Brooks Camp Conference: 2017
Table of Contents
Luke 12:1-5
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Our gracious, loving God and our Father, we thank Thee for this beautiful morning. And now we thank Thee for this opportunity that we can open our Bibles and look into Thy precious word. And we just pray that that would give us a portion this morning. We pray for open ears that we would receive Thy word. We pray for the liberty of Thy Holy Spirit that Thou is guide in what is said, that it would be her blessing and for encouragement.
And for instruction.
We thank Thee for this opportunity, we thank Thee most of all, our God and our Father, for thy beloved Son and the perfect work that he accomplished for us on Calvary's cross. And we pray that we would do all to His honor and glory and His worthy precious name. We praise. Amen. Amen.
It would be profitable to take up uh, Luke chapter 12.
And I'm mainly thinking of the.
First, umm.
40 versus umm, the Lord is talking to his disciples and he is giving them some warnings. You know, the Lord soon after this was gonna leave them and he gives them some warnings about things that they're gonna encounter in the pathway. And, uh, he gives them instruction on, on what to do, warnings for trap they might fall into and also encouragement. I think it would be very profitable because we deal with those same things on a day-to-day basis.
So that's something that commends itself. I think there's a lot in there that we could bring out.
Thank you so much.
That they trod upon one another, He began to say unto His disciples, First of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body.
And after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you of whom you shall fear. Fear Him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yeah, I say unto you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him. But him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring unto you, and when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. And one of the companies said unto him, Master.
Speak to my brother, that he divided the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who shall make me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto him, Take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said, This I will do. I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, Take thy knees, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, when those shall.
00:05:04
Then those shall those things be which thou hast provided.
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, What shall you eat? Neither for the body, what shall you put on? The life is more than meat, the body more than raiment. Consider the Ravens, for they neither sow nor reap.
Which neither have storehouse nor barn, And God feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature? 1 Cubit. If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin. Yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
If God so clothed the grass, which is one day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things, or seek ye the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock, for it is for your. For it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom, so that ye have and give alms. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
For wearing your treasure is there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you.
That he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch and find them, so, blessed are those servants, and this know, that if the good men of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would not he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when you think not.
You see that the Lord there exposes especially the religious leaders of the people, the Pharisees and the lawyers and so on. We read that and we often think, yeah, that's right, they needed that. They needed to hear that because there was a lot of things wrong there. But it's good to to keep in mind too, that the word of God often stirs the Searchlight upon ourselves too. And there's a lot of things there that need to be brought out too. And so.
You read in the first verse that there's a big multitude, but he's speaking to his disciples.
You know, as I said, the Lord pretty soon was gonna leave his disciples, and He knew that they were gonna be in difficult circumstances. And he gives them several warnings here, and maybe I'll enumerate some just to kind of have an overview of the chapters might help us. Umm, He warns them against hypocrisy, against trying to be something or look like something that we're not. And he warns them against the fear of the world. There was gonna be persecution. And he warns them that they couldn't just be fearful of the world because they have the Lord. They have the Lord with him.
And then he warns them to have covetousness. And I think that's one that's especially important for us to to think about because we live in a society that's driven by covetousness, by wanting to have more.
And then he warns them too, not to be overcome with the daily cares of the world. And umm, you know, we can look around us and, and we can often look in our own lives and, and all of a sudden realize that so much of our time is taken up with little cares, daily cares, worries about tomorrow. And we really should be trusting the Lord. And then maybe the last thing from verse 31 would be a little bit the opposite of that, that we need to be careful not to be careless.
00:10:00
And the things of the Lord. And so it tells us in the last verse that we read that we need to be ready. And so it shows us we need, can be overcome with too much cares in the world, but at the same time, we cannot be careless when it comes to the Lord's things. And so there's maybe five or six things, you know, maybe there's more to, but if we would, uh, think upon those things, it would really help us in our practical daily walk for the Lord.
And so in that sense, all are addressed, but I think the Spirit of God goes out of his way to to say that the Lord, even though there's a great multitude of people, so much that there isn't even room, they're stumbling over each other. The Lord has a target audience and he's speaking to those who have faith, who are his followers, disciples.
I think that anything that comes out in these meetings and that that we speak about from the Word of God, it's profitable to all who will hear.
With the ear of faith.
If there is no intent to take in the word of God and to do it.
Then, then it will fall on years and it will fall into unprofitable ground. So it's important for each of us to, uh, be attentive to what is said, to what we have, what we have read, most especially the word of God itself. But then the exhortations that are brought out, they're good to you if you receive them by faith.
And it's important to note that, you know, God, as Psalm 51 Says, desires truth in the inward parts, right? And So what is received, we trust will get down into our hearts and into our feet. And, uh, you know, it's important that we live out what we learn from the Word of God and not as the Pharisees here who had an exterior about them who, uh, put on a religious front.
But inside they were totally fake. And you know, and I think, you know, whether we're a young child or, or an older person here, it's important to note that, uh, God looks down, sees what's in our heart and, uh, and, and he wants us to lay hold of these things by faith. He wants us to live out our Christianity in a very real way before him. And, and what the Lord really.
Pleases him is, is, is a, can I say, a fakeness about us? Uh, you know, there's, there's in the Pharisees, uh, characterized that whole movement today of, uh, and right from the very beginning of putting on a religious exterior, uh, a, a profession of, of being, uh, either godly or very pious or what have you. But yet inwardly there is nothing there. It was empty space.
And, you know, the Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisees quite heavily, very, very, uh, sharply because he did not appreciate their, umm, uh, their false exterior that really was not reflective of what was, what was going on in their hearts. And so I just say that, uh, it's important that we are real with God, that we don't live before our brethren or somebody else, a fake life, uh, uh, and, and go about just.
Seeming to be something that we are not. That is what hypocrisy really is. And there's a there's a Pharisee that's in every one of us. Let's get that straight. We were all born into this world as Pharisees and it's of the flesh. And it's important that we get we that we live a real life first before God. And then if we can do that, then that'll, that'll come out in our what's in our heart will come out and, and in reality in our life. And that's what the Lord values doesn't mean.
00:15:02
Here of the leaven of Pharisees. I think that's also a good thing that we think about. Levin is one of those things that is not apparent on the outside. It's something that's hidden. It's it's internal. But the other key element of Levin is that it rapidly spreads.
You take a little bit of yeast and you put it into a lump of dough and it does not take very long at all, and that entire lump of dough has yeast in it.
It spreads. And so this spirit of hypocrisy that is in each one of us, if allowed to go unchecked, it spreads very rapidly.
Umm, and we need to be aware of that. It may not be outwardly apparent that it is in our hearts, but it is there and it spreads very rapidly. The thing that stops the action of Levin is the application of fire, of heat.
And so we need to come, as it were, before God, umm, so that this action of hypocrisy is exposed for what it is and it is stopped. We can't deal with it ourselves. We can't stop it ourselves. It's something that has to be stopped by God and being in in the presence of God himself.
There's a contrast to this description in the Gospel of John chapter one and uh.
Is this is it in John chapter one? So Lord, uh, calls Philip and Philip brings Nathaniel and uh, I'm just struck by the Lord's description of Nathaniel in verse 47 of John chapter one. It says Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and saith of him, behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile.
But I believe it's the opposite of what we're talking about here. Nathaniel was characterized by sincerity, by reality, and the Lord recognized that in him and commended him for that.
And, uh, you know, I think like Mark brought out, there's a a lot in this chapter that really is relevant to our day. And I'd like to touch on one very specific thing especially, and that has to do with social media.
There is a prevalence of of so social media in our society, and I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but it can lead to what we're talking about here because we can put.
Out there on Instagram and things like that, all of these things that give a perception that's different than the reality and that is harmful. It's harmful for us spiritually and it's harmful for those that see that perception.
And it, uh, and they're taken in that fiction. It is important for us, as Josh pointed out, that we need to walk in reality, both with God and with each other. There needs to be sincerity. There needs to be a lack of guile. And, uh, it's so important to us because.
Umm, it's so permeated in our society that, and, and it's not just us, but it's others that are tripped up by it. If we are constantly in this mode of trying to present ourselves on social media in a way that's not in fact real, it causes others to try and keep up with that and it's just creates a domino effect. It's very, very harmful.
So over the fire speak of the self judgment we need to. If we're judging ourselves, then, umm, this.
And it's really the flesh in our lives that would cause us to to walk in a hypocritical way is looking at Matthew chapter 6, verse five. And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to stand pray standing in the synagogues and in the corner of the streets. And what does it say next that they may be seen of men and to me that just really.
00:20:02
Uh, you know, it's, uh, it's in every one of our hearts that has been mentioned. But really when that happens, the Lord loses glory, who deserves it first, and the Saints of God are robbed. And a time that could be for blessing. Umm, you know, in Corinth, it says that they didn't come together for the better, but for the worse. And so that's what the flesh does. And so, you know, in public, our prayer should be short.
And it says in verse 4, Matthew 6, there thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. And so it is if we have a a walk with the Lord, a communion with the Lord, enjoyment of his company in our life, that it will manifest itself. It's when that it's when this is missing and we seek to go on in an outward way.
Then the hypocrisy can come in.
The other part of Levin that I didn't mention is that it's self inflating.
Right. But it it, there's no substance to it. So in a lump of dough.
Leaven cause but it causes bubbles, but they're just air. There's no substance to it and and you're right, we need to be in the presence of God in self judgment. Umm and then we.
Will be preserved.
The question we need to ask ourselves is.
What do we live for? You know, we belong as Christians, we belong to the Lord. But down here, we still have the choice. Do we live for the Lord or do we live for ourselves, for this world? And when it comes to presenting yourself in a way that you're not hypocrites like the Pharisees were, if you live for this world, there's benefit to that. The the Pharisees got out of it what they wanted because people were looking up to that. They held them in a place of honor, but then the Lord exposes it for what it really is.
So there's a lot of people that do that, present themselves much better than they are and it benefits them, but not in the eyes of God. It benefits them through this world. So we need to be honest with ourselves and say we belong to the Lord. Do we, are we willing to live for him? And if we're willing to live for him, then we need to realize, fully realize now God sees me nothing of that we can get by the Lord. Everything is open to the eyes of the Lord.
And so if we wanna make that decision to live for the Lord, not live for down here, but live for what's?
Your future for those things that have eternal value and hypocrisy really has no place because it it it hinders us. You know, it's not only we make other people believe that we're better, but it we start believing it ourselves. And so that's a real hindrance. And if we can't be honest, if we can't be real with ourselves, then it can't be really growth in the things of the Lord.
It might be good to revisit that definition of hypocrisy, the pretense to to being something that I am not.
It might be said, it has been said and I thought hopefully so that dial is the pretense of not being what I am or not recognizing those things about myself that I I wouldn't want others to think of me. The the reality is as born into Adam's race, we all have a nature that is is totally bad, no good thing to be found in the flesh. And so the the believer that realizes these two things.
Is going to be real before the Lord?
If he walks in what he knows.
It might be that you have, umm, a believer who, uh.
Whose lifestyle is not always commensurate with faith.
That aren't according to the word of God. If you see that believer in a corner reading his Bible, that's not hypocrisy. He's doing what a Christian ought to do and you would encourage him in that. And uh, but hypocrisy is pretending to be something that I am not. If such a believer would start to, umm, try to counsel some other believer.
You might be somewhat leery of that advice until there's something in his life that that shows that there's growth in reality there. But just to say that sometimes what we look what that on the outside of the book, what might look like hypocrisy that might be faith showing through in the life of a believer. And we want to encourage that. The apostle Paul, he says, I will. I will therefore that first of all prayers be made and Speaking of public prayer, and he gives a list of things that we ought to pray for.
00:25:26
And, uh, and it's good, it's good to be found, uh, those whose responsibility it is, because we have admitted and we know it to be true, that always there will be something of the flesh in what we do. As long as the flesh is in us, then what we do, there will be something of the flesh evident in it. Most of the time, if not always, those are things that we leave to the Lord to judge. He can discern those things when we don't know our own heart.
But let us let us encourage one another in the right, in the right direction, always.
Thinking about what others are thinking of us, the fear of man being afraid of others. If our eyes are on the Lord. These things.
That's the answer, I believe. Covetousness, looking at the things around us and wanting them.
Cares being worried about things, Peter got his eyes off the Lord and, uh, carelessness has been sidetracked, not having the, the right priority. And so all, all of these things that, uh, we have before us are all getting our eyes off the Lord. And I also here we have the leaven of the Pharisees. That's one thing, isn't it? But there's eleven of the Sadducees, Matthew 11 and 12.
11 of the Pharisees would be ritualism. 11 of the Sadducees would be rationalism, reasoning away scripture. Then there's the, umm, moral leaven in First Corinthians 5, uh, immorality. Then uh, in, uh, doctrine, 11 in Matthew 13. Then the 11 of Herod, which was really worldliness. And so, umm, if it's not one thing, it's another. We, we need to be exercised and in self judgment.
Here we have hypocrisy, but this leaven, like it's been said, is something that spreads. It's, umm, it's a cancer and it's just going to hurt us and those around us. I think we all desire to be a health and encouragement 1 to another. We want to live for the Lord, But if there isn't that self judgment in our lives and being in the presence of the Lord on our own, not just reading our Bible when we come to meeting, but uh, it's been such an encouragement to see younger ones reading their Bible without being asked. That's.
That's proper. We should learn to do that at a young age.
You don't have to be very old to know how to read. But the Lord spoke to Samuel, didn't he? And there came a time when Samuel heard him. And for those that are younger in the room, it may be difficult to read your Bible and understand everything that's being said. But start early reading your Bible and pray 1St and ask the Lord to speak to you. And so I just mentioned this. There's different, different kinds of leaven in the Bible and.
And if it's not one kind, we may be susceptible to another, but we we all have the flesh and we all need self judgment and to be exercised about these things.
I think the important thing to note too, is that if there is, uh, a measure of, of, uh, this hypocrisy, uh, within us, that, umm, uh, I think we need to realize that God will expose that within us at some point in time. Umm, the Lord will put his finger on it and, uh, and he may bring that out and, uh, if, if.
Has been mentioned here. Self judgment isn't an exercise in my life. God may turn the heat up a little bit and, uh, allow that hypocrisy to be exposed and he might have to force me to judge it. And so it's important. And I was just thinking of that in connection with verse 2. But there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed. Uh, neither hid that shall not be known. Therefore, whatsoever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which you have spoken in the urine closets.
00:30:09
Shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. So again, God desires truth in the inward parts if we are going to serve Christ acceptably in this life.
He wants us to be real first. That's where it all begins. He doesn't want us to, to fake our way through. He doesn't want us to be something that we're not. And I hope we're not belaboring this point, but I think it's very important to just be ourselves, be yourself and, uh, and, and, and walk with the Lord in communion and, uh, and let's not be something that we're not.
Each one of us that know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ in which the Lord will go through our life and there will be a a fire that burns away the wood, hay and the stubble. And what is left is what we will be rewarded for. And that judgment seat of Christ, the goal, the focus is on reward. It's not a negative thing, but.
All of these things that we're talking about here, these things that don't have any substance, they will be burned away. There won't be any reward for those things. And so it's so important that there's reality in what we do and that there's substance to what we do, because that's what will be rewarded if that judgment seat of Christ.
Whatever we sell, we're going to reap. And so if I go around and I want to look good and I'm not good inside, I'm sewing to the flesh and I'm going to heat it sows to his flesh of the flesh, reap corruption. So I go around and I want to look good. It's in my in this life, I'm going to be the loser. I'm going to lose.
But someone who just wants has been so beautifully brought out. They just wanna serve the Lord. They just want to be here for the Lord's glory. They're gonna reap that in this life. It may not be exactly. I'm not saying.
I'm not saying anything else about that, like it's gonna be a certain thing, but that's a promise from God. That's a principle, just like moral. There's gravity. If you throw a rock up in the air, it's gonna fall back to the ground. If we sow God's things, we're gonna reap a blessing in that. So if we live humbly before the Lord, there is a blessing in that for us.
Maybe there's a couple of verses in Galatians, Matt that would kind of speak of.
What you were saying, and you know, they might not be exactly on topic, but I think they're related Galatians 6.
Verse three, it says sort of a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. So that would connect to what we've been talking about. But then the next versus but let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone? And I think the rejoicing there in himself alone is not he's happy with himself, but it's that knowledge that you walk honestly before the Lord.
And there's rejoicing in that. It's not an outward reward that it speaks of here, but just a simple, honest work with walk with the Lord. There's rejoicing in that. There's a reward from the Lord in that he can put a stamp of approval on that and doesn't speak here of anything that you'll receive praise from anybody else. But you don't need that. If you're real with the Lord, you're not looking for man's praise. You're just looking for his approval and a steady, quiet walk with him. I think there's a lot of.
Umm, you know, rewarding that, if you wanna call it that, encourages to move on. Because if we walk honestly with the Lord, he will plentifully reward us. And again, it might not be in an outward way at all, but it will be in such a way that we don't wanna be a hypocrite. We, we don't wanna look for man's approval. We just want his approval, and that's plenty.
It says that they that compare themselves among themselves is not wise. And so, brethren, our our our measuring stick is not one another, it's Christ. And so if we're seeking to meet the standards in our own mind of what that brother or that sister has set forth in their life, and I want to be like them again, our focus is wrong. Christ ought to be our focus, our focus.
00:35:26
And that will enable us to live in reality before this world and before our brethren. Otherwise it becomes a vicious circle of comparing ourselves among ourselves. And, and brethren, we're, we're imperfect people. And we start using ourselves as that measuring stick. Uh, we're gonna find awfully quick that we're gonna fall short or we're gonna get discouraged or what have you. Uh, so again, we need to lift our eyes off of one another, off of things around us that that's already been brought out. And we need to lift them up above this scene and look to Christ.
Mm-hmm.
First Timothy, Chapter One.
In verse five it says now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfair and like Mark was saying.
Josh here that.
The important thing is that we be real first of all for our own benefit, because when it speaks of good conscience, when it talks about God with answers to a good conscience, if we are not being real with ourselves, we.
Are the first ones that are going to recognize that the lie that we're living and it's going to hinder us in our life because we cannot answer to a good conscience and so there cannot be growth. There cannot be.
Through in our life and we cannot answer to a good conscience and we do as it says here be found umm, in a wok that has to do with a group contention of faith, I'm saying.
22 since we all were youthful less but follow righteousness, space, charity and peace within the column. The Lord out of the pure heart. Those are also things we need to, umm, speak after. But I was just thinking the last part. The company we keep can be a tremendous preservation of those. We're going to keep the company. Let's have a good context. We can be a real blessing to us and we can be a help to them.
So in verses one to three, we have the Lord exhorting his disciples to be, uh, free from hypocrisy.
Verses 4:00 to 12:00, We have the Lord now exhorting his disciples to be free from the fear of man. Uh, this again has been pointed out as being something that, that will hinder us in, uh, our Lord's absence from this world, from uh, performing the service that he has for each one of us is if we are taken up with the fear of man that can stunt our service, hinder our service for Christ and something that we are.
We need to be free from, don't we?
And I think that there is an order. Mark was talking earlier about how important it is to just walk quietly with the Lord when you it's like building a building. If you don't have a good foundation, you look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you build this big, old, tall building and it can't hold itself up. You look at the pyramids in Egypt and they have a tremendous foundation that holds that big, old, huge building. They haven't shifted. You can't put a piece of paper in between those blocks. And those things have been there for thousands of years. It's amazing.
In our lives we have to have, like Mark was saying, we have to have that quiet walk with the Lord. That's real. If we don't have confidence in ourselves and in the Lord, not in US, I guess confidence in the Lord in our lives.
00:40:10
It's really hard to stand against the pressure that's around us.
There's been studies, umm, where there's a row of people and they ask all the people that are in the study except for one person to vote the wrong way. So they have two lines.
One lines like this line, there's no way that people are mistaken that they're the same one lines like that line and the other lines like that long so one's really, you know, they're obviously.
They're not the same. There's no question. And they ask, there's this line of 10 people and they ask the people to vote for which line was the longest. And one person was the person being studied in this, in this test. And they would have all the people vote the wrong way. They told them before we want you to vote the wrong way. So everybody raise your hand when the small line is the longest. And everybody would raise their hand except for the one person. And he looked down the row one way and he looked down the road the other way. And he ended up raising his hand even though he knew.
It was wrong. That's the fear of man. But when we walk quietly before the Lord, we have confidence in him and then we can stand these things. We can be the, the only person that that's, that's different. We were reading the other day about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And if you can imagine kids, uh, field full of people like we're out there playing baseball or something and it's full of people and every single person vows down except for you.
Do you think you would feel like you stood out a little bit?
But they had confidence in the Lord that even though they were the only ones standing.
They were going to honor the Lord, them that honor me, them I will honor, and they were willing to stand there. And that confidence in the Lord, and in that quietness we have with the Lord the genuineness. It gives us strength to withstand this fear of man.
Before we leave verse three, I'd just like to say real quick, verse two, we have things that we might do.
Say, and you know, we can be hypocritical by the things that we say in private to others. The the Pharisees despise the Lord Jesus and the disciples they hated him and.
We can tear down with our mouths in private and really what is that? It's the flesh and it's pride within that would speak down of another and think so well of myself.
And so I think it's good to see that in that verse, it's not only what we're doing, but it's what we're saying, umm, behind closed doors because, umm, what you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light. And the Lord has this way of rebuilding things that we, as James Three says, can tear down. Umm, and, uh, there could be a lot of destruction. The, the tongue is a world of evil. So I think it's a good thing for us to be exercised about what we're saying behind closed doors and.
Umm, judging ourselves as to what we are and not despising others and and tearing them down. The Lord sees and hears all of that.
The verses that the Lord those things will be saying private about others that might not be pleasant. The Lord can reveal that there's a verse about the days.
Sharing that out. So that's why we need to speak kind of our brother and genuine.
You know, sometimes in our life we.
We're not necessarily subject to, uh, persecution to the degree of being killed through our faith, but that isn't the only thing that we're talking about here. That's specifically what it's talking about before what it talks about. Those that have the capacity to kill the body, but that's the limit. They don't have any ability to impact anything beyond that.
And the reality of of Christianity, though, is that even in our life here in this country where we don't necessarily need to worry about being martyred for the name of Christ, there is still such a thing as the fear of man. I will confess, having experienced that myself in my workplace, there are there was a man that I used to work with named Eric.
00:45:10
Who was not a very nice person. And he desperately needed the gospel. And I knew that my heart that this man needed the gospel. And I was afraid of them. And I did not give him the gospel. And at 40 years of age, he died in the line of duty. And to this day I still feel a pang of responsibility because I never presented this man with the gospel because I was afraid of him.
And so.
We can apply the principles of this chapter even though we're not talking necessarily from the standpoint of, umm, being afraid of men, from the standpoint of being thrown into a fiery furnace like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We can apply these same principles in our interactions with people at school and at work, where there is a tendency to be afraid of their reaction and their response to it. We can go for it with boldness, knowing that it isn't a lot.
The Lord will go with us.
And, uh, you know, and it talks about, I think it's in, uh, first Corinthians, it talks about those that preach the gospel. It was that Paul a planet and Apollo's water, but it was the Lord that gave the increase. And so we can be afraid from the standpoint of what they're, what their response will be to us, what they'll think of us. But the power of God is very real and it can have an effect on even the most difficult and, uh.
Contentious person. And uh, we can.
Reap the rewards of having had an opportunity to present the gospel to someone that really needed it.
Dale, there is a.
But I thought of that really links what you're talking about with the, the idle words spoken, that the, the hypocritical words spoken in secret with this group. What we have in verse 4 on this, the, uh, the fear of the Lord setting us free from the fear of man. And I'm thinking of Matthew 1236. It says, I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
So when we have verse four, it speaks about.
In our chapter, it speaks about who we should fear. That's the fear of God. Those those things that we say in in quiet. The time is coming at the judgment seat of Christ when if we have not judged them here, we'll have to judge them there. We can do it in His presence here, or we can do it in His presence then when He has to bring it forward and we suffer loss because of it.
So it may be it probably is that you, like I are guilty. Any one of us here, they're saying things that we we regret having said. Let's judge it before the Lord. Let's let's judge it now and and make it right. And if there's a brother or sister that we've offended, let's bring it to them and apologize to them.
Give them the opportunity to forgive us so that there can be healing from it and and get it right.
Because if we won't do it here, it will come up at the judgment seat of Christ and will suffer loss for it. Instead, we can gain one another and we can grow in our relationships with each other if we'll be real with each other and with the Lord, to bring into remembrance those things that are hidden in our lives, whether it's hypocrisy or guile, or, as we're speaking about now, the fear of man.
Can somebody, umm, maybe help us on how we as Christians are to fear God? And there's a lot of kids here and who might, uh, be questioning that. How are we as Christians, are we to fear God? What? And if so, what are we to fear? Can somebody help us out with that?
Let's read verses 4:00 and 5:00.
I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body. Later on, the Lord is going to say in revelation, be faithful and to death. Be willing to give your life for my sake. There's something greater.
Rest of verse four. And after that have no more that they can do, but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear.
Remember, he's speaking to his disciples, but his disciples aren't the only ones there. There may be there some, uh, who don't have faith.
00:50:09
I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell, into Gehenna, into the Lake of fire. Yeah, I say unto you, fear him.
There is that sense in which man should fear God.
Because everything that passes through our in our life, all that we allow, all that we think, all that we say, and so on.
That will come under review and the Lord will bring into judgment those things that need to be judged. And if I'm an unbeliever, that will be my person if I'm a believer.
What we sow in this life we reap. That's been mentioned. But then too we can suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. It's the starting point.
There you get some 67 care that the Lord has for us. And so the fear is not being afraid of God, but it's more having a respect for who He is and a realization of his love for us. But that respect would be that, you know, I've been thinking of Jonah lately. Jonah was one who the Lord had something in mind for him to do.
And Jonah went the other way, and the Lord had to come in and deal with Jonah and, umm, allow sorrow in his life. And I think if we all had a healthy fear of the Lord in this way, realizing that He loves us too much to let us go our own way and that He's faithful.
Ever faithful with us, if we had that kind of respect and understanding and realization, umm, it would help us in our in our walk.
With the Lord.
We bring this out like Steve did. There's two audiences we might say here, there's those that you might say are are people of faith and there are those that may not be and umm, the fear of the Lord from the standpoint of verse 5 is a very real thing. It says knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men it is a real thing that the the potential of one accent into the last eternity and going through.
But we know from the word of God that lies before them is a very real thing. It's a very, very serious thing. And there should be an abject tear of that from an unbeliever. But for the believer like has been brought out, there is a real luck. And so we we no longer have that fear that that tears of judgment. The Lord bore that penalty for us at Calvary.
And so now we have been brought into a relationship. Well, let's let's you characterize the relationship between a father and a child. It should be reverence, it should be respect. And it it doesn't bring us into a place of familiarity where we we just act like.
Like they're our best friend and not our father they should always our relationship with.
God the Father should always be characterized by a reverential fear.
And, umm, but it's a totally different thing than what we're talking about for an unbeliever, which is the terror of the Lord having to do with, uh, eternal judgment, damnation.
Unfortunately, our time has gone, brethren.
I wanted to share one more thing, you know.
I just understand the fear of God is this way. Think of your dad. You all know you have dads that love you. Think of say something. He says there's a jar of cookies, simple illustration. He says don't take them. So you don't take the cookies, not because you're gonna spank and if you do, but you take it. You don't take them because your dad asked him to not take him because he loves you. And so you're not afraid the punishment, but you don't do it because you he asked you and you love him and you know your dad loves you.
And that's also a thing he asked you to do. You just obediently obey. You don't have to argue. It's the same thing. You know he loves you. I don't know.
00:55:04
I think it stands in contrast. You know, there's a slogan in this world. Some of us may even be wearing a merchandise from that company. But that slogan is No Fear. And that is not a A.
That's not an incorrect thought. We we do have.
Uh, reason to have a godly reverential umm. We read in the word of God that God is greatly to be feared and held in reverence of all them that are about him. We serve an awesome God. We serve a God who made everything by the word of his power.
We have been brought into a relationship with Him through the work of His beloved Son, but we still need to recognize, brethren, that He is the Lord of all.
And so I I'd like to put it this way.
Umm, if we were brought into even the presence of, uh, the governor of the state of Washington, there is a certain deportment, a certain way of addressing the governor of the state of Washington, let alone the president of the United States or some other dignitary. That is becoming and, and we need to recognize that.
In my line of work, I work for a, uh, Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. And when I addressed him, I addressed him as Sir, uh, because that is the correct term of respect for the position that he occupies. And we need to be re. We need to recognize that this world that we live in has cast off the concept of respect and authority and, and that should not characterize us.
As Christians we need to be aware of that. We we have been brought into a wonderful relationship umm of of nearness. We cannot be nearer to God.
Because we've been brought into relationship through the work of His beloved Son. But we still need to speak in terms of reverence when we speak of the Lord Jesus and God the Father.
Often you'll hear.
Brother and pray to our God and Father and that acknowledges Him and His position of deity and our position of relationship. It is a, it is a, umm, a way of acknowledging our reverence and respect and our relationship and both of those are important. Familiarity has not become a saying of God.
To your point, brother Matt, the young man was once asked by a friend, If you do this, what are you afraid of? You're afraid that your dad will hurt you? His answer? I'm afraid that I'll hurt my dad.
Our God and our loving Father, we do thank Thee so much that thou hast given to us to know who thou art, that thou hast bestowed such love upon us that we should be called children of God, Children of God.
Help us to have that fear of displeasing the.
And of bringing upon the name of Thy beloved Son any form of dishonor. Help us to be real with Thee, and true to who Thou hast made us. The honour and dignity that belongs to those who are sons of God, that we might walk according to the vocation wherewith we are called. That we might seek to honor our Lord Jesus Christ. And so we would just look to the end, and let ourselves to Thee for the remainder of this day.
We thank thee again for this time in Thy word and fellowship that we can enjoy together. We commit it to thee in Jesus worthy name, Amen.
The Next Generation
Address—Marc Debu
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Let's look to the Lord for its health.
A gunpowder. This song truly is a prayer.
And the prayer is the desire is that the Lord Jesus would be our object and our lives down here.
Umm, we realize we live in a world full of distractions, but help us Lord, you have a single eye. Help us Lord to be focused, to be focused on the Lord Jesus and to eternity that's ahead, not only a few days down here. So we pray now for help as we open thy word. We pray that we all would have open ears and hearts ready to to receive what thou has to say to us.
Umm, we pray this Lord Jesus and thy worthy name, Amen.
We'd like to start with umm, a couple of verses and second Peter chapter one.
And we'll start from verse one.
Second Peter, chapter one, verse one.
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
And tonight, I have it on my heart to speak specifically, umm, to those that are.
Teenagers or close to teenagers or maybe a little older that are, you know, approaching 20 years old and so on. Because I wanna talk to you.
All of you guys and girls a little bit.
As about being the next generation, you know, we don't know how long the Lord is gonna leave us here. We expect him to come at any moment.
But the Lord is all wise, and maybe we are gonna be here for some more years and umm.
There are gonna be those. If that's the case, they're gonna pass away and they're gonna be spots that need to be filled up. And so I wanna talk to you, umm, as being those that Lord willing, would go on and fill those spots, step up, grow and be a help, umm.
And your local assembly, but just be a help when it comes to being a testimony for Lord Jesus Christ in this world. You know, I think I can speak for all of us here that are a little older, that it's our desire that each one of you would have or would be successful in life. And we're talking about in your spiritual life, you know, as parents. And there's some here that are grandparents.
It's such a burden to each one of us to see our children or grandchildren, our young people.
To go on for the Lord and so I want to talk to you a little bit about that and I read these verses to start with to show us that to be successful in our spiritual life is something that is very much within our reach. You know, we think when we look around us about so much discouragement that there is, but this third verse here tells us that.
The Lord, according to His divine power, had given unto us all things that pertain.
Until life and godliness and uh, you know, maybe very simply, I take that to be that the Lord has given us everything that we need to be able to follow him to be God like in our lives down here. You know, God hasn't asked us to follow him and not, not given us the resources to do that God has given us.
Everything that we need to lead successful, fruitful Christian lives down here. And so that's.
That's a tremendous thing, umm, to think about. We're not asked to do this by ourselves. The Lord has provided all things that we need. We have the Word of God, we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a high priest on high. We have fellow believers that God has given us to encourage us. He has given us everything that we need to be successful. The Lord wants us to be successful, and He's gonna help us if we have a desire to do that.
But this morning, umm, I think it was Josh, he quoted that verse from Psalm 21 That the Lord desires truth in the inward parts. And we spoke about how we need to be real in our lives, not being hypocrites. Well, there's another thing that we need to be real about, and we need to be real about the times that we live in, you know, God and His word.
00:05:24
From Genesis to Revelation, there's an order.
To God's Word, not everything is the same. And you know, you've probably heard the word dispensation a lot of times. And we need to know if we wanna serve the Lord in an intelligent way, we need to know where we are at in God's, umm, timeline, if you wanna call it that. You know, dispensation means house economy. House order is the way in which God deals with its people at a certain time.
Today we live in the day or the dispensation of grace. God deals with us in grace. We are saved by grace. We preach the gospel of grace. God deals with us in grace as opposed to.
What they used to be the dispensation of law.
And we live at the very last days of that dispensation. And let's turn to Second Timothy, chapter 3.
Verse one. It says this. Know also that in the last days perilous or difficult times shall come.
And so, young people, you need to realize that we're in those very last days. We are in difficult times. The world is very much opposed to anything that has to do with Christianity. And so if you wanna be successful, that's something we need to realize, the times that we live in.
And I'm going to ask a question now, and I think in this room, probably almost every assembly from the Northwest here is represented. And I'm gonna ask one question to several people. I'm gonna ask it to people that are a little bit older, young people that are a little bit older. And the question is this, when you think back when you were a little child.
And you compare it to today, your home assembly.
Are there more people or less people? I'm gonna make a point.
Kevin, you're from Walla. Walla. Is it more or less? Less. OK, Umm, let's hear. Jonathan, why don't you? I don't know if there's any people that you're from Richmond, BC what would it be? All right, let's see. Caleb, I don't see where you are, but you're from Spokane.
Is Caleb here?
He's he's not here. OK, well, there's some others here. Who, umm who's there here from Tacoma that could answer that question? How about you, Heidi? What do you think?
About the same. That's good. It doesn't have to be less.
Umm, who else do we have? Where's Cody or Michael from tri-cities?
There might be more praise of the Lord. That's great. That's wonderful.
Umm Gresham? Anybody from Gresham or Vancouver that area?
Less people. All right, I'm gonna speak for Kirkland and Marysville. It's left there too. And so, you know, there was a couple that said, umm, about equal or more. And that's wonderful. It just shows us that even the last phase, the Lord is working. You know, we can't limit the Lord. He, he can do whatever. But I think we will notice as kind of a, an, an general.
Answer to that. And if we would go across the country, I think it would certainly would be like that.
The answer would be less.
And, and we have to be honest about that. We live in the last days. If we expect, especially as young people, for things to get better and things to grow when it comes to numbers, we're probably gonna end up being disappointed and discouraged.
But the fact that it is less in most cases, it does not have to be a discouragement. It shows us that we're very close to the Lord's coming. You know, if you look back to the previous dispensation or the way God dealt with its people, the dispensation of the law, it was exactly the same. It ended with very few in number.
00:10:04
But we don't find them discouraged. Let's look at Malachi chapter 3.
And verse 16, it's a verse that we.
All know very well it says then, then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord heart, and then heard it. And a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And so here this is the last book, umm, not only in the Old Testament, but also time wise, the last three books, umm, time wise when it came to that time. And then we have about 400 years that we really don't have any.
Direct word from God, but that's what those that were real, umm, were occupied with. It was about talking about the Lord. If you would read the whole book of Malachi, you would find that there was a lot to discourage in those days. And then even if we would turn to the New Testament, you know, at the very end of that dispensation when the Lord actually already was on earth, you think of umm, Luke chapter 2 when the Lord was just a little baby and they brought him to Jerusalem to.
We find two people there. Simeon and Annie would think, here's the Messiah they've waited for for so long, and when it's come to the temple, there's two people there. That's not very much. It does say that Anna then went and talked to all those that feared the Lord. So there were others, but it's a characteristic of the last days of a dispensation that there's.
Not might, say growth or even a multitude of numbers.
But again, that should not discourage us here. These people were occupied with the Lord. The Lord looked down and he approved of it and he remembered it. And that's all really, that we would seek after. It's the Lord's approval. And so again, as young people, umm, I don't think it would be right to expect that things.
In the Christian testimony that things among the gathered Saints.
Are gonna grow in that sense. Now, there's different kinds of growth. Numbers is just one of them, and it's not the most important one by a long shot. You know, I come from an assembly in Belgium where when I grew up there were about 14 people.
And now let's say 30 years later, there's eleven people, but I can tell you and there's others that have visited that that assembly has grown tremendously, tremendously and so growth.
Is different. You know, there can be a great amount of people with a lot of deadness. You know, if you would have gone when the Lord Jesus was on earth to Jerusalem, you would have seen a lot of religious activity, a lot of things going on that might have even looked good.
To the natural eye, but the Lord didn't find very much there that he could identify with, that he could be pleased with so much show that the last week of his life before umm, he went to the cross. He spent his evenings outside of Jerusalem. There was not a place of rest for him there. When he went into Jerusalem, it was to cleanse the temple. It was to tell the leaders how bad they have done.
That's but again, from an outside point of view it would have looked good.
Because we later read and ask that the Ethiopian eunuch went to Jerusalem to find answers and he didn't find it. He found it outside. And so we shouldn't, umm, it's, it's a natural thing to kind of look up or stand in awe of, of outward display of, of great numbers. But that's not what we should be looking at. Let's go back.
Umm, to.
Uh, second Timothy.
For another verse of encouragement and and brother Matt, he referred to it. So we've already seen that the Lord has given us all things that we need to be successful in our spiritual lives down here. And it's Second Timothy 2, the last part of verse 22.
It says follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them, that call on the Lord out of the pure heart. And so one of the things that I mentioned that the Lord has given us is fellow believers that can help us, that can encourage us, and that we too can be an encouragement to hear. So here you look and there's, you know, a big group of kids, young people, and it's wonderful to see, very wonderful to see.
00:15:08
Realize the effect you can have.
On one another, you know, from when you're young and especially as you go through the teenage years and becoming an adult.
The company that you have, the friends that you have.
Are often to a large extent kind of determine where you're gonna end up. You know those that have that are a little older we've probably often seen people that start having friends that we're like that's not a good sign and then a few years later you ask where so and so they're they're gone they're gone they've been LED away by bad company. So that's one thing to be very.
Careful of and to think about, you know, because we, we choose our friends. That's something there's certain things in life that we can't choose, but we can choose who we wanna hang out with and that choice is gonna have a huge influence on our lives. So, you know, there's an appeal here to to choose good friends, but also to try to be a good influence and encouragement to those that are your friends.
Let's go to chapter one of, uh, Second Timothy and I was talking about the next generation.
And, umm, you know, we often hear people say that the Christian pathway is not a Sprint, it's a marathon. And that's very true in our individual lives. The Lord really appreciates consistency. You know, there's people.
That have run the race for 80 or 90 years and the Lord values that so much. But it's something else too. It's not only a marathon, but it's a relay race too. We pass on the baton. Here's generations. And Paul speaks about that, that he has to find faithful man to pass on the truth, who can teach the truth to others also. And so throughout Christianity, that's how it's gone. There's been many faithful men that lived.
Times serve their generation and then they passed on. They died. But then another generation steps in. And so, you know, looking over this room, most people here are the next generation. There's not too many here, except for the parents that are around my age. Most of you people are young people. You know, think about that. About a month ago, I was talking to somebody who wasn't in his early mid 20s.
And he'd been at the Walla Walla conference, he'd been at the Kirkland conference. And he said.
Yeah, I was kind of thinking after those conferences, he said. I really enjoyed the things that were said, but I was looking around and I was seeing a lot of old people, he said. And it's true. And he said, I was thinking, you know.
In 1015 years, a lot of them might not be here anymore.
And he said, and I'm going to be one of those that probably or that better get going. And you know, I talked to him from he said that's that's true because that's how it goes. And you know, if you think all of us representing quite a few local assemblies, you think about that there's probably quite a few people in your assembly that if the Lord leaves us here a little while longer, might not be here anymore.
And don't just think about those that take, umm, you know, a public pardon, speaking in the reading meetings or preaching the gospel.
Because there's many, many parts to a well functioning assembly. It's not just those that talk that might be the most obvious, that there's gonna be older ones that pass away. That old son said, hey, there's nobody here that comes and cleans the meeting room anymore. There's all kinds of things that need to be done that the body of Christ as individual members, we work together. And so you young people, all of you have.
Some function in your local assembly, but if we look at it larger too, in the body of Christ.
And so, yes, for it to continue to function well, the Lord wants each one of you to be serious, to be real, to step up, to fill whatever function that the Lord has for you. And so in chapter one, Paul says this to Timothy. And, and think of it this way. Second Timothy is the last epistle that Paul wrote that we have in the word of God. You know, he talks in chapter 4 how he was soon to be offered.
His path of service down here was about to come to a close and Timothy was a younger brother. And it's like Paul is saying here, I'm, I'm about at the end, you need to step up now. You need to take over. I mean, we all are different. The Lord has a different, umm, plan with each one of us. So he wasn't supposed to do exactly what Paul did, but he was supposed to do what God had for him to do. And so we don't need to copy people.
00:20:26
But we need to realize that God has a plan for each one in our lives. And he says this in umm, verse 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God. That's what Paul told Timothy.
And we'll talk maybe a little later a little bit about gifts, but what I wanna focus on here in this verse is that he says stir up if we are going to be a help to the Lord's people.
Action is required. It's not going to happen by just sitting back. We need to do, we need to be active, we need to be energetic. Of course, everything needs to be done independent upon the Lord, led by the Holy Spirit. But we need to get with it. If you wanna get, you know, everybody realizes and we find it natural that if you wanna get somewhere in the world.
You need to go for it. You need to be active. But it seems like we we don't have the same idea when it comes to spiritual things if we just gonna sit back. We think that somehow when we turn 40.
It will just happen. That's not how it works. That's not how it works. You know, I live in Seattle and I think literally within 10 miles of where I live, the two richest people in the world live.
And if you look at the lives of those people, you know, obviously they were successful. They're the two richest people in the world and the way the Lord the world looks at it. But those people were extremely driven. They went for it. They gave their lives for whatever they were pursuing and they, they were successful. They made it. And so sometimes it's, it's kind of a good thing to meditate upon. Why do we see so many people that.
In natural things.
Are so successful, have gotten so good. You think of people that are aptly think and do great things. It's because of a lifetime of dedication. None of them woke up one day and could do what they did or were able to accomplish something. It all took a lot of hard work. And so in the Christian pathway, if we want to grow, we will need to have energy. We will need to be active.
And umm, let's turn to Chapter 3 again.
And now verse 14, you know the 1St 13 verses of that chapter are taken up with all kind of the bad things, the evil that would become more and more as time went on in the Christian testimony. But now he says this in verse 14. But continue thou and the things which thou hast learned and have been assured of knowing of whom thou hast heard them.
And that 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.
Yeah, I wanna tell you this, young people.
If you want to be successful in your Christian life, each one of you has a huge head start and be very thankful for that. Just the very fact that you're here, you can hear these things your parents have brought you here means that you've had parents, grandparents, whatever that have had a desire that you would be successful in the Christian life. You know, there's no doubt some here that we're, uh, saved later in life and didn't.
That background, now Timothy, he had heard the scriptures from a child. Now for Timothy, that would obviously have been the the Old Testament because the New Testament wasn't there yet. But then he had been with Paul who had expounded to him the truth that we have in the New Testament. And so if you live in a Christian home and you hear the scriptures being read and you're able to go to meeting and again hear the scriptures, you have a huge, huge head start.
Now have you, you know, probably most of you have gone to a track and the Oval is 400?
Meters, 440 yards. What if you did a 440 yard race and you got to start halfway? That would be pretty nice, wouldn't it?
It still doesn't mean you're gonna win because there's still 200 yards of opportunity to stumble or to go outside the lines and be disqualified. And so it doesn't mean that you automatically going to be successful. But it's a nice head start. It's a nice head start. Appreciate that. And when you have readings at home when you're able to go to meeting.
00:25:13
Be thankful for it, pay attention, know if you spend the 1St 18 years of your life listening to the things that are said, you're gonna be far, far ahead of somebody who gets saved later on in life. And so Timothy here, he had that too. But then Paul has to tell him, stir up the gift that's within you. You've had all these advantages by hearing the scripture from a child.
But you still need to get with it. You still need to go on. You still need to press on because.
There are many that get that head start and still are not successful in their spiritual life. And so we need to keep the object, the price in mind. Just like we read, there's many objects, things that our heart can be occupied with that are not Christ. And so we need to be very careful that we, uh, continue in the path that our parents have set us on.
And then the last two verses it says all scripture is given by inspiration of God.
And is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness. Thus the man of God, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. And so when it comes to walking, the being successful is gonna be based on the word of God. It's gonna be based on the word of God. This is where we learn about the Lord. This is where we learn about Christian truth. This is where we find what we need to be.
Successful. You know, if Uncle Vern Clark would be here, he would say something like, and I can't quote it exactly, but he would would say we have not. How does he say we don't have a spark of light or a little bit of light in this inky darkness of eternity if it wasn't for the word of God? I didn't say that right, Dale, Did I? But it was something like that. It was pretty. Yeah. I've heard him say that a couple of times. And he's right. If we didn't have the word of God.
We wouldn't have a clue. We wouldn't have a clue. We would be hopelessly lost. So appreciate all that you have and don't neglect yourselves, no matter how old you are to be occupied with the word of God, you'll never go wrong. Be occupied with the word of God. All right, now I want to look quickly and I'll have a watch. Let me know if I'm going too long. Umm, I wanna look quickly at 2 old stories in the New Testament.
That I think help us. Thank you.
When did we start?
All right, that that will help us. And the first one is in Matthew 25.
And it's it's two portions that we're all very familiar with.
Matthew 25 and verse 14.
For the Kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave 5 talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man, according to his several abilities, and straightway took his journey. Nahida had received the five talents, went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents, and likewise Cedar had received two. He also.
Game too, but he had received one. Wenden digged in the earth and hit his Lord's money. After a long time. The Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received the five talent game and brought other five talent, saying, Lord, thou delivered us unto me 5 talents. Behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou have been faithful over a few things.
I will make the ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou delivers unto me two talents. Behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make the ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Well, I don't really want to talk about gifts. There's several chapters in the New Testament that talk to us about gifts and how the Lord that gives us gifts and it says that He gave gifts unto all. So.
If we look over this room and we assume that everybody is saved, everyone is a gifted person, everyone is a gifted person and is the Lord here that gives the gift And so we we don't have to. It's not something that we need to worry about. You know, the Lord is all wise and here according to his gift, according to his wisdom gives the gift and it says here according to southeast to Southeast, his several abilities so.
00:30:24
He knows and he gives and so that's not what our gift is. It's something that umm, we need to be occupied with. But what I wanna focus on here is that the 1St 2 day traded with what God had given them or what their Lord had given them. And again, just like with Timothy, he was to stir up the gift that's with within him. These two, the first two, they got busy. They were active. It's a story that speaks of.
The Lord going into heaven, the far country, and in the mean time he has given us things to do. He has given us things to do. And there's going to be a time coming where it says here he came back after a long time. It's almost 2000 years now. But then he reckoned with those servants and there's gonna be a time coming that the Lord is gonna come back and we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
And we know as believers that the judgment seat of Christ is a positive thing. It's a thing where the Lord will find with each one of us.
Things which which he can say. Well done though. Good and faithful servant. You know, he's such a gracious God.
We look at our own lives and we see so much failure, but when the Lord is going to look, he's going to find things and he's going to praise us for it. And I think we're going to say really. So it's a positive thing. It the judgment seat of Christ. It's a wonderful thing to think about because you know, to think of.
Everything is gonna be exposed. We'll realize really what we were. And still the Lord loved us and died for us. It just, it's gonna make him so much more precious for all eternity. But now that we're down here, the Lord expects us to trade, to use what he has given us. And you know what's so beautiful about this story?
Is both of them. It didn't matter if they were really gifted or a little bit less gifted.
Both of them had 100% profit. You know, think of that. Five turned into 10, two turned into four. That's amazing. You know, if you go to the bank with some money and you say, hey, I want a savings account and I wanna 100% return on that savings account, or you go to a stockbroker and say, hey, I got some money that I want to invest, can you guarantee me 100% return?
If you find somebody like that, let me know, but the point is.
If we are doing being occupied with the Lord's things, with what he has given us, we will never lose. You know, if if you stock traders, there have been years that they made a big profit, but the next year they might lose it all.
But with the Lord's things, if we're occupied with the Lord's things, and that's something that we need to get hold of, we will grow, we will profit, There will be fruit. It's impossible to lose. It's impossible to lose if we would have, you know, gone back to chapter 3 thereof, Malachi, a few verses back, the Lord says prove me now, prove me now. And I don't think we do that enough. I don't think we do that enough.
That we, you know, in a way, it said. The Lord is saying he's challenging us.
Test me and see if the things that I've told you, the things that I've promised you, if they're not true, and we'll find them to be true every single time. So this is something that though God guarantees us, he says if you're occupied with what I've given you to do, there will be growth.
You know, makes me think of that. You know, we all know the parable of the sower.
And if you look at Mark's gospel, which is in Mark, the Lord has presented as the servant. So one who works, it speaks of when the seed falls in the good ground, it will bring a fourth fruit, 30 fold, 60 fold, 100 fold, the growth. And that's how it works for us as Christians. As we're growing, as we're getting older and we are occupied with the Lord of things, there's more and more fruit.
And.
Well, this kind of side note, but in Matthew it says 100 fold to 60 fold and 30 fold. What I talked about we're living at the end of the dispensation. Matthew is more dispensational book and the fruit over the timeline of Christianity has gone down. You know, we're reading Acts 1. Paul Peter preached and 3000 were saved. That's a hundredfold. But now you know there's gospel meetings every week and sometimes.
00:35:15
Years and nobody gets saved. That's thirtyfold.
That's the time that we live. And so we need to realize that, like I said in the beginning, the day that we live in, it's not gonna be a day of great things, but still a day for growth. It's still a day to be encouraged because the Lord is the same. That hasn't changed. Circumstances has changed. The state of Christianity has gotten lower and lower, but the Lord is the same. And we don't serve Christianity, we serve the Lord. It's true. We're part of that, and we have to own our failure in the state that there is.
But there is a path to go on for the Lord, just like there was a path to go on for the Lord in Acts chapter 2. All right, I'm gonna finish with going to the book of Acts and to read a little story there too.
Acts Chapter 20.
So Paul was here in Troas.
And he was on his way to Jerusalem and will read from verse seven. It's another well known story. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the Morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together. And there's in a window. Excuse me, A certain young man named Eutychus being fallen into a deep sleep.
And as Paul was long preaching, he sung down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down and fell on him, and embraced him, said, Trouble not yourself, for his life is in him, when he therefore will come up again, and have broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day. So he departed, and they brought the young man alive.
And were not a little comforted.
You know, the book of Acts as a historical book, and so we have a lot of, umm, stories about things that happened.
You know, and it's kind of interesting to think when we think of Paul's missionary journeys, some of them took three years, and no doubt many things happened. So the stories that we have in the books of Acts is just a very, very small sample of what happened to Paul during his strips. And so the Holy Spirit has chosen certain episodes, certain stories to be put into the word of God for very specific reason, because he wanted us.
To read these stories and to learn from them. And so we here, we have a story of a young man falling out of a window. But there's a lot in there that can speak to our hearts. And since I am, you know, addressing the young people, I want you guys to kind of put yourself into that place. Think of this. Paul was there. He was ready to go away the next day.
And umm, later on in the chapter, he's talking to the Ephesian elders and he tells them that they're not gonna see his face anymore. This was the last time.
And so I don't know if these people in later on got to see Paul again, but this might have been the last time that they saw Paul and they, they probably knew it. And in those days, umm, you know, somebody left, you might not see them for years. And it wasn't a time of communication like we have now. You really didn't see them or hardly ever heard from them unless a letter was written. And so I can imagine when Paul was there.
That, umm, most of them.
Would have been kind of hanging on every word because this might be the last time that they heard Paul talk to them. And so it speaks of an upper room. They were separate from the world. And it speaks of many lights.
And you know, none of us here that are a little older.
Umm, think of ourselves as very bright lights, certainly not like the Apostle Paul was or maybe some others that have gone before. Umm, you know, there's a lot of weakness in our lives and, and what we say, but still I believe that when we open the word of God and try to minister from it, it is light from God that we have.
And so.
We're here in a room too, and there's light here because the Word of God is open. And now you as a young person, you have to make a decision. Where are you gonna sit in that room? And again, it's not a physical thing really that I'm thinking about, but it's where is your heart? Are you really interested in what the Word of God says?
00:40:10
Umm, does it mean something to you or are you like him? He kind of wanted to show that he was there.
But probably a lot of his thoughts, a lot of his heart was occupied by what was going outside in the world. And, uh.
You know, it's just something that I want you, especially younger people, to think about. Where's, where's your heart? Where's your thoughts? Where's your eyes? What are they looking at?
Umm, you know, we don't have Paul physically here, but we have Paul's words and no doubt the things that he told these people were the same truth that we have in his word that God has preserved from us for us for 2000 years.
And so it's a the story is a warning not just to young people, to all of us. When the word of God is opened, where are we? Are we sitting right close to Paul so we won't miss anything of what he says?
Of California or, you know, are we occupied with other things? It's something that's really searching to all of us. And I think, umm, if we wanna be successful in our Christian lives, we'll have to be close to Paul. We'll have to be close to the word of God. If we're close to the world, there is gonna be a fall. Now, you know, the story tells us.
Too, that when there was that fall, there was restoration and it's wonderful. We love it to see it when somebody.
Gets restored to the Lord, gets restored to his brethren.
But here's something young people to think about.
There does not have to be a fall.
You know, it seems like, you know, I talked to people. I'm, I'm a painter. So I go in people's homes and, uh, have a lot of customers that I work for many times and kinda start to know them and chat a little bit And they asked about the kids and, you know, last time I was there, it was five years ago. How old are the kids now and so on. I say my oldest is almost 14 and the twins are almost 12.
And so, oh, you're, you're, you're getting close to that dangerous age. It's gonna be difficult the next few years.
And the world just has that idea that when people turn into teenagers who get close to adulthood, it's normal for them to go off the deep end. It's not, it's not, it's an idea from the world. It's not what the word of God teaches us. If we continue in the past that has been shown to us or that our parents have taught us, brought us up. And there is no reason to fall from the third loft or from the third story. There is no reason to.
Do that some of us do because we don't obey what God tells us. We don't trust the Lord and we think our own way is better. But there's no reason for that. And so I want to encourage you young people to.
Umm, you know, maybe I could say here and I can say in this room, obey your parents. The very fact that your parents have brought you here shows that they want you to do well in your Christian pathway.
Every time that your parents take you to meeting, it's a proof that they have a desire that you will live your life for the Lord. Don't go against that. Don't think you know better. Don't think that there's better things out there because it's not true. It's not true. It's a lie of the enemy. And he'll try whatever he can, umm, to make you believe that or to make it look like that, but don't believe it.
You know, again, us that are a little older and some here that are quite a bit older, ask us and we can tell you that the only path for happiness is to stick close to the Lord. There really is. There's no other option. You know, when it comes to salvation, there's many ways, there's many paths that lead to perdition, that lead to destruction, but there's only one.
That leads to salvation, and that's the Lord Jesus. I am the way and I believe. It's the same with our Christian pathway.
There's many ways to fall from the third loft. You know, whatever your desire or your natural kind of interest is state has something for you and if you follow after day, you might go way off. But there's really only one way again for a Christian happy, fruitful life and it's to stick close to the Lord. There's no there's there's no other option. Do you wanna be happy in the Lord? Do you wanna hear well done the good and.
00:45:09
Servant. There's only one path to walk, and that's the one that He's shown us in His Word and so.
You know, maybe in conclusion, I would like to say that.
You know, when I look over this room, there's so much promise here.
If we all would do what the Lord would have us to do, if we would all trade with what He has given us, if we would all trust Him when he said, prove me and I'll bless you and depend on me, and I'll show you that you won't be disappointed. Wonderful things will happen. There will be growth. There will be encouragement.
But we have to be real, you know, if we would go back 20-30 years ago and maybe it would have a room like this that I don't know, maybe last and last night never was that last and.
And we look at that group of people now, we would find that there might be quite a few that have gone off. And so let's be real.
I think we all have that desire. We should all have that desire if we belong to the Lord who wanna pleased him. But it's not going to happen by just floating along. It's not gonna happen. And you older young people, you understand what that means. You know, sometimes in school there's a class and you're kinda good at that, and you can float along and you can get a passing grade and you make it.
But it's really not gonna work in our Christian pathway, even Timothy.
He had traveled with the Lord, with with Paul. He had heard so many wonderful things. He had to get with it. He had to be active. He had to display spiritual energy if he wanted to make it. Well, now we live 2000 years later, things have not improved. If we think we're gonna make it by just floating along and not be real, we're gonna have shipwreck in our lives and our Christian pathway. So.
It's wonderful that we're all here this week and let's, umm, really enjoy it.
Let's really encourage each other. Let's to realize that if we wanna be here in five or ten years or 15 years of the Lord leads us here, we have to get busy with the Lord's things. Let's pray.
Our God and Father, we do thank you for thy word, We thank you for the light that it gives us, and we thank you that we do have a God who wants to help us every day to be successful in our Christian life. Oh Lord, we pray for each one here. We pray for the young people.
It's a real burden on on our hearts to see them do well, to see them go on for thee, to see them grow, to see them learn the truth, buy it for themselves.
And to, uh, vdap next generation that will carry on the testimony. Lord, we do not know when Thou will come to take us to be with Thee. We truly believe it's gonna be very soon.
And yet, Lord, we need to be busy as servants, we need to watch and we need to be ready for right coming. So help us, Lord, day by day, and we pray that this time here at camp might be a real encouragement, might stir us up. And uh, we thank you for thyself, Lord Jesus, help us to have the other object in our lives, to have a single eye. We pray this in thy worthy name, Amen.
Why Sleep Ye?
Sing Talk—Matt Klassen
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Let's pray.
I'll stand over here.
Our blessed God and Father, we thank you for sending thy Son to die on the cross. Thank you for this privilege. We can be together and sing praises to thee. We know that thou loudest appreciate it and brings joy to thy heart. Pray that would bring joy to our hearts too as we think on the ask for help with the open the Scriptures.
We gain something tonight that we haven't enjoyed before and not us know. Pray that we would be awake and waiting and watching for Thee. Thank you for all this and that precious name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
So I wanna, if you can't hear me, let me know.
I want to speak on falling asleep kind of goes with what Mark shared, but the first passage is Mark 3337 and I want to ask each of your kids to listen and stay awake to make a point. Mark 1333.
And take heed, watch and pray, for you know not when the time is.
For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house and gave authority to his servants.
And to every man his work commanded the Porter to watch.
Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh at even or at midnight, or the **** crowing, or in the morning less coming, suddenly he finds you sleeping. And that what I say unto you, I say unto all, watch.
None of us know when the Lord is going to take us home. We may pass on, or He might come. We look forward to Him coming, but we don't know.
The Lord took my dear grandma home. She's now happy, but she didn't know 81 years the Lord gave her so any of us could go this very night.
Are we watching for the Lord's soon return?
He's coming.
I think of this falling asleep. If we're not saved, we desperately need to wake out of our sleep.
If we don't, we're going to go to lost eternity, the most solemn sleep.
Behold, now is the day of salvation.
Are we saved? Are we sleeping? That's another possibility.
Spiritual sleep.
Like Mark said, are we just floating along?
Are we coasting? In life? Some have shared, There's no such thing as coasting. You're either going down or you're going up.
We cannot serve 2 masters, it's either God or Mammon.
And Mark said, and I enjoyed this going on, for the Lord requires energy. The Lord doesn't want us to be lazy Christians.
There isn't even a word for lazy Christians. I believe the Lord wants us to be energetic.
Romans, 1311.
And that knowing the time that now is, it is high time to awake out of sleep. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The Lord's coming is very soon. None of us know it's very close.
Revelation says Behold, I come quickly at least three times. It's a beloved promise we have.
But the Lord encourages us to wake out of our sleep.
Loop 22.
46.
And said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
This is the Lord saying that to his disciples as he prayed in the garden.
Quite something. They couldn't even watch us. In one hour they fell asleep. That's our heart. If we were to there, we would have done the same thing. They were very sorrowful, but the Lord asked if they could just watch and they fell asleep.
And that last part, lest he entered into temptation. I was thinking of that verse in, uh, first Peter 5/8 Hold your spot.
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil as the roaring lion walk, is about seeking whom he may devour. Then go back to Luke 2246. Why sleepy, rise and pray lest he enter into temptation.
00:05:06
The devil's seeking whom may devour. If you're sleeping, you're far easier. Pray for him.
If you're waiting and watching, the Lord can help you, and only He can. But the devil's out there looking for you.
Another thing are we sleeping because we're giving up?
Don't give up.
We're just on the threshold of going home.
Ephesians 5.
16 Redeeming the time because the days are evil.
You guys all know what time is. We don't have very much of it says redeeming the time because the days are evil. We need to make use of this time we have left. We don't know how much could be until tonight, but these days are evil and we need to live for the Lord more than we ever have.
And only that which is done to the Lord will last, that'll it'll carry on for eternity. That's all that will matter.
Proverbs 24.
Verse 33.
Get a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and I want as the armed man.
I took on this verse, that word poverty.
You think of a poor person not having money or something. That's not the poverty I think this is talking about. I think the poverty is is losing.
The joy in this life the Lord wants us to have.
If we're asleep.
And not awake and living for Him. We're gonna lose the enjoyment that we could have. We don't have to wait for heaven to enjoy the Lord right now.
And I think also the poor is nothing in our lives to share. I mean in the Lord for the Lord and even to share with others.
And then, uh, Mark read the story of Eutychus in Acts 90. Can we turn there?
I mean, sorry, X20 verse 9.
They're set in a window, a certain young man named Eudicus being fallen into a deep sleep as Paul was long preaching. He sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead.
I just took from this do we love to hear the word of God or when someone starts sharing it do we start to fall asleep is Mark shared Utica's was half in the world and half listening. We can't do that. We have two masters as Christians. We can only to we can only serve one and be happy and that's the Lord.
And we don't have to listen to the other master. We he's no longer.
He's no longer ruling over us. It's a joy. We can just say no or ask the Lord for help.
Umm, this searches our hearts. If we don't enjoy hearing the word of God, like Mark said, I think the root of it is, is not obeying the Lord. There's something we're carrying on with, and if we are, we can't enjoy the word that doesn't go together.
And what's an enjoyment? The word we have here is a living word of God.
Awake out of sleep while there yet is time. I just think of another thing. Lord wants us watching and He wants us waiting. I think of the five foolish virgins and the five wives. The bridegroom was coming. Uh, bridegroom was coming. They had to be ready. Five were ready with their lamps full, but five were not. They weren't waiting.
And the door closed.
Said depart from me, for I never knew you.
Pray that none of you here would hear those words, but all you that you would come to the Lord. Now don't put it off. Can we just give him, Ask him thanks.
00:10:08
Our blessed God and Father, we thank thee for sending my Son dead on the cross. Thank you we could open thy word.
Pray that with each of one of us awake out of our sleep, we don't have much time, but pray that we would redeem the time what we can.
That to live for thee and be a testimony of those around us. The world is thirsting.
They need something to satisfy their hearts, and only thou can. And now we give thanks for the freshmen who are about to take part and ask for a good night's sleep, and I press your name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Luke 12:4-12
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Our God and Father, we just come before thee and seek my help in my blessings with the reading, the thank you for this opportunity to have thy word open before us. And we just pray that that Spirit would have liberty to live amongst us and bring forth the truth from my word for us. And we just pray that it wouldn't be taken up and just an intellectual way, but they do real exercise.
Just commit the time to leave for thy blessing and Thy health and our Lord Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Stop.
What? Where should we start at?
We start at 4:00.
To get the contacts.
Thank you. Soon Luke chapter 12, verse 4.
And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear Him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yeah, I stand to you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Also I stand to you, whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But him the blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates and powers, taking no thought how or what thing he shall answer, or what he shall say, For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say. And one of the companies said unto him.
Master, speak to my brother, that he divided the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he speak a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thy knees, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then those then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Can you certainly His disciples? Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life what you shall eat, neither for the body what you shall put on. The life is more than me, and the body is more than Raymond. Consider the Ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much more are you better than the souls? And which of you was taking thought can add to his stature? 1 Cubit. If he then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take he thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies, how they grow, they toil not, they spin not. And yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God still clothed the grass which is today in the field, and to Morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink. Neither ye, neither be ye doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after.
And your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things, but rather seek ye the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little fox, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell that ye have, give alms, and provide yourselves bags which wax not all a treasure in the heavens. That faileth not where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh.
00:05:00
They may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that He shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve them. And if He shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch and find them, so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the good men of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when we think not.
Our brother Mark had suggested the chapter. He kind of gave us a little bit of an outline. Wondering if, uh, you could do the same, Mark?
Yeah, and umm, so.
There's several warnings that the Lord gives to His disciples in view of his departure. And the first one that we covered quite at length yesterday was in the 1St 3 verses. And that's a warning against hypocrisy and we talked about the need for being real and then from first umm 4 till verse 12.
It's a warning against the fear of man, and we'll see that there's resources in these verses that are given that would help us stand when there's persecution.
And then from verse umm 13 to 21, I believe it's a warning against covetousness, umm, wanting goods in this world beyond what the Lord has given us. And then, umm.
From verse 22 to verse 30, I think the Lord wants to set us free from the cares of this world, from being overly occupied with the daily cares and needs that there are. And then the last section, umm, verse 31 to 40 is that he wants to set us free from Kennedy opposite from being careless, but careless in the things of the Lord. So there's a danger of being too much occupied with the cares of this world, but there's a danger too.
Of being not enough occupied with the things of the Lord.
So oftentimes the fear of the Lord, there is a fear of man and uh, so here there's a warning against the fear of man. That's the reason off times that we, uh, we don't speak up for the Lord. Isn't it because the Lord is not ashamed of us?
But let's face it, there's many times that we're ashamed of him because of the fear of man, what they might think of us.
None of us in this room like to be little thought of.
So this is really a warning that we need to pray like Paul did for boldness to speak a word for the Lord because these people are on their way to a lost eternity.
And we shouldn't spare ourselves.
To not give them the good news.
And even if they don't accept that, God loves to hear the story told.
In verse 4 where we started, the Lord says, And I say unto you, my friends, think about the greatness of the person here who is speaking. I say unto you.
This is God the eternal Son speaking, and so we we listen up, I say unto you, verse 6.
The end of the verse God, not one of them is for God before God. Verse 12 for the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say. The antidote to the fear of man is the fear of God and the believer has backing him.
00:10:13
Jesus, the Son of God, God the Father, and He has the leading and guidance of the Spirit of God.
That ought to give us confidence before man.
You spoke about that yesterday a little bit.
Recognizing the greatness of his person and then for us because of the relationship we're brought into, it is a it is a reverence for His Holiness and his power and to recognize that all that he does, he does and loves for the believer. But it may include his his government, whether whether in the positive or the negative side, we, we.
Realize that.
He is righteous and he'll deal righteously with, uh, with his creatures. But, uh, perhaps there's more you can add to what we've, what we've had before us. I suppose on the positive side answer that an illustration was when, uh, this boy, uh, was with his friends and his, his father told him, now don't go down to the river and swim. It's dangerous and I don't want you doing it. And so, but the other boys, they were gonna do it And, uh.
He said no, I can't do that. They said, oh, you're afraid you're of your father. He says no, that your father will hurt you. He said no, I'm afraid I'll hurt my father if I disobey him. So that's the positive side and you're talking. There's a negative side to it. If we don't walk in the ways of the Lord, we may find the consequences in our life.
I like what you said is about the whole Trinity being involved here. And so it's the fear of man. It's man and man might look very formidable to us, you know, in opposition. But if you look, umm, at what you said in verse four is the Son Speaking of the Lord Jesus and he calls us friends. What a wonderful thing. So here's the Son of God. He's on our side. He says friends, and then you go to where it says God and it shows God.
Care for just the littlest things, will even not care for us when there's persecution, when there's opposition. And then the Holy Spirit, what does it say about that? He will teach you what you ought to say. So if you look at it in that light and you kind of oppose them, here's the fear of man. And if we look at it from our strength, from our point of view, that's a formidable full man. But then if you look on, if you wanna say who's on our side, it's sort of the Lord calls us friends.
God cares for us in the littlest things and when His people are persecuted.
That's no little thing in His eyes. Then we hug the Holy Spirit who will teach us how to deal with that. Well, we have a lot stronger side, you might say, and if you would realize that more by being occupied with the Lord.
Umm, man would not look so formidable anymore. I think we would have more boldness to umm, be open. You know, we talked in the 1St 3 verses and this is a continuation of that. We talked about being real, being open, and we took it up mainly in the sense of not trying to be something that we're not.
Which is very good, but there's another sense to it too, that we are Christians, but sometimes we try not to look like one for fear of the persecution that might come from that. And so we can deflect a lot And, and I think all of us would have to know we do, we deflect a lot of this persecution, umm, by just trying to kind of blend in and not be too open about us being Christians. But if we would realize more.
The power that's behind us, we would be more bold, we would be.
Umm, more comfortable if you wanna call it that. By being more open, by showing the world more who we really belong to and being real in that sense too.
So if our reference point is man, the fear of man bringeth a snare, right? Believe there's a proverb that says that. I can't exactly find it but but if a reference point is God, Umm. I was noticing these verses in Proverbs 14.
Verse 26 in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.
00:15:07
That's a that's a difference maker and his children have a place of refuge. Verse 27 the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death. So if God becomes our reference point, that will, can I say, empower us to go forward in in power in our Christian testimony in life and ministry. But if man becomes our reference point and all I'm concerned with is what he might think of me.
Or what he might do to me. Well, it's going to paralyze me when it comes to my Christian testimony and, and my ministry. So it's really getting off our eyes off of, of, of man altogether and, and focusing really in on the Lord and, and, uh, realizing that, uh, that, that God is behind us and, uh, the, the, the, the man that we may, may fear.
Is, uh, he's dust, we're all dust, He's nothing. And uh, and uh, so let's, let's make sure we have the Lord before us. Proverbs 2825 The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso puteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
In Acts chapter four we have.
This very thing brought out where the disciples had been thrown in prison for preaching the name of Christ, and.
Acts Chapter 4.
In verse 23 And being let go, they run into their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and others had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and sea, and all that are in them, and so on. And then.
Verse 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatening and granted to thy servant, that with all boldness, that they may speak thy words, by stretching forth thy hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God before men. And we know the result of this boldness was, is that there were many souls that were brought to Christ. There was even those from the, uh, from the high priests that umm, were struck by, umm, what they had done. And that, and so we may not necessarily experience.
The physical shaping of this place. But the power of God is no less today than it was then. And there's a verse in.
First Corinthians chapter 2 That says that your faith stand not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God until we have that resource as we've been talking about.
And it really the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of men look at the things of God as foolish. And so we have a tendency to be afraid of being lumped into that foolishness and being thought of as foolish. But we've been told straight up that that's what the world thinks of the things of God. But our faith does not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
I think the antidote, one of the main antidotes here for this sphere, the Lord warns us as our brother March brought out of all these dangers and then he puts the antidote in these portions. And I think the main one here is in verse six, it says, are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? Not one of them is forgotten before God, but even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. And I was sitting outside last night under the stars with a couple of the boys and we were talking about how many stars there are and how God just spoke and they came into being.
And he knows every single thing about us. He knows think about us. He knows how many hairs are on your head.
He knows every thought that goes through your mind.
He knows everything about us and He still loves us. As you get older that the impact of that grows more and more and more and more. But when you think about, OK, so the Lord loves me, well then why does he allow trials? And I remember when I was younger I would go up to my locker and when I was a kid, this is just crazy, but I was always afraid my locker wasn't going to open and somehow it's going to be late for class. Now I was never late for class, but I had dreams all the time that somehow I would forget my locker combination.
00:20:18
Somehow I would forget something.
The Lord allows trials in our lives by times that we might know Him in a greater, deeper way. When you look in John Chapter 11, Mary and Martha knew the Lord Jesus as an amazing teacher and healer, and He allowed Lazarus to die. He could have gone and healed him, but He didn't because He wanted to reveal Himself in a greater, deeper way. He was going to show them that He was the resurrection and the life.
And there's times in our lives we can only come to know the Lord through trials. And it's not that we want trials. We don't want pain. It's not, we're not sadistic or anything like that. But the Lord allows what he allows in our lives that we might know him in a great greater, deeper way. So when we face these situations where we're scared, like Uncle Vern was saying, like Uncle Josh was saying, we're scared. We don't wanna, we don't want people to think less of us. We don't, you know, we're afraid or maybe somebody's gonna kill us. We don't see that.
I don't think so much here where we're physically afraid people are going to beat us up or take our stuff, but we can remember the Lord loves us. He knows all about us. And you know what? Nothing can happen to us but what he allows. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could tell the king we're not afraid of you.
The Lord is going to deliver us, and even if he doesn't, we're not going to bow down, and that's the right attitude to have.
So we've talked a little bit about verse six, but I'd like to, uh, maybe make it a little, even, maybe a little more practical to these kids.
We are out in the middle of the woods and I don't know if you kids.
Can wrap your brain around it, but we most of you drove for hours and hours and hours to get here.
And throughout all the woods that are surrounding us, there are lots of little birds that are fluttering around.
And according to verse 6 here.
Not one of those little birds is forgotten by God.
There are thousands and millions of little birds across the face of this planet, and every single one of them is cared for by God.
That's amazing that that is way beyond our comprehension because we cannot, literally, you cannot focus on more than one thing at a time, and yet God is intimately concerned with all the little sparrows and all the little birds that are around us in the wilderness.
But verse seven says fear not, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
I think that that is amazing and wonderful. The God who spoke this world into existence. The God who knows about every little teensy bird that runs into a window someplace and breaks its neck or gets caught in a net or gets sick and dies.
He says that we are of more value than many, many sparrows.
The God who made this world is incredibly interested in our lives and that's what he wants us to get a hold of. He says don't fear, don't be afraid because I am interested in your life.
And I think if we would actually stop and get a hold of that in our souls, young and old, it would do away with a whole lot of problems that we have.
I know that the society that we're living in is very concerned about self-image and.
What we think of ourselves.
Really doesn't matter what we think of ourselves. So what matters is what God thinks of us. And so I actually have a note here in my Bible that says this is God's value of us as men.
00:25:09
God places an immense amount of value on your life, and if we can get a hold of that, if you can get a hold of that.
That is amazing and it changes things completely.
The creator of this world has counted and knows exactly how many hairs are on your head, and as you tossed and turned last night and lost two or three on your pillow, he made note of that and he adjusted his number and you didn't even know it.
That's amazing.
As parents, we love our kids, but I haven't the foggiest idea how many hairs are on my own head, let alone the heads of any of my ****. But we have a God who knows everything there is to know about us, every little detail, and He cares about us, and he has told us. Don't fear, because I am thinking about you.
And that should change our perspective, that should change our lives. When we recognize that we have a Heavenly Father that knows exactly what is going on in our lives and is concerned about it, He wants us to speak to Him.
Did we this morning get up and spend time in prayer? Did we address Him as our Father?
Have we thanked him for the day that we had yesterday and the coming day, the opportunity that we have before us? Have you spent time to talk to him about maybe the struggle that you have with somebody else? Maybe somebody else had a a mean word to you? He cares about that.
And he wants you to understand that. And I think that's the that's the magnitude of what these verses are talking about. He cares about everything that we cannot begin to even think about. I couldn't begin to think about all the all the birds, let alone.
All the little critters that are running around this forest, but God cares about that. That's an that's an awesome thing.
That we really can't understand very much. But in so much as we can understand it, it should change our focus, our perspective as we move forward.
That the Lord doesn't just know how many hairs in your head, He has each one of the number. If you read that verse, you'll find that it's not just a number, it's each pair is numbered. So when you lose one, he re numbers them. It's amazing. And if you look at Matthew 1029, you'll find that two spirits, two sparrows are sold for a Farthing here.
You get 5 of them, he just threw in another one. They're so insignificant that he he, he exacerbates this thought that he cares for you, doesn't he?
It's one these verses, it could have been put anywhere in our Bibles and it would be very precious to think about how great God is, how infinite he is. And that that very God cares for is a wonderful thought. But you know, it's it's the beauty of Scripture that they're put right here. Because when do we tend to forget that? It's when we get into situations, when red flags go up, we get into situations where we feel, oh, there might be some pushback here and all of a sudden we forget.
How great God is and how great that great God is on our side. And so he puts those verses here. You know, these disciples when the Lord were going was going to leave, they were gonna take his place and carry on the testimony. And the Lord told him in in many different places that will incur persecution if the Lord has rejected, if the Lord is put on the cross, tho those that go on for the Lord will come in the same situations where there is persecution, where there's pushback. And so when you're in a situation like that.
Don't forget who this God is. Don't forget the greatness of that God and that everything that he is is that your disposal everything that he is is backing you up. You might say in that situation. And so if the disciples would enter into that and we too. What a comforting thought that is that when we get into a situation when we try to be a testimony for the Lord and there is that opposition while to think that that very God who knows all these things that Steve was talking about.
00:30:11
He's behind us, He's backing us up. And so, you know, if we're here it, it in a way, it's easy, you might say, to think about God that way because we're all enjoying the Lord. We're all thinking about the Lord the same way. But what if you go back to school and to work and somebody sees you pray for, give thanks for your food, and they start making fun of you? What are we thinking then? Are we thinking that, oh, it's time to kind of back off here and retrieve, go somewhere else?
So we don't deal with that or do we think, well, we've got God backing us up, We've got God who wants us to be a testimony to this world and he won't let us down if we are a testimony. That's when they really needed these versus these thoughts.
I think in Acts 24 and verse 16 we have an important verse.
Paul was speaking and he said in here, in do I exercise myself?
To have always a conscience board of offence toward God first.
And then what does it say important men? And so it doesn't, it's not just a matter of what the Lord thinks and doesn't matter what my brother thinks. Uh, there, there's a side to these things that's important that we, umm, go on in such a way that we're, uh.
Not causing problems and discouragement, but so this passage here is talking about being a public testimony and sharing the Lord with others and the persecution that comes along with it. And so I think it's nice to have this first in mind.
As to these things.
Uh, by maybe providing for, uh, umm, some sort of, uh, a protest or something against the, the, uh, uh, persecution against Christianity. And, and so we see that today where there are, umm, there are those that go out and in the name of Christ with an absolute lack of fear for men, put themselves in a position where they become a spectacle and it actually takes away from the testimony of God. And so.
We have a tendency to take things to extremes, and it's good to keep that in mind that that isn't what it's talking about here. You shouldn't fear men, but then at the same time, they don't want to put ourselves in a position where we eclipse the glory of God.
I suppose that comes about rather by doing it in the flesh. I'm supposed to be bold. And so I, I, there's some people who are bold and they do it because they do it in the flag. And so we used to hear all the time, brethren, you can say there's no substitute for communion and you will not be able to carry this out unless you're in communion with the Lord. That's where the power comes from. If I try to do it on my own, then I might do it, but I'll do it in a way you're talking about.
I mean, that's a very critical thing. Remember that there's no substitute, no substitute for communion. You must be in communion. If I go from here down to top niche and I'm not talking to the Lord when I go into the store, I'm not going to give that man a track because I'm going to be afraid. But if I've been talking to the Lord, there's power in that. There's I, I have a sense of, you know, the Lord being with me and.
This is important, but if I try to do it on my own.
I won't do it. It'll be a flop. Or I'll try to do it in the flesh like Peter did, and then I'll fail.
I have, I have two questions and brother Burns, can you help us out maybe on this? There's one umm, in verse 9 about, uh, being denied before the angels of God, uh, by the Lord and then the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost. Can can you help us out on what exactly is this Speaking of?
00:35:00
Well, somebody said that scripture always.
Characterizes an act, uh, according to its tendency. In other words, the scripture says he that hated his brother is a murderer. Well hatred, if it keeps going will end up in me wishing the person is dead or if I can get away with killing him. So it always. So the tendency here I believe is that.
This is, if a man denies the Lord and that's the character of his life. Now, Peter denied the Lord, but that wasn't the, that wasn't the character of Peter. Uh, so I think that that's what you get here. And, and, and as far as the, uh, uh, sin against the Holy Ghost is, uh, I believe that's a, uh, dispensational thing. It's, it's what, when the Lord was crucified.
Uh, God allowed, uh, another year or three years for another year for the Spirit of God, the Lord went back to heaven. He sat down the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God told the nation of Israel Repath and it came to Steven and they would not repent. Now that's the, that is would be, I believe the sin against the Holy Spirit.
I don't think it's a personal thing, although practically, you know, if a man doesn't accept the gospel, he's going to go to hell. But it's not talking. I don't think it's talking about that. I think it's a dispensational thing. Is that what you said? Yeah. Maybe explain a little better than I did. No, you did well.
Peter was an audience, I believe, when the Lord was speaking these words. And a little bit later on he found himself in a position in which he denied the Lord in the presence of those that were accusing him. And he might even say that he spoke against the Son of Man. I know not the man. And he cursed at the same time in which he said it, but he was restored. And it says that the Lord.
Told Peter even before that happened that he was praying for him, that when his, when he would be restored, that there would be, uh, that there would be blessing and so.
There have been times in which, umm, we may have maybe not gone to the extent of, of, uh, Peter, but we haven't taken those opportunities that we have to speak a word for the, for the Lord because of our fear of man. Those times are forgiven us. I gave an example yesterday.
And it's of the, of the opportunity that I missed to speak to my coworker Eric and umm, and I still feel the burden of that, but at the same time, I know that it's forgiven. And so when we have failure like this in our life, that we, the Lord works in US and he manifests, umm, our failure to us for the purpose of restoration and growth. The he restored Peter, you know, and he had to take Peter back to that point of departure and.
And very strongly, uh, where computers start to restore him. But the, the, the restoration was in view even before Peter's denial. And, uh, so it's, it's just again a manifestation of, of uh, God's grace and his love to us that as it says here, umm, he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him.
But he didn't know he, he failed, but that wasn't the characteristic of his life. And Peter denied the Lord, but that wasn't characteristic of him. If, if he always, if a man always denies the Lord, he will end up on, uh, in, in, uh, the lake of fire. So that's, it's a good thing to remember when you read scripture that.
Scripture always characterizes an act according to its tendency.
And that's this verse fits in with that. If if a man continues to deny the Lord, then he's not the Lord at all, but doesn't mean that he might fail once in a while. And but that's not the characteristic of his life.
00:40:09
You'll know too, in verse 11 it says and when not if and when they bring you into the synagogues and under magistrates and powers, taking no thought how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour where you ought to say, umm, you know, if we're living a life in uh, of testimony and, uh, and umm, and sharing, uh, uh, our, our testimony with others and, and, and fulfilling our ministry that the Lord has given to us.
Umm, in our sphere in which we find ourselves, uh, there's gonna be persecution that comes along with that. Uh, the world will take note. And uh, you know, we ought to rest assured that, umm, you know, it's not going to be, you know, a bunch of, uh, flowers and roses and all this, you know, it's, it's gonna be, umm, you know, the Lord Jesus says that all, uh, that live for him will suffer persecution and we may not see as our brethren in other countries today who are losing their lives.
For their testimony.
You know, we've got a pretty easy here and but, you know, there's other forms of persecution that we will feel. So it's just not death. It's gonna be, we're gonna be looked down upon, we're gonna be sneered at, we're gonna be spoken against. But, you know, again.
It's it's, it's knowing that God is behind us. And as Brother Vern was pointing out, we are living that life of communion.
With the Lord and have a conscious sense that He is right by my side. That will alleviate the fear of man and we will go forward in, in, in, in testimony in power with the power of the Spirit of God behind us.
Perhaps a short story that just happened a couple years ago.
Umm, I just heard this and I was struck by this story, but it relates to this portion before us. And the children will get it over in Egypt, the persecution has ramped up. And here some time ago, there were twenty brothers in Christ taken and put into prison. And they were, while they're in prison there, they made a pact with each other that they were going to be executed and that they were to, umm, stand strong.
All the way to the end. So ISIS pulls them out, the 20 of them, and drags them out of the way out there. And you've seen pictures of them, no doubt with the orange jumpsuits and those type of things they're doing. And they come to the first man and they say, will you recant?
And they said, and he said no. And so he was decapitated. And they come to the second man, we recant and the same happens to him. So they go down the line of 21 by 1, each one getting his head cut off. They come to another man who's number 21 #21 This man was in the prison with them, but he was not a believer, but he, he had heard the gospel.
While he was in the prison with them, they had told them about the Lord Jesus. So they come to this man and they didn't ask him if they would recant, but they asked him, would you follow Islam?
And he looked back down that line and he sees those 20 bodies, and he says their God will be my God.
I enjoy this principle that it's not only martyrdom, but whenever the time comes that we need to answer, Remember Nehemiah, he cried out to the Lord, didn't he? And a short prayer and we can all do that. And wonderful thing that the Spirit of God is within.
To give us the, the words for the occasion. How many times have we, uh, been surprised by a situation? But it's a wonderful thing that we can crowd to the Lord and ask for wisdom. And, uh, he gives it again, if we're in communion. And, uh, so it was in the first, uh, three verses. It's, uh, self judgment, isn't it? And communion that the Pharisee in every one of us, uh, can be dealt with. And so it is in, in this portion too.
00:45:13
So in communion, the Spirit of God, when, when, uh, we're going on and away, umm, that's pleasing to the Lord and enjoying communion with himself, then the Spirit of God is free and at liberty to give us the mind of God. Uh, if we're not going on in the way that we should be, then the Spirit of God is hindered. Isn't he so wonderful thing and resource that we have God in us to give us the words to say. And uh, it's only independence that, uh, those words will be given to us.
So just by way of comparison to what Dale's bringing before us, that resource of the Spirit of God dwelling within, we have lately in, uh, Tacoma, been reading through the Psalms on Lord's Day morning and talking about the great mercy that the Lord shows to the, to the remnant in a day to come who don't have the Christian blessing that we have of the Spirit of God dwelling within and how that he will raise up for them the mask on.
Those who are instructed and are able to give them, give them health. And the prophet Isaiah says, though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner anymore. But then I shall see thy teachers. And then here shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way walking in it when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left. And what a mercy that will be for them. And they'll have the Psalms to put the very words in their mouth, they'll have their teachers, and so on.
But by comparison, what is brought before us by our brother Dale here in these verses, verse 12, the Spirit of God dwelling within the individual believer. He is in you and shall be with you forever. What was the reference? That was Isaiah 30, verses 20 and 21.
It's so beautiful to see that golf's word is a living practical word. You know, the disciples that heard these very words not very long after they would prove the reality of it because the Lord was gone soon and pretty soon there was persecution. And we all know the story in Acts 3 how Peter and John went up to the temple and they healed that lame man. And because of that, they are really, they are dragged before the synagogue before the leaders and and Peter gives a beautiful testimony and the people looking on it even says.
They realized that these were unlearned, unlettered men, and Peter talks to them with boldness. What had happened in chapter 2? Just before that, the Holy Spirit had been poured out. And so it's the same for us too, that, you know, they proved the words of the Lord here and they found them to be 100% true. The persecution came and the Holy Spirit gave them very powerful words to be spoken. He were all the learned man later. Stephen too, a little bit later.
All the learned religious men in Israel against this one man, or against Peter and John?
He couldn't say anything against them. Was it Peter or John? No, it was the Holy Spirit giving them those words. You read Umm Steven's address and it's marvelous how he can go through the history of Israel and bring out those things that were needed for them to hear as a final testimony. And so it's the same for us. And I think probably all of us that have gone on a little bit, we've gotten into situations where if we would think about it, we wouldn't have a clue what to say. But when they came, the words came. That was the Holy Spirit that wasn't us. That's these very words that the Lord.
It's telling us here, if these situations come, don't try to prepare a little speech, but trust the Holy Spirit to give the right words. And, and I think a lot of us have like read Fox's Book of Martyrs. And there were people during the times of the Inquisition that were pulled before magistrates. They couldn't even read. And they stood up before these magnificent courts and judges in their robes and they gave answers that they didn't know what to say to. That wasn't the cobbler, that wasn't the fishmonger, that was the Holy Spirit.
Speaking through men or women that trusted the Lord and they had very little knowledge because at that time this was a sealed book. You know, the Catholic Church, all its efforts were into keeping people away from the word of God. It was in lat. It wasn't translated yet. And if it would have been, most people couldn't read. And yet those people were able to stand up and refute the world man's wisdom through the power of the words of the Holy Spirit. That's what this is speaking about. And that same resource is fully available to each one of us. It's amazing to think about it. It kind of goes along with what.
00:50:05
First said and then mark here as well.
I'm gonna read verses 11 and 12 again and I want you to pay close attention to what it says. And when they bring you before the synagogues and then the magistrates and powers take ye no thought how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you the same hour what you ought to say. So like Mark just mentioned, we don't we don't have a pre prepared speech. OK, but that doesn't mean that we don't prepare.
And Timothy, the exhortation is that every man be ready to give an account.
So that doesn't mean having a prepared speech. That goes back to what Dale is talking about, being in communion with the Lord where the Spirit of God is not grieved, where he doesn't have the capacity because of our walk to really manifest the word of God through us. So we need to be careful we don't read this the wrong way and just think, well, it doesn't require anything on our part that we're just completely wait for the the Spirit of God to just give us all that we have to say. No, there's preparation involved, but it doesn't have to do with the prepared speech. It has to do with the prepared heart.
Chapter 3, verse 14 it says, But if you suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man to ask you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear, having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as evil viewers, they may be ashamed that falsely accused your good conversation in Christ for is better if the will of God be so you suffer for well-being than evil doing and then chapter 4 verse 13.
But rejoice in as much as your particulars of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed.
You may be glad to also have succeeding joy for your beer approach for the name of Christ. Happy are ye?
Umm, if we're suffering for well doing, we don't have to worry. The Lord will undertake and we can kind of partake in those sufferings that the Lord Christ's sufferings. And I enjoyed that verse of being ready to give an answer. The Lord will direct our hearts how we should speak. But like Tim said, we we need to be prepared.
And then verse 16, having a good conscience, if we have a good conscience, we don't have to be afraid of what one speak of us.
I don't know. I don't know if somebody read this. I was thinking of this verse in a different translation. Umm.
Acts 20, verse 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my, my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry.
Which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify.
The Gospel of the grace of God, another translation says, I consider my life of no consequence.
I, I think that is one of the greatest inhibitors of us is that we consider our life to have consequence. And in reality, it really doesn't. And that is really the root of, of pride and pride is the, is the ultimate, uh.
Ultimate thing that stands in our way of.
Of taking the gospel to the lost, but also, uh, speaking up in, in assembly meeting or to have a difficult conversation with others in, in the assembly.
We we value ourselves way too much.
And I think sometimes we forget the power of this book.
And it's so helpful to remember that this book is the word of God.
We didn't make this up. We didn't come up with this. This book tells us how to make it in this world. It tells us how to have eternal life. It tells us how to run our businesses, how to have a happy marriage, how to raise our children. The world around us doesn't have a clue.
00:55:12
I remember years ago, I was, I don't remember where I was. I was in some lady's house and there was this show on about this whole new way to raise your children. And she just whatever PhD psychologist said, well, you just ignore them. If they're not doing what you want them to, you just ignore them until they turn 18 or until they turn around. Well, you know, 10 years later, five years later, they write a deal as well. You know, really that didn't work that well. Here's the new, new idea. This you guys.
When we understand, like Aaron was just saying that it's not about us. Our lives are for him. We're we're in his hand and we understand what he's entrusted to us. The apostle Paul on on Mars Hill in Acts 17. It would be like us going to in our area, we have Whitman College, which is this is huge basket of world knowledge and all these professors and everything. He went right in there completely confident. He had a clean conscience. He had a prepared heart and he could just share with them. Look, you, this is what you guys are looking for.
Right here in this book. And when we understand its value and we're walking in with communion with the Lord, it's a it's amazing the Lord can use us.
There's a couple of verses that come to my mind when you say that, umm, Second Timothy.
Chapter 3, verse 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness. But the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. So there you have it. You have the word of God being all the all the sufficiency for for faith and practice is found within the word of God. You have questions about running your business. You go to the word of God because the wisdom is there if you have questions about raising your family.
The word of God has all of the answers to those questions. And, and there's another verse in first John, it says, uh.
First John, chapter 2. It says, But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not let any man teach you, but as the same anointed teaches you of all things and his truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Our God is faithful.
He did. He is faithful never to leave us nor forsake us. He has given us the very word of God.
The template for life, so to speak. We can consult it, but he has also gave us a faithful teacher.
Through the Spirit of the Lord.
I think we're out of time. Maybe we can, uh, take up with.
Verse 14.
Next time.
Gleaned from them just a little bit here and think about.
The wisdom in the scriptures and it's rooted in the person and in the power that works behind the scenes. The Holy Spirit and the Father, we're thankful for that. We just pray that it would have its effect in in our lives. We might say, and rightfully so. Our lives are of little consequence, but the Lord says rightly, I have the very hairs of your head numbered. Both sides are truth. All the we're so thankful for the love.
That you have for us, but we're mindful not to transfer that unduly to ourselves and to project it outward. So we just give thanks for this. We just pray now for uh.
The rest of this day ahead of us too. Just pray these things in Jesus worthy and precious name. Amen. Amen.
Jesus Himself Drew Near
Address—Caleb James
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Just wanted to read a couple of verses, uh, before we pray in Matthew's Gospel chapter 3.
Matthew, Chapter 3.
And verse 16.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Let's pray.
Forgotten our Father, we give thanks this evening for our Savior, the Lord Jesus, the one who thou would set before our hearts. We thank thee for the Lord Jesus, the man Christ Jesus, the mediator between God and man. And we thank thee that we can know the Lord Jesus and have a relationship with him. We uh, just pray for each of us here, Lord Jesus, that.
Our walk with the Lord Jesus would be, umm, deepened. Our faith in the Lord Jesus would be deepened, uh, as we are here together at camp, we thank you for what we've had.
Before us in the scriptures and justice, do ask for the help and Thy blessing now.
We would open up the Scriptures again. We pray for the Spirit's help to both the hearers as well as the speakers. So we pray this now and the precious and worthy name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
Just wanted to read.
2 verses each and two different psalms. First in Umm Psalm 113.
Psalm 113.
And verses 5:00 and 6:00.
Psalm 113.
Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth?
Then in Psalm chapter 8, Psalm 8.
And verse 3.
3:00 and 4:00.
When I consider thy heaven, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of man that thou visitest him?
This morning we had a nice discussion in the reading meeting about the unique and special interests that the Lord takes in his people. And, uh, I think David had some understanding of that well as well here in this, uh, Psalm where he's writing. He could look up and see the stars and the moon and even the sun, and he knew that it was a very big creation.
And, uh, today the scientists still don't even really know how big the universe is. They speak in terms of light years.
The nearest star is like 3 or 4 light years away from the earth, and umm, most of us probably can't even really understand distances of that magnitude. But the Christian can look at the universe and read about God the Creator in the Bible, and we know that the universe is a little reflection of the greatness.
Of God. Elsewhere, the Psalms say the heavens declare the glory of God.
And the firmament shows his handiwork. And we also read that God is light and God is love. And we we can't measure that. We can't quantify that in any way. That's the greatness of God. And it really is incredible.
Umm, to think that a God this great would be interested in people as tiny and insignificant as we are. God who would send his Son to this earth? The Lord Jesus God manifests in the flesh.
And would die on the cross, that we might be reconciled to God.
There are some religions that present an impersonal God. In other words, God isn't interested in having a relationship with us. But that's not the God of the Bible, and we know that. The writer of Hebrews quotes this fourth verse in Hebrews 2IN relation to the Lord Jesus.
Well, God has a very personal and intimate relationship interest with us, I should say. And umm, I was thinking about a passage in the New Testament that would show us a little something of how God would work in our lives as individuals and also would show us something about the purpose that God has in mind when he does work in our lives. Umm, Luke chapter 24, please.
00:05:23
Many are very familiar with this chapter, I'm sure.
And uh, this is one that has become a little more meaningful to my heart.
In recent weeks, Luke chapter 24 and, uh, we'll just read a few verses there.
Beginning at verse 13, Luke 2413.
We know that this is the umm, the day of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And we read about two people here who are walking away from Jerusalem, verse 13. And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem, about 3 score furlongs about 7 or 8 miles from what I understand. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
And it came to pass that while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near.
And went with them.
But their eyes were holding, that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these, that you have one to another as you walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas answering, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and has not known the things which have come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty indeed, and word before God, and.
All the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yeah, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre. And when they found not his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels which said that He was alive and certain of them which were.
UMM went to the sepulchre and found it Even so, as the women had said, but they saw him not.
Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, and all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. And they drew nigh into the village, whether they went. And He made as though He would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.
And he went into tarry with them.
And it came to pass, as He sat up, meet with Him, He took bread and blessed it, and brake and gave to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew Him, and he vanished out of their sight. And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 11 gathered together, and then that were with them.
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
And they told what things were done in the way and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
We'll just stop there. Here were two people who had an appreciation for the Lord Jesus. They, uh, no doubt saw him before he went to the cross and they probably heard him speak and they probably missed miracles that he performed. And, umm, they trusted in the Lord Jesus in some measure. And, uh, here these two people.
Have a need, They're discouraged, they're disappointed. And, uh, a few weeks ago at the conference in Kirkland, a brother commented how the Spirit of God works to produce a need in our hearts. And I appreciated that thought a lot. The Spirit of God works to produce a need in our hearts and ultimately any believer or unbeliever.
Has a need.
Need for Christ. The only difference is the unbeliever doesn't know where to go to meet that need unless the Spirit of God shows them. But on the other hand, the believer should know where to go to meet that need. He has a need of Christ.
And the Lord understood that need. So here in verse 15 it says the Lord Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
00:10:01
We know from the Scriptures that God has angels who are ministering spirits, and angels probably help us out in many more ways than we realize or are aware of. Umm, but there are some things that are too precious to the Lord Jesus to commit to the responsibility of angels. We read in First Thessalonians that the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout.
And, uh, to call his people home to the father's house. But here it says.
Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
The Lord Jesus knew their hearts and He knew their need, and He knew what the answer was to this problem that they were going through. But I really appreciate the way that the Lord Jesus approaches them. He doesn't just show up and give them the answer. He asked them some questions and He listens to them talk.
I heard a thought a few months back that.
In a spiritual sense, it's more difficult to address an individual than it is to address an audience like this. And at first I didn't believe it, but I thought about it some more, and I think that's true. Spiritually speaking, it's harder in a way to address an individual because when we sit down with somebody, we don't really know where the conversation is gonna go. We don't know what's gonna come up. We don't know.
What their needs are or how to meet those needs?
But the Lord Jesus here knew their needs, but He still draws them out before he gives them the answer to their their difficulty.
I find uh, speaking for myself that I I often times have more answers and questions when I talk to people, umm, the Lord Jesus and ask these people two questions.
And, uh, a couple of months ago, I had dinner with a neighbor of mine named Albert. And Albert's about my age, a few years older, I think. And umm, he's a brother in Christ and he loves the Lord, He loves the Scriptures, but he would tell you that he struggles with some things in his Christian life as, uh, we can relate to to some degree. And a couple of months ago when I was having lunch with Albert.
He he shared with me a very specific burden that he had, a challenge that he had.
And so being the good friend that I was trying to be, I I listened. And then I just started rambling off a bunch of ideas that could possibly be solutions to his problem. And umm, once I got done.
He just looked at me with this blank look. He didn't disagree with what I said, but he didn't agree with what I said. And I was a little puzzled that, that he gave me that look. And so that evening I went home and I, I told my wife about that and told her what I, what I said to him. And I said I don't know why he gave me a blank look. And she said maybe he wasn't looking for answers.
And I realized that I had missed it. Albert wasn't looking for answers. He already.
Probably had plenty of them. He was looking for someone to understand him, someone who he could confide in and umm, we see something different here with the Lord Jesus. He asked him two questions, 1St and verse 17 he says what manner of communications are these that you have one to another as you walk and are sad and they answer that question.
Uh, in one verse they tell them that they're a little bit confused about this.
Person. Jesus.
And they refer to the Lord as possibly being a stranger. And I don't think the Lord is ever a stranger in our circumstances. Umm, send the Lord probes a little bit deeper there in verse 19. And he asked them, well, what things? And umm, then they pour out their hearts before the Lord. They lay their burden at the Lord's feet and he listens to them. And I don't think that the Lord Jesus interrupted him either of these people as as I might have.
On, umm, the Lord Jesus listens to them and then we get down to verse 25 and he gives them something of an answer. Uh, verse 25. The Lord Jesus says, O fools, or another translation says, O senseless and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?
It seems like these people had a burden on their hearts and they had a big question on their minds and it was perhaps due to a partial reading of the Word of God. And I wonder sometimes if a lot of questions and troubles and my life and our lives are created because of just a partial reading or perhaps a partial focus of the Word of God. Maybe we're focusing on one part and we're neglecting another part.
00:15:20
We know that the word of God is rich and umm, you know, it always impresses me how balanced the word of God is too.
Far more balanced than we as as human beings are. Umm and uh, the Lord Jesus goes on here.
In verse 27 it says, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, and all the scriptures things concerning himself.
I wonder sometimes.
What this message was that the Lord Jesus gave to them were not really given any details of this message. We're just told that he spoke to them, uh, about himself and the scriptures and umm, I wonder if it would maybe limit the application of this passage if we were given this message in full detail in the word of God. Because remember, the Lord Jesus was working here with two individual people.
Who are unique in God's eyes and very different than you or I. And they were dealing with something that was.
Very different than what you or I may deal with. But the Lord Jesus sets himself before them using the word of God and umm, that's what the Psalmist encourages us to do. He says I have set the Lord before me.
We're encouraged to wake up in the morning and spend some time reading, some time in prayer, and perhaps we go to meeting. Perhaps we read the Bible with our families. Perhaps we go to a a camp like this where the Lord is.
Is set before us as a group and umm, that's very important in our lives, to set the Lord Jesus before us on a routine basis.
Especially as he's revealed in the Word of God and umm.
The word of God we know has its focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, and when the Spirit of God was right in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, he had the Lord Jesus before him and.
Sometimes.
We may see something about the Lord Jesus and the Word of God that we never saw before and it makes our hearts burn. That's what the Lord Jesus did here. He takes their slow hearts and he turns them into burning hearts. And umm, that's what it should be when we read the Word of God, when we see Christ in the scriptures and we perhaps see something of the Lord Jesus or enjoy something of the Lord Jesus that we've never enjoyed before.
A couple weeks ago we were at the beach on a family vacation and, umm, it's neat to walk up and down the beach and, uh, oftentimes in the sand, right by the water, you see maybe pretty rocks or pretty shells and you can pick those up and you might save them as treasures. And then what's interesting, what's really interesting is you turn around and you walk across that same stretch of the beach.
And you start seeing little precious things that you didn't see the first time you walked on that stretch of beach. So you turn around, you walk across it again, and each time you're seeing new things.
New precious things. And that's something, uh, how the Lord Jesus would like us to see him in the Scriptures, there's a verse that says open thou mine eyes that I might behold wondrous things out of thy word.
Then in verse 29 it says they constrained him saying abide with us.
And I just wonder if this is the reason for why the Lord Jesus drew near to them, if what we have in verse 29 is ultimately the purpose that the Lord Jesus had when He came alongside them. When he saw them walking along, He realized they were discouraged. He came alongside them ultimately with the intention of accomplishing what we have in verse 29. He wanted them to value His company.
Uh, more than perhaps they had before. And that's perhaps what the Lord Jesus wants to do in our life.
John epistle, I think it is. He talks about the Fathers. The fathers have known him, which is from the beginning. In other words, they are satisfied with Christ and they don't look for anything else to bring them satisfaction in life outside of the Lord Jesus.
Verse 30.
Their eyes were opened and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. I find that a little interesting that as soon as they realized who the Lord Jesus was, he disappears on them.
00:20:08
At this time, we know that the Lord Jesus had gone into death and he had risen from the dead and he was the first born from among the dead, as Scripture says. He was the first in a, in a new order of manhood called the new creation. The Lord Jesus had entered into, uh, new conditions, could we say? And, umm, he wanted them to have a relationship with him and resurrection life. And in other words, he wanted to have a spiritual relationship with these people.
Not a physical, not just a natural relationship. And that reminds me of what the apostle Paul says in Second Corinthians. He says we walk by faith, not by sight. And speaking honestly from my own heart, that that can be a real challenge to walk by faith, not by sight.
We see sometimes these sports stadiums that are packed full, 100,000 people to observe a sporting event. But then there may be, umm, the word of God opened in that same locality and maybe just a handful of people are there to hear the word of God spoken of and read. And, uh, I find in my own life that it's, it doesn't take much energy to sit down.
And surf the Internet for an hour or a couple hours or whatever.
But it does take some, uh, some focus and, umm, intention to sit down and and read the scriptures and to study it a little bit.
That's perhaps because, naturally, we prefer to walk by sight, not by faith. Umm, just in closing, I wanted to, uh, look at one verse in Colossians chapter 2.
Lord Jesus really knows how to draw our hearts and point us in the right direction, as He did with these two on the road to Emmaus.
They were heading away from Jerusalem, but then they were headed back to Jerusalem. So one verse in, uh, Colossians chapter 2.
Discretion and closing.
Colossians 2 and verse 6.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye and him. We received him by faith, and the Lord Jesus desires that we walk by faith, not by sight.
That's really all I had. Should I just close with prayer? OK.
I've gotten our loving Father. We just give thanks for these few scriptures that we could enjoy together and umm.
We just thank you for the work of the Spirit of God to make the Scriptures real to us and to show us something of the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks that on this earth we have the opportunity to know the Lord Jesus and be like the Lord Jesus. And we look forward someday to being with the Lord Jesus for eternity. We just commit our way to Thee for the rest of this evening, giving thanks again for this opportunity that we have to pull away from our everyday lives and.
Be together with, uh, some people who will spend eternity with. We give thanks for thy mercies to us and safety for today thus far. In Jesus precious name, we pray.
Amen.
The Peace Offering
Sing Talk—Tim Harkins
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Well, let's look to the Lord for his help before we start. Our God and Father, we thank thee for thy goodness to us. We thank you for the mercies of the day today. And we just, uh, commit this little time that we can. I word to thee for thy health and thy blessing. We, uh, own our weakness and recognize our dependence upon me. And we thank you that we can count on me for.
Thy uh, undertaking for the word and uh, we just pray that, uh, it would be an encouragement and help to those that are here and to the speaker as well.
We just ask these things now in the Lord Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Well, umm.
First of all, I'm sorry for, uh, being the one that's up here speaking because that is the manifestation of my irresponsibility because I didn't find somebody to, to do it, but the Lord has laid something on my heart and so we trust that, uh, maybe he can use it for blessing. So what I have on my heart tonight is peace offerings.
It's something that as a young person, I didn't really have a, a great deal of understanding about. And, uh, umm, I expect that most of the young people that are here probably knew, probably know more about it than I did when I was your age. But it's actually a, uh, a really remarkable offering and it's very significant and special. And I would like to speak about it for a few minutes this evening, primarily to the young people.
Umm, and maybe it's some that are older that, uh, it might pertain to as well.
Umm, the peace offering is, is kind of, uh.
The name peace offering is, is kind of it. It sends people down sometimes the wrong road and understanding what the peace offering is because when we think about the peace offering, a lot of times, umm, people just jump to the conclusion that it has to do with peace with God. That isn't what the peace offering is about. That's the sin offering is an atoning sacrifice that gives us peace with God and the ability to.
Into the presence of God. The peace offering has to do with the peace of God. And it's an outflow of appreciation for one that has an understanding of the blessing that they've been brought into in God. Isn't that? Isn't that cool? And so the peace offering, I'm gonna read in Leviticus a couple of different passages about the peace offering in a very condensed form. But as we read it.
I want you to pay attention to a couple of things. The first thing is, is that it was, uh, an, an offering of Thanksgiving and it was a free will offering. It wasn't mandatory. I mean, you didn't, nobody was saying you had to do this or something bad is going to happen. It was simply an opportunity for someone to come and give thanks to God.
For what he had done for them, OK.
And there was a portion of the offering that went to God, there was a portion that went to the priest, which speaks of Christ. And there was a portion of the sin offering that went to the sons of the priest, which speaks of the Saints of God. And so it really speaks of communion. And it really correlates well to the remembrance meaning that we have on Lord's Day morning. So with that in mind, let's turn to Leviticus chapter 3.
OK, so Leviticus chapter 3 and verse one. And it says, And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offered of the herd, whether it be a male or a female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation and Aaron's sons, the priest shall sprinkle the blood.
Upon the altar roundabout, and he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace, offerings and offering made by fire unto the Lord.
The fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the call above the liver with the kidneys, it shall he take away. An Aaron's son shall burn it on the altar.
Upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire. It is an offering made by fire of a sweet savour under the Lord. OK, let's turn to Chapter 7.
00:05:04
Leviticus Chapter 7 and verse 11. And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord. If ye offer it for a Thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of Thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, an unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil of fine flour fraud, besides the cakes he shall offer for his.
Offering leavened bread.
With the sacrifice of Thanksgiving of his peace offerings, and of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation, for in heave offering unto the Lord, and it shall be the priests that sprinklethe the blood of the peace offerings, and the flesh of the sacrifice of His.
Peace offerings for Thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered. He shall not leave any of it until the morning. But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice, and on the Morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten.
But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. Well, we'll just stop there for now and just talk about this peace offering a little bit more. So this was an offering that was intended to be made, Umm, and it was a fresh offering that was needed. It needed to be eaten on the first day.
Or if it was a vow on the second day, but anything that remained on the third day.
Was to be burnt with fire and that really speaks of fresh communion. A continuous, umm, a a continuous.
Freshness that was associated with communion. It wasn't something that you'd enjoy for a long time and until it got old. And still it was fresh continuously. And that's important. And that's why I believe we have the privilege of remembering the Lord Jesus in his death for us every Lord's Day. And there's a need for that remembrance to be fresh and new every day, every Lord's Day. It's not something that umm, you know, unfortunately there are, umm.
There are places of worship that do it, umm, on a quarterly or by annual basis. And, uh, and there's a tendency to forget what the Lord has done for us when there is a long period in between the times that, umm, that remembrance is, is given. And so, umm, another thing about the peace offering.
Was is that, uh, umm again? It was.
An offering of Thanksgiving, and it was a voluntary offering like we spoke about before. Well, umm, again, this correlates very, very directly with, uh, the Lord's Supper and umm, the communion that's associated with that, the communion that it shows with, umm, with God and with our Lord Jesus and with each other as Saints together.
But it is an offering, umm, of Thanksgiving to the Lord for what He has done for us and umm.
You know, if we turn back to Luke chapter 22, I just would like to read a few verses there that the Lord spoke to the disciples that are really touching and and very telling. Umm Luke chapter 22 and verse 14 it says. And when the hour was come, he sat down and the 12 apostles with him.
And he said unto them with desire of desire, to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For I say unto you, that I will not anymore eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves, For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread and gave thanks, and break it.
And gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you. This do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood.
Which is shed for you? And then let's just turn to the verses in First Corinthians Chapter 11 That we know so well.
First Corinthians Chapter 11 and verse 23.
00:10:01
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, you break it and said, Take heed, this is my body which is broken for you.
This due in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had sat, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This Dewey, as OFT as ye drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, eat his show, or proclaim the Lord's death till he come.
So the Lord, when he was here, looking forward to his being offered at the cross for our sins, he made a request.
To you and to me.
And that was that. We would not forget the sacrifice that he gave there at Calvary for us. And he instituted a supper that was very clearly laid out. It wasn't complex, it was very simple, but it was also very profound.
And he asked us to proclaim and to remember his death with Thanksgiving, with that supper. My question to you young people is, have you answered that request?
And if not, why not? It is a simple request that the Lord Jesus gave.
For you to be able to render appreciation and Thanksgiving to Him for what He has done for you.
It doesn't seem like too much to ask. You know, in Luke chapter 17, it talks about 10 lepers that needed to be cleansed and the Lord cleansed them. And out of the 10, only one return to give Thanksgiving to the Lord for what he had done. And his question was, were there not ten?
That were cleansed. Where are they not? Where are they not?
And I don't mean to be negative in this, but I just would like you to be exercised about your position. You know, if I had a birthday, umm, if I had a 40th birthday or something like that, that was coming up. And unfortunately I'm older than 40, but that seems to be a fairly common birthday that is celebrated and I somebody.
Uh, and if I were to say you know who, it should be nice.
If on my birthday we could have a party at this place and we could celebrate it in this way.
What what would happen if either nobody came, or if they went to a completely different place and did it a completely different way?
Would that be of any blessing to me? Not at all. And there would be a loss on the part of those that that came to that party because there wouldn't have been an opportunity for communion with me.
And so the Lord has given us a way in which we can render thanks for what he has done. And the question is simply, have you, have you, umm, responded to that request by asking for your place at the Lord's Table? And like that peace offering that spoken of, it says a picture in the Old Testament of the Lord's Table and that offering, uh, that remembrance, meaning that we could have there, it was a free will.
Right. And it was, it was fresh and new and, uh, there was exercise that was associated with it and it was a rendering and outpouring of Thanksgiving on the offers part to God. For what? For the peace that they had experienced in, umm, receiving God's blessing. Isn't that sweet?
Well, I'll just close with that. And I just would ask that as young people.
You would.
Solemnly consider where you stand with us. It doesn't seem like too much to ask. The Lord didn't ask much of us, but that's one thing He asked, and it was a tremendous thing that He accomplished for us at Calvary. The least we can do, I think, is to respond in kind. It says in First John chapter 4 that we love Him because He first loved us well. How can we manifest or display our love to Him?
It's by obeying his request of remembering him in his death, in the way that he asked us to remember him.
For the older ones, unless I speak to myself too, there's another part of of the peace offering that comes into play. And it was and it was necessary that it be fresh and not be stale.
00:15:14
And then First Corinthians Chapter 11.
There's after those verses that I just read. It says umm in verse 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily or in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
You know, umm, there's two ways that that can be applied.
The the interpretation of that verse is that if we come in a way that is.
Uh.
Where the Lord's Supper does not have a distinct meaning to us and it has just become a tradition or a ritual in which we are participating without any exercise. That is what it's talking about when it talks about coming and eating of the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner. I had always thought that it had to do with coming and parti participated in the Lord's Supper having.
Been involved in some evil and certainly there's that application.
OK, but the actual rendering of that verse has to do with us coming and remembering the Lord in a way in which it's not real to us. It's not meaningful. We don't have our hearts engaged in it.
And anyone of us can find ourselves on a Lord's Day morning preoccupied by other things. And that's why it says, let a man examine himself, and so let him eat. And so that we can we kindle a fresh in our heart, that appreciation for the Lord and what he has done, and then respond in an appropriate way with our hearts focused on him.
That's something to remember. On the third day, the sacrifice that wasn't consumed, wasn't eaten, was to be burned, and it was offered afresh again.
A few things to meditate on for myself as well. Let's just commend ourselves. Our God and Father, we just thank Thee for Thy word. We thank Thee for these things that speak to us of Thy beloved Son. And we just think of that marvelous sacrifice that our Lord Jesus accomplished there at Calvary. We just pray that umm, each one of us would be exercised as to our position.
Before him, uh, and how we respond and give thanks for what he has done for us. We pray that if there is one here that does not.
Uh has not yet taken their place at the Lord's table and answered the Lord's request. Our God and Father, we just pray that thou wilt umm.
Warm thy heart, warm their heart afresh with thy love, and just help them to consider afresh what thou hast done for them in the blessing that they have been brought into, that they might respond with Thanksgiving and with a willing sacrifice, umm, in the way in which our Lord Jesus laid out. And so we just commend this evening. Today we ask for thy continued help. We pray for Marina and Emma and any others that may not be feeling well tonight. We thank you for.
To them we just would also give thanks for the refreshments. The following. We thank thee again for thy goodness to us in Jesus name, Amen. Amen.
Luke 12:13-21
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Yes, God's blessing.
Father our God, we now pray for help as we have this, uh, time before us. We think of this, uh, precious word, Father, thou has given us. We think of the, uh, the words of our Lord Jesus, The Lord Jesus, we see these words on the pages. We just pray that these words that were said so long ago, Lord Jesus, that would be in our hearts even this morning, that we would get the sense we would be bringing in our hearts these eternal words. Lord Jesus, we're thankful for the open scriptures. We pray for the Holy Spirit to help us. In thy name we pray, Lord Jesus, Amen. Amen.
Luke chapter 12, verse 14.
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then those who then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life what you shall eat, neither for the body what you shall put on. The life is more than me, and the body is more than raiment.
Consider the Ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you was taking thought can add to his stature? 1 cubit. If he then are not able to do that thing which is least, why take Ethan? For the rest, consider the lilies, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven.
How much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be of doubtful mind, for all these things do the nations of the world seek after. And your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little clock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom, so that ye have. And give alms. Provide yourselves bags with wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupteth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he returns from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that He shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find themselves, blessed are those servants.
And this know that if the good men of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Well, we've entered in on a new portion here within the chapter.
Umm, prior to this, we've had, umm, the Lord really is in this chapter, uh, giving things, uh, principles to his disciples to, uh, allow them to, to serve him in a, in a fuller and, and freer way. And so he brings before them some things that they need to be free from. And, uh, we've already noticed a couple of them, one being, uh, they need to be free from hypocrisy. We have that in our first meeting and that was taken up in verses 1:00 to 3:00 and from verses 4:00 to 12:00, we needed to be free from the fear of man because that ultimately will paralyze us when it comes to.
Our service, uh, for Christ. And now as we embark on this new portion here within the chapter, uh, from verses 13 to 21, it's really touching on, uh, the need to be free from covetousness. And I think, uh, before we embark on this, uh, little section, it's probably good to define really what is covetousness. There's a lot of kids here and I know you've heard the word, but you may not understand what it means. And it really is unbridled lust or desire. So it's really.
00:05:31
You know, the last part of things might be that, that the evil side, that, uh, our natural hearts would go after, uh, evil thoughts and evil, evil things. Uh, but we may also want what has not been given to us by God and we desire those things. And that's covetousness as well. And both are wrong, isn't it? And so these are, these are things we need to be free from. We, we ought to judge that spirit.
Of covetousness in our lives, if it's there, if it's in our hearts, you know, it's, uh, I think of the 10 commandments and it's the last commandment, isn't it? Thou shalt not covet. And you know, you might say, well, I don't steal and you know, I'm so I'm not a thief. And you know, I, I don't murder and I don't do this and that. But there's one thing that slays every one of us, and that's covetousness because it's built right within. It's that desire to have what is not ours, or it's lusting after evil things.
That our natural hearts and our evil nature would, would go after. And so it's good to be free from this. And you know, we live in a world in which, uh, covetousness rules, especially this part of the, the world is, you know, we, we live in, in a very materialistic society. Uh, we are a very wealthy people in comparison to the rest of the world. And so we might, umm, fall prey to this maybe.
A little bit more, umm, than others just given where we live because there's that spirit of wanting to keep up with the Joneses. You know, my neighbors got the nice big fancy truck. So I'm, I'm lusting after that. I want that or I need the big, big, you know, two-story house or what have you. And, uh, and, and ultimately this will, uh, be a distraction and it's, it's not right.
I like that definition you give, that it is desiring what the Lord has not given to me.
And whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, very often when we hear something like this, we automatically default to, well, what's, what's the exception? So I'll ask the question in case someone's already thinking about it. There is at least one scripture that tells us to covet, covet earnestly the best gifts. Can you help us with that?
Well, I and I, I'm open for a correction or somebody maybe can add to this, but I've understood that to be, uh, desiring for the church those gifts that would, would, uh, be for its, its edification, uh, uh, that will build up the, the Saints of God in their most holy faith. And so, umm, that would be a right thing to desire. It's for the good of others.
And not for the good of ourselves necessarily. Is that correct? Yes. And it's, and it's to a, as you say, it's too, it's collective. It's a collective desire. And it's not for something that the Lord has not given. The Lord has given gift. And, and we should have, we should desire to see that gift developed and and used among us. And so we are rightly to desire earnestly the best gifts. I believe that that is the way the new translation puts it.
But it's a bit of a digression. Covetousness in our chapters, we've said, is to desire what the Lord has not given to us.
And it may be a good thing, it may be, it may be something that is a right and appropriate desire, but it's not the Lord's time yet.
And for us to pursue something that the Lord has clearly, uh, not given to us would be, uh, a manifestation of covetousness working under the surface.
I don't want to detract from what has been said, but I'd like to, uh, focus this in on this 13th verse. This 13th verse says one of the companies said unto him, Master, speak unto my brother that he divide the inheritance with me. And so on the face of it, you could say, well, what's wrong with that? An inheritance is something that is, is ours, right?
00:10:11
And if his brother was?
Withholding.
The portion that was due to this person that asked about it, you, you could say, well, what's wrong with that?
It it's his, it rightly belongs to him. So why is this listed here?
We need to understand the time that we live in.
And, uh, you know, there's going to be a time when the Lord is going to come and he will set things right on this earth. But when he came the first time, that was not why he came to this earth. He came to accomplish the work on the cross. He came to seek souls here. It has to do with earthly possessions. And as you said, this man's question might have been completely right, but the Lord said, I'm not going to go into that at this time, but He does use it.
As he does so often a question, not by directly answering it, but by bringing something out that would help us. And we've said several times since we started this chapter, Luke is a book of moral order. And so we see all these things and it's it's moral things that will help us in this world. I mean, the world doesn't really bring in our Christian position here, but if we connect it with what we have here, we're a heavenly people. This has to do with wanting things on the earth down here. And that's not what the Lord came for.
You know, we follow a rejected Christ who didn't even have a place to lay his head. And so, umm, you know, we'll see even later when we get into the parable, what the man desired were bad things. He just wanted to enjoy the fruit of his labor. But for us to take our ease down here in this world, we're on the wrong track. And so when the Lord comes back and he establishes the Kingdom, it will reign in righteousness. This brother not dividing the inheritance, that was unrighteous. And when the Lord reigned, that's not gonna be the case. Everything will be right.
But that's not, umm, the time that we live in now. And so we've seen in the previous chapter the fear of man, the persecution. We live in a time where that which is connected with the Lord is not liked in this world. There's persecution. So it tells us to live by faith. And it would be unintelligent as those that belong to Christ to seek for greater things, more things down here. You know, prosperity on earth was something that was connected.
With the Old Testament, with the times and when the people of Israel were under the law. But it's not like that now. It's not like that the Lord and his wisdom might see fit to give the Christian many things because he knows he can trust them with it. That's not the question. But it's here to look after more, to want more, and that's not a right desire as we've been talking about.
The world today measures success by by what you have and, uh.
And for the Christian, as you've been pointing out, Mark, uh, that's not God's way of measuring success.
Umm, you know, so we need to, it says here, take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. That's a, a worldly, a fleshly, umm, umm, vantage point of success. You've got all this material wealth, while you must be successful and I suppose in an earthly sense.
You are, but when it comes to the Christian, God does not measure your success by what you have. And it's really Judaism at the end of the day, right? As you've already pointed out, brother Mark, so and I, and I just say this because I, I, I think we need to, umm, umm, be reminded that, umm, you know, sometimes, and I don't want to make, uh, anybody an offender for a word. And I know I've, I've used it myself, but sometimes we say that, well, such and such has such a good job or a nice property or whatever, The Lord's really blessed them.
Well, let's be careful because that might plant the seed in our head thinking that, well, I guess my material wealth down here is God's approval on my life. Not so. That's Judaism, that's not Christianity. So, you know, let's just keep that in mind as we move through this life that God does not measure. Again, I've repeated it already, but God does not measure our success by what we have.
00:15:03
Not at all. So I want to expound on that just a little bit. And the reason I asked the question is because.
As you were saying, Brother Josh, God's economy is different than our economy.
So if we turn back to Matthew chapter 5.
We read about that economy.
Verse 40 If a man sue the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also, and whosoever will compel thee to go a mile.
Go with him twain, give to him that asketh to thee, and to him that would borrow of thee. Turn thou not away ye have heard. It hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love thine enemy, and bless them that curse you, and do good to them that hate you, And pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven for you maketh the sun to rise on the evil and the good.
And send it rain on the just and the unjust and so on. And so sometimes we have a a mixed up idea of what is right. And here I believe that the reason the Lord said to this man, he said unto him, man, who made me a judge or divider over you?
On one sense, you could say that that inheritance was his and and rightfully.
Belong to you, but to him. But in God's economy it's different.
So naturally speaking in the, especially in this country we live in, we think we have all these rights and, and we think we deserve this or that or the other thing in in God's economy, it's completely the opposite.
And we're told that if somebody says, well, I want your shirt.
Or your coat, you take off your shirt as well and give it to them. And that is a completely different concept.
And way of thinking then we're accustomed to in this world and really what I believe the Lord is bringing before us here is is we don't have any rights. I'd like to read that verse verse.
15 in the new translation, because I think it's interesting it it actually gives a little bit different flavor. It says and he said unto them, take heed and keep yourselves from.
All covetousness, for it is not because a man is in abundance that his life is in his possessions. So often in this world we have our lives wrapped around our possessions and we hold them tightly. And it doesn't mean that we have to be in abundance. It doesn't mean that we have to be well off to covet things and and to hold on to them in a way that is not right.
We should, as someone else has said, we should hold everything that we have in an open hand. And the reason for that is the Lord may choose to take away, but He may choose to put something else in there as well. And if we hold it as being the Lords, then He can do with it whatsoever He pleases and it's going to be a blind benefit and a blessing. If we hold on to it tightly, it's going to hurt us when it, when He takes it away, He is fully able to take it away from us.
And we're not going to have the capacity to receive when he wants to give us something else. We have to recognize. And I want to make this really, really clear to you children. The word of God that we hold in our our laps gives us a completely different standard than what this world has. And so this man is he said, well, speak to my brother that he divided the inheritance. He didn't get the concept.
That the Lord was trying to get across that the Lord can take care of that. And it's interesting. I've had to speak a little bit with some of my coworkers about inheritance. And it's really, really interesting, especially in this world in which we live, that inheritance generally brings out the absolute worst in light of covetousness in families. So generally speaking, there's someone that's called an executor.
00:20:03
And that person is supposed to divvy out the inheritance according to whatever is written in the will. But what you find, generally speaking, is a family that is going on very happily together. It gets to an inheritance and all of a sudden there's all kinds of fights and squabbling and, well, I want that piece of furniture and I want that, this or that, something else. It really brings out our hearts.
And really that's the the focus of this portion here is this man, he wanted something.
Umm and and the Lord was really speaking to His heart, and we have to recognize that our hearts are exactly the same.
I think that's right. So the Lord says go directly to the heart of the matter in this. And I think that's instructive for us because we are, we are oftentimes placed in a position where somebody comes to us with a grievance and they ask us to take a position in support of their grievance. And, and that's something that that really is a source of potentially a lot of issues. I, I'll give you an example. I had a, a friend from college come to me.
With some grievances about her marriage.
And I'm convinced that she was looking for validation for a divorce. And, and I recall that moment and thinking of this verse and what the Lord did he, he dealt with the person in front of him and went to the heart of the matter with that person in front of him. And So what was my response to deal with the person in front of me and deal with her heart and never addressed the issue with her husband.
Although I think she was right, but the issue was with her heart and, and what the Lord's desire was for her. And I applied the Scripture in that, in that context. And, and the, the wonderful thing is, is that, that marriage is still intact and much stronger, uh, than before. And I think this, this scripture is coming to us in the context of a family dispute and often times in assemblies.
Things are brought forward in the context of a family dispute.
And things are taking to brothers and sisters.
And, and we're being asked to make a judgment.
On a family dispute.
And the temptation is to make a judgment on what is right and what is wrong and to take sides.
And then what happens is that the vision in a family comes out to be a division in assembly, and then that spreads to the next assembly because everybody wants to take aside for what is right. But if we resist that temptation and just deal with the brother or the sister that's in front of us and deal with the heart of the matter with that individual and not be be dragged into a dispute within a family, I think we can restore a lot of happiness and tranquility to assemblies and to families.
The issues that we see here in this chapter are a matter of perspective and the perspective of this individual that's speaking to the Lord is earthly. And as Christians it's been brought out that our perspective should be heaven. And in Ephesians chapter one we clearly see where our perspective and where our position lies as Christians. In Ephesians chapter one and verse three, it says blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ? That's where that is where our inheritance is. It's in heavenly places and it's spiritual things. It doesn't have to do with the things of this earth Josh brought out. We need to be really careful about Speaking of material things as blessings. I've heard it even stated to the extent that we shouldn't, we shouldn't even refer to them as blessings, but temporal mercies. Because a car is, is really a temporal mercy that gives us things.
Capability of moving from one place to another, it's not necessarily a blessing for a Christian. Our blessings are heavenly things in heavenly places. And so when we get our focus off of our heavenly blessings, Steve made the statement that we don't have any right. And I get what he was saying. But brother, we do have rights, but they're just not earthly rights. They're not right here on this earth. We are the sons of God. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God.
00:25:08
We have tremendous rights, but they're not in this scene. They're in a heavenly scene. And so that's where the focus should be. And to just put it in perspective and another place in the New Testament, it says that covetousness, which is idolatry. Well, why is it idolatry? Because the tendency is to take our focus off of Christ in heavenly things, in our heavenly position and refocus them on things on this earth, and we lose the blessing of our heavenly position.
I think just to to balance this out a little bit, we're not suggesting by any means that people would Christians with wealth and material possessions are.
Umm, uh, in the wrong or anything like that. I mean, though that's all given by God, It may have already been mentioned here. Umm, but I think, I think let's, let's just stress that, but it's, it's a matter of the heart, isn't it? It's a matter of the heart. And that's where it all begins. Is, you know, our brother Aaron was bringing out here and I just like, would like to, to read a, a, a passage that I think illustrates the kind of what we're talking about, uh, in principle as to how covetousness.
Will hinder a Christian. Now this man, not suggesting he was a Christian, but it illustrates how this, uh, covetous spirit can really, uh, umm, uh, be a stumbling block in the life. So if you turn to Matthew 19, uh, we're all familiar with this passage and I, you know, we, we've talked already about the heart going to the heart of the matter. And boy, uh, our Lord Jesus sure knows how to do that.
So in Matthew 19 verse 16. And behold, one came and said unto him, Good master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why call Islami good? There is none good but one, that is God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. And he saith unto him, which Jesus saith, Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness. Honor thy father and thy mother, and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth, what lack I yet notice? This Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me. And when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. The Lord Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. He put his finger right on the heart of that man's.
Problem and he didn't come out and say thou shalt not covet, but he he alluded to it in what he he he said to this man, OK, well go sell everything that you have give to the poor and come follow me and you'll have treasure in heaven couldn't do it. A man walked away sorrowful. He had great possessions and the Lord Jesus exposed his heart to him and to to show him that your problem is covetousness and that man as far as we know, did not end up following the Lord and I think there's some practical ramifications here for us that.
We can be caught up in the spirit of things, lusting, desiring those things that are not ours, that have not been given to us by God.
Ultimately hindering us, it'll hinder us in our path of service for Christ. It'll take away from that redirect our thoughts from heavenly heavenly things from Christ in heaven, as you're saying, brother Tim, and redirecting our thoughts onto what is on this earth and our and then all of a sudden we we become involved in an earthly pursuit and not a heavenly 1.
I'd like to give an illustration on exactly what we're talking about for the sake of the kids to help you understand this concept.
Probably many here have read the book Where the Red Fern Grows. We had to read it when I was a kid in school. And there's an illustration about what we're talking about in that book. OK, They were trying to train a couple of dogs to hunt raccoons, and in order to do that, they needed to secure a raccoon for the purpose of training the stock. And so the grandpa in the book knew exactly how to catch the raccoon.
And what he did is he took a log, a hollow log, and he drove nails into the log in a circle and created a, a, a small hole within the, the circle of nails that were all pointed in. And then he just took a shiny silver trinket and he put it inside the hollow log. And they went and put the log out in the woods. And sure enough, a raccoon came and looked in the log out of curiosity and saw the shiny little trinket and reached in and it was enough room for him to reach his, his hand.
00:30:13
Into the hole and grasp the trinket. But once he had the trinket in his hand and his paw, he couldn't retract his paw from the loft and he was stuck. All he needed to do to regain his liberty was to let go of the trinket and he could walk away. But because of the nature of the raccoon, he would not let go of the trinket. And therefore they were able to just walk up and secure the raccoon for the purpose of their training. And brethren, that's the same thing with the covetousness.
This enemy of our souls sews these trinkets out there, these earthly things that have really no value in anything.
And we grasp a hold of them and we lose our liberty and Christ, we lose our that heavenly blessing that we have been given that we've just been talking about over this little trinket. And if we would just let go of the trinket, we would have the ability to regain that liberty.
So Tim, you pointed out it's a matter of perspective. What are we looking at? Are we looking at eternal things? Are we looking at temporal things? And it's a question too of priority. And when I take the temporal things, the earthly things, the trinkets, and I make that my priorities. And that's when it becomes when covetousness is looked at in the, in the characteristic of idolatry, I've taken, I've taken something that I can't hold on to.
And I made it more important than the eternal spiritual blessing that I cannot lose that I have in Christ. And that has become a motivation for me, for the things that I do and what I think about and what I care about most. That's idolatry.
And in this case of this young man that that Josh was reading about here in Matthew, it goes back to it we were just talking about in that illustration. It says that in verse 21 Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect going so all the Taha to release the trinket.
And go and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come upon me. And this man chose rather than.
Umm enjoying that treasure in heaven to hold on, to grasp a hold of those earthly things. And he lost. God bless him.
Notice men to ask the question. He didn't get the answer that he was looking for. And I think that the disciples were probably pretty shocked with the answer that the Lord gave to because they were still full of Judaistic ideas. They still thought till the very end that the Lord would establish the Kingdom and here was a chance to show what he was going to do. And I think now that we're at the end of the Christian time.
A lot of those Judaistic ideas have come in, and you see that when you sometimes drive down the street, there's a big beautiful church, and the next one is a little bigger and a little more beautiful. And so there's the same ideas going on in Christianity, like the ideas the disciples at this time entertained. They thought the Lord is going to set up the Kingdom and we're going to have a high position with him and we're secure. They have earthly thoughts.
And a lot of Christianity Today have earthly thoughts and so.
This was like I said, I think this was like, whoa, this is not what we are expecting. And I think a lot of Christians that they would really understand what this is about. This is not what they would expect. A lot of Christians think that we need to improve this world and get it better for, to make it ready for the Lord, the only one that can set things straight as the Lord himself. And so, umm, you know, like Tim has been talking about, it's, it's important as something we need to remind ourselves of the whole time.
To let go of things down here because they're just the hindrance. And in first Timothy chapter 6, it speaks about godliness with contentment being great game and speaks of umm, having food and raiment. Let us therewith be content. Then a couple of verses later that they that will be rich in this world fall into many full temptations and hurtfulness and all that kind of stuff. Later in the chapter it speaks of those that are rich and it doesn't say anything bad about them. It just tells them make sure you use what you have in the right way.
That it's the desire to want more down here than we have. We can't want more.
00:35:00
Of our blessings because you read the verse we've been blessed with all spiritual blessings. We can't remember we happen. We need to wanna enjoy them more and blessings you know, if you really want our day. It's spiritual things. It's not something you can hold with your hands something you can smell or see has nothing to do with census. That was Judaism, Christianity. The heavenly thing is by faith and so those are the true riches. The day that will be rich will fall into snares. It's those that don't discern what true riches are that get their eyes of their heavenly blessings.
Be occupied with earthly things and so the disciples needed to hear this and they weren't really ready yet to take it in mainly because they didn't have the Holy Spirit yet. But those things, you know, it said that they would remember those things that the Lord spoke when the Holy Spirit comes. Now we if we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, each one here we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. So the things that are being said and that we read, we have the capacity to take him in to understand them. And now we need to make him good in our lives and really work that out practically. And it's hard like Josh was mentioning.
We live in a society, that's all what it's about. That's all what it's about. And so we do get caught up by the things that we see around us. So we need to come back on a daily basis to the Word of God and be reminded of what we are really here for. It's not for the newest car, but it's to be a furthering or or carrying on the testimony that the Lord Jesus showed when He was on earth. And when we think about it, He could have had everything on the earth, but He really had nothing. Show me a penny.
But he was occupied with his father's business. And if we do that too, then we lay up real treasure and have the real riches, not trinkets.
The true riches are apparent to faith, and only faith, because they're unseen, like you say. And you know what's interesting? That was always the case.
It was always the case, even in Judaism. Hebrews 11 teaches us that those who have faith they valued was to come.
What they couldn't see more than what they could see, more than even the the promise that was given, they realized by faith that it went beyond what this life has offered. And how much more for us in Christianity we're told that we're blessed, as has already been quoted, with all spiritual blessing and other translation gives with every spiritual blessing. Not a single one has been withheld. He is abounded toward us in all wisdom and intelligence.
Imagine that the Old Testament Saints couldn't have said that. God has told us all his heart and all His counsel what He's going to do and how He's going to glorify His Son. He's entrusted that. He's confided that in US as friends. What rich blessing we have so much more important than the things that would hinder us from enjoying it.
So brother Mark, you said you think live within the vicinity of the two richest people in the world. And, uh, it's good to, uh, just be reminded that every Christian, uh, everyone of us sitting here today as an individual are far more wealthy, infinitely more wealthy than the Bill Gates of the world or what have you, the Steve Jobs and all those.
Wealthy, wealthy guys, so much wealth that they just are giving away billions of dollars because they don't know what to do with it. Well, guess what? You're far infinitely more wealthy than all of those guys put together.
We're we're, we're blessed with, as you say, every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. We couldn't be more blessed. We've got everything. You've given us everything. It's amazing.
And not only that.
But the sun, the stars, the moon, this planet, Earth, the inheritance.
There's coming a day when the Lord Jesus comes back to assume what is called the inheritance. Every created thing.
He's purchased it with his blood.
And guess what? He's going to share that with us as well. We're joint heirs with Christ, so we have every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. But.
We are. We're also going to share the material creation with him. It's part of our inheritance as well.
There's an example of of one that that came to an appreciation of of what he had outside of his inheritance, and that is in the finisher. Mephibosheth was a man that was given a place at the King's table as one of the King's sons, and then there was a period of time in which the king was displaced.
00:40:21
From his throne and the servant of Mephibosheth, his name was Ziba, slandered Mephibosheth before the people and the king. And, uh, when David came back, Mephibosheth had missed his place at the King's table to the point, umm, where he hadn't washed himself. He, he had been in a place of taking that same rejection, even though he was lame on his feet, couldn't follow after the king.
Umm, so it's the, uh, the king came back, David came back and Zyva came and, and umm, slandered Mephibosheth. And the question was asked, you know what, what, what will happen with the fibre shifts inheritance? And then the fibership still valued that relationship with the king and his position there that he was like, I don't care about the inheritance, just let him take it off.
Let's either have everything. It's enough that the king has returned in peace, and that is a man that had experienced what it was to have a much greater blessing than that earthly blessing that he had been righteously given and was unrighteously taken away. But it didn't mean anything to him compared to what he had in his relationship with David.
The perfect contrast to the rich young ruler that Brother Josh brought before us.
To him, the the those things that he was holding onto with a tight hand were more important.
And to this man in our chapter, he wanted to divide the inheritance. Give me what's mine.
And and the person that he speaks to, he he does it without the appropriate reverence. Master, do this.
A real warning sign there. His desire eclipsed propriety.
So in verse 16 we have a parable about a rich man and his farm did really well says that his.
The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
We're going to be tested in the things that we're Speaking of.
And so this, this rich man, he was tested. I believe the Lord allowed his his property to flourish and his his ground brought forth plentifully so that his heart would be exposed. And so we as only the Lord can do, we get an opportunity to see into this man's heart that says he thought within himself.
What am I going to do? I have all this increase.
And we find out that his thoughts didn't go very far beyond himself. They stayed on himself. And as a result?
God says, thou fool.
And so I want to make this really practical for us, because each one of us are tested every single day of our lives on this very subject. What are we going to do with the things that the Lord has given us, whether they be material possessions, whether they be the talents the Lord has given us, whether it just be our time?
Because young people and children.
Time is one of the most important resources that the Lord has given each one of us.
It's something that we can't quantify. We don't know how much time we have here. This rich man, it said that very night or this very day, thy soul, this night, thy soul shall be required of thee. And so his time was up.
And the Lord gives us this question, Whose then shall be all these things that you've stored up for yourself?
We don't know how much time we have, even though it's the one of the most important resources we have. We only are given right now, today.
00:45:10
And so the question for us is, how are we going to use our time and the resources that the Lord has given to us?
To be for the Lord's glory and honor instead of like this rich man who was only thinking of himself.
And I have to hang my head and and say I don't use my time.
Like I should for the Lord's glory all the time.
This is something that each one of us is tested on every single day of our lives. What are we going to do with our time and our resources that the Lord has given to us?
Are we going to use them for him, or are we going to use them for ourselves and in so much as we use them for ourselves?
This statement that the Lord gives applies to us, thou fool.
It's interesting, Steve, in connection with this terrible, or maybe I'm the only one because it it ends with thou fool and him going into perdition. We like immediately think that was a bad guy. But really that's not what he's talking about. This is, you know, if you want to paraphrase it, somebody that worked hard and done well. What does he want to do? He wants to slow down a little bit, enjoy some good food and as we would say, we may have some fun.
He didn't say I'm gonna go steal, I'm gonna go murder people. There's nothing bad. But what was the problem? As he said, he didn't look beyond himself. He didn't look beyond this earth, what he could see. And that's the problem. And so again, we, we just keep referring to that. But we live in a society that's exactly what this is, the American dream, pretty much. He's made it and now he's gonna enjoy it. And that's what people wanna do. But they only live for the Earth. They only live for this world. And that's very short sighted. And umm, you know, we can, we can understand how people of the world think that way.
Because a lot of people just have no thoughts of God. But if we are, Christians are infected by that too. That's very sad because we are losing out. You know, we know we're not gonna end up in a lost eternity, but we might live our lives like this person, have the same thoughts because that's what we see our neighbors do and lose out on so much, not just down here, but also when it comes to a reward because we reflect on the Lord and a future day. And so, you know, don't think of this guy or the one that Josh read about. They were not bad guys. They were actually good guys if you look at it from a natural point of view.
But that's not good enough if you're if your gaze doesn't go.
Up to heaven, you know, you think of lot 2. What did he see? He saw the well watered plains and it says he looked up. But he didn't look high enough as we often say and he lost out in life. What a sad life. Lost life is when you consider it what it could have been. We had just looked up a little higher like Abraham did and he chose to live up on the mountain. Symbolic of being close to God. What a difference. So here we have exactly the same. This man was just occupied with things down here.
Throughout South or he lost out on his goal too. But we as Christians can lose out on a fruitful life for Christ here. And really, that's the only happy life. We're not going to be happier by achieving the American dream on the country.
No, I was thinking of that verse in Acts. It's interesting. It's not recorded in the in the four Gospels at all, but it's recorded in Acts and it says that the Lord Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
And so happiness, brethren, I would suggest is, is, is, and, and really happy, blessed to be blessed means to be happy. And if we want to be happy Christians, the material wealth that God has given us or whatever he has entrusted to us, be it our time, our money, our, you know, resources and so on. Umm, I think that we need to be willing to be using, use that for God's glory. And, uh.
And, uh, we can do that in so many ways.
It's just not, uh, you know, helping somebody out financially could be opening your home, you know, it could be spending some time with somebody in need, uh, all these things. And there is a happiness that comes along with that. The Lord Jesus, his life.
Was think of this he never did one thing to please himself, not one. And I have to lay my hand on my own heart and say boy that puts me to shame because how often, how unlike him I am in so many aspects of my life shouldn't be the case. And how often I do things for my own selfish.
00:50:18
Means, but you know, so we're you know, when we speak of of covetousness and so on, desiring those things that we don't have.
And so on what let's, let's flip that around now and, and, and the things that we do have, let's make sure we're using it for the Lord.
And we do tend to be in the ditch on one side or the other. Umm, I know a lot of people when they talk about money, when people talk about money and they're, and they say, well, I, I'm going to be safe. This is the love of money. It's the root of all evil, not money. But they say, well, I'm going to be safe. I'm not going to have anything. And I.
Brethren that are poor on that, that's who they are. It's not what God's given them. They decided they're going to be poor. They don't get up and go to work and they don't save their money and they're poor. That's not God's choice, that's theirs. And you know, Satan, the enemy of our souls wants to kill and steal and destroy and everything that God has given us is good. You think of food. Food is wonderful. God wants us to enjoy it in moderation. But what the devil wants us to do is lose. They enjoy all. You know, if I eat too much, then I'm going to be overweight and.
You know, and so we're kind of like, food is our enemy. I've been that way in my life.
Fruit is my enemy and I had to realize I had to adjust my own mind. This is a gift from God. He wants me to enjoy every single bite. That's why that's how we made it. The same thing true in intimacy. Intimacy between a man and his wife is wonderful in its place. And the devil, his whole object and the culture we live in is to destroy that, to just make us to where we're just like, you know, it's been so misused and so twisted and distorted. Well, you know, I'm just, you know, it'll be better if I don't. And that's not what we're to do.
The Lord told the parable of the talent and he said it's not OK to just say OK, I'm just gonna just do nothing and then I'll be safe. That doesn't work.
The the serving that buried his gift, the Lord said, you wicked servant, that's the servant that got in trouble. The Lord wants us. He's entrusted all this to us. He wants us to use it for him like our brother just said. And dear ones, that answer to this is Mark mentioned it. The antidote to this is in first Timothy 66.
Godliness with contentment is great gain, as Steve mentioned, to hold everything with an open hand. And we live in a world where we have to have a house. Where I live, I would die if I didn't have a House of some sort. It gets cold enough, I would die. It's not a choice. People in LA, maybe you could just pitch a tent, but you have to have some kind of a structure to survive. OK, So these things have a practical need in our lives. They have to fit in. We can't just say no, you know?
This, and I'm not picking on what people said about earthly blessings and heavenly deal because that's important. But if you go later on in the chapter, and I know that kind of goes with other things, but I think it fits with this too. It says in verse six, uh, 31, but rather seek the Kingdom of God In Matthew 633, it says seek ye first, the primary aim, the very first thing that we do and all these things shall be added unto you. Does God want us to have a place to live? Yes. Does he want us to have food? Yes. Does he want us to have clothes? Yes.
He wants us to have nice things, but he wants us.
To be in communion with himself, that we would take everything from his hand, that there would be nothing that we own that comes between US and him. Because then that becomes idolatry. That becomes what we look to what we, what we think about. No, he, it needs to be our line with him. And the Lord will test this. As our dear beloved brother said, he allows things to come in our life so we can judge what's in our own heart and say, Lord, that's wrong. I don't want that. I want you. And then we have that beautiful pathway where what he's given us, we can enjoy. We can.
He's given us all the things richly to enjoy.
I don't wanna.
'Cause confusion that.
We've mentioned retirement and, and the American dream is to retire and, and put our feet up or, or go do this or that or the other thing and, and.
Have a life of ease and and I think that this portion here is warning against that does that mean that we shouldn't?
00:55:02
Prepare for a time when we maybe don't have the capability to work like we are currently working. No, there needs to be a balance there, but the the balance is laying up treasure in heaven and that's what we have in verse 21. So.
Is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God? And so that really needs to be our focus in young people.
I want to make this immensely practical.
This world holds all kinds of shiny things out there for us to become an object for us. And most of the people I, I work with, they are working really hard so that they can retire someday and and have a life of, of ease or do whatever they want and they are really, really concerned about their retirement.
And I know that the society, the the young people.
The attitude of the age, uh, most young people actually don't care about retirement right now. The people that, uh, my organization are in interviewing and hiring, they're not worried about retirement. They, they want their pleasure now. And it's really been interesting to see a change in my career.
Umm, of the people that we interview coming out of college and it used to be that they were really concerned about the retirement benefits and now they're just, they're concerned about how much time off they're going to have.
Uh, and both of them are wrong.
The Lord has given us resources and talents, and we are to use them for His honor and glory. And really, quite frankly, there is never a point in time that we should retire, scripturally speaking. It may be that what we do or what we're engaged in is different. It may be that the Lord allows us to have more time to spend for His honor and glory. There's always a need.
Dear young people, I want to encourage you if you have the opportunity or make the opportunity, go serve the Lord in some way, shape or form. You know, there's a whole lot of need up at BTP for people to put labels on boxes, to get in the mail, to send literature around the world so that it can be a blessing to the salvation of souls and and the distribution of godly ministry.
It can be as simple as.
It has being willing to spend your large day afternoon, uh, stapling papers together so that, uh, one of the laboring brethren that travels around have pamphlets to give out to school children. It's being willing to spend the energy that we have for the honor and glory of the Lord. It might be going and sitting with someone who's older.
And just picking up the word of God and reading it to them because they can't read it for themselves anymore. There's so many things. And sometimes this is a burden on my heart. Sometimes I think as young people, we look at, at Jim Highland or we look at, at somebody else who is way down the road and we, we say, there's no way that I can ever be used of the Lord in that capacity. And that's the wrong perspective. The Lord wants us to do whatever he's put right in front of us. And he wants us to be willing to have our hearts open and our eyes open and say.
If it's if it's serving some coffee at all day meeting, that's what the Lord has for me to do and I'm gonna do it for him. If it's doing my school work every single day so that some day down the road I can have a job and provide for my family, the Lord's gonna bless that. There's so many things that he put puts before our hearts. And I want to encourage you children, be willing to be used by the Lord.
He's going to bless you immensely, and that's what it means to lay up treasure in heaven.
I know my brethren here will readily.
Recognize it if I were to say that brother Vern puts a little more bluntly that Scripture does not allow for retirement, that brother is retired from his secular career. But I don't suppose there are very many here who would say they haven't benefited from him since the time he retired or before because he's been active in seeking to serve the Lord and the Lord's people. And we're thankful for our older brethren and and I was thinking as you were speaking, Steve, about the.
01:00:19
The order that the Lord set up with the Levites in the Old Testament, and in one place you read that they serve from 30 to 50 years old.
That a time when they started in age and an age where they, I don't know if I would rightly use the word retired, but in age where that service was terminated or changed to a different kind of service. And then another place you read that, that they're 20 years old when they start into this. And, and the way I understand it is it was something of an apprenticeship and you have, you have 20 to 30 years old roughly where you're, you're learning.
And here's a question. Who are they learning from? I mean, the ones who are from 30 to 50, they're busy, their hands are full, they're working.
Well, there are those who are 50 and a little older, and they can come alongside a younger one who's 20 to 30 and say, you see how that brother's working over there? You see what he's doing, You see how he's covering those those holy things. Here's why. And here's the reason that they do it the way they do it. And here are the principles. And they're arming this brother so that when he gets to 30 years old, he's ready and capable.
To, to commence his time of service as a Levite. And so I think in that sense, you know, there's, there's retirement from our secular career, but for what purpose? So that we can serve in a different capacity. We can do a job that we're suited to do, having outlived our usefulness and what we were doing before perhaps.
You know, I maybe I don't have the same strength as when I was younger, but I've learned a lot and I need to pass it on to somebody. So we should value spending time with our elder brethren.
And sisters whose responsibility it is to teach us and to prepare us so that we can serve.
Was it not, was it not Joshua who spent time with Moses? I find that so beautiful. And that for me is a real example of what you're saying, brother Steve, to, uh, spend time with your older brother, uh, Joshua. You look at how he was used of the Lord later on in his life after Moses.
Departed from this scene, but he, he spent time with Moses and this young man and heard what this this man of God had to say and what he did. And there is a lot of value for you young people and children to frankly us middle-aged adults to spend time with our older brethren, hear what they have to say. They've been through the path of faith and have have walked it for many years. And there is incredible wisdom there.
We need to value that and.
Treasure that. So I just encourage each one of us to not just dismiss them as being, well, not serviceable. Oh no, they are incredibly valuable and God puts a lot of stock into, uh, can I say an older St. of God and would have us to, uh, to, uh, to listen and to, to be with them, I suppose.
That when the Lord said to Joshua, as I was with Moses my servant, so will I be with thee.
If Joshua hadn't spent that time with Moses, it might not have meant as much as it must have meant to hear from the mouth of God that as I was with Moses, so will I be with Thee.
He saw how Moses went on, and he walked with him and and learned from him.
Unfortunately, our time is gone. Can I just share one more bird? Umm James 127 says pure religion. Another rendering is true religion, an undefiled before God and the Father exists to visit the fatherless and the widows and their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Like Josh shared, the older ones have a lot of wisdom and experience in the past away and if we.
Share our time with them, we can learn a lot.
There's a practical aspect to this as well. This this man that we read about here has.
Had the intention of taking his ease.
You know, in my line of work, I come into contact with a, a wide variation of people in society. And a lot of people in society are, we've been talking about take this exact fact in life. They, they work hard and then they take their ease and you know what, their body breaks down, they become old and disabled and, and they're no longer capable of enjoying life.
01:05:14
What did it say of Moses? Moses worked up until the very end of his life and it says.
That as I was not dim nor his natural force abated. Now granted, the Lord was giving him that strength, but it was because he was purposing to serve the Lord right up until the very end. Look at Ernie Monk. This Batman is in his 80s at least and he's relatively healthy and energetic and totally opposite picture of the majority of the people that I hauled to the hospital in an ambulance that are 20 or 30 years his senior or his junior. But it's all because.
His purpose is, is to be used of the Lord in a, in a practical way, in a lot of sense, he goes around and helps people with carpentry work and also a system like Steve was talking about in teaching some of the younger ones, some of, uh, the words thing. But so there's a practical element, a practical consequence to these two different perspectives of things as well.
And we're lower down Noah's car park. That was our makers, our sustain.
Lord, we had taken up this portion that speaks of covetousness and desiring possessions in this scene. Or help us to desire thee.
Foremost and primarily that we would desire the blessers above, the blessing that we would want what you want for us, not a penny more and not a penny less that we would want.
Thy presence in our lives that we would not go a step ahead of the year behind the.
What do we think of how these things are so real? Is our brother shared? Those that will be rich pierced themselves through with many sorrows. For these things are for real. And you love us, and you want us to have a blessed path, and so you care enough to tell.
Tell us how to live. And so, Lord, for the youngest one here to the oldest one here, we just pray for help for that sincere desire.
For thee to know thee.
To have what thou dost have for us, think of that promise. Delight thyself and the Lord. He will give thee the desires of thy heart. We pray for safety and blessing on this day as we go and play.
Thank you for all those that labor ceaselessly and just pray for a special portion for them.
Lord, we just thank Thee for this opportunity to be together is truly a foretaste of glory that's come before us. So we pray this for Thy glory and honor in Jesus mighty name, Amen.
Salvation
Address—Josh Costron
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Alright, let's just ask the Lord's help tonight.
Our God and loving Father, we, uh, look up and we're so thankful, uh, for this beautiful day. Uh, thy mercies to us today and for the week, umm, we think of all that has gone before us already by way of ministry and activity. And, uh, we reflect on it and we just thank you so much for answering our prayers for, uh, giving us, uh, a wonderful time. And, uh.
We just looked to the now for this, uh, uh, short time before us as we would open up thy word, pray that thou, uh, help us to take it in and that the audience and speaker alike would be edified and instructed and that we'd be encouraged in our path of faith and service for the Lord Jesus. Uh, we just commit this now to thy care and ask for the help.
We do so with Thanksgiving and Thy worthy and precious name, Lord Jesus.
Just, uh, maybe by way of introduction, I'd like to read a portion of a verse in Psalm 51.
This has been something that's, uh, been on my heart for a little while. Been pondering it.
And, uh, Psalm 51.
And verse the first part of verse 12.
Restore unto me the salvation.
I suppose that it's times like these that really.
Stimulate that joy, if you know what I mean. We get together with the Saints of God. We're over His word. We feel refreshed and there's a a newness of spirit, you might say, that kind of comes over us and we get that joy rekindled in our life as reflect upon the things of God and we enjoy them in our souls and we enjoy them with one another.
And, uh, that's certainly true.
My purpose tonight is not to speak necessarily of.
Uh, what this verse means in the context of this song, we're familiar with this song, we know what it's, uh, referring to, but in particular I'd like to really focus in on salvation. And, uh, I think as we look into it tonight, I trust and I hope, uh, that, uh.
It'll renew that joy within our hearts as we consider God's salvation for you and me. And this isn't going to be a gospel meeting. What I wanna do is, umm, well, with the Lord's health, look at what I would might term. 4 main tenants of salvation, 4 main tenants of salvation.
And each one of them kind of run together. You can't have one without the other.
It's like this gift that God has given us, and you children know, excuse me, you children know what it's like when you know you get a gift and you unwrap it and within it there's not just one thing, but there's multiple items. But yet it's one gift. You can't have one without the other. It's one and you know God has done the same thing for us.
And it's quite incredible. So there's four things I'd like to look at.
Forgiveness, justification, redemption, and reconciliation. And now I know I'm mindful of the fact that we've got a lot of kids here. And before your eyes bug out and think, oh, I'm just gonna tune him out right now. I'm hoping with the Lord's help we can keep this very simple because these aren't things that are very complicated.
God would have us as young children to young people, to older ones too, to enjoy these things.
And as I say, you know, the more we focus in on this and we realize that my salvation is so full free and it's, it's incredible, you know, it. We just can't help but praise the Lord. I think of that how the psalmist put it over that men would praise the Lord for his goodness towards the children of men. And, uh, you know, as we go through these verses too, I'll just note that, you know.
We'll read the verse and these things come together and you'll see, you'll see what I mean. And also joy is typically associated with it. I appreciate it with our brother Mark said the other night that as the next generation, we're responsible to pass the truth on. And uh, I have, uh, I must say I, I've benefited much from not only written ministry and oral ministry in times like this and sitting in addresses like this.
00:05:24
And so the things that I'm going to bring out tonight are certainly nothing.
Uh, new, it's not something that is original to me, but these are all things that have been passed on to me and that I've enjoyed and has helped helped me to get a better grasp of these, these certain terms. So, uh, without further ado, let's turn to Acts chapter 13. I just want to read a couple verses here to, uh, to.
Uh, set the table Acts chapter 13, verse 38.
Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness.
OK, let's turn to 1St, John.
Chapter 2.
And verse.
12.
I write unto you should read, children. He's talking to the whole household of faith, not those who might be babes in Christ, The whole household of faith from the new translation. I write unto you, children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
Incredible, isn't it, that God?
Has forgiven us.
I don't know about you, but the more I, the older I get, uh, the more I realize how bad my heart really is and, umm.
It's, it's just, you know, you, you think about it that God has forgiven you as a Christian has forgiven you your sins. And I maybe just, let's look at, uh, a couple passages and I'm going to turn to a few verses here just to illustrate the point. Umm, and I'm not gonna make a lot of comment on it, but let's look at Matthew 18 briefly here.
Matthew 18 verse 23. We will just look at this quickly. Therefore it is the Kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him 10,000 talents.
But for as much as he had not to pay, as the Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made, the servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord of patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion.
And loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an 100 pence. And he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou Ost. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not, but when went and cast him into prison until he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that was done.
Then as the Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest me. Shouldest not Thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee.
Stop there, you know, forgive, uh, forgiveness is spoken of and I, I think about 5 different ways in the scripture. You know, there's eternal or judicial forgiveness, there's governmental forgiveness, there's administrative forgiveness, there's restorative forgiveness and brotherly forgiveness. And so I just want to encourage everybody as you read through your Bible and young people get a hold of this every time you read a certain word like forgiveness, it may not be, you know, meaning.
Forgiveness in the eternal sense of things every time we need to rightly divide the word of truth and so the the aspect of forgiveness here, it moves into like a brotherly forgiveness, but.
But what I wanted to focus in on is the eternal aspect of forgiveness. That's what I want to focus in on. That is what makes up our salvation. And I, I was thinking of this 10,000 talent debtor. That's you and I.
00:10:00
And, you know, sometimes we.
Get into a heated situation, perhaps with our brother or sister, and we have a hard time forgiving. You know when we trace back, we go back to the cross.
We think of what God has done and how much he's forgiven us. How can not we forgive our brother or our sister who's offended us?
But you know, it's it's the the the the mountain of sin is enormous unite begin to count as individuals how many sins we've committed God does.
And it's he that has offers free forgiveness through through the work of his son.
So I suppose in this chapter, what strikes me is, is is it gives us a comparison of the measure of our forgiveness. We could not pay the debt. We know this. Only the Lord Jesus God manifests in the flesh, gone to the cross, laying down his own life in three hours of darkness, paid the debt for all our sins.
You and I could not have done that and.
We this 10,000 talent, I don't know what that works out to in today's money, but the point is, is that he could never pay it. It was impossible. It was impossible.
If we look over I think in Luke Chapter 7, just briefly.
And uh, verse 36 one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and sat down to meet and behold a woman in the city, which was a Sinner.
When she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house, brought an alabaster box of ointment.
And stood at his feet.
Behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had been bitten him, saw, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a Sinner. And so Jesus answering, said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Masters say on.
There is a certain creditor which had two debtors, the one owed 500 pence and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most? And he said unto him, Thou straightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house.
Thou gavest me no water for my feet.
But she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hands of her head. Thou gaveest me no kiss. But this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oiled out. It's not annoyed. But this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven. For she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Well, the first mention of forgiveness here is really, uh, the, the force of the original is to show grace to he frankly forgave them. He showed grace to them. But this woman who came in faith, he said her sins, which are many, are forgiven.
Here, technically speaking, it's more the governmental aspect of forgiveness because the Lord Jesus hadn't gone to the cross yet, died for sins and made predation for sins, and opened up the floodgates of blessing and offered free forgiveness to all. But the point is, is that this word forgiven illustrates the point. Remitted, gone, done, away, removed. That's the point. That's the force.
And God has done the same for us. I know this is simple and this is something that we all understand, but have we grab? Have we grasped?
In a little measure at least how much we've been forgiven. I believe if we have this more before us on a daily basis. Bread and I feel that it's going to change our life. I really do and so here in Luke seven, I think it's more the character of sin. Matthew 18 you have the measure of sin a 10,000 talent debtor that you and I but now we have a woman who is a Sinner a woman of ill repute. She's likely a a harlot.
And so you have more probably here in Luke's Gospel, the character of sin.
00:15:01
And this Pharisee in his self righteousness, disgusting before God, he hates that. He hates that inward, uh, that, that, uh, outward exterior, but with no reality inside. We've talked about that at these meetings. And he couldn't believe that here the Son of God would touch this woman.
She was a woman of ill repute.
And so you and I not only have committed sins that are as high as a mountain and beyond, but we are repulsive by nature to the holiness of God, but yet in his matchless grace and love came into this world and extended His hand of mercy to us, and came because He loved us anyways.
That's divine love. He loved us when we were unlovable.
So the measure and the character of sin illustrated in these two chapters only illustrate to me at least, the death to which God's grace and love would go and the Lord Jesus would die so that he could offer us free forgiveness of sins. So we need forgiveness, as another has said, because of our guilt. Because of our guilt, we need forgiveness. Like to look briefly here at.
Justification and if we could turn to Romans chapter, No actually let's go back to Acts 13 because as I said.
These things tend to run together because they're all connected. Acts chapter 13, verse 39. Notice this. Acts 1339. And by him, again, by our Lord Jesus, all that belief are justified from all things from which He could not be justified by the law of Moses.
We're justified from all things.
Justification. That's a big word, but it really means that God has cleared us.
Of every charge of sins, and not only has He forgiven us, but he has cleared us of all charges.
It's a legal term.
You know, sometimes we hear that, that expression.
Just as if I couldn't have sinned.
And you know that's true.
But justification goes far beyond that. You know, if we if we let, if we left it there, that would take us back to the Garden of Eden and would put us in a in a position of innocence. But that doesn't mean that I couldn't sin again. So what does the Scripture say about that? Well, let's turn to to Romans chapter 5.
Romans, chapter 5.
In verse UH-15, but not as the offense, so also as the free gift riff through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man, Jesus Christ.
Hath abounded unto many, and not as it was by one that sin, so is the gift. For the judgment was by 1. To condemnation. Notice condemnation. But the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For by one man's offense death reigned by one much more. They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by 1 Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation.
To condemnation, Even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
That takes us, brethren, further from justification, from all things, but to a standing in which God looks upon us as if we couldn't have sinned, not that we haven't sinned, but as though we couldn't sin. We're in Christ, we thought about. That thrills my heart. We're in Christ, and because we're in Christ place before God and all of his.
We stand in a position in which God can look upon us as though we could not have sinned.
And so in the one with forgiveness we lose our sins, and justification we gain righteousness.
We are brought into a position of righteousness, His righteousness which we are clothed with.
Because of our faith in our Lord Jesus work.
There's beautiful illustration, and maybe I won't turn to it for the sake of time, but in Numbers chapter 23, there you have Balaam and Balak. You remember Balak being the wicked king of Moab, and he wanted to hire Balaam the false prophet to curse the people of God. And so he tries the first time and he couldn't do it because God wouldn't allow Balaam to do it. And then he tries the second time. And what does Balaam say? Well, maybe let's read it so I don't misquote it.
00:20:24
This illustrates what I'm what I'm trying to get across.
See if I can find it here.
Says that he hath not beheld perverseness in Israel.
Where's that verse now?
Somebody shout it out if you see it.
OK, umm.
2321 Thank you, thank you. 2321 There it is. Behold, I have. So this is Balin speaking here and this is what God had said. Uh, let's start at 19. God is not a man that he should lie, neither is the Son of man that he should repent. Uh, happy He said. And shall he not do it, or have he spoken? And shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless, and he is blessed, and I cannot reverse it. He is not beheld iniquity and Jacob.
Neither have he seen it. No, the Lord is God is with him, and the shout of the King is among them.
What you might say.
These stiff necked people who only rebel and God is saying that He has not beheld perverseness in Israel.
Neither it beheld iniquity in Jacob.
This illustrates God's vantage point upon us because of the work of His beloved Son. Do we sin? Yes, we do, and we fail. But God is taking care of those sins and those failures at the cross. He knew them well in advance, and He judged His Son for you and I and laid those sins upon His Son.
And so now, because of our standing in Christ, he can say, I do not see any iniquity or perverseness in these people.
That's justification.
We've been brought into a standing of righteousness.
Just briefly here, we'll just notice some of the effects of justification. I've enjoyed this. I got this from some another brother in chapter 5 of Romans.
You notice and I we won't read it all, but we'll skim through it and in chapter 5 verse one, therefore, being justified by faith what what has these are the results of justification. What we have peace with God. Amazing you and I stand not only in the favor all the favor of God, but we have peace with God we stand in.
This favor we stand in favor with God in verse 2. So we have peace, we have favor, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We have the promise of His coming.
Where the Lord Jesus has given us this hope and this promise that he will return to take us home. And that thrills our hearts. And we we we wait on the edge of our seat, moment by moment, day by day. And it could be tonight.
Says here in verses 345 that we've learned a more intimate relation. We we learn God in a more intimate way. I'm trying to say.
We learn his love in a deeper and fuller way as we go through life because of the things that He brings us through.
Because He loves us as His children, and He wants us to understand a little bit more of how much He loves us. God loves you, and the things that He may bring into your life, brethren, are only for your good. And may we never, ever forget it. And at the end of it all, we learn something about the richness of His love that we never experienced before.
Says in verse UMM 9 that we are saved from wrath.
Judgment free, as I said, all gone. Our sins are all gone and we are, we are saved and by his life in verse 10, or in the power of his life, he sits on high as the high priest and advocate of our life. And he's there with his hands upheld, interceding for us every moment of every day. He is praying for you and for me.
That's how much he loves us.
00:25:00
And when we fail, these just kick us to the curb.
No.
He restores my soul.
He takes up with his advocacy to put us on the right track again.
What a savior we have.
So that's justification. And we need justification because as we read in Romans 5 of condemnation, that that lingered above our heads and threatened us, God brings in justification to clear us again. It means to clear us from every charge of sin.
Look now at redemption.
Redemption.
Here in Romans chapter 3.
Verse 24.
Being justified. See these things run together, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
The redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
What does it mean to be redeemed?
Simply, this means to buy back and set free.
Buyback and set free. I'll illustrate it this way and I've, I, I've received this illustration from another brother. I really enjoyed it. It's as though you, one of you small kids who likes dogs here, raise your hand. You guys all like animals. You like dogs Sure a lot of you have dogs. I like dogs too. My son keeps asking me, daddy, when are we buying a dog and uh not too sure yet, but it's another, another discussion another day. So let's suppose dude, we're going to buy.
Let's suppose, let's not assume we're, we're, we're going to buy a dog and we see that puppy sitting in the in the pet shop window and wow, that looks like a nice puppy. And we go in and we pet that dog and we realize that wow, this dog is really nice. He doesn't shed. My wife would really appreciate that. So OK, check Mark doesn't shed. He's a nice dog.
Let's buy him.
But wait a second, I forgot to bring the kennel for some reason. I purchased the kennel well in advance. So let's go home and let's get the kennel. Let's get the truck and we'll, we'll, but I've already purchased that dog. So in a sense, I bought him. He's mine. I've already paid the shop owner, but he's still sitting there. So I go back and we load that dog up and we put him into the back of the truck and we drive off, but he's still in his cage.
Has he been set free yet? Not yet, he's been purchased.
And you know the Lord Jesus, he's purchased this whole creation by his work at the cross and through his blood.
But we bring that dog home and we take that kennel out, we open the door and he just runs and he does laps around the yard and he's at liberty now. He's totally free.
That illustrates what redemption is and this is what God has done, done for us. You know, you think of umm, of, uh, an example of this in the Old Testament, Exodus 14, right, where the children of Israel are in ******* and they're in, they're in Egypt and they have a hard taskmaster named Farrell.
It's a picture of Satan and Egypt, a picture of this world, and God wants to pull his people out to deliver them from it.
And so they go through the Red Sea and they come out on the other side. The enemy is destroyed and they're safe. And then in chapter 15, there is a song that is sung, song of redemption. And that song we can sing the song of the redeemed. God has put a new song in my mouth, Even praise to our God. Think about it. We were holding with the chords of our sins. We were slaves to sin.
And God has come in.
Through the work of His beloved Son. And He not only has purchased us, but He has set us free. Set us free for what you may ask to serve Him. That's true liberty that we are then set, set free and put into a position whereby we can serve God.
And honor our Lord Jesus.
That's redemption. So we need redemption because of what? Because of our ******* to sin and the slavery that we were once held in to Satan?
OK, what's the last one? Reconciliation. It's a big word too, but uh, umm, let's look at, uh, Romans 5 again.
00:30:03
And.
Verse 10 For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Ephesians, chapter one.
And.
Umm no, not a few, sorry. I'm looking for Colossians 1.
Uh, here we go, yes, Colossians, one verse, uh 19 For please the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross.
By him to reconcile all things unto himself, By him I say, whether they be things on earth or things in heaven.
And you that were sometimes alienated in enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you wholly and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight.
Reconciliation.
It simply means to, uh, bring us who are once at a incredible distance from God and to bring us very close to Him.
You know one is illustrated it this way or set it this way. The reconciliation takes us deeper into the positive truths of the Gospel than even justification or redemption.
Forgiveness of sins. Amazing.
Justification cleared from every charge of sin, a credible, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as first Peter one tells us. Amazing.
But God now has gone so far as to bring us right to his very side.
The reconciliation, you know, it's not like how the world puts it where two who are at odds come in, kind of meet in the middle on the basis of, of some form of compromise and they are reconciled to one another. No, God's heart has always been towards man.
And it's us in our natural condition that we're alienated from God, and we set ourselves in a position that has put a distance from us and God.
It says here that we were, uh, enemies to him.
We're aliens. We're alienated from him. We're at this incredible distance that only God could measure.
And so, through the work of His Son, he's brought us back to him. It's unto God, reconciliation unto God.
No compromise on God's part.
He didn't make reconciliation for our sins as there's one verse that needs correction on that.
Umm, I believe, but uh, he has reconciled us through the death of his son.
So we need reconciliation because of alienation, so we have forgiveness.
Because of gilts.
We have his justification.
Because of condemnation, re of redemption, because of our ******* to sin and Satan, we have reconciliation because of alienation and being enemies.
This is what I might term the four main tenants of Salvation and Brethren, young people, children. Let's think about that.
That'll change our life.
You know, I haven't even touched on Sonship.
So I mean, this is just bringing us up to the, the, the the starting line.
Really, the privileged responsibility and the dignity that comes with sonship, we haven't even talked about that. There's far more. But what I've had it on my heart tonight is to think about His salvation, the joy of salvation to be saved. You know, different you are from this world.
00:35:05
Saved by the grace of God.
Amazing.
And it's not anything that we've done.
It's all him.
It's all him.
We have to praise him for Brevin.
Because of what he has done, the length. This is what these things illustrate to me. It illustrates the length to which God has gone.
To bring us into favor with himself.
And it's all through the work of his beloved son.
Oh, that man might praise the Lord for his goodness to the children of men.
Let's just close in prayer.
A God and loving Father. We are so thankful today to be safe.
And to know that thou art for us.
And to think of what thou hast done in the gift of thy beloved Son and Lord Jesus to come lay down thy life to die for thine enemies, shed thy blood, that so that whosoever will may come and receive the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We think of the effects of salvation and the measure Lord Jesus, to which thou dost go to forgive, justify.
Redeem and reconcile us to thyself, and we're so thankful. We just give Thee the praise, the honor, the glory that's due to Thy holy and worthy name, in fact, thee Lord Jesus, Amen.
A House Not Made With Hands
Sing Talk—Keith Sacksteder
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Good evening.
It's umm, it's open in prayer.
Our God and our Father, we're just thankful for times like this. We think about this camp it's been.
Very enjoyable.
We're thankful for the times of fellowship.
Umm, the physical activities as well as, uh.
Opening up the scriptures and.
Speaking from them and conversations that we can have as we go on about the daily activities. What a blessing it is and we do give thanks for that. Just pray for a short word tonight of encouragement and just pray that the Lord will be glorified and everything umm.
That her eyes would be turned towards our heavenly hope. So we just give thanks in Jesus worthy and precious name. Amen.
So I have just uh.
Often it's it's good to.
Try to get the tenor of what things are going on and what things are being talked about.
Umm, I'm not gonna say that I was attempting to do that, and I don't. I don't know.
You know, this might be going off in a little bit different of a direction, but I think it, uh, fits with the tenor. But it was something that I had on my heart before we came to the camp. Umm, and it's, it's interesting. It's actually where we're reading in our, uh, evening meetings, our midweek meetings at, uh, at home that are where I'm gonna read from. We would have read there last night. Umm, so we're.
I missed that one, but uh, that's OK. Umm.
But in a way, it fits the tenor of this camp. Let's just read a few verses in Second Corinthians.
In the 5th chapter.
And uh.
Again, this has been a little bit on my heart, some reading that I've been doing previous.
Brought up some of these verses and I wanted to share just a few simple thoughts and umm.
Hopefully it commends itself to your souls, to your heart tonight. So let's read from verse one.
For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven, if so be, that being clothed, we shall not be found naked.
For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now He that hath brought us for the self, same thing as God, who also have given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we're at home in the body.
We are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith.
Not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Wherefore we labor that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. We'll stop there.
I was thinking about these, these verses, you know, we've had, uh, a wonderful time.
These first few days of the camp, it's been wonderful. The fellowship, the the.
Kids and the adults going out and playing the games, the activities.
Umm.
Looking around and and watching the the children play and the the young people playing and the older ones as they're going on about the activities, I don't think I've seen, I don't think I've seen one.
Thinking really hard here, which is sometimes difficult. I don't think I've seen one squabble. I don't think I've seen anyone.
Have a fight with anybody else. No one's taking issue with other people. Not gonna say that it hasn't happened, but I haven't seen it. And if if you just sit, sit back and watch, you can get the tenor of what's going on. It's been just a wonderful time. Really enjoyed it. And I was thinking, you know, that that first night we came in and and Uncle Steve.
Put up that, uh, short slideshow talking about.
00:05:01
This other place that they're looking at, and if the Lord wills it, maybe we'll be there next year, if we're still here next year.
But he, he talked about, he went back to three meadows and I remember 3 meadows that I went to that one. And then he talked about some of the other camps. Well, during that time frame, uh, my wife and I, we missed probably two or three of them in that time frame. Umm, our kids were all being born at that time, newborns very young.
Umm and then he talked about being here for 9 years, and we've been here for quite a few of those years. I don't think everyone of them, but quite a few of them.
And, uh, so it's been a blessing, but, uh, looking back over those times, uh, what a blessing it's been. And, uh, the fellowship has been sweet and the, uh.
Opportunities to deepen those friendships and you watch the children growing up again, our children were, you know, the age of some of these younger ones or even younger some of these some of the very youngest ones here and uh, now they're.
One of them's a teenager, one of them soon to be a teenager and the other one, while she's not far behind, they're growing up in a hurry, you know, and the Lord is left here and he's, he's blessed us with this time in these times and, and conferences and, and, uh, many different activities and they've been beautiful. Umm.
But we read here something that's a reminder, and so it says we know that if our earth, earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved.
We have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. You know what the apostle's speaking about here?
If there's some of you that are younger and they don't know what he's talking about in these verses, he's talking about your body.
He's talking about your body, and it comes out clearly as we go on further in the passage.
But I really thinking about some of the, uh, passes, some of the, uh, discussion we've had for the morning reading, and we talked about covetousness. And there's a word here or a few words in the second verse that I want to look at, uh, thinking about covetousness, We've talked about covetousness. What does it have at the center of it?
It has me. Everyone of us can say it has me at the center of it, but here we grow. And earnestly desiring.
Earnestly desiring. There's a maybe a fine line between covetousness and this earnestly desiring, but it makes all the difference in the world. Earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house, which is from heaven.
There are some passages that we could look at, umm, to reference to cross reference to this passage here. And I'm just going to mention a few of them that come to mind as I was going through this. And I'm just going to make a few comments. We're not going to be very long tonight. Umm, but uh, the first one that comes to mind probably for many of us anyways, might be, uh, First Corinthians chapter 15. That's a chapter that gives us maybe a little bit more about.
Umm, God's intentions to give us.
A spiritual body is called a spiritual body in that chapter. Umm.
And so here we have it compared to a house. Notice there's two words here in this first verse. There's a Tabernacle and there's a house. The one is temporal, the other is eternal. In the heavens. You know God's intentions.
Were not centered on these mortal bodies, and here we find it said in verse 4, clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
We know about life in him was life and the life was the light of men for Jesus. When he prays in that 17th chapter of John, he says to know the Father and the Son, to know the Father and the Son, that is eternal life. And so swallowed up of life. You know, we uh, have really enjoyed this time here. And if the Lord leaves us here, Lord willing, these next few days.
Will be we trust more of the same, more of that communion, more of that?
Fellowship, more of that interaction from youngest to oldest. You know, there's bonds being built here, and these bonds, we love them, but we're reminded that this is just a few, just a little, just a littlest bit of what God has in store for us with just a few people, just a few thoughts, just a few hours.
00:10:13
That's not God's intention, but it is a foretaste, isn't it? And we enjoy it swallowed up of life.
I was thinking about that phrase swallowed up of life.
And there is a writer that I'm, I'm going to quote from and I, I had to write it down. I didn't write it down when I read it. So I'm, I'm hoping that I have this right. Umm, but he talked about, it was a writer and he was speaking about, uh, what God has in store for us. And, uh, he made a few comments that I thought were very good, uh, in regard to the eternal life that God has for us.
Umm.
It's good sometimes to make comparisons, to draw things out. And so he talked about the life that Adam had been given, and he said this about Adam. Adam had, I'm going to read this here. He had the liberty to choose not to sin. Adam had the liberty to choose not to sin. He made a choice, didn't he? And we read about that choice. He chose.
To follow Eve.
And to eat of that fruit that had been forbidden for them to eat.
He made a conscious decision. We know it says in Timothy that Eve was deceived, but not Adam. He made a choice. Well, that choice has had consequences, hasn't it?
It had disastrous consequences, but on the flip side.
This is one of the mysteries, one of the things that we may spend an eternity trying to understand about what the Lord has for us, about what God has for us. That decision opens the door to God revealing himself to us in a way that we could never have known had Adam not sinned. I don't want to go into what ifs, it's not our place to do that, but.
Adam made a decision and we read about the consequences of that decision in Romans and they were touched on in the previous meeting.
Our brother and it was some very beautiful thoughts, but the consequences of that decision, we live with it. You know, even in the enjoyment that we've had this week and in times past, we feel it. There are a number of those that are filling it in joints and knees. I saw one young lady in a sling. Trust it's not too bad.
We had one young feller taken down to the hospital to make sure that he was OK. A number of different things have happened we have had.
Just an immensely great time, but we feel the effects of sin from the youngest to the oldest in this life, and that's not what God has for us. And so there was another quote and this is what I was the second side.
Umm regarding this spiritual body.
The writer here says the new man.
Has the liberty not to choose to sin?
In that eternal state, you know, today there's an intermediate, we might say, I could say it in a manner of speaking, Adam when he chose to sin.
Took the whole race into ******* and that was one of the things that was mentioned. Hey, the salvation of God is freedom from that ******* of sin and Satan. And so we live as those that walk by faith, as it says here in verse seven, walking by faith, not by sight.
We have the ability God-given to walk a path that's pleasing to the Lord.
Umm, but the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. That battle is going to be there. And I speak as one who, who, uh, I'm now a little bit older. That battle doesn't get easier and it doesn't go away if you, uh, have a struggle with a particular weakness or, uh, a tendency in your life.
It doesn't go away. You're going to have to do battle with it, but as a Christian, the way that you do battle with it is.
Dependence, recognizing that you don't have the strength to do it.
As the previous, uh, as the previous, uh, hour that we had in the talk, umm.
Uh, I'm sorry, blanking on names. I'm not good with names, my apologies. But as he said that, umm, as he goes on and as we go on in life, we find out a little bit more about our own hearts. We find out a little bit more about our own hearts and how bad they really are. It doesn't change when you get saved, but there is a change coming.
00:15:24
And that spiritual body, I'm going to say it again.
Has the liberty not to choose to sin?
That's a liberty, a liberty not to be able to choose to sin.
Might sound a little bit odd because it's kind of put in the negative, but it is an absolute positive and that also.
Umm, another reference that I would like to just make mention to you, and I appreciate again, the previous meeting, it was brought out in, uh, in, uh, that passage in judges. I'm sorry, umm.
Numbers gotta think about that. The passage where uh, Balaam was brought up about God who cannot lie. Titus says that God who cannot lie, God has limitations. God cannot lie. He cannot deny himself. We see these things. Is he all powerful? Absolutely. But he cannot lie.
He cannot deny himself.
If he could do those things, he would not be God, absolutely would not be God and the life that we have and the body, the spiritual body that we will be given.
Is much the same way. It's his creation, it's his prerogative. And we don't say this as if we are gods. Don't get me wrong, it's a dependent. It is still a life that is given of God, but it is a life that can choose.
That, let me quote it so I don't say it wrong, has the liberty not to choose to sin. And that is true liberty, true liberty. That's the spiritual body that God has for you and for me. And I wanted to touch on one more thing and then we'll close it up for this evening.
Let me think for a moment here.
MMM, it's terrible when you lose your thoughts, isn't it?
My apologies, uh, let me think about this for just a moment.
I'm sorry it escapes me.
But.
If there's weakness, it's in the vessel, not in the Lord. Let's, umm, let's just close with those thoughts. It's good to have, uh, the thought before us of what the Lord is going to bring us into, and it's good to compare it.
To be reminded that the life that we live now, we live by faith. And it is.
Given of God, and we should live in the good of that, but we live with a hope before us, and that hope is to be with the Lord and to be like the Lord, and that is a body. I would say this too.
When God created Adam, he created him body, soul and spirit, and that's what makes up the man.
And that will never cease to be when we are in our spiritual home, When we are with the Lord in glory, it will still be body, soul and spirit.
It's a new body, it's a spiritual body, but it is a body. And So what God has given us.
Is something far greater than what he gave in the creation of life, in the creation of man. And it is a beautiful thing, but it is still his intention that man should be complete. And I guess maybe that's the thought and we'll just close with it but.
He says in the there's gonna be two verses, I'll just mention them briefly and then we'll be done. Uh, in the fourth verse, uh, we that are in this Tavern Tabernacle do groan being burdened.
00:20:05
And it's this phrase right here. Not for that we would be unclothed. That is not that we would die in our bodies, would go into the grave and we would go to be with the Lord. That's not what we groan for. We groan for that day when the Lord will clothe us with that eternal body, with that spiritual body and umm, clothed upon.
That mortality might be swallowed up of life.
But then he says in the eighth verse.
Something a little bit of the opposite side. We are confident, I say, and willing. We're willing rather to be absent from the body, to be present with the Lord.
To die is not the end, you know, there's a number of people that are going to a funeral tomorrow, I have no doubt.
That lowest hope was to be clothed upon.
She did not want to pass through the article of death. Not a one of us does. It's not even a Christian hope, but willing rather to be absent from the body, to be present with the Lord. Lois is present with the Lord. She doesn't have her body. It's not a completed story yet, but when we go to that funeral tomorrow.
It's one that no doubt desire to be clothed upon, but was not unwilling, was not unwilling to be absent from the body, to be present with the Lord. Let's close with that.
Our God and our Father, we're just thankful.
Even as we consider death.
And were reminded of it in this funeral that comes tomorrow.
But we're just thankful that there's a day when.
Each and every one of us that walks by faith.
Lois, Barry, how many others that have recently passed?
Have passed in faith, they are present with the Lord, but there's the day coming when they will be clothed upon.
Teach us, Lord, to value that we acknowledge that it's often in suffering, and rightfully so, that we're weaned away from this world, from its cares and its joys, but were weaned away not just to be taken away from something, but to be brought to something far better. And so for this we do give thanks in Jesus worthy and precious name, Amen.
OK. Thank you for your time.
Luke 12:22-32
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
See that we have a two time so far. Could you please help us as we look over that word that we'd be able to take something not for just this Campbell from our home too. You think the for the encouragement we've had so far. In his name we pray, Amen.
Luke chapter 12, verse 22.
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life what you shall eat, neither for the body what you shall put on. The life is more than me, and the body more than Raymond. Consider the Ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, neither have they store houses nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much more are you better than the fowls? And which of you would taking thought and add to his stature? 1 Cubit, If he then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies, how they grow, they toil not, they spin not. And yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothed the grass which is today in the field, and to Morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink. Neither be of doubtful mind, for all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knoweth that ye have needed these things.
But rather seek ye the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Till thou ye have and give alms. Provide yourselves bags with wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.
Where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupted. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meet.
And will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch and find them, so blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the good men of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Stop.
Before His disciples, certain things that He would have them to be free from, in order that they might serve Him in a freer and fuller way. And we've considered a number of them thus far. That there should be free from hypocrisy, and the free of men, and the fear of man, and to be free from covetousness, is which what we had before us last time, and so this little portion here now before us.
From about, umm, verses 22 to about 30 is that He would have us as his people to be free from care or free from worry.
The portion that we are.
Looking at now doesn't tell us that we shouldn't have any interest in our daily things, but it's being free from overly burdened by those daily cares, anxiety. And yesterday we talked about covetousness and how we should be content. And I think there's a connection with that. You know, if we stop and think or ask ourselves why are we so burdened or so interested in the daily things of the world?
00:05:05
Oftentimes the answer will be is because we're not content with what we have. Why do we put so much energy and so much time and effort? Umm maybe in our in our employment, sometimes more than we even need to is because we want to move ahead. And so the two are related. If we are content, if we trust the Lord, if the last verse that we had yesterday was lay up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. If we make that distinction of treasure down here and treasure in heaven.
We will be set free if you live by faith, set free from being anxious about the small things in life and hope, you know, show that, illustrate that beautifully by showing how the Lord takes care of things that are far less value, if we can call it that, than we who are his people.
Stop.
Stop.
Stop.
When the Lord was down here on earth.
All the attention of heaven was focused on that very person. And we see it at his birth, we see it at his baptism. So many times heaven was occupied with the Son of God who was down here on earth while he's back in heaven now. And So what is this the focus, you might say, the attention of the Lord of heaven occupied with now? It's the people that he has bought. You know, it's amazing thing to think about that.
We on this earth are what is most precious to the Lord's heart.
And if we get overly burned with the little things of life, it shows that we really don't understand that, you know, as as parents, we have tremendous care for our children. And we would if our children were always worried about are we going to eat the next meals? You're going to be free to say, don't worry. We'll trust us. There will be a meal on the table. We will take care of you. If you're, you know, grow your clothes, we'll get you bigger clothes. We would say, well, you don't have much trust in us. If that's.
Your constant care. And so if we are overly burdened with the little things of life and feel like we have to.
Control everything and be in charge of everything. We don't really understand how much the Lord loves us and how much He's interested in us and how much He wants to provide for us in all those little things.
Stop.
It's nice to know that, you know, our, our, our resources is God himself and uh.
That it doesn't depend on me or umm, umm, uh, you know, 100%. I mean the, the Lord is our resource and you know, it's, it's, it's interesting. This is, you know, consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reef, which neither have storehouse nor barn and God feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the bounce? I don't suppose a bird wakes up each day and worries about where it's next meal is going to come from.
00:10:02
Umm, they don't spend much time, uh, uh, worrying about that, I suppose. And so the, the, the creator himself make sure that, you know, they're fed and, and, uh, he's thought of even the smallest and most insignificant, uh, uh, creature, God cares for them. And so how much more do you think he cares for us, those that he has purchased?
By his own blood, we who are the apple of his eye, you know, We who are the Church, his bride, you know. Do you not think, do I not think that he's going to?
Care for, for, for the very smallest needs that I have in this life. Absolutely. Absolutely. He loves us so much and, uh.
And so, you know, these are things that that, as you say, Mark, we can get caught up with and and almost.
In a practical sense.
Uh, lose our umm, uh, lose our perspective.
Very quickly, umm, because we, we uh, almost tend to remove God from the equation and we start putting all our efforts into the things of this life as if it all depended on me.
Whereas we need to turn it over to the Lord. It's not to, I think you've alluded to it that it's not as though we go forth in life being careless. You know, that's not the point. We, we have responsibilities as, as, uh, as men to provide for our families. There's things around the house that need to be done. Uh, you know, uh, for the mothers to raise children and all these things. We don't go through life in a careless way, but the, the idea is that we don't go through life being full of care.
That is being worried. That's not fake, right?
The man who spoke this lifted out, didn't he? We don't know a lot about his no.
We don't know a lot about his life in terms of how he conducted himself, but it does say that there were those that ministered to him. He had faith in God. We see throughout his life that that he did, uh, he lived his life in light of what his father would have him to do. And so he lived this out in a very practical way. The apostle Paul was a tent maker by trade. So what does he say? He says that those that administered the gospel, they should live of that ministry. They should have been.
There were times when he should have been ministered to, and maybe he felt he wasn't, but there were times when he said he took up with his occupation because he didn't want to be indebted. Umm, uh, for various reasons. But it is very good to note that the man who speaks this lived him. He lived it out fully. What we know of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that he was a dependent man and he didn't live a life of luxury, that is for certain. He lived a life that was dependent.
Honest Father. And that was looking down the road to, uh, a goal, a purpose. And he lived his life in light of that purpose.
Newest man would like to compartmentalize.
We kind of think I'm kind of good at that. I'm not so good at that. But we can't do that with God. You know, I think everyone here in the room would agree that we have a Savior, God he, and by the word God, the Lord Jesus did. He has done everything necessary for us to be satyrs and we will acknowledge you. There was nothing we can do. But then we seem to so easily like flip around and think that when it comes to our daily life here, now it's up to me and the same God who did everything.
If you might say it in the most difficult thing there was to save us. And Josh talked about that last night. It's a great salvation. That's the very God who wants to care for us every single day. We can't separate that. If God is your savior, he's the one that wants to be your leader, your Lord, and the one that takes care of you throughout your life. And and you know, it's good that we have that balance, too. And there's verses that say if a man does not work, he should not eat. And so it doesn't tell us, yeah, we're safe now. Just expect everything to come.
That's like Josh said, there's a there's a there's a great difference between being diligent.
Being active, being working and being anxious, being worried all the time and not being able to grow spiritually because you're so overcome with those cares of the world that you can't go anywhere. You're captive to your circumstances down here. And so the Lord doesn't want that We're set free to serve him. And later it on, later it says that we need to seek the Kingdom of God first. And these things that the things we talk about now, this cares the daily needs and so on. Those will come they, they will be taking care of. We need to trust the Lord.
00:15:25
For that too.
In verse 30 and 31, you begin to see the contrast. Mark the contrast in the middle of verse 30. I'll go ahead and read it. And your father know it that ye have need of these things, and marks the Congress in verse 31. But rather seek ye the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. And this can truly serve as a comfort.
A comfort to our minds that we have a God.
Who knows our our very existence and our very needs in them. And umm, yes we can. They can serve as a comfort to our to our minds.
It's been said that worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere. And what it really does is it steals our present joy. It doesn't improve the future, but we lose our present joy. And I think a lot of times when we're worried ultimately, and I was just thinking about this and maybe there's a lot more to it, but ultimately we're afraid. We're when we're worried, we're anticipating future pay. It's anticipated pain. And like you were just saying, Jonathan.
When we realize that, we remember that the Lord loves us and everything we're going to face is for our good and for His glory. Now, I'm not talking about if if you drive your tires too long, you're going to get a flat tire. That's not the Lord's fault. You did that to yourself. I'm not talking about something like that. But as long as we're in communion, we're not doing something stupid. Whatever we face is going to be for our good. It's going to be for our blessing. And so I know a lot of people that get up in the morning and they take their cares to the Lord.
Let's not worry we can get up in the morning we can say Lord this is what I'm facing as parents as a business owner as a you know employee whatever and say Lord this is what you know this is what's going on and tell them all about it and leave it with him Lord it's your deal because in all reality we're not in charge and that's totally sets us free.
Is that maybe the thought man in verses 2526?
Which of you taking thoughts can add to his stature 1 cubit if he then be not able to do that thing, which is least why take your thought for the rest? We're not in charge, as you say, you know, we can't control things and we like to get into that position where we want to be in the driver's seat, right. We want to go through life and and we want to be in control of our. They say control your own destiny, right. Well, again, that that's a far cry from, you know, taking up with responsibilities of life, but then then trying to control.
My life that's taking God out of the picture. And we ought not to do that. We cannot control the smallest thing in our life if we're honest and, and, and, and, and, uh, again, if we're just honest with ourselves, we can't control a thing, you know, So we got to turn that over to the Lord and these, these practical things that we're bringing out the cares of life, uh, God providing for our needs. Umm, he's in control of that.
I'm reminded of what uh.
Because the pulses in second Timothy 2 verse four, he says no man that warth entangleth himself with the affairs of his life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And like was already mentioned, we can entangle ourselves or over involve ourselves in the cares of this life because we have a sense of responsibility and it's good to be responsible. Christians on the 3rd umm. But as Matt mentioned, if we are over involved or entangled.
It's gonna come at a cost. We're not gonna have the full joy that the Lord would have us to enjoy. Like John says, these things we write unto you that your joy may be told. And umm, Mark mentioned earlier that there are pleasures that God has. God finds pleasures in certain things. And umm, there's a verse in this regard in Psalm 36, umm, verse eight, it says they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house.
00:20:04
And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
We're, umm, we're denying ourselves the enjoyment of God's pleasures if we're a little too wrapped up in the cares of this life. And, uh, I'm also reminded of Jacob. Jacob was.
Someone who really wanted to try to control his own destiny. And he was a pretty smart person probably. And he was always working, always conniving, uh, oftentimes at the expense of other people just to, to, to leverage himself. But I enjoy what Jacob says at the end of his life. He says it is enough. It is enough. It was never enough for Jacob. He always had to have more, more animals. He always had to have more wives. But he got to the point where he says.
It is enough.
You know, marketing people.
To try to sell their products.
Use 2.
Key points to stumble US number one is greed and #2 is fear.
We need to.
Buy.
Their products, whether it's credit cards.
Or.
For over insurance.
Because of greed or fear, we believe that we deserve more than what we have or we act out of fear and we want to make sure that we have something there just in case of an emergency. And those are the the two things that really enslaved us. It reminds me of several verses here if we go to Proverbs 22.
Verse 3A Prudent man foresees the evil. Other translations say the danger and hideous himself.
Then we could go to Proverbs 31.
There's 21. She's not afraid of the snow for her household, for all of her household. All her households are closed in scarlet. You can read more in Proverbs 31 about the preparations that she takes to prepare for the dangers and the hardships that might be ahead. And, and there, of course, she doesn't have any fears. So there's a balance, right? There's a balance. So there is dangers that are gonna come forward.
One man says that.
We all need to have an emergency fund because.
Someday or a rainy day fund, because someday it's gonna rain. We could be positive that there is gonna be some hardship. There is gonna be some disasters that that we face and encounter. There's there's gonna be some loss that we're gonna come across and it's OK to prepare for that. But we shouldn't do so out of fear.
So maybe probably 31 we see the the benefits of these repairs. It allows us the the freedom to be generous. She stretches out her hands for the poor and the needy.
How is she able to do that? She prepared, she was prepared and ready. So some of our preparation is to help others that are in the.
So we should never make our decisions based upon greed or fear.
Perhaps a little, umm, nature example for the children we have out our way out here in Eastern Washington. We have a bird called Magpies. Anybody know what Magpies are? Oh yeah, a few hands, very pretty bird. And, uh, a very, very intelligent bird as well. And, uh, since we've lived out here for 10 years, I've observed Magpies because they are very intelligent, they're very pretty, but they are always on the move.
00:25:22
They're a scavenger bird and so they're always on the move looking for their next meal. Now, are they fearful? I don't believe they're fearful. They are working constantly. But what I've noticed them doing too is that they are storing their food. So there if we have Grapevines Vineyard next to us and they take their food and they fly into the vineyards and they must tuck it away in some nook and cranny because winter is coming and winter comes and there isn't any food available. They know they can go up and down the grapevines.
Look in the nooks and crannies for the pieces of dog food they may have picked up along the way or the other stuff that they gather up. I don't know what all they gather up. They are a quite a pest. But one thing they are, they are intelligent and they're always working, you know, and, and listening in two of the verses that were read here earlier and uh, verse 30, it says, and your father knoweth that you have need of these things, but rather seek ye the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. You know, it's very apparent We today walk and we have two economies ahead of us here.
We have the economy of this life whereby we have to buy and sell, we have to go to the grocery store, we have to maintain and keep tires on our vehicles. There is there, we have to provide for the family and we have to work to do that. Then the other economy is, is what could we say is God's economy, right? He's got an economy and He has worked for us to do for him there as well. The problem is, is that the balance can go to one extreme or it can go to the other extreme, OK.
Because there is, uh, a prominent extreme of, of taking up with the earthly economy to such a point being consumed with it that we're not concerned with the heavenly economy, God's economy that he's looking for in the long term. And then a few examples may come to mind of those that have given up all their earthly stuff, if you will, to the detriment of their family and have sought after God's things. But for children can continuing on for the Lord. There isn't, there isn't that following. They've been consumed.
With God's economy to the to an extreme, if I may say that so it's important to have a balance to understand there is earthly economy that we deal with today and there's a heavenly economy that we deal with. You know what it says here in this verse is here it says for your father knoweth that you have needed these things. He has a treasure house. Isn't that beautiful? He's got a treasure house and he's willing to open up that treasure house. You know, there's a missionary story that has been with me for the last 25 years or better probably 30 years. I heard ago, I heard this missionary story. This missionary was in the United States.
And his wife was sick and he was at a hospital and his, and he was on his way in the elevator heading up to the department, the billing department and he had no insurance. And he gets in the elevator and somewhere along the way someone meets him along the way and said, brother, what are you going to do? Because he's going to have to go up there and pay the bill. His wife is sick and they're from another, they're on stateside from the other country.
And he said in the elevator, he said, my father owns a cattle on 1000 Hills and he gets off the elevator at that floor and there's a man waiting with an envelope.
You know, you can go down to other missionary stories where there is a certain kind of faith that they realize you take out what's his name, Mueller back in England many years ago, 100 plus years ago, sitting down to a table full of kids with no food on the table and giving thanks for the food that's not there.
And tell what was it the bread truck or somebody broke down outside the house and the table is loaded with food. And so these ones, if you could say that our walking they have an understanding of God's economy, God's treasure house waiting to open up. And yet to the visual eye when that guy that missionary was heading up to pay the bill. He had no way that was going to do it. But he knew his father owned a cattle on 1000 hills and that Mueller sitting down to that table with those children around the table and the orphanage. I believe it was giving thanks for the food that wasn't there.
Knew somehow that God was going to prepare it anyway. It speaks to my heart because we have to walk in two economies, if you will. There is a heavenly economy that we have to keep mindful of, an earthly economy at the same time.
00:30:10
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that betrothed one upon another.
He began to say into his disciples first. That's the first verse of this chapter that we took up with down here where we're speaking verse 22. And he said unto his disciples. So he's speaking to, there's a multitude out there, but he's speaking to his disciples. He's speaking to those that have faith. And then I really enjoy what you just said. Mark, just read a verse.
Well, it's verse 22.
Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat, neither for the body what ye shall put on. The light is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. The focus here is the light. It's the light that God gives. It's the body. It's the body that God gives. Don't we don't need to focus?
Again, we're looking at, as Mark says, the two economies, but.
Our focus.
Should be on the life and on the body. Those things that God has given, He will provide the raiment and the meat to to meet the needs.
Stop.
In verse 27 it says, Consider the lilies, how they grow the twilight, and they spin not yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
And.
It's really interesting in science. Everybody thinks that science is at odd with God.
There's science speaks of evolution and it speaks of all these things and, and science can become a religion. They come to the wrong conclusion because they start out with the wrong assumption. But when you look at all the things in science, they all speak of a creator. We just did some work in our house. And if you look at it on the outside, you might say, wow, that looks pretty good. But you don't have to look very carefully to see that I'm not a professional painter like Uncle Mark. There's flaws, and the closer you look, the more flaws you see.
And that's true in an automobile. You look at a brand new automobile, it looks beautiful. But if you look at it really super close, there's little teeny flaws. I'm sure you know, you look at a tire, whatever it is, you look at a skyscraper, it looks beautiful, but there's little mistakes in it. But The thing is, when you look at creation, you look at a flower and you look at it and you magnify and magnify and magnify and magnify. It's beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful when you look at a cell, a cell.
You you get clear down to the electron microscope and you look at all the pieces that are working precisely together. It's amazing.
And that's what he's saying. Consider the lilies. They they don't. They don't work.
How they grow, they toil not. They spin out their growing. I guess that's their work. They're growing all the time. They take the sunshine and they turn it into energy.
But Solomon, in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. And there's stuff like that all around us. You look at the, the birds, like Uncle Mark was saying. You look at the, you know, how do these animals make it through the winter? We still go to the store all the time. The Lord's provided for him.
And his his work all around us speaks of his glory. In verse 28, it says, if then God so glowed the grass, which today is in the field, in tomorrow's cast in the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith. And that talks about doubting, doubting the goodness of God. And when we remember that the Lord Jesus came for us, every single one of us can say the Son of God who loved.
Me.
And gave himself for me. And when we realized if we were the only one here.
On this earth, the Lord Jesus would have come and died for us. Think about that, kids. The Lord loves you so much, He couldn't love you any more than He does. It's not possible.
And somebody asked me one time, do you have a verse for that? I said yeah, that he would come even if there was only one. He, the Son of Man, came to seek and to say that which was lost.
00:35:08
If there was only one of us, if I was the only one, if you were the only one, the Lord Jesus would have come and paid that price for you.
It's interesting that this expression.
Leaping through Matthew's gospel to find, uh, this expression, oh ye of little faith. And it's interesting and I'll leave it to you to look it up, but I think it's mentioned four times in Matthew and there it all has to do with care, doubt, reasoning and divine things and worry.
And you know.
It, it touches my heart, I, I see myself in that so often, you know, and the enemy of our souls wants to plant. He always does, from the very beginning, that seed of doubt in our minds.
Doubting what the goodness of God towards us.
And that's, uh, he, he wants to get into our minds and to 'cause this doubt or this fear, this worry, uh, he wants us to question divine things and, and, and his word, umm, go through Matthew. It's an interesting little study and, uh, it's very instructive, but we need to, uh, we need to be vigilant when it comes to these things because the enemy.
Umm, he, he's a great deceiver and all it takes is him just give planting that little seed of doubt. What I think, what I, my point is is that let's never doubt the goodness of God. Uh, he is for us. He loves us as Matt has been bringing out.
And and we have all the resource that we need in himself and he is all powerful and fully able to take care of the very smallest thing. As we've been pointing out, even the birds of the field, let's not doubt his fitness towards us.
May add to that too, that on a spiritual sense for those that are the younger teenage or the in the 20s or even in the 30s, there is a going back to what you're saying, Josh, what would you say? The very first question given in Scripture is half God said, right? The deceiver himself says half God said. And the issue today we're seeing, we're seeing some unique or some, uh.
Some, some, uh, doctrines, if you could call it that are coming up right now again, that have been recirculated. Satan has recirculated in, in centuries past. And the thing that it always entails is this half God said. And every time you look into one of these things that might be floating by and many believers are getting caught up with these things, is it takes up with questioning God's word here, questioning particular words, questioning what the meaning is in that context, and then also quoting from others outside of Scripture that are, it could be, uh, it could be Josephus, it could be Constantine, it could be whoever.
That thinks themselves as an expert on the Hebrew language or the Greek language or whatever. And in doing so, they are strayed completely outside of the word of God. And then a complete doctrine is being formed around what is being said. And so it's just being clear to me that if I stay within the boundaries of the front page of this Bible and the back page of this Bible, I can now have a conversation if we decide to use this as a, as a, a foundation in which we can have a discussion about what you just brought into this picture.
Because to me, it smells a whole lot like half God said to me. And if we're gonna stay within the scriptures, I can help you there or we can work together. But if you decide to bring into these other things, I cannot help you. Because all scripture is given by inspiration of God. And I'm sorry, but Constantine or Josephus or whoever else you're gonna quote, or even Darby or Macintosh, whatever, are not inspired. They're not God breathed.
So it's very important because there is things coming at young people right now and I've certainly looked at it. And fortunately, if you get your roots down on the Scripture, you'll say, well, this smells different, but I don't know what it is. At least you know, but there's too many that don't know their scriptures and they don't take the word of God as infallible. And because of that, there are many that are getting the strayed right now.
00:40:19
So when he says that umm verse 30.
And our building factor, Jonathan had had pointed this out. Uh, he says for all these things to the nations of the world seek after and your father knoweth that you have need of these things does not bother imply relationship and care and love doesn't say God knows Now he says your father knows and it's important to to note those the way in which the spirit of God.
Uh, hence his word. Because there is such deep meaning in Father, isn't there?
When he spoke about the Ravens, it says God feedeth them. When he spoke about the grass, it God closed the grass, but now he speaks about us. And it's that all that same power is at the disposal of the Father. But there's a relationship there. And it's beautiful to see that God takes care of this whole creation. He's in control of it, He sustains it. But now he's going to talk about us who belong to Him. It doesn't like you say, it doesn't say God.
Knows these things, of course God does, but it's the Father. It's that close relationship. I think that's beautiful to see that and there's no less power and fodder, but it adds the intimacy to relationship. He cares for each one of us.
And so if all the nations care about these things.
We need to realize that we're the special people. We run out of different track and Mark did say there's this world economy that we go through and we need to go out to work and so on. But that's not our main occupation. That comes as part of what we are here in the 1St place and we'll start getting that from verse 31. Seek you first the Kingdom of God and so.
If a Christian lives the way he wants to live, he's going to be very.
Separate or he's going to stand out from the world. And let's turn to coercions, Chapter 3.
Is a very interesting verse there Colossians 3 verse three. The second-half is your life is hid with Christ and God. So what motivates the Christian is something that the world cannot understand its head. Why? Because the Lord is hid. And I think that's why it says seek the Kingdom of God. And the Kingdom of God is something very real that it's not manifested yet, but we need to seek it. We need to live according to the moral order of that Kingdom.
You know, when the Lord reigns here, you won't have to seek the Kingdom. It will be very obvious. It will be right there. But now, in the time we live, we seek to live according to that order that God has instituted and that pleases God. And the world doesn't understand it. Our life is hid with Christ. Where is he? He's in an invisible place. We can only see the Lord by faith, not by our physical eyesight. And so the nations go after the things that they can see. That's what man is occupied with. And even in Judaism, everything that was connected with their worship was.
Affected the census. It was tangible. You could smell it, You could hear it. You could see it.
So we will stand out from this world. What motivates us, what our objectives are. If we walk according to the Word of God, we will be separate from the world.
And if our hearts are consumed in fear and of course, in the context of moderation and all that's already been said, if our hearts are consumed in fear and, and what we're going to be eating the next day, our hearts focused on him. Our hearts focused on his glory and giving the glory to himself and.
00:45:04
As our hearts turn more towards himself, we will find our fear diminishing. And as the song puts it, umm.
How? How does this go?
Umm, I can't, I can't quote the song exactly, but umm, yeah. As our hearts turn more towards Him and on our backs turned from this world, our hearts will diminish in fear and become more focused on His things.
With regard to the Father's provisions for us.
Is there a difference between blessings and mercies?
Is one more umm, eternal in nature and the other more temporal in nature? Maybe someone could clarify a little bit? Not to split hairs or anything, but might be helpful.
I believe that's right, Caleb. You know the verse in Ephesians 1/3 was already quoted in the meetings, and we've been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.
And so we don't.
Get more blessings, their eternal in character and their spiritual in character, and the only thing we can do is enjoy them more. But then the Lord in his care He provides all these mercies and mercies have to do with the earth and their temporal. So they're really not the same. And we always say what a blessing of the Lord, but really when a person believes he has all his spiritual blessings, even when we get to heaven, no more are going to be added.
We will be able to fully enjoy them and so umm. But mercy is our temple and character. It's not something we take with us to heaven.
Mercy, mercy has to do with, with a need, right? And umm, one is that mercy is, is great in the greatness of the need, umm, whereas grace, on the other hand, magnifies the giver God, right? There's the difference, umm, And so mercy umm, basically spares me from what I do deserve typically.
And none of us can claim that we deserve anything, really.
In the in the grand scheme of things, but God in his mercy comes in to meet our need. And whenever you see mercy in Scripture, it's usually in connection with with a need of some sort, right?
And you would, wouldn't you say that the mercy?
The mercies that we experience day by day is something that the world.
Experiences but doesn't appreciate so a lot of these things has more to do with perhaps our acknowledgement of what God has done or what he is doing day by day, just as we have in in the first chapter of James it says that every good gift and every perfect gift.
Is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow turning. And that's not dependent on my ability to receive my worthiness to receive the gift. It's just his, his goodness and giving. But we are called to acknowledge that.
In verse 31 here, it speaks to the Kingdom of God and I've understood it this way and I I'd like to have help that the king is in heaven and there's a a sphere in which we live. We can't see him.
00:50:16
But he, he's in charge and a lot of people speak about the government of God and it's a negative, it has a negative aspect and it has a positive aspect and.
I think the easiest way to think about it is the principle of sowing and reaping. We're gonna reap whatever we sow. And the law of the harvest says you always reap more than you than you planted. And I just want to share this story and probably everybody in this room has heard it, but this is my example. There was a a young man that went to work for this guy who owned a mercantile store back in the Old West. And they had to sort all these things. Not everything came in a box like at Home Depot. They would buy a bucket of nails or whatever, and then you'd go in and buy.
10 nails or a pound or whatever. And he sent the kid into the storeroom and he said I want you to count all this stuff. And he went through and he counted and there was money in the bottom.
The store keeper had put money in there to see if the kid was honest.
And he dug through there and he sorted all the nails by size and by weight and everything. And he came to him and he said, here's your here's your nail, Sir, and here's this money.
And the storekeeper said, oh, that's really nice. That's really cool. And that guy ended up being the next owner of the store, you know, in time. But there were all these people that he had hired that one of two things happened. They were lazy. And they worked for a while. And they're like, man, this is lame. And they went and went to go do something else. Everything in this life is work, and it's supposed to be. And there's blessing in work. Work was before the fall. OK, We're going to work by the sweat of our brow.
There is, you know, there's a challenge that's connected with it, but it's a good thing, OK, we're supposed to do it helps us have a sense of accomplishment in our lives. The second thing is, the first one is being lazy. The second one is people who aren't honest.
There are people in this world that see an opportunity to cheat and they take it.
The Lord puts that in our path when we have it. The devil is trying to trip us up. He wants us to fail and disgrace the name of our Lord.
But the Lord allows us to be tried so we can pass the test. That's the point.
That we passed the test, we're going to get promoted.
Maybe not, you know, maybe we won't become the manager or whatever, but in the in the Scripture, oftentimes when you see a trial like with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, like with Daniel, after the trial, we get promoted as part of the process in God's school. So we need to be faithful. It says he that is faithful and little is faithful and much. We got to realize that there's a Kingdom that we live in. We have a responsibility in that.
Can we go back to that? I enjoyed that statement. I think Mark you, you pointed out about God being referenced where there is the natural sense of things. And then the father being referenced in, in verse 30, you know, and it's been I've enjoyed that too, and probably certainly many others here in the room. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, he says, my God, my God, why thou forsaken me because of the fact that he was taking on the sins of the world and and he was in a situation where he could not call him father.
Because he was facing a holy righteous God. However, at the end of his time on the cross there he says, father, I commend my spirits in thy hands. He was back to acknowledging him and his father. You know, it occurred to me that you know, often times we pray and and I think it's correct. Is it not to say our God and our father because it it it has both aspects to him is he's God overall. He's God because of of who he is and his his well, we see right here from a natural sense, he has the authority.
00:55:01
But then there's the Father from the relationship side of things as well. And often times you hear other believers pray in other ways and I and I think we're missing. They're missing if we don't say our God and our Father because of that two attributes that he has in that sense.
People that just acknowledge him as God. There's a distance there.
Is usually like an austere being and we better be careful because he's ready to punish us. But then there's the other side of the ditch. They just see him as Father and there's no respect for who he really is. And so if we have them both, we have them as God, what he is and all his attributes. But that very God and his wonderful loving grace, desire, relationship with us to become our Father. You stay in the middle of the road, if you want to call it that. So yes, we can totally enjoy him as our Father.
Realize that His care is the care of a loving Father, that it doesn't take away any of the dignity of who He is as a holy God.
I think we need to be careful in, in, uh, judging somebody on, on how they pray. I pray very different. I, I pray and I just say Father and I, I do that.
Because of a verse and I can't remember exactly where it is, somebody could probably find it. It says a father to the fatherless is God in his holy habitation.
I I view my relationship with God in a very different way. Everything that I have comes from Him. I have no man on earth to meet my needs, so I go straight to God and I say Father.
And I take them up on that.
He said Father to fatherless is God and his only habitation.
And I think, I think when you look at the the.
Concept of the fatherless. I think it goes beyond just being a natural orphan, I think.
There there can be failure in the home.
And and I often point children that if they see a failure in their Father, that God is faithful and he's merciful and he will meet those needs, that that Father in the whole may not be meeting that he should. There's a resource. God never forsakes anyone.
And if if there is a father in the home that is not bringing his children up in the Word of God and the nurture and admonition of the Lord, children have a resource. They can go straight to God because that's his heart.
In verse 32 it says, fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. And I would say that the Lord wants to give us more than we want to receive.
We see something with our eye and we say I would really like to have that.
But the Lord in his heart, and he's good, like our dear brother just shared, He wants to bless us. And I'm not saying he wants to make everybody in here a millionaire. That's not the point. He wants to bless us.
He wants to. He's given us all spiritual blessings. He's given us a relationship with himself. We're indwelt by the Spirit of God.
We're accepted in the beloved and he wants to provide in a marvelous way for our needs, our physical needs in this world. So many people feel they read that verse, Psalm 37. Four, delight thyself in the Lord and he'll give you the desires of thine heart. They think, well, if I give up what I want and I just, you know, the Lord is going to make me desire to eat grass or whatever, and that's what he's going to give me.
That's not what the verse is saying. That's not what the Lord wants to do. There's a story about a man who is a missionary.
And he really longed for this nice house and he went out to the mission field and he came home and he just really prayed. Oh Lord, man, I just, I want this big house. He, I don't know why. Maybe it was pride, maybe it was, I have no idea why. But later on in his life, his kids grew up together. It was a really tight knit family because they all shared the same space. Nobody had their own room.
01:00:16
And he said when his kids grew up, he got down on his knees and he said, thank you, Lord, so much for not giving me what I wanted, but for giving us what we needed. And brethren, when we go before the Lord and we say, Lord, I want this, we need to say if that's what you want to give me. Because brethren, we can't see around the bend in the road. We can only see just a little teeny piece. He can see all the way home. So we need to surrender our will to his and say, Lord, if that's what you want me to have.
That's what I want for. As for God, his way is perfect and he wants to bless us. There was a man I knew and he told me this story. He wanted this camper so bad. And he felt very clearly that the Lord told him, no, this camper is not for you. No, no, Lord, I want this camper. It was, He just had it all envisioned how much fun he was going to have going camping and everything. And the Lord said, no, the camper is not for you. And he's like, no, Lord, you don't understand. And he bought that camper and he said from the day he bought that thing, he couldn't wait to get rid of it.
He went to pick it up and there was something wrong with it and he finally got it and loaded up and he got it home and there was something else wrong with it and they took it on the trip. And there it didn't work out like he thought. And he ended up selling that thing. And he, you know, through the experience, he wasn't really thinking about it. But when he got all done and he finally sold it, he breathed a sigh of relief and then it hit his conscience. You know what? That's why the Lord said this is not for you. Does He know what we need? Does He know what we like?
Yes. Does he love us? Yes. Does he delight to bless? Yes. Are we able? Are we willing, I should say, to just stand before the Lord and say, what do you want me to have? I don't want a penny more. I don't want a penny less. Lord, I want exactly what you want me to have. That is the path of blessing. It's a path of joy. It's a path of peace. It's wonderful, sincere that it is his good pleasure, Right.
What you say, man, it's so good that.
You know God is a giving God. I think of the woman of Samaria as well and the Lord says if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink thou which the vast of him, and he would have given thee living water. In essence, he's saying, if you only knew God is a giver and our God is a God and a Father who loves to bless and give as Matt has been bringing out, but he loves to give us those things that are for our good.
And has been already expressed. We don't, we can't see the end from the beginning like he can. And so we need to trust him that, you know, he will provide all those things that are needed. And, uh, too often, and I speak for myself, I might ask for things and I'm thankful that I may not get them because it says that I might consume it upon my own lusts. And, and it's, it's a mercy of God.
When he says, no, I'm not gonna give you that, I'm not gonna give you that, but I can, I can rest assured that He's gonna give me what I need and what's for my good. And I think of that verse also that says that He has given us all things that pertain to what life and godliness, and we can rest in that.
I think we're out of time, brethren.
Closing Prayer Blessed God and our Father, we give thanks that thy heart is towards us because He thanks for providing for our earthly needs. But more importantly, we can give you thanks for giving us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. So we just ask the Father to keep our souls on course. We ask you to restore our souls through Thy grace.
When needed, we just commit our way to Thee for this day, and we ask for safety as we go about the various activities. In the name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen. Amen.
Romans 12 A Living Sacrifice
Open—Eugen Soare
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
You can press.
Oh, we can pray.
We think they are God and Father, that we can pray and ask for help and time of need. A leading of a thy spirit.
A fresh portion for our hearts and souls as we journey on this pathway of faith. Give us a word in season. Pray for each one of us. Thou knowest our state of soul and we thank Thee that are standing ashore before Thee.
So we look to thee to magnify and glorify.
Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and we thank you for your thy love.
In this precious and worthy name.
We pray. Amen.
Can read in a verse or two in Romans chapter 12.
Uh, Romans chapter 12 and verse one.
I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice.
Wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world.
But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
They may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
There's a lot of young people here and, umm.
If you haven't taken up Romans to study it yet, I would encourage you to do so.
It is a very important book, uh, of, of explanation to our Christian faith, the umm.
1St 11 Chapters give us uh, doctrine. It gives us teaching. It tells us that, umm.
The the.
Uncultured man was in sin.
The umm the.
Law. Those that were of Israel were sinners. It tells us that those that are uh, Greeks I believe are sinners as well, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
And it really brings us to.
Uh, in later chapters of umm.
How one is saved. Sometimes we struggle with things. We struggle, you know, we ponder. Why is it that I constantly go and umm, I I sin? Why is that? Well.
It's because we have the old nature.
But.
We need to count ourselves dead.
We need to count ourselves crucified to the cross.
And we see that in Christ, in the new life that he's given us, that we have a power.
A power to live in a way that's pleasing to him.
So in chapter 12 on is really exhortation by the apostle, but we need to understand the previous chapters, the doctrine, the teaching, and understand how we're being exhorted.
So this first exhortation is I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice.
Wholly acceptable unto God.
Which is your reasonable service.
And umm, it was brought out recently to me and John.
Chapter one where?
John the Baptist.
He he announced the Lord. He says, Behold the Lamb of God.
Which taketh away the sin of the world.
He brought, He brought out, He announced the Lord as the sacrifice, the Lamb of God.
And when we think of him, the the, the living sacrifice, the perfect sacrifice, you know, his life was perfect. His life was a SA living sacrifice to God.
He was of such.
Such a sacrifice, a sweet smelling savour unto God.
And it's a it's a reasonable service for us.
00:05:04
How can we be a living sacrifice?
Well, I would suggest that it's being like the Lord, the perfect sacrifice.
And one of the.
One of the many defining things about the Lord Jesus Christ is that He always did the will of the Father.
And that's what he.
That's what he did in John chapter 4.
And verse 34, the disciples are going to get food and Lord's, uh, at the well.
And they come back with food and they they offer it to him.
And they're a little bit confused as to why the Lord is not eating.
And he said, Jesus saith unto them, verse 34 of chapter 4.
My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.
In the Gospels.
We also I'd encourage us to study it because it shows us the Lord's life.
The Spirit of God had these four people, men write down the things that the Lord did.
And one of the things I've noticed is that the Lord was often.
In the morning, away in prayer.
He was away from others.
He was away from Umm, his own disciples.
He was up in a mountain or in a desert place in prayer.
And I when I think about that, I.
That's the perfect example for us, isn't it?
To be in the morning in prayer, with who? With God the Father, and with the Lord.
The father sent the son.
And in a portion of Scripture the Lord says, even as the Father has sent me, Even so I send you. So does that mean you? It means you and you and you.
All of us, each one of us who have been saved. By the grace of God, we are now.
Not only redeemed by uh, saved by his grace and by the work upon the cross, but we are also sent forth.
To be light and false but.
We're we're not saved.
He he didn't do the work upon the cross just to to save us from hell, but also to make us a blessing to others to umm have a sweet communion with him and.
Before I deviate too much.
So the Lord was in prayer and communion with the Father in the morning. So that is a perfect example for me to follow for each one of us to follow, be in prayer.
In communion with the Lord.
And how do we do that?
Well, prayer is where we talk with God.
And our Father, but we read His word, and we get things, His Spirit with our spirit. In another portion it says.
We, we can get, we have that communion.
Our spirit and His spirit, so we're not left alone anymore.
To do what Eugene wants to do. To do what Eugene the old man wants to do. I'm not left that way. He wants me to do his will.
Is it worth it?
Is it worth it for me to do his will?
Well, it's a miserable life as a Christian to not do it.
Why?
Because I would be grieving the Spirit.
I would be grieving the Spirit.
The Spirit doesn't want me or you, anyone of us who are believers.
To be doing our own well, the Spirit would magnify Christ.
The Spirit would bring Christ before me, Him as my object.
And that's where the Spirit wants to bring me.
00:10:05
To.
To look upon Christ.
Umm, there's the parable of the.
Uh, seed and the four.
Parts of the Earth and I, I'm just taking an application out of it. I believe there's the sea that falls among the brambles.
Where it's, uh, the word is choked up because there's all these brambles that come up before the seed can produce fruit. And as an application, I think of my life and yours and how the word of God is, is working in US and we're perhaps starting to bear fruit.
And then these things come up.
Where there's responsibilities.
There's cares.
Perhaps there's peer pressure?
Perhaps there's friends who are drawing us down because they're of the earth.
Verse 2 here be not conformed to this world.
Am I gonna be conformed by my peers?
Am I going to be conformed to this world?
By success.
Where I'm striving for success.
Or am I gonna be transformed by the renewing of your mind?
In UMM chapter 8.
Of romance.
In verse 29.
It says for whom he did for no.
He also did predestinate.
To be conformed to the image of his son.
That he might be the first born among many brethren.
So we're not to be conformed to this world, but conformed to the image of his son.
Well, what? What's being conformed to the image of a son is being more like Christ.
Less of me.
And the old man more like Christ in the Newman.
I'd like to encourage ourselves in one more.
Portion.
And that's in Ephesians chapter 5.
And to get the context will read verse 25 Husbands love your wives even as.
Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it.
With the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself.
A glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
But that it should be holy and without blemish.
No, the Lord did everything perfectly up here upon this earth, and He is doing everything perfectly in heaven.
When it says here that he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, he will perform it.
He will accomplish it.
There's no question that.
Oh, there's no question Christ will perform it. Isn't that wonderful to think about?
He will accomplish it, and when he brings the church, when the marriage supper of the Lamb happens, and the church comes forth without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
He'll look upon us and see us.
And we'll see him.
And we'll just be enraptured with him.
And.
I say more and more from my heart and yours. We need to be enraptured with him now.
Isn't he worthy?
Isn't he worthy? He's, he's just so worthy of our love and of our affection.
Affection for Christ.
That's that's what should draw. The spirit would have to draw my heart and yours.
To him to affection for Christ.
00:15:02
OK.
Exodus 29 Three Sacrifices of Consecration
Open—Steve Hall
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Turn with me to Exodus Chapter 29.
In Exodus chapter 29, we have the consecration of Aaron and his sons.
And I wanna notice just one little thing that really struck me recently, and I think it is in keeping.
Her brother just talked about a living sacrifice and.
Couple nights ago.
We were encouraged about peace offering.
In Exodus chapter 29, we have 3 offerings or three sacrifices that are mentioned here and I wanna wanna read it briefly and just share something that really jumped out at me when we read when we read this recently.
Exodus 29 verse one. And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto.
Them to hallow, them to minister unto me. And the priest's office take one young Rolex and two Rams without blemish.
We're gonna skip down to verse 10 and thou shalt cause a Bullock to be brought before the Tabernacle of the congregation.
And Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the Bullock, and thou shalt kill the Bullock before the Lord by the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation. And thou shalt take of the blood of the Bullock, and put it on the horns of the altar with a finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.
Thou shalt take all the fat that covereth thee inwards, and the call that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. But the flesh of the Bullock, and his skin and his tongue, thou shalt burn with fire. Without the camp. It is a sin offering.
And thou shalt also take one ram, And Aaron and his son shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. And thou shalt slay the ram. And thou shalt take the blood, and sprinkle it around about upon the altar. And thou shalt count and cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him and his legs, and put them into his pieces and unto his head. And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar. It is.
A burnt offering unto the Lord. It is a sweet saver, an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And thou shalt take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
And thou shalt kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot.
And sprinkle the blood round about, upon the altar round about, and thou shalt take the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle, sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him. And he shall be hallowed in his in his garments, and his sons, and his son's garments with him.
And thou shalt take of the ram the fat, and the the rump, and the fat, and they cover it the inwards, and the call above the liver and the two kidneys.
And the fact that is upon them, and the right shoulder of it, for for is a ram of consecration.
And so on.
25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar, for it burnt offering for a sweet savour before the Lord. It is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
Verse 29 And it shall be Aaron and his sons by statute forever from the children of Israel, for it is and heave offering, and it shall be a heave offering from the children of Israel, of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offerings unto the Lord.
These three offerings that we have here, or three sacrifices in order.
00:05:02
For the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offering.
And the thing that really struck me this time when I read through this, and I've read this passage many times before.
But it really struck me this time.
Because, brethren, these three offerings should be an integral, daily part of our lives.
But the interesting thing to me was the very specific language that Aaron and his sons were to put their hand on the head of the offering as it was killed.
As many of you know, we have animals.
And if you have animals?
There's going to come a time when you have to.
Kill an animal and it's not a fun process.
I've had a lamb.
That was standing between my legs.
That died by my actions.
And it really makes you pause and think.
Why do I share that? It's not to gross you guys out.
But these offerings should mean something very specific, specific to each one of us, the sin offering.
Is a picture.
Of the Lord Jesus going into death for us. And I believe Aaron and his sons had to own their part in that offering by putting their hands on the head of that animal as it was dying, as it was being flamed.
And if there's anyone here that has not owned that they're a center before, holy righteous God, it is of utmost importance to you.
You must put your hand in a figurative way on the head of that offering on the Lord Jesus, and make it your own.
But, brethren, we sin.
Repeatedly.
And so I believe that we in a sense, need to own our part in that on a daily basis, the apostle John said.
That if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And daily we need to go to this precious word and we need to get on our knees and we need to confess the sin that is in our lives. And it may be something.
That we're not sensitive to.
He that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
That smites me. That kills me.
Daily we need to eat the sin offering. We need to make it part of us.
We need to recognize our part in that. Well, what about the burnt offering?
Well, the burnt offering.
And I want to encourage you children, your young people.
To look into the offerings and and find out what it means. They're so beautiful, such wonderful pictures that the burnt offering is, is looking at the Lord Jesus and all of his perfection before God.
And recognizing that perfection.
Last night we heard about four tenants of Salvation.
And we have been given the righteousness of Christ.
I think that's a little portion of that, that burnt offering. He was absolutely perfect and we need to have a part in that as well.
Aaron and his sons, they had to take their hand again and put it on the head of that ram as it died.
00:10:04
And you and I on a daily basis need to look up to our Lord Jesus, our Savior, our burnt offering.
And gaze on his beauty, his perfection, His Holiness.
And realize that our standing is in him, our position is in Him, Everything that we have is in Him.
And then we have the peace offering.
And I believe our brothers already brought out that the peace offering is really.
Communion.
Common thoughts with God.
About who we are and about his son and who his son is. And again, Aaron and his sons, they had to take their hand, and they had to put their hand on the head of that ram as it was sacrificed, as it died. And again.
You and I daily need to own that as as being for us. It's not for somebody else. And that's really the burden on my heart tonight.
Dear young people, dear children, this needs to be immensely personal between you and the Lord. You have to put your hand on the head of that offering. You need to acknowledge and recognize.
Your part in that offering.
And there's immense beauty and privilege.
Associated with that.
We won't take the time to go into it, but the result of these three offerings.
Were that Aaron and his sons were consecrated, they were set aside, they were.
Made holy.
Not because of something that they had done.
Because it it was a picture that looked forward to Christ and then they were able to enter into service.
For the Lord, and if you and I want to be of service to the Lord, we need to put our hand on the head of the offering and make it part of us. Acknowledge our part in it.
Three Things in a True Believer
Open—Matt Richerzhagen
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Is that OK? OK, Umm. So as our brethren have shared.
Thanks man.
So what our brethren have shared tonight.
How we need to?
Give our lives as a living sacrifice and to take our place before the Lord. And as they were sharing, I was thinking of something that I learned a long time ago, and I have a note in my Bible.
And I would encourage every single person here, there's an old saying that says the shortest Pennsylvania pencil is better than the longest memory. And you'll hear things as you age, as you get older. Write them down. I use a pencil. I don't use a pen because I like to, if I make a mistake or something, I like to erase it and, and have the ability to rewrite it. But there's treasures, right? I have a treasure right here in my Bible because I wrote it down.
So I would encourage you first of all to do that and this is three things that we need to do.
As believers, and I will say we can't do this in our own flesh. It's not. We don't wake up in the morning. My kids don't wake up in the morning and get out of bed and oh, I want to be a richer Sagan. Oh no, they just wake up and they're richer Sagan. They were born a Richard Sagan. Every day until the day they die, they're always going to be a richer Sagan. And that's how when we join God's family, we become his child, his son or daughter.
And we're never not his son or daughter. It's a beautiful thing.
The privileges that our dear brother shared with us last night that we have in salvation. But I want to share three things. And this is from my dear beloved brother, Bill Brockmire. And I wrote who I got it from. And there are three things in a true believer. And as we look at our lives, we're going to see fruit when you go out in your garden. How many people here garden?
Well, I shouldn't raise my hand because I don't garden. Umm, when you go out in the garden and you see tomatoes, what kind of a plant is that? It's a tomato plant. What were you gonna say? Tomato plant is it? There's no question. Well, as we are alive, we are going to produce fruit. There's verses about you're not gonna see good fruit from a bad plant. You're not gonna see bad plant bad.
Good fruit from a bad plant, you're not gonna see bad fruit from a good plant. We're gonna produce whatever is inside us, and it's been said when you get bumped.
What's inside you shows up. One time there was a Sunday school and there were two cups that were up front in the Wawa meeting room and you couldn't tell what was inside until the brother bumped the table and One Cup was full of water and the other one was full of coffee. But when you bumped them, you can see what's inside. Well, brethren, the Lord allows us to get bumped and what's inside our heart shows to us and to the world.
And we need to judge those things and, and walk just like our brother just said. Just put our hand on the animal's head and say, Lord, I own, I'm not what I ought to be. Help me and he'll help us. That's his job. The Spirit of God's working inside us. So here's three things in a true believer. Three things that Mark a true believer #1 is giving. The second one is forgiving. And the third one is Thanksgiving. And we're going to look at those briefly. So turn with me if you have your Bible to Acts chapter #20.
Verse 35 at the end of the verse.
What will this read the whole verse? I have showed you all things how that soul laboring you ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive. There's a proverb in uh, in the book of Proverbs, of course, because that's where the proverbs are. He that's Washington Watereth is watered also himself.
The greatest thing we can do in this life is to give something away. When you meet people who are hoarders, who are, who are stingy, they are not happy. I work for hundreds, I have thousands of clients and I can tell you without any reservation, the people that will share what they have are happier than those who won't. And the people who won't share anything are very unhappy. They never have enough, never have enough. And I will say this, that's one of the reasons I think the Lord put in his.
Word. The principle of giving in in the Old Testament speaks of tithing. When we have enough to give away, we actually give it away. We are saying by our actions we have more than we need and that frees our hearts. You meet all these people in the world. You say how much is enough? And they all say a little bit more.
If you ask a true believer how much is enough, they say I have enough. What did Jacob say? It is enough. So to to be someone who's giving, don't. And I'm gonna tell you, you're gonna get taken advantage of in this world.
But it's always better. I found it better to be giving, and sometimes you're gonna get taken advantage of than to always protect yourself because in the long run, you're gonna. So that's the first one. The next one is for giving. So turn to Matthew 18.
00:05:09
And these are things, they don't make us believers, but they evidence. There was a young girl I knew one time and we were talking about umm, about being saved. And she said 01 Saves, always saved. I got saved in the gospel meeting and I'm always saved. And I said, you know what? If I had your life, I would not feel comfortable making that statement.
The plant is going to show the fruit of what it is. Our lives are gonna produce fruit. So the next one is forgiving. Umm, and we know this, uh, umm, parable, Matthew 1815. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, umm, that's not the right verse.
Uh, verse 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how OFT shall my brother sin against me? And I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him, I say, not unto thee until seven times, but until 70 * 7. Therefore is the Kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And this story has actually been read at this conference, so I'm not going to reread it. But there's a man who owed 10,000 talents.
And there was somebody who owed him 100 pence. There's a huge debt and a little debt. And this word right here is not an option. We do not have the option as believers to decide if I'm going to forgive that person that offended me. That is not our choice. The Scripture demands for our own good that we forgive. And I've had people say, well, they haven't asked for forgiveness. It doesn't matter.
That's not part of the equation, the equation, and it doesn't mean it didn't hurt because people offend us. They cut us off, they steal from us, say whatever.
Forgive them, it says right here.
Umm, in verse 35, so likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye for your from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother, their trespasses. And that's governmental forgiveness. That doesn't mean we don't have forgiveness for our sins. If I died and I was being unforgiven, it's not that I'm not going to get into heaven, but governmentally that that unforgiveness is bound upon me. We have to let it go. And I know people, I talk to people all the time and often.
They're physically I'll OK and.
And I just mentioned, I'm not, you know, I just say, I'm not blaming you. But what I found in, in, in my interactions is a lot of times there's a, a, a, a, a emotional component that goes with this. And the other day, I don't know, it was a year ago or whatever I meant, I met with a gal that had cancer and I asked if I could pray with her because I'm really a gospel minister. I happen to clean carpets, but I'm a gospel minister. That's my job. And, and I mentioned that to her, you know, often there's an emotional underlying issue with the sickness, you know.
I'm not blaming you or accusing you, but is that true? You know, do you have anything going on? Well, actually there was she was mad at her daughter. Bitterness. There's a merry heart. Do with good like a medicine, bitterness will physically kill you. It will change the hormones in your body to where you can go to the doctor and the doctor can test you and say this is your case. But that's not really what's wrong really. You're bitter. And the more our brain.
Makes pathways and and the more we think about all that person did all they were so mean all just get out of that. Just say you know what, whether they meant it or not, I'm gonna forgive them.
And it's just like taking something in your hand. This is serious. I've had to struggle with this. It's just like taking something in your hand just like this and say I'm gonna let it go.
And you know what, you might find that back in your hand. You know what, I'm gonna let it go. You may have to do that 100 times. I am not gonna hold that against that person. I'm not gonna do it. And the beautiful thing is that when you forgive the person, you really free is yourself. The next thing is Thanksgiving. So turn to 1St Thessalonians Chapter 5.
And this one here, honestly, you guys, this might be the hardest one.
It, it tells us in uh, Philippians 4, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. And the apostle Paul was in prison and it wasn't 3 square meals a day TV and an exercise system, an exercise set.
He knew what he was talking about.
Thanksgiving in verse 18 it says in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
There are trials in this life that are really hard.
Really hard and the Lord knows that.
And he will never. He promises, He's faithful. He's never going to try us more than we're able to bear. But there are trials where it is so dark.
00:10:02
You have to distrust. You can't see the way out. You have to trust him.
And say, OK Lord, I do not see how this is gonna work, but I'm gonna trust you because you promised me.
There was a story about a little kid that was in a fire and and the building was on fire and they were in the fire and he wouldn't jump and he was going to burn to death. And they said jump, jump, jump and he wouldn't jump. He was too scared. And they went and got his dad and they had a net. They were gonna catch him. They had a net and he wouldn't jump. And they finally got his dad and they said here call for him and he said it's OK son jump. And the son jumped and he was saved.
Because he trusted the work of the enemy of our souls is to get us to doubt the goodness of God.
But we can trust him, even when we don't understand, even when it hurts so bad we feel like we can't go on.
I don't know that they're ever hopeless situations, but there are situations in which certain people give up hope. He's the God of peace, the God of comfort, the God of hope. Hope. OK, so turn to Ephesians chapter 5.
Verse 20.
And I'll tell you guys, I haven't got this all figured out. I'll be honest with you.
It says giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I hurt my ankle.
On Memorial Day and I couldn't hardly walk for a month, I took a month off.
The whole world allows trials in our lives.
They're rough, they're tough, they hurt.
Slavic told me the other day he was an encouragement to me, he said Tough times don't last, tough people do.
And it's because we're connected to someone. All power is in his hands. But can we say?
Can we say giving thanks always for all things?
To be in that adversity and say, Lord, thank you for this adversity because I must have needed it.
I bless you and I praise you and I thank you because you are working in me to burn out all things of the flesh that you're working in me to make me to conform me as our brother shared, to be like Christ.
Sometimes the only way we can do that is in the fire. And I'll tell you, it hurts, but it's worth it. It's worth it.
Maybe we can just pray.
Our God.
And our loving Father.
We thank thee for thy matchless love. The sought and found us.
Lord, thou art so good. Blessed be thy name.
We thank Thee for the help that thou hast given us in this scene, that Thou dost indwell us by Thy power.
Lord Jesus, we thank Thee that Thou art ever there to strengthen us and keep us.
Lord, we pray for help as we pass through this scene that we might yield ourselves a living sacrifice.
That we might lay our hands upon those offerings, as it were. Say, search me, O God, know my inward parts. Make me like you.
If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. And Lord, we pray for help as we walk in this scene that we would be found giving.
Thou knowest the joy that thou hast for us in sharing what Thou hast granted us, that we would be forgiving, that we would not mark wrongs.
So we would just have a free spirit.
And Lord, that we would be full of Thanksgiving.
Our so good.
May we be like job.
Though he slay me. Yeah, well, I trust him.
Lord Jesus may be the cry of our hearts that you are all we ever wanted.
In thy right hand are pleasures forevermore, that we would give thanks to the in everything and for everything, for these trials you're preparing us for our next greatest victory, making us more like unto thee. We thank thee for this time. We pray this in Jesus mighty name, Amen.
Imitation
Sing Talk—Jonathan Csanyi
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Umm, let's open it there.
Regarding our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you now for this.
Opportunity we've had in this to sing these hymns together and thank you for this beautiful day we have had today.
We, uh, asked for the help. Now if we open Thy word, speak to each one of us through Thy word, and uh, we pray this all and ask for Thy help in Thy name, Amen.
Start with a verse in Second Timothy chapter 3.
You know, at the beginning of this week.
We had an address of Brother Mark stood up and he talked about.
The desire that we have, that we as parents have for each one of your kids to be successful.
And then he clarified that he was speaking about spiritual success.
He wants each one of you to be spiritually successful.
And yes, well, we want that. There is an enemy that does not want that.
And that wants to do everything you can to make that not happen.
You know in Second Corinthians we read that we are not ignorant of his devices. We know the tricks he uses. As I mentioned in the reading, I think it was this morning.
He uses the same tricks over and over.
And we know what tricks he's going to use. We know what tricks he's used before.
So in Second Timothy chapter 3.
And verse 8.
Now as Janet, as Janice and Jan breathe withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth.
Janice and Jambreeze were the the Egyptian magicians.
When Moses and Aaron came and had the message from God, let my people go, they resisted him.
And they had some very real power if you read the story Satanic Power, I believe.
But if you think about it, if these powerful men or these men without use this power where resisting Moses?
Would they?
With the cold on fire on him.
When they try to kill him.
You know what they did?
They copied him. They imitated the signs that Moses and Aaron did.
When the cast down the rod and it became a serpent.
They cast down their rods and they became serpents.
When they turned the water to blood, so did the magicians.
They imitated the work of God.
And you know this is one of the.
One of the tactics that Satan uses, he used back then, he uses today.
Egypt. I'm sure you've all heard this, Egypt.
Is a very clear type of the world.
They had a system set up to be.
To irrigate their fields, to be independent of the reign from heaven, they had no need. They built a system so they had no need of need of God.
And part of what this world system does is it imitates the things of God.
It takes them.
Copies them often, removed all reference to God from it, and presents that as just as good.
Another verse in First Kings.
First Things, Chapter 12.
So the story of Jeroboam.
The children of Israel, the 10 tribes that just rebelled against Reyborg, they separated.
And Jeroboam was concerned that the people were going to go back to Jerusalem.
Because that's what the the law told them to do. They would go back and offer sacrifices in Jerusalem. Chapter 12, verse 32. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the 15th day of the month, like like unto the feast that is in Judah. And he offered upon the altar, so did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made, and he placed in vessel of priests of the high places which he had made.
So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel.
The 15th day of the 8th month, even in the month which he had devised in his of his own heart, and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel, and he offered upon the altar in virgin sense.
00:05:13
He set up these golden calves, he set up these altars, he set up.
Umm, his own feasts, just like the feasts of the Lord, the feasts of Jehovah.
But he made them up himself.
And you know.
Often these attacks these imitations that are actually attacked.
Have a religious.
Side to that, let's take the system that God has set up.
I must make one. Just let's set up our own system just like it.
We'll change a couple of things. We'll make it better.
Better than what God set up.
We'll change a couple things. It's just as good.
And if we look around us.
That the world at Christendom today, we see this everywhere.
Another verse.
In Ezra.
The Book of Ezra, chapter 4.
Here the children of Israel.
Where a small remnant of the Children of Israel had come back and they were rebuilding the temple.
In Jerusalem.
Later in Nehemiah, they rebuilt the city and the wall around it.
But others that lived in that area, they did not like this.
They were adversaries for the calls here and as a four verse one and when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin.
Heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel.
Then they came to the rubber bowl and to the chief of the Fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do, just like you.
Luke 12:33-38
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Shall we pray?
Our gracious, loving God and our Father, we again want to return thanks for Thy goodness and Thy mercy, the greatness of the blessing that Thou has given us in this time that we've been together here.
We do not deserve such a wonderful blessing, and yet we thank Thee for it. And now, as we open Thy precious word again, we just pray that Thou would give us a portion for each heart that is here.
We pray that we would be encouraged and strengthened in our faith and most of all, our God and our Father, that Thy Son would be well spoken of. We thank Thee for this portion that we've had before our hearts, and we just pray for continued blessing. We pray too, for Thy mercies this afternoon out in the ball field and playing together and our fellowship. We just pray for blessing.
We thank you for Thy mercies, to us thank goodness and the worthy and precious name of our Lord Jesus, Amen.
Luke chapter 12, verse 33.
All that you have and give alms, provide yourselves bags with wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about in your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching.
Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet.
And will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch and find them, so blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the good men of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Stop.
Well, perhaps a little outline of the chapter might be helpful. Umm, we've spoken at length about the context of the chapter. I think it's just good to be reminded again that, uh, this chapter is, uh, a chapter that's actually marked by various night scenes and, uh, if you go through this, rather interesting. But here the Lord Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure out of this world.
And He brings before them various things that they need to be free from, that they might serve him acceptably in his absence. So I'll just give a quick outline of the chapter here. Hopefully it will be of some assistance. But in verses one to three, we spoke how they needed to be free from hypocrisy. So God wants us to be have truth in the inward parts. He desires us to be free from hypocrisy and to be real before Him, not to be something that we are not.
And verses 4:00 to 12:00, he wanted them to be free from the fear of man. Ultimately, that is something that paralyzes us when it comes to our service. If man becomes our reference point and, uh, that will ultimately hinder us in our testimony and service for Christ. Versus 13 to 21, he wanted, uh, his disciples to be free from covetousness. And versus, uh, 13 to 21, uh, covetousness. Third from versus UH-22 to 34, he wanted them to be free from care.
That is from worry. Again, that is something that can paralyze us when it comes to our service for Christ. If we're overcome with worrying about where our next meal might come from or what, what have you. Umm, and, and getting all wrapped up in those types of things, trying to control, I guess what we cannot control and not leaving it to the Lord in verses 35 to 40, which is our portion now. He wants them to be free from, uh, carelessness. So, uh, we'll, we'll go into that.
00:05:04
And then from 41 to 48, he wants them to be free from slothfulness, not to be lazy. And then to the end of the chapter, verses 49 to 57, he wanted them to be free from being surprised that there ultimately is rejection when it comes to being a testimony for for Christ. Ultimately, there's seven things in this chapter that the Lord brings before his disciples that he would have them to be free from.
The.
I think the point of uh, verse 33 really is that, uh, you know, we, we spoke last yesterday about how the Lord, umm, will umm, provide for our needs and umm, and that he will care for us and ultimately everything that comes into our hands is his.
My house is not my house. It's the Lords really. My car is not my car, it's the Lord's. The money in my bank account really is not mine. So we are stewards, aren't we? And steward is someone who's been entrusted with some something of another and is responsible to, to care for it in a responsible way. And ultimately we've been given things of God that, umm, material things in this life to help us through and, uh.
We need to hold that.
Can I say rather loosely, we ought not to, to, uh, just, you know, tenaciously hold on to these things as if it's all mine and I'm not letting go. The God, the Lord may test us on that. And, uh, and here where it says cell that you have and give arms, I think that the point here is that it's not that we, brother Mark talked about having a balance with respect to God's things and practical things in life. We need to provide for our families. We need to.
Have a roof over our heads. We need to have all these things, but we ought not to be careless and throw these things to the wind and, and not act accordingly, like in a, in a responsible way. So we need to, I think the point here is we need to transfer these things into God's hands and, and we need to use them for his glory. And, and again, as I say, you know, these things are not ours, they're ultimately his and so.
If we can, when I speak to my own heart when I say this, use what I have as not belonging to myself, but using it and dispensing it for the good of others and for the blessing of of God's people. I think that's the point. Is that right?
Also the UH application in uh some way?
To umm.
Not not attained too much.
So, for instance, I have boxes of electronics that I've accumulated over the years. And as I was thinking about it recently, I was like, wouldn't it be nice just to keep the things that I need and just get rid of the rest? Ha ha, not have them as baggage to you know, whenever I look at this couple of boxes of things, it doesn't cause me, you know, I, I suddenly think about him and I don't wanna get rid of this, this electronic or this wire or.
00:10:23
That sort of stuff. And it becomes to where I'm, I'm using up time thinking about it and I, I'm holding off, I'm not letting go. And, umm, perhaps an application would be to, you know, simplify my life to just the things that are necessary.
When we were talking about covetousness, that a lot of this has to do with perspective. And if we read 32 Through 34 together, it says fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom, so that you have and give alms, provide yourselves bags which wax not all the treasure in the heavens that fail not where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is there where your heart be also.
And so.
Umm, just like we were mentioning when we were talking about covetousness, covetousness is designed something that umm, the Lord has not given us. And uh, but we were also talking about Ephesians chapter one and how we have been given all things. Umm, let's go back and read that again in Ephesians chapter one because it, it pertains very much to what we're talking about here. It says that in verse three of Ephesians one, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of blessed us with all.
Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And so as far as this world goes, yeah, we find ourselves pilgrims and strangers without rights and privileges in this world. But as far as the Kingdom of God, we have been given a tremendous amount of privilege and brought into a position of sonship in which we have the whole Kingdom at our disposal. But that's Speaking of heavenly things. And so, so.
I believe to kind of go along with what Josh and Eugene were mentioning, what's our perspective? I mean, are we looking at the things of this world, the material?
Again, should be very careful on how we apply that. Maybe we might say temporal mercies that we're given in this world.
The things for God.
Than with others that have need. Matt spoke last night in the meeting about one of the.
One of the three most important tenets of Christian life is giving. And so this is just reminding us that if we lay up our treasures in heaven, that's where our heart and focus is going to be. But if we have a stockpile of goods here on this earth, it's it's susceptible to damage, destruction, It, it's, it's, it's not going to last and.
And so we talked the other day about.
Laying up things of substance because that's where our reward is, is in the substance that we have in our spiritual blessings in heavenly places.
I'd like to give an illustration of this, especially for those that are a little younger in the United States we don't have.
A king and queen. We don't have royalty, but if you go.
Back to a nation that is pretty closely related to the United States, the Kingdom of Great Britain. You see a illustration of this portion here.
So in Great Britain right now there are two.
Relatively young men.
Who are Princess? One of them is the Crown Prince. He is going to be the next king of Great Britain.
He currently is a Prince.
He's the Crown Prince.
Umm, and his brother is, is also a Prince and they are going to in some point in time come into a incredibly, as far as this world is concerned and incredible inheritance when their grandmother passes away. Their grandmother, the Queen of England, passes away and she is pretty old.
00:15:06
Their position right now should be to further the Kingdom.
And further, the holdings of the royal family of Great Britain. And so they can do things and they do do things to benefit the Kingdom. It doesn't necessarily benefit them individually right now, but it's in light of the future because they are going to receive that inheritance. And that's what we have in verse 32. It's the Father's good pleasure to give us.
The Kingdom, each one of us, whether we recognize it or not, are Crown Princess.
And I think that we do well to think about that because there is a certain dignity, a certain deportment, a certain way of acting that is.
Is appropriate for the Princess of England right now. And in fact, if you look at the newspapers, the newspapers are really, really, uh, eager to point out when they don't act in a way that is keeping for the Princess of England.
And the same thing is true with us.
In verse 33 we are instructed to sell that you have and give alms and lay up treasure in heaven.
The Kingdom that we are going to come into is the Kingdom.
Is the Father's Kingdom. It's the Kingdom of heaven and so.
If you look at at the illustration.
With the Princess of England, they it it would be completely.
I'm keeping for them to take actions that benefit the United States of America.
Because that's not their Kingdom.
Or some other nation.
They their actions are designed to benefit Great Britain.
And the same thing should be true of us. We should be earnestly laying up treasure in heaven.
And that should be something that changes the decisions that we make in our lives on a daily basis.
And we can look at the decisions that come before us, and we should be looking at them and saying, is this furthering God's Kingdom?
If it is, then it's something that we should do, but if it isn't, if it's something to deal with this life that is not necessary for our lives here, just puts us ahead here, then we might want to think twice about that because it's not laying up treasure where our Kingdom is located.
So Prince Harry and I forget the other one, William, Prince William, you know, they travel all over the world.
They've been to the United States.
But when they're here in the United States, they have a specific objective and that is to benefit Great Britain. And so if they can do things or enter into relationships or whatever it might be, umm.
As as part of Great Britain and benefiting Great Britain, that's appropriate, but if it isn't, it's not appropriate for them to be engaged in. For example, it would be totally.
Unsuitable for them to get involved in the politics of the United States.
Because that's not their nation.
I think that that helps us to recognize we need to be focused on laying up treasure in the Kingdom that we belong to and that Kingdom is in heaven.
This piece of treasure here and and verse 33, it says a treasure in the heavens that faileth not and it's so difficult for us, especially in this land to think of treasure in umm anything other than a material way. But this is a a tangible treasure that is spiritual. And so if we go to Romans chapter 8.
00:20:13
This kind of falls in line with what we have in verse 32. If you're not little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Romans chapter 8 and verse 32, it says he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall we not with him also freely give us all things?
Well, we don't see necessarily those brothers and sisters in Christ around us.
Endowed with tremendous material wealth. But does that mean that this verse is not true? No, it's because we are being given.
A spiritual blessing and heavenly places and umm, if we go back to verse 28, it says and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them who are the called according to his purpose.
We are called to go through some very, very deep waters at times as Christians. But you know what? Those are actually treasures in disguise.
Those are spiritual blessings in heavenly places that are being stored up for us for that future day when we will come into the good of that inheritance in a in a very full way when the Lord brings us into his, into his Father's house. But sometimes it's difficult for us to really recognize.
Those spiritual things as treasures because there there's sometimes shrouded in A and a guise of difficulty in trial. So let's look beyond that like Matt was talking about last night in in the address.
In the in the open meaning, we need to recognize them for the blessings that they are and thank God for them. As difficult as that is to do, we need to be able to see past the difficulty and recognize the heavenly blessing that we have in those things.
As Eugene was saying, everything we own owns a little bit of us.
And I remember a brother that would speak to the Sunday school class and he said, I never want to have more keys on my key ring than will fit in my pocket. Because you got to maintain it. You got to insure it. You got to take care of it. You got to, you know, think about it. Just the Lord gives us what he gives us. He gives us all things richly to enjoy. But when we when we go beyond that, when we go beyond what he wants us to have, if they become a burden to us, I remember this man I used to go to church with back.
You know, when we were umm in the systems of men and he had this boat and he always complained about this boat and I said to him, why don't you sell the silly thing? Just like all the time he was complaining about it. Oh, I can't do that. He had all this money in it and he couldn't get his money back out of it. So he just went on with this really. And sometimes we make crazy choices, but this verse where your treasure is there where your heart be also, it's as has been said, it's it's realizing that what we have, as our brother said, it's not really ours.
And when we, when we do that, when we realize that it sets us free to enjoy it. The nice things in this world are really nice. It's nice to have a nice car that has air conditioning. It's nice to have a car that has cruise control. It's not, you know, that has remote keyless entry. That's not wrong. But I'll, I'll give you an example. I'll tell you a story. My sister was, uh, she just graduated from nursing school and she worked and worked and worked and worked and worked and she bought this new car. It was a blue Honda Civic as I remember.
And this thing was her pride and joy. I mean, she had worked so hard. This was her gift to herself. And in the night she came and stayed at her house. And in the night, the wind blew really hard and it blew a limb off of our tree. And you could see, we have pictures of it and you could see the wheels of the car. And that was about it. Seriously. And I thought she's gonna be devastated because her, this is her pride and joy car. And she gets out. I went and told her, Abby, you're not gonna believe this. And she goes out there and you know what she said? She said, well, praise the Lord.
That's when your treasures in heaven.
That your heart is going to be where your treasure is, people that their treasures in that car. When that car is crushed, sure, insurance is gonna pay for it or whatever it. It ruins your day. How's your day? Oh, man, I lost my car. This tree fell on my car. That's not what she said. She said, well, praise the Lord. And we went out there really carefully. We lifted that tree off and had a really strong main branch that went clear almost over the whole car and had two side branches and there wasn't a scratch.
00:25:00
On that car we lifted up really super carefully and here the Lord, I'm sure an Angel had stood right there and protected your car because that had a huge old branch, just the weight of that falling on the ground. It should just demolish the windshield in the back window. But the Lord allows these things in our lives that we be we be exercised. And one thing you think about, well, what if I lost this? Ask yourself, what if I didn't have this tomorrow? Do you panic?
Or are you free? The Lord knows there's a gal I know, she said one time. She said, you know what, if they took all my money, that's OK, I'll just make more.
I thought, that's beautiful. She's not worried. She doesn't lay awake worrying about what's in her bank account. She knows the Lord is for her. She knows if somehow she lost her money, it's OK. She can go on from there. And the Lord wants us to be free. He wants us to enjoy these things, but not to be bound by them. And when we feel, like Eugene was saying, when we feel that kind of encroaching on our heart, we need to, we need to work on that and say, OK, because the Lord works he. He just has little soft things.
He'll speak to us. And if we listen, we just, we judge that. If we judge ourselves, we wouldn't be judged. But if we don't listen and he speaks a little louder and then he speaks a little louder and then he speaks a little louder and we're gonna eventually get the message. It's really nice when we just. OK, Lord, you know, I'm holding on to this too tight. I'll. I'll let go. It's yours.
I think maybe what you're saying, Brother Matt here is summed up in First Timothy 6. Umm, and uh.
Verse 17 again, to reiterate what you're saying, it's not wrong to be, to have stuff, you know, but is, is, is it controlling me And where's, where is my treasure? Is that my treasure? Well, then that's wrong. Uh, it's not nice. It's, it's not wrong to be comfortable and all that. The Lord. So here's what it says. Charge them that are rich in this world. Again, it's not wrong to be rich. You know, the Lord has given wealth to certain believers and uh, uh, but there's a warning here.
That they may not be high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. And then notice this, that they do good. That they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate against what we're talking about. Being free to use what the Lord has put into my hand for his glory, and being willing to let it go for the good of others.
Or what have you, or just walking away, right, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come as we're talking about treasure in heaven, that they may lay hold on eternal life. I think the new translation says what is really life. I think that's the point.
So I'm also thinking of two of the in just a couple of chapters over in this. I think it's in the 16th chapter of Luke, yeah.
Again, you have the the unjust steward here. We won't read through it all, but he says in verse nine, and I say unto you, make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. That is those things that like money and and the goods of this world, umm have been put into our hands. What are we doing with it?
So often these things are used in an unrighteous way, and I think that's why the Lord calls it the mammon of unrighteousness. But we can take these things that the world uses in an unrighteous way, in a selfish way and, and, and all that, but we can use it for in, in view of that eternal day. And it says that when ye fail, rather it should read. When it fails and it will fail, it will fail.
They may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also and much. If therefore he have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon, the things of this world that the Lord has given us.
Who will commit to your trust the true riches?
So we can use what the Lord has given us in a way that is honoring and pleasing to Him and will ultimately result in reward in the coming day that will redound to His glory. And so if we live our lives in that way and use what is put at our disposal for His glory, I think that's building up treasure in heaven, isn't it?
So I'd like to ask the kids a question because I think possibly some of you are sitting there saying, you know, I only have $5 in my wallet and I have zero money in the bank. I don't even have a bank account. How does this apply to me? This doesn't make sense because I don't have anything. My mom and dad provide all my clothes and and I have my bike, but.
00:30:22
I can't sell my bike.
What, how does this apply? And, and I want to make a very, very specific point and I, I hope you young people especially will sit up and listen, but this applies to every single person in the room.
Every single person in this room on a daily basis gets exactly the same amount of the most valuable resource we have. What am I talking about? Anybody recognize that any of you kids figure out what we all get? We all get exactly the same amount of it and it's the most valuable resource that we have.
Marina.
Time. Each one of us has 24 hours. Not a minute more, not a minute left.
Every single day.
And how you spend that resource, that time, is really, really important.
Now, I'm going to be really, really frank, and this one spikes me, so I'm not pointing the finger at anybody in this room. But there are devices, there are things that we can waste in measurable amounts of time, huge amounts of time that result in absolutely no benefit.
Even loss. Loss. Yeah, it it does. Sometimes it results in loss.
How we spend our time is the most important decision we make every single day of our lives.
And I have to hang my head. I do not spend as much time in this precious book as I should. That's one of the ways that we can lay up an immense amount of treasure.
It haven't. It's simply opening this book and reading it because that really leads to an another opportunity.
If we've been in the Word of God, then the Lord will give us that opportunity to say, you know, I was enjoying this verse to somebody else and it may change the course of somebody else in this room by just sharing one simple verse. It may be that we meet somebody at school that we notice that.
They're kind of down and.
The Lord puts it on our hearts to say, you know.
I'd like to introduce you to the Lord Jesus. He is my best friend and no matter what you're going through, he can be a friend that stick it closer than a brother. You could change that person's life for eternity and that is that's like big time jackpot as far as.
Treasure in heaven and I want to encourage each one of us. Sometimes we think in our hearts and it it's wrong.
That, you know, I'll do that some other day when I have this or that or something else available to me to do No, stop. We need to use the resources that the Lord has already given us right now today to lay up treasure in heaven. And one of the biggest things that we have, and we all have the same amount of it is time.
How are we using our time to lay up treasure in heaven? Children, this is really, really practical.
The young people be really careful because this world has all kinds of stuff that they would like to distract you and me from laying up treasure. Satan would like to distract us from laying up treasure in heaven.
He would like to get us distracted. And just like if you go to the fair and you see those big huge bags of cotton candy, what's in those bags of cotton candy?
Like a a few little like a tablespoon of of sugar and some food coloring. That's all that's in there. It's absolutely worthless.
00:35:02
It doesn't give you any energy. It doesn't make you feel good.
I mean, if you ate that whole bag, you'd go and then you crash.
And then you'd be sick.
But that's what this world offers us it it looks so attractive.
And it's worthless.
I want to encourage you children think about the resources that you already have, and time is a huge one.
And use it for the Lord's glory.
And if I could add to that, Steve, it's so good. You know, we've all been given time and have to lay my hand on my own heart to confess that I wasted too often. But you children again, have the greatest advantage right now in your youth to build up.
Wealth. Spiritual wealth, because you have. If anybody has time, it's you. I mean, you have.
Health you've got, energy you've got. Time you've got. You don't have many responsibilities.
Use your time very wisely and you know we're not wiser than God. And I was thinking of Ecclesiastes 12. It says there, remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. And then he goes through the chapter to explain.
Old age and its effects. And you know, I, I remember one brother coming to me and he was older and he says, you know, I regret my youth because I wasted my time.
And, uh, you know, the, the, the, he, he realized that, you know, it was a little bit too late now, his memory was failing and all that. And he, he hadn't committed to memory, uh, some of the things that, uh, he probably ought to have known from the scriptures and so on. And he regretted that he, he, he squandered his youth away. And so when God says, remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, God knows what he's talking about.
Because the responsibilities of life, age is going to catch up, Memory is going to fail, energy is going to be pulled back and it's not going to be like it once was. Responsibilities of life are going to start piling on as you grow up and you get married and go to college or whatever.
Right now, use it. Use it for the Lord.
So what we're saying?
Is that the time that we spend really shows where our treasure is, isn't it? I think often we're not willing to admit where our treasure is. And I was thinking of an e-mail I was reading the other day from Sister Claire on the other side of the world, and she was bemoaning that she didn't love the Lord more and she didn't enjoy his things more and so on.
Well, she was saying that she wishes her treasure was there.
But the fact of the matter is, it isn't. So where there's a pause in our life where we have time to do what we'd like to do, what we find ourselves doing or thinking about, that's where our treasure is. Never mind trying to put your heart where your treasure isn't, because it'll always snap back to where your treasure is. So how do you change?
I think of that verse in Psalms 37 that says, Delight thyself also in the Lord.
And he will give thee the desires of thy heart.
It's only in the enjoyment of the Lord Jesus that we will find that everything our heart ever desired is finally realized. But it takes energy. It's it's, I think that's as you mentioned, brother Josh, the thought of selling and buying. It's actually something that we need to engage in because again, we'll never change that. We can wish and we know that we should and so on. But where our treasure is, there was there. Our heart will be also so.
We need to change our treasure and often times it's by.
Getting rid of or selling those things that right at the present are our treasure, that we might put them, put it where we can never lose it.
I'd like to, uh, go along with Ron and Josh and then I'm gonna.
Just a slightly different way, and I believe it will tell us the same thing, but give us a little different perspective. Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also. You know, when we are here this week, our heart is focused on the things of Christ.
00:40:03
And you know what One of the most refreshing things about this week is that I haven't given a thought to the things that normally occupy my mind to the everyday responsibilities of life. But I have been so encouraged and refreshed by having my heart refocused on what is really life. All of a sudden, those other things that seem to matter so much in our everyday life take a back seat.
And the things of God, all of a sudden we're reminded of how valuable and precious they really are.
Want to make one more comment about time? You know, it's easy for us to say, well, I don't have any time.
And I just would make this statement, we choose what we make time for.
We choose what we make time for so we can choose to stay in bed.
An extra 10 minutes, extra half an hour, whatever it might be. And that's a choice that we make. It's a conscious choice whether we realize it or not. And that has an effect on eternity. We can choose to set that alarm for 1/2 an hour earlier and get out of bed when that alarm goes off and sit down with our Bible on our lap and we'll find.
That the rest of the things that we think are so important end up falling into place. And that's what we've had earlier in this chapter. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness as we have in Matthew and all these things will be added unto you. But it starts with seeking the Lord 1St. And I want to encourage you children. I know in Walla Walla a couple years ago we had a little competition and.
Strongly encourage any anyone else. I think it's helpful to have accountability in our Christian walks and kids. I want to encourage you. I really want to encourage you to grab a calendar and actually record how often you're reading your Bible and spending time in prayer. If you do that, it's going to be a constant reminder that it it should be the most important thing in our lives.
And those of us that are older do that as well, until it becomes a habit that we cannot live without.
We wake up and it's a vital part of our lives, but we have to make that time important ourselves.
The other part of that is in this verse it says that Faileth not Speaking of the treasure and where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupted, you know, in my lifetime.
Since I've been actually working.
We had a major recession and we've had some other major companies that lost everything.
And it hit the newspapers and we read about people who were on the verge of retirement and they found themselves penniless.
They didn't have a single dime to their name because it was all stored up in some place that failed.
The thieves broke through and stole it and stock market crashes or whatever it might be. Every single place that we can put our resources in this world is subject to failure completely. But if you if you hide that treasure in heaven, there is not a single thing that can ever touch that treasure. It is guaranteed 100% not by the good faith of the government because.
You know what this government that we live in, it could it could go belly up tomorrow.
We were as we were leading up to camp here. Umm.
The state budget wasn't passed and and so they were talking about shutting the State Park down.
And it was interesting. Another brother heard about it and he did a little bit of research and, and it was very interesting what he said. He said, you know, in Washington state, for every single taxpayer, the state of Washington owes $10,000.
00:45:09
And there's other states that are way worse off than the state of Washington.
We live children in a world that is incredibly parallel.
And we think that we live in in the greatest nation on earth, that the greatest nation on earth, quite frankly, is deeply in debt. And if the creditors came and said we need our money right now, this nation would be bankrupt.
And we could cease to exist as a nation right now.
That's the reality of this. And so no matter where we, what we do with the things that God has given us here in this world, it can be gone. It can completely be gone tomorrow.
You want an illustration of that we can turn back to the book of Job.
Was an incredibly wealthy man. He had thousands and thousands and thousands of different animals, and what happened to him? In one single afternoon, it was all gone.
He didn't have a single animal to his name and that was how wealth was held in that day and age and every single one of his kids were gone. He didn't have anything left.
What was his response? Well, I think that he had a great deal of treasure in heaven because he said, blessed be the name of the Lord.
May we have the same spirit and attitude.
You might say that.
If we were honest, the reason we don't invest or lay up our treasure in heaven is because we don't see it as.
Umm, we don't see that.
Incorruptibility, if we thought, think in terms of, uh, investment in the world's things, if we knew that there was a place that we can invest our money that was untouchable, that was guaranteed return, that would never fail.
Then we put every resource we had into that particular investment. The reason we don't put our our take, you know, the, the words that kept coming to mind were investment and opportunity and time, as you said, Steve, And if we saw those resources that God has given us that should be put into these eternal incorruptible things, these we wouldn't waste any opportunity. But of course we don't see it that way because we're.
I I'm I'm the worst of the.
Guilty ones in this way, but we don't recognize the reality of, uh, the opportunity that we have. Uh, I don't know if that makes sense.
And that's the perfect lead in to this next portion. Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men who that wait for their Lord. Verse 37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching. What are we supposed to be doing when we have that perspective that you're talking about, Nathan, when we realize, look, the Lord is coming, you know, we go down to the beach and I'll bet how many kids in here have been to the beach. I'll bet everybody in here has been to the beach.
It's fun to build sand castles, right? When we went to the beach, we built all these sand castles and it was fun to watch the tide come in and it ate our sand castle, literally just destroyed it. And it was fun, but we knew that's what was going to happen. We built it with that expectation. If I go and I build a sandcastle and I draw a big old mode and, and everything, and this is my sandcastle and it's gonna be here for the rest of my life. And, you know, hopefully this is gonna be a monument to me and everything and the tide comes in and washes it away. It's gonna crush me.
But when I have that expectation, look, I'm only here for so long. I'm passing through what the Lord's given me. I have today, Hallelujah, thank the Lord for it. But if I lose it, just like Steve just said, the Lord help us to say, the Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord forever. And that's when we have that perspective. The Lord is coming. He might come today. And it doesn't mean we don't save money.
It doesn't mean we're, you know, that, that we don't think about the future. We don't worry about it. But to have that expectation in our hearts. This could be the day right now, today. Would we do something different if we knew for sure the Lord was coming back today? That's a that's a purifying hope in our lives. We're not going to get all entangled with stuff down here when we realize, look, the whole game might be over today.
00:50:13
I remember one time we were playing Monopoly. I don't know who in here loves to play Monopoly, but we were playing Monopoly and we forgot about the time and the guy's house we were at, he said at 10:00, we're going to fold up the game and we're playing along and playing along and playing. I mean, and I was winning. It was good times, man. I had the whole world. Well, not really, but anyway, I was, I was winning. And then all of a sudden, you know what, the clock struck 10:00 and he said the game's over. And I was just like, no.
Oh, and the Lord was speaking to my heart. Do we get caught up with stuff like that in this world? Yes, we do. Just realize, you know what the Lord could come today. Are we ready? We don't have to go on a pilgrimage. We don't have to whatever. Just look for him, long for him is our dear brother Ron said desire the Lord. What did the apostle Paul wanted this one thing I do.
Leaving all the things that are behind, I press for the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
That I might know him and that it's beautiful. It's a purifying help.
There's a remarkable contrast with what we have in verse 35. Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning and.
And yourself be like unto men that wait for their Lord, that when he returneth from the wedding, that that when he cometh back.
But when he cometh the knocketh they may open unto him immediately. Blessed be those servants in the Lord when he cometh shall find watching. That's totally the opposite of what we had in this, uh, parable that the Lord gave a little earlier in the chapter that we talked about by the rich man who said in verse 19, I will say to my soul, so that has much good laid up for many years. Take thy knees, eat, drink and be merit exact opposite of that. And but the difference is.
This rich man was comfortable in his place in this world and this, the servants that we're talking about here in the next portion of our chapter, they're pilgrims, their loins regarded. If you look back in the Old Testament, the clothing that was worn in those in those times were a long flowing rose. So if you had to do something with energy or vigor, those robes would hinder your ability to run or fight a battle or So you folded the bottom part up and.
And put a belt around it so that they were only kneeling so that you didn't have a hindrance. And those in those things, umm, but they were, they would do that when they were ready to work or ready to fight or whatever. They, they weren't doing that when they were settling down and taking their ease. And so here we have these servants that are preparing for their Lord to return. And it's the exact opposite of taking their eve. We talked about that before.
Our place in this world as pilgrims and strangers isn't to become comfortable here and, uh, settle down, is to be waiting and watchful and using the time, as our brothers have been saying, for the Lord.
So again, the support little portion here is, is, uh, we ought not to be careless when it comes to our time here on earth and what we're doing for the Lord. So Simply put, our loins ought to be girded for what? For service And our lights are burning for what testimony. And that's what the Lord Jesus expects from us, that we would be, umm, uh, going forth in service and testimony to this world.
And uh.
I'll just note here, too, that from 36 to 40, this is similar language you find in Matthew 24. And I think it's helpful to recognize the character of the Gospels. And Matthew, being a very dispensational book, speaks more from a prophetic standpoint when it comes to these things. But here in Luke, Luke, Luke is written in a moral order. OK, So when we read this, we, in my mind, typically goes back to Matthew and oh, this must be a prophetic statement here.
I believe, as I understand it in Luke's Gospel, this is not so much a prophetic statement, but this is more bringing attention to what ought to characterize us as servants of Christ in these latter days, while we're here on earth in the night of his departure. So we ought to be watching, waiting, and as you get, I think in verse 43, doing or working.
00:55:19
This is what ought to characterize us. So it's the moral aspect of things, the moral viewpoint in this, in this gospel. Uh, and, and we, we've seen this flow all throughout this chapter. These, these moral things that ought to characterize us as to our characterize the Christian, as to what they ought to be doing, thinking about their position and so on. So we ought to be waiting. Are we waiting for him to come? I hope so. Are we watching? It's one thing to wait.
But I could be waiting and be doing a whole bunch of other things and really not watching for him that kind of on the edge of my seat and and a hopeful expectation that he may come at any moment. But then not only that, we ought to be working as verse 43 pointed out, we need to be engaged in the things of God.
And this applies to your children too, not just us all that us older people. This is, uh, you know, you children and young people can be very useful for the Lord in the days of your youth. I think of that lad who shared his lunch and the Lord fed a multitude with that little lunch that he had. So you kids might think, well, what can I do? I, I really have nothing to offer.
Galore. That's not true. You can be an incredible help. The Lord can use you.
The one that's writing these words is the one that.
This is the Lord Jesus that wrote these words, and He's the one that's speaking to His servants as the one that will be returning and hopes to be received on His return. You know, recently I flew back to Wisconsin on business and I didn't really think a whole lot about it at the time, But when I came back home and landed and got off the airplane and walked out into the terminal, my whole family.
Is just waiting there and just all of my kids just ran over and robbed and ran over and just completely embraced me and and I took me by surprise I wasn't necessarily expecting that kind of a reception and it was really touching I really appreciated it and a lot of other people that were at the airport noticed as well and and I think that's the same thing the Lord has given everything he has to buy us to redeem us to himself and.
He righteously expects us to give him a warm reception to be looking forward to the time when he returns for us, and that we we would be have the same expectation to see him as he has for to see us.
You want to be happy in this life. You really want to be happy. It's what we're talking about here, you know, it says, Blessed are those servants from the Lord, when he cometh shall find watching.
And in verse 38, blessed are those servants means to be happy, and true happiness is found being engaged and the things of God for His service and His testimony in this world, to be helped to His people and all these wonderful things. If you want to be really unhappy, just serve yourself, live for yourself, look out for #1 as the world says it.
You wonder why this world is is just never satisfied. Well, obviously they don't have Christ, but they're living for their own selfish interests and there is no satisfaction in that at all. And there's no happiness either.
We enjoyed verse 38 in the new translation that says and if he come.
In the second watch not ore but and come in the third watch and find them thus.
I don't know exactly what this watch has reference to, but I know like when there are armies and probably still today that you have to be on guard. And so maybe you're not fighting, but they post watch people that are responsible to to let everyone know if the enemy's coming or there's some change that that you should be aware of and you know.
01:00:20
I don't think I'd want that job because it's hard to, especially if it's night out and you're.
You're looking out there, not much to see, not much happening.
You might watch for a while, but that would be the 2nd watch. But what if the Lord comes in the third watch and we got tired of watching. Remember Albert? Hey Hossein, He always enjoyed coming from work because he, he walked home and he, he went and then there was when there was a turn and his, his house was up the hill and but he could see it as he approached for quite a while.
He said he always looked forward to his daughter being there on the porch and when he turned the corner she'd wave to him and watch him as he came all the way and got home. He said one day he was a little bit late and.
Finally he got free of the office and he turned and he he got to that corner and he started up towards the house. He looked and she wasn't there and he felt it. He said, I, wow, I didn't know how much it meant to me.
He got up to the house and opened the door and she was inside playing a game with her brother and sister.
And he said that grace, he, I, I, I missed you. You weren't there for me today. And she said, oh dad, I just stopped watching. I just stopped. So we don't want to do it to just before the Lord comes, he said, see that ye fall not out by the way.
You might have started out watching and longing for him, but his time is gone on and we all thought maybe.
In our minds that we wouldn't go past 2000, we might not go past 2010 or something. And there's a danger that he could come in the third watch and not find his watching. I think a dear mom going home to be with the Lord, but she always brought before us the coming of the Lord. She was watching. You say what about her? She's she can't be watching when he comes because she's gone.
But she watched until he took her. We're in the third watch though, I believe. And may the Lord preserve us from just stopping watching just before He comes, because there's such a blessing connected with.
Being watching when he, when he does call us, come for us.
We're just about out of time, so we are out of time, but I want to ask the kids a question.
Have any of you ever gone to a restaurant?
And when you got to the restaurant?
You put on an apron.
And you went over to the server and said, well, Sir, why don't you sit down right here and what would you like to have to eat?
And I'll go back in the kitchen and make it.
Any of you kids ever experienced that?
Sounds kinda strange, huh?
That's what we have.
In verse 37.
And I say unto you.
That he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down his servants, and will come forth and serve them.
Kids, this is going to happen.
We're the servants.
And our Lord is going to return.
It may happen today, may happen right now.
And when he does?
Our opportunity for service is going to be forever.
Ended.
Because he is going to come.
And serve us.
R.
That's something that I really can't comprehend very well.
01:05:05
But I know it to be true.
Our opportunity for service. Our opportunity to lay up treasure in heaven.
He is going to come to a close and it may be very, very soon.
And our blessed Lord.
Whom we should be looking for, longing for, is going to come.
And wonder of wonders, he's going to serve us.
That should do a lot to our hearts.
He gave his life for us.
To serve him.
He's asked us to be ready to be watching.
To be speaking well of him.
There's coming a moment.
When he's going to take that towel and he's gonna wrap it around his waist and he's gonna come and he's gonna serve us.
That's going to be a moment, that is.
More glorious than anything we've ever imagined.
The Lord of glory is going to come and he's going to service.
What are we doing for him? The moments that were left?
Well, what is he going to service exactly?
It's going to be himself, which will result in heavenly joy and happiness forever.
Peter, chapter one.
Verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy have begotten again, begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible.
And undefiled that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.
He worked up by the power of God through faith and to salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, when he greatly rejoice. Though now for a season if need be here in heaviness through manifold temptation, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, they'll be tried with fire, might be found into praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
And having not seen you up.
And whom though now you see him not yet believing, ye rejoice, but joy unspeakable, and full joy commend herself.
Our God and Father, we thank you for this.
Incredible inheritance that is laid up for us in the heavens.
We thank Thee, our God and Father, for our Lord Jesus Christ and whom I look for to come soon and take us to be with Himself a God and Father. We just pray that Thou will help us to focus our hearts upon Him.
That our hearts would be there already in the heavenlies.
The 3rd, That's what that would be, where our treasure would be found, but that's where our focus should be.
And our God and Father, we just pray for help, that we would be found waiting, not just in a second, but in the third watch, so we wouldn't disappoint our dear Lord Jesus when He comes with such greater expectation of calling His bride to be with Himself. To pray that they would be the same longing on our part to see Him look forward to that opportunity to see the One who we see through faith.
And then see by sight our God and Father would just.
Dumbfounded at the thought, just can't even comprehend it and we just long for it. Let me just say, you can still come. Lord Jesus, thank you for this opportunity and again, just commit the day to thee. Pray for thy traveling mercy for any that may still be on the way here today. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen. Amen.
Our Spiritual Diet
Address—Josh Costron
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Alright, let's just ask the Lord's help.
Lord Jesus, we thank thee for this beautiful day, thankful for the wonderful fellowship that we've had this past week. We thank Thee for the rich ministry that we've enjoyed and uh, all thy temporal mercies that thou support out upon us here with good food and umm, uh, roof over our heads and all these things. Lord Jesus, we thank you so much.
Uh, we take it all from thy loving hands, and now as we.
Take a little moment to open up Thy word. We pray that there be blessing, we pray for help as we would, uh, commit this little time into Thy care, and we ask it with Thanksgiving, and thy worthy name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
I was sitting down. I was here the other day.
And just admiring this beautiful creation.
Looking around and you know, you see the the blue skies and the sun and the trees and the birds and all that. And as I was sitting down and just admiring it, I saw these.
2 Blue Jays and I think they're just a beautiful bird and there they were and doing their thing, I guess looking for scraps or whatever and uh.
And then they open their mouth.
And it did not sound pretty.
So here's this beautiful bird and it opens its mouth and it just betrays all its beauty by what comes out of it. And it's this ugly squawk. You can hear them in the trees and all that. So I was thinking a little bit about that and.
The Lord kind of laid something on my heart at that moment and the other night when I had our little chat.
Umm, I asked the kids who likes puppies and all their hands flew up in the air. So I can appreciate the fact that your kids enjoy animals. And so I think given that we're here in the creation, this beautiful creation that God has created and, uh, we're in the midst of nature.
Away from the cares of the world and so on. It's been a beautiful time.
I thought I'd maybe look at.
Umm, some animals in the Old Testament.
And I thought it might be fitting. I was thinking of what our brother Steve brought before us last night, the open meeting with respect to the the offerings. And it's not my purpose tonight to talk about the offerings. But, you know, I was thinking a little bit that God has something for us in the creation.
Umm, even in the animals in which he creates and makes that he he has a a lesson for us in these things.
And so as we go through the word of God.
Umm, these animals and so on carry meaning.
Often times, right, we've noticed that in the offerings, many times we see a picture of Christ and the burnt offering and the meal offering and the peace offering and the sin and trespass offering. Beautiful picture of Christ. So with that said, I'd like to maybe just take a few moments and, uh, look at Deuteronomy 14.
Now just to set this up here.
Deuteronomy is a book that views the people of God on the borders of Canaan, just about ready to enter in to take their inheritance. And Deuteronomy brings before us many.
Things that God would expect of the people, that He would command their obedience, that as they entered into into the land they would be obedient to Him, that they might enjoy their privileges as the people of God.
And, uh, now sometimes we.
We reference Kanan and you know, I know there are hymns out there that take the liberty of applying Canaan as being.
In type heaven, but Canaan is not a type of heaven.
And why is that?
00:05:01
Well, because there's conflict in Kanan.
There's no conflict in in heaven for us.
But I think the point is, is that what we can get from Canaan and type is that it's a spiritual inheritance that God has given us, that we have and that we've, umm, talked about at length in the meetings that we've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. It's ours now, but it's a matter of enjoying it and walking in it.
And let me tell you this, that if you want to enjoy your portion in Christ now.
You and I are going to run into some conflict.
Spiritual conflict. The enemy hates it when you have your Bible open. The enemy hates it when he sees you on your knees. And so he's going to do everything that he can.
To try to disrupt that.
So we need to be on guard, don't we? We need to be vigilant. We need to be diligent. And, uh, we need to rise above all these things that the enemy throws at us. And it's going to take spiritual energy and vigor and, uh, we, we need to do that independence on the Lord and he will help us. So in Deuteronomy 14, here's these people, the people of God.
And the context of this chapter is their diet.
Their diet.
God concerned about what our diet is.
Well, physically, yes, I think God is concerned with what we put in our bodies. Absolutely. He would have us to be responsible and, uh, not to be gluttonous and all that kind of stuff.
But what I want to talk about is our spiritual diet.
Does God care about what we feed on? Yes, he cares very much. You know, this world has a it has a saying that you are what you eat.
And that is true spiritually.
What you and I feed on throughout the day, throughout the week.
We morally become what we feed on.
So if I could speak very frank today, tonight, if my life is taken up with the junk food of this world, I'm going to be a very unhealthy Christian.
If my life surround is is taken up with movies and.
You know, unprofitable things, bad music, all these things. And let's be honest, they're not good for us. We know it.
You know, we get no sustenance out of these things. Brother Steve was talking about cotton candy.
It looks nice. You put it in your mouth and it's gone and it does not satisfy and you eat enough of it, you're gonna feel sick.
So let's be honest, there's a lot of junk food in this world today. And it's a matter of the question is what are is that what we're feeding on?
While God is concerned with what our spiritual diet is made-up of.
What does he want us to be feeding on? Well, First off, let's.
Let's read here from verse one.
You're the children or the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art and holy people unto the Lord thy God. And the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, and above all the nations that are upon the earth. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. These are the beasts which ye shall eat, the ox, the sheep, and the goat.
The heart and the Roebuck and the follow deer.
And the pyg, and the wild ox, and the chamois, and every beast that part of the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts that ye shall eat. Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or them that divide the cloven hoof, as the camel and the hare and the Coney, so they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof. Therefore they are unclean unto you.
And the swine, because it divided the hoof, yet choose not to cut. It is unclean unto you. You shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass.
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters. All that have fins and scales ye shall eat, And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat. It is unclean unto you.
00:10:04
Of all clean birds you shall eat, but these are they of which ye shall not eat. The eagle and the ocean Frauds, and the Osprey, and the glade, and the kite, and the Vulture after his kind, and every Raven after his kind. And the owl and the Nighthawk, and the cacao, and the hawk, and after his kind. The little Owl and the great Owl, and the swan, and the Pelican, and the Gear Eagle, and the Cormorant, and the Stork, and the Heron after her kind, and the Lapwing and the Bat.
And every creeping thing that flies is unclean unto you.
They shall not be eaten, but of all clean fowls ye may eat. Ye shall not eat of anything that dies of itself. Thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it, Or thou mayest sell it unto an alien, for thou art and holy people unto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seize a kid in his mother's milk.
Well, First off, he sets before them their privilege.
They are the children or the sons of the living gods and.
That is certainly a privilege of you and I as believers, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. It's our privilege to walk through this world as a redeemed people. And we talked at length the other night about the joy of salvation, to know what God has done by forgiving us and justifying us and redeeming us and reconciling us. And then he has brought us into this wonderful position of sons.
A place of dignity, privilege and responsibility. And as we move through this world, we are to represent Christ. We are to be we. We are, as Colossians says, Christ in you, the hope of glory. And it is really the thought of Christ coming out of us.
The outshining of Christ, the moral features of Christ being seen in myself and flowing out in testimony to this world.
That's our privilege and.
So that kind of sets the bar, doesn't it? This is what I am.
And often God tells me what I am, and then he gives me some practical exhortations as to what is consistent with what I am already. Go through the epistles. You'll notice that often he'll lay out the doctrine, and then he will give the practical exhortations. Because God wants you to know what you are, and then he tells you how to act accordingly.
We need to keep this in mind and.
It would be very unbecoming for the Queen of England, let's say.
To just.
Live a careless life and then claim that she is the queen, which she is, but it is inconsistent with her the character of her position.
And it would really damage the.
The position that she occupies, wouldn't it?
So this is where we are, we are Christians, we are different from this world. We are called out once and what a great privilege that is. And So what should we be taken up with? Well, again in this chapter speaks of our diet and what should we be taken up with from a spiritual diet? I think you might get a little bit of that in verse four and maybe at the start of verse five. I'm not going to comment on every one of these. I don't think I could.
But it says the ox, the sheep, the goat, and then he goes on to the heart and seems to be some other small, uh, like a follow deer, Roebuck, some small deer.
The ox, these things speak of Christ. This is what we need to be partaking of and and he needs to be part of our regular spiritual diet. The ox you see in a picture of Christ in his in his patient service and then it says the the sheep, which is Christ is the patient.
Sufferer.
And we have the goat. The goat was often used in the Tabernacle system, and I would understand it to really point to his inward separation to God. And then the heart is often pictured as that animal that leaps over circumstances and rises above the difficulties in life.
That ought to be our our, our occupation.
00:15:02
And is it? It's a question, It's a challenge for you, for me.
Am I feeding my soul with Christ every single day?
We need to be occupied with him.
Whether it be his inward life, or his outward life, or how he rose above the circumstances of life which these things speak of.
That is food for our souls, and we need it.
Lord Jesus is the bread which came down from heaven. He is the only one that can satisfy our souls as Christians. And you know we might pile on the the junk food.
And pile it on and pile it on and become spiritually unhealthy, don't we?
God does not want us to be taken up with things that are of no profit for our soul.
It says here that uh, every beast a part of the hoof and cleaveth the cleft into two claws and chewed the cut a cut among the beast that shall eat. What does that speak of?
Well, chewing the cut as some of you I'm sure, have some cattle here.
No, you know what that means?
You had your hand raised. You have something to say.
You you have a lot of cows.
Cool. OK, well, couch used to cut right? Umm.
That would speak of inward capacity, the ability to take in and really enjoy it and then digest it.
So you and I, as Christians have the Spirit of God. See, the natural man understandeth not the things of the Spirit of God, because their foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they're spiritually discerned.
The natural man cannot appreciate this.
This is the living eternal Word of God and thank the Lord He has given us His Spirit that dwells within us and allows us to enjoy.
What is on this? You know what is in this book?
And what a joy it is when we open it up every morning, every evening, whenever it is, and we can get something of Christ. And you know, there is nothing more satisfying than spending some time reading our Bible and being said by the Spirit of God. And so then the parted hoof. What is that?
What does that mean? The type of a separate walk, right?
Separation from the world.
You know.
We talk a lot. Sometimes separation is almost like a swear word.
Some Christians and ought not to be. You know God wants us to enjoy.
He's given us all things to enjoy, hasn't he? He touched on that verse earlier today. And but He wants us to be separate from the world he does not want us to have.
Fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, the Scripture says. And we can do that in many different ways. Listen, God understands us better than what we understand ourselves. God knows our hearts better than we understand our hearts. He knows what's good for us. He is infinitely wise. Who am I to judge Him or call into question what He suggests is good and what is not good for me?
You know, we need to take this book up. We talk about faith. Do we believe what God says about these things? If we do and we follow what God says in this blessed book, we will never regret it. We will be the better for it. And so do we need a separate walk from this world? Absolutely, because we have a nature within us that will go and gravitate towards those things that will kill us spiritually.
Says in Romans 8, does it not? Let's see here. Let's turn over to that.
This is what I'm talking about. Romans 8, verse 13.
Free. If he live after the flesh, he shall die.
But if ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.
00:20:03
If we live after the flesh, we will die.
If we live in the realm of all the things that the flesh loves and enjoys.
And finds its pleasures in and we live over here. You know what's going to happen. We're going to have no power in our Christian life in testimony and service. We will be sapped.
And we're going to die spiritually in the sense of communion being broken. Death and Scripture brings the thought of separation. And when my communion with God, my life line with God.
Severed communion is broken.
So if I live after the flesh, in that sense I will die.
I'll be an unhealthy Christian now, thank God He restoreth my soul and he can bring us back one bad thought.
Can disturb our communion, cut it off. But it only takes a moment to confess that and get right back into communion with the Lord. It's important.
So going back to our chapter in Deuteronomy 14.
Verse seven speaks of those that chew the cud but divide, not the hoof.
These are.
This is maybe a type of a believer who is a bad influence, who does not have a separate walk. Young people, I want to encourage you tonight. I think of that verse often. I am a companion of all them that love thee and keep thy precepts. Do you surround yourself with people of like precious faith, who are an encouragement to your soul, who love the Lord and who want to walk for His glory in this life?
Are those your companions?
I hope that they are because I'm so thankful, uh, for those of my brethren who I have seen walk a godly life and have been such an encouragement and a help to me. Surround yourself with good godly Christian people and not those, there's many believers in this world who unfortunately are tied up with the world.
Carrying on with the world and they'll drag you right down.
It's important. God cares about art, not only our diet, but our companions as well. And there are some that we cannot walk with because of what they may hold or what they may be doing. And it's important that we don't just cast our lot into every mix of groups of Christians because we think that they're Christian.
The other verse eight may speak of those who, umm, are really a professing believer.
And are really not real. We live in a day and age when separation from evil is is paramount, it says. Let's see in Second Timothy.
Says second Timothy takes up the House of God in disorder. Ruin has come in. There is a call for individual faithfulness in a day of ruin. And notice this says in verse 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure. Having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that name it the name of Christ.
Or the Lord depart from iniquity. You know the Lord in the new translation as it says there is very significant.
It's the on owning of the Lordship of Christ.
Very significant, but in a great house, that's the Christian profession. They're not only vessels of gold and of silver. So those who are real, but also of wood and of earth, those who are not real. So there's a mixture and some to honor and some to dishonor. Well, that can be a believer.
We as believers can be.
A vessel unto dishonor. That's what I'm talking about. We might be able to chew the cut. We might be able to have the inward capacity to enjoy the things of God. But my life doesn't show it. I live a different life. I'm really living a lie.
I can be a vessel under dishonor, but what does God? What meets His approval? Verse 21. If a man therefore purged himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified in me for the Master's use.
And prepared unto every good work. We want to be useful for the Lord. He wants us to be a sanctified vessel unto honor. It's important.
00:25:09
Back to our chapter, you notice in verse nine he says that he speaks of fish. Who likes fish?
There's some hands. Does anybody have pet fish? All right.
Well, we can learn a lesson in fish tonight.
Says that a fish. It says these are the types of fish you can eat, those that have fins and scales. Obvious. Well, what does a fin do? If I threw a fish into the water that had no fins, what would happen to it?
It would sink, yeah, it would sink. Wouldn't be able to go anywhere, and ultimately it would die, right?
What does the Finn speak of? What does a fin do? It directs the fish and propels the fish through the current. Right, brethren, we are going against the current of this world.
The current of this world is absolutely opposed to all that we stand for as Christians. If we say white, they're going to say black. If we say yes, they're going to say no most times. And God wants us to move through this world with energy, but against the current. Not to be going with the current, but against the current.
That's normal Christian experience.
You know, you get what happens. And I think it's First Timothy four. We won't look at it, but I think it's there three or four where you see the effects of the current of apostasy in the Christian profession today. And the danger is that we as Christians can be caught up with its thinking and its ways. And God warns us against that because it has introduced itself into the Christian profession. And as I pointed out in Second Timothy.
There is this great House of profession and various things that are dishonouring to the Lord and we can get swept up with that. So it's not only in the world, but it's in the church at large.
We're part of it. We're part of this test, this, this great house.
And so we need to move through this world.
And against its current. And the Finn, I believe, would suggest that. And what allows us to do that is prayer in the word of God. It'll allow us to move through this world with the Lord's help and against the current of this world. Prayer is the powerhouse for the Christian. It ought to be something we're daily involved in.
As dependent upon the Lord, but not only did the fish have a fin.
It has scales and what were the scales to do?
Well, as the scales were there to protect it from its outward environment, it encased the fish.
This was a clean animal. This is this is God's ideal for our diet, if you will.
And does again. It's a picture of separation.
God wants us to be separate from the world because we're different from it. We have been called out of this world. We're to be a testimony to the world. We're to reach the World with the love of Christ and with the gospel. But he wants us to stand apart from it because we are different. It says that I think in Exodus ye are different, he said to the children of Israel.
OK, now he speaks of birds.
Again.
Isn't the Word of God amazing, just flush with truth, moral applications, spiritual lessons. Birds often in scripture speak of doctrinal or heavenly truth or things that.
Propose that that suggests truth as coming from heaven. That's not always the case. So there are clean birds that they were in the Old Testament allowed to eat.
But there are also unclean birds.
And very, very instructive to my soul. Notice this. But these are they of which ye shall not eat. The eagle and the Osifraj, and the Osprey, and the Glee, the kite vulture and the Raven, and so on. The owl, the hawk.
What marks these two birds?
00:30:02
One they kill.
Two, some of them do their work at night, and 3 some of them feed on death.
Now, isn't this spiritually instructive for us?
I mentioned that verse earlier. God does not want us to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. There's a lot of entertainment, there's a lot of activity. There's a lot of things out there today.
That is of the enemy and that we can get drawn into. And you and I know what that is for our own souls. Brethren, I don't need to stand up here and give you a list. You and I know when we are partaking.
Of some something in our life that is not of Christ.
And that is feeding the flesh. You and I know that we know when it's happening.
And so is it that those things that the world finds pleasure in, you know, this world walks in darkness. It feeds on everything that is of death and darkness of the flesh. And that ought not to be in our spiritual diet.
And what I was, what got me going on this chapter, what I was thinking about again, I mentioned those Blue Jays.
Says the Swan.
Now what does a swan have to do here? Why is a swan in this list? You think of a swan.
A big, beautiful, glorious bird. Majestic, large wings, white, and often it's a picture of just something so beautiful.
We talked about hypocrisy in our meetings, didn't we? And the Swan, as I understand it, and I could be corrected, but I understand that they have no song.
Just like these beautiful Blue Jays, they open up their mouth.
And they betrayed themselves.
It was this ugly squawk, and I understand a swan is the same way. You think of songbirds, beautiful birds, and they just make this glorious song. Cheers the heart. Doesn't it come out early in the morning and you hear the birds singing? Swan doesn't have that. It's a picture to us of having an outward exterior, but inwardly.
Not much is going on.
I think of that verse that, uh, with the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
You know, there's a lot of stuff out there that looks really, really good, but inwardly it's terrible. Spiritually for us, it's not good.
And we talked about the Pharisees and the hypocrisy of this world, the religious world, and sad to say, sometimes even us as Christians can put on a pretty good exterior and inwardly if we've been feeding on the wrong stuff.
We're not gonna have much to give, and not.
Some bad stuff might come out.
It's not good.
So Swan.
Well.
You can move down the list here.
And I find in verse 21 Perhaps a umm.
A warning for us as parents, we're talking about a spiritual diet.
And it says here that at the end of the verse, thou shalt not see the kid.
In his mother's milk.
You know it's.
It's very important for us as parents that we bring the Word of God before our children.
And we have those moments of family reading and then we instruct our kids according to the word of God.
But this for me is a warning.
Because we can use the very thing that is for the sustenance and growth of the child and ultimately kill it.
You know, I've heard of.
Situations where?
You know, they put Jay and Darby's synopsis in front of a child and expect that their child is going to, uh, read through that type of stuff at such an early age or sit down and, and, uh.
00:35:09
Reed long portions to the point where the child no longer can take it. Brethren, this is a warning to me that we be sensitive to these things.
They only can take in so much. We need to give them what is needed and not overwhelm their souls.
With meat and with milk as.
As much as we're to do that, we're to give them these things, the word of God, of course. But we ought not to see the kid in the mother's milk. It's turning around and using that very sustenance and it kills them.
So let's not overwhelm our children with these things, but let's give them what they need.
It's, it's, it's been very instructive for me and I've taken that as a parent to be mindful and to be, umm, balanced and how we present the scriptures to our children.
I'm not going to go very much longer, but just a couple more things I'd like to touch on. Back in Leviticus 11, you have the same list, but there's a couple other things in here that I find very instructive.
And it says in verse 21.
Yeah, these may eat of every flying, creeping thing that goeth upon all four which have legs above their feet.
To leap with all upon the earth, even these of them ye may eat, the locusts after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
But all other flying, creeping things which have 4 feet shall be an abomination unto you.
You know the locusts in Scripture often was used by God in his government to bring about a judgment upon a nation, a people.
And suggest and this is a clean animal that they could partake of.
Suggest to me, brethren, that sometimes God may bring in afflictions.
And allow me to partake of it.
Ultimately for my good.
May allow me to eat.
Something of the locust.
And the effects of the locust in my life through his government. But you know, I take comfort we talked about this, but I take comfort in the fact that a father's loving hand will never cause us a needless tear.
He loves us too much.
Why do we discipline our children as parents? Because we love them.
And the Bible tells us that he scourges and chastens every son that he receives.
And we're all partakers of that. If we weren't, we would not be his.
And then finally.
Just jump down to just a thought here, just verse 29. These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth. The weasel and the mouse and the tortoise after his kind, and the ferret and the chameleon and the lizard and the snail and the mole, these are unclean to you among all the creep.
Whosoever doth touch them when they be dead, shall be unclean.
Until the evening.
You know, we spoke about.
That the South of the air oftentimes will be in type something of, uh.
Heavenly truth or principles, or at least propose that they are that something from heaven, but really are not. And we saw those unclean birds that might present a bad or false doctrine in type, and we ought not to have fellowship with that. But here we have little critters that go upon the earth.
So there are bad doctrines out there that we ought not to partake of, and we ought not, as Christians, to fill our diet with everything that is earthly.
And everything that ministers to man in the flesh down here.
We need heaven.
We need Christ, we need the ox, we need the goat, we need the sheep, we need the heart. That is what needs to fill our spiritual diet.
00:40:10
So again.
We are what we eat and you know, we go away from places like this and it's pretty easy to get in line with God's thoughts and enjoy the word of God and and not be tainted by the world around us. But we're going back.
And the question is, what are we going to do with what we've learned here, what we've experienced here?
Are we just going to go back to maybe our old ways?
Are we going to?
Not take in the Word of God like we have here. Oh, I hope that you know what we've learned from these meetings.
Would have an effect on my soul and yours, and that we would walk for His glory, separate from the world and in testimony to His blessed name, service to His people. We need Christ every day. Let's not leave him out. Let's just pray. Lord Jesus, we just thank Thee for Thy precious word, and we ask Thee for blessing upon it to our souls tonight.
We committed into thy care, and we thank thee and thy worthy name.
Amen.
Love One Another
Sing Talk—Eugen Soare
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Well.
Let's ask for help.
Our blessed God and Father, we give thanks for my love.
We thank thee once again for the Lord Jesus Christ.
We thank Thee that we are brought into a relationship with Thee not only as God, our Creator, but as our Father.
We pray for word from thee, by thy Spirit. We pray for help along the way in this pathway of faith for each one of us.
And we pray for help. And I, the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
I suppose that, uh.
Children will be happy to know that I'm not Paul.
I won't speak till midnight.
The umm.
Have a.
Kind of an interesting story to tell. Interesting because it happened this morning. I was walking down, uh, that path over here, coming down with a friend.
And.
All of a sudden I noticed that she was kind of hobbling a little bit with her right foot and she said out and kind of picked out her sandal and walked a little bit farther and.
Kept on hurting.
And then I finally stopped and said, here, hold my hand.
And she was working with the sandal and then suddenly realized something. She turned her foot.
She pulled out this.
The Thorn had gotten on the pathway, and she had stepped on it.
And I'm not looking to talk about this thorn, but kind of what?
What happened?
So I was with a friend and I noticed that she was having a problem.
This friend is my wife.
She was having a problem and, you know, she felt it. I saw it. We kept walking a little bit.
Again it happened and then we we stopped. We kind of caught, cut our bearings a little bit more and got the problem fixed.
Well.
I was thinking of you children and young people.
And.
Of how you treat your siblings, it's kind of important.
It's been said that how you treat your sister might be how you kind of treat others, maybe a wife.
Are you being kind to your sisters?
Are you being kind to your brothers?
Seeking to make things easier for them.
MMM, well.
Another question is how are you trading your friends or more in particular?
Other believers at your young age?
Are you kind of having your own friends and hanging out together? Are you pushing out somebody or are you bringing them in?
To your group of friends.
Why is that important? Well, the way you're doing it now as a child, as a young person.
It kind of effects you and how you do it when you're older.
Let's look at Romans chapter 12 to see.
How we are to treat.
One another.
Because.
We're not just friends.
We didn't come to this camp as just a bunch of friends that like each other.
00:05:02
Though I trust that we do.
We didn't come here together because we belong to an organization that kind of huddled us up together or we have a certain of values, umm, or a political thing, Republican, all the, all the stuff of the world. The reason we came together and the reason we are together is because we are believers.
In Christ Jesus, the reason that we're together and that we.
Love one another is because we're exhorted to by Christ himself. Love one another. How does the world know that we are Christians? That we are his disciples is because we love one another.
And.
We all have different things that are.
Anomalies. We have different things that are kind of rough. Sometimes. I may be in a bad mood one day and cut somebody short. I saw an older brother who was in a hurry and he cut a sister a little bit short.
She cried about it.
The brother had the address.
And I pondered about that.
What was it that the sister was thinking?
Bing hurt.
But.
We ought to have grace one for another.
Love one for another because.
We are members of the body of Christ. Romans chapter 12.
For chapter verse four for as we have many many members in one body and all members have not the same office. So we being many are one body in Christ and everyone members one of another.
Verse 10.
Be kindly affectioned 1 to another, with brotherly love in honour, preferring one another.
I don't believe that.
This honor preferring one another has to do with gift.
Like one brother can speak better and I should give him honor. It's just an honor. Preferring one another above myself. When I think of myself and who I am in my own nature, that's just horrible.
I'm to prefer honor.
Preferring one another.
I would seek to build up another member of the body of Christ. Why? Because Christ loves them.
Does he not want each one of us to be?
Encouraged, strengthened, helped along the way.
I was thinking in uh, First Corinthians chapter 12 as well.
Perhaps if another person, but umm, it talks about being, uh, given to hospitality and I think about this camp and hospitality is where you have other people into your home and you seek to encourage them and to help them along.
You know we're not just friends.
And I thought about a couple of experiences in my life like to share, and I was going through some difficult times with a project that I'm not really good at. And it has to do with, uh, remodeling, getting a bathroom fixed up.
00:10:07
And a brother came and he was very busy.
But he came and he took time and to help me out.
To remodel this bathroom.
And.
There was another time and another brother came and helped with a different pattern because I'm not very good at that. But they gave up their time to help out, you know?
It looks pretty clean out here.
And.
Again, as young people, children.
How does it happen that this ball field is all clean?
Well, I noticed there were some people that picked it up.
There's things that we can do to make it easier for others, you know, it's.
An event like this, it takes a lot of work.
And I've appreciated seeing many young people in the that have signed up and gone there and slaved away, you might say, but you did it because you wanted to help out.
Let's not help out because it we feel obligated to, but we wanna lift up.
Help the burden that is on on those who plan these things.
And and umm and help to ease that burden.
But I bring the example of the remodeling and it can be other things perhaps you see.
Or notice someone and they haven't been out one night.
Maybe they haven't responded. Maybe they haven't been out two nights to the assembly meetings.
It is difficult.
For some of us to reach out.
Personally.
I try not to get into people's business.
But you know what?
The state of their soul is our business, isn't it? They're members of the body of Christ. If a member falters, were to go and.
Encourage them, seek them out.
Maybe just a call or a word.
So right now, as children and young people.
If you seek to strive to reach out to others.
It'll be easier when you grow older.
There is a uh.
This, I guess I'll just speak bluntly. There's this thing in, uh, in this world right now and it talks about, umm, husbands and wives and having their own little social groups.
Umm, girls night out or guys night out this and that. And I, I thought about that a little bit and.
I don't know if someone can point it out to me, but I don't really see that in scripture.
It says the two shall be made one flesh.
Your best friend.
Should be.
The person that the Lord provides for you as a husband or as a wife.
And I, and I think of us as those of us who are married and.
Umm, just encourage us to, to seek to do that, sharing our hopes, our dreams. Or you know, when I have a, a bad day, sometimes I shut down a little bit. I don't want to talk about it. It's just like so frustrating. But when I open up and talk to my wife, I mean, it's, it lifts things up and she can understand.
And you know, help me out in this situation.
Now, what about those of you that aren't married?
Well.
First off, you have the Lord.
00:15:00
And I do as well.
You also have a parent or two I trust.
I love you.
They want to know what's going on in your life.
How you're feeling?
They don't want to pry, but they like to know so that they can help you.
You might have struggles.
And they love you and they want to help you.
They've had struggles before in their lives. They know friends who have struggles.
And they love you.
God has provided them for you.
And they love you.
Can you tell that they love you?
You have a wonderful blessed heritage. Your parents love you.
There are children in this world.
We have no parents.
There are children in this world.
Your parents will love you.
Your parents love you.
When you get to be older.
In your teens.
Remember, your parents love you.
They want to help you.
They want you.
To grow in the grace of God.
They want you to mature in your Christian walk.
They want you to be happy.
You have other other people that love you too.
Because you are a part. If you are truly safe, you're a part of the body of Christ.
And we all want you to succeed. We want you to have a spiritual life, a communion with Christ.
A joy that is not of this world.
And we want you to.
Have that close relationship with Christ.
Well, that's about.
All I believe I have that's a gift. Thanks.
Our blessing God and Father, we thank you that you love us. We thank you, Lord Jesus for coming down and showing the Father.
Full of grace and truth, we thank Thee, Lord Jesus, that in your obedience and your love.
Obedience to the Father and love to us. He went through that cross.
Bearing the punishment we deserved.
We thank the Lord Jesus that thou art risen.
And are seeking to.
Moldus.
May thy spirit conform us to thine image being more like thee. How beautiful you are.
Help us once again, we pray to be attracted to Thee, to have an affection for Thee, to have our eyes upon Thee. We thank you so much for Thy word.
And thy Spirit we pray to thee, our God and Father, in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Luke 12:37-48
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Our God and our Father, we thank you for this day and the privileges we've had because you're remembering my Son and his death for us. We thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for thy wondrous love and grace.
And now we just thank you too, for this time. We can be over thy word.
Again we ask a blessing, and we thank you in Thy worthy name, our Chief. Amen.
Luke chapter 12, verse 37.
Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find themselves, blessed are those servants.
And this knows that if the Goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speaketh thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing.
Of the truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
But if that servant stay in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men, servants and maidens, and to eat, and to drink, and to be drunken. The Lord of that servant will become in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in Thunder, and will appoint him.
Will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not Himself, neither did according to his will, which shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required. And to whom men have committed much of him, they will ask them more.
I am come to stand fire on the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled?
But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straightened till I be accomplished? Till it be accomplished?
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth. I tell you nay, but rather division. For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, 3 against two, and two against three. The Father shall be divided against the Son, and the Son against the Father.
The mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother, the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
00:05:42
In the 40th verse, where it says He therefore also be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh in an hour. When you think not. It was more than one application that we can make to this verse. The most common application is probably used in the gospel.
Umm, that there is a need for us to be ready to meet thy God and uh.
And certainly there is application in that way to disperse. But if we take this verse in context with the chapter that we have before, it's really what it's talking about are those that already know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, umm, that we need to be ready. Well, what does that mean? We're already involved by the Spirit of God. We're already covered by the blood. What's it mean to be found ready when the Lord Jesus comes back for us? Well.
How nice it would be that if we were found walking faithfully in this, in this path, umm, giving testimony to him.
And, umm, serving him in our life, that we'd be found in a, in a way in which our state does not hinder our standing is secure. But it is possible, if we've been talking this past week, to have something come into our life that centers our communion.
And, uh, how nice it is that if the Lord were to come today that He would find us ready, that it wouldn't be a stranger.
That we see there wouldn't be someone that there is a hindrance in our meeting, but one that we could say this is my.
Uh.
But that person let me turn back to it.
I don't misquote it.
Psalm of Psalm and five and verse 16. This is my beloved, and this is my friend.
I believe that when it's talking here about the therefore also ready for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when you think not is really speaking to those of us that know him as our savior that we be found watching and ready as we've talked about these past couple of days.
Good to notice the, uh, somebody else has pointed this out. It's always good to notice when the word of God says therefore.
Because there's something that it's there for.
And uh, therefore as a conjunction it links and generally links 2 verses together.
Uh, and I think it refers to verse 39.
Notice that if the good men or the master of the house would have known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and had not suffered his house to be broken through, or, as the new translation says, dug through.
I think there is a very real sense in which we can suffer loss.
And it's not so much that.
We will suffer punishment like you said, our standing is secure but we can suffer loss and we've been.
Chapter just a few verses earlier, we have in verse 34 where your where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And so we're instructed to lay up treasure in heaven.
And I think that this verse is warning us that we may be surprised and suffer loss because we haven't been laying up treasure in heaven. The thief comes.
00:10:10
At a time when you're not expecting them.
And the picture there is being ready. We need to be ready as those that are watching for their Lord. I really appreciated up in verse 36. We've already covered this, but it says when he cometh and knocketh that they may open unto him immediately.
That has a little bit different sense than answering the door when when somebody knocks.
That means that as soon as he knocks, the doors are flung open wide and he's welcome. And that's really the, I think, the sense that that we need to have there, that we are expectantly waiting for our Lord's return.
May the Lord.
Find us watching and being ready.
There's a difference, I think, being between watching and being ready.
Just use a very practical illustration. My kids don't like to be late to meeting, walk in late. And so we're trying, we try to be ready and often times they will remind me because I'm not as.
Time conscious as I should be.
They may remind me what time it is and then I have to remind them that they need to be ready.
So they'll tell me that it's time to go and I'll look at them and say, hey, but you don't have your shoes and your coat on. You're not ready to go. You gotta go find your shoes. You gotta go comb your hair. So we need to be watching and we need to be ready.
And it's talking about.
All the things people are looking for in life.
And it tells you don't seek what you're you're going to wear. Don't think look for what you're going to eat, but what you're supposed to see.
How? How does it go? Seek what?
Seek the Kingdom of God.
And all these things shall be added unto you in one place that says.
But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
And all these things shall be added unto you. What things?
What you're going to eat, what you're going to wear, the things that the world is looking after, plus.
A whole lot more. It told how his tender care, if he's taking care of flowers and clothes them isn't gonna take care of you. You don't need to worry, but it's sort of talking about serving the Lord.
Umm, his Kingdom? What? What does that mean?
We're in the Kingdom of God. What what does that mean for little children? What do you think of when you think of?
Seek ye the Kingdom of God.
What, what is the Kingdom? Can somebody help us out? And then I'll maybe I'll talk just a little more. What is this Kingdom of God?
We're we're told to do that.
The Lord Jesus is talking here to the and the disciples are going to ask in the verses we're going to study right now, are you telling this to us or is it to somebody else?
00:15:12
What is the Kingdom of God?
So the gospel of this, we talked about this bears out the moral character of these individuals that we're talking about in this chapter. And really the Kingdom of God has to do with the moral character of the Kingdom of God.
And umm, and so there is a, a, a manner of life that is consistent with the subjects of the Kingdom. And so when we talk about seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the verse that you quoted and his righteousness, that really bears out the character of the Kingdom of God, because it has to do with his moral glory. And that and the reflection of that moral glory should be seen in his subject.
Did you have a thought, Daniel?
In the world, they said away with him. We will not have this man.
To be king over us, to reign over us. We do not want anyone telling us what to do and that is one of the motivations for UMM.
People that want to believe or say they believe in evolution, they say.
If we believed there was a God that made us for a purpose, then what is his purpose and should we be obeying that? We don't want to to obey anyone. We want to obey ourselves. We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it. We refuse to recognize a king of the universe, a king of kings, or a Lord of Lords. And that is why when people are baptized.
They receive the Lord Jesus Christ and when you get baptized, it's like saying I want to put on the uniform that I belong.
To Christ I'm a Christian, I he died for me and I owe the rest of my life for him like we had this morning. The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me and now all that I have belongs to him. And that's why those verses followed about. Sell what you have, give alms, provide for yourselves bags which wax not old. A treasure in the heavens that faileth not.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Do you know?
If you live just for this life, you can get a lot of toys, you can get a lot of money, you can save up a lot of food.
And die.
And then whose shall those things be?
How long is it going to last for you?
Until you close your eyes in death and it's all over, it's all lost. And that's why some people say eat and drink today. For tomorrow we die and I don't want to think about tomorrow. And that's why you have amusement parks. Amusement means don't think about it.
Amuse means to not think.
Umm. In Spanish the word is. You need to be diverted so you don't think about the future.
But for the Christian.
Our blessed hope.
A treasure in heaven of being with the Lord Jesus who died for us. If we get diverted from thinking about Him, we forget about what's going to last for eternity. If we are just trying to amuse ourselves and not think about the pain of life, we forget about.
The blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God. And so we're getting some of these words later on in this chapter, I think are more to do with our service for the Lord and our responsibility of managing what the Lord has given for us while we're waiting for Him. We can have an effect.
00:20:01
On eternity.
People have said, well you can't take it with you. Anything you have down here, you can't take it with you. But I know somebody that sent it on ahead.
How do you send treasures up to heaven before you get there? Does anybody want to guess?
My mind just went blank. And so you have treasure in heaven.
Who's gonna say something over here?
Can you say it out loud?
How do you send treasure in heaven?
By being kind, be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake has forgiven you.
When you're kind and forgiving, it may lead someone to the Lord. And if someone accepts the Lord, are they going to get to heaven? They sure are.
Do you know how?
We live in this world and when many sons are brought to glory, that is how treasure can be sent to heaven, and I think this is to build up treasure in heaven.
If we're spending our time being selfish and eating and drinking for ourselves and beating the servants and forgetting our purpose isn't.
What's fair right now, what we're gonna get right now, if we got more or less than somebody else right now, that's not so important. The Lord Jesus saw of the travel of his soul.
He says it's worth it and he's satisfied.
So I'll just mention one thing. My grandfather was a doctor and he was helping this old lady in Pasadena. And he he was.
Doing a lot to help her a lot. And I don't know if she could pay or not, but one day she said. Doctor Groff, I just love it when I die. You're going, I'm gonna give you my house and the property.
He said, well, you we need to take care of these health problems right now.
Umm, And she kept coming, and one day, right in the office, she had a heart attack.
And she said, oh.
I don't know if she said I'm dying or they knew she was dying. She says, remember, you're going to get the house And my my grandfather says I don't care about the house. Do you know the Lord Jesus as your savior? That's that's the most important. I know the Lord is my savior and you get the house and she died.
Nothing happened for a few days, a few weeks, and then someone came and knocked on the door and said, Mr. Groff, you just received a house and property.
What do you think my grandfather did?
Do you go out and buy a new car and and you know, sell the house? And what do you think he did? What would he what would you do if you're trying to get treasure in heaven with.
Umm, and if you got a house and property that you couldn't keep, what would you do?
What do you think Doctor Groff did?
He sold the house, got a bunch of money, and what do you think he did with that?
Bev Hall, Do you know what Doctor Groff did with the money?
Do you know what you did over at Doctor Groff's house?
Doctor Groff would measure things by Bibles and wither bounds as far as what it was worth. He'd say, this is worth so many Bibles, this is worth so many tracks. He turned it into Bibles and gospel tracts and messages of God's love, and he sent them all over the world.
And when he died, I think the house was all.
It was all spent it. He didn't keep it for himself. He passed on, but people had been saved before he even got there and that was sending. He was a good administrator in the Kingdom of God. God was his Lord. He recognized his responsibility and this is what we're getting, Peter said in verse.
00:25:26
41 Lord, speakest thou this parable to us, or even to all, about being ready? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portions of meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant whom his Lord.
Lord means boss, when he cometh shall find so doing.
It's required.
In stewards faithfulness.
What is the Lord given to you?
He's given you time. He's given you a heart for other people. He sometimes gives you kind words.
He gives you.
Versus to share with others and people by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are saved into the Kingdom of God and will be there in heaven.
As faithfully administering what God has given to you and I, I think this has something to do with it that we can be.
With all the Lord's love and kindness that we don't have to worry about even the basic things of what we're going to eat and drink, but are we thinking about what's going to last for the Kingdom of God for eternity? That's I can't think what this chapter is is telling the disciples about.
I'd like to read a verse in First John 3.
Verse two It says, 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 his hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure.
And it says here in verse in our chapter in verse 40, be therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh that an hour when ye think not. And there's two sides of this being ready. When I was in high school, junior high or high school, I can't remember.
Anyway, there was a pamphlet that was going around 88 Reasons why the Lord is coming back in 1988.
And I said to the people that were handing that out, you're crazy. The Lord said, nobody's gonna know. No, no, we got it all figured out. I know he said that. And I know no one can know, but we know. And here's 88 reasons why he's coming back this year. And I was like, whatever. But what happens if we have a far off perspective? The Lord's not coming. Then we have all these things that were, well, I can do this and I can do this and I can do this. In the Old Testament, the picture is given of the year of Jubilee.
And the people could never build a big, old, huge Kingdom because at the end of 50 years, everything was given back. There was a giant equalizer every 50 years. So in my lifetime, I had to give it all back. And Xander starts over in his lifetime, he has to give it all back. And it sets you free from greed. It sets you free. But that when we, when we have the expectation, it preserves us from making all these plans. We have to realize any moment the Lord could come. What am I doing right now, as Brother Dan was just saying, in view of eternity?
The Glories of Christ
Open—Tim Harkins
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Our Godfather, thank thee again for that wonderful day that we've enjoyed today, and we just think of this meeting that we have before us and the opportunity that we have for you to speak to our horse directly.
223.
Departments and we just pray that their spirit that have the liberty created to take from my word and uh, provide for us today word for myself for the moment.
I just commit the time to be for the help and my care in Jesus name, Amen.
This past week.
Has been wonderful beyond any expectation that I could have ever imagined. I every year, year after year, the Lord just pours out blessing upon us in this weekend. This year I think He exceeded Himself.
It is absolutely amazing and you know, we look at these times fondly as we.
Think of them as a foretaste of home, and certainly they are. They experience fellowship one with another, that it goes beyond any fellowship that we could ever enjoy in a worldly relationship with those that we come into contact with at school, at work.
They're deep and meaningful because.
They're founded in Christ, and I was just thinking that another way that we can enjoy a foretaste of home is.
When we consider Christ together and his glory and his loveliness, you know, many of the hymns, the SIM that we've just sang spoke of that coming day when we'll see if the Lord Jesus Christ and all of his glory.
What a wonderful day that will be and I just would like to share a few things with you from Scripture.
About the glories of Christ.
You know, there was a man named San Samuel Rutherford who lived in the 1600s and.
When he was being described by another, I can't remember the names exactly, but when spoke of the Bishop of somebody and said you know this man.
Showed me the majesty of God.
But Samuel Rutherford showed me the loveliness of Christ.
How wonderful that is and what an opportunity we have if the Lord has laid something on our hearts that gives us to see just a little bit.
Of the loveliness of Christ, to share with others that we would experience that foretaste of home and the glories of Christ.
Let's turn to Exodus chapter 26.
Recently back home in our Sunday school reading.
We have been going through accidents now into Leviticus and offerings and it's been a really wonderful time. Umm, you know, in the past there have been those that have a real gift at taking some of these pictures that we have in the Old Testament of the Tabernacle and the offerings and, and really bringing out their significance and how they pertain to Christ.
Because all of those things.
Pertain to Christ. They're all pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ and.
I've always.
Covered it that ability to really.
Fair it out those things that we see there in the Tabernacle and in the temple and the and the construction of it and the offerings and how they really bring out the Lord Jesus Christ. And this past time as we went through Exodus, there was something that.
Stood out to me. That hasn't stood out to me before.
And I just wanted to share with you that maybe it would be a little bit of a opportunity to consider together the loveliness of Christ.
On numerous occasions in Exodus, when we talk about the Tabernacle, there is a color pattern that's borne out.
And in Exodus chapter 26, umm, talking about curtains within the Tabernacle, and it says in verse one, moreover, thou shalt make the Tabernacle with 10 curtains of fine twine, linen and blue and purple and scarlet, with cherubims of cunning, cunning work. Thou shalt make them. And then, uh.
00:05:15
If we go over to verse 31.
Speaking about the veil, And thou shalt make a veil of blue and purple, and scarlet, and fine twine linen of cunning work with cherubims it shall be made.
And then if we go down to verse 36 and thou shalt make him hanging for the door of the tent.
Of blue.
And purple and scarlet and fine twined linen wrought with needlework.
You know that color scheme is found in these curtains for the Tabernacle. You would have seen that color as you came through the front gate of the Tabernacle into the courtyard.
And the gate and and the curtains that you would pass through into the entrance of the Tabernacle. And then again, if you were to go from the courtyard into the holy Place, do it again, pass through a curtain with those same colors. And then if you were to pass from the holy place into the holiest of holies, there was the veil and the veil also.
Was characterized by those same colors. What do those colors mean? What's their significance? Well.
I believe they bare out the glories of Christ and their different aspects. The blue speaks to us of His heavenly glory. The purple speaks to us of his royal glory.
The scarlet speaks to us of his redemptive or atoning glory, and the fine twine linen speaks to us of his moral glory, each one of them beautiful in their own aspect. Let's turn to Mark Chapter 9.
You know the Lord Jesus it says keep your keep your finger here. You don't need to turn the with this to me. I'm going to read and flip in chapter 2.
I find this so remarkable.
Philippians, Chapter 2.
The end of verse five it says Christ Jesus.
For being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself.
And became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The Lord Jesus.
From an eternity path was, as we were Speaking of earlier today, in the bosom of the Father, and He had immense heavenly glory. And you know what?
He set that glory aside.
He set his heavenly glorious side and came down into this earth, became a man, and that glory was hidden and shrouded. That heavenly glory was not seen except for one time.
In Mark chapter 8.
Mark Chapter 9.
Mark Chapter 9 and verse 2.
And after six days, Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them, and his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can wipe them.
Verse seven and there was a cloud that overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying.
This is my beloved son.
Hear him.
This is the only time that I'm aware of in which.
The Lord Jesus Christ heavenly glory was displayed the rest of His time here on this earth. It was shrouded and hidden.
He set it aside for the duration of his time here.
That's the blue.
And there's Tabernacle curtains and in the veil. They're also seen in the garments of the priest.
00:10:05
That same color scheme was there, the blue and the purple and the scarlet and the fine twine linen.
Well, the purple.
Speaks to us of.
Christ in his royal glory.
Return to Luke Chapter 9.
I'm sorry.
The chapter 19 I believe. Yeah, Luke, chapter 19.
The chapter 19 and verse 28.
And when he had thus spoken, he went before us, sending up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when he was come thigh, and Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount called the Mount of Olives, that he sent two of his disciples, saying, Go ye into the village over against you.
And the which that you're entering, you shall find a colt tide, whereon yet never a man sack loose him, and bring him hit her. And if any man say to you, Why do you lose him? Thus shall he say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. And as they were losing the coal, the owners thereof said unto them, Why Lucy, the coal? And they said, The Lord hath need of him. And they brought him to Jesus, And they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come, Naive. And now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples.
Began to rejoice and to praise God with a loud voice for the mighty works that they had seen save bless, saying, Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory and the highest.
And some of the Pharisees among the multitudes sent unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them.
I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
This is the Lord.
Who we know from Philippians chapter 2 That God has given a name which is above every name.
And yet here again in this path.
He didn't experience the royal glory that he so deserved as the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords is despised. He was blasphemed. They put on him. And when the gospel it talks about a scarlet robe and another gospel it says a purple robe and they mocked him.
They marked his royal glue.
But here.
God showed us the royal glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as he descended from the Mount of Olives and came down into Jerusalem.
Has the toning or redemptive glory.
Is much more difficult to.
Tap into If we turn to John, chapter 19.
Well, before we turn to John 19, turn to Matthew chapter 27.
You know, we're very well familiar with.
The story of the cross and how the Lord Jesus went.
There, and he was buffeted and spit upon and.
Had that crown of thorns placed upon his head, and it was driven into his brow.
How the hairs from his face were plucked away and people spit in his face.
You know.
That was a significant thing.
And I don't want to take away from that in any way.
But the Lord Jesus, when he was suffering in that way leading up to the cross, with suffering at the hands of man for righteousness sake.
00:15:12
But that isn't when he atoned for our sins.
In Matthew chapter 27 and verse 45 it says now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the land under the ninth hour.
In about the 9th hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli.
La Mr. Baxena, that is to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Those three hours of darkness were the time when the Lord Jesus atoned for our sins.
And so how do you see the glory?
In the midst of the darkness.
Of those three hours.
Well.
You see the result?
And that was the Lord Jesus resurrection, because in his resurrection.
It was God putting his stamp of approval on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so if we go to John chapter 19.
John, Chapter 20.
We know of how.
Mary Magdalene and others came to the tomb. Simon Peter.
And they found the sepulchre empty.
And.
The Angel said.
Waisiki.
The living amongst the dead.
And uh.
It's just St. in John chapter 20 and verse 11.
But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth 2 angels in white sitting.
The one on at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
And they said unto her, Woman, Why beep the style? And she said unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she hath thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing. I knew not that it was Jesus, and.
Jesus said unto her, Woman, Why weepest thou? Whom seeketh thou?
She's supposing him to be the gardener. Saith unto him, Sir, that thou hast borne him hence. Tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus said unto her, and Mary she turned herself, and said unto him, Rabona.
Which is to say, Master, And Jesus said unto her, Touch me not.
I am not yet ascended to my father, but I go to my brethren. But go to my brethren, and say unto them.
I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God and your God.
Verse 19 Then the same day, at evening, being the first day of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and Seth unto them, Peace be unto you.
And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his sides. Then were the disciples glad when I saw the Lord.
How could he say, peace be unto you?
Goes back to Isaiah chapter 53 where it says for he shall see of the travel of his soul.
And truly satisfied.
That's how the Lord Jesus could come into the midst of the disciples and say those words, Beast be unto you.
I don't know that that bears out in fullest measure the toning glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems that all we see is the result of the atoning glory manifested in His resurrection and the words that He said and following.
But what about his moral glory?
Was that ever shrouded that fine twine linen?
That we read about, that was the fabric of his life. It was impossible for that glory to be hidden in any way in his life. Every single aspect of his life here in this earth bore out that moral glory. We could go and we could read about his interaction with the woman at the well. We could go and we could read about the woman that was taken in adultery.
00:20:13
And his interaction with those women.
We could look at the ones that said that spoke about.
Wondered at his gracious words and they said never. A man's fake like this man.
Of his life wore out that fine twine linen. Of his moral glory.
I just wanted to share these few things with you again. We've had a wonderful week.
We've had a opportunity to have a poor Taste of Home, and I would just encourage each one of you to take opportunity. When the Lord lays on your heart something that bears out the loveliness of Christ, whether it be in the Tabernacle for the offerings or the temple construction, or in the moral glories of Christ's life as He walked here on this earth, take the opportunity to share them with one another.
That's what refreshes our soul. And John the Lord came and washed his disciples feet and he gave us the charge to do the same.
How do we wash one another's feet? It's been said it's by presenting Christ to each other.
First Peter chapter one, it says searching what what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified before an the sufferings of Christ and the glory.
That should follow, brethren, what a wonderful opportunity we have to consider the glories of Christ and His loveliness and share them with one another for the purpose of refreshment.
Sharing with others
Open—Jonathan Csanyi
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
You know Brother Tim at the end of near the end of what he was Speaking of.
Talked about taking the opportunity to share these things that we enjoy with each other.
And that made me think of the passage in Nehemiah.
So I read a couple of verses in Nehemiah chapter 8.
This was shortly after the wall was completed and they were coming together to.
To read the law and to I believe this is one of the feasts.
Chapter 8. And all the people gathered themselves together with one man into the street that was before the Watergate. And they spake unto Ezra the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And As for the priest, brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women.
And all that could hear with understanding upon the first day of the 7th month. And he read therein before the street.
That was before the Watergate, from the morning until midday, before the men and the women and those that could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the Book of the Law, and, as with the scribes, stood upon a pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose and beside him.
Stood Metathiya and Shima and Ananiah and Raja and Hilkiah and Messiah on his right hand, and on his left hand Podaya and Michelle and Nokia and Hashem and Hashbad Vadana and Zechariah and Michelin. And as we opened the book in the sight of all the people, For he was above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
And Ezra blessed the Lord the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen with lifting up their hands.
And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Also Joshua and Benai and Shirabaya, Jaimin, Akab, Shabathai, Hudaija, Messiah, Kilaita, Azariah, Josebed, Hena, Pelaya and Levites caused the people to understand the law and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading.
And Nehemiah, which is the truth to Shaffer, and as were the priest described in the lyrics that taught the people, fit into all the people.
This day is holy unto the Lord your God. Mourn not, nor weep for. All the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way.
And drink the sweet, and send portions into them, for whom nothing is prepared. For is holy unto your unto our Lord. Neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
So the Levites stealed all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy, neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great work, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
You know we've had.
A week that sounds a lot like that we have the word of God opened. It was expounded and given this week. They were given the sense of, of it and we were the glory of the Lord and his, his, uh, his beauty was brought before us, before us.
And these people were exhorted to go their way and to take portions to those that were not there, those portions to those that did not have anything prepared.
And you know, we, we mentioned in the reading this morning how a lot of times the challenge is when you go back to your, your daily life, your normal life, to take these things and to live in them and to apply them to your life.
But I think we can go even beyond that.
It's not just the responsibility to apply these things to our own life.
But to take a portion back to others?
We all come from somewhere, we all have people at home that could not come here.
That could use the encouragement.
And it may be in a public setting, or it may be one-on-one and maybe a couple of young people talking together.
You know, I still remember.
I was at a conference.
I was pretty young. I think it was the first time I was at a conference and I did not stay with my parents. I was in the house, bunch of boys down in the basement of a house.
00:05:05
And I was surprised. I was almost shocked we were down there.
There was a chin up bar, you know, a bunch of guys together to see who could do the most chin ups. Can you chin up with someone hanging off your legs, you know?
But then someone started talking about the things of God. There's no adults there. Oldest was probably in his mid teens.
I still remember they were talking about.
The utterances of the Lord on the cross. There's seven of them.
I think it was probably following up on something that was said earlier in the day in the conference, but it was so shocking to me.
Because these were young people.
And they were interested in talking about the things of God themselves with each other.
You know if parents and his older brother and we.
We try to present the Lord to you. We present the word of God to you.
But really, God has also given you each other.
And.
It's your responsibility too, to lift up each other and probably that talks about iron sharpeneth iron.
So.
Yes, it's important to take this and apply it in our own lives, but let's be exercised as well.
To take this back and share it with others and encourage them.
Don't give up
Open—Matt Richerzhagen
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Well, that's been said this week.
It's been a wonderful time. Like Tim was saying beyond he's able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask for, even think.
It's kind of hard for us to imagine because we can think way out here, but his desire to bless us is far beyond that. I was just thinking.
Tim was talking as Steve talked at the end of the other meeting. We're all looking forward to going home.
I don't think there's anybody here that wants us to end. I know I don't. We can just live here. Can you imagine? Just be together. I know over time we grate on each other because we, you know, see more of each other a little bit. But this, oh, man, it's beautiful to work together and play together. It is. As our dear brother just shared, this is a foretaste of glory. We will say, what are we gonna do in heaven? We're gonna be with him. We're gonna be with each other, and we're gonna enjoy it forever. I was thinking as we go.
Back, you know, we we don't have the circumstance around us. It's really easy to umm.
Do the right thing, if I could say that to, to walk with the Lord when we're all here. Our, our dear brother was just saying sharing. We need, we're going back. What do we have to take? And I was just thinking of a couple verses here. And this is a note that I wrote down, umm, from a dear brother-in-law And, uh, this is our resource, you guys, as we go back.
We're not going to have all of our friends around us the same. We're not gonna have reading meetings.
In the morning, at least we don't. Reading meetings in the morning and addresses and gospel meetings and hymns, things like this.
We try and read every day as a family and I try to read every day myself with the Lord. But here's something I just thought I'd share and this is the in in these couple verses that I'm going to share. God is faithful as we leave this place.
We have a resource.
It's not in our own strength, it's in him.
If the Lord has called us his will, as brother Dan was saying, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And so let's let's first look in Isaiah 49.
And I don't know how many the most of the kids are gone that played capture the flag.
But the first time that we played and then the second time that we played, there was something that was different when we were when we were picking teams. Does anybody remember the difference?
What? Well, yeah, the flags were different.
OK, what she said was the first time we had team captains and the second time we numbered them off. I want to read listen to this verse. This is Isaiah 49 verse 7.
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One.
So jump down to the verse and it says, Because the Lord that is faithful and the holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
You know the Lord is doing the work in this world, and as our dear brother said earlier, He doesn't need us. His work is going to be accomplished whether we join the team or not. Because He's God, He can do anything. He spoke this whole world into existence. But you know what? He's drawn up teams and He wants you and He wants you and He wants you and He wants you and He wants you and He wants you and He wants you and He wants you.
You're chosen.
You're not the last one that gets picked because maybe people think you're shorter, or you're not as fast or you're not as smart or you're not going to hide the flag as well. No, He's chosen you. He wants to use you for your blessing and for His glory.
So as we go from this place, don't think about ourselves, you know, and especially the kids and the young people. I'm just, you know, what can I do? Don't know. He's chosen you and he'll use you if you let him. OK, so the next one is First Corinthians one. So the the first one was chosen First Corinthians 1.
Verse 9.
It says God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
So not only were we chosen, we're called into communion. God wants to spend time with us.
00:05:01
There was a book that that we have and he talked about having trouble getting up in the morning to spend time with the Lord, and one time they were going to go fishing or something and he woke up before his alarm went off at 4:00 in the morning.
Because he got to go fishing and he realized, you know what, it doesn't have to do with me not being able to get up.
It's not a physical hindrance to get up and read the Word and spend time with the Lord. It wasn't important enough.
And that really smoked the authors of this book's heart.
He wants to spend time with us. He wants to tell us what to do and how to do it and how to live a blessed life.
Who in this who? Who here wants wants to be blessed? I know I do. I raise both hands.
Were chosen, were called into fellowship. Lord, the prayer of my heart, the prayer of our heart should be Lord, show me what you want me to do today.
Because we can't do anything without him and he'll walk with us.
The next one is in chapter 10, verse 13. Sometimes we face things as we go through life. There's been, it's been referenced a number of times, umm, First Corinthians 10/13 We, we face you. Sometimes there are challenges that are so big we can't see around them and that's OK. He doesn't expect us to see around him. He expects us to trust him.
It says here, there hath no temptation.
Taking you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able.
He knows what we passed through. He knows. He knows our weakness, He knows our strengths, He knows all about us and he's never gonna let us be over tempted. That's it. You have his word on it. He's faithful. And so when you feel like there is no way, there is a way, you just can't see it. Trust him. Trust him.
Let's turn to 2nd Thessalonians 3. Three.
Chosen call protected.
2nd Thessalonians.
Three verse 3.
It says, but the Lord is faithful who shall establish you and keep you from evil. You know, brethren, what we need in this world is to move forward. It's been mentioned several times how much everybody's grown physically.
You can't help that. You're gonna, if you're alive, you're gonna grow physically, right? I mean, if, if there was a baby here.
How many of her years ago? I don't remember all the years, but I remember little Naomi on the, on the whatever that thing, the slack line. She was little. Now she's way bigger. You can't help it. If you're alive, you're gonna grow until a certain point. But that's not true spiritually. You can be alive for years and years and years and years and years and years and still be a newborn babe. But he tells us that he's faithful. He's gonna establish you so that we have a foundation.
So that we build, so that we move forward. And one of the things we need to do is spend time with him every single day in communion. Because we're not. It's not about us, it's about him. It's about letting his light and his love shine into our lives.
Let's turn to Hebrews 10.
Verse 23.
It says, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised.
It talks in the Proverbs about a double minded man.
The challenges are going to come in our lives.
But remember, he's chosen you.
Remember he's called you into fellowship. Remember he promises to protect you.
He is faithful. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. Don't. Don't get so discouraged that you give up. Don't get so discouraged that you go backwards. Hold on, hold on.
00:10:02
It's it's been said the the darkest night is just before the dawn, and the the battle is often won in the preparation.
You know people, they would, uh, I remember my soccer coach telling me, he said. When you're tired and you can't take another step, you're just like totally exhausted, he said. I want you to know that everybody on the other team is too. The guys that win the game are the ones that keep running after that ball.
Don't give up, He's almost here. We just talked about how close the Lord's return is. Perhaps today. The Lord is so good. Let's thank him.
Our God and our Father.
We would return thanks with grateful hearts for Thy goodness and Thy mercy and Thy.
We thank thee for this tremendous week.
The blessing that we've enjoyed the liberty to be here without fear.
Thank you for taking care of our animals and our properties and our businesses while we've been here. Just bless us, Lord, as we go back as our brother to share that we would have a portion for others.
Lord, may we remember that we're chosen, that we're called, that we're protected. Help us to hold fast to you.
How we long as our dear brother shared this morning, to see thy blessed face.
We pray this in Jesus mighty name, Amen.
Yes.
Gospel
Gospel—Dan Brimlow
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
I was looking in here. Most of these songs are.
Or from for people that already are saved.
One of the ones that umm.
Is an old one if you sing #137.
Rock of Ages Cleferson Grace has hit us safe within.
Umm, I remember seeing a war.
We didn't have ATV when we grew up. We still don't have ATV, but we were down at at the UH department store and they were trying to sell TV's and they had a a movie on it was called PT 109.
It was a true story in World War 2, and there was a.
Umm. The enemies were trying to get the Americans and the Americans were trying to get away and they hit the PT boat and they when the guys on the boat, his name was John F Kennedy and he was umm.
Trying to escape because the.
The Japanese were looking for him and so they they put him in this canoe with all these palm branches and he was underneath the palm branches and somehow.
These people in the islands had learned a song and they were singing the song and waving at the people as they went by, hiding this man underneath. And you know what the song they were singing was? No.
You know what this song is? What's it called?
Rock of Ages.
Umm.
It was.
Where the water and the blood from my ribbon side which flowed are of sin, the double cure, cleansing from its guilt and power. I believe that those were Christian natives in those islands that knew, knew the Lord and John F Kennedy.
Was being saved by them from losing his life. But I don't know if he trusted in the Lord Jesus as his savior but those.
I just listening to that that movie, they were trying to make it as real as possible.
It it really spoke and I said I know that song.
And.
One of.
One of those verses if I close my eyes and death.
Umm. As I draw this bleeding breath, if I close my eyes in death, when I soar, the world's unknown sit with the upon the throne.
Are of sin the double cure?
From cleansing power, I believe that's it. Let's let's sing this this one, because this one is talking about people being saved.
Rock of Ages, Clap foreskin.
A Safeway thing?
Good Ideal. No rest fight? No.
Could I give forever flow?
God forsaken.
How are you? By the before we saw?
00:05:03
Until.
It might seem proud we have been for righteousness.
From Thy fullness grace on grace.
Thou hast watched out in thy blood, make us live, and let you come.
I'd like to read a few verses tonight.
And we're going to start with one that we all know.
And I'm going to try and make it simple enough we've all heard the gospel before, or most of us have.
Why do we tell the good news that?
Christ died on the cross.
This song said.
Nothing.
That's something and I should say.
We have a lot of zeal. If we see we just cry a lot because of our sins, does that take care of them?
No.
Why did the Lord Jesus come into the world? It's something about.
The Lord Jesus, why did you come into the world?
Christ Jesus came into the This is a faithful St. and worthy of everybody to receive that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Paul said that.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, is what actually pays for sins.
Do you know that when the Lord Jesus went to?
Umm, came into the world.
Do you remember what the Angel said?
What did the angels say right when he came right into the world?
Glory to God in the house, Glory to God in the highest. That was glory going to God, but something on earth.
Peace, honor, goodwill towards men. It's the will of God, towards men and women that.
Jesus came into the world. Does anyone of you know what Jesus means?
You should call his name Jesus for he what?
Shall save his people from from their sins. Jesus means Savior.
That's that's what he was named.
The Savior of the world.
Why do people need a savior? Why do people need someone to save them?
You can't save themselves.
Today we have that verse about.
The wages of sin is.
Death and the gift. But the gift of God is what?
Is eternal life? How? Through what?
The gift of God's eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Do you know God is fair?
He's more than fair.
Juno.
If somebody.
Works for something. Is it fair not to pay them?
It's not fair if they work all day and you said they would get paid.
Do you know the Lord Jesus?
Says if you do Sims, you get paid for them.
And the wages of sin is, yeah.
Once you work for it, it's not fair if you don't.
God doesn't pay.
And that is the problem. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That's why Jesus came, because he didn't.
00:10:00
He didn't want people to pay for their sins in hell with death.
So I'm gonna read a verse. It's sort of a strange one in umm, we quoted First Timothy 1:15. We're going to go to Thessalonians. Do you know where Thessalonians is just before Timothy?
Chapter 5.
Verse 23.
This is actually written to people that had turned to God from idols.
This happened to be Europeans, some of the first Europeans.
In Europe, in this, in the country called Greece today.
That accepted the Lord.
And.
Paul only had about a week preaching to them and then he had to leave and then he wrote this letter to them.
The letter to the Thessalonians. Then you wrote another letter, but this one says verse 23 and the very God of peace.
Sanctify you wholly, in other words.
God that came to give us peace through the Lord Jesus is going to set us apart.
Sanctifying is like when you wash the dishes, you take The Dirty ones, you wash them, and then you put them back with The Dirty ones.
Where do you put them with the clean ones?
You sanctify them. You put them with the different parts so they don't get dirty again. Once somebody is safe, they're always safe. They're sanctified.
And so he's saying, Paul is ending this letter by saying, and I pray God, your whole spirit.
And so and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When you when we start talking about Sims, can people?
C.
Sins in the hearts of other people.
Can you see sins in the hearts of other people?
You can't remember the guy that, umm.
Was laying on this bed and and he couldn't get up and his four friends took him and he took him over to the house and they they opened up the roof and while due there was too much crowds for umm him to come in the door. So they let him down through the roof and as he's coming down the Lord just looked up he looked at him and he says.
Man, your sins are forgiven you.
Well, what was his problem? Why was he in the bed?
He couldn't walk.
But the Lord Jesus?
Said your sins are forgiven you. And what did the people keep saying around among the people?
They said Who is this?
Only.
Only there's only one way to get rid of sins. What did the what did the people say in their minds?
Who is this that forgives sins only?
Only God can forgive sin.
God loved the world and he is concerned about the sins on the inside.
And it talks about people are made of three things here. What are they? What are made of?
In that verse.
Body, soul, and spirit.
You know, most people talk about the body, soul and spirit because.
It almost seems like the body is the most important, but which part is the most important? What is the order in the Bible?
The spirit, soul, and body.
I'm glad you mentioned spirit. That's the one that's first written here, and it is. The Bible says it's really hard to tell the difference between when your spirit and your soul leave your body. They go together.
00:15:08
Your body stays here and your spirit and soul stick together.
And the your spirit is the part that answers to God. And your soul is the personality that other people know that you like ice cream and you like to have excitement and things. That's your soul. That's you might say, the real you that looks out of your eye eyeballs. You know when you see somebody they smile and but it's really the real you inside that's making your body's.
Move, move. And that's the part that really matters.
Where is your soul?
And your spirit going to spend?
Eternity.
It's not the the labor of our hands to do something to our body.
We could not pay for our own sins.
What can wash away my sins? Nothing. But what?
The blood of Jesus. That is the verse in the Bible. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son cleans us from all sins.
Now I'd like to read a few verses we're going to go.
To the Ephesians. Do you, umm, do you know who the Ephesians were?
They weren't Europeans.
They were called Asians.
It is.
Everything to the east of the Mediterranean is Asia, and everything to the West of the Mediterranean is Europe.
And so emphasis is on one side of the just above Israel and.
In in Turkey, and we've just read the Thessalonians, they were across the Mediterranean.
And this is what they weren't. The Ephesians were umm like the others were idol worshippers. They didn't believe in God.
But here in Ephesians chapter one we're gonna read a few verses. Can I have some help?
We're going to read Ephesians 17 and then somebody else can read 13 who would like to read 7.
OK, Jonathan.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.
Do you know?
Forgiveness of sins.
Through his blood.
According to the riches of his grace.
God is.
Sent the Lord Jesus.
I I should just re remind us.
When Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, he went to the cross, and there in those hours of darkness God laid on him, on the Lord Jesus, the iniquity of us all. And if we it says, and now whosoever believe it in him, that he died on the cross for your sins, that is how to be saved.
That is how.
To apply it, there were two.
People crucified with the Lord Jesus.
Do they? Where did they go?
When they died.
When went to heaven.
And one went to hell. What made the difference?
The one said.
Don't you fear God?
Seeing we are in the same condemnation, we've been condemned, just like.
Jesus. But this man has done nothing amiss. He has done anything wrong.
Pilot said he didn't do anything wrong. His wife said he didn't do anything wrong.
00:20:02
The umm.
Soldier at the bottom of the cross said this was a righteous man. Everyone knew that the Lord Jesus didn't do anything wrong.
But one said, Lord.
Re I basically I believe you are the Son of God. Would you Remember Me when you come into your Kingdom? I believe.
Which is the Lord say to him?
In a word, for heaven, it is very paradise, Paradise That was sort of like what we imagined the Garden of Eden was like.
No sin.
Enjoyment for the eyes, enjoyment for the soul, enjoyment all the way around.
With Christ.
When the Lord comes back, He's saying, And so shall we ever be with the Lord. That is where heaven is, that is where forgiveness of sins ends you up, that you can be in God's own presence without sin. That's why it says.
We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin. And read another verse, verse 13.
Would like to read verse 13? Yes.
Mm-hmm. He also addressed it after that he heard the order through to gospel of your salvation. And he also answers that you believe yourselves with that Holy Spirit of promise.
The Holy Spirit of promise, do you know?
Faith comes by hearing and this verse says.
You also trusted after you heard the word of truth.
People hear the truth of what got the message that God has written of how to be saved.
It says the gospel, the good news of your salvation should be saved in whom? Also after you believe.
As soon as somebody believes, what does this first say happens?
Ye were sealed with the holy.
The Holy Spirit of promise, do you know whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, and part of that everlasting life comes with God's Holy Spirit, a new nature to live inside of you and Me.
Do you have it?
If you don't know the Lord as your savior.
You'll see I didn't want it in, but I just. I just can't help it. There's something inside me that just.
Just wants to do it and I wasn't going to do it, but then I just did it.
That's our old nature, and you only have one old nature. But if you receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior, John.
14 tells us the same light night that Jesus was betrayed, He told people, if I go.
I will send the Holy Spirit, which will be with you and live inside you, and he'll lead you to all truth. He'll help you to remember the truth and he'll be power in your life to resist. And that is why when somebody accepts the Lord as their Savior and they are baptized and they say, I would like to live for the Lord Jesus now.
They can because they have the Spirit of God.
The only ones to please God. It's part of our everlasting life. It's part of our new life. Let's read from verse.
7.
Funny Chapter 2, verse one to 10.
Can I have you read 123? Then you skip because you already read 456.
No, we're gonna have you read 78910, OK?
00:25:06
Read from This is Ephesians 2.
One to 10.
And and do you have these weapons who are dead in church prices? And Sims, We're in time pass. You are according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh, and the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, the last of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. And we're by nature the children of grass. Even as the God who is rich in mercy for His great love, We are with you love.
Even when we were getting things how quick enough together.
But in the ages the company might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness towards us to encourage Jesus.
In the back row.
8.
We're not going to spend much time on this, it's pretty self-explanatory.
And you have the quickened who are dead in trespasses and sins. We all know we cannot get away from it. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But inside God quickens us. He puts a little thing inside our mind. He puts it in other people that says.
Agree with God. You know you've done wrong. You know you need to be forgiven. You know you can't get rid of your sins by yourself. Agree with God.
And it tells that the Prince of the power of the air, that's the the devil that works in Children of Disobedience.
Encouraging, Sir.
And we've all there's no difference. All have send. We've all had. In verse three we've all had.
The flesh in us. We've all needed to be saved. There's no difference. All have sinned.
And we were.
Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind and were by nature the children of wrath. That means we are mad.
Even as others, but God.
That's the good news.
God, who's rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us. That's what we had this morning as we remember the Lord in his death.
The Father loved us, the Son loved us. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world and the Lord Jesus says, Here am I send me, I'll go, I'll pay.
Like that service that said I will not go out free. I love my wife, I love my children. I want them with me in heaven.
Even when we were dead in sins, he's quickened us together.
With Christ by grace, you see.
That in the ages to come. What's going to happen?
He might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us.
When are are the ages to come? When is that? What is it talking about in the ages to come?
What does that mean?
Heaven, Heaven. It means when time just keeps going on and on and on, what's going to be happening.
Eternity is going to be showing us the riches of His kindness.
But you know, it doesn't force it on people.
He's offering the gift.
Verse.
00:30:00
Umm. 8. For by grace or undeserved kindness, you're saved through faith.
That's trusting him. And that faith isn't of yourself. That faith is a gift of God.
Not of works, lest any man should boast. No one can say I'm so good. I saw a good deal, and I'm better than you because I recognized a better deal, you know?
We recognize God moved in me. God told me He said I need to be saved. He said he received me as your savior and we can be saved. Verse 10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works for God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. After we're saved, we find that God has a plan for our lives.
To do good works. Why?
It's one way to thank God, and it's one way that others can hear in.
I'm gonna read one little story and then, uh, read what Jude had to say about people Psalms 107. There's about four or five stories here, but we're just gonna take one of them.
Psalms 107 and Umm.
I think it's seven. Uh. The one I'm gonna pick is 17 to.
Verse 17.
Fools because of their transgression. Transgressions means they went against what they knew was right.
And because of their iniquities are afflicted, they got what they they reap what they sow. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat. They draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distress.
Do you know that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord?
Might be saved or shall be saved.
Shall be saved.
He sent his word.
Who sent His word? God sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children of men.
Let them sacrifice the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing. That's the When you are safe, when you don't have to pay for your own sins, you're not going to hell. You should feel so relieved to be able to tell others.
Now I'm going to.
Read.
New closing.
Jude The last verses of Jude. Some people say that Jude might have been the other Judas.
Of the disciples. Do you know there were two Judas that were disciples?
One was.
A true disciple, and the other was just faking it.
And if you read Jude, it says I wanted to talk about their common salvation. But I need to warn you that there are people that they're like clouds without any rain. It looks like, oh, we're finally going to get a shower to do the crops. And then there's nothing there. It's like a bunch of smoke and no fire. It's just.
Umm, you're waiting for something and it's not there. And some people say, Oh yeah, I know the Lord.
But no, I don't wanna read my Bible. I don't wanna go to the meeting. I don't wanna obey my parents.
Well, how do you how does that work?
By their fruits you shall know them, and sooner or later, when somebody believes in the Lord, they're gonna be praising the Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works to us.
00:35:00
This is umm.
For Christians.
Would I Have Four More Help Me Read June 21, 2223.
Umm, 24 and 25. Five more people. Would you girls like to read? We're gonna go around this way and you just say pass if you don't want to, adults can read you.
We're going to have you read Umm.
Verse 21 Keep yourself in the love of God, looking for mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
I don't have some passion making a difference.
And others, save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, having even the garments spotted by the flag.
Looking for the mercy? Keep yourselves in the love of God. God loves the world, even those that are not acting lovable.
He While we were yet sinners, in due time Christ died for the ungodly people, people that didn't even want God.
Keep ourselves in the love of God and.
Some having compassion, Making a difference. Do you care?
You know, you can tell people you care about them.
And that's what draws them to the Lord others.
Saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire. It's the love of God.
That pull pulls us to him. But the Lord Jesus warned about the fire of hell coming on on people, and he said, except you, repent, you shall likewise perish. Don't put it off.
And help for the Christians verse 24.
Jude couldn't hold it back to him. That's able to keep you from falling and present you faultless with confidence.
No spot, no stains before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
All will be passed away, all things.
Our pathway. All things are becoming new. We can be enjoying that even now to the only wise God that's the Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ be glory and majesty, dominion and power, forever and ever, which I forget.
Apartheid Skip.
Both now and forever. And we're gonna be praising him so much there, we can start it here and now.
Is there Can we sing that one now unto the King, Eternal, immortal, invisible?
The only wise God, the honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Amen.
The honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Do some of the children not know that song?
Raise your hand if you've never heard that song before. So let's find the verse, and let's try it a little bit more The verse. Does anyone know which verse it is? Now Onto the King Eternal.
In first Timothy, right.
See if we can find out nurse.
First Timothy 117.
We should sing it once more. So can we sing it three times more? Once altogether and then half the room hold off and the IT is around? Yeah, yeah.
Does anyone do you know? Do you know the round and where the second part starts in? Mm-hmm. It's been a while since I've seen this round.
OK, right after the only wife's got, I think after invisible, that's what I was. OK, I think it's after invisible. Where? Where is it? What is the verse? Again 17 First Timothy 117.
00:40:07
OK, we're all gonna sing it together and then we'll have the first one start. And uh, we're gonna start at the invisible part, right? So this half, the second part. OK, everyone.
And one to the king. Eternal, Immortal, invisible.
The only white God he honours glory forever and ever of them.
All right, I'm good. See all your glory forever and ever. Amen.
Now unto your king, Eternal, Immortal, invisible.
The old in the king, white girl, and the Lord's own glory forever and ever. In your name was God the honor, and glory forever and ever. Amen.
I think you can do it three times.
You did a good job, everyone. That was nice.
We have a great Lord, a great salvation.
Should pray and then, umm, we can keep on singing if you want.
Our loving God and our Father. We give thanks.
For a wonderful plan to save our souls and our spirits.
Before this body dies.
Before the wages of sin.
Takes us down.
To the punishment, Lord Jesus, we thank you that thou has come and offer thyself A sacrifice to God, wholly acceptable to God.
A perfect sacrifice.
Now thou, Lord Jesus, does stand and offer eternal life to whoever.
Would receive it.
Oh Lord, we do pray for those that aren't sure.
We thank you for the Holy Spirit continuing to work, and we do pray that we would have compassion on people and tell them that we would Umm.
Tell others save with fear, pulling them from the fire.
Lord, we do pray that we would. Umm.
Trust and obey and and.
Let thy Holy Spirit do the works of the Spirit, the love, the joy, the peace, the long-suffering, gentleness and goodness that it would shine out in good works in our lives. We do pray that we will be kind to our brother. We would be tender hearted, forgiving one another either as our Lord for Christ, our God for Christ sake has forgiven us.
Help us in the days to come.
And again, help us to go on our way rejoicing in this great salvation.
To leave you honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
On Greater Joy
Children—A. Zacarias
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Good morning, everybody.
9930 So let's start with the Sunday School Welcome. Welcome to the Spanish class.
I'm just kidding is the Sunday school. I hope your Spanish is better this year.
So all my English is better this year, so I keep learning. Let's commit ourselves about their head are gone and loving Father, we thank you.
This beautiful sunny day where we can come and be together. Open the Bible freely. We asking you for all these kids over here.
Younger kids, Older kids.
Thank you for the opportunity to.
Open the word and.
Read more about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to learn a little bit more about Him.
We asking you to open our hearts, our ears, our eyes.
So we can be.
Ready to receive?
Whatever you have for us, we're asking you for the speaker, we're asking you for everybody who got to participate today.
But we asking you to you use.
US.
And that your Holy Spirit can move freely.
And everybody here can receive the portion that you have for for us.
We are here for the kids, you know that.
With desire for them.
Moore of our Lord Jesus Christ in his life.
We desire for our lives to.
But we pray for these kids in this room every everywhere where the Bible is open, that your Holy Spirit move.
And if it's somebody who still needs to receive the free gift of salvation, today can be the day of salvation for that person, that kid.
That person everywhere, we thank you and we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
Well let's start with some songs. I confess I'm not very good to start song so I got to need some help. So who wants to have the first song this morning OK #100.
S.
570.
Three.
Zero where the light is crying out for his clothes in your heart.
00:05:27
Nsnoise.
Hallelujah.
You know, it's a it's a big difference from all those on this world that may they name God.
Our profit I need many I can mention just couple maybe Buddha, Krishna, Mahoma, the prophet uh of different sects. It's a big difference You can go and visit maybe the grave and see where they die and where the bones are or where the bones used to be because now it's dust there but they.
Still dead there, but you know you can go.
And look the place where the Lord Jesus Christ, they put it to when he was dead, but that place is empty now because he arose from the dead and he is alive. He is God and he's coming soon. Who? Who else have a a song? OK.
Which one?
Four in the appendix.
Thank you.
Let's do it from here to the chairman to get Jeremiah to hear my heart run, my heart run down the.
Where we find that?
00:10:03
Somebody OK?
One 54154.
Nsnoise.
Nsnoise.
Oh, OK.
And from.
The love of God.
Is deeper than the oceans.
Higher that the sky.
That great love of God. And we can come today and sing about that love, love. Rejoice on that love.
00:15:05
That he sang his only begotten Son.
That whosoever believed in him, I hope.
There's nobody here that don't believe that.
I hope that everybody's here today believe in our Lord Jesus Christ as His personal Savior.
You know, it's, uh, sometimes we hear people saying, oh, I hope I can be in two places at once.
And maybe somebody dreams to be here and to be somewhere else. But you know, I believe we can, we can do that. We can be here physically, but mentally we can be somewhere else our.
Our mind can go away and start thinking maybe on what I need to do tomorrow, what I need to go do home when I get there.
And miss and lost that.
Message that God has for us today.
That his love is great and is for us. I always tell tell my kids make it count. And I say for myself too, when I go to meeting, I need to re to keep telling my mind, make it count. If we go into a meeting where we go to pray, let's pray. Let's let's put my body, my mind, my soul.
At that time, at that moment, to be on my knees or.
And and be praying and to bring my mind to the things of God.
And if we hear singing some late sing songs to him.
And forget about what is outside. Let's sing songs about Jesus. Let's bring praises to his name because he deserves.
I always tell my kids too, I use a lot of my kids, for example, because I, I think it's the, the ones I preach the most. I preach to my kids, but I preach to myself too. And I always tell my kids, you know, I really believe in a practical way that when we come together here.
And sometimes I think, well, I got to come and bring prices to low to the lower and and and exalt his name. Yeah, that is that is very good. But I think also is for my own benefit. It's for my own benefit. I tell my kids, you know.
Is next Lord's Day or this Lord's Day? Every Christian in the world say we got to make a strike and we don't. Nobody, nobody got to sing songs to the Lord. Nobody got to be precious to his name. Do you guys believe God got to cease to be God?
He needs us for him to be who he is. You guys believe that?
I don't think so. God is all sufficient, all powerful.
So when I bring prices to His name, when I bring glory to His name, when I read the Bible is for my own benefit, because He is God forever.
So let's make a count today.
Don't be in two places at once. Be here today and listen for what He has for you today. We've seen songs to His glory, to His name, because He deserve it. He has all the glory.
He has belongs to him.
So it's nice to be here and to.
Make account somebody else have a son.
Hannah.
100,100.
OK. So I don't know if everybody has his Bibles over here in the front, maybe they will don't. Do you guys think we can do it, maybe with some help maybe?
Let's give it a try.
00:20:43
I think it doesn't know.
OK, praise the Lord.
Let's turn into my name and then turn on the stars and pray.
For one generation and by the time it's been in grace of the world.
Uh, craziness of the ho ho ho.
Praise the Lord.
OK. All right.
We should bring the ball.
Praise the Lord.
OK, so I'm going to come back to you, by the way. I'm going to praise you, praise the Lord and praise the Lord.
Somebody else have another son?
28 in the back. Thank you very much.
OK, so I think the verses for this week, the verse for this week is found in Roman Romans 3623, Romans 623. Who wants to say the verse? Who memorized the verse for this week? Who want to say you want to say it?
OK, OK.
Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1623.
Our Lord Romans 623 thank you and.
The way this is finished then the gains of calculator Jesus Festivals festival.
The material to the extract that they get the car is eternal life in Jesus Christ of Olympics 33.
00:25:02
So it is a genuine test for the gifts of God and the same word, the Jesus Christ Jesus, umm who umm umm 600 umm.
Internal life.
OK.
So were you ask? Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, sure.
Where did he stay in his desperate to give some goddess eternal life to Christians over Olympic sources? Thank you.
Let me tell you that the gift of God's room is generalized.
Can you just press that button?
Yes Sir, we just finished yes, that the gifted guys eternal life to Jesus Christ our Lord believes him somebody else.
Somebody else wanna say it?
To Jesus Christ our Lord.
Roman.
663 Good job good. Sometimes we all need help, right?
He waited as soon as that the gift is parallel to the person around 626. Thank you.
Somebody else you wanna say?
From ma'am. Good job. Thank you. And you wanna see it now, not today, OK.
What? Why? You wanna say no, not today, OK. You change your mind, that's OK. You know, it's hard for even for adults sometimes come in front of everybody. And this morning we was talking about that. Sometimes I even forget the name of my own kids.
I look and it's Joshua here and I said Joseph, Oh, oh, sorry, Joshua. Sometimes I even forget. I am very, very bad to remember names and uh, I can't remember, you know, by a trade that a mechanic so I can take an engine apart and put it back together and I know how to do it. I remember what this piece go and with this go, but sometimes I don't remember the names of people.
And it's hard or sometimes it's hard when we come in front of everybody or when you guys need to send you versus and say it in front of everybody. That makes people nervous, uh, the kids nervous and sometimes we forget, but it's good to know that we have health. Why, why, why we don't all say this verse all together. Let's say that Romans 623, uh, for the wages of sin is death, but.
There is no light.
All right, no problem. The wages of sin is death. You know your daddy goes to work every day, Most every day. And you know why is why is the reason he goes to work? Who can tell me why your daddy goes to work?
Just because he wants to go over there and have fun.
Why your daddy goes to work.
Because the family needs to eat, right? The little kid needs to eat. We need we need a place where we can live a roof. And you guys need clothes and you guys need toys. You guys like toys, right? My kids love toys and looks like a day never have enough toys. They always want one more, one more. So that is goes to work and they work hard.
And comes a happy time for that is too when that check comes, when the wages of your work comes and you have the pay of your work and you have that money you receive. Well over here we can see that the the wages of the pay for seeing is dead. And the brother was.
00:30:08
One of the brothers yesterday and when he was speaking with, he was telling the death on the Bible speak of separation, separation from God.
When somebody die without the Lord Jesus Christ, without believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's separate from God eternally and is the pay from sin. The wages of sin is dead. But we sing some songs about the love of God and the love of God is eternal life in our Lord Jesus Christ. And you know, I think it's the Lord has been.
Speaking these days to to my heart about the the love of God and it's something.
Uh, I wanna talk to you.
Uh, last week on our meeting place.
We have.
Uh, the Holy Spirit brings to our hearts in our meeting place over there in Tacoma, the love of the Father, the love of the Father that he gave his only begotten Son, he gave us, he gave our Lord Jesus Christ to die for us in the, in the cross. You know, I, I used that example many times.
When I speak about the love of God.
Some years ago, I remember being shocked about the news that come and the and the radio and what's in the papers and everywhere in the Internet about that mad math guy, a young guy who went to a middle school.
With guns.
And he harmed many little children. I think 20 something children's died that day because this mad, mad kids, mad God.
Gracie.
If somebody comes to me that day or the day before in the morning and could you tell me something going to happen in that school that day and you know, your your kids go got to be hurt and maybe something got to happen to your kids. You know, I don't think I send my kids to the school.
I tell my kids, so my wife, the kids to stay at home. They don't even going out.
I don't want my kids to be harmed because I love it so much. So embrace my heart to know that God who knows everything, He knew that when he son the Lord Jesus Christ was coming to this world, they got to use.
Nails. They got to hit him. They got to put a crown of thorns. They got to spit on his face. They got to pull his hair. They got to pull his name.
They go to damages so bad and he will die in the cross and he still send his Son to this world. He knew what God would happen to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ knew what was going to happen to him when he come to this world.
But He gives His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life, He knew.
And he thanked his son. He sang his son.
For you and for me, the love of God, great love.
That he gave us.
He's only begotten.
He gave us our Lord Jesus Christ. He gave freely. And the Lord Jesus Christ says send me, I'm here, send me. I wanna go because I love them, because I wanna die for them, because I wanna have a relationship with them. Like I told you before, he don't need you. He don't need me, but he wants you. He wants to have that relationship with you. He wants you to every day. Come to him and call him that.
Daddy. Hi, Dad. Daddy, I need you. Daddy, I want you.
I need your help. I I don't know what to do in this case. I don't know what to do doing this or doing that. Please guide me.
00:35:02
Because he wants a relationship.
I always think on on my kids when when I I think in that great lot.
It's so nice, you know, every, every year when we come here to camp for my kids.
Is the high note of the summer to come to come to this camp and camping and be with you guys and grow and you know for the many years we see you guys growing. I remember seeing many of you guys being in in arms with your parents, very little babies and your parents bring you here. I see many kids learning.
Ride bikes around here. I remember some kids, the daddy.
Behind the bike, running behind the bike quickly because the kid is going, going, going, going. I see. I remember one time when one daddy let one of the little kids learning how to ride a bike down the hill, just there you go and the kid is going, going. And then he started going like back and forth. The mommy praying. Please, Lord help me, tell me, but you guys learned one of my finest memories.
And something I really remember.
Long, long time ago is my daddy.
Being behind me and I'm learning to ride my bike.
I don't have my dad for.
From much time he is still living.
I lost my mind when when, when I was nine and after that.
It's like I lost my dad too.
But one of my finest, one of my joyful memories is.
It's in my mind when my dad was behind me.
Running behind me and telling me go son just keep pedaling.
Keep going, you can do it.
The love of the Father.
And just like our brother was telling us yesterday, you know something I can tell you for sure.
Young kids. Little kids.
Is that your father? Your mother? They love you so much. They really love you. I love my kids.
This last week I needed to go back home. I bring my kids here.
And I needed to go back home because I needed to go to work.
You know when I get home.
To an empty house. My kids was not there, my wife, my wife was not there. I was about to turn around and come back.
I really need them.
Don't create families.
And you know, I got to keep let you know a secret, and I know you already know this.
But we are your parents myself. We are not perfect, we make many mistakes, but something I know is that your parents love you so much.
They love you so much.
And we want the best for you. And you know what is the best for you.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That is the best for you.
I have a a person that I wanna read in the 3rd letter of John John.
Dear up, John.
And.
Let me read to you verse 4.
And if you have a Bible, little kids over here in the front or young kids, please go with me to George John.
Best for?
I have no great joy. I have no greater joy than to hear.
That my children.
Walk in truth.
I have no greater joy.
Can I say I have no greater joy than to hear that my children is going to college and he will become a rich man when he graduates?
00:40:04
I have no greater joy than to know that one day my son or my daughter go to be a doctor and go to have everything they desire on this world. That is my great joy.
No, I have no greater joy than to hear that, my children.
Walking in truth, the Lord Jesus Christ says I am the truth.
I am the truth. I am the life. I am the way.
He is the truth. I have no greater joy than to know that my children's walk in truth.
I always push my kids.
I think the the once I push the most is my older kid Jonathan.
To go to school and to study. But you know, I I've been learning and the Lord has been talking to me.
He talked me through this verse.
And I don't say that going to college is wrong. It's OK. I don't say that if you have a good job, it's wrong. It's OK to have a good job. But you know what is better?
To know the truth and to walk in the truth. And the truth is our Lord Jesus Christ and is no greater joy than that. Let me tell you something, kids.
You can grow.
And be the richest man in the world.
But if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ, your life is worthless.
You can be the most famous, the most strongest, the richest, but if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ.
This passing through this life is worthless is nothing.
But if you know the Lord Jesus Christ, whatever happened to you on this life?
Because you know the Lord Jesus Christ.
I hope you put that in in your mind. I I've been hearing about kids who going to college and statistics says that in every three kids in every three kids, Christian kids who goes to college to lost his faith.
From every three to get away from the Lord.
I have no greater joy than to know that my children.
And you know.
I know that for your parents.
It is no greater joy than to know that you kids, you kids are walking.
Walking in the truth.
Is my desire, and I believe is the desire of your parents.
And you know, like I told you, we make many mistakes. I make many mistakes. And many times I needed to come to my children's and tell him, I'm sorry, son.
I'm sorry, son.
Because my priorities maybe was not right.
Where I desired the most for you.
He said you loved the Lord Jesus Christ.
And you walk with him every day of your life.
I love you so much, son.
That is what my desire is and I know the desire of the Father, the Heavenly Father, our God and our Father is that you walk with him, with our Lord Jesus Christ. A brother in San Diego once. Tell me, older brother, who now is with the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't have kids, we don't have kids. We don't bring kids of this world that they go to hell.
When?
We have kids and I'm a I'm a Christian. Our prayer is that you guys become a Christian too, that you know the Lord Jesus Christ, that you receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and you have a personal relationship with him, You know, been sitting in this place.
00:45:10
Or being born in a Christian family don't automatically make you a Christian.
You need yourself. Salvation is personal. Salvation is a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to recognize that you are a Sinner and you need a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus Christ our Lord.
Is personal, is no from a group.
It's a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to have that personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. No, because you're born in a Christian family. Are you a Christian automatically?
We don't have kids.
So that they go to hell. We have kids believing.
Believe it.
That you and your house will be safe. Umm, and my house and I pray every day that my kids, they really have that personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And I know it's the prayer of your parents too. And if there's somebody here today.
He feeds somebody here today.
They need to come and tell the Lord Jesus Christ, I believe in you. I want that personal relationship with you. Still time. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day when you can come and tell the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ, I need you. I need to have a savior, and I want you, please to save me.
Because it's no great joy.
But to know that my kids, that my children are walking.
In truth.
We love you kids, we really love you.
And the best?
The best we desire for you is Jesus, young kids.
Like I told you so.
It is a privilege to see you guys growing.
And be strong. It is a privilege to see you guys growing and to keep walking with the Lord Jesus Christ. I really hope that next year.
We can see you growing more, but not only in stature, but in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and I, I and I think you can tell the same to me. I hope that for you too, brother.
I hope that you keep growing the Lord Jesus Christ, because it's the desire of our hearts. I wanna finish in a happy note.
I see this young kids doing tricks with his bikes, running backwards. Sometimes they go backwards in his bikes, they jump on from the table.
And they really don't have any fear. I think if I do something like that, I probably got to be with a broken bone for months. But I, I, I, let me tell you a story. Well, it's just a fictitious story, but, and I need to see to show you, this was a kid who was riding his bike and he was learning. And pretty soon he feels like he don't need anybody else. He can do everything in his bike. He's doing tricks now and everything.
He his parents was sitting in a table and he passed one side and passed it with his bike riding his and he said look mom, no hands and he just keep going no hands. And you say fast coming back and say look mom, no hands, no feet and he's just going like that in his body pretty soon.
A tree cross on the front and boom he hits the front the the the tree because he has no hands.
No Fear in his wife. So he started crying. He hit his face and he comes back and says look mom.
So be careful. We love you, we love you kids, and we desire the best for you. Who has another song we can sing before we close?
00:50:03
So, OK, 5353.
Nsnoise.
OK.
God love your Father. We thank you for this, this song that we can sing to you. Thank you for your love.
Thank you because.
We lost because you love us 1St and you send your son to be the propitiation for a sin.
And if we love our children, it's because you put that love in our hearts.
We pray for our young people, our our children.
That just like this, sons say.
They never turned him back from our Lord Jesus Christ. They follow.
They follow our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Good Shepherd.
The one who?
Call us by our names and we know him.
And we followed him.
Help us give us the strength to never turn back.
And to keep walking with him, because we know.
His coming is soon.
Maybe today.
Please are going on a fire. Prepare heart for the next meeting where we can come and.
Remember our Lord Jesus Christ in his death and what He did for us in the cross.
Giving his body.
Giving his blood.
For us prepare our hearts that we can be, we can bring.
Sacrifice of our lives.
Sons, spiritual sons, verses that glorify His name.
Thank you for this time. We can be together.
And thank you for your amazing love, great love.
We pray in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.