Address—C.H. Brown
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Our brother bought him a.
Morning suggested that we might look at the 20th chapter of Acts.
So perhaps we can turn to it again.
There's no such thing as exhausting the Word of God.
Reading from verse 7.
Upon the first day of the week.
When the disciples came together, I think the correct reading there is when we came together.
To bake bread.
All preached under them, ready to depart on the Morrow. He continued his speech until midnight.
This was the last opportunity affair.
Paul's last visit.
The wonderful privilege for them.
But even though Paul was such a big man, so important.
No, no man in all church history ever as important as he was.
He wasn't big enough to be the center of that gathering that day.
On the first day of the week when we came together to break bread.
Otherwise, it might have said, we came together to hear the famous.
Apostle Paul.
But he wasn't big enough to displace Christ.
So we should be on our guard against setting personalities.
On a pedestal.
Rather, let us keep our eyes on Christ. Thank you, Sir.
Came together to break bread.
This is supposed to be a young people's meeting.
I wonder if.
All the young people here.
Little children. I see some infants here and that's fine. Glad to see them here for sure.
But I'm talking to young people.
Supposed to be.
I wonder if there are any presents here that are still aliens to this?
Wonderful privilege.
On the first day of the week when we came together to break bread.
Oh, how, how blessed, how wonderful that is.
I remember so well the first day that I broke bread.
Oh, it meant, it meant so much to me.
And you know, I'll make a confession to you.
You may be surprised to hear this.
But I had learned about the meeting, about the breaking of bread.
Several years.
Before I took my place.
And not only that.
But I argued against him.
I argued against it.
I remember once talking to someone who meant a lot to me.
And I said, how can you think?
With your little tiny group, that little fragment.
How can you think that they have the Lord's mind? And here's a great ocean of Christianity.
And everybody is wrong with you. Why? How can that be?
Such arguments as that.
I oppose the truth.
And I was talking to someone who was in the meeting.
Trying to upset her, get her.
Unhappy there, I thought perhaps I could induce her to come with me.
Oh, how good the Lord was.
Give her the grace to stand firm.
Because when I did take my place.
I made the public statement at the meeting.
Brethren, I'm taking my place here this morning.
Because the Lord wants me to, and this is the place where he'd have me.
And I'm doing it for no other reason.
I made that public statement.
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And as we were saying this morning in the reading.
That's over 60 years ago.
And I've never spent 5 minutes regretting that step.
Now why aren't you at the Lord's table? Why aren't you remembering a lot? You know what he said? He says Yes, do Remember Me.
We didn't say. Why don't you go down to?
South Africa or over to China somewhere as a missionary?
Why don't you do this or that?
He says this dude.
This loop, there's nothing that takes its place.
Supposing that you.
Called suddenly into his presence, as young people are sometimes.
Almost happened right here. See that in a moment.
And the question were asked you.
Now you confessed my name. You were baptized. You confessed my name.
But you never once remembered me.
While you were down there in the earth.
Why didn't you do it?
Wouldn't that be an embarrassing moment for your soul?
Have you passed through exercise in God's presence about this solemn matter?
This do this, do not something else.
And the members of me.
Well, Paul preached unto them.
Ready to depart on tomorrow.
That was the nature of Paul's ministry. That is to depart on the.
Just all set to go.
That should be our attitude too.
Perhaps we shouldn't put it off till tomorrow.
But right into the pot.
We're not going to stay here.
The Lord didn't plant us as a permanent institution here, Far from it.
No, he is coming back.
And he said it in such plain words, If I go away, I'll come again.
You didn't say I'll send for you because I will come again.
And receive unto myself not receive ye unto heaven, or receive ye unto the Father's house.
But I will receive you under myself that where I am.
You might be also.
Not that anything. Be more precious and sweet and encouraging.
Then a statement like that coming from the lips of the Lord Himself.
Yes, he's he's left us on the TV. He's coming back.
Are we living in that blessed hope?
Ready to depart on the Morrow.
And it continued his speech until midnight.
All when you follow Paul's ministry.
We find some of it right here in this chapter.
It leads you down into some dark, dark streets.
All indeed it does.
All he tells us some awful days.
That are ahead.
He continued his speech until midnight.
Well, as we look around and christen them today, we just have to say, well, it certainly.
Put it near midnight right now.
Oh, isn't it sad? Doesn't it read your heart?
As you lookout and see the confusion.
That abounds on every hand.
And Christians.
Utter frustration and confusion.
And giving up a precious truth.
The substitution of the fables of men for the good, solid truth of God.
Yes, Paul's ministry goes right into that midnight.
And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together.
They were gathered together.
But it wasn't on the floor level, it wasn't on this earthen level.
It wasn't down here in this cursed and abominable scene where every manner of evil is progressing, going more intense.
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No, it wasn't down here.
Many lights in the upper chamber.
Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
You know where I live in Burbank.
I try and get out there every day with some tracks and go up and down the mall there they call it.
That's the Main Street of Burbank, now Main Business St.
And give out these tracks and I passed several of these places, these drinking places.
I don't know whether you call them salons or bars or what you call.
But I I patent 5 several of them.
One thing I've noticed that they have in common.
They're all dark places.
The door is open. You can look in there. You can hear voices, some of them, sad to say, the voices of women.
But it's all dark in there.
Why do they have it dark in there?
Men love darkness rather than light.
Because it deeds were evil.
Well, there were many lights in this upper chamber, whether they were gathered together.
Light and truth go together.
Light and truth go together.
And don't think that you're ever going to find truth.
Where light doesn't accompany.
That upper chamber many lights.
And they were gathered together. Oh, how sweet that is, gathered together.
What is nicer, beloved, this side of heaven?
Then a gathering together of the dear Saints of God.
The bond between them are among them being the love of Christ.
Or it's a real thing, it isn't imaginary.
No, it's not a bit of fiction.
It's a fact.
That bond of love that unites our hearts for time and eternity.
Well, at this meeting here in the upper room, there sat in the window a certain young man.
You think that the fun, that young man now you're that you're a young man or a young woman.
You think when he took his seat there in that window that day?
That ever occurred to him that he got his name in the Bible.
His name would be in the word of God.
Getting his name and God's word. We've been talking about him ever since.
Well, it had a nice name.
A lovely name. His name is Eudicus.
What does Eudicus mean?
It means fortunate.
Fortune.
Well.
Might call you eudicus.
If you're brought up in the truth.
If you've been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
If you have heard all these blessed precious truths that come out from the different servants of the Lord.
If you've grown up in the atmosphere.
You have the right to be a Eunice. You're fortunate.
Or how much that's going to mean to you as long as you live.
And you can take that kind of thing to heaven with you.
Yes you can. Some things didn't take to heaven with you.
You can't take the money.
And take the physical possessions.
But you can take your fund of knowledge as to Christ, this person in his work, you can take that to heaven with you. Thank God for that.
Eudicus was there because he wanted to be.
Are you here today, this afternoon, because you want to be, or did you have to come?
He was there.
And.
Now let's be charitable. Let's be kind in our thoughts.
He fell asleep.
He fell asleep.
Well, that was number crime, you know.
It wasn't because it was.
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Indifference.
But evidently the young man you see this is well into the night now because Paul preached all night long.
Sat on the window a certain young man named Beauticus, and fallen into a deep sleep.
Deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching.
Now this is Paul's last opportunity.
And so he was willing to ask the Saints to bear with him.
His heart was full and he wanted to pour it out.
And Eudicus is one of them. He fell into a deep sleep.
Paul was long preaching. He sunk down with sleep.
And they fell down from the third law.
Now that's quite a fall.
Be bad enough to fall from the first block, but the fall from the third?
That's quite a descent.
And that stopped the meeting. That broke the meeting up.
And Paul went down.
Stop right there.
Well, I expect you rush down.
And probably a good many of them followed him too. A thing like that will break up most enemies.
Paul went down and fell on him.
And embracing him said.
Trouble not yourselves for his life as any.
Well, only an apostle could say that.
The Apostle Paul.
Discern that.
He was not.
Calculated for death at this time.
We had that.
Ability to see that there is the possibility of life there so embraced him.
Trouble not yourselves for his life.
That is, the process of death had started, but it hadn't finished.
And it was Paul's ministry that restored him.
Paul's embrace restored him.
Now we might use that as an illustration in this way.
That if people have gotten tired of Paul's ministry.
Said well, we don't want anymore of that.
No, it interferes with the too much of the human side of things. We like something that's rousing and enthusiastic and some noise to it.
We like something that shows itself off. We don't like this quiet kind of meetings.
And so they begin to eliminate Paul's limitations and they add this and they add that until it's almost like going to a a show to go to a meeting.
There's all sorts of equipment and.
All sorts of.
Of characters presented somebody that's been a great football player or someone that's.
Been a great athlete or he's been this or that. Why we had some meetings in Des Moines there one of these outfits came along and they actually had live horses in the in the meeting, during the meeting, horses right in the meeting.
As supposedly giving up fundamental gospel.
Well, Paul's ministry disturbs that kind of thing.
But Paul went down and embraced him, and that embrace brought the young men back to life.
And he went back up where he was before he was recovered. He was regained, it was brought back.
Oh, don't. Don't give up because you've stumbled and fallen once or twice. Don't give up. Remember Utica's?
Why they thought he was dead, but he wasn't.
When did air parlors come up again? And had broken bread and eaten?
And talked a long while, even till break of day. So he departed.
Yes, Paul's ministry picture not only to midnight.
But it takes you to break a day. Oh, what a day, beloved.
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A brother in his prayer today says, oh Lord, we wish it. We wish it might be today. We wish this would be the day that you'd come.
Well, Paul's ministry takes us right down to that day.
Till break of day.
Oh, how wonderful it's going to be.
The Lord is coming back again.
And I've been pleased and encouraged as I have read here and there, not only in our own literature but in fundamentalist ministry.
How many there are that are emphasizing the nearness of Christ return?
I've never seen it so pronounced as it is at the present time.
And I believe it's because the Spirit of God is behind it.
Getting us ready in anticipation.
Of the nearness of Christ's return.
You know, I wonder.
I've used this illustration before. Some of you have hurt me. Use it.
If I had a push button here.
And justice, push that button.
And the Lord will come.
When we push it.
What we?
How, how, how much do we long for his return?
Oh brother, there's nothing comparable to it.
It ends all the difficulties and problems where in his presence.
And the liberty of the Spirit.
And we've had to go out no more.
Even till break of day.
And they brought the young man alive and were not a little comforted.
Yes, very Utica. Utica is still eudicus.
He's still fortunate. He's still up and going. He's not sorry that he went to the prayer meeting or the breaking of bread, whatever it may be. You're not sorry he was there.
Now.
In the 16th verse.
Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus because he would not spend the time in Asia, for he hastened, if it were possible, to be at Jerusalem.
The day of Pentecost.
And from my leaders he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church.
How to be about?
Oh, maybe 20 or 30 miles away.
That would be quite little mission in that day, you know, because you couldn't just get in your car and slip over there and back again.
That's quite a journey.
But he sent over there for the elders of the church.
Doesn't say how many there were as you read it.
Perhaps you have a mental picture?
How many would you say?
Well, you might say 7.
Well, I wouldn't quarrel with you, but maybe it was eleven, maybe it was 3.
But he said he called for the elders of the church.
Now.
We we learn from Scripture.
The 14th chapter of Acts might just read that verse.
That elders in this day were official elders. They were appointed by Apostolic authority.
And the 14th of Acts.
End of the 20th verse. The next day he departed with Barnabas to Derby.
22nd verse Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the Faith.
And that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of God.
And when they had ordained them elders.
In every church.
And in trade with fasting they commanded them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
And after that they passed through the city, only came to Pamphylia.
They ordained them.
They ordained them elders.
Bishops, overseers, all the same thing in every church.
They were official by Apostolic authority.
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Now we have no Apostolic authority to ordained elders now.
I know this kind of thing goes on Christendom, but where is the Apostolic authority for it?
We have no official elders, or deacons either for that matter.
While they are both listed here and there in the word, deacons and elders, the elders taking care of the spiritual end of things and the deacons taking care of the temple and.
No, we do not have any official elders or official deacons, but we do, thank God, have elders and we do have deacons.
But if?
You were to say to me.
Brother Brown, who are the elders in the church at in the meeting at the morning?
And I might name, I won't say.
Whom I might name, but.
You ask another brother from Des Moines.
Who are the elders in the divine meeting?
He might name some of the same ones I did, but he might add some others, and they might omit some that I need. In other words, that there's nothing official about it.
And his faith that recognizes those that have that place.
So that you have elders here in your meeting in Buena Park, you have defense. Thank God for that, but they're not official.
But nevertheless, there is instruction in the Word of God how there to behave themselves and what the qualifications are for elders and deacons were not left in the darkest of that. So if we're occupying either of these positions, let us search the word, examine ourselves, whether or not our lives, our conduct is in keeping with the standard that's set by the Word of God.
And when they become to him eighteenth verse, he said to them, You know that the first day I came in Asia, After what manner I have been with you at all seasons.
Isn't it nice to be able to talk that way?
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind.
What a rare quality that is.
Serving the law.
With all humility of mind.
Or how little of that we see even when we look and they're looking blast.
But that's what characterized the apostle.
And with many tears.
All the apostles said. And beside this, the care of all the churches that cometh upon me daily. Oh, what a burden that man carried in his heart.
Humility in mind and many tears and temptations. Now. Temptations there doesn't mean, but we might think just at a glance.
Doesn't mean that Paul was tempted to do a lot of naughty things. It doesn't mean that at all. It means that he was tried and tested in his soul by the conditions he found here and there.
Trials, by the way.
Temptations. Trials that befell us.
By the lying and weight of the Jews.
Oh yes, they were against him. They had it in for him.
And they were going to see to it.
That he was killed if they had their way. And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you. Wasn't that faithfulness? He kept back nothing that was not profitable, that was profitable under them. I kept that nothing that was possible unto you, but have showed you and taught you publicly and from house to house. If you invited Paul for meal at your house, he didn't stop for just telling you enjoyed a good dinner.
But he had some instruction to give you about the Lord. He had his Bible in his pocket.
I'm speaking figuratively, of course. He was ready to speak about the things of Christ taught you publicly from house to house. Paul said for me to live is Christ. For me to live is Christ, testifying both to the Jews and to the Greeks. Now here's two things. And young people, notice this. Get this, There's two things, and you'll never get to heaven if you don't have them. Never.
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Repentance toward God.
And faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh how solemnity, repentance, taking sides with God against yourself.
That's repentance, taking sides with God against yourself.
Repentance toward God.
And faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
That was the burden of Paul's ministry.
Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now behold, I go, bound in my spirit under Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there.
Say that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city saying that bonds and affections abide me.
But none of these things moved me, neither can't I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. That was his life. That's what he lived for.
Well, sad to say.
He had another history in the past.
And no one ever had a sadder one than he did.
You know he's the most wicked man that ever lived.
He tried to efface.
From this earth, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He had a burning hatred against them.
He was willing to travel miles and miles at the urban Christians somewhere that they might get them and see that they were executed.
Oh, how terrible was that man's hatred for Christ. And yet.
When he got saved, when he met that Blessed one on his way to Damascus.
And heard him addressing there.
Saw saw white persecutor saw me when he heard that voice.
It melted him. It changed him.
And now?
He's willing to give every ounce of strength and energy he had.
That he might glorify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That I might finish my course in the ministry which I have received of the Lord, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I am not, Son, to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Now, young folks.
When your association at school or in your work.
Are you a pure from the blood of all men?
Have you faithfully testified for Christ?
You know you couldn't be around this man, Paul.
For what you'd hear about the Lord Jesus Christ, I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men.
In the 33rd, Ezekiel has a similar expression there.
She had that in mind when?
When he made that remark.
3030 Ezekiel eighth verse.
When I say to the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way. That wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will. I require thine hand. Ninth Verse.
Nevertheless.
If thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it.
If you do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity. But thou.
Has delivered thy soul.
Well, Paul had delivered his soul.
I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all, for I'm not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
You wanted all our you prefer just to have a little pregnant.
How much of the truth do we do we really desire?
How about how much do we truthfully want?
Or do you prefer a 5050 lot?
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And it's sad to see Christians.
Living a 5050 life.
There's one thing you can say about you can say positively, they're not happy.
No, it can't be a born again soul.
And never 5050 life and be happy.
Impossible if something down here in here ticking away all the time.
Making them miserable.
Oh, I wish I hadn't. I wish I hadn't. I wish I didn't. Yes, we'd like to have things different from what they are.
Well, it does not fill with this man. I am not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take him, therefore unto yourselves. Now he's talking to the elderly, he's talking to the elders, and he tells them to take heed to themselves.
Start with number one. Take good to yourself.
And to all the blocks.
But number one comes first.
They came to all the flock.
In which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. That's what elders are. They're overseers.
To soon the Church of God and by the way, that's the last time the Church of God's mentioned and and act to feed the Church of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own.
See the Church of God, for I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter among you, not sparing the flock.
Well, there are plenty of them today. Do they come around to your house and knock the door and we'll go there and.
Well, we're just out doing a little Bible work and we'd like to come in and talk over the Bible with you, have a little study, Bible study and all such sweet pious remarks.
Why I'd almost think they were sent from Hector party that we put stay approach you.
And yet, behind it all is Satan.
It's an emissary from the Evil 1.
Is coming to take you out of light Into Darkness.
Now I'm not saying this of everyone that comes, I'm referring to Jehovah Witnesses and what I say.
But that's just a sample of what on Jehovah Witnesses and 70 Adventists and Mormons and this kind of thing perversions of the truth.
Beavis wolves entering in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own self shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Now, these men were not necessarily unsaved.
These men in the 30th verse.
We've had those kind of characters to draw away the disciples after them. They wanted to be somebody.
They wanted the following.
And so they drew away the disciples after them.
Therefore watch and remember that the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone or admonish everyone night and day with tears.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God and the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them. They're sanctified.
Now Paul commended.
Not to the elders.
No, not to the.
Not to the bishops.
Not to the deacons.
But now, brethren, I commend you to God that change this one.
God never changes.
And to the word of his grace.
Forever thy word is settled, and has no change there. God is ever the same, the same.
Thou art the same as one of those of God.
One of the titles of Christ.
Commended of God and the Word which is able to build you up and given you inheritance among them that are sanctified.
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When he does spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all, and they all wept sore and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him.
And not a lovely scene. All the Christian effects and what a real thing it is.
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Souring most of all for the words which he speak, that they should see his face no more.
Nor did they.
Nor did they. But they'll see him again someday. Oh yes, he's going to be caught up along with the rest of us when the Lord comes and all these people that are sowing and weeping and embracing him, they're going to be caught up too. They should see his face no more.
Well, what a what a rich, precious chatter that is. How full it is of needed admonitions for the day in which we live.