death in delivering that message. These are the last.
Publicly spoken words of the Lord Jesus and his ministry here below, flowing through the poor gospels.
He goes into the.
Upper room with his own and the following verses in chapter 13. So these mean much these these are the last publicly spoken words of the Lord Jesus verse 49. For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me. He gave me a commandment what I should say.
And what I should speak? And I knew that his commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak therefore, and even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. Think of the Lord Jesus saying that.
He was the man praised Jesus here going to the cross. He had a message delivered to deliver, to speak in this world. He did it perfectly. Now pull of all men I believe discharge, discharge what was given to him faithfully and can testify that these verses we're looking at. Let's go back to Galatians chapter one and see a little more.
About how he got that message.
Jesus had come down from the Father and delivered the words that he was to speak.
Paul goes to the backside of the desert.
To Radia, and what he got from the Lord there. And he was told up to glory to.
But he had a message to deliver. Hard is read about Jeremiah. The prophets had a message to deliver. Some of them speak of their message as the burden of so and so. It was a burden to carry that hard and rough message. They had to discharge it. They did discharge it now in Galatians chapter one.
Paul refers to himself before he was born.
Verse 15 when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb.
Think about think of Paul speaking himself before he was born. He was a chosen vessel even from the womb.
And told me. By His Grace we know about his calling. What for? To reveal his son in me.
To be the revelation of Christ in a man to a great extent.
Then I might preach him among the heathen. That's the Gentile. That was his Commission. We've had that developed in the second chapter. What happened immediately? I conferred not with flesh and blood. He didn't go to the 12. He didn't go to them. He went to Christ. He got it. From Christ. Neither went I took Jerusalem to them with the apostles before me, But I went into Arabia and returned into Damascus.
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Because in those three years in Arabia darkness that he got the words he was to speak, that he was talking about. Here I kept back nothing. I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. And he can say in Colossians to fulfill or to complete the word of God. The last truth, the last revelation that God has for man, came out through the Apostle Paul.
The whole of the word we have now, how faithful are you and I in keeping it in speaking it as we have opportunity?
In the Galatians that we were reading that first chapter there, Paul does say this in verse six and seven. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you under the grace of Christ.
Removed to another gospel which is not another, but there be some that trouble you that would pervert the gospel of Christ. Then there's only one gospel in our chapter.
Paul brings it out in the 21St verse. So simply. Repentance towards God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the gospel. It's beautiful, isn't it? Very simple. What were the Galatians doing?
They were having Christ as an important element but themselves.
To keep themselves It's awful, isn't when you think about it's not a gospel.
And what's going on in criticism a day, it's that in one form or another, they want Christ, they want the cross, they want all that. But then it's you doing. And that's not a gospel. There's only one gospel, and the one gospel is we are nothing. Worse. Worse than nothing.
Christ is everything in order to get to heaven, in order to do one thing for him here.
That's the gospel. And if we leave that brethren, if we take anything from out in Christendom and bring it in, we're doing just what Paul is warning about in verse 29 and 30. All we ought to be careful because it creeps in so quickly and so deceitfully because the flesh loves it. Anything for us to do will latch onto if we're not wholly according to the word of God, unless the Spirit have His way, because the Spirit will magnify nothing.
And exalt no one but Christ.
And that's what we need. That's the gospel. That's what Paul's preaching. So with the Galatians, he could say, I'm afraid of you.
Epistle where he doesn't come in.
And I believe that's a warning to us, brethren. The truth is too precious. It's Christ himself.
We can't commend any that are going on contrary to this precious word of God.
Warning In connection with that, we consider the situation in which we are this day.
1989, a hundred and some odd years, 100 and 6000 and 70 years possibly, from the recovery of the truth, and just turned for a moment to the second chapter of Judges. And we see there something that there should warn us and stir up our hearts in regard to our own thoughts concerning the things of the Lord.
Judges 2 verse seven. And the people serve the Lord all the days of Joshua.
And all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel. And then in the 10th verse.
And also all that generation were gathered under their fathers. And there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord.
Nor yet the works which he had done for Israel, and we see some sad results.
I firmly believe, and I'm sure that those of us who have gone on for many years feel the same way, The declension that comes not from because we're 3rd or 4th generation, I don't believe that in the least in this day.
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It's because we lose sight of the person of Christ, no other reason. Because we lose sight of the person of Christ and he no longer has the center of our attention nor the desire of our hearts.
Attention not connection to Deuteronomy 11.
Verse 18 Deuteronomy 11 and 18 Therefore shall ye lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
And ye shall teach them your children, Speaking of them, when thou citizen Thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lieth down, and when thou risest up, And thou shalt write them upon the doorpost of thine house, and upon thy geek, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the line which the Lord swear unto your father to give them.
As the days of heaven upon the earth.
Now, dear one, if the older ones had been faithful.
To that admiration, how could the situation arise, as we had in judges, that a generation arose that knew not the Lord, and it would produce the days of heaven upon earth, if we were faithful to it?
Well said that the door of blessing swings on these two hinges.
Repentance toward God and faith.
Toward our Lord Jesus Christ. I suppose this repentance toward God is the soul.
Judging itself in the sight of God and could have three aspects to it. That is, first of all there is acknowledging of sin, that is a sick man acknowledging his illness, and secondly there would be a abhorrent of sin, the hating of that sin. And thirdly, A departing from it to all those things could be encompassed in that repentance toward God. Self judgment in the sight of God and his faith.
Toward our Lord Jesus Christ is simply, I believe, the soul receiving the good news.
That God sends concerning His Son. But those two vital things, I believe, are inseparable where there is reality.
The presence is an awfully important thing in the work of the gospel, your brother and I think we need to remember it. It's basically as a word that means a change of mind, a change in our thought, thought, and until that is produced.
We may preach the Word, but until that is produced, there can be no real true salvation. As was said last night in the Gospel, repentance itself does not save. It is faith in Christ that saves. But there can be no salvation until there is repentance.
An example in the book of the act in the 8th chapter you have this man who was a great man in a serious scenario and he liked that position of greatness until there was a greener power that came to Samaria with the power of God and the gospel. And so he didn't really have a change of mind, says he believed and was baptized. He occupied an outward position of acceptance.
But there was number repentance. He wanted to be a great man of the church as well. And so you transferred himself outwardly, positionally. But there was no salvation in here when he came comes down. But what was said that discerns immediately and and uses that word Repent therefore this thy wicked wickedness, it's important in preaching to God, even to those who are younger.
Now are your children, who know the words to a certain extent to seek that there might be repentance toward God? First of all, and I think This is why it's so important that the gospel should be preaching. You'd rather not only a mental and a logical presentation of the gospel, but the presentation of the important truths of the gospel in a real, living way that comes home not nearly to their intellectual but to their heart and conscience.
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That is the way the truth of God will get down into their heart. That is the way that God will leave them, lead them to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation.
North below, which would divide my heart with these.
146 I believe.
Any of Nazron, what what? Someone have that?
In the offender.