Address—C.H. Brown
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Would it be nice to be rated among those that are always at the meetings and if they're not there?
You know, there's a good reason.
Well, these folks continued steadfastly. In what? In the apostles doctrine.
And then the apostles fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers.
Well, one can look at that verse somewhat. In this way, the apostles doctrine might correspond to the Bible readings, the Bible study period that we have together.
The fellowship might apply to the various times, and we're found together in a special way, sometimes in our team meetings, sometimes in our conferences.
And the breaking of bread, of course, is very easily understood.
That is, when we are found together to remember the Lord.
It isn't hard to distinguish the.
Prayer meeting for then is when we get together and express our dependence.
Not in the original language in which this was written.
The apostrophe after apostles.
Now limits not only the doctrine, but it limits the fellowship equally. It's the apostles doctrine and it's the apostles fellowship.
Well, what is the Apostles Fellowship? It's the fellowship that's grounded on the Apostles doctrine.
There are many fellowships in the world. You know, you can have large fellowships, and you can have club fellowships, associations of different kinds.
But here's a special kind of fellowship. It's the Apostles Fellowship.
Are we going to find the Apostles Fellowship?
Well, it'll have to be based on the apostles doctrine.
Many today minimize doctrine.
It's pitiable how little many dear Christians know about their Bible.
I remember when Brother McMillan and I were working in a part of the country.
We asked this dear old Christian woman out in the country there if she would turn with us to a person, John and the poor old soul she was looking in the Old Testament.
I grant you that's an exaggerated case. But how little?
Christians today know about their Bibles.
Doctrine is minimized and we meet with those who even go surprised to say, well, it doesn't make so much difference what you believe. The great thing is to be sincere. Find the fellowship that suits your temperament.
Be a Christian, yes, but don't get too serious about it. Be broad minded. Let the other man believe what he wants to you. Believe what you want to everyone.
Chooses his own Rd. All the roads lead to London anyhow, so let each one make his own choice. Now that's the easy going attitude of the Christian world today. The importance of doctrine is minimized.
But when I come to the word of God.
I find the doctrine occupies a very important place.
I find that it's insisted on. It's paramount. You and I can't expect to walk right unless we think right. And we can't expect to think right unless we're instructed out of the word of God. So it does make a difference what we believe, and we should be alert to find out what God wants us to believe.
The present attitude and Christendom of stressing the gospel.
Now, I trust that nothing that I say would minimize the interest of anybody in the gospel. I think I might plead guilty to being a little LAX myself.
In the gospel effort, I don't think I've been any great success at it, but I wouldn't say a word to discourage anybody in the gospel.
But I do believe that the gospel is not the whole truth.
I believe that we should be interested in seeing souls that are saved, instructed and rooted and grounded and built up in their most holy faith.
I believe the word of God wants that right straight through. We've been seeing that in the lectures that we've had on previous nights. We don't want to repeat just what we've been over. But I do stress it that doctrine has its place, and a large place in the word of God.
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If we want to see that, let's turn over to Timothy.
First Timothy.
And to trace the emphasis that Paul puts on doctrine.
First Timothy first chapter.
Falling apart of Jesus Christ with the commandment of God our Savior, and of Jesus Christ under Timothy mine own son of the faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, that thou might discharge some, that they teach no other doctrine.
Children if they teach no other doctrine.
Well, what the what is the weight of that charge?
If they do not know the doctrine that is according to God.
You come along to tell a man how Don't you teach any other doctrine? What is it? What do you mean? Well, I mean don't you try to teach any other doctrine and what's in the book? That's the point.
Well, we have much of that kind of doctrine going about today.
I had a couple of men come to my house the other day.
A person who was staying in the home, who didn't understand such things that let them get inside the door, much to my dismay when I came downstairs.
But they had come to talk about the Bible, talk about doctors.
Well, I had my strong suspicions, and so I put some direct questions at them and found out they were Jehovah Witnesses. So I told them that the word of God did not leave me free to entertain them a moment longer in my home. I had no choice in the matter. For if any come unto your house and bring up this doctrine, and receive them not into your house, neither did them Godspeed. For he that biddeth, and Godspeed is particular their evil deeds.
So I had to ask them firmly, but I trust I did it in a Christian like way to leave the house, which they did.
So Paul told Timothy to charge these people at deficit that they teach no other doctrine. If you come along as a teacher, I have a right to challenge you what your doctrine is. What's your doctrine? Before you teach me, I want to know what your doctrine is.
I I think we're justified in drawing that conclusion from that verse.
Same chapter. We're going down to the 10th verse. He's talking about the law here.
Or about law. Not exactly the law, but law is a principle.
And in the end of that tenth verse he says it's law is made for perjured persons. And if there's any other thing that's contrary to sound doctrine, sound doctrine.
Well, if there's such a thing as sound doctrine, there must be such a thing as unsound doctrine.
God wants you and me to search our Bibles. Learn the truth.
And know how to recognize sound doctrine.
I went into the store today and I made a purchase.
I've never been in that store before. I gave the man a $10.00 bill.
And when he gave me back my change, he said, well, that was good.
I said, Sir, I don't understand what you mean. What is that? That $10.00 bill you gave me was a good one. Says we're troubled a lot with bad $10.00 bill.
Well, I didn't know anything about that, but he did.
Now that man.
Knew I said, how do you know if I if I'm giving you a bad 10, a $10.00 bill? Well, he said I I look at it and I can tell if it's kind of blurred. If the printing isn't just clear and distinct, he says I can recognize them.
He knew what a good $10.00 bill looked like and that's how he was able to recognize the bad ones when they when he got them across the counter.
Now you and I were going to recognize bad doctrine when it comes along. We must be instructed from our Bibles as to what is the truth of God. Sound doctrine.
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So if there be any other thing that's contrary to sound doctrine.
That man wanted sound $10 bills and he was going to see that he got them because he was instructed in what a sound $10.00 bill looked like.
Well, our dear Saints of God, if you're not going to be caught off guard by.
The many cults that are circulating their literature so abundantly and freely today.
You have to know your Bibles. That's how we're protected. The word of God is going to protect us.
And then the next chapter, Timothy here.
First, Timothy 2, verse 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved.
Well, that's good. That's God's will of desire if he had his way.
Is well of desire. He'd have every soul in Montreal, saved every one of them.
That's God's will of desire. For God so loved the world, He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have eternal life, whosoever is a big word, isn't it?
But you do run onto some freakish things sometimes.
I was giving a talk like this.
One night and I made some remark about that word whosoever.
Defined it as. We find it in John 316.
And a very intelligent man sitting right near the front. I think he was in the front row.
I saw him close his Bible in a very decided way.
Well, I knew that I must have said something that displeased him, so after the meeting I went to him.
And I found out that I had transgressed on one of his pet theories, and that was that that whosoever of John 316 contemplated only.
The elective God that it didn't mean what it said at all. It just contemplated the elect.
Well, I thought, what a travesty. What?
What a sad thing to pare down the love of God in a way like that. Why God whosoever means whosoever.
Does anybody here tonight that isn't saved? I'll just tell you on the authority of that verse that God's ready to save you. If you want to be saved, it's whosoever you can come right straight through and get salvation here. Tonight, God will have all men to be saved. That's fine.
But that's not the end of the story.
Oh, don't stop there in that verse. Let's go on and read the rest of it.
And to come under the knowledge of the truth, That goes much further, doesn't it?
It takes a very little bit of Christ to save a soul.
I've seen souls press through the Salvation.
All their new so little, so little about the gospel. But they wanted to be saved. They heard the story of the cross, and they said, yes, I accept Christ as my Savior.
But if you were to try to put them through some kind of a biblical catechism.
Why, they'd certainly be in the in the infant class.
Why? They were just babes. They had to be bottle fed.
So God isn't satisfied just because you process people and get them saved. You put a stamp on where you say saved and that's it, and then you're through with them. No, that isn't it. God wants people saved, but then he wants to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Well, that takes time.
Paul felt badly when he wrote to the Corinthians and told them that he had to write to them as babes when they ought to be ready for strong meat. When he says you're not in a condition to give you strong meat, you're still in the kindergarten class.
Well, that isn't to our credit, beloved, Are we going on? Are we deepening in our spiritual lives? Do we want to know the truth of God, or do we want to just know a certain amount? Are we satisfied when we get through the 2nd grade and say, well, I've gone as far as I want to, I'm quite satisfied. No, I believe that the normal thing is to have a hunger for the word of God and become better instructed in the will of God as we grow and deepen through the years of our Christian experience here.
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To come under the knowledge of the truth.
That's a lifetime work. The 4th chapter. Now First Timothy.
And the first verse.
Now the Spirit speak of expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith.
Giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.
Devils or demons?
Well, there's where we are now.
There are those that have departed from the faith, and they're giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.
I have just referred to the activity of the Jehovah Witnesses.
Personally, I think it is perhaps uh, as the panic occult as there is extant today.
And for this reason that it levels its guns directly at the person of Christ.
I believe that we should give absolutely no quarter, absolutely no quarter to that cup.
For the very first statement that they love to make is Jesus is not God.
Now, anyone who comes up with that bold statement has no right to rate as a Christian at all.
No. Give them no time, no consideration whatsoever.
Thank God I've seen Jehovah Witnesses delivered from that curse.
I've had the joy of seeing them LED out from the blackness of darkness of that accursed system into the light of the truth. I've seen their faces glow with the joy of deliverance. Thank God for that.
But where there's one delivered, there's 1000 that are not delivered.
It's apostrophe doctrines of demons.
Where I live just one block from me.
There's a big Mormon temple.
A large place.
My neighbors are Mormons. Nice people, Good neighbors. Wouldn't ask for any better neighbors.
But you know, when I try to talk with them about the blessed truth of God.
When I try to talk to them about the perfect work of Christ, the finished work, the value of the blood.
When I think to bring them to some knowledge of the elements of the gospel.
I just find that I'm beating the air. I don't get anywhere.
I have sought, as best I could for years to help some of those dear people.
And you know, I have to confess to my shame, I.
Don't know that I've ever been able to help one of them. They're in that morass of bad teaching.
That has so blinded their minds and their souls, they do not seem to get through to the Christ of God and the elements of the gospel.
Seducing spirits? Oh, when you trace back the history of that sorrowful thing, you don't wonder that what you see around today, as a fruit of it, is in such darkness.
When we're living in terrible days, we're living in days of increasing darkness.
And I do not expect to see any improvement. I believe the things about us are going to go increasingly dark until we hear the shout that calls the church out of this scene to meet the Lord in the air. That is the next great event for which the Church of God is looking.
If there should be a stray soul mixed up in some of these horrible things.
I'm content to know that the Lord knows them that are his.
I'm content with that.
And if such a one be there, I know when the shout is given, they'll go along with the rest of us. I know that.
But oh, I do want us all here.
Don't trifle or meddle with any of the calls.
Don't expect that you can go and pick up a little good from attending a Christian Science lecture.
Give it a wide berth. Leave it alone.
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Just one block from where I live.
Is the 7th Day Adventist Church one block from where I live?
I know what I'll hear if I go there. And by the way, I don't intend to go. But if I do, I know what I'll hear. I'll hear that I'm under the law. And if I don't keep the 7th day, I've got the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast is observing the Lord's day, the victim, the Victory Day, when the Lord Jesus came forth in the power of death when he came forth as the risen Christ.
It's the day when he sent the Holy Spirit down, formed the church Ohio. That glad, happy day.
I'm told that observing that day is the mark of the beast. I'm told I've got to keep the Sabbath.
Or I'm on the way to extinction for remember that in that religion you don't have to fear any hell.
That's conveniently done away with.
We're living in serious days doctrines of demons. I've only just.
Named a few of them, but they're increasing all around us, and they're gaining the largest printing press in the world today. Bigger than the New York Tribune or any other. Bigger than Life magazine. Yes, the biggest printing press in the world today is owned by the Jehovah Witnesses, and 24 hours a day, it's rolling out millions of pamphlets in almost every language that's spoken on the face of the earth.
That circling the globe with their poison.
Yes, bind them in bundles to burn them, the Lord said. And that's one of the bundles.
Yes, doctrines of demons.
Six birds of our chapter.
If I'll put the brethren in remembrance of these things, that should be a good minister of Jesus Christ.
Now that word minister there doesn't have a theological significance. It's the word servant.
We have adorned that word with a dignity that it doesn't have in the Scripture. It's simply the word for servant that should be a good servant of Jesus Christ.
Nourished up in the words of the faith, the word Z should be in there, Nuri. Stuck In the words of the faith, there's only one.
And of the good doctrine. For unto thou hast to think the faith and the good doctrine. Where is it? It's right here in the book. This is where you find it. You don't have to go to Joe Smith for it.
Or Mrs. Eddie or Ellen G White.
No, you don't have to go.
To such people to get the truth.
You don't need anything outside of the word of God.
To give you God's truth.
I'm not discounting helpful ministry on the word, but basically here is the touchstone. This is that by which we test everything.
So the admonition here is that the faithful minister of Jesus Christ.
Is to see that the Brethren are nourished up in the words of the faith and a good doctrine, wherein $2.00 detained good doctrine.
Or may we see to it that those under our influence in our Sunday school classes, in our mission, work wherever we have an opportunity to give out the word. Let's see to it that they're getting good doctor that God calls good doctors. Let him be the judge. How do you find out? Test it by the word of God right here. Test it.
Good doctrine.
Now let's go down to the 13th verse.
Till I come give attendance to reading.
That's not as we ordinarily understand it, reading your Bible at home that the public reading of the Scriptures for they didn't have Bibles in those days as we do now. They depended much on the public reading that took place in the assembly.
Till I come give attendance to reading, to expectation, to doctrine.
In other words, don't think every time you go to meeting that all you're going to hear is just the gospel. You're just going to hear the way to get saved.
Well, I wouldn't minimize it for a moment.
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But that's the beginning. That's how we get saved. That's, that's how we matriculate, so to speak, into the family of God. Now we're ready for the family training.
Some of us here know what it is.
The speaker included. But to have one taken into our family, Sir, who was not born in that family circle, but it was our joy to seek to take that little one and you've had the same experience into your home as a little one and seek to bring him or her, bring him up in your family.
Well, now, you weren't satisfied just with the fact that you got that child into your family circle.
I didn't. What you got him for? Was it just to have him there? No. You wanted one in your family circle that could enjoy with you the family life, and you devoted yourself, heart and soul to seeking to give him or her the best that you could. You sought to integrate that one into the thinking of a family, to make him part of the family.
It was your joy to do it. You've devoted your life to it.
So here we don't just get people saved and then feel that's it, but give attention to reading. That's reading the word exhortation, trying to stir them up, and then doctrine. Indoctrinate them, ground them, settle them, help them to know the word of God. That was the expectation that Paul gave Timothy.
Well, in the 16th verse of the same chapter. Shall we look at that now?
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine continue in them, For in doing this I shall both save thyself and them that hear thee.
Now, if you're going to be the one that handles the instruction, end of this doctrine matter.
Remember that it begins with #1.
Take heed unto thyself.
It's a sad thing when the teacher.
The one that's seeking to instruct in the doctrine is himself not in the good of it.
I remember.
A case where.
A man who was preaching in the town.
Was asked why he changed his type of preaching. Well, he said, because the people to whom I was preaching didn't like what I was giving them.
So he just accommodated himself to what the people wanted to hear.
Well, now, if he were taking heed to himself and to his solemn responsibility before God as a servant of the Lord, he couldn't have made that in judgment. This begins with #1. Think he did thyself, you'll be sure you're in the good of the Doctor.
And under the doctrine.
Continue in them. That man didn't continue in it. He gave it up, he said. They don't want it. I'm changing my preaching, continuing them.
For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee. So that's not a question of soul salvation, but it's a question of practical deliverance in our life and testimony.
How am I going to help my brother? How am I going to save them or deliver them through all the vicissitudes and trials that besetters on our way to heaven? How am I going to help them? Well, here it is. Continue in the doctrine. In doing this, you both save yourself.
Well, I'm not going to become a Jehovah Witness if I do this. Impossible I save myself. And I not only save myself, but I save others.
Others are not allowed to be drawn into that kind of a thing. Because I've continued in The Doctor, you can't overemphasize the importance of it.
Now the 5th chapter.
And the 17th verse.
Let the elders that rule well or that take the lead well.
It isn't an autocratic rule. It's referred to here.
Let the elders that rule well be kind of worthy of double honor.
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Especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
Well, that's interesting. Double honor to those that labor in Word and doctrine.
You look to your older brother. God has set them in the assembly. You recognize them. Faith recognizes them.
Your elders.
And they're to be honored.
But especially those who are able to instruct us in the truth of the Word, in the Word, and in doctrine. Now there are other things that elders may be responsible to do in the in the church, in the assembly. That's true, but those that are capacitated by the Spirit of God to help us in the Word and doctrine.
Are to be given a special deference a special consideration?
A special honor because of the importance that God puts upon doctrine.
We must not think that meetings where we are instructed in the in the truth of God.
Are less important than a big rousing revival. Mean we mustn't shove them to one side and say, Oh well, that that that doesn't amount to so much. The thing to do is fill the room with sinners and get those things.
Well, that may be a popular conception, but it's it's not the pattern that we find in the word of God. No, it is not.
Then we go to the next step.
The 6th chapter and the third verse.
If any man teach otherwise and consent not.
To wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And to the doctrine which is according to godliness.
He is proud, knowing nothing but voting about questions and stripes of words, whereas cometh, envy, strike railings, evil, surmising, perverse, disputing of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness from such withdraw thyself.
Now here it is again. Any man teach otherwise otherwise than what otherwise and sound doctrine.
And consent not to the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God ties it right down to the very words. That's the reason we try to get an accurate translation.
That's the reason sometimes we say, well, the King James Bible is a little weak, right Here we think we have another translation that's a bit better on that particular passage.
We try as best we can to to tie the thing right down to the very words in which the truth was given to us. We can't be loose and easy about these things. We want to know exactly what God said, the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And to the doctrine which is according to godliness, Where do you find it? Where you find it in the word of God?
Now I'm supposing to have somebody that's proud, you know, he doesn't want to be told.
He says I'm not going to put my neck in any such yoke, is that you've got to give me a liberty to use my mind a little. And so he steppens himself. Well, what does he say here? God says he's proud, knowing nothing. Now that's a sad degree to have after your name KN knowing nothing. That's what God says about it. If he wants submit to the plain, precious truth of God as it's stated in the word of God.
God labels him and no nothing.
He doesn't want that man to have any consideration at all as a teacher. Just write him off. He knows nothing if he refuses to submit to the plain simple word of God.
Now second, Timothy.
1.
And the 13th verse.
Hold fast, the form of sound words for style has heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed under the keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in it.
All fast, the form of sound words.
You can't improve on the statements that God himself has made.
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About the great truths of the Christian faith.
As long as you and I keep to the wording of Scripture, we're absolutely safe.
And where to seek in our various apprehensions?
Of the truth of God to have them formed in a very words.
Of Scripture.
Hold fast, the form of sound words.
Which thou hast heard of me in faith and love.
Paul didn't go out as a rugged champion debater that was trying to down his adversaries. He didn't get up before them and puff himself up as a champion. But in faith and love, he plead with them as to the truth of God.
He taught them these things out of a heart of love and a simple, trusting faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whom he serves.
So he says that good thing that was committed to What was that good thing? Why, it was that wonderful, precious deposit of truth that he'd received. That's what it was. And beloved, if you've received a wonderful, precious deposit of truth from what you've heard from the word of God, that in which you've been instructed through the years, keep it guarded, Value it as an entrusted trader. Don't ever give it up.
Don't ever compromise. Don't ever sell out, or you'll be so glad someday that you held on to it.
Now the third chapter of Two Timothy.
And the tenth verse.
Thou hast fully known my doctrine. Paul makes this personal. Here now what he taught.
And then notice that my manner of life, oh brethren, what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Don't ever divorce the doctrine from the manner of life. There's nothing more withering.
Than to have a professed servant of the Lord stand up and preach what may be sound doctrine, and everybody sitting there listening to him knows that he's living a very careless and.
And ungodly life that he's living with looseness. And he tells the people, now you do what I say. Don't bother doing what I do. He takes that attitude. I'm here to preach. I'm here to tell you the truth. But you don't need to watch me. You don't need to.
Follow my example. You just do what I tell you. That is the kind of servant Paul was.
No, never. Thou has fallen on my doctrine, but along with it was his manner of life. All the 2GO together. Let's not divorce them.
My purpose. My faith. My long-suffering. My charity. My patience.
Now we'll go down to the end of that third chapter.
All scripture well, am I doing the 15?
From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scriptures given by inspiration of God.
Now literally.
That word is God breathed. All Scripture is God breathed.
God breathed in the man's nostrils of breath of life, and he became a living soul.
God breathed into this word his own living spirit, and it's the living word of God.
It's God breathed all of it and is profitable for doctrine. All of it.
Well, supposing a brother who gets up here on the platform and said.
I'll take for my subject tonight, for my address or my lecture. We'll take the first chapter of Genesis.
Well, you say to yourself, silently To yourself.
Whatever they whatever they going over to Genesis Bowl, why should he bother us with the story of creation that took place 6000 years ago?
Well, why take our time to talk about that? We can do that, can we? All Scripture, All of it. Genesis. Yes. Exodus. Sure. The Law, the Psalms, the Prophets, all of it is given by inspiration of God and is possible for doctors.
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You used to have a man in Montreal here.
I don't think I ever met him, although I've been coming here good many years.
He is the minister the word. Occasionally, if I'm if I remember rightly, he's an artist. But those who heard him minister said he rarely ever ministered on any other chapter except the first chapter of Genesis.
But God seemed to give him so much precious truth from that first chapter of Genesis that the Saints enjoyed hearing him as he unfolded the precious hidden mysteries that were there in that chapter, all scriptures given, and it's possible for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect. That's mature, foregoing, furnished unto all good works. You can't be truly furnished into all good works unless you have sound doctrine. That's the basis of it.
But in the next chapter.
And the third verse. And remember, this is where we're living now, in 1960, soon be 1961, as the Lord leads us here.
The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. It isn't the teachers that have the itching ears, it's the people that hire them having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned under fables. That's where we are now.
They will not endure sound up.
A man goes out to preach, and he goes to a certain congregation, and he starts to preach a good old sound word of God.
And at first there arises A murmuring, and it becomes more vociferous and.
Violent results in a meeting of the board and the first thing that man knows he's he's under admonition.
I know a case right there in Iowa. Sully, Iowa. I knew the brother better. Thompson. He had the Federated Church there in the town. I've had many a happy time with Brother Thompson talking with him about the Lord and the truth. He loved the Lord and he knew the gospel.
He preached a nice warm hearted.
Sermon on the Cross and the Blood and Work of Christ and one of the heavy paying men of that church man that owned a big general store there in town.
Came up to him after the sermon was over and he said Thompson, I want you to cut out that blood stuff.
We're tired of it. We don't want to hear it.
Well, think of it. Think of such a thing happening in the day in which we're living that a man who's a member and a large paying member of the congregation can take a stand like that toward one who professes to be a servant of the Lord. But that's exactly what we have here.
They will not stand for sound doctrine. So they get the kind of teachers they want. And as I heard one say about a certain preacher told me, because you know, I like him, I like our picture. He never hurts your conscience. Yes, that's the kind they want. He never hurts your conscience.
Well, he just preaches about the stars and the flowers and the mountains and the birds and so on and so on. And it's lovely to hear too.
But it never gets at the conscience. Yes, they heap to themselves teachers, because they have the itching ears. They get, the kind they want.
First chapter of Titus in the ninth verse.
Holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught.
That he may be able by sound doctor, both to exhort and to convince the game Sayers that's the only thing they'll do it. That's God's way of convincing them. John Ducken, second chapter, first verse speaks all the things that become found Doctrine do we do it is all our teaching and teaching in connection with the truth of God is that those things have become sound doctrine. It is that it's according to the word of God.
Otherwise it's not.
Further down on the chapter, verses 7 in all things showing nice up a pattern of good works in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity.
00:45:07
Sound speech that cannot be condemned.
Now, tenth verse, end of the verse, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
Brother, sister, are you adorning the doctrine?
Do you make people want to know the Savior by the way you live? They watch it. They see your life every day at the shop or the school or the factory. Are you adorning the doctor?
You know, I've heard of people that said things like this.
Well, as they watch them.
Professed Christian I've heard them say something like this. If that is what a Christian is, I certainly don't want to be 1. Isn't that sad? Well, this exhortation is here that they may adorn the doctrine of our God in all things. All beloved Saints of God. Are we exercising about it? Are we going to go away from this meeting with an increased burning desire not only to have the doctrine, but to adorn?
Commend it to him.
Following is an address by our Brother, Chapter Brown, on the 21St chapter of the Gospel of John.
After these things Jesus showed himself at the end of the disciples, the sea of Siberia, and on this wide show of himself they were together Simon Peter and psalmist called Didamus Nathaniel of Canaan Galilee, sons of Zebedee and two other of his disciples.
This is a disciple of testifiers of these things, and wrote these things. And we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which of they should be written? Everyone. I suppose that even the world itself cannot contain the books that should be written. Amen. The situation reminds me of A.
Old brother Potter, he went to a meeting like this and he said, I see you're all good, brethren.
All of the back seats.
I have no notion of going into this chapter dispensationally, because it is.
A chapter that, in a mystical way, brings before us another age after the church age.
But I'd rather have before me to enjoy it from a practical viewpoint. Just.
Enjoy a few thoughts that the Lord is blessed in my own soul as I've meditated on this chapter.
Jesus, after his resurrection, was pleased to show himself to the disciples. He mentioned three times here. That is, up to this point, the three times.
He showed himself the Lord.
30 year old.
Thomas Wagner. So he appeared the next large day.
After the second time, and now here he's showing himself the third time.
At this time it's up in Galilee. Well, that's quite a ways. From where the crucifixion took place. Might turn back to Matthew 26, to Matthew 26, to Matthew and the 32nd verse.
But after I am listening again, I will go before you in the Galilee, then the 28th chapter.
And.
The seventh verse Go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. And behold, he goeth before you in the Galilee, and there shall ye see him though I have told you. And then the tenth verse then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid, Go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me.
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So here we are in Galilee.
And there we are together.
You notice the names. If we read them, I think you'll find it's a company of seven men.
Simon Peter, Thomas called Enemas Nathaniel of Cana Galilee the sons of Zebedee. That'll be James and John and two other of his disciples. 7 men.
There were together these seven men.
Isn't it nice to be together?
That's good association, isn't it?
I'd like to have been there, those seven men. Lovely Association. Privilege Association.
Those men had seen a lot of Christ in their short lives.
And I'm sure they were together because Christ was the bond that grew them together.
Being let go, they went to their own company.
Is it like that with all of us here? Do you like to be with God's people?
You feel at home when you're with the Lord's people.
You feel out of place when you're with the ungodly.
If you're a Christian and in a happy state of soul, you don't feel happy in a crowd of ungodly people.
But when you meet a believer, how different it is?
One has some delightful experiences that way in traveling around.
Pardon me if I just give a little personal experience that happened just the other day.
I was on the train and I gave the a couple of tracks to a Catholic priest sitting right across the aisle from me.
He's no man, 8 years old and he read them very carefully and put them on his inside coat pocket and so we had a little chat.
And I pulled up one of my testaments and marked the person and handed it across to him, and he read it very thoughtfully. That led to more conversation. So the station came up then and we both were getting off. And the old gentleman, as we went to get off, he took my hand very affectionately in his and he squeezed it. He says Brother Brown preached Christ and him crucified.
They were just thrilled. I expect to see that man in heaven, don't you? Good. You know, here to me, those that love the Lord Jesus.
Well, these men were together. The thing that drew them together was love for Christ. And there's no bond like that. And isn't it sad when Christians?
Speak some other bond. And it's that Oh yes, we have known of some who became very seemingly of Christ and weary of the association that goes with loyalty to Christ. And they went out and linked themselves with associations of the world, lodges and clubs and societies. This kind of thing, seeking to find a substitute for what we have in Christ and it is a substitute.
And, you know, substitute never.
Are up to the original article. No. We have in Christ. But the world is striving for in all its various clubs and societies and associations and lodges. They were together. Simon Peter step under them. While that's like Simon Peter, isn't it? Simon Peter was a born leader.
And that people are born leaders. It's not going to be that. It's in the you take a crowd of boys out on the platform playing together.
Out on the playground, anywhere.
Turn a dozen boys loose and give them 15 minutes and they'll be a leader. Come up among them. Though they never saw each other before, Peter was a born leader.
An energetic man, a man of decision and character.
So, Simon Peter, step into them. I go see.
Now let us notice carefully that there's no invitation they should do anyone else to go with it. He just announces that he is going fishing.
Well, that's all it took. I go fishing.
And they send him. We also go with it.
Well, that's significant, isn't it?
Peter was a leader, he says. I'm going fishing, he said. We're going to.
Well, if you have a major readership, and I've no doubt I'm speaking to many here tonight, but do.
It's a solemn thing to be a leader.
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To whom much is given of him shall much be required.
And justice as we have in this case, if you say I'm going fishing, somebody's going to say I'm going to in this isn't the fact.
Oh, how important it is. You know those verses, don't you, on the 12Th of Hebrews?
Make straight paths for your feet.
Left, that's which is lame. This person coming on behind you here. Left back, which is lame. Be turned all the way.
I saw a picture once of a man going out of his home early in the morning on a snowy morning. Let the snow the good part of the night. Snow is deep, as you can see it's big tracks in the snow.
And behind him is coming one of his youngsters, evidently, about, oh, maybe four or five years old.
And he was stretching his little dirty legs and all of their full length, trying to get his feet in father's footsteps.
So I'm looking for Father, isn't it? Trying to put his little feet and father's footsteps.
Make straight piles for your feet.
Left that which is lamely turned out of the way.
We can't emphasize it too much. I go efficient.
Well, we're going to.
Well, that'll be true all through life.
We can't. We can't live independent of our brothers. We can't say, well, I'll do what I like and I'll let my brother do what they like. I'll let them live their lives. I'll live mine. Brethren, you can't do that. It doesn't work that way. If you go fishing, somebody's going to go fishing too. No, you can't do it. Can't take responsibility. Peter didn't escape it here either.
So they went forth and entered into a ship immediately that that word suited Peter, didn't it? Immediately. It was a man of action.
There's no deliberation. There's no stopping and talking the matter over.
Didn't seem to have a prayer meeting about it before they started out. They went and got into a ship immediately.
Both. Sometimes we're too precipitous, aren't we? Make rash decisions, get ourselves into.
Situations. And we say, oh, I wish I had got this thing over. I wish I'd prayed more about it.
I wish I hadn't been to the rash.
Yes, we got into the ship immediately.
And evidently, like Jonah of old, when he wanted to flee from the duty of the Lord to sign him, he found the ship ready to sail. It was already gone, so they didn't have the canvas around to get a ship. They entered into a ship immediately. It was already fallen.
Now let's remember that three of these men at least, perhaps more of them, but at least three of them are all seasoned, experienced fishing.
They knew that didn't grown up with it. They knew when the fish, they knew whether whatever was right, well, the moon was right, whether the water was.
Smooth as it ought to be, they knew that business, if they knew anything, so everything must have been very promising or they wouldn't have started out so enthusiastically. Peter, the leader, the old season fisherman.
He'd fished to the fore. Look at the fore of the Matthew.
18th verse Matthew 4.
Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting in that end of the sea. For they were fishers, and he sat under them. Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their necks and followed him.
Yes. So we all agree it's a good night to fish everything favorable. They found the ship that went into it immediately and that night they caught.
Well, now it's embarrassing to repeat the word. They caught nothing.
You know, nothing is a very embarrassing word. At times they caught nothing. Nothing. It just had gotten a few. You don't think it only had a half a dozen would have been to bat. But here are these experienced, seasoned fishermen and a whole night and they caught nothing.
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Embarrassing, is it?
What do you suppose is passing through their minds? What must they? So what did they talk about that night?
Hour after hour passed and as we say, not a nibble, not a nibble. They couldn't feel a bit of pressure on that net. Just everything dead and still.
They must have said why. Everything's right. The moon's right, the water's right. This is the time of year when they're running strange, isn't it? What conversation must have gone on?
You know, the Spirit of God knows how to search our hearts at times, doesn't he?
That night they cost nothing.
Well, I wonder if we aren't like that sometimes.
Labor and labor. It's something the Lord didn't ask us to do something, if we had asked him about, he wouldn't have had it to do.
And we come up with nothing.
Let's look at a verse in the 9th of Luke.
Matters the 11Th loop.
11.
And the fifth verse he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go on to him at midnight, and send him friend, lend ME3 loaves.
For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me and I have nothing to set before him. Now I want to read that sixth verse again, and I want us to think of it as we read.
A friend of mine in his journey has come to me and I have.
Nothing did that before. I have nothing to set report.
Well, dear ones, dear brothers and sisters here.
Calling it with you.
If a friend comes to your house, do you have anything to set before?
Or are we spiritually accurate?
Have the springs dried up.
A friend comes to your house and you have nothing to set before him.
And he goes away. Perhaps he wanted a little help. He wanted a little cheer. Maybe he maybe he came to your house because he thought there was a need in his soul. He wanted a little lift. But you had nothing. Why did you have nothing?
When you had nothing, for the same reason these folks here had nothing.
They took nothing.
Because they were out of the path of the Lord's mind.
And if you and I are.
Going on in the path of self, out of the mind of the Lord.
We need to surprise when the friend comes along. We have nothing to set before.
He may have said, Well, I'm disappointed. I went there thinking I'd get some help, but the brother didn't seem to have anything to give. My sister seemed to have nothing for that night. They caught nothing. That's quite a statement.
Back when the mornings now come Jesus.
Someone else is coming into the picture of Jesus.
Stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
He wasn't far away, was he? He stood on the shore.
They didn't know it was Jesus, but Jesus knew everyone was in. He could name everyone of the seven. He bought them all in his heart.
They were never out of his mind. The moment during their fruitless hours of dragging that net up and down that seat all night long, tiling away, catching nothing, they knew not that it was Jesus.
Then Jesus said unto them, Children, have your enemies.
Can you think of a more embarrassing question coming at a more embarrassing moment than that? Remind you conscience never turns infidel, you know?
Regardless of what you do as a Christian, you've got a Christian conscious. If you are a Christian, you've got a Christian conscious.
And that conscience, regardless of how you try to stifle it, keeps ticking away when you're out of communion, when you're out of the path of obedience.
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And I'm sure there was some heart searching went on that night. Long hours of the dark night dragging that empty neck up and down the seat.
And now here, that embarrassing question coming out across the water. Children, have you any food?
And they answered him no.
Been much easier to say. Well, we have a little.
We have a little.
But there's just one word saying that was no.
And he said unto them, he said.
Did he tell him to go fishing before? No, he didn't. But now he tells them to go fishing.
He said unto them.
Cast the net on the right side of the ship.
And Jesus will find it.
They cast therefore now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of the fishes.
Look at verse in Matthew 17.
I want us to notice something here in this 27th verse, the last verse of the 17th of Matthew, notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, goes out of the sea, and cast and hook and take up the fish that first cometh up, And when Alice opened his mouth, I shall find a piece of money taken.
Given to them, for me and for thee.
Our fish accustomed to go around with pieces of money in their mouth.
How's it coming that this fish there in the sea has a piece of money in his mouth and just the right size to pay the taxes, and the first hook that's cast in catches the right fish? How can that be? Once you turn to the 8th song, you get the answer.
And the fourth verse saw me. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. Now we're reading about Christ in prophecy. Now it's made him a little lower than the angels and is crowned him with glory and honor. Thou made us seem to have dominion over the works of thy hands. God put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxygen. Yeah, and the beast of the field. Now let's read the eighth verse more carefully. The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea.
And whatsoever passes through the paths of the sea, O Jehovah, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth? Who is it Who has charge of all these fish?
Why, there it is. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. He has charge of all those fish.
That night follows. Men were calling away, seven men working all night long.
The Lord had just issued his order for those fish to stay out of that net, and they stayed up. Not one of them went near it.
Just as in this portion we just read from Matthew, the fish was already there with a coin in his mouth, ready for the horse. Why? Because the Lord was the one controlling the fish in the sea.
Oh, how wonderful it is to know that everything is in his head. Everything. The fish of the sea? Yes, all we. We needn't think for a moment that things are getting out of control and the things are just going to go at sixes and sevens and everything is going to collapse and no control anywhere.
Why? If he sees that not a dog can wag his tongue if he sees fit to stop. That's true of every circumstance in your life and mine.
I wasn't there to hear it, but my wife listened to Miss Willis. Did they tell her story in China?
How many things she had to tell just along that line.
Not a dog shall wag its tongue, God controlling seemingly impossible circumstances.
Well, now they get the word to fish, so the Castanello ship.
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Now the poor fish, they can't, they can't think they're they, they're not intelligent. They didn't know why they kept clear away from that net all night long, wouldn't go near it, and they didn't know why. They just came surging into it. 153 of them just crowded it full. I didn't know why they were doing.
But we know why it is. And there were the little ones either. They were the big ones, 153. I'm crowded into that. No more can get in. I suppose that's the reason no more could get in.
And now they were not able to draw it for the market of the fishes.
Therefore that recycle whom Jesus loved.
You know, I think that's so precious the way John takes that title. You think Jesus loved John anymore and you love Peter.
Not a bit, not for a minute, but John just appropriated it. Now Peter had the right to say, the disciple whom Jesus loved, meaning Peter, But he wasn't the one that used expression. It was John that used it. Beloved, the Lord Jesus has no favorites. He has no pets, no.
We're loved alike with the same eternal love changed with love.
Now it's true, there isn't the same complacency in his love equate with all of us.
There is such a thing as a grieved love, but the love isn't the last.
There is more communion in the love with some than with others. But remember this. The Lord Jesus had no favorites. But John appropriated the disciple whom Jesus loved. He's the one that's writing this. That's the description of himself.
Then unto Peter it is the Lord. Well, why didn't Peter know it? Well, evidently there was that closer communion on the part of John than there was with Peter, and he discerned the situation that Peter didn't do there. And I'm sure that all of us have had the feeling, as we're with the certain brethren, whether a brother or a sister, from time to time, that such a long has a better discernment than we have, because we instinctively feel that they're living nearer the Lord than we are.
Peter didn't discern, but John did. It is the Lord.
There wasn't a degree of communion, No, he was walking at a greater distance. But notice when he heard that it was the Lord. What happened now? When Simon Peter heard it was a lordy Curtis Fisher's coat on him, cast himself into the sea.
Oh, there was affection for Christ. There. Indeed there was. Why you couldn't hold him in that boat. Forgot all about the fish and the net and the boat and all. It's always Christ.
All his heart was right in that sense. He had the right object, but he hadn't allowed himself to be turned aside by the old habits and old associations.
He was turning back to that and going fishing, which had characterized him and his unconverted date. The Lord has told him to leave that come, and he'd make him fishers of men.
But Peter seemed to forget that, and he was turning back to the old thing.
Well, you remember there in the Gospel by Luke, he told a certain man to follow him, and he said, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
He He wasn't unwilling to follow the Lord, but he didn't want to follow him now if something else he wanted to do first.
That it was at the mind of Christ. No, the Lord says, Let the dead bury their dead. You come and follow me. You let that old life take care of itself. Those old obligations. You let them take care of themselves. You come and follow me.
Let's do another one, he said. No man who's put his hand to the plow and looks backward is worthy of me. Have you put your hand on the plow and are you looking backwards?
That was what Peter was doing here. He just took a look over his shoulder when he went fishing that night. But now.
He realizes that he's in the presence of his Lord and he can't get to him too quickly.
The other disciples came, dragging the net with fishes, and as soon as they came to land they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid their own and bread.
I wondered as I read that you know Peter was the first one there. He got there ahead of the rest of them. I wonder if he had any thoughts when he saw that fire of coals there. You remember how he warmed himself by a fire of coals just a few days before? He warned himself by a fire of coals that night that he denied the Lord.
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Well, the Lord had a fire there, cold later on fish bread.
And Jesus said unto them, Bring of the fish which you've now caught.
Well, we commented on this 153. If we were going into the dispensational bearing of this chapter, we I'll just make this remark in passing. We might notice that that #153 is 12 * 12 and 3 * 3. It's the perfect administration of the coming Kingdom in the power of Trinity.
Is is what it wants to. 12 is the number of administration, 12 * 12 + 3 * 3.
And that was the net not broken, and Jesus 7 Lamb, come and die.
None of the disciples just asked him, Who art thou, knowing it was the Lord Jesus says unto them, Come and die. Well, he's the host and they're the guests. He's prepared the meal. I said, Come, done.
I wonder if that reminds you of anything else.
You know another occasion on which he had something ready for them and said, now you take this and you eat. Remember that?
After supper he took bread and he break it, and he gave it to them and said, take 8 This is my body which is given for you.
Likewise also the cup after supper. This cup is a New Testament in my blood.
This do, He offered it. Eat it off as you drink it in remembrance of me. This is my blood, which is shed for the remission of the sins of the many.
I wonder if he has said to everybody here in this room that I don't know you all. I couldn't call the names, perhaps of half of you here.
As he said to your heart and conscience in that connection, come and eat and eat and have you done it?
To me it seems a very sad thing that there are Christians, and I know them, I know them personally. They are saved. There's no doubt about it. They belong to Christ. They confess his name.
They know about the remembrance of the Lord.
Their present and see it carried out every large day, and they've done that for years.
And never have they been sufficiently interested to ask that they too must share in that precious blessed privilege of remembering the Lord in his death.
And I thought, how would such an one feel if the judgment seat of Christ, if the Lord were to ask the question of them? Did you ever Remember Me?
According to my request, when I was there with you, did you and such, and one would have to say, no, Lord, not once in all my life did I ever remember you in the breaking of bread and the drinking of the cup. You know, if you pardon a little personal reference when I was early converted.
I remember how I enjoyed in that Methodist Church where I was going.
We only remember the Lord about 03 or 4 * a year, not oftener than four times.
And we went up to the front and kneeled on a pad around the platform. There they called it the altar. Wasn't much order to it. That's what they called it. And they leaned on the railing around the platform and the minister and the presiding elder.
Gave us the brand and then the cup, you know, it was very precious to me and very sacred.
I wouldn't miss it.
Precious, sacred, blessed power, my soul.
And though perhaps I wasn't doing it just as I do it now, yet I believe that it was precious to the heart of Christ that I was there on my knees. That's the best I knew. And I was thinking to carry out what he'd asked me to do, to remember him on the breaking the brick. I believe he accepted it in that way.
And yet some of us who have all so much more life than I have have gone on for years and never availed ourselves of the privilege of what's remembering our Lord and His death. It's to me, it's unspeakably sad.
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Jesus then cometh and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
So over there, Dine Jesus says to Simon Peter. Now we know the story of these verses.
We remember Peter's self-confidence is boasting all it said. Lord, to all men deny thee, it will not die.
God has been pleased to give us a faithful record of these men. I'm glad he has.
I'm so glad when I read my Bible that I find that the servants of the Lord.
Failed now and again. For if I didn't find that, my Bible brethren, I'd have quit long, long ago. I've been thinking to be in full time service for the Lord for 46 years, but I would have quit years and years ago.
I didn't find out in reading my Bible that the Lord puts up with poor failing servants. Yes, He does. He He uses poor failing service. Well, here was Peter and he had that record behind him of having told the Lord, as Mr. Heaney said to me once.
He says Peter told the Lord they were the best man he had. Well it's funny that didn't he told the Lord he's the best man he had the Lord the all man deny the IT will not are. Oh yes he was willing to go and die with it.
Oh, what? What a coward he was, how miserably he behaved. Now we know that the Lord had had a private interview with Peter because he appeared first into Simon Peter and we don't know one thing that took place.
And that in that interview, it's not one thing do we know about it. What we surmise that there was a personal restoration of Peter at that time, but his sin had been public. And it takes more than a personal restoration. If our sin has been published and this is the public restoration of Peter, he made it both publicly and his restoration is made public.
So yeah, Simon, son of Jonas, gives him his human name there.
Love us down, me more than these others.
Are you the best man I have noticed on me more than others?
He said, Lord, you know that I'm attached to you. Peter drops the tone of the word from love to attached here the the English doesn't show it, but the Greek does not know that I'm attached to thee. And he said in him, feed my lamb.
Now isn't that gracious? Think of the Lord in instructing the feeding of the lamb to a poor feeling man like Peter. And let's not forget beloved Saints of God.
That the Lambs need feeding.
And let's not get out of patience with the fact that they are Lambs.
For you know, we were all lambs before we became sheep. If we were reckoned among the sheep, you have to be a lamb first. So when we find young believers, either young in years or young, inexperienced, let's not make demands of them as though they were mature things. Well, I've known of brothers that seem to think that someone that wants to be received at the large table should be put through a regular theological cross question.
He ought to be able to answer all the hard questions in the book before he spent to be received at the large table.
Oh, Brennan, I believe it. It's all wrong.
I believe what is required to be received at the Lord's Table is the knowledge of sins forgiven and a walk in corruption before God, a walk before God.
That is honorable and upright and the personal knowledge of sins forgiven and freedom from compromising associations. I believe that that's all that's required.
This this thing of having people wait until they can answer a catalog of questions, I believe is not according to the mind of the Lord.
And I wonder if you ever thought on this point.
I just throw it out as a question for us to think about. I've thought about it all.
Do you find in reading your Bible?
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Anything about two classes of Christians, those that are breaking bread and those that are not, and you find those two classes in your in your Bible.
You do find some who are put under discipline. Yes, put away from among yourselves that wicked person. But outside of those disciplinary cases, you find Christians.
Recognized as Christians who are not among those breaking breath. Well, isn't it something to think about? Now, I don't say that I have the answer to the question, but I I do say that my mind and my heart have turned that over many and many a time.
Save my life, he said to him the second time. Son of Jonas, are you attached to me?
Now do you love me? And he said, yes, Lord, I'm attached to you, he says, shepherd my sheep. He gave the shepherd care into a man, into the hands of man had failed.
Well, that's where the Maple if that was wisdom, because if you know that the one that's trying to help you has had his failures, perhaps you're more ready to listen to him. Supposing that you are very ill in the hospital and and suffering, and you had a long teaching sorrowful illness.
And some great, big, rugged, robust individual comes along that's never had a sick day. And he's lost.
And begins to give you a lot of advice on be courageous and and don't get under things and and try to tell you how to bear your sickness. You just naturally don't care too much for that kind of encouragement. But if there's someone that you know who suffered years himself, who's staggering under a physical infirmities himself and he comes along or she comes along.
And such speak words of comfort to your soul, you say. Well, I can accept that because he's comforting me with the comfort, whereas he himself has been comforted of God, and it's much more acceptable. So God has been set to put the care of the sheep and the lamb in the hands of those that have had failures in their own life.
Well, the Lord dropped down to Simon's level in that third question. So he said The Simon, son of Jonas. Are you attached to me now? Peter agreed because he said on him the third time our thought attached to me. And he said, in him, Lord, thou knowest all things. I'll know that I'm attached to thee. Oh, that's lovely. Peter knew that. The Lord knew his heart. And he does. He was right.
And Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.
See my lambs, shepherd my sheep, feed my sheep, or have any that feeding and that shepherding. I do not believe we realize what a precious thing it is in the eyes of Christ to seek to shepherd his sheep. The shepherd, Mr. Potter, used to say the Lord has shepherds, but he doesn't have shepherd dogs. And you know there's a big difference.
To be able to shepherd the sheep, That's tender, gracious, loving oversight that looks after them because it belonged to Christ.
And you know, things know they instinctively feel. When you come to speak with them personally about problems in their lives, they instinctively see whether you're doing it out of a heart of a love of love, but you're really bidding for their souls good, or whether you're coming in a Pharisee go spirit. Whether you're coming in a superiority with a superiority attitude, they they instinctively feel it. But all if we can be true shepherds.
Shepherd my sheep, feed my sheep. That's very close to the heart of Christ.
Now we were saying about Peter that he was a very energetic.
Quick, active kind of a character.
He was a little bit on the explosive type.
But he had a lot to learn and he learned it, the Lord said. When you were young, you girded yourself and you went wherever you would. That's the kind of man he was, vigorous, a leader. But he said, when you're old, somebody else is going to urge you and going to carry where you don't want to go.
Oh yes, A lot of lightning goes on as we grow older.
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At least it should be. There was a tempering of the metal there. A lot went on there, dear man's soul, and you know at the end.
He had the privilege of being numbered among those that died for Christ. So he told the Lord. So all men forsake me yet? Well, not I I'm willing to die with you.
Vain, empty boast, for he was ready to flee before a little maiden ready to run. But before he finished his course, God gave him the signal honor of being numbered on the roster.
Of those that died for Christ, Lizzie said, signifying by one death he should glorify God.
And when he spoke in this, unto him he said, Follow me.
Oh, how lovely.
Announced it is going to be a martyr.
And said to him, follow me, and oh, how he did follow him, and he's left us two books in the Bible Peter has. And what soul is there here in this room that knows the Lord Jesus Christ, that hasn't been blessed and edified and cheered and encouraged in reading Peter's master?
A lovely noodle. So how you've enjoyed it. Well, he passed through God's meal. He ended victoriously. He died for Christ.
Yes, that's the end of the story. The beginning of the chapter is a little bit disappointing, but the end of it is glorious. May it be so with everyone of us here. Shall we pray?