Address—J. Brereton
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General Meetings, Montreal, October 1974. Addressed by John Burton.
All right, we open our meeting this afternoon by singing hymn #67.
Like the O Lord, how fair Lord Jesus, all thy members are.
A light divine to them is given the bright inheritance of Heaven. Hymn #67.
Oh God.
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Of scriptures this afternoon, dear young people.
For what I have particularly before me, we might read first of all in Second Corinthians chapter 5.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 5.
And to begin with.
We'll read verse 20.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ.
As though God did beseech you by us.
We pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Now perhaps it might be well for me to say at the beginning.
And I believe in the thought of ambassadors for Christ.
We have particularly the function that was given to the apostles.
To deliver that message of reconciliation.
Be reconciled to God.
And in the word of God, dear young people, we now have.
The message of reconciliation.
But I believe too that there should be, and I trust there will be for your heart and mind.
That which would exercise our hearts too in this expression.
We are ambassadors for Christ.
The term Ambassadors.
We might.
Consider it this afternoon, somewhat in the line of the personal representative for Christ.
You know we speak about our citizenship being in heaven, and quite rightly so when we belong to Christ.
But we find that the word of God does not make any reference to being ambassadors for heaven.
But rather that we can be ambassadors.
The personal representatives for Christ.
Here in this world.
And what I had before me this afternoon.
To look at a number of scriptures that might bring before us.
Something of what is to be the character of those who are to represent Christ.
Here in this world.
To start off with, we should say that our remarks this afternoon will be primarily to those who are the Lord.
Because they're young people. There is no way.
In which you can represent Christ in this world.
Unless you first have come to know him.
As your personal savior.
Furthermore, I don't believe that it is possible for us to properly.
Intelligently represent Christ in this world, unless, dear young people, we have come to know something of what our portion is in Christ.
If you go back in the chapter to the 17th verse.
It says, therefore, if any man be in Christ.
Oh dear young people, we heard something about that yesterday. To be in Christ.
Now, if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, that is your position this afternoon.
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In Christ.
And if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are not in that wondrous place of relationship with Himself.
The word of God goes on to say, if any man be in Christ.
He is a new creature or a new creation.
And I would like to start off in considering.
Our place as his representatives here in this world.
By seeing something, dear young people, of what the Word of God tells us is our place in Christ, we start off by seeing that in Christ we are a new creation. God has condemned the old man to death.
And what he has done.
Is created a Newman and if you belong to Christ this afternoon.
You are a new creature, a new creation, Not a refashioned old man, but a new man, a new creature in Christ Jesus.
We find furthermore.
In the 18th verse says, All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.
And so we find that we are reconciled. The word of God never tells us that God had to be reconciled to us. But there was a need.
For you and I to be reconciled to him.
We were afar off from God. Our sins had taken us there.
A nature that was naturally opposed to God.
Sought to keep us there, but God has.
By Jesus Christ.
Reconcile you and I to Himself. And so we see that as his representatives, as Christ's representatives here in this world.
We are new creatures.
Reconciled to God.
Brought back to God in peace.
In a place of favor, dear young people, in Christ.
Where we know.
That he was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Now that's your place.
This afternoon you that belong to Christ. In Christ a new creature, reconciled to God.
Now if you would turn over to second Peter chapter one for a moment.
Second Peter, chapter one.
And verse 4.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.
Partakers.
Of the divine nature.
In fitting.
For that which I have particularly before me this afternoon.
To be the representatives for Christ in this world.
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We see that we have also been made a partaker of the divine nature.
When you were born into this world, you partook of a nature that was from Adam.
A nature that delighted in sin.
A nature that wanted its own way.
A nature who acts on the principle of lawlessness.
Self will.
But now in Christ you have been given a new nature, and this new nature is divine.
And so, dear young people, this afternoon.
You actually have.
The same nature as the Lord Jesus Christ. The same nature as God.
And nature that delights in that which is good, and nature that is holy. And nature that hates evil, hates sin. And nature, dear young people, given to you as.
Belonging to Christ.
Now, beloved young people, we are called upon to represent Christ here.
And how necessary it is.
That to be his representatives here in this world.
We should have.
His nature.
Now would you turn with me over to Colossians Chapter 3 for a moment?
Colossians, chapter 3.
And verse 4.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear.
Then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Here we find out that as new creatures in Christ Jesus.
We not only have been reconciled, not only have been given a nature that is divine, but beloved young people, we now have Christ as our life, Christ as our life.
And as you and I are here in this world now.
Christ is our life.
You know when we pick up this wonderful book and we read through the Gospels?
And we read of the life of Christ, we read of that wondrous life unfolded there for us by the Spirit of God. Dear young people, you and I are entitled by wondrous grace to be able to say that is my life, that's my life, because Christ is now my life. And in fitting us to be representatives for him here in this world.
He has given us his nature.
And he has given us his life.
Now if you would turn over with me to Acts chapter one for a moment.
Acts chapter one.
And verse 8.
But ye shall receive power after that. The Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
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If we were to turn over to the 4th chapter of Luke's Gospel.
You would find there a verse that tells us that the Lord Jesus went up in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.
All the miracles that the Lord Jesus did here, he did in the power.
Of the Spirit.
And now, dear young people, you and I called upon to represent him here in this world have also been given power.
By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we heard a little bit about this yesterday.
We have. You and I have been.
Indwelt sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, and we now have.
By the Holy Spirit, the power to represent Him here in this world. That very same power manifested in the Lord Jesus here.
You and I have been given that same power, not to do the miracles as He did, but to have the Spirit of God here indwelling us that we might walk to please God.
Now if you would turn over with me to 1St Corinthians chapter 12 for a moment.
First Corinthians, chapter 12.
And verse 12.
For as the body is 1 and hath many members.
And all the members of that one body being many.
Are one body.
So also is Christ.
For by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit.
Now we find here one particular thought brought before us in connection with the oneness of the Body of Christ.
I suppose most, if not all know that the body of Christ was formed.
On the day of Pentecost.
When by 1 spirit.
All the believers there in Jerusalem were joined together.
Into one body.
Connected by the Spirit of God to the head in heaven.
And dear young people.
So closely is the body of Christ, of which you and I are apart, if we belong to Him.
So closely is the body of Christ identified, with the Lord Jesus as the head.
That here in the end of verse 12.
We are told that the head and the body.
Viewed together as one.
There, the name of Christ isn't that precious. You remember how it tells us in Genesis chapter 5, Speaking of Adam and Eve?
It says and God called their name Adam.
Eve was so closely identified with Adam that she took his name.
And beloved young people, this is your place and mine in Christ.
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So closely identified with himself.
That the one whole head and body viewed together.
Joined one to the other and to the head in heaven by the Spirit of God.
Is spoken of here under the name of Christ.
Now, beloved young people, if we are going to intelligently.
Represent Christ here in this world.
We must know.
Our place in him.
And what we have touched on this afternoon.
Brings before us, perhaps in a little way.
What our place is in Christ? First of all, we are in Him, a new creation.
Reconciled to God with the nature of God, with the life of Christ.
With the Holy Spirit as the power.
For our life here.
And so much a part of Christ.
That we actually.
Bear his name.
That's our place in Christ.
Now if you'll turn over with me to Ephesians chapter one for a moment.
Ephesians chapter one and verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ?
Now, dear young people, you have.
In Christ.
You have been blessed.
You know, in the book of the Psalms, for instance, in the 67th Psalm, you'll find the expression repeated, God shall bless us.
But that is not the intelligent language of a child of God now.
You and I now find that we say God has blessed us.
And every child of God, the one that was saved yesterday, the one that was saved many years ago, each one has been equally blessed of God. God has not withheld one blessing dear, beloved young people from you. Not one. You have them all.
In Christ.
We find when we turn over to Revelation chapter 2.
That in the address to the church at Ephesus there that they had left their first love.
The Lord saw that something was lacking. The works were still there, but the motive spring had been lost. But not for one moment does the Lord suggest that one of their blessings was to be taken away?
He calls upon them to repent with the reminder that they were in danger of losing the Candlestick, the testimony. And so it is, dear young people, that we can lose our testimony here, collectively and individually, but we cannot lose our blessings. They are ours.
Eternally.
Blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
This gives us, I trust, to see a little bit about what our place is in Christ. Now I'd like to look for a moment at John 17 to see for a moment what our place is as far as this world is concerned.
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John 17.
And verse 14.
I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Now, beloved young people, we are here.
We are here in this world.
But we are not of it.
The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof, but he that doeth the will of God.
Abideth forever.
You and I are representatives for Christ in a world that is under judgment that is passing away.
But we are not of it.
Now, this is not a conditional thing. This is a positive statement by the Lord Jesus himself. Regardless of whether I realize it or not, regardless of whether I practice it or not, I am not of this world.
Any more than the Lord Jesus himself was of this world.
Now we find that in the world we are, but of the world we are not. Now my reason for discussing these two aspects first of all is beloved young people that we might see from the Word of God that first of all, we have a wondrous portion in Christ and that secondly.
We have no portion in this world. We are not of it at all. Now, with those two thoughts in mind, I would like to look for a few moments at what we might call the practical aspects of representing Christ here in this world. If we could turn first of all to Colossians chapter 3 again.
Colossians chapter 3 and verse one.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection or your mind on things above.
Not on things on the earth, for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Beloved young people, as I say, you and I are representatives for Christ here in this world. And the question arises, what does the world see?
We find here in Colossians that viewed as dead and risen with Christ, we are called upon to set, to seek those things which are above.
Where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, All beloved young people. What a display.
What a representation of Christ it is for us to be seeking those things which are above.
Not the things on the Earth.
Because that is where.
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Christ is that is where the One is, who is our life.
What a tragedy it is to see, and I say it to my own heart, dear young people, not pointing a finger at anyone but to myself, but it is a tragedy to see those who represent Christ in this world.
Seeking something?
In a place that the word of God tells us we are not up.
Oh, if I am in the enjoyment in my soul that Christ is my life, beloved young people, if I am in the enjoyment in my soul of my place in Christ, in him.
Is it not going to give me to seek those things which are above to represent Christ here in this world as one who is not of the world?
And whose desires?
Are centered not on things here, but where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above the mind, or how the devil likes to use these minds of ours, dear young people, and he will set your mind on anything.
Any object at all in this world.
Because it will detract distract.
Your mind and your heart from Christ.
If we are going to represent the one who was not of this world, if we are going to manifest that we too are not of this world either, then we have here that which will.
Display it.
Setting our affection on things above.
Having all that fills my heart where Christ is.
At the right hand of God.
Now we find that one aspect.
One aspect of our representation of the Lord Jesus Christ here in this world is to show beloved young people that our desire, that all our aspirations, that everything that we seek for is not in this world at all.
Where Christ is at the right hand of God.
Now if you would turn over with me to Ephesians chapter 3 for a moment.
Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 8.
This is the Apostle Paul.
Writing by the Spirit of God. And he says unto me, who I'm less than the least of All Saints, is this grace given?
That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
We find that in Ephesians chapter one, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And now, beloved young people, as those who represent that blessed, glorious Savior here, we can too make known the unsearchable.
Riches of Christ.
To make known, beloved young people, that which God in His wondrous grace has brought us into, brought you into. To let it be known that which you know and enjoy, that you have not only been saved from hell, but that you have a place in Christ, that God sees you already.
Seated in Him in the heavenly places, that there is not a blessing.
That God has withheld.
From those who belong to Christ, all beloved young people, Does my life, does your life reflect in any measure? And I trust it will exercise my heart. Does it reflect in any measure the enjoyment of the unsearchable riches of Christ? All. When the Lord Jesus was here, He would make known what was in the Father's heart.
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That which we have been brought into has been opened up to us by the Spirit of God in these epistles and now as his representative here, as an ambassador for Christ, as a personal representative.
For the Lord Jesus Christ here in this world, and as one in the enjoyment in measure, for all our enjoyment is in measure only here. But as we enjoy and measure that which we have been brought into in Christ, all beloved young people, would it not give us to make known the unsearchable riches of Christ?
We find in the next verse it says, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery.
Which from the beginning of the world has been hidden God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God.
We find in Second Corinthians chapter 5 that the message.
That the apostles, as Christs ambassadors delivered, was be reconciled to God.
We find he speaks of making known.
The unsearchable riches of Christ. And then he speaks here of having all men come to know what is the fellowship of the mystery. Now, dear young people, we have been blessed.
With every spiritual blessing, and we want to.
Seek grace from the Lord to make known the unsearchable riches of Christ.
And we have been made members of the body of Christ.
So closely beloved young people, so closely identified with the Lord Jesus himself.
That we bear his name now. That is your place, as we were saying earlier.
Now the question that comes to my heart, and I trust to yours too.
Am I as his representative here?
Am I making known?
The Fellowship of the Mystery.
Am I letting it be known?
That there is one body.
That all believers have been brought into that one body of Christ.
Am I to bring it more practical?
Am I showing out?
As his representative here am I showing out that I believe it?
By being identified.
With that which here seeks to act upon the principle that there is one body. Oh dear young people, how many voices there are in this world?
That claim to represent Christ and to speak for him.
But they do not speak according to the word of God.
And beloved young people, if you know that you are a member of the body of Christ.
That by one spirit God has joined you into that one body.
Have you sought by His grace?
To be identified with that testimony that God has raised up to that truth.
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That there is one body.
God has established A testimony, dear young people, and the apostle Paul here.
Speaks of making known what is the fellowship of the mystery.
I heard just a little while ago.
This happened many years ago and in a place far away from here.
But I was told of a man who knew the truth.
That there is one body.
And furthermore.
He spoke about it.
He even.
Interested a number of believers, a number of Christians in that truth.
He brought them.
To a place where that truth was acted upon.
But he was not identified with the testimony himself.
And it resulted.
In a number of those believers.
Being stumbled and turned aside, they couldn't understand how it was possible for someone to know this truth.
And yet refused to be identified with the testimony to the truth that there is one body all. Beloved young people, are you representing here?
Are you representing here?
That wondrous truth that there is one body.
Or do you say, well, I'm an ambassador for Christ, I represent Christ here, but.
I'm not prepared to go that far.
As to represent in a practical way that the body is 1.
Identified with him.
We find. We'll turn over now to.
First, Peter.
First Peter, chapter 2.
A further.
Aspect.
A further point in connection with our.
Representing Christ here in this world.
Notice verse 11. Dearly beloved, as first Peter 2 and 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.
Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
The 20th verse. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently? This is acceptable with God. For even here unto where ye call, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps who did no sin.
Neither was guile found in his mouth.
Who when he was reviled, reviled not again when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, who his own self bare our sins, and his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness.
By whose stripes ye were healed.
Now, beloved young people, we have here.
In the language.
Written by the Spirit of God.
Christ is our example.
That yeesh ye, you and me should follow.
His steps.
God never calls upon us to do.
That which is impossible.
And he has provided us.
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With all that is needed in order that we might do just what it says here.
We needed a new nature and he gave us one divide.
We needed a new life, and He gave us one Christ as our life. We needed a new power and He gave us one by the indwelling of the Spirit of God. And now He calls upon us to follow in the steps of our blessed Savior here who did no sin. Or are we going to represent Him here?
Be ambassadors for Christ, the personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ in this world. Well, beloved young people, here is the pattern, the one who walked here to the glory of God. And it tells us in that first verse that we read in this chapter. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.
The Lord Jesus walked through this world as a stranger, and surely those who represent him here are called upon to be strangers here too. Strangers because we don't belong here, pilgrims, because we're passing through it on our way home to glory. Now, beloved young people, this has a very practical.
Very practical application for us because if we are strangers.
We are not going to be involved.
In the affairs of this life, we are not going to be involved with its politics.
We're not going to be involved with its plans, its aspirations, everything that it seeks after. We're not here to change the world. We're passing through it. We're not of it.
We have Christ as our life and all that we want.
Is where he is at the right hand of God.
Now this comes right down to our school activities, doesn't it?
Right down to, as the young people say, sometimes, where we live.
Right down into the classroom. Do you represent Christ there?
All beloved young people there is. First of all, to know what your place is in Him. Secondly, to know that you have no part in this world at all, you're not of it. Thirdly, to have your affections, your mind, everything you want set where Christ is above.
Then to find that there's a pattern for your life here, the life of Christ, and to find beloved young people that as a stranger and a Pilgrim, you're not.
You're not called upon in any way to join in with anything.
Anything that this world involves itself in, you have been joined to Christ by the Spirit of God.
Well, beloved young people.
We can bring these things home.
Home to our hearts in a very practical way.
I go into a restaurant.
I wonder, dear young people, when I walk into a restaurant. When you walk into a restaurant.
Do you have the conscious sense in your soul that as you walk into that restaurant?
You represent Christ.
You bear his name.
That you are part of himself.
And that what the people in that restaurant see of Christ.
Is what they see of Christ in you?
That's all they have.
They don't read the word of God, but you're an epistle, an epistle of Christ known and read of all men. You're an epistle. The world is reading you reading me. But all beloved young people, what a glorious position is ours in Christ, and knowing it, we're called upon to represent Him here. Now if you would turn with me to just one last verse, Second Corinthians chapter 3.
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Two Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 18.
But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord.
Are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Beloved young people, you and I, I know, I know it absolutely, with the full assurance that God gives us that if you belong to Christ, there is a desire in your heart to live to please Him.
But it isn't a matter of getting up in the morning and as it were, getting out of stepping out of the bed, putting our feet on the floor and saying today's the day. I'm going to live for Christ today. And all beloved young people, you're not going to represent him here that way. I'm not going to represent him here that way. But we find here that beholding the glory of the Lord, we're changed into the same image.
Now everything that God has for me is in Christ. Everything that my soul that Newman seeks after is in Christ. Everything that is going to mean anything in the future for me and for you is in Christ and with Christ in glory.
And how can I be more like him here?
You know it says.
That the Lord Jesus asked for a coin one day, and when they showed him a coin, he said, Whose image and superscription is this? And they said, Caesars there they looked on the coin, and they saw that which represented Caesar. Now beloved young people, by occupation with Christ, by you, and I, beholding the glory of the Lord, having his word.
Before my soul and yours occupied with him, reading, enjoying the precious things of Christ day by day, we will be changed into the same image and we will represent Him here in this world.
Be it more true representation of Christ in this world. Beloved young people, I trust that what I've said for this afternoon will not occupy you with yourself.
For me with myself. But occupy our hearts with the One in whom all our blessings are, and realize what a solemn responsibility is yours and mine, to represent Christ.
In this world, until we're taken home.