Address—Ron Klassen Jr.
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Perhaps we could start the meeting this afternoon with him #124.
Her brother could start it for us, please.
What I want to do?
Is turn round and round again. I'll follow up.
Today 170 two 1220 lbs.
I'm cluttering on.
When I fly green and.
We see God's health together.
Our God and Father, we thank Thee this afternoon for the the blessedness of the privilege to be able to trace the blessed footprints of our Lord Jesus while He was here.
We thank you too, that he's no longer here.
By faith we can look up to see him there at thy right hand.
Everliving for us.
Now we thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for what Thou hast given to us these few days.
Indeed, to remind us that heaven's morning breaks and glory dawns when we see thy face.
What a moment is before us we thank thee for.
Encouraging our hearts, Lord Jesus, with that thought. And now we look to thee for what's before us this afternoon. We need thy gracious help. Our God, we thank thee that.
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The many and varied needs in this room are known to thee Are now alone by thy Holy Spirit can meet those needs.
You believe, Lord, there are hearts that are saddened here today, perhaps some in quandary.
And so we pray Thy blessing upon thy word, Thy gracious help, our God and Father, we ask it and give thanks in the precious name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
Perhaps we could turn to Ezekiel chapter 34 to introduce the subject that's on my heart.
Ezekiel 34 and verse 11 For thou, saith the Lord God, behold, I even I, will both search my sheep.
And seek them out.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered soul, I seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the dark, cloudy and dark day. Verse 14 And I will feed them in a good pasture and upon high the high mountains.
And verse 16, verse 15, I will feed my flock and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
Thinking of this first, especially, I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and we'll strengthen that which was sick.
Awesome.
I can speak for others as well as myself.
Yesterday.
There was a tender entreaty to our hearts, was there not?
I believe not only.
Touched our hearts, but no doubt searched our hearts in regard to this matter of shepherding the work of a shepherd.
And particularly in regard to those that have left or gone are no longer with us.
So I thought with the Lord's help this afternoon, we could continue in that vein.
Only to observe the footprints, the way, the manner of the Good Shepherd.
The Great Shepherd. The Chief Shepherd.
You know, I've enjoyed meditating recently on the 40 days between the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and his ascension.
Those must have been wonderful days.
We know that when the Lord Jesus was crucified.
It was a tremendous shock to most that had been following him and ministering to him, even to his disciples.
And had he gone back to heaven, then we.
We don't know what would have been, but you know, it was part of the work of the Lord Jesus after his resurrection to go and to restore his Saints.
And that's what I want to look at this afternoon. I believe that there were 11, some say 12 different, uh, appearance or manifestations of the Lord Jesus during that time. Uh, those don't even account for half of those 40 days.
God has seen fit not to tell us a great deal of those 40 days, but I believe we get enough to know that those must have been wonderful days.
I believe that when the Lord Jesus.
Want to be corrected if this isn't true, but in in John 17, the end of that discourse that we've had the privilege of taking up in our reading, meeting the Lord Jesus prayer, intercessory prayer. He says I finished the work which thou gaveest me to do.
I believe, indeed, primarily that was the work of redemption that we had before us this morning.
But I believe it also included this work of shepherding.
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Restoring the hearts of his own. And you know, he says in that prayer.
Those that thou hast given to me, I have lost none of them.
If you and I would have been there right after the cross, we might have wondered.
And so I believe that that's included in that finishing that work.
You know, it says, John says there are many other things which Jesus did that if they were written 1 by 1, the world itself cannot contain the books that are written. And it's interesting that that's placed after some of this restoration that we have in the word of God.
They must have been wonderful days.
During those days, there were those that had.
Because and in, in virtue of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, they themselves, as we've had in the First Thessalonians, chapter four had actually been raised from the grave. It says in Matthew that there were, uh, many bodies of the Saints arose and went into the holy city and there appeared unto many.
What would it have been like to be there in Jerusalem and to see, we don't know who they were, some of the Old Testament Saints that we've read about?
What days those must have been.
To commune together, to see the fruit of resurrection.
Some have said that they die. We are not told.
But I believe there's a hint in that word appeared.
If you search that word out that they appeared unto many, you'll find it in the pre incarnation.
State, or I can say it of the Lord Jesus, He appears, you find it after he's resurrected, He appears, but it never says appear about any of the believers or even of the Lord Jesus himself as He walked those 33 years on the earth.
But this matter of restoration.
Perhaps it touches our hearts.
And searches us because it's rare, isn't it?
How much do we know?
Of having those that we love live.
Happily enjoy the Lord's Supper with.
And they have left for one reason or another. How much do we know of a bright coming back and restoration?
And so it's wonderful to read these verses because in verse 11 That we read for thus saith the Lord God. Behold, I even I notice the personal pronoun I even I will both search my sheep and seek them out in verse 13 and I will bring them and verse 14 I will feed.
Verse 15 I will feed, I will cause, and verse 16 I will seek that which was lost.
What I say today.
By way of encouraging and stirring our own hearts, I trust will remember that, as the psalmist said, he restoreth my soul.
And if we've ever tried on our own to restore someone, we've you find out how true that is. None can restore a soul except the Lord Jesus.
But you know, he says to us in Galatians chapter one, ye which are, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself less.
Thou also be tempted.
There he rests the burden upon you and I.
When we say under shepherds.
We can't do it ourselves.
In fact, I hope we see this afternoon I'd like to look at perhaps 4 restorations if time doesn't defeat us.
We'll see that.
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It was the Lord Himself.
Brought before His own vividly and precious, in a precious way that restored their hearts. And so if you and I are used in the restoration of our brother, sister in Christ, remember it will be in the measure in which the Lord Himself, by His grace, through His Word, by His Spirit, has been brought in living reality.
Before the soul.
Recently.
I got a phone call from a brother who grew up in the assembly, Walla Walla where I'm from.
And I was sort of warned, otherwise I would have been completely.
Uh, I would have needed to sit down to hear this brother's voice and to hear what he said.
He left bitter.
And had caused quite a stir before he left and he'd gone out. These are his own words. He'd gone out in a path of of self will and just living for himself.
And got a long ways from the war.
And in this case, as far as I know at least, he is not said anything. And as far as ones that the Lord used.
He said it was the Lord himself.
That came first, took him to the bottom, and then came and touched his heart.
But you know.
It's been so precious to my own heart, such an encouragement to experience that.
After all those years, if the locust is eaten, and believe me, they're scars.
And now he values.
The place he once eagerly left, but because of his circumstances he can't leave. The closest assembly is, I believe 10 hours.
And he mourns that.
But it's precious as to how dear it is to him now.
And how precious the Lord is to him.
And so I'm blessed every time he calls.
And so maybe I'll take the time we can turn to Psalms 51, I trust by way of an incentive for our hearts, because in Psalms 51 we get the utterance of one who himself.
Became very low.
1/2.
Was in a very responsible position, David.
And you fell.
Mild.
And you and I, if we had been there and learned what David had done.
We may have said, well, you know, uh, David may be, uh, brought back to the Lord, but I don't know that the Lord can use David at this point. Think of what? Think of the blight on his testimony.
But I like to read the words of one that's been restored of the Lord. Verse 12 of Psalms 51 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Uphold me with thy free spirit.
Sometimes we hear that voice. Verse quoted. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.
But David wanted God's salvation. He'd known what it was. He'd known the joy, the peace, and he wanted it. But notice verse 13. Then he says, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways? Then sinners shall be converted unto thee.
This brother has called others whom he know.
Have left the path as well. He sometimes tells me what he told them and I I gasp.
And I know that they could say to him, what room do you have to talk?
But you know the Lord's using them.
I will teach transgressors thy ways.
Verse 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Who could praise like one that is known a wondrous fullness of the grace of God in restoration? In verse 19 he says, Thou shalt be pleased with the sacrifices.
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Of righteousness with burnt offerings, with whole burnt offerings. Then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Oh, never think.
That you've gone too long.
And that for you to be restored could never be for that if by God's grace you were restored, you could never be used of Him.
We know that Peter and I want to get to him this afternoon if we can. Peter, the Lord said as he publicly restored him. Feed my sheep, shepherd, my sheep.
I wonder if Peter wasn't overwhelmed. You mean the Lord can still use me?
Yes.
In fact, perhaps there had been that removed that had hindered the Lord from using Him just in that way.
Dear John, Mark, Paul could say bring him, Bring Mark with thee, for he's profitable to me. There was one time when Paul said that, well, we can't take him, we can't take him. But then there was a time when he said bring him.
And the Spirit of God uses John Mark to pen about the perfect servant.
Who could have written it better?
Then one that knew what it was to be a failing servant. And so if I can encourage our hearts this afternoon.
Do you need incentive to reach out?
His brother Fred said yesterday to be at the prayer meeting, to pray for these ones to go out in dependence on the Lord, to seek, at least to seek.
Where they are.
Isn't this incentive? I can tell you again that the encouragement that this restoration has been to my own heart I cannot convey now let's trace our Good Shepherd. Let's go first of all to.
John, Chapter 20.
John chapter 20 and verse one, the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark until the sepulchre, and see if the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
And she run up, and come up to Simon Peter, and to the other disciples whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
For the sake of time, verse 11. But Mary.
Well, verse 10.
Then the disciples went away again to their own home, but Mary stood without if the sepulchre weeping.
And as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the currency of two angels in white, sitting. The one at the head, the other at the feet, were the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, Why weepest thou? She sayeth unto them, Because they have taken away notice, my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?
Who seekest thou she is supposing him to be? The gardener said unto him, Serve thou have borne him hence. Tell me where thou hast taken him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabonai. Which is to say, Master.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my father, and your father to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
I'd like to take these restorations up in the order in which I believe they occurred.
You know, when we think of Mary, you say, well, what do you mean she needed to be restored?
Well, she had a broken heart. She hadn't gone astray at all.
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But she had seen the Lord crucified.
She had gone and marked his grave, and she had come with the other women to anoint him for his burial.
And when she comes, as we read, he was gone.
And all what a.
Would avoid to her heart, you know, even if she had him in death.
She wanted at least that, but when she came and she didn't even see his body, it was too much for her.
Mary Magdalene, we know, has had seven devils cast out of her.
And she loved the Lord Jesus.
Deeply.
You know, you and I, we may have had the privilege of being raised in a Christian home. We may have not.
May not know too much about our own hearts by nature.
But I appreciated what another has said. They said I am far worse than the sum of all that things that I have ever done. And we can accept that by faith. You and I don't need to stray to have our affections knit to the Lord Jesus.
I believe you see in this restoration of Mary, a brother said to me this morning, just this morning, he said, you know, I don't feel as near to the Lord as I have enjoyed before and I miss that.
Perhaps we all need this restoration. I can say I do.
Think of those words of the Lord Jesus in Jeremiah chapter 3. I remember the.
And the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
Mr. Darby says. I remember four of these.
The love of thine espousal.
Yes, the Lord Jesus remembers our brightest days. Do you remember when we were near Him?
Perhaps all of us can think of a time when our hearts were raptured with Him.
And then things come in. We're living in a scene that's designed to come between US and him. And so I think we see this in Mary. She did not have a home.
If the Lord Jesus wasn't here.
Do we? How comfortable are we here?
When he's there.
You know she sees angels.
I've never seen an Angel, but the effect of those that saw angels in the scriptures quite profound.
But her heart was so engrossed, her heart was so fastened on one object, that the angels were.
Were no deterrent at all to her, not even a wonderment it seems. And when she sees this one that she thinks is the gardener.
You know, it's wonderful.
In the first chapter of John's gospel, the two disciples of John that were following the Lord Jesus, he turned and he says to them.
Watsiki.
But notice here he sees Mary and he says.
OK.
Verse 15 Whom seekest thou?
You know, I believe.
Beloved brethren.
The reason why our hearts grow cold.
Is because we lose the sense.
With the Lord Jesus.
Is the same. He's no different than what we read of him in his precious word. He's still that tender man.
We can hurt him.
We can grieve him. He does care what we're seeking.
If he asked you that this afternoon, if he said to you, who are you seeking? What is the burden of your heart?
If you were honest with him, what would you tell him?
Mary didn't pause and I just think of the delight of the heart of the Lord Jesus. He knew who she was seeking, but he wanted to hear it.
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He knew why she was weeping.
It was precious to his heart.
You know he didn't wait long.
To go and begin to restore his own after he had risen.
No, it seemed to be the work that was first and foremost before him.
Do you know what it is to think? Well I I really should go and visit so and so?
You know, it's been a long time. I I hope there's an opportunity.
And and we do look for things that maybe openings that the Lord gives, but all it could get his heart in connection with his own.
She says, Sir hath borne him hence.
Tell me where the oscillator, and then I will take him away. And Jesus saith unto her, Mary.
It doesn't take a lot.
Bill Frost just so recently reminded us that Mister.
Mr. Lundin used to say Communion takes care of everything it does, doesn't it?
That closeness.
How wonderful. And the heart is soul and search, soul longing for its object, as Mary's heart was for the Lord Jesus, that just one word can fill it.
To overflowing.
That was the voice she knew.
So well.
The one she loved so well.
What's her response?
A long tirade, no.
Ravoni.
How wonderful and the heart so full.
That I can't say more than that.
We have the interpretation of RuPaul and I hear, and so I want to be very careful to say anything beyond that. But I have enjoyed one of the writers who said.
That it means master of my heart.
Rabbi, I believe, means master, but Rabo and I.
As master of my heart.
You know, she said when she was asking this question, she said they have taken away my Lord.
You didn't say they took away Jesus, she said. They took away my Lord.
But thou shalt confess, Jesus is Lord.
Because with a heart man believeth unto righteousness. And I believe if I can encourage your heart steer young people the struggle of the Lord Jesus being Lord of my life.
Can I encourage you with this incentive?
That you won't have the affection that Mary did if he's not your Lord. I believe it's that.
In a real impractical way.
That will give him to be very dear and precious to your heart.
Let's go on to Luke.
Chapter 24.
Verse 13. Luke 24. Verse 13. Behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem, about 3 score furlongs.
And they talked together of all these things which had happened. It came to pass. While they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were holding that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that you have?
One to another as you walk, and are sad. And one of them, whose name was Cleopas answered, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things?
And they said unto him concerning Jesus from Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty indeed in Word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
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And we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yeah. And certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre.
I'm gonna have to forsake of time. Verse 25. And he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
The beginning of Moses and all the prophets He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself, and they drew nigh unto the village whither they went, And he made as though he would have gone farther. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us.
First towards evening and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them The Cave to pass. As he sat up meet with them, he took bread and blessed it and break and gave to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew him.
And he vanished out of their sight, and they sent one to another. Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way? And while he opened to us the Scriptures, they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem.
And found the 11 gathered together, and them that were with him, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he the Lord Jesus was known to them.
In the breaking of breath.
I like to look at this.
As once we we see that they're leaving Jerusalem.
And they're going towards Emmaus.
Brother that puts together to greet the friends made a comment of as you put a new issue together.
How much smaller it was in the last time.
No doubt all of us.
I've tasted in the home assemblies which we come from, the sorrow.
Of having some decide that they could no longer continue.
We know that Jerusalem, as we have it in Deuteronomy chapter 12, that there was a place.
The Lord says that there were those that did their own will and their own choice, but when they came into the land, they weren't to do after that manner, but they were to go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose.
And one thing we sooner or later in our life we'll come into the realization of is that where the Lord is in the midst, there's not place for my will.
And you know, these were we can understand the shock to their soul. And as they're walking along and the Lord draws alongside of them to hear their heartbeat, we realize their disillusionment.
They had witnessed. They had witnessed something that they would be forever affected by. They spoke about the rulers.
How the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death.
And they've crucified him. You know, even Pilate knew that he was. That man had done nothing amiss.
It was innocent blood.
And yet this.
This body, this governing body, the Sanhedrin, who is known for its justness and fairness.
There had been such a travesty of justice that day, and they all knew it.
And you know, it seemed to be too much for these.
They're not going to stay in Jerusalem.
Take a minute and turn to Axe.
Acts chapter one.
I know this is subsequent to the chapter that we're reading, but I believe.
The truth of it remains the same.
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Verse three. Speaking of the Lord Jesus, to whom also He showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them 40 days, Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
And being assembled together with them, commanded them. This is what I want us to notice. Commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait.
Commanded them.
At Strong.
And why did he need to do that for this very reason.
Because they themselves were afraid as they met together, they closed the doors and they didn't know if this same.
Spirit of hatred towards the Lord Jesus would spill over into those His followers.
They had seen this travesty of justice.
Who wants to be in Jerusalem when it's ruled in that way?
And so the Lord Jesus says, don't leave Jerusalem.
Are you thinking of leaving Jerusalem?
This afternoon.
You can say I have reason to.
Perhaps.
You could say the way that so and so has been treated, the way our family's been treated or whatever.
And you have to hear the Lord's voice to us. Don't leave Jerusalem.
You know, in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 12. I want to take the time to read it.
I have heard.
My dear brother.
Come and declare that they are no longer.
Going to come to meeting, they're going to leave. They no longer want to be in fellowship.
Because of their children.
I'm so encouraged this time.
My dear couple that's here.
Do they believe the Lord has moved to a?
Assembly. That's one whole brother, and they have children, little children that you and I say are in need of companions.
And yet they shared with us something of the preciousness of the breaking of breads, that they've had just three of them.
You say what about their children?
Deuteronomy 12 Says in verse 12 in connection with a place the Lord your God shall choose. That says ye shall read Deuteronomy 12/12 and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, ye and your sons, and your daughters.
And your men, servants and maidservants, and so on. And then verse 28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee forever.
When thou doest what is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God.
Uh, if you think that you need to leave for your children's sake, it's as though the Lord makes gives us to know there's Make no mistake, your children can't be happier than where the Lord is in the midst.
And you know, I just want to look.
That's some of the things that I believe.
Are pretty calm.
With me if I decide that I'm going to leave.
I believe we see it in these two.
I think it's a man and a wife. We don't know for sure, but there's another place that speaks about the wife of Cleopas and we know that they went to the same home together. And so it appears that it's a man and a wife burden their family. They're leaving. But notice in verse 16 it says but their eyes were holding.
And it says that they should not know him and will not take the time. But if you have Mr. Darby's translation, this word no will take you on a footnote. Over to Matthew. I believe it's 1127. It's worth reading. What is in that word? No, But I just want to mark this. Their eyes were holding.
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I believe that, you know, these had been there and they had heard the testimony of Mary.
They even speak of it, these women, besides all these things, certain women of our certain women also of our company made us astonish. One of the earliest the sepulchre and found out in his body and came saying they'd seen a vision of angels and so on.
If I decide to leave Jerusalem.
There is a governmental blindness, I believe, that's very real.
These ones got their eyes open.
Through the restoring work of the Lord Jesus, but their eyes were holding verse.
15 they reasoned.
They reasoned.
You know, if I'm going to leave Jerusalem.
I need to think up of a reason.
And so my reasoning will take me, I don't know where.
But its reason it is not faith.
And so this reasoning process goes on now instead of being governed and directed by the Word of God. It's my logical conclusion.
Verse the end of verse 17 as you walk and are sat.
That's often the case. How could it be different?
You know, sometimes we hear this comment.
Well, remember, they haven't left the Lord.
And I want to say carefully and graciously.
If the Lord Jesus is in the midst.
Can I leave?
In that sense, I have left the Lord.
And I am the loser for.
O the Lord, give us grace.
To hear his voice.
You know what the Lord Jesus and, and, and let's just notice he draws alongside of them. They don't know who he is and he says to them, what are you talking about? I can tell you're sad. I can tell you're downcast.
And we can't hardly imagine someone speaking to the Lord like this, but you know, their eyes are holding. And so they said in effect, well, if you live in a wholesome place or something, or why don't you know what's going on?
We might be ashamed what comes out of our mouths sometimes.
When we're being directed other than the Lord.
But you know so wisely, he says to them.
You don't know about these things and he says to them what things?
What things? And so they tell him we entrusted, and then he, and so on. Their hopes were dashed. And what does he do?
He opens the scriptures, remember?
Remember that if the Lord is going to use you and I.
In this needed work.
It won't be by going and figuring that we know what needs to be said. We do well to go and ask what things? What are the things that burden your heart?
We do well, rather than to be drawn into argument, to rather open the Word of God and let the Lord Himself speak through His Word. It's safe.
My brother told me one time.
Meet, Refute. Air.
By speaking the truth, one of the enemy's greatest advantages to drag us down. And we read in, in Galatians 61 Considering thyself, lest they'll also be tempted, That work of restoration can be a dangerous work.
And so if we we go to meet us all that's bitter and angry and has all these reasons and causes and this reasoning, we need to be cast upon the Lord. But the secret is the word of God and the word of God that brings out the Lord Jesus Christ. That alone is going to melt the heart. Because if it's my brother or sister in Christ, they too have a love for him. They too have a light, a new life.
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That allows what is of God and has the very life of God.
And so may we be directed and guided.
By our Good Shepherd here as he brought them back, as he, as he opened, as he caused their hearts to burn, you know, he went as though he would go farther. Such wisdom to not to press ourselves. And again I say it doesn't take a lot. Perhaps our greatest, our greatest enemy is that we say too much.
Remember Thomas?
The disciples.
See Thomas, He wasn't there the first Lord's Day.
Then he's there with them and they say to Thomas, Thomas, we've seen the Lord.
And what a blast they get. I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it. I could put my hand in his side and put my fingers in his hands.
And we may well experience that.
But you know, they didn't say anything. At least it's recorded beyond that, they simply said, Thomas, we have seen the Lord.
And I believe the joy of their countenance was all it took for Thomas. He could say what he wants, but he's there the next week, isn't he? He's in the background, I suppose. And so the Lord singles him out.
And Thomas is one, perhaps, who had a difficulty walking by faith. But you know that path that you and I are called to? It's a path of faith. We live in a world that's so visual, and we spend a lot of our time looking at things.
But the path that we were called to is a path of faith.
And then we're looking for whatever to assure our hearts that the Lord is here, the Lord is there. We may well go astray, but if we have His precious word on which to rest, we won't.
Let's look very closely at at uh.
John, Chapter 21.
If you'll forgive me, we we won't so much read as as just speak of it. We're well acquainted with, I suppose, Peter's restoration.
We know that Peter said to the Lord, The Lord said to him, All ye shall be offended in me tonight. And he drew on that Scripture. And Zacharias said, Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
And he said that all of them would leave him the Lord Jesus. And Peter stopped the Lord and said, Though all forsake thee, yet will not lie. And if we turn to Mark, we see that the Lord told him No Peter, you will. And he, he affirmed, he, he talked back to the Lord, No, I will.
We know that there was a private meeting between Peter and the Lord Jesus.
You know, the Lord Jesus told those women, go tell Peter and my disciples. In fact, even before that, remember, it doesn't take a lot. It was just a look at Peter that melted him. That was a result of the intercessory work of the Lord Jesus. Peter, I prayed for thee. Oh, thank God for his intercession. None of us would be here this afternoon apart from the Lord interceding for us, apart from this advocacy when we've gone astray.
And that turned Peter. He went out and wept bitterly. He felt the depth of what he had done.
Perhaps I can just take the time to say this. You can see it in Mark.
If you trace it closely, you can see that Peter denied his brother because he was asked. Thou art also one of them, and he denied them.
Then they said, well, you KN you were with this man and he said, I know not the man. And then they said of a truth, you were with him. And I just thought of it this way. It's not original with me. But you know, I may say, well, I I no longer want to be associated with those brethren. I'm not one of them.
But you know, I didn't stop there with Peter.
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Taking that grounds, he was tested again. Now he denies the truth.
The Lord help us if we find ourselves on a course or we are going to maintain anything.
The Lord help us to realize and not have to go. Finally, he denied the Lord because you know they're all connected.
The Lord Jesus, the truth.
And his church, you can't divorce them. And the effort of the enemy is often to put the brother in one light, and the Lord in another light. But you can't do that. May the Lord preserve us from that well. And so the Lord had a visit with Peter, and we know nothing of what that was.
Perhaps in that restoration, Peter could tell the Lord he was sorry for what he had done.
And no doubt the Lord forgave him.
But there was more needed. The Lord had said, Peter, when you restore, that's the new translation. Go on this, confirm or establish your brethren.
But you know, when we find him out of Galilee where the Lord said he would meet them, perhaps they didn't see the Lord right away. And Peter and his restlessness said, I'm going to go fishing. And others said, well, we'll go along with you.
And so this need and even they're out in the boat and the Lord takes them back through that.
Have you? Do you have any meat?
And they have to admit that they don't. And then he tells them to cast the net on the right side. And, you know, John turns to Peter and he says, and and here again, there's what the Lord uses for restoration.
All he says is the Lord is the Lord.
And Peter jumps into the water and heads for shore. I don't know why we can't judge his motives, but I wonder if there's still this thought that he's he's he's more he loves the Lord more. He's not going to wait for the boat. He'll he'll go in there that I believe we speak of this as the the public restoration of Peter. And it was it was necessary that right in front of his, we can say his brother, the Lord brought him down.
Three times and down and down.
And aggrieved Peter.
And none of us find it easy.
But you know, may we not resist.
Because the end is the Lord can use us.
In the end, our hearts are free in His presence.
Peter, do you love me more than they do? You see, the Lord is reaching for the root. Peter did love the Lord.
But the difficulty of feeling that he was a little more spiritual or a little more affection and devotion to the Lord, the natural consequence is that it puts his brother in a lesser light, and the Lord wanted to deal with that. It's native to our hearts.
And so.
Splendid shepherd.
He restores his servant.
We're out of time.
I'd like to read 2 verses that have been a comfort to my wife and I in regard to our children because I believe that we share perhaps some of the burden of hearts here.
In regard to our children.
I want to read them, perhaps without much comment, just in uh, I believe it's Ezekiel chapter.
Ezekiel, chapter 14.
Well, the Lord speaks about his bringing his judgment, and he says, neither son nor daughter shall be delivered. But then he says in verse 22, Yet behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth.
Both of sons and daughters, behold, they shall come forth unto you, and you shall see their way and their doings, and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem.
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Even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you when you see their ways and their doings. And ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done.
In it.
I'm too used to page placements. I'm sorry I don't have the other one. Let's in closing, let's just look at Luke chapter 24 again.
The Lord Jesus.
In his ministry.
Those 40 days are up.
And here is this company.
Whose hearts he has restored.
Who he has appeared to, Who he has communed with a.
They follow him out in Luke chapter 24.
And verse 50 And he let them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. It came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried off into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
And we're continually in the temple praising and blessing God.
Hold on a moment that would have been as they followed him out as far as Bethany, that place he loved so well, and there as they were around him.
And he lifts up his hands to bless them.
And as he does, it says he was separated from them. I believe that that tells something of their hearts towards him. They felt There he goes, there he goes.
It says.
He was he was parted or separated from them, and carried up, or taken up into heaven.
Looking up that word carried or taken up that has the thought of drawing another said, Here are his own longing and wanting, wanting him. They're seeing him go up with his hands outstretched to that little company that he loved. But there was the father above drawing him up.
He said, I I want him to come up. And there he went and sat on the right hand of God.
There he is at the Father's right hand this afternoon, beloved.
And he's real. He's a man. He feels. He feels all that we feel. And he knows how much he means to your heart and mind. And he would say to us, don't leave Jerusalem, you know, I thought.
It says that the Lord Jesus was seen of about 500 brethren at once.
And you have the Day of Pentecost comes, and there's only 120.
A brother was asked what?
How to what about that discrepancy? And, and he said, well, they're on the upstairs upper room praying, weren't they? So it was a prayer meeting. That's not uncommon at 25% attendance.
Isn't it? But I wondered this, if there were 500 brother that saw the Lord Jesus risen, where were they on the day of Pentecost? Had they left Jerusalem?
If they did all what they missed that day.
May the Lord preserve us near to Himself. I think of the hymn writer that said, Oh, keep us love divine near Thee, that we are nothingness may know, and ever to thy glory be walking in faith.
While here below I'm sorry went over time, let's pray.
Our God and Father, we thank you this afternoon for the one that restores our souls.
The one that preserves us in the way. Lord Jesus, we thank thee for thy restoring grace, Thy wondrous goodness, thy intercession for us, thy advocacy. We pray as we return to our homes with the encouragement, Lord Jesus, that Thou are going to come again.
Thought our feet would be kept, that our hearts would be more and more attached to Thee.
The thoughts be the one and only object of our hearts, and that we would be prepared that we would, Lord Jesus, be longing that we would be inviting Thee to come. We thank you for this time and as Thy blessing upon it, and I worthy and precious name, Lord Jesus, Amen.