Address—L. Judd
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Open this meeting by singing that hymn.
In hope we left our wishful longing eyes waiting to see the morning star arise. How bright, how gladsome will his advent be before the sun shines forth in majesty. One was wondering, dear brethren.
How much the coming of the Lord?
Has of a practical effect in our life. We're looking for the Lord to come, but does it affect our lives from day-to-day? Turn to the First Epistle of John, chapter 3. We'll read from the beginning. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.
Therefore, the world knows us not because it knew him not.
Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. Well, our brother just mentioned that verse in the 32nd song. I will guide thee with mine eye. And how true it is, if we're to be guided by his eye, we must be gazing on his face.
Oh, we must be so near to him if we're to be guided by his eye. And this third verse, every man, that half this hope in him, purifies himself even as he is pure. What a practical effect it should have on our lives day by day, if we really.
Are looking for the Lord to come each moment.
Day come before evening or come before morning.
All beloved, I speak to my own heart. If we really talk, we were going to be face to face with our Lord and Savior. I'm sure it would change our actions, change our ways. Our words turn the First Thessalonians, First Thessalonians, chapter one and verse 9.
For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you.
And how you turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. They turned to God from idols for two purposes.
To serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.
Right from the moment they were saved, from the moment they turned to the Lord, they were waiting for the Lord to come from heaven. And in the second chapter, First Thessalonians verse 19.
For what is our hope?
Or joy or crown of rejoicing.
Not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming, for ye are our glory and joy. Those dearest Thessalonians believers were the result of Paul's laborers there in Thessalonica.
And he was looking forward with joy to seeing them in the glory as the fruit of His labor there. It was connected with his service for the Lord to see them there in the glory. When the Lord comes there they are the fruit of His laborers in Thessalonica. All dear ones, is our service for Him in view of His coming again.
Then the third chapter.
Verse 12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love, one toward another and toward all men, even as we do toward you to the end He may establish your hearts.
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Unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His Saints. Well, this is speaking to us of His appearing when He comes with all His Saints, but nevertheless, does it not speak to us of our conduct day by day to the end He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness.
Well, this is the way God is going to have us.
There before himself, we turn to Ephesians chapter one for just a moment.
Verse four According as He has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, so God is holy and God is surely blameless in all that he does.
And he is going to have you and I there in that state, shall we say, reflecting his own character, holiness without blame. But should that not characterize us then as we go through this scene?
Peter would tell us we might just turn the first Peter chapter one.
Verse 14. As obedient children, or children of obedience, not passing yourselves according to your former lust in your ignorance, but as he which has called you is holy, so be holy in all manner of conversations.
Because it is written be ye holy for I am holy. Well blog. I believe this passage in a third of the First Thessalonians would bring before us our our conduct as we go through this scene.
And it might be such as would be honoring to the Lord that we might have in view before us that moment when we will see Him face to face. Are we going to see Him with joy? Or is there that which we wish had been changed all there be no sorrow there. But, beloved, I'm sure we want to see His face with joy. And we might go on then to the fifth chapter.
Verse 23.
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body, breathe, preserve blameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, could we connect it with?
First Corinthians chapter 6, verse 19.
I'm going to read it for Mr. Darby's translation.
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own, For ye have been bought with a price, Glorify now than God in your body.
Oh dear ones, we're not our own. We've been mocked with a price.
It costs the Lord Jesus Christ everything.
We have cost him everything We think about Parable in the 13th of Matthew, the merchant minds seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one Pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
He sold all that he had.
And then in Ephesians 5, Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. All the love, how little we enter into the value that He has put upon us.
And what we have cost him?
We are not our own, we are bought with a price. Then, as our whole spirit, soul and body, our whole being, belong to Him.
Is it used in his service or how much of our time? Whatever we may have.
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Is used for self. All the love that we might enter more and more into the truth that his coming is very, very near. Soon we're going to see him face to face, and every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure.