Burbank Conference: 2004
Table of Contents
1 Corinthians 15:35-45
Reading
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My Father's throne, nice passive shame, or thy heart shall grieve, and more, no more, Lord. Now we wait for thee to come and take us to thy Father's home. Or what ecstatic joy it will be to spend the eternity with the 216.
Lord, we rejoice.
I had before us the Lord's coming in some way or another.
Two aspects of it is coming for us and then with us.
And.
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That is the hope that is ours, our blessed hope to quit this scene and things of this world that grow dim when we keep that before us.
I think that would be in our readings. Wonderful subject.
I have a little exercise along that line. I want to read a couple verses before I mention it. First in Ecclesiastes 3/19 and 21/19, 2:21.
Ecclesiastes.
Three I think, Sorry.
19.
For that which follows the sons of men befalleth beasts. Even one thing befalleth them. As one diet so die as the other. Yay, they have all one breath, so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast. For all is vanity. All go under one place, all are of the dust, all turn the dust again.
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Turn to 1St Corinthians 15, First Corinthians 15.
And verse.
17.
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, Ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable, J&D to be pitied. But now is Christ risen.
From the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. Verse 23 but every man in his own order Christ the first fruits afterward they did our Christ at his coming.
My exercise is the 15th chapter of First Corinthians, but not all.
I was thinking it would be nice to handle it if my brethren agree.
That is of the Lord from the 35th verse to the end and if there's time.
1St Thessalonians 4.
13 to the end.
You know, when I was as young as some of our young people here.
And I heard Brother Hey Ho and Brother Paul Wilson, Brother Clarence Lundeen, Brother Brown of the Des Moines. I could go on, occupied with the Lord's coming as though they're not going to die.
And I used to say, well, it's all right for them. They're all.
By this spent, but you know I learned better.
Because the more you're occupied with the fact any moment you may go to glory and see your Maker and your Savior, it helps get your feet off this ground for a godly walk. It's really what we should be occupied with.
And I feel this portion will give something for the young people and children as well as the older. It's a good portion because the first verses do away with evolution. You don't even have to think about it. Paul said. If it's not according to the word of God, it's science, falsely so-called. But that's enough for me. But when you get occupied with what this chapter has.
You realize there's a difference, but I just read one verse that the young people can sink their teeth in. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of birds.
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Oh, it gets into something better than.
But you know, you know, monkeys did not evolve into men.
That's enough said, isn't it? But the Lord here puts it the best way. I just suggest we take 35 down to the end of First Corinthians 15 and if time 1St Thessalonians 4. I leave it to my brethren.
Would be a nice bathroom exercise soon before us.
We need it together then this Corinthians chapter 15.
Beginning at verse 35.
But some men will say, How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come? Thou fool? That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it died. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that that body that shall be, but bear grain. It may change of weeks, or of some other grain, but God giveth it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of man, another flush of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, the body and bodies industrial, for the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.
For one star different from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead.
It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown in natural body. It is raised in spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The 1St man Adam was made a living soul.
The last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual. The 1St man is of the earth earthy, the 2nd man is the Lord from heaven.
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy. And asked is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, the flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither does corrupt corruption inherit in corruption.
Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption.
And this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallow up in victory. Oh, death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ therefore.
My beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable.
Always abounding in the work of the world, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
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Might be helpful before we get to this portion that we read to get just a little quick outline of this chapter and other comments that apply to the First Epistle to the Corinthians, which is largely corrective, Largely corrective. And there were many things that needed correction there. Paul had spent 18 months at Corinth, and they were established in some measure, but there was still a lot of things that needed to be.
Corrected, he says in verse two. Well, I'll read a couple of verses from the beginning. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein you stand. He refers back to the time when he went to Corinth and he preached the gospel to them. They had received it, and they stood in the faith of it. And then he says, By which also ye are saved, that gospel brings one to salvation. If.
You keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. There was something there that had come in. There was false doctrine that was being spread at Corinth by some and.
He says in the.
In the.
12TH verse.
In verse 11, therefore, whether it were.
Wait a minute.
He's talking about.
Well, that's good. If Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how? Here's the error. How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead. Now, what are the consequences of that doctrine, whatever they meant by it, he he develops it, he says, but if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? He was dead. If there's no resurrection of the dead whatever the the one that preached that.
That false doctrine that was so serious because the gospel that he preached is in verse three. We'll just go back there for a moment. I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received three things, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. These are three fundamental truths. He was crucified, He was dead, He was buried, and He rose.
He rose and then he brings forth the witnesses that testified to his resurrection of those three things. No one denies that he died. That's a known fact. And that he was buried. That's a known fact. But that he rose, that is challenge that was challenged way back then. And now here's this doctrine that has sprung up at Corinth that says there's no resurrection of the dead. And if that's the case, Paul says then Christ wasn't risen. And that's one of the very foundations which they believe. They had heard it from him, they had received it, they stood in the faith of it. They were saved by it.
Says, If ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain, if Christ be not risen as he develops in these first parts of the first half of the chapter, Christ be not risen. Your faith is vain, worthless, of no effect. You're not saved. And those that have died in Christ in faith, you'll never see them again. You have no hope. It's all founded upon the resurrection, founded upon his death and resurrection.
And so this was very serious, he says, if Christ be preached, verse 12.
That He rose from the dead. How, say some among you, there is no resurrection of the dead. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, cry then Christ is not risen. And what are the consequences of that? And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain? We're preaching a false gospel. What I preach to you, and what you received and wherein you stand, and by which you were saved, isn't true.
Christ be not risen. You are preaching is vain. Your faith is also vain, worthless.
Yeah. And if we are, we are found false witnesses of God. We've misrepresented things.
Because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up. If so be that the dead rise not.
And if the dead rise not, then is not Christ risen?
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins, then they also which have fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
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You'll not see them again. Everything is lost are being gathered here. Every single one of us have been deceived. We believe that a message which isn't true, if Christ isn't risen, the whole foundation truth of Christianity is destroyed.
But then he says in verse, he says, if in this life only they are fallen, as we are of all men, we have hope in Christ. If we only have hope in Christ in this life, we're a most miserable of all men.
Paul had nothing but persecution, trial sufferings in his witness for Christ. We don't know much of that in this nation. But he he said if what I've been preaching and what you've heard and received and believed and were saved by is not true.
Then I, Paul, and those that are preaching this gospel with death facing them every day.
Our most miserable of all men, we have nothing beyond dislike. It's only in dislike that we have hope in Christ. We're the most miserable of all men. But verse 20, now, now is Christ risen. Now that's a statement of fact and that's what the gospel presents. Those that preach the gospel should always emphasize we're preaching the facts that he died, he was buried, and he rose again and he's coming again. Those are facts. But the first three are past, is coming again is still future.
Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept and.
The only time he mentions his coming in this chapter is in verse 23, and I'm going to read those other verses, verse 21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. That's the second man, the last Adam.
For as an Adam all die, Even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits afterward they that are Christ in his coming.
Now that's the first time and the only time his coming is mentioned in this chapter. And then it goes from that point in time when he comes for us to take us home and he goes through the through his coming back to establish his ring rights here. It it goes past the tribulation period. It goes past the Millennium, goes to the end of the thousand year reign verse 24, then cometh the end.
When he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father.
When he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power, for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet, The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. That will be at the great white throne where death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. There'll be no more death. The only thing that death effects is the body. The body is subject to death. I've often said to those that are Christians and they're facing death, and if they can say to their persecutors, The only thing that you can touch of me is my body, you can kill it.
You can't touch me, you can't touch my soul, you can't touch my spirit. And I'm going to receive a new body, and it's going to be just like Christ. And so if you put me to death, that's just the beginning for me. Death is ours and it brings us into the presence of the Lord, and then we'll receive a new body.
Well, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. After the Great White Throne, there will be no more death.
He has put all things under his feet, when he saith, all things are put under him in his manifest, that he is accepted which did put all things under him. That's the Father. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be All in all. That to me is one of the most profound, deepest, precious truths in the Word of God, even after everything has been turned back.
To the Father that put all things under Christ, then he as man will be subject, still subject. He took the place of subjection when He became a man, so that he could say in John 14, My father is greater than I. It's only this man that he could say that as God the Son, he was equal with the Father. I and my Father are one, but in His manhood He was subject to Him. And so He'll still be a man, beloved, still be a man.
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In eternity he'll never cease to be a man, so he's even. Then when he's turned everything back to the Father, then he, the Son as man, is subject to him that put all things under him that Godfather, Son, and Holy Spirit will be. All in all, He'll still be God. He can never be. He'd never give that up. He's still his God, but he is man and he'll never give that up.
He began at a point in time to become a man.
Christendom tomorrow, Saturday, will celebrate that.
Most don't know him.
Don't know him, but he'll always be a man. And that's what that verse tells us, that God may be All in all, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How can that be? How can he? How can one of the persons of the Godhead be both God and man? Well, that's the mystery. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed down in the world.
Received up into glory, that verse in first Timothy 316 starts with God becoming a man, God coming down into manhood and it ends with man going up into the glory and presence of God. Well, that's that's the that's the beginning of this chapter and it's really so important. It's the resurrection of Christ and the essential of that. And then we come to the end of the chapter. We're going to be just like him. We're going to partake.
In that same resurrection life that He has given to us, even as to our bodies.
Even as to our bodies.
We shouldn't forget verse 29 as long as we're going back before we begin.
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead? If the dead rise not at all? Why are they baptized for the dead that means?
Filling in the ranks, brethren.
Napoleon on the Isle of Elbow. Elbow, wasn't it? Read the New Testament and he was actually asked what did you find? And it's in print.
I found out that Christ was the greatest general of all time.
His ranks never thinned.
That's where Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo. He's ranked and thinned too much.
But filling in the ranks when you're baptized and when you take your place as a Christian, you fill in the ranks. And we older ones are so happy it's being done and we're so happy to see young people and children going on.
Because that is the army that will never diminish. That's a wonderful verse too. They're all good. It was important, was it not, that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus be clearly established in the minds of these Corinthian Saints before he take up the coming of the Lord Jesus and the resurrection of those who have died in faith. Important because this brother Chuck pointed out.
Christ the first fruit, then those which are Christ that is coming. And I believe, brethren, that we need to taste tenaciously hold on to the truth not only of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, but his bodily resurrection. Because there are those down through the ages who have taught that the Lord just rose in spirit but not in body. That's a lie of the devil. It's blasphemy, it's error. And so when the Lord Jesus rose from the dead.
That's why he remained on earth as long as he did before he ascended back to glory, to give ample and complete testimony beyond a shadow of a doubt to his own that he had bodily risen from the dead, appearing to his own on various occasions, even to about 500 brethren at one time. And so there was an occasion when he ate a piece of a broiled fish in a honeycomb in front of the disciples.
Why did he do that? To prove that he had bodily risen from the dead. I'd like to repeat just a little story that I realized most have heard me tell before, but I think it illustrates this truth very well. Where's the missionaries? One time working in one of the busy cities in India, and one day they were on a street and they were startled by a large parade coming down the street. And they made inquiries as to what was taking place, and they were told that supposedly a bone of Buddha had been found.
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And it was being carried in a box down the street, and the followers of Buddha were rejoicing that this bone had been found.
Well, the missionaries, they watched this for a time, and after they retired to their quarters and talked over the matter, they concluded the contrast between that and, as they said in Christianity, if a bone of the Lord Jesus had been found. Because they concluded that if a bone of the Lord Jesus were supposedly found, it would not cause great rejoicing amongst the Christians. It would cause sorrow because it would be the proof that the Lord Jesus hadn't bodily risen from the dead.
But rather than a bone of the Lord, Jesus will never be found in this world, because he said to his disciples on that occasion I alluded to.
Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bone, as ye see me. Have again ample testimony that He had risen bodily from the dead. Not only that, but he ascended back to the Father bodily. And as Brother Chuck pointed out, for all eternity he's going to remain a man so that he can share heaven with His bride, so that he can be in the midst of those that He died for. And what a wonderful thing to realize that we are going to have in that day, brother.
Of glory like unto his body of glory. But I hope it is what a springboard for us to motivate our hearts to follow him now. And I just want to make one further comment in that connection. Brethren, if we don't hold on to the truth of the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus and the resurrection of the Saints and the hope of the Lord's coming for we which are alive and remain and so on. We're not going to be motivated to live for God's glory now.
Why would a person give up present advantage if they don't have something to in the future? A student goes off to college or university, they perhaps live on very little. Their accommodations aren't what they would perhaps like. They perhaps don't eat like they should. They stay up late to study, don't go out with their friends when they want to. Why do they do that? They have something to the future. They say, well, when I get my degree, I'll get a good job or a better job and things will be better. But if we lose sight of what's ahead, brethren.
We're not going to be motivated, as I say, to live for God's glory. It's like that verse in the 29th chapter of Proverbs. I think it's verse 18. It says where there is no vision, the people perish or they cast off restraint. And why is it so often we become careless in our practical life for Christ down here? Well, I suggest that at least one reason is because we're not looking ahead to that time when we're going to be with and like Him in the Father's house.
Why would one why would one want to take the place of a Christian that was baptized and going to suffer the sufferings of death? Why would one want to take the place of one like that? If there was no hope, that would be foolish. It's history tells us that of the 12/11 were martyred John the back, John the disciple.
Of died a natural death, I believe the one that wrote Revelation and John and so on. But why would they be preaching? The book of Acts is the preaching of the resurrection of Christ. Basically that's what it is. Why would they want to do that if he wasn't risen? The they knew he was risen. And if all they had to do to disprove Christianity, all the Romans had to do, all the Jews had to do was produce the body of the dead Christ.
We couldn't do that because he wasn't dead. He rose again the third day. They couldn't produce that body. All they had to do was produce that body. And as you pointed out, a bone, even just any at any part of it, that would destroy our whole faith. And so our faith rests upon the certainty of his resurrection. And that is the foundation for our resurrection. He's the first fruits. A farmer sent his wife out into the fields at the time of the harvest. And he said, bring me in a, a sample of what's out there. We'll see what it looks like.
And she brought it in and he said, oh, it looks beautiful. And that told him the rest of the fields the same way.
The rest of the fields the same way. And so we're going to be body, soul and spirit just like him. What a wonderful hope is ours. Seems to me that this first verse that we started with is more or less of an unbelieving question. How are the dead raised up? You know, those that don't want to believe something, they want to find fault. The reason I say that is that verse 36 has that word fool.
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In it, and sometimes the scripture uses that word, at least King James is translated fool when it should be senseless like oh senseless Galatians.
But here I had it underlined us that made me think of it. It is the word fool because these are unbelievers that are smoking and saying some man will say how are the dead raised up? What body do they come? Well, if they can't understand it, they don't want to believe it because they don't want to believe it in the 1St place. So that's a strong word, isn't it, to call them fools. And I think if you check it out, only the Lord Jesus and here Paul actually uses that word calling somebody either a fool or a hypocrite. Only the Lord Jesus used those terms. We should never use them against whatever.
Verse 35 is satanic. It cannot be a man by the Spirit of course.
Satan always raises the duck. Satan always poses a question and that's it. That's even the apostles in Luke 24. The Lord said, why do thoughts arise in your hearts? What's the matter with you? They didn't believe him even then after all the proof of Luke 24, because Satan put that doubt there. He started with the in in Genesis right at the beginning. Yay hath God said.
That's all he needed with Eve, started her thinking. No, I don't think he meant that we're going to die, surely. Die. No. God knew, he said. He plants the seed that she shall become as God, and you'll know good and evil. You're just like God.
He can't choose the good and observe the evil, though, and that's where man is. But Satan raises a doubt, and the doubt he really raises is.
Hold it, senior moment.
If thou be the Christ.
Prove it right Luke 4 three times. If thou be the Christ and at the cross, what did the.
Pharisees and scribes and religious leaders say, if thou be the Christ, that's the Satanic. And so here anytime a question comes in your mind and I tell the young people, forget it. If you're reading a verse and you don't understand it, don't wrestle with it.
You're wrong every time.
Just ask the Lord to make it clear.
And then go on, He will be like this or your own reading meeting or a help you read or something. He'll do it. Make it clear. Every question I find that really puzzles me. I do not find it in the old writers and I'm not criticizing the old writers, but I have to look to God and the Lord and I'm glad I do. I look up, I always fail and look it up all first, even in J&D.
Synopsis at all. It's not there.
But the Lord reveals it, and then thank you. Don't keep asking Him without thanking him when he reveals it. But don't use this up here at the top. It's wrong every time.
The issue of resurrection we should get we should get a good grasp on because the scripture mentioned it over and over again. And even when it comes to the gospel, we often forget to preach the resurrection. We preach that Jesus died for our sins, but we have to remember that. Let's turn to Romans, the well known verse that we often quote Romans 10:00 and 9:00.
It amazed me one day when I read it carefully and to see how resurrection was important to the Word of God. We all know this verse. We learned it when we were young. He says that thou shall confess with thy mouth of Lord Jesus and and shall believe in thine heart. What? Well, it tells us exactly. That is to believe that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. We have to remember both of that. Death and resurrection go together.
We find in Let's turn to another verse in John's Gospel, chapter 12.
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Why he died?
John's Gospel chapter 12, verse 24 is that's very late, verily, as they do, except for four and a week, fall into the ground and died. It abideth along. But if it died, it bringeth forth much fruit. But we know the reason why the Lord died is to bring forth much fruit. But then is that the only place that we know of death and resurrection? No, we know Scripture speaks of it frequently and even in the Old Testament.
If we were to look at the seven beasts of Jehovah, we'll find out there's a beautiful picture in there of death and resurrection. If you remember, the first feast was that feast of the past of of the Passover and immediately after that with the Feast of the Unleavened Bread. But what do we find the day after the Sabbath? The third feast is called the Feast of the First Fruits. What is that encompass of? Well, we know that the picture of our Lord Jesus Christ and you'll find 2 scriptures use this date consistently, the 17th day of the month that we often don't think of.
Will find that the Passover, you remember the story of the Passover. They would have picked that lamb on the 10th day and they were to keep it between the 10th, between the 10th day, between the evening on the 14th day they shall kill it. Well, the following day, that would be from the 14th to the 15th day, we find our Lord Jesus was crucified on the 15th day. On the 16th day was the Sabbath day.
And what is the day after? It was 17th day, isn't it? And you'll find the 17th day speaks of resurrection. A brother mentioned about Genesis a minute ago. That's what prompted me into thinking about and I'd like to turn to.
A portion in Genesis, just for very brief movement. I think it's in the 10th chapter. What speaks of resurrection. I'm sorry, the 8th chapter of Genesis.
Genesis chapter eight. Well that the 7th chapter speaks of the flood. The flood speaks of death, does it not? Chapter, the water stopped. We find that in the end of the 7th chapter. I'm going to stick for sake of time here, let's go to verse.
Four of our chapter there is just in the ark rested in the seventh month on the 17th day of the month upon the mountains of Ararat. Now it's interesting to see that 17th day of the month mentioned here is just the 7th month. Now it's a little bit of things I should explain first in scriptures when you get to Exodus on the first month and the 7th month is reversed.
If you remember the 10th chapter of Exodus is that this shall be the beginning of years to you. Now the Jews supposed to have reversed the date since the year. The first of that month before the Passover should be the first month. The Lord wanted them to change that as if it was the new year. They never did so here in Genesis when they said the 7th month. You'll find that this is equivalent to the first month. The first month, the 17th day is the resurrection day. Here speaks of the first fruit of resurrection.
In fact, we at the topic this morning is not just resurrection. This is just the beginning of it as our hope builds on this, our hope is the Lord's coming. And I like to go down a little bit further as this chapter has an outline of prophecy of what's to come because of death and resurrection. We can go down now to verse 13, verse 13, we sit and it came to pass in the 601St year, in the first month, the first day of the month.
Now if you read all, I made a comment that we interchange the first month and 7th month. So here the first month would be in equivalent to the 7th month in Leviticus chapter 23. And if you remember that Passover, the Passover was the first, the feast of unleavened bread, then the first group, and then after the first brute, it's a feast of weeks. That's fifty days after the resurrection day.
With a Feast of Weeks, which speaks of pentacles. But what's after that? There's a wait, aren't they? There's a long period of waiting until we get to the 7th month, the first day.
Would be the 5th beast which is called the feast. Here's the picture of the Jewish nation being gathered back together. They were set aside. You know that after the death and resurrection, as a nation they are set aside and the Gentiles like us are brought into blessings. That's when we see the feast of weeks. But did the Lord forget His people? You know, he, He, he promised to bring them back. So we find here the Lord opened up this picture of that day when His people shall be gathered together to Him again.
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But for us, as we deem one, we know that before that happens, something is going to happen to us here. We're going to be called, we're going to be rapture out of this scene. What a beautiful way to look at it. Death and resurrection come first. The Jewish nation gets set aside. We as Gentiles are brought into blessings for just for a moment, and then his people are brought back in the blessings. Now that resurrection day, if you spend time to go through Scripture.
You'll find even in the Old Testament entry, repeatedly, you'll find that resurrect that feast. I'm sorry, the feast of the first root often is the feast is the barley harvest because that was early in the year, around March, April, It wouldn't be a full harvest barley. Maybe the farmers here would speak better than I can. Barley back in the land I believe was put into the ground throughout all winter.
And when spring come, it was the first fruits that comes out. So barley harvest with the fruit they use. Now if you were to look through scriptures again, if you recall Ruth and Naomi, and when Naomi returned back to the land, he said it was in the beginning of Bali, August. Here's the resurrection picture, isn't it? You were to look at the children of Israel as they crossed the Red Sea. You'll find that they've gone over on the 17th day. And you'll find that when they.
Gone over to the land into.
Into the new land that was also the 17th day. So resurrection is a very important things in the scripture and we ought to be able to remember it more and tell forth of the same story more. Not only are we looking forward to soon return but with a little time that is left here we can tell others about the death and resurrection and the soon coming of our blessing Savior.
Verse 36.
That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it died. He spoke to them in words. They understood Every example that the Lord gives, whether it's a parable or not, it's according to what they understand. He doesn't give them things beyond their reach. And they farmed, they sold, they knew what he talked about when the Greeks came and said to the apostles.
We would see Jesus. John 12, I think. And did he show himself to them? No. What did he say to them except a kernel of wheat? Fall in the ground and die. It'll bite alone. You'll never see me. That's it. Unless you see me die for you, you will never see me. That's the answer for those Gentiles, and that's the answer for each one of us. But you know, it's a very wonderful example, isn't it?
You take a kernel of wheat, place it on the shelf, leave it there for a hundred, 1000 years, and it's still a kernel of wheat, but let it fall in the ground and die. That's beautiful, isn't it? Really? It bringeth much fruit. That's his example in verse 36. He's very practical, brethren, you'll see that. And also whenever one comes to him, he takes them on the ground.
He comes, never changes the subject. We ought to practice that ourselves. Take Him on the ground they come. And the seed which is sown in the ground when it comes up, doesn't look anything like the seed that was planted. And that's what the 37th verse tells us. That which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but their grain. All you see is their grain, and you can set it on the counter.
And nothing will ever happen to it. It has to be planted, nurtured and watered. And then you'll see a the sprout from it. It says bear grain. It may chance of wheat or of some other grain, but God giveth it a body as it had pleased him.
00:50:04
And to every seed, his own body, sometimes one you have to wait when you plant the seed is you have to wait to see what comes up, because I'm not sure what this is. And when that body comes up, you know what it is all flesh.
He gives to every seed his own body, and this is so important that.
It says all flesh is not the same flesh. There is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of birds. Now.
That destroys that nonsense of evolution.
Totally destroys it. The flesh of man is different than the flesh of beasts and birds and fish. Totally.
And all you need is the scriptures to refute these wicked doctrines that are out there. And they even pretend that it's science. It's not scientific at all. It's the lie of Satan to try to attack the word of God. This book is the most attacked book in the world.
Been hated because it tells them that they come from a God to whom they are responsible and they don't come from some lesser creature in the creation, but they were created.
In the very image and likeness of God has not said about any of the other part of God's creation in Genesis, but to man, and the blessed Lord became a man.
Entered His own creation in manhood. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we're going to have the same kind of a body that he has in resurrection. And that's so beautiful. That's so beautiful. The flesh as the evil principle of the old nature will not be with us anymore. That's one of the blessings of the glory is we won't have that flesh anymore, but there will be flesh.
But it'll be a new IT will be like his without sin.
So everything didn't develop from a single cell, as the evolutionists would try to tell us.
But I just want to echo what Chuck alluded to because I think it's very important to get ahold of. And that is if man can convince himself of evolution and that everything came from a single cell and developed and evolved, then he doesn't have any responsibility to his maker.
And so we find that when God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, he gave them at his hand everything to enjoy. But there was one thing that they were not to touch or eat of, and that was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because that tree was the recognition that Adam and Eve were responsible to their Maker, that they had a responsibility toward God. But Adam, in reaching out and eating of the forbidden fruit, failed to recognize his responsibility to God.
And if man can convince himself that he dies like a dog, that there's nothing after this life, again, he has no responsibility to his Maker. But God has established very clearly in his word that man is responsible. Man is made a living soul. He does not die as a beast. He's responsible to his Maker. But man today is going on trying to discredit his responsibility. I just say this too about these verses we're considering.
That God is very gracious when He takes up the truth, to put it in a way that we can understand by drawing from the illustrations of nature. You find when the Lord Jesus was here in this world, in presenting the truth to those in His day, He often drew on the illustrations of nature. He talked about the weather and he knew that fishermen would understand what the signs, the streaks in the sky, and the color of the sky in the morning and at night would would mean. He understood that fishermen knew what it would be to go and cast a net into the sea and have it full of fishes of various kinds.
Farmers, as we've said, would understand what it was to go out and sow seed and have it fall on various types of ground and come up in various ways.
Isn't it precious, brethren, that in taking up the subject of the resurrection here, he draws on nature so that we can very clearly grasp and understand what the resurrection is? And so he talks about seed. He goes on then to talk about the, the, the planets and creation and, and when we see these little pictures in creation, the seeds sown, we understand that God is the not only the creator, but the sustainer of the universe and.
00:55:19
That it says of the Lord Jesus, by him all things subsist and so on. When we see that and by faith understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God and that He's the creator and sustainer of it, that He's giving us the breath we breathe while we sit in these seats, then is it hard to understand how the dead rise? If if we see these little pictures in creation and see God sustaining it, then it's not difficult to understand.
Otherwise we might be overwhelmed by the thought that there's going to be a shout at any moment and the dead in Christ are going to rise 1St and we're going to experience a change of the body and rise with them to meet the Lord in the air. That would be an overwhelming thought. But he goes back to creation and he says, now here it is illustrated in Creation.
It's not an overwhelming thought, it's a tremendous thought, but we can grasp it by faith and accept it as the truth of the Word of God and live in the good of it till it happens.
As it has pleased him. Let's don't forget humble the main thoughts and creation is wonderful, but this is new creation we're in as it has pleased him. Now look at the 12TH chapter.
Of this book, First Corinthians and verse 18.
Every young person better get a hold of this now, God. Now hath God set the members, every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. Now the word set is very important here. It's purposely done and permanently done.
Your place in the pride, the church, the body of Christ as it pleased him.
And you can please him in every minute of your life until he takes you home. And that's the purpose of it all. As it pleased him, He placed you in the assembly. Each one of you better remember that. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but I don't like to hear him say we're left here. We're not left here. We're sent here. There's purpose in our being here.
You know it, It says I want to get it, but I'll get it in a minute here.
As the Father has sent me, said the Lord, so have I sent you. You're not left. Never get that thought. That would be the worst thing he could do for a believer is leave him here. He sends us as ambassadors with a mission. Well, that's enough of that. But that as it pleased him. Never forget those verses. They're very important. We've had the illustrations from the Old Testament.
Of the resurrection, and we get it through the in the word all the way through.
New Testament is rich with it, founded upon the resurrection of Christ. But even nature itself, Few lived in the area where I live or in the Chicago area. And you looked at the trees, not the evergreens, but the normal trees. You'd say they were dead. Say they were dead. You look at them, there's no signs of life. But every spring God gives us a picture of the resurrection. Every spring that dead, so so-called dead tree springs to light.
Produces branches and leaves and and whatever he's told us in so many ways there is a resurrection, and without it we have no hope.
Verse 40. There are also heavenly bodies and bodies earthly.
One. But the glory of the heavenly is one. The glory of the earthy is another. You know, that's really what celestial and terrestrial mean.
I hope everyone here is not an earth dweller because in Revelation 8, an Angel, 1 Angel flew through heaven after 1/2 hour of absolute silence and the Angel said woe woe woe to earth dwellers. And I say that to everyone now if you're an earth dweller, woe unto you. Why?
01:00:07
For the judgment that was coming.
I walked through this world and I'm not boasting judgment free. Nothing can harm me. No one can harm me. It's a wonderful feeling. And if every young person here doesn't happen, be sure to get it fast. It's the best thing that there is.
Could I just ask a question if the business referring to the celestial and the terrestrial, heavenly and earthly?
Would that not indicate the heavenly people and the earthly people rather than the earth dwellers?
Because it talks about the glory of those two.
God's creation was glorious, man was included in it. That's the glory. But you cannot say one who is earthy is glorious today. I don't believe so I'll leave it. I thinking of a verse in Revelation 21 it I think it helps to us to.
Understand these things God shall wipe away. Verse 4. Revelation 21.
This is the eternal state that He's talking about. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.
Do you have pain?
Yeah, you. You got pain. This body hasn't been changed yet.
There's sickness, some are dismembered. They don't have complete, not complete as to their body. But in that day we'll have bodies that are bodies of glory, bodies of glory. He goes on to go into that in our chapter. But we'll have a body that is not subject to death.
It's not subject to pain, it's not subject to sickness, it's not subject to the things that we're subject to in this body. The only part of us that has not been redeemed yet is the body.
Soul and spirit has been redeemed, but the redemption of the body is still future for us, and that will take place at the Rapture. And what a wonderful moment that will be when we'll be just.
Like hip, just like him. Go ahead. This verse, Chuck, that you have read to us in Revelation, we usually think of it, as you say, in connection with the heavenly company in a coming day. And it's certainly true. But I believe in its context too, it's going to be true of an earthly company on this earth, those in the eternal state who inherit the new earth, because when God tabernacles with men in that day, whether it's the heavenly company of which we're going to be a part.
And all those who have died in faith up till the rapture, whether it's with that them or with the earthly company, those who inherit the new earth, there's going to be no sorrow man's. The earthly paradise was spoiled by man's sin and sorrow came in in tears. And we see the effects of the curse on every hand today. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain every level of of creation today.
Feels the effects of the curse. You go out and look at a tree, as beautiful as it may be, there's going to be some blight on that tree. Every leaf isn't perfect. The animal Kingdom is suffering as they prey on one another. Death has affected every level of creation from man down.
But isn't it tremendous, brethren, to think that there's a day coming when there's going to be a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, and no sorrow or pain or tear is ever going to enter that that sphere of things. So for us, God is going to wipe away every tear we're going to leave behind rather than the things that we experience. Now, maybe you're sitting in these meetings and you have a headache, maybe some physical malady, and you say, I just can't get what I'd like out of the meetings. I can't concentrate.
We're sometimes we're weary. Some of us have traveled and we we nod and we fall asleep a little bit.
There's a day coming when none of those things that affect us now as the result of sin.
Will affect us. But brethren, this verse, I believe, has a far more reaching effect than that, wonderful as that is.
There's going to be a sphere where God will dwell with men on the new earth as well, and nothing will enter there.
And so there are, but there is a glory connected with that which is heavenly and that which is earthly.
01:05:05
As you alluded to, Brother Tom, I'd like to finish my answer to Tom, and I'll give it briefly. I'm not an earth dweller. That's my answer. There's a difference. I'm a heavenly creature. I don't belong here, and woe to those that are earth dwellers. I repeat, I understand what you're saying. That has to do with revelation, but Abraham's seed would be as the stars of heaven and the sand upon the sea. So God is going to have earthly people.
In the Millennium, Abraham will be in heaven.
Right. Yes.
Now.
That verse that you read, Chuck, is a beautiful verse, but it never satisfied me and I don't think it would satisfy any of us. Two men had a glimpse of glory. Only two were given that privilege. Paul was one and John the Apostle was the other. Paul said, I'm not going to try to tell you what it's like. It's unlawful, meaning it's impossible.
There isn't a word in your vocabulary that could help me tell you what it's like. There is an experience in all mankind that I can use. It's too wonderful. But Paul. But John tried and he had to use negatives. And what he wanted to tell me what it's like, He used superlative, beyond which my mind can't go. Isn't that right? And so there's no way to describe glory.
Negatives never satisfied.
Well, he's the only man that was there and has come back.
That I mean of one like us and he says to depart and be with Christ is far better he knew what he was talking about but to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. So here he'd been there and as you just tell told us Bob he couldn't he couldn't tell you he's I can't tell you I can't tell you what it's like but.
He was sent back and he was willing, having been there, to remain in this body a little while longer for the good of the Saints. That's tremendous. I've never been there. You've never been there. But he was. And yet he came back and served the rest of his time. He said, I know I'm going to be there and we know we're going to be there too. Whether we've seen it or not. Faith sees it. There's some everything that is really ours that has that is eternal.
Is seen by faith. Hebrews two, we see Jesus crimes with glory and honor. Have you ever seen him these eyes? No, no, some of them did. In fact, the apostles, they couldn't be an apostle unless they'd seen the risen Christ glorified Christ. Saul saw him glorified the other saw him risen, but they had to see the resurrection. They had to see the proof of it because that's what our faith is founded upon his death and resurrection. It's interesting, isn't it, that when Paul speaks of that experience.
In 2nd Corinthians 12 That he says that it was the spear, so beyond anything that he was used to on earth.
That he didn't know whether he was in the body or out of the body. But brethren, when we get there, his was only temporary. As Chuck says, he went there, he heard those unspeakable words and he came back to earth. But brethren, when we get there, we'll be there ever with the Lord. It's not a temporary state of things wherever with the Lord. And we will have a body that is completely suited to that sphere of things. We don't now we have physical bodies.
That are governed by physical limitations and hindrances. But in that day, as we've already said, we'll have a body of glory like unto his body of glory. And we won't have to say we don't know if we're in the body or out of the body because we, as I say, will have a body completely suited to that sphere of things and a tremendous to stand at the grave of a loved one. And you place that body that was perhaps very weak in its last days and last moments. I remember standing at the grave of my father. My father went down in health. He was very thin. He had difficulty breathing.
The last months and weeks of his life. But what rejoiced my soul was to stand there and as that body of weakness and humiliation and that body that was subject to death was placed in the grave. To realize that that was not the end of the story. And that when that body is raised at the rapture, the coming of the Lord Jesus, that body is not going to be raised the way it was laid in the grave. It's no longer going to be a body of humiliation.
01:10:11
It's not going to be a body that breaks down or feels physical pain or suffering. That's going to be a body that ages like we do now, but it's going to be a body like his glorious body and a body that's perfectly suited to that sphere of things so that we can enjoy his presence in the Father's house for all eternity. While we get this, we get this in nature. He's developed it here in our chapter, the the seed that you put into the ground.
Develops into a big tree or whatever. It doesn't look anything like what was put into the ground. You just think of every time I think I look at a newborn baby, it just it just fills my soul with awe. The male sperm and the female fertilizes the female egg and the size of a period or even smaller on a piece of paper, resulting in that little child grows up to be a full man and a woman.
We get the picture of it over and over again every time I see a newborn child. That's a miracle. Only God could do that. How could anyone with a common bit of sense believe in evolution? It's ridiculous, it's impossible, it's nonsense. Don't ever be taken in the intellect of man. It just shows how evil he can allow his thoughts to go when he gets away from God. This book will keep our thoughts in the right train. Won't won't want it. I had a client.
Who had no need of my help in court. He was an ideal client. He was a churchgoer. This weekend he would have been really active. But when I told him what we've just discussed about the shout and spending eternity with the Lord of glory, he asked me this question. Just what are you going to do when you get there? That's the real brilliant, good, righteous man in this earth.
What are you going to do when you get there? What would you tell it? Well, I said, I'm going to look upon the face of the one that died for me and saved me from my sins for about 5000 years. Then I may take a quick glance and see if you're there, but I'll turn right back to my Lord. I left it there. He won't be there. Maybe now I don't know.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest be thou like unto him.
When God made Adam, he did it differently than all the other creation. When he created the beast, he spoke and it was commanded. But when he made Adam, he took the dust to the ground. He took that which was earth, earthly, and he formed atom out of the dust of the ground. And so as we borne the image of the earthy, so we'll bear the image of the heavenly. And that's why I said earlier, brethren, that when the body is raised, those who've died in faith, it's not going to be raised in the same way.
You remember when the Lord Jesus came forth in resurrection, He had a body that wasn't subject to physical hindrances. When the doors were shut for fear of the Jews where the disciples were gathered, the Lord Jesus came and stood in the midst of his own. And those closed doors and those four walls were not a hindrance to the Lord Jesus. Now, brethren, we're going to be like not only with Christ, but we're going to be like him, and we're going to have that glorious body.
And so we've been created. We're from the earth that that is Adam. These dust was taken. The dust was taken from the earth. We're creatures of atoms, race. But isn't it wonderful to think that we're going to have a completely different body in that day when we see his face?
Most of us don't realize it, but according to the the scientific findings, most of us is our space. Space. You've got the molecule which has atoms, which has a nucleus and electrons going around it, but most of it is space. Can we fathom that? We fathom that, you know, if I meet you in heaven with a new body, we might just pass right through one another. I can't get hurt by you and you can't. I can't hurt you and you can't hurt me.
I mean, it's, it's a mode of existence that is so beyond us today.
That we as Paul, Paul, when he came back, he said I can't tell you.
Dust we were, and dust shall we return. Never forget that this body is only good for the graveyard. I got that from Brother Jackson down in Florida. I like to hear him say that, but do you know that?
01:15:16
I had something here. Hold it. While you're thinking of that, let me add we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, this body. So we should never treat it as though it is worthless or that it is evil. The evil is not part of the body. The evil is in the nature of the old nature called the flesh. But this body is the the place where the Spirit of God has taken up his habitation. So we should.
We should keep it holy, keep it holy because he's there. And that's there are those that just treat the body as though it's bad, you know, evil and bad. And that's, that's wrong doctrine, totally wrong doctrine. This body is, is, is the indwelling, the dwelling place of the Spirit of God. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirits, which are gods. I wasn't getting to that at all. I was getting to this the same 14 elements that make the dust of the ground.
Make your body add water. That's all. That's what I was getting at. We are dust. Don't pretend we're any different. We have a This is just our Tabernacle, brethren. Don't deify it.
And he is deemed he's been pleased to dwell in this Tabernacle. Well, that's wonderful. I think so. That's grace on grace. Doesn't make the Tabernacle any better, 202.
202.
01:20:42
For us in the resurrection and I'd like to read 2 verses or several verses in 2nd Corinthians 11.
This is in regards to if Christ has not been raised, then we have all men.
Most miserable verse four of Second Corinthians 11.
For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit which ye have not received.
Or another gospel which ye have not accepted, you might well bear with him, and also in Galatians 1.
Verse Start at the beginning of verse six. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel which is not another. But there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. Whether we or an Angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, and that which we have preached unto you, let him be a curse.
I don't want to teach, but I would like to exhort that the truths that we have had before us in this past meeting, though many of us would think them to be elemental, are utterly the key, especially in this generation Satan has.
Throughout the centuries of man's existence sought to attack, first by force and then by infiltration, or as I would like to call it, the subversive gospel. And at the beginning of this century we've seen the evolution come out through Darwinian philosophy and from Germany, higher criticism and humanism.
And but I would be very hesitant to say that it is merely coincidence that the number one bestseller right now.
In the New York Times is The Da Vinci Code and a book which blasphemously.
Attacks this very truth that we've had before us in this meeting, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Everyone is reading it in this generation. It's everyone. I've met my father when he travels abroad, even in the Caribbeans, and accosted by different ones that have read this book.
And I believe that we must be very wary. Satan has attacked us from without, but we must look within.
Have seen his infiltrating and at this time last conference I believe it was my brother Dave Spence that quoted that verse that said brethren know we not the time that is high time to awake out of sleep and so I would exhort us to be exceedingly.
Desirous of learning these truths that Christ Jesus was was dead but is now risen on high and we need to grasp hold of this, especially in this last day of doubt.
Satan is desiring to Pierce us with doubts and to render our testimony.
Fruitless and I would exhort us that though there is our tax from without as evolution higher criticism, there is an attack that is coming from within.
And we need to be guarding against that.
1 Corinthians 15:42-58
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Chapter 15, beginning at verse 41.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars. For one star different from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption, and its own in dishonor. It is raised in glory.
It is song in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written. The 1St man Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first, which is spiritual.
But that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual, the 1St man is of the earth earthy. The 2nd man is the Lord from heaven, as is the earthy. Such are they also that are earthy. And as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brethren, that flush and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass. The saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Are we going with these verses? I'd just like to make a comment in connection with resurrection. Not to go back, but this morning we spoke a great deal concerning the resurrection of our Lord Jesus in relationship to what it means to us. The result of it, the fact that it's Christ, the first fruits afterward, they that are Christ that is coming. If Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain, you're still in your sins and so on. But I would like to just say for a moment that I believe it's good to look at God's part.
Because the resurrection, the Ascension, and the glorification of Christ are God's Amen to the work of Calvary. It tells us that God hath raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand. And I think it's good to see that, to see God's side of it, the Lord Jesus who offered himself without thought to God. God has raised him from the dead as a proof that he is satisfied with the work that the Lord Jesus accomplished on Calvary's cross.
00:05:29
And so he has not only raised him from the dead, as I say, but he's seated him at his own right hand. And if you ever doubt whether God is satisfied with the work of Calvary, the work of Atonement, just look up by faith and see where he is now, a living Savior, risen and ascended and glorified. And God rejoices that his Son, who glorified him here in this world, is now seated there with a crown of glory and honor.
And God is going to be glorified in the fact that in a coming day, as a result of it, heaven is going to be filled with the fruit of that work. The Lord Jesus is going to see the travail of his soul and be satisfied. God is going to rejoice as He views that vast family all with and like His Son.
And not only that, but there's a day coming when the Lord Jesus will come back in power and glory.
And on this very planet where he was spit upon and nailed to a cross and crowned with a crown of thorns, on this very globe, God is going to see that his Son is vindicated. The one that he raised from the dead and seated His own right hand is the one who's going to come forth and every eye is going to see him. And I say God is going to be glorified in that. So I say that's just God's side of it. We think often when we take up the truth of our side and what the result is and the blessing. And certainly that's all part of it and good to take that aspect up, but to see that God has been completely glorified and satisfied.
And God raised him from the dead because one of the hymns is an expression God is satisfied with Jesus.
We are satisfied as well. Wonderful.
We didn't do much, but we did enough on verse.
40 But I'd like to just bring in a little portion that will go along with it. There are also heavenly bodies, and bodies earthly, but the glory of the celestial is one, the glory of the terrestrial is another. I turn to Psalm 19, verse one to four.
The heavens declare the glory of God and the firm that showeth his handiwork.
Day on the day uttereth speech and night under night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. So it says in Romans. I believe it's chapter one. I forget the verse near 20. They are without.
Excuse, I can really say.
There are none. Who will say I did not know there will be none and the judgment seat of Christ.
They will be speechless.
They know there's one God. Creation tells them what? The heavens speak louder even. And they all have heard if they believe as much as God tells them in creation even.
He'll give them more truth and they will be saved, no doubt in my mind about that, wherever they are. Just a thought goes along with that portion.
There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, another glory of the stars. One star differs from another star in glory. That takes us back to the first chapter of Genesis, doesn't it? Let's turn to it first chapter of Genesis, the book of beginnings. The whole seed plot is in Genesis. You'll find it throughout the Word of God.
00:10:00
It's very beautiful and Genesis 1.
First, I think it's 16. Genesis one verse 16.
And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, the lesser light to rule the night. And he made stars also. That's you and I. You know, there are wandering stars, but that's in Jude. That's not us, but stars also. But I think it's so beautiful. And why the moon? You know, we don't have to question why the sun?
The Son of righteousness, the Son is himself in all that beauty and heat and attraction. But the moon I would turn just to one verse, Psalm 86, Psalm 86, and then I think that'll pretty well bring it out.
It's like a Psalm 86.
I'm sorry, 89 and verse.
37 Psalm 8937. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Say lie. The moon is placed up there to tell us the sun shines. The moon has no light of its own. If they would have only read the word of God, not only many things, they would have known without billions of dollars.
But they would have known what the moon is. It's one grand reflector they brought back.
2-2 bags of boondocks. One went to the East Coast, one went to the West Coast. The one to the East Coast was lost in route. The one to the West Coast and the University of Southern California. They examined it. It did not hit the front page.
Why should it? Way back in Section 2, about fourth page at the column at the bottom little article, they discovered what it was. It's made-up of particles like unto glass. One grand reflector. Isn't that beautiful to see it?
The first boarding show us that presently the Lord has given to us a body that is suited for the dirt, but that coming scene, He's going to give us another body that is suited for heaven. Just like the angels, you know, they have glorified bodies that are suitable for heaven. So the Lord's going to give us a glorified body suitable for that place, the heavenly boss.
And when he contrasts in verse 42, having drawn his illustration from the creation that we see about us, he says, so also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption.
That's this body corruptible.
It is raised in incorruption. The resurrection body will not be.
Capable of being corrupted.
It is sown in dishonor, is raised in glory. And how much dishonor?
Attaches to this body the way we use it and so on, but it is raised in glory.
It is sown in weakness. We know how weak we are. We can get sick and get into an accident and become bedridden and so on. Its weakness. It is raised in power. Think of the power of the resurrection body, what it will be. It is sown a natural body. A.
A body to house the soul.
It has raised a spiritual body.
Body like unto Christ.
And so it is written, the 1St man Adam was made a living soul. I want to back up and say when it says it is.
Raised the spiritual body. Doesn't mean it's a spirit, but it's a spiritual body.
00:15:04
The body has not flesh and bones, as spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have. And so he ate before them, to demonstrate it was a real body, but a different.
Kind you might say a different order of body, a raised a spiritual body that's ahead for us. There is a natural body. We're in that now and there is a spiritual body. He's in that now. He's the only one that's in that.
And so it is written, the 1St man, Adam was made a living soul. God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul.
But the last Adam, if you go back to John 20, it says he breathed into his disciples the breath of his resurrection life and said, Receive ye Holy Spirit.
A spiritual body.
There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. We're not in that yet. And so it is written. The 1St man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam a quickening spirit, a life giving spirit.
Just as Jehovah in the beginning in Genesis 2 breathed into Adam's nostrils of breath of life and then became a living soul, that means the never dying soul. The animals don't have living souls like Adam had. They have souls that die us. When they die, their body dies. They have souls and bodies, but they don't have spirits. And we have a soul, a body and a spirit. And we know God. We're capable of knowing God and having fellowship with God.
But we need a new life. And so that's been given to us. And in resurrection, the risen man breathes into their nostrils the breath of his resurrection life. That's the life we've been brought into as to our spirit and our soul, but not yet as to our body that's coming. And when that that's what we're dealing with here in Revelation in first Corinthians 15 is the spirit, the spirit, the body that is spiritual. Second man is the Lord from heaven. The 1St man is of the earth earthy. The 2nd man is the Lord from heaven.
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy. That's us. We're just like Adam was. And as is the heavenly that's us. We're heavenly people. Such are they also that are heavenly. That's the character of the Christian. He's a heavenly man, not an earthly man. And then it goes on to the resurrection. As we have borne the image of the earthy where we bear it right now, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly when that resurrection day comes.
Will bear the image of the heavenly man. The Lord Jesus will have bodies just like this, incapable of sinning and incapable of corruption and incapable of dying. Immortal, which means incapable of dying and incorruptible means incapable of of corruption and going into death and sinning. And that will that will be passed that that resurrection body breathed into them by the risen Christ himself, his own resurrection life. That's a picture of it.
That's a little different aspect than the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 where he dwells within them. John 20 is the character of life that the Christian has now the risen life of Christ. But in Acts 2 wherein dwelt of the Holy Spirit when he in John 20, he breathed into them and said, receive ye the Holy Spirit. The article isn't there. Receive the Holy Spirit. He's there characterizing that risen life of Christ.
But in the Acts two he is given to us to indwell us and to remain with us forever. The one is the character of life and the other is the full character of Christianity and wealth of the Holy Spirit. That's why I don't like any comments to be made about this body being evil in any way. Even the the body that we have. We have a sin nature yes, but that's not the body. The body is not sinful. Asceticism was practiced and he still practiced at times by those that think that the body is evil and they have to punish it.
And they have to do things that are lying on a bed of nails, or crawling up a flight of stairs on your knees, or punishing this body. It's not this body. If one is a Christian, he's in dwelt of the Holy Spirit. And it is, it is the habitation of God by the Spirit. But we have a sin nature which will be gone entirely at the rapture.
00:20:02
It might be helpful to stay in connection with your comments to just clarify something as a differentiation between the Lord Jesus as a man and what we will be when we get to glory. Because the Lord Jesus is not only man, but he's also God, and we will never attain to deity. And the reason I say that is we will never be omnipresent. We will never be omniscient, we will never be omnipotent, we'll never be almighty, all seeing, all knowing.
We will have bodies, as we've been saying, that aren't subject to physical hindrances and time and things like that that govern us now. But there are things that are reserved for deity alone. So I just say that as a little addendum to your remarks. Very good, very helpful too.
Very needed. I remember a remark by Brother Don Bilasole concerning the 1St man, Adam and the last Adam and the first man and the 2nd man. Because you'll sometimes hear people talk about the second atom. There's no such thing. The first atom was the leader of the human race, and the last atom is the Lord, the leader of the new creation race. But as to the 1St and 2nd man, there are others to follow.
His comment? There are others to follow, but there'll never be another leader of a race. What do you mean others to follow?
Explain we're well, we're following. Well, the reason I'm asking that is because I've heard it stated that there's a third man, and that's wrong. The 2nd man is the last Adam. There's no other man to succeed him. That's why I asked what do you mean by others to follow as though there was a third and 1/4 and 1/5. So I don't think Brother Dawn meant that. I think he just meant that we're all following. I see as men. But I've heard that taught and it's wrong that there's a third man. Like the Antichrist is likened to the third man. Absolutely.
Wrong. Christ is the last man of the last Adam, the 2nd man, the 2nd man in character, and the last Adam. And we we partake of that one who is the 2nd man on the last Adam, We partake of his character.
I like the thought introduced in the book of Romans there talking the fact that how we will be conforming to his image. We want to know about that new body wealth. We will, we know. Perhaps we can turn to those well known verses in the 8th chapter of Romans. They often quote part of it but not all of it. Romans chapter 8 we often start off by saying and we know that all things work together for good. We see texts on our homes. Many homes have that text.
With that, with that little part of the verse on it would be read it carefully. We find that these verses go on and on together with continuous thoughts. It sets that for and we know well first of all, the writer here say this with certainty. We have some 56800 people in this room this afternoon. Can we all say it with certainties in our hearts rather than just quoting? But to actually say it that we know. So here it says we know that all things there's no doubt about this year. We know that all things work together for good.
To them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. Do we know that? And we do know it. We see the sequence of events that the writers try to tell us here. He said for whom He did foreknowing, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren. Or we have been predestinated brethren to be conforming to that image, to be like Him.
To think like Him, to walk like Him, to act like Him in that days. And then He goes on to tell us in verse 30, moreover, whom He did predestinate them He also called, and whom He called them He also justified, and whom He justified them He also glorified. We see the progress here from predestination to call. Have you been called?
Yes, you have, haven't you? Have you been justified? We know we have. And then it goes on and it's let's hear that to whom he justified. And I enjoy a thought a brother brought out one time. He said these are all in past tense and he looked at me one time and he said you have a glorified body. Oh, that was a tough question for me because he says have been glorified and I couldn't answer him that right away. And he knew that I couldn't answer him And he looked at me with a smile and he said the word of God. Look at it as it's done. It's like the children you often use the phrase it's as good as done.
00:25:13
We know there is no changing of that we have been justified and we shall be glorified. And that that word glorified, we often apply it to the departed Saints. Now they do not have a glorified body. They're not yet scripturally glorified. Not until the rapture will they be glorified. They'll have that glorified body. Glorified is a term that applies to the full.
Man, body, soul and spirit, and the only one that's glorified.
Now is the Lord Jesus Christ, but soon we'll join him, and then we will be glorified.
In Ephesians first chapter, third verse 4-5 is something that's very beautiful. Our brother brought out the part of predestination and blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation.
Of the world, that we should be holy without blame before Him, in love, having predestinated us until the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
You know, to be chosen.
Specifically, before anything was made, that is. That really puts us into the realm of what we're talking about.
It was in God's pleasure, His will, and His purpose that you be sitting here today in Christ and on your way to glory. It's wonderful when you think about it. Don't try to understand it, believe it, that's all it's true. That's a good passage to show to those that think you can be lost again after you've been saved. How could one that's been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world ever be lost?
That's God's work and it shows the under the nonsense of that because those that feel that way, that you can be lost again, feel that my salvation does depend to some extent on me, and that's not the case. The only part I have in it is that I believe. I have faith, I believe in it, but God, it's God's work from beginning to end, isn't it? But he has not predestinated anyone to help. No, he hasn't. No, we never could say that, no.
That's going too far in the other direction.
Away responsibilities.
We learned from Psalm 110 that the Lord will be in the dew of His youth.
When we see him and we learn from Philippians Chapter 3 that we're going to be like him.
And so we put those two scriptures together, we would learn that.
Some of the Saints, like my father, has passed away at the age of 90, old and bearing the marks of decay in his body. When I see him again, he's going to be like the Lord Jesus, and I have confidence from those two scriptures that I'm going to see him in the dew of his youth.
Is everyone in Christ? Part of the bride is going to be 33 1/2?
Pretty good thought, I don't want to start an argument.
One thing we know for sure that the last verse of Hebrews 11 Says.
That they without us should not be made perfect, so that we're going to be made perfect. And when that moment comes, those that have passed on before, whether Old Testament Saints or new, will also be made perfect. That's the day of glory. That's when we'll get the glorified body.
Could one ask a question then in regards to what we've been hearing as to our changed bodies, glorified bodies? And someone explained a little bit, and I've heard this before, I think, but I think it's good to have it rehearsed again as to that which took place at the Lord's desk there in Matthew 27 and verses 52 and 53.
00:30:20
Read the portion.
I'll read 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was rent and twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened. Many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
These were those that had died just fairly recently so they could be recognized and they died again with something like Lazarus. That's not the rapture or the resurrection that will partake of it. The rapture, it's a special event to prove the resurrection of Christ and just to show in a little way the power of resurrection, lest there be any doubt in the minds of his own at that time, or even as a testimony to the Jews to show that there was, there was a power there, a tremendous power.
But it's interesting that the graves were open here at the resurrection of these ones because they came out with their natural body. When Lazarus was raised from the dead, the Lord Jesus said to them, roll away the stone. There was something that was hindering Lazarus coming forth. The closed graves were hindering those Saints in Jerusalem that had died to come to come forth. But it's interesting that as we've been saying, when the Lord Jesus comes and gives the shout.
We're going to have a body that's not subject to physical hindrances. And if you just notice as you go on in our chapter.
Where he says in the 52nd verse that or in the 51St verse, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed comma part of the same sentence in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Because we have bodies now that are subject to physical hindrances. And if I can illustrate it this way, here we are sitting in this Convention Center this afternoon, and above us there's a ceiling and a roof and things that are hindering these natural bodies.
From ascending to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. But when the Lord Jesus gives the shout, there's going to be an instantaneous change so that this ceiling and the roof above us or whatever is above us at the time is not going to be a hindrance for us to rise immediately to meet the Lord in the air. Now what about the Saints who've died in faith? They're going to be raised with those bodies. And it must be so because.
That 50 fathoms of water or that 6 feet of earth or wherever that body is today, there's a physical hinders. And I don't want to press this, but you do not read the rapture of the graves being open because they won't need to be opened because the Saints will be raised with bodies that won't be subject to that 6 feet of earth or whatever is a hindrance to them. And so that takes care of all the difficulty. We wonder well, there's.
Several 100 people sitting in these seats this afternoon. Most if not all of us are ready to go at the rapture. Will it be a difficulty to leave this room? No. There's going to be in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye, an instantaneous change. And we'll have that body. And has been said we're going to when we meet the Lord, not only going to be with Christ, but like Christ. Let me tell a little story about a sister I used to visit in the hospital in Smith Falls. She's been with the Lord many years now, but.
She lay on a hospital bed for many years. Her body was weak, rocked with pain. And every time I went in to see her, a glad smile would light up on her face. And she would always begin the conversation by saying, Jim, I've just been lying here considering the fact that any moment I'm not going to be just with Christ. I'm going to be like Christ. What a comfort. What other comfort would a person who'd laying on a sick bed for years have?
If they didn't have that hope of not only being with Christ, but what it's what thrilled her soul was to think that she was going to exchange that body of pain, that vile body, that body that breaks down. She was going to exchange it for a body of glory.
Like unto his body of glory. And brethren, it is going to happen. We talk about it, but it is going to happen. We shall not all sleep. Thank God we know that those who are have have been laid in the grave. Those who have died in faith, thank God we know they're going to be raised, but we shall not all sleep. And when Paul in the 4th chapter of First Corinthians, First Thessalonians said, we which are alive and remain, who is he referring to?
00:35:26
He was referring to himself in the Thessalonian believers. Now later on he realized that he was going to lay down his life for Christ. But when he wrote to those Thessalonian believers and said we which are alive and remain, he was expecting the Lord Jesus to come at any moment and take him and those Thessalonian believers away to meet the Lord in the air. Now brethren, can't we claim that for ourselves? If Paul could say it in his day, how much more do you realize we've never been closer to the Lord's coming than we are at this moment?
We're just on the eve of the Lord's return, and we're going to exchange it all for a meeting in the air where we'll never get weary, we'll never have to go out and get a drink. We're never going to have to go to our rooms to go to bed and get some rest. Thank God for the comforts and mercies that we enjoy on a weekend like this. But there's a meeting in the air, brethren, where all those things are going to be done away, and our sole occupation will be himself and his praise. It does say the dead in Christ shall rise.
First, I put it lightly and I apologize for it. They're in the Lord's Head Start program and they will go before us. What Kelly said, and I think Darby too, that infinitesimal difference of time, it's almost simultaneous, but they do go first. That's wonderful. Those that are in the ground, you know, are in the sea or in the.
Atmosphere floating around. They've sent up capsules now they want to prevent the Lord just in those capsules.
But they pay a lot of money to have them float around. But anyway, that's another subject. But those that are have taken the Thessalonians, they were waiting for the Lord from heaven. How long ago? Almost 2000 years ago.
You think they're disappointed? No. It'll be just like overnight. You know when he comes. And it's not a long, dreariest time.
It's they will not be disappointed. Let's just say a word about this expression sleep, lest there be any confusion in our minds, because there has been confusion down through the ages when it speaks of the Saints sleeping. It never has to do with the sleep of the soul. When a person dies, whether they die in faith or whether they die without Christ, they are in a place of consciousness the moment they draw that last breath.
We won't take time to go over to it, but you know very well from the story the Lord Jesus told in Luke's gospel as he pulled the curtain aside, two men died. Now, when we tell the story of a man living on earth and the story ends with his death, there's no more we can say. But the Lord Jesus didn't stop with their death. They died, but he pulled the curtain aside to show that they were each in a place of consciousness.
One was in a place of conscious torment and the other was in a place of conscious bliss. Now I only point that out to show that there's no such thing in Scripture as soul sleep. When he speaks of sleep here, it's simply the sleep of the body, and it's only those who died in faith in Scripture that are referred to as asleep. You get that in the Old Testament with Abraham and others who died in faith, they're referred to as sleeping.
Because in connection with the sleep of the body, sleep is a temporary state of things. When we go to our rooms this evening and we lie down and go to sleep in the normal course of things, we have every expectation that it's only temporary. In a few hours we're going to rise up and we're going to go on our way, come back to these meetings or whatever. It's temporary. And when one dies in faith, it's only a temporary thing.
I remember it was a great comfort to me to stand at the grave of my father and to realize that this was not the end of the story. This was not the end of the story, and that I would see my father again in resurrection. We laid the body in the grave, but it's only for a little time. And so it says, we shall not all sleep, that is, we may not all die. We're looking for the Lord Jesus. My father was looking for the Lord Jesus to come. He wasn't looking for death. He was looking for the rapture.
00:40:07
And so we're not all going to sleep, but we are all going to be changed. As we said, the dead are going to rise with those changed bodies. We're going to get an instantaneous change. And then it says that we're going to be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord? So I just say again, when it talks about the sleep of those who died in faith, it is always simply the sleep of the body, not the sleep of the soul.
The Lord Jesus told the dying thief.
Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. If the soul was asleep, what would paradise mean to him? He was conscious. The long sleep. Long sleep? It's not true. I mean, the body's left. The souls are not sleeping.
Let's add a few things to that.
The ones that die in faith it says sleep, but the ones that die without Christ is torment. Yes, there's a great difference between those two. The the possible could say to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. But to depart and go into a lost eternity is a travesty.
But even in Luke 16, the rich man and Lazarus, after they died, they were both a conscious.
Memory. The rich man saw Lazarus and Abraham's bosom, that I had five brothers, and so on.
They weren't. I mean, the idea of soul sleep is nonsense. It's not not true. They they were very much awake as to where they were and some suffering torment and others in the Abraham's closet place of blessing and type, a rich man was naked and Lazarus was unclothed.
There's the difference, Lazarus never be late naked in the in the heavens, but the rich man was naked. He'll never be otherwise. So they do not have their bodies, yet they're there in spirit either in a place of conscious enjoyment of Christ or a place of conscious torment. They do feel the rich man who died, he, he felt pain, he felt physical thirst. They do feel in that way.
Lazarus was comforted. He felt the comfort of being in Abraham's bosom. But they do not have their bodies yet. For the Saints we get those glorified bodies at the Rapture, where the wicked dead, they will be raised bodily at the great White Throne judgment, to stand there for the last condemnation and to be cast bodily into the lake of fire. And they will have a body that will exist, not live, but a body that will exist forever.
In the lake of fire, in the in the bottomless pit, in a place of torment. What an awful thing it will be for us. We will have a body of glory that will enjoy that spear and realm of heaven for eternity. I believe that we said it before we repeat it. We don't intelligently speak of the Saints that have departed as being in glory. No, they are not there yet. They're absent from the body present with the Lord. But being in glory means in the glorified state.
And that includes the body, and that will take place at the Rapture.
Scriptures before us mentioned the different flush. I was thinking perhaps this could be an example of the change. The Lord tells us that there is a difference between the flush of the birds and of the fish and so on. If we think of that. The body is made specifically for the type of media that it survives in. A fish can do anything outside the water. A man can swim like a fish, but can stay underwater like a fish, because our body is not made for that.
Nor can a man or a beast fly like a bird. And the Lord made one specifically for that. And when that shout comes, we'll see that new bodies. You know, the other day in our newspaper, it said something about they discovered some new Galaxy 100. I don't know things like that though. My mind too well, hundreds of millions of light years away. Well, you think about our physical body.
If we could travel at the speed of light, if we could, we know we're nowhere near that. How are they to get there? How are we as men to get there? But with that new body, we don't know where that is, isn't it? That heavenly body that all things will be reviewed for us and forward to that new, not just the body itself. That really is only a small part of it that but to be in the heavenly places what Christ is. Oh what a blessed thing it is for us. And if you think about that.
00:45:24
All these scenes of problems and difficulties that we face today really should seem small. You know, I was thinking on on the way here and some of you may have heard that we left. We traded 1010 inches of snow and ice for this sunny weather here. I wasn't sure that was a good thing or not. But on the way here, we encounter a lot of difficulties. We see people really got upset at the way that we have such a long wait at various places. But you know, I looked at it and say I wasn't happy neither, but it was just something temporary.
I was not going to live in the airport. Whether it stays well or not is really not my problem. In fact, it's Uganda with all the people waiting the the whole airport looked like a garbage dump. You got children throwing candies all over the place, you know, wrappers and all. Well, that was my home. I know my wife would be pretty upset at seeing that. And, you know, some of us would be forced to clean up. Well, that was just the airport. It wasn't our responsibility. We're just the travelers, you know, in this case, we're strangers and pilgrims in this world.
We're just moving on in, brethren, what are we dwelling on to be dwell on the problems. Do we look at it and that we do then we will feel the problems and difficulties in this world. When we look ahead of brother mentioned earlier with our vision, what is our vision here? It tells us that it should be the eternal, it should be word crisis. And if that's what we want to be and know that we soon shall be there.
All these things around us should become very little of a problem when we read, and I'm going to read it again, verse 49, as we have borne the image of the earth, we do bear it, every one of us. There's that image right here. We shall also bear the image of the heavenly. I want to put a question to all of us.
What impact does that have on your soul?
What does that mean to you? That you shall body, soul and spirit bear the image of the heavenly Be just like Christ. Just like Christ? What does that mean to you?
Will that result in a change of your life?
Will that result in?
A difference it ought to let's just read a verse or two, Chuck, and to show what impact this ought to have in first John.
Now I know in first John 3 here he's looking on to more than just the rapture is when he appears and so on. But the principle is here. First John chapter 3 and verse 2.
Behold, 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. Now notice this, and every man that hath this hope in him.
Purifieth himself even as he is pure. Now it's interesting in John's Gospel, the Lord Jesus simply said to the disciples, and it's recorded by the apostle John that he where I am, there ye may be also we're going to be with Christ. But it's John that later develops the fact, as we said earlier, that not only are we going to be with Christ, but we're going to be like him. And when he comes back to appear in glory, we're going to appear in glory with him.
He's going to declare I and the children whom God hath given me. But as brother Chuck raised the question, what impact does this have on our lives? But I believe, brethren, hear what we find. It is in the measure in which you and I enter in, in our souls to the fact that we are one day going to be with and like Christ. In that measure, it will have a practical purifying effect on my on our lives. Why is it so often I'm a careless Christian?
Why is it so often I don't act in the character and dignity of a Son of God now? Because I don't have in my soul the enjoyment from day-to-day of the truth, the hope of the Lords coming, and the fact that I am going to be be like, be like Christ in that measure. It's going to have that impact so that my walk is in accordance with one who is just passing through this world as the sun and as an air of God.
00:50:06
But if we lose sight of the end of the goal, it's that verse that was just quoted again, and I can't stress it enough. Where there is no vision, the people perish. If we have a vision of what's ahead, then every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure. I heard of a young man, just a little story. I heard of a young man who had a motto on his bathroom mirror. It simply said, perhaps today.
I thought that was very good because he wanted to be reminded every day when he got up and looked in the mirror that this might be the day of the Lord's return. And brethren, if the truth of the Lord's coming and these things we've been Speaking of, the glory that's ahead, if that is a reality in our soul, if we really say perhaps today in our souls, then we will have that proper character and it will have the impact Chuck was Speaking of.
Before we get too far away from a few, whether we're going to go speaking.
I would like to have a comment or two on when one deceases.
The Saints will say he or she went to be with the Lord, which is common.
Or you hear from the world. Oh, I don't think he made it.
God's Word says to.
Save.
One or the other is to bring Christ down from above or raise Christ up from the dead to that. Comment on that please.
Somebody repeat it please.
Somebody who heard it.
What do you want? Come to the mic, There's one right there.
As I was saying.
The world says after someone deceases, oh he or she went didn't make it and the brethren will say he or she went to be with the Lord. God's word says to.
Say one or the other is to bring Christ up again from the dead or.
I'm sorry, I can't remember what I said. Up again from the dead or down from the heavens.
Can I have a comment on that please?
Whenever I preach a funeral, I always commence.
She is not here. I want to emphasize that she is not here and I point to the the coffin. We're not talking about someone laying there then that we can get into it all the truth. But I don't quite get your question. You never bring Christ down.
The thought I think you had never We always go up and heaven is up.
Brought up many times in Scripture. So when you say she is not here, she's risen, and that doesn't mean she's got her body yet, her spiritual body in that sense, her heavenly body. But she is absent from this body, present with the Lord. And you can pound away on that and never be lost with that thought.
That person is not risen. You didn't mean that. That person is departed to be with Christ, which is far better. But that person will not be risen until the Lord comes and takes us home. You mean the body? Yeah, The body, Yeah.
But she's just as much with Christ. That's right. Yeah.
When the world says she didn't make it mean she died, she didn't. She didn't continue. It's not a failure on God's part in any way. Question is, did she die in faith? Did she? Did she goes to be with Christ? If she died without faith, she goes to her own place, which is a place of torment, and that's sealed the moment a person takes that last breath.
Often too, when the world say she didn't make it, they really mean that that was final. Because the world has no hope. They lose that person forever.
00:55:08
And you will find a contrast, a figural for those who are lost. There's no hope. You see the wailing there, see the crying, the sorrows. Whereas we're not we're not made without any feelings neither we see the sadness that a Christian funeral, but yet we know that it won't be long that we will be together. So the difference is is great. We see some laughters. Perhaps we see the big difference in knowing that we soon and as I I, I enjoy the hymn there.
There's a hymn writer I think is in the back of the book. There is that I can remember that. I think it's hymn #19 that sets about.
Yes, there yet another morning my spirit may be free as absent from the body at home. O Lord, were they. O sleep, O rest, how precious, as guarded by thy care. I'm waiting for thy promise.
To meet thee in the air. Since you quoted that, there's a mixture in that verse between what happens at death and what happens at the rapture. And this person that wrote this hymn evidently believed in soul Sleep. Oh, sleep. Oh rest. How precious. What's precious about the body sleeping?
It's, it's, it's wrong. It's not a scriptural. It's a mixture of what happens at death with what happened. The, the Protestant reformers believed that when a person died, they, the Lord came to take them home. They mixed the rapture, which takes place for all of us with what happens to each individual at death. And that's, that verse is a mixture. I've crossed it out in my book. I don't sing it.
Because it's wrong. I go to the next one and it's a lovely hymn by that wife's favorite, but not that verse. And I know on the 28th revision, the KLCS had it. That verse is missing. They've taken it out because it's wrong. I was going to say something. I said I don't want to say that, but since you brought it up, I had to say something. It's not a correct. I'm glad you did.
There's nothing worse than to take a funeral where majority and perhaps all.
I have no hope. It's a dreadful thing really. Now I should give teeth and weeping. And you know, the the woman was lost. Her son was saved. In fact, the meeting was in his home. But I think they were 5 or 600 whalers. And you know, the minute I started to talk, they wailed. And finally I just stood there and I said there shall be.
Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. I hope you are not practicing for that. And you know, when one started to wail after that husband took her out and I had peace and quiet and I could give a gospel. Couldn't say much about the woman. Not that we don't sorrow at a Christian funeral because Paul said in the Fourth of First Thessalonians he didn't say we sorrow. We don't sorrow, but we sorrow not as others who have no hope.
And that's what makes the difference. We sorrow. In fact, I sometimes think the Christian in a way sorrows deeper than the unbeliever, because our affections have already been awakened. And there's a love when when one of our loved ones or a brother or sister and Christ passes away, there's a bond and a love there that the world doesn't know about or understand. And so well, we may sorrow deeper yet The difference is we don't sorrow with despair.
The unbelievers sorrow with despair because deep down they have a conscience that makes them realize that there is an eternity and that they will never see that one again. Or they might put on a bravado and say many things, but deep down it's really despair. I used to I say that because I used to think we should become callous to those things. But when you see the Lord Jesus at the grave of Lazarus after 30 some years of life here, he wasn't callous to sin and its effects, and he loved Lazarus, He loved Martha and Mary.
And he lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Lazarus, as he entered in to the effects that sin had brought in and the sorrow that had resulted in that little home. He wept with them. And so we weep with those that weep. We feel it when one we know and love passes away. But isn't it tremendous to think that it's not with sorrow because we death has become our servant now to simply bring us into the presence of the Lord Jesus?
01:00:17
I'd like to get on in the next reading to 1St Thessalonians 4. Let's look at verse fifty of our chapter. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. That is the state in which we now are, cannot enter into His presence because we need a change as to the body.
Neither does corruption. This body is a corruptible body inherent in corruption. Behold, I show you a mystery. This is one of the mysteries. I think this is the only passage that really gives us what we're going to see right now. We shall not all sleep. We should not all die or sleep, but we shall all be changed. I think the is the only place that actually speaks of the change at the time of the rapture. We shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
Trump For the trumpet shall sound of the dead shall be raised incorruptible, A body that cannot die. And we shall be changed. We the living shall be changed. For this corruptible, that term applies to one who has died in faith. They have a corruptible body must put on this new body. This incorrect able must put on incorruption. And this mortal, that's the living St. every one of us is in a mortal body that is capable of dying and will die if the Lord doesn't come before that.
Must put on immortality a body that cannot die. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, the term corruptible and incorruption applies to the body and mortal and immortality. When this mortal shall have put on immortality, that applies to the the one who is living at the time of the Lord's coming on what this mortal should put on an immortal body and the the corruptible puts on an incorruptible body, that's one who's died at the time of the Lord's coming.
They, it's not that there's an incorruptible body and an immortal body that so they're different, but it describes the state they were in when the Lord came. They were either in a corruptible state where the body has gone into corruption, or they're in a moral state where the body is capable of dying. We're in a moral state right now.
So when this corruptible should have put on incorruption, this mortal should have put on immortality. The first one there's a resurrection of the dead. The second one, there's the change of the living. Saints then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Where therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, the resurrection proves that everything we do here for Christ will be rewarded and meet with His approval, and so we will not. It's not done in vain.
No, I didn't expound all that, so I left it up to you. An unbeliever can die bravely, but only a Christian can really die victoriously and triumphantly. Just let me use an illustration from history. In the days of of Nero, the Roman Empire, of the Roman emperor, he had soldiers that went out and gave their lives bravely in the service of their emperor and their and the empire. They died bravely. But the Christians who were thrown to the lions or killed in other ways in the Coliseum, they didn't just die bravely, they died triumphantly.
And we know from history that those triumphant deaths were often more of a testimony than the person's life had been, because the unbelievers looked on with the wicked looked on, and they knew there was something more than just hope in this life. They knew there was something, some substance to what these people possessed. They knew their soldiers could die bravely, but they never really seen people die victoriously and triumphantly, many of them singing.
As they went into eternity, I remember one time I had an elderly aunt and she was in the hospital in Smiths Falls and she was drawing near the end. And the contrast really struck me because as I stood by her bedside and she gently drew those last breaths, a smile crossed her face and I knew she was home with the Lord, absent from the body, present with the Lord, left this life in the conscious enjoyment of Christ.
01:05:05
As I stood there, I thought of what had happened just a night or two before in that same hospital hall, just a few rooms down the from her room, there was a man who had passed away as well left this life. He was a well respected man in the town of Smiths Falls. He was a businessman who had had some success and so on. He was respected as a charitable person. But he drew near the end, and I'll never forget as long as I live, the whales.
That filled that hospital hall as he came to the end and realized he was without Christ. He wailed and cursed with his last breaths. What a contrast. But for us brethren, Oh death, where is thy sting? Death has simply become our servant. As I said, to bring us into the presence of the of the Lord Jesus, my father in the last week of his life. His breathing was difficult, his body was weak. He said I just want to go home.
He was looking forward to it. Death had No Fear for him. In fact, he was looking forward to it. If the Lord didn't come in the meantime, all he wanted to do was draw that last breath and know that he was at rest with the Lord Jesus. Only a Christian can die in that, in that way. So I say again, the man of the world may die bravely. The Christian dies victoriously.
Why does it say that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God?
Well.
I would turn to Luke 24. The Lord had to convince his apostles who he was, that he was a man, the man Christ Jesus, and he said.
1St 382438 Why are you troubled? Why do thoughts arise in your heart? Behold my hands and my feet. It is I handle me and see. For a spirit hath not flesh and bone, as you see me here.
No blood. Go ahead. See me. Have what? See me have, he said.
You miss Ready. I just quit. You're reading Darby. No, I'm not reading the King James.
Yes, sorry I only got one eye. I do the best I can.
I.
This body is corruptible. It cannot inherit a corruptible thing, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. It's just that simple. Has to be changed. It has to be incorruptible.
I heard a preacher once say when the Lord comes the rapture, I want to be by a graveyard and I want to see the the earth fly. Well, it ain't going to fly, brother. It's not going to fly. No, that that body that raises is raised is a body that won't disturb the earth one little bit.
I had a client who requested to be buried the nearest plot to the entrance to the cemetery. When the Lord comes. He wanted to get out quick and all wrong Thoughts. I won't tell you his religion.
A mystery and scripture is something that was secret, unrevealed. This detail that we have in this passage, unrevealed in Old Testament scriptures, it's it's a secret now revealed. And so we can believe it now. It's not a secret to us anymore. It's told us what it is, that how we're going to get our resurrection bodies and how they're living are going to be changed. I think it's the only passage that speaks of the living being changed at the rapture.
So we can go back and understand what both Job and David said.
In connection with this, and they must marvel, Job must have marveled when he recorded by inspiration those words in my flesh. I shall see God. He must have wondered what have I written? He didn't understand it in the light of what we have in the New Testament and what we've had from the Scriptures before us this day, David said I shall be satisfied when I awaken thy likeness. We understand it explained here in first Corinthians 15 and Philippians three, I think, and other places.
01:10:08
And so we go back and we enjoy this, but they must have marveled at it. But brethren, we are going to be satisfied when we awaken our likeness in flesh. We are going to see God. God hasn't left us in any doubt because though in the Old Testament they penned many things that they desired to look into and couldn't because the full revelation hadn't been given yet. What Marx? Christianity is intelligence. He's abounded unto us in all wisdom and prudence. Or really the thought is intelligence.
And we don't have to be unintelligent as to what lies beyond this life. We know what lies. We stand at the grave of a loved one who's died in faith. Do we have to speculate? Michael Faraday was lying on his deathbed. The great scientist and a friend came to him and said, what are your speculations for eternity? He said speculations. I rest uncertainties. I don't have speculations for eternity. I have certainties given to me from the word of God.
And so we have certainties. We preach a funeral. We don't speculate where this person is. We have certainties. We're looking for the Lord to come. We look at the condition of the world breaking down around us. Do we have? Do we? Do we have?
Uncertainties as to what is, what is ahead. No, we have certainties because He's given us these things in His Word, given us the Spirit of God so that we can enjoy them and understand them, illustrated them from the Old Testament. Brethren, we're the most blessed people on the face of the earth.
But eternity is not a leap in the dark. We have light as to what is ahead in 52, verse 52, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump. Now, the twinkling of an eye is not a wink. It's not even a flick. It's even faster than that. And you know, the wise Greeks tried to get a different term to use in this portion 52.
They used the thought of a.
Flap of a hummingbird's wing, single flap. And then they also said the the note of a heart string and one other was the buzz of a gnat, but they couldn't really grasp it, nor can we. It is so quick. It's going to happen. And the Trump shell sound, I think that's a beautiful thought that that brings in.
I think it's.
Numbers 10, probably verse 3.
They assemble at the Trump, the sound of that trump #311 Three, I think, I don't want to turn to it, but there is a Trump and they all assemble. So that's the thought here. When the Trump, the last Trump, we all assemble up to glory. It's beautiful, isn't it, to see all this tie in with Old Testament.
We've already had before us. The mystery was not revealed in the Old Testament, but I'm just looking at Proverbs 11 and verse seven says when a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of the of unjust men perish it. They did seem to have a sense that it was all over for the wicked. They didn't know what had happened to the believer, though I suppose they were in the presence of God consciously.
But the first man who knew that was the dying thief. He was the first one to know while he was still living.
Where he would be when he died with Christ isn't that wonderful to know? And now we have that assurance too, with Christ. I'm glad you said brought that up, Tom, because we don't want to give the impression that the Old Testament Saints didn't have hope. They did have hope, and David refers to his hope. They didn't have the certainty, as you say, that we do, nor did they have the understanding of just what all that hope entailed. And so we have a far greater understanding of that.
But yes, they did. They did have a hope, but there was always a little bit of uncertainty connected with their hope. And there was a little bit of a veil there, a darkness that they didn't really penetrate. But they did have hope. They thought that the dead praise thee. Not like they didn't know what state they would be in.
They knew God would, but they didn't know how. We know how. There's a lot of difference, isn't there? We know how He did it.
01:15:01
Gave us life eternal someone said, I know it when the Lord comes the the dead shall be raised what happens to us who are alive well this chapter tells us we shall be changed and that the state the the power put forth into changing us is no less than the power put forth to raise the dead and.
Both bring us into likeness and His presence.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, the power of Satan, which is death, is not.
Diminished or gone? Is it? What's this? What's this victory? It's brings it out in Hebrews too, I think, very clear. It's not that. It's not that he's destroyed Satan's power. Not yet.
Hebrews chapter 2. Have to get there fast.
A.
Sorry, get it?
OK, verse 14.
I think I'll read it. OK OK, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same. I think it's that through death he might annul that should not be destroyed annull him that has the power of death that is the devil, in other words.
As to those that belong to Christ, it's a null. That power can't touch me. Death. That's the difference. It isn't destroyed yet, it will be.
I think it's a nice point to bring out. And then it says in John or in Romans 8 where more than victors, What's the rest of that? I could turn to it through him that loved us more than what is more than a victor.
Well, the rest of it tells it, doesn't it, that we're not only conquerors, because when they conquer, they got to occupy and they're not done. Iraq enough, said you, you don't. The Hitler conquered, but he had to occupy.
Keep them down. They're always resisting, but not with us when we conquered, when the Lord conquered the devil, Satan, he's done with us unless we invite him, then as far as he can do something. This is then what you have in the last verse where it says always abounding in the work of the Lord. This goes back to what Chuck raised earlier. What is the impact that this truth should have on us? We ought to always be abounding in the work of the Lord. Why?
Because as much as you know it, that your work, your labor, is not in vain in the Lord. If there's no resurrection, if we have no hope beyond this life, even if it was hope in Christ, but only for this life, why would we labor? Why would you give up present advantage? Why would a man go over to Africa and leave the comforts of home to spread the gospel to those who've never heard it before? If there's no, if there's nothing beyond this life, if it's all over when it's over down here?
Then you don't give up those things. But he says there is something beyond. There is a resurrection there. We are going to be with Christ. There is a harvest. The fruit is going to be displayed. Maybe we don't see the fruit of our laborers. Now, brethren, you give out tracts. You labor for the Lord in some little corner of the vineyard that He's placed you. You say I never see any fruit, I never see any results. Don't look for fruit this side of glory. It's true. The Lord does sometimes. Let us see fruit to encourage us.
And that's wonderful. We rejoice in that. But if we're simply looking for fruit this side of glory, we're going to get discouraged. But be assured that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. There's a day when it's all going to be brought out and it's all going to be displayed for his glory. And so in flight of the fact that he's risen from the dead, that we're looking for the resurrection, we're going to be there with and like Christ. All these things that we've discussed in these two readings.
Now he brings it down to a practical exhortation because, brethren, if we sit here and we take up this truth and we go out tonight and it has no impact.
It doesn't increase our desire to serve the Lord and the little spear He's given us in connection with the gospel, helping the Saints of God, whatever it might be, then we've wasted our time if it hasn't had that practical impact. And so when he's all done here explaining so very, very carefully.
01:20:11
How this is all going to take place then, he says. Now you go on in light of this.
And you faithfully serve the Lord and know that your labor is not going to be empty or vein, but there's a day coming when it'll all be displayed for the glory of God. What a day it's going to be. Brethren, young people, I want to say something. You don't have to go to India or Africa or Romania or far off Sudan to be a missionary. If you're the Lords, you're here for purpose and the mission field starts where your front yard ends.
And if there are children in your home, the mission field is right there and you don't have to go any particular place. You'll find subjects everywhere. If you look to the Lord to do it for you, He'll reveal the need and give you the power too. It's a wonderful thing to realize you have worked where you are. Yes, Sir, I want to read the last few verses of First Corinthians 3.
I'll start with verse 20 and again the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise.
Brother John Jonathan has told us about this man that has written as very evil book and it's the fastest selling book. He's one of those thoughts of the wise, that they are vain, worthless, of no value, not subject to God. Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours, all things are yours. Let that sink down into our souls, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life.
Or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours. Ye are Christs. Christ is God's. Let that sink down into our souls.
18 in the appendix.
I.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-7
Reading
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We go to meet the.
World.
Say a few words first. Yeah, go ahead.
I'd like to give an attempt to give a little help on a question that was asked yesterday here in this room. And Brother Jeff referred to a passage in Romans chapter 10. And I think if we look at that, we can get a better understanding of.
What? He was asking.
If we look at Romans 10 and verse six, and I'll read a few verses here, But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise say, not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down from above? Or who shall descend into the deep, that is to bring up Christ again from the dead? But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the Word of Faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.
And shall believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. Well the question was had something to do with going down and and getting Christ or I'm not real sure of the question either. I think it was a little hard to understand but.
These things have already been done. God isn't asking us to do heroics.
Christ has already come down, He has already come up, and so you and I don't go there to get him.
And so this passage isn't talking about where he is now.
Or.
As the question was.
When the Saint goes home, is he violating this scripture to say that that expression?
I hope that's helpful.
If there's others that can clear it up better, I hope they will.
Shall we read 1St Thessalonians 4?
Especially the latter part, but we can read from the beginning.
First Thessalonians, chapter 4.
Beginning at verse one. Furthermore than we beseech you brethren.
And exalt you by the Lord Jesus.
And that as you have received of us how you ought to walk, and to please God the soul, you would abound more and more. For you know that commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of concupiscence.
Even as the Gentiles, which know not God, that no man go beyond and defraud his brother.
In any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despises despiseth not man, but God, who has also given unto us His Holy Spirit, but His touching brotherly love. You need nod that I write unto you, for for ye yourself are taught of God.
To love one another, and indeed you do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia. But we beseech you, brethren, that you increase more and more, and that you study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that you may have lack of nothing. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren.
00:05:19
Concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow nod. Even as others which have no hope before we believe that Jesus died and rose again, Even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Doubt. Don't sit down. Read the next 10 verses please.
Chapter 5.
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you for yourself. Know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then suddenly, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all children of light and the children of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. What they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken.
Are drunken in the night, but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
I think that was a good idea, Brother Chuck. The convenience of chapters we know, but they put in by men, and they often interrupt the thought, don't they?
1St Thessalonians 4 has often been termed the Enoch chapter and rightfully so. We were going to take verse 13 to the end, but I think it's good to just give a brief thought why it's called that. Turn to Genesis chapter 5 and I believe it's verse 24, although it's earlier too, verse 24 and Enoch walked with God.
And he was not, for God took him. Next comes Methuselah, which I was mentioning to someone in the hall. The longest life in being. And God chose the longest life in being to bring judgment. That's a very unusual thought, but that's God's grace, and he's still delaying judgment. We're here yet because one is still to be saved. At least one. If it was the last one saved, we're gone.
But anyway, Enoch walked with God.
And he was not. Now Amos, 33, says how can two be agreed? How can two walk together unless they be agreed?
Enoch was agreeable to God. That's what we should be one other here turn to Hebrews and.
Chapter 11, the faith chapter, because Enoch had faith and so here it says in spotlight this is Hebrews 11.
00:10:00
All right, first five by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation.
He had this testimony that he pleased God. Now you know why you're here. You know why you were born to give pleasure to the Lord. Revelation 11, the last verse. That's why you were born for the Lord's pleasure. A Sinner can never give one ounce of pleasure to God. Never. And you were conceived.
In sin, born in sin, and your nature is sinful.
We have a sinful nature and you practice sin and you know some will die.
In their sins and then for all eternity, they will never give an ounce of pleasure.
To God for the purpose for which they were born. That's the terrible thought of eternal death. But at any rate, now to our chapter. You'll see first verse.
How you ought to walk and to please God enough walk with God and had this testimony before he was translated. He pleased God. What's the result? Abound more and more.
Fruit for God. Now if you look down at verse 4.
Everyone should know how to possess His vessel in sanctification and honor. The second thing is you're separated. This sanctification is not absolute sanctification. It's not the sanctification you have and can't get rid of. You're set apart for God forever. But there's a practical sanctification.
Enoch had that or he couldn't be said he pleased God. You separate from that which is dishonouring to the Lord. That's Nick and then comes with Enoch.
Verse 13, you'd skip the verse 13, and that's a shout called the rapture, which is not a scriptural term, but it's the closest to describing what's going to happen when the Lord comes. I like the rapture. They use it a lot, but that's enough. He was translated, He never died.
We don't expect to, do we? Well, that's the thought. Now one other thing.
Next we are given verse 8, the power to live this life. He says God, who has also given unto us the Holy Spirit. Of course, that comes in Romans 8, doesn't it? I think 13 and on so clear but touching brotherly love. If you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, divine love should be part of you, and that would also go horizontal.
Not just vertically, which is brotherly love and the verse I have in mind.
In first John.
Four, I believe. I'm sorry, I don't want to turn to it.
Hereby we know we passed from death unto light. What's the test? We love the brethren so. This is a beautiful portion. And it goes on to say.
12.
That ye may walk honestly towards them that are without, That ye may have lack of nothing.
That brings in course the Colossian truth. I will turn to it. And then comes the portion which we just all love. It goes with yesterday.
We read in first John that God is light chapter one, and then God is love in chapter 4. And these first verses would answer to God is light, He's holy, and our sanctification is to abstain from fornication to keep our bodies.
Separate from that kind of thing and that's that kind of thing only belongs. It's not called fornication. It belongs in the marriage tie and that's the only place that it's of God outside of the marriage tie. That kind of thing is sin. It's called fornication, sometimes adultery.
00:15:03
Then it starts with verse nine is touching brotherly love and so then God is love. So we have God is light in the first part and God is love in the second part.
Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another, and how wonderful it is that.
We can fulfill the will of God by abstaining from things which are defiling and then going out in love to our brethren. There's a conduct that is in keeping and a character that is necessary as to those who are waiting for the Lord Jesus to return. And that's why He brings it out very clearly here before he explains in the last part of the chapter the details concerning how this event is going to take place.
He brings before the Thessalonians who had been saved from heathendom, that the things that characterized them in their unregenerate state and in heathendom ought not to characterize those who have been brought into the light and those who are waiting for the Lord Jesus. But I'd just like to make a comment that, if you allow me to go back for a moment, to give it just a general comment or two as to these Thessalonian believers and the truth of the Lord's coming that is brought before them.
If we were to go back to the first chapter, we read of these believers that they had turned from God to God, from idols.
To serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven. They were really waiting for the Lord Jesus to come back and establish His Kingdom.
They were waiting for the Lord Jesus to come back from heaven, because the Lord's coming, as we speak of it, is really in two parts. And if we don't get ahold of this in our souls, brethren, there's going to be a lot of confusion as to our character, as to our conduct, as to our position in this world and our responsibility concerning this world and so on. And that is that the Lord Jesus, as is delineated later in this chapter, he's first of all going to come for his Saints.
And he's going to call us away from this world to meet him on the cloud and he's going to escort us to the Father's house. But then that goes on in Thessalonians to explain there's another part to his coming as well. And that is he's going to come back with his Saints. So if we can put it this way, as it's often been put, he's coming first of all for his Saints, and then he's coming with his Saints. And this was the confusion that Thessalonica because.
They were waiting for the Lord Jesus to come back and to establish his Kingdom and to be part of that Kingdom with the Lord Jesus. But as they were waiting, some of their number died, some of them passed away. And now these Thessalonians believers wondered what's happened? Have some of our number missed out on the Kingdom? They're gone now. And so the apostle writes to them by inspiration to explain very clearly that no, they haven't missed out on the Kingdom in any way.
But that before the Lord Jesus comes back in glory to establish the Kingdom, there's something that's going to take place that's going to raise those who have died in faith. And then as we said yesterday, and we'll get to it later in our chapter, we're going to rise with them to meet the Lord in the air. So that before he comes back to reign in righteousness and appear in glory in this world, the Saints, the heavenly Saints are going to be all with him so that they come back and that no one misses out.
Now just turn to Titus chapter 2 for a moment, because I think Titus chapter a couple of verses in Titus chapter 2.
Really sum up what we have in this chapter. I'll read from verse 11, Titus chapter 2, and verse 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly loss, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. I'm going to stop there for a moment because this 12TH verse is really the first part of First Corinthians 4 and what he's really telling us here is that grace.
I'm sorry, 1St Thessalonians 4. What he's really telling us here is that grace is a teacher that teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age, denying the things that are ungodly and unholy. You know, when I see a brother or a sister who exhibits moral piety in their lives, I say there's a brother, there's a sister who has an understanding of the grace of God.
There is a brother or sister who appreciates the grace of God. Brethren, grace does not give us license to live as we please. It's true Scripture speaks of those who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. But they didn't really understand what grace was, and they took the thought of grace as licensed to live as they please and to use their bodies as they please. But I say again, grace teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly.
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In this present age. But it doesn't stop there. We find it says then in verse 13, and this is the end of First Thessalonians 4. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Now two things are brought out here. First of all, what we said was the Lord's coming for His Saints. We're looking for that blessed hope at any moment of being raptured away to meet the Lord in the air.
But there is the glorious appearing too, that time when he's going to come back with his Saints and appear in this world. And so there's two things that are going to give us the proper character of those who are waiting for the Lord.
An appreciation of grace in our souls and the an object before us. Because, brethren, our object forms our character. Our object forms our character. And if we're not looking for the Lord Jesus to come at any moment.
As well as, as he expresses it in Second Timothy 4, loving his appearing the day of glory when he's manifested in this world. If those things don't characterize us, we're not going to be walking in the true character of strangers and pilgrims and denying the things that are unholy and going on with the things that we ought to. And we often speak of our blessed hope as the Lord's coming for us. And that's true. But really the two things are part of our hope here. What is our hope?
To be caught up, to meet the Lord in the air, and then to come back when he has his full vindication here in this world and all see him and give glory to him. We ought to love that too. And that will help form our character now. So we can say Lord Jesus come, that's the rapture. And we can say thy Kingdom come, that's his appearance. Both are proper for the Christian.
I want to refer to.
Second Timothy. This question was asked me. No one commented on it. Second Timothy 2, Verse 16 Shun profane and vain babblings, they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat. As doth a canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have heard saying that the resurrection is passed already.
And overthrow the faith of some Now we saw in first Corinthians 15 that there were some that.
That said that there was number resurrection and he develops that and shows that if that's the case, then Christ is not raised because he died. And if there's no resurrection that everything is lost but here that the resurrection is passed already. What would be the effect of that? The effect of that would be that this present scene that we're living in is our final place if we're if we're living in a resurrected state.
Then that's that's where we then we can enjoy things down here that might appeal to an American or Canadian audience because we have it so nice, but it wouldn't appeal to Saints in other countries don't don't have it nice at all. And so it's a very destroying thing because it puts off of our hope. In fact, it takes away our hope, doesn't it? Our hope is to be taken out of this scene and to be with Christ in heaven. Our portion is heavenly. Now Colossians, one says.
If he then the Colossians 3 says verse one. If he then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. So there is a sense in which we are already risen with Christ, but that's not in our bodies. Our bodies are still here. They're still in the old condition of things.
And so to say that the resurrection is passed already would mean that our bodies are in the resurrection state. That's wrong, definitely wrong. We wouldn't be sick then if that was the case. We wouldn't have all the afflictions that we have down here. So we have to keep these Scriptures in their proper place. When it says we are risen with Christ, that's in a spiritual sense, isn't it? That's where our hope is. That's where our portion is, where a heavenly people. We're not to get engaged in all of the affairs of this world. It's politics. It's it's.
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It's everything. We belong to another world, but we're not there yet. And the resurrection of the body will place us there, but that's still future.
As we were speaking here I was thinking of something a little bit different. Hope you would allow me to say this. Last evening we had a young people him saying here and to my surprise there must have been over 200 young people here. I know we have lots of people here but I didn't realize we have that many younger ones and that's not counting children that didn't make it as opposed to as an age cut off.
But I was thinking more. Sometimes we speak at a level that some of them may or may not understand. I find often when I don't know something, I need someone to explain it to me over and over and over again before I get it. And then when I get it, sometimes I learn that I don't have the patience to explain to someone over and over again because I expected someone else to know it the same way. So I was thinking more of a young one here. Some of them may or may not have heard of some of the things that we talked about.
What prompt me to thinking of that was even the word sanctification and fornication. You know, sometimes we chuckle when someone say they don't know the word. And I remember there was a young man about 25 years of age after he was married, he said to me that's when he learned what the word fornication means. It doesn't know what he means. He didn't mean to say that he didn't know what what the act was. He just didn't know the word. So I think we may have to explain it a little bit for a younger one.
And sanctification fornication, we're to be sanctified. Last night I used that word with more than one because we know that we should be sanctified and be ready for the master's use and some sex to me. Well, I don't know what you mean to be sanctified. I know our brother mentioned that already to set apart and maybe someone else can expound on that even more so, but I was thinking more too here in our chapter, especially for young people here, the conditions before the Lord's coming.
Is very grave in this world. In fact, it's a lot like it is today. We talk about to be sanctified, to be set apart, to be different and live according to the word of God and not what this world is. This world expects a lot of things because it's accepted. We have to be very careful because we are influenced, aren't we, by what we see. Someone already mentioned about how we think we're determined or what we know.
Will determine how we think and how we walk. You know, when our hearts dwell with things of this world, then our actions leads us to it. And even simple thing is music that we listen to, the lyric we listen to could dictate how we walk. And this may even be stretching a little bit. And even what we see, You know, I haven't gone outside yet. We came here in the dark. And the only thing I've seen in California here so far is the mountain ahead of us.
When we're at home, we even have billboards all over the place. And I'm probably supposed that you have billboards out here too. And sometimes even the messages on the Billboard are defiling. So we have to be careful about things like that. And we know we're told in the last eight conditions are very great. But I like to turn to a passage in in second Timothy and these last days before the Lord comes. And so we see the conditions. I won't comment much on it, but just to read it and.
You see how we have to walk Second Timothy, chapter 3.
This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boastful, are boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent.
Fears.
Despises of those that are good traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power.
There are and so on. We find that in verse seven, ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. If we look around us, do we see similar conditions? The moral of this world degrades and sometimes.
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We even bring that into the Assembly. We know just because the world.
Things in the world are accepted. Do we bring them into the assembly? And that's why we need to be sanctified so that we can be ready for the masters Use. Be careful of what you do, you know. It was the other thing too. It's very difficult as we live in a world so full of corruption.
So we as young people, how do we get away with that? Well, you see, some people will say, let's isolate ourselves. We don't see any of that. I don't see the Word of God telling us to do that. I believe what the word of God will want us to do is the first thing is to learn that in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good things. We have to learn that first. If we think we can overcome all this evil in the world, we can't. But we have to acknowledge that we have no power of our own.
Now what do we do instead to be filled with the Spirit? We have to spend time to learn. You know, this morning I was thinking, often you're asked to speak to the young people and you'll find that often the speakers will say to the young people and encourage them to read the word of God. And this morning in the shower, I was thinking, you know, sometimes we should actually say don't just read the word of God. But that would get people's attention, wouldn't it? Really? We shouldn't just read the Word of God. The reason I say that is this. You should be in prayer first because we just pick up the word of God to read as a knowledge book. Then that's when we get it into our head instead of our hearts. We need to be before the Lord on our needs, asking Him to show us.
Abortion from themselves, and then sanctified ourselves to be holy. Now, then we can be ready for the Master's use. Will we be used by the Master? We don't know that yet. But if we're not sanctified, then definitely you can use us. But we're sanctified and then we can wait. Now, why do I say all this? I say all this not to discourage us. I say this as we look around us and we can see all these problems, difficulties and corruption.
Our heart should rejoice, not rejoicing over the problems, but you know that the Lord's coming is so ever near. He's still going to come and rapture us out from this scene because there is nothing this world can do to correct the problems. What a blessed hope. That's why our brother pointed out that verse in their entire waiting for the glorious return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
As always, remember, there is an absolute sanctification.
And it can't be changed. You are sanctified. Everyone that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ has been set apart from this world for God. That's absolute, never changes. We're talking about practical sanctification here. And I'd like to just turn to the Lord's Prayer for that, because that's really how we can maintain it, the Lord's Prayer.
Of course, you all know it's chapter 17 of John.
And verse 1617, verse 16, I'm going to mention verse 21St because it applies to us neither pray I. This is the Lord for these alone, the disciples and apostles there, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word. So you're included in this. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
That's absolute sanctification. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth. As Thou has sent me into the world, Even so I also sent them into the world for their sakes. I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified. How? Through the truth either.
The word of God will keep you from sinning, or sin will keep you.
From the word of God. That's it if you continue with the Word.
Satan has a harder time with you. I'd like to read a very important passage. It's in First Corinthians 6IN connection with what's been said, there's so many young people here and.
1St Corinthians 6.
Verse 12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful unto me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Now notice verse 13 meets for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body they used to strike me so strange. Why does he?
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Mention these two things.
Needs for the belly and the other is fornication. What are the two most natural the strongest drives in men? The 1St is self preservation is if you had a choice to.
If you were starving and needed food, and you had a choice to either if they were, you were offered two things.
And that is food to sustain you, or sex to fulfill your natural sexual desires. You choose the food.
But if your food had already satisfied you, what's the next strongest drive in man? Sex. And that's why these two are put together. Notice how it's developed in this chapter. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Your bodies are the members of Christ.
Not just you in a general way, but your bodies.
Belong to Christ, They are members of Christ. Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot?
God forbid.
That's fornication, That's fornication. What know ye not that he which is joined to in harlot is one body.
The two shall be one flesh, for two saith thee shall be one flesh. That relationship is reserved for marriage, and engaging in that outside of marriage is sin.
Inside the institution of marriage, wonderful relationship that God has provided for men and women is very precious is nothing wrong with it, nothing unholy about it. It's beautiful. It's beautiful, but it has to be kept within that relationship outside of it. It is sinful. Marriage is honorable and all in the best story. Chuck, I'm not finished. I want to get to the end of this chapter.
What know ye not, that he which is joined to in harlots?
Is one body. Let's think of it.
One body with the two shall be one flesh that goes right back to Adam and Eve.
Shall be one flesh, but he that is joined to the Lord is 1 spirit. We sing that hymn 1 spirit with the Lord and we're united to the Lord by the Spirit in a spiritual way. But this thing fornication or the one flesh deal is something that has to do with the with the body. And we as we've had before us, we're not in our new body yet, not in our new body. That won't be a part of our new creation activity.
There are no, there's not going to be male and female.
Up there.
That's marriage is an institution of earth belonging to this scene, not heaven.
Not heaven. Remember when my son who lost in one day?
His family, his wife, his three children murdered.
And remember, he wrote a letter to me after that, and he'd been looking at Scripture where the Lord said to them that marriage is for now, not then.
And he said I finally said goodbye.
To Susie and Becky, Gracie and Benji forever. You'll never have that relationship again. You'll never have the joy of marriage up there, except the marriage of Christ and the Church. But that's an earthly institution. If you don't keep yourself pure in this time, you'll not have another chance for it in that time.
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Because it's only in firstly thing beautiful, the most beautiful thing that he's given to us. Keep yourselves pure.
Free fornication.
Every sin that a man doeth is without the body.
But he that committed fornication sinneth against his own body.
What? Here's another reason we're not to do it, because our bodies are the members of Christ. Now there's another reason we should abstain from fornication. What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
Their body is not evil.
It can be used in a wrong way. That's called sin on fornication. I remember a young man said to me once, he said.
If I have sex with a young woman and then I go on to marry her, that that constitutes my marriage and I've I've consummated that act which belongs in marriage. And that's so that's not really sin because but it I said no, that's called fornication and scripture. It's not marriage. Marriage involves more than just that act. There are those the way the world thinks. There are those that you commit that act, you're married.
Or of course, the world is so loose in these things it's just terrible to even talk about them. But But no, that that in itself does not constitute marriage. There has to be a.
A recognition and a public thing in a way that the two are one now, they're married, they belong to each other, and they should only be in that way to each other and to no one else.
What know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and you're not your own. Your body isn't yours to do with as you want.
You belong. Your body belongs to Christ, just like you do.
You're not your own, you're bought with a price. What's the conclusion? Therefore, glorify God in your body.
And in your spirit, which are gods? I don't know whether that last part is even there. Glorify God in your body.
And that is so important. And that's really the first part of First Thessalonians 4, our sanctification. I think it's so important to stress this because the the whole attitude in the world that we're living in and the television and all that completely, completely contradicts what I just said. Just to give a verse, Chuck, to confirm what you said about marriage being a natural tie for this life when he takes up the relationship of the husband and wife in First Peter chapter 3 and verse 7.
He says being heirs together of the grace of life, that's this life here. I've heard people say marriage is a spiritual tie. Marriage is a tie, a natural tie given for this earth. There'll be nothing in glory to detract from that paramount relationship of Christ and his bride. That's what's going to be paramount there in the glory and if earthly relationships continued in glory the way they are now.
There would be something to detract from that. But I just want to say this too, as a follow up to what you say. Just turn to Proverbs 6 just to follow up the verses you read to us in Corinthians. Because I think this is so solemn, maybe I'll just preface reading this verse by saying this. I've been impressed in going through the epistles in the New Testament to realize how many times, particularly the apostle Paul warns not the world.
But the Saints of God as to the folly and consequences of moral evil, fornication and adultery, even to the Ephesian Saints who were able to take in that great and high truth, he warns them in the midst of it all of moral evil. But I want to read a verse or two here in Proverbs 6, verse 32. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman locketh understanding. He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. Now notice this next verse.
A wound and dishonor shall he get.
And his reproach shall not be wiped away. And I believe that one reason why Scripture warns so solemnly and frequently as to the sexual relationships outside the marriage tie is because it leaves a mark on a person for this the rest of their life. A wound and dishonor shall he get. Now it's true that one can be happily restored to the Lord David failed.
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We in connection with Bathsheba. It was a grievous moral sin, and David was happily restored to the Lord.
And even used of God, but a sword never departed from his house forever.
There was a consequence that continued on because of that evil, and a wound and dishonor shall he get. And young people, keep yourself pure. Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled. But don't fall into the trap of moral rune. It'll follow you the rest of your life. I'm not saying you can't be happily restored in your soul to the Lord, and maybe with circumstances, in some circumstances even to the Lord's table and your brethren and so on. But do be careful.
But the problem is today, not only has the line of demarcation in the world become blurred, it's become completely removed and obliterated. When I was going to school, we had to go out and look for trouble, and some of us found plenty of it. The difference between that and my young people is trouble is right there in front of us, in front of them. And there's no there was still a line of right and wrong when I went to school as a young person. But these things have become so accepted in our society and through the medium of television and all this kind of thing.
That we've become de sweet if we're not careful, we become desensitized to evil and we don't really realize how awful it is. And we don't realize that sin is is costly. Sin is.
Is is presented today as something grand and wonderful and something to fill your appetite and you're to go after the lusts of your heart. No one's to put restrictions on you. But sin is costly. Sin has its consequences. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. And I just plead with you young people, and all of us.
There's so many who've had great potential, so many who have been on fire for the Lord and they've fallen into moral evil and it has left us a wound and a scar. Oh, I beg you, keep yourself pure. God has a relationship for us on earth inside the marriage tie, which has been has been said is precious in itself. It's for the blessing of man on earth if we step out of what God has instituted.
For our blessing on this earth, we can expect nothing but sorrow and reaping what we sow.
I want to add just one more thing to what was said before, then I'll be quiet.
In first Corinthians 7 it just follows what we read. I just want to read the 1St 2 verses now concerning the things whereof He wrote unto me. It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. But the husband render the wife to benevolence, and likewise also the wife to the husband, and so on.
I was in a wedding.
Those are my granddaughter.
And.
They got married and.
The one that married them says you may now kiss your bride. And I heard a voice behind me said He kissed her, the voice behind me said. And he was right. It's the first time he's kissed her.
They agreed that they would not.
Do anything that would be inappropriate because one thing can lead to another to another and so on, and sin can come in. So they they saved it for the marriage. And if you ever do that, if you do that, and I thought ever, if you do that, you'll never regret it. You'll never regret it.
There's too much looseness. It's good for a man not to touch a woman. Now that touch is a sexual touch that he's talking about.
Which leads to sin. But they had agreed, they got married and that's the first time he touched her. If you can put it in the language of scripture.
I'm just going to say for the day might be able to illustrate sanctification.
And because there's another aspect to it.
When we not all of us have dishwashers, so we have dirty dishes stacked on one side of the sink and as they're washed and dried, then the clean ones are on the other side. We don't mix them. We put the clean ones on the other side. We don't know whether they're clean or not. So we keep them apart. You might say sanctified. Now here's the the other part about that is.
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You might say, well, what can I do about my classmates? I have to sit in a school room with ungodly people. I might ride on a bus with ungodly people or eat in a restaurant and work with ungodly people. Well, you know, there was a time when some of the apostles were.
Taken into custody and it's like to read a verse in in Acts chapter 4.
It is verse 23.
Probably know this verse.
Acts 423 and being let go, they went to their own company.
Well, when you're forced together in places where you belong and you can't separate from the ungodly, you don't make deep friendships with those people. You can be friendly and then you have an opportunity with the gospel, but when you're let go, then who are your friends? Once you're free from those places where you're required to be, then who are your friends? They went to their own company.
And I don't have to explain who your own company is. You know that, Your other fellow believers.
There's a beautiful little poem that reads something like this. What has stripped this seeming beauty from the idols of the earth? Not the sense of right or duty, but the sight of peerless worth. I just like to say one little word of encouragement too, as to on the subject of marriage here, that we know that Scripture tells us that in heaven they're neither Mary nor are given in marriage. But isn't it wonderful, beloved brethren, that the.
Mate, the Lord has given us here on earth, We're going to enjoy in that scene too. Not as married, but in a richer way. There's going to be that sweet fellowship together as we enjoy Christ. But I was thinking too of something else in connection with this. If we could turn just for a moment to the third chapter of, of first John, and then I think we see something of what would lead to true sanctification. That's what we have.
In our chapter, the 4th chapter of One Thessalonians. But to read just a few verses here the 1St 3.
And how this will focus our attention.
On the things that will bring eternal blessing, that will keep us from the distractions that Satan wants to bring in. Because, beloved brethren, we have an enemy that wants to destroy us.
And he wants to discourage us. He wants to get our eyes off of Christ. He's our source of blessing. He's our place of safety. And you know, when the wolf comes in and destroys the the sheep, he scatters the flock. What which ones of the flock are?
Are safe the ones who are cleaving close to the Shepherd? Oh, may that be the subject of our hearts. But here we read the first verse of the first. John 3. Behold, oh, I look at that word. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as he is, and every man that hath this hope in him purify him by himself even as he is pure.
All beloved brethren, when our focus is upon him, just to tell a little story that I've enjoyed, I've heard it many years ago of this man who went into a jewelry shop and he wanted to buy. He saw this Pearl that was so beautiful, so lovely, and he asked the the shopkeeper, how much do you want for that Pearl? The shopkeeper said everything that you have.
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And he said, well, OK, he pull out his wallet.
And he had a few $100 there and he he gave it to the shopkeeper, the shop seek people said, well, I want your wallet also. And then he said, well then I can't, it's got my license and I can't drive my car. Oh, you have a car. I'll take that too. Well, if you take my car, how will I get my wife and my family around? And how can we go home? Oh, you have a wife and a family.
I'll take them to your home. I'll take it too. Old beloved brethren, just impress what has been said to us and how good. What a salvation, what protection it will give us if we could truly lay hold of the truth of the Word of God that tells us ye are not your own. You are bought with a price and all. What a price may our hearts, beloved brethren, be.
Taken from the things of this earth that so easily beset us, the sin that so easily beset us, beset us, the sin of unbelief and these things, and cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart. Like Daniel of old, who purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the King's meat. We have such a Savior. And I think even this moment is that he's looking down with his infinite love. Oh, do we have a sense of that love?
That infinite love, beloved brotherhood, to walk through the day with a sense of God's love for me. And also it helps us to remember this, does it not? When I think of how much the Lord Jesus loves my brethren, oh, I want to be careful how I treat them.
I want to mention two things that will encourage the young people. I'm not saying you discouraged them, but you know, Satan does take advantage and get it at times. But the one thing, Tom, when you mentioned we should be friendly with those in the world, I remember Harry Hagel. I don't like to quote people like that, but he really affected me many times. He said we should be.
The best friends this world can have but not friendly with them. And I think that really sunk into me. I just not correcting you but I'm just saying we better be careful about being friendly with them because Demas name means popular if you find yourself popular with those of the world.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. That isn't what we're talking about. But on the other, on fornication and adultery.
You know, it isn't the end. I'm not. No, I'm not going the other way, brother. But I want to turn to Jeremiah, chapter 3 of Jeremiah. And this is so important because once we belong to Christ, always we belong to Christ. And don't let anything discourage you in that. You can always turn to Him.
In verse.
Three, therefore the showers have been withholding, and there have been no latter rain. This is on Israel. And thou hast a horse forehead then refuses to be ashamed. Now here of course, a horse forehead is one who isn't ashamed of what she's doing, but here it applies to spiritual fornication, which many times that comes up.
And that's the worst type of fornication. But what about?
Physical. All right, turn to verse 14.
Eternal backsliding children, says the Lord Jehovah. For I am married unto you, and I will make you one of a city, two of a family, I will bring you to Zion, and so on.
Malachi chapter 3 the Lord says the Lord hates putting away and don't remember don't ever forget. I mean, once you belong to him, you may go as far as David. It could happen, but as as.
As our brother said, David was restored. You don't expect to be restored, but don't ever shorten the hand of the Lord. He'll never give you up. And I'm just saying that not to encourage him in the act, but not to discourage him if Satan has taken advantage. Brother Bob, I was. I'm glad you brought that out in First Corinthians 5.
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Man was put away, put away from among yourselves, that wicked person. He had committed fornication and.
But the second epistle says restore him, forgive him, And he was. But was he the only case at Corinth? I'm going to read you some verses in 2nd Corinthians 12 verse 20. But I fear lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I would.
And that I shall be found unto you, such as ye would not, lest there be debates and beings, rats, stripes, backbiting, whisperings, swellings, tumults, and lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you. They were His children in the faith, He was their spiritual father. And when they didn't go on well and humbled him, that's when I come again my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already.
And have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and the assiduousness which they've committed. We have to realize that these Corinthians were Gentiles saved out of a a heathen world and that was common to Corinthian eyes was to fornicate. That was the reputation that they had. And this was and these early Christians, they had to learn that that is not Christianity. That's not right.
You can't do that. You keep your body reserved and pure and holy. You belong now to Christ. Your body is a member of Christ and you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. But I want to say this to the young people.
If you have fallen into sin that way, it's not over for you. It wasn't over for that man, First Corinthians five. He wept. He repented.
He was sorry for what he'd done.
And he was forgiven. The grace of God can take you up with no letter where you are.
We don't want this ministry to just come down on you as though it's, oh, I'm just nothing. I've failed in everything. It's not over.
Just repent, get before the Lord, confess your sins one to another. He will heal you and you can be used. You can be used still if you get in the right state of soul. As Jim said earlier, we have an example in the Old Testament of David.
And Jim made a comment that is very, very true. There's a result to sin. There's a result. And David never lost that sword, you know, right? Just before he died, one of his sons revolted against him. You know, there is a result and that something is true, that God is gracious. He forgives government of God. But there is a result. We pay a penalty for what we do.
I like to add another comment to this, if I may be for young people, not saying that you are doing this act because I know what children often when you want to teach them something, the first reaction is they'll say, well, I don't do these things. Well, we want you to learn it because none of us are exempted from it. You know, I heard people will say, well, my children are now married, They're fined. You know, these temptations out there are just as great.
All of us as any so we have to understand it from the word of God. In fact, we should enjoy on it because when we dwell on it, it leads us into walking that way. What we think about often will translate into actions. That's why we're told to renew our minds. But renew it with what? With the word of God waiting to be occupied with. Now, some of you may say, I don't even think about that and you're right. And I would believe that the number of people we talked to about this year would probably be a very small percentage here.
But then we are not exempted. We have other problems too. And as we're thinking of this, I was thinking of the scene of Sodom. You know, when you talk about the the lowest moral degradation, we think of Sodom. And I'd like to turn to a verse in Ezekiel to see what the Lord said about Sodom.
Maybe we'll learn something from that because, you know, the Lord finally took judgment on that city. He couldn't wait any longer. In Ezekiel chapter 16, here's the Lord addressing Israel again. A brother read in Jeremiah there about the follies. Here it in the 16th chapter of Ezekiel. I find it very striking because in Sodom I would think that the Lord's going to address them in regard.
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To all these immoralities. Now let's see what He says in verse 49. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom. Well, what do you think the Lord say to them? First, we read a number of things. The first thing here if you notice just one word. First problem He addresses pride, pride. Second thing, short, fullness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughter's.
Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. The Lord addressed a number of things before he got into the moral issues after on the next verse, which I don't intend to go into because I think enough was said on that. But let's look at this pride. You know, we're told to be humble before the Lord. And I heard an expression someone said one time he said we're sometimes so humble that we are proud of it. You know, there's also thing a spiritual pride.
Anything that talks about me is pride, isn't it? And if you think about the word pride I enjoy. Someone pointed out one time he said many of us attacks in homes at our homes with the word pride on it. And some of you may remember that just the word PRIDE. But the artist put it a little bit differently. It looks like a house. The 1St letter is a little bit lower, 2nd letter is higher and higher and in the middle of that is the letter I that stands way out.
I that's pride. Anything that have me in it is pride. So that was the problem. Pride we were in Proverbs chapter 6, you know, and that chapter the Lord said there's six things that he hates and the first thing is the proud look. So we have to be very careful pride. But then after pride, I see that we have the same conditions today. We know the conditions around us are dark, are Gray, a evil and corruptions.
This condition, we see this in our own household, is that fullness of bread? Do we have that? No, there's nothing wrong with that. And I know some of you, the young people being overseas, in Mexico, in Malawi, in India, in many places where they see there's no such thing as fullness of bread. It's very difficult to hear and understand someone who who will tell you that they haven't eaten in three days. I get pretty grumpy by about half an hour, an hour late from my meal time.
But there are many places where people can say this fullness of bread, and in about 20 minutes time will be feasting. We will know what that means, do we? But that was the conditions. They have pride, they have fondness of bread, and along with that, the idleness that was in her and her daughters. It will be very careful. The Lord knows that sometimes riches in abundance can be our hindrance too, and we need to be very careful with this. What do we do with our time?
You know, I don't want to mock anybody. We know that many of us when we're not busy, we take up gossiping and we don't need to look at someone else. We look at ourselves and words gets around. You know, we jokingly say whatever you said here today, your mom and dad probably know at home because of Internet and telephone. You know, and you know too that there are times and there are many places where if you know information, if you need information, the certain person you call and you know that that person knows everything.
Do we need to know all this? Rather, be careful. We're on a sidetrack, but the longest, we're on one more thing. Sorry, but we were currently going to read 13 to the end, and I think we should still do it. But one more thing, since we got the young people into the mess, let's help them a little if you're at the Lord's Table, which is the highest privilege anyone can have in this world.
To be at the Lord's table. We're going to taste it tomorrow. If you are, I just read this to you. First Corinthians 11 and verse.
27 I believe, Yeah. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread or drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine or prove himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup, for he that eateth and drinketh.
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Unworthily eateth and drinketh. Judgment should be to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. Now that judgment, of course, is not, is governmental judgment. I mean, you reap what you sow. We talked about it with David and others. But never let any sin keep you from the table if you're there. That's too important. You may have to confess to your brethren in assembly.
You certainly have to confess to the Lord. That's before we conclude the meeting. Just read verse seven and eight of our chapter.
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not men, but God, who hath also given us his Holy Spirit. I just want to make a comment in connection with this, because we've spoken about uncleanness and the folly of sin. There is a path of holiness for the Saints of God.
This is practical holiness, and I think of that verse that says be holy that bear the vessels of the Lord.
As we've had before us, our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. But what I want to point out in connection with all that we've said on these matters, lest we be discouraged, is that we have brethren, the resources to shun that which is evil and to live wholly for God's glory in this world. He hasn't left us to do it on our own. Because maybe there's a young person here and you're thinking as these things are unfolded, Well, I've got appetite. I'm young. It's all right for the older brethren to talk about these things, but I'm young and I've got appetite and desires natural.
Things given by God and they are and therefore our happiness on earth and they're kept in their proper place and their proper sphere. But I just want to point out that rather than we have all things that pertain unto life and godliness and we're not left to live a life for God's glory on our own devices. He's given us the Spirit of God as the power for our new life. He's given us the resource of prayer. He's given us his precious word. And if we go on with those things in the in availing ourselves of those resources.
Then we can, as we said at the beginning of the meeting, live soberly, righteously and godly.
In this present age. But the problem is so often we try to do it on our own.
We say, well, I know how far to go. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. Young people don't ever say, well I know how far to go with that young lady, or I know how far to go with that young man, or I know how far I can go in that circumstance and I won't go any further. Let him that thinketh thee standeth take heed lest he fall. Peter was full of self-confidence, but he had to learn by a bitter experience that he didn't understand his own heart. He trusted his own heart and it was to his downfall.
But he had a resource. I've prayed for thee that thy faith fail not if he'd availed himself of what he had in Christ, he would have never done what he did. And if he hadn't associated with those that the world's fire that had no love for his Lord, it might have saved him that bitter experience. But I just want to say this at the end of the meeting, unless we be discouraged. You have all the resources. But maybe I can just say too, to exercise each one of us when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ.
And our life is brought into review another day and some failure is brought out. And it's not a question of my acceptance in heaven or my salvation. That's not the point. But some failure in my life is brought out. What excuse am I going to give the Lord Jesus? Am I going to be able to say, well, it was such a dark day. I couldn't live for God's glory. I didn't have the resources to meet that situation. He's going to say, I gave you everything. You have divine life.
You had the Spirit of God as the power for it. You had prayer, you had the Word, you had me living and interceding for you at the right hand of God. You had the hope of the Lord's coming. It's going to be a lot of red faces at the judgment seat of Christ. It's not that it's not going to affect our eternal destiny or our salvation. We're there forever. There's going to be a lot of red faces that the judgment seat of Christ as we realize that the reason we fell into these things, the reason sin took hold of us in our lives was because we did not avail ourselves.
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Of what we had and if we fail, it's because we have turned away or rejected.
Are neglected to use the resources that were available. And brethren, if the day ever gets so dark that we can't live for God's glory with the resources that he has given us, then the Lord will take us out. But as long as we're left here, no matter how dark the day is, no matter how much evil abounds, and not just an immoral society, but an amoral society where there's no boundaries, everything is if it feels good, do it. But as long as we're left here, we have the resources to stand against the tide. The Kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.
We're going to have to swim upstream, brethren, but it's not on our own devices. If someone says to you, young person.
Everybody's doing it then that proves it's dead wrong. I want to give one verse before I got a time before. That's Proverbs for the young people. I don't know why we're preaching. Thank you, but it's that way. Proverbs chapter 4, verse 23, I believe keep should be Garrison. Garrison thy heart with all diligence for out of it.
Are the issues of life and I have one thing to ask. Do you think brother, you're going to have a red face at the judgment seat of Christ? Well, I use that expression. We don't understand what it's going to be. There be no regrets that the judges, but there will but there will be loss at the judgment seat of Christ, not loss of salvation, but loss of what he can reward for those things that were not for his glory and which will be part of that wood, hay and stubble that will all be burned up and gone. Thank God it will.
And then something that he can praise us for, but they're wondering. 25 Sorry, Tom #225 The third verse begins. While here in the valley of conflict we stay. Oh, give us submission and strength of the day 225.
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Of #288.
Not thinking of the young necessarily, but for everyone of us.
288 versus 2 and three.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:10
Reading
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And 41.
5.
Psalm 145.
Oh, verse 15 and 16.
The eyes of all wait upon thee.
Now give us them their meat in due season. Now openness thy hand, and satisfy us the desire of every living thing.
We ask is help and blessing. Father we look up to thee once more. Thank you for the privilege that we've had being together like this. We thank you for the scriptures that we can have open and come together with no man forbidding.
Now we just would ask the our God that thou would open thy hands and give us meat in due season once more.
Pray that Thou would feed our souls with heavenly things and that would lead our hearts out after Thy Son, the Lord Jesus. We pray that the Spirit of God would be free this afternoon. Take the things of Christ and to show them unto us. Now we ask these things for others. We wait before thee in the name and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
We'll go into 510.
First Thessalonians chapter 4, beginning at verse 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep that you sorrow not even as others would have no hope for. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, Even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with that with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain.
Shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so shall we ever be with the Lord, Wherefore comfort one another with these words. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you before yourselves. Know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them.
As petrovelled upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light and the children of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation.
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For God hath not appointed us to us, but to obtain salvation.
By our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
How thankful we can be that as we read these scriptures, we can understand them by the grace of God. For back many hundreds of years ago, they lost the sense of this truth and the church went into what was known as the dark ages. And that's what brought on the dark ages was the loss of the sense of the Lord's soon return. And how thankful we can be that the Lord and His mercy and his grace.
Has recovered to his Saints the nullage of the Lord. Soon return, and it might be today.
I like the 14th verse the way it reads in the new translation.
We believe that Jesus has died and has risen again, so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
Another rendering has been put to sleep by Jesus. It's a very precious thought that.
Those that have died in faith in this present dispensation of Christian dispensation have been put to sleep by Jesus. Very sweet.
He speaks here of those who have no hope. And I suppose there's nothing worse than a hopeless situation. Remember reading about, yes, 4 submarines was hit off the East Coast of the United States, rammed by a ship and it went to the bottom. And divers went down to see if they could be of assistance in getting the crew out, which they couldn't. And as one of those divers put his ear to the to the side of the submarine, he heard tapped in Morris code.
Is there any hope? And there's nothing worse than a hopeless situation. Hope, someone has said, is an indispensable quality of life. Isn't it tremendous, brethren, that we are not those who have no hope? There are those in this world today who have no hope. One of the hardest things I ever did was stand up and take the funeral of an unbeliever, because there's no hope. There's no hope for the person that's died. There is hope for those who are living. And you present the gospel because that's what a funeral is for. It's for those who are living. But what a solemn thing to realize that when one draws that last breath without Christ.
There's no hope but here it tells us not that, as we said earlier, not that we don't sorrow, but we sorrow not as others who have no hope. But I want to make it very clear that when we speak of hope in the sense that we have it here and in Scripture, it's not hope in the sense that it may or may not happen. We hope to return to our homes after these meetings, but something may come in and we may never return to our homes. We, we, we speak of hoping to do this and hoping to do that. Many things I hope to do that I've never been able to.
To bring to fruition or to do because of circumstances. But just go over to Romans for a moment, chapter 8, to get the sense of the hope of the believer. Speak of our hope, the blessed hope we have in Titus and Peter had spoken of as a living hope. It's spoken of as a Good Hope in Second Thessalonians, spoken of in different ways. But just notice Romans chapter 8 and verse 24. For we are saved by hope.
But hope that is seen is not hope for what a man hath, what a man seeth, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it? Well, this gives us really the sense of what hope is in the light of the New Testament. It's in no way uncertainty. It's only hope. Rather, in the sense that we're not in the full reality of it yet, we speak of the hope of the Lord's coming because the Lord hasn't come yet.
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But here it tells us that what a man hath, why does he yet hope for? If you have something in your hand, you don't hope for it. It might be a child here and they're hoping for something special for their birthdays. And maybe mom or dad says, well, we've already got it. It's it's hidden away in the closet. And when your birthday comes, we're going to get it. We're going to bring it out and give it to you. But it's already been bought and secured. But nevertheless, until the birthday comes, they're not in the full possession of it yet.
Even though it's been promised to them. And so there's hope in that sense. They're waiting for the moment when it will be placed in their hand. Now, brethren, the hope of the Lords coming is not uncertainty. It's only hope in the sense that it hasn't happened yet.
In Ephesians, I think.
Two, I think 11:00 to 12:00 it says those without hope are like this, without Christ, having no hope, without God in the world. Could there be anything worse than that to die that way? Then it's second death, and second death is eternal separation.
From a holy God whose love and life that is worth than the condition described there. There are many having no hope. But you know the verse for us is be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you the reason of the hope that's in you with fear and reverence. When I was working I remember getting home sometime in a real busy day.
And I said to myself, why didn't?
Anybody asked, they didn't see any difference. You know, that's a solemn thought. We are responsible because we have what the world needs. And if we don't give it out like the four lepers, you know, who sat at the gate of Samaria and they were being starved to death and by thirst in Samaria. The lepers, of course. 4 is universal number lepers speak of.
Sin and evil.
Sinners. But for us they are all sinners. And they said, if we go in, we but die. If we stay out here we die. Without realizing it, though, they threw themselves in the hands of the Lord, and they went right into the enemy's camp. And the Lord had already cleared the enemy out, and they found gold and silver and food and water.
And Remix. And they took it and went and hid it. They went back and found more and they went and hid it. And after a while they said one to another, we do not. Well, there's enough here for all Samaria. And so they told the King of Samaria that there's hope there. That's like us.
You know, we keep it, store it, enjoy it, but do we realize we do not? Well if we don't tell the world, isn't it precious to know, beloved brethren, that we have the privilege of being taught of God? I was just noticing the first words of that 13th verse there. I would not have you to be ignorant, brother. And all that is true of a loving God for each one of us be be taught from His precious Word.
Job speaks of.
He says, Who teacheth like him? And so here, that I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, turning concerning them which are asleep.
That she sorrowed not as others which have no hope. Who can measure the sorrow of those who have no hope without hope and without God in the world? And lovely to see here too, when it speaks of of being asleep. It's not that evil doctrine that Satan would suggest to some that the soul sleeps. Nothing in scripture would justify that. It's only the body like Lazarus who fell asleep.
Let's read a portion just in connection with Hope, not to belabor it, but in Hebrews just, I believe it goes along with what we've been saying in Hebrews chapter 6.
And I'll read from verse 18, Hebrews 6, and verse 18, that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hopes set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, whether the forerunner is for us. Entered even Jesus made in high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
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Isn't it interesting here, brethren, that he speaks of our hope as sure and steadfast? Now, what other hope connected with this life could we set speak of in that way? Hope connected with this life is uncertainty at best. We'd be presumptuous if we said we had some hope connected with this life and with time that was sure and steadfast. But hope connected with Christ, as we've been saying, is in no way uncertain, and it's only hope connected with Christ that can be spoken.
Of sure and steadfast. But what I want to point out is because we took up at some length the subject of the resurrection at the beginning of these meetings. And what I want to point out is that our hope is sure and steadfast. Our hope of being in glory in the Father's house is sure and steadfast because the forerunner has already entered there. The Lord Jesus who came forth in resurrection, entered the Father's house, went back to the Father in ascension, and at that moment the Father's house was prepared.
It's someone has put it this way, his work on the cross prepared the people for the place, but his entrance into the Father's house has prepared the place for the people. It's prepared now. And the fact that he's there as a man bodily, as a man, as the forerunner is our assurance. And that's why we can say we have a hope that sure and steadfast. Do you ever doubt your hope? You ever?
Find you just waver a little bit, just look up and realize that the forerunner is already there. The Lord Jesus as a man in Hebrews 6 end of verse 13 Hebrews 613. At the end God swear by himself for Abraham. That was a unilateral promise covenant and it will come true and it said for men verily swear by the greater we know that.
And you take an oath, usually swear on the Bible or by God himself. They don't do that anymore, but you swear by yourself here and today bad. But anyway, men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife, wherein God willing more abundantly to show under the heirs of promise the immutability of His consul confirmed it by an old.
That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie. Titus 1-2. It's impossible, it says there, for God to lie. We might have a strong consolation to have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor for the soul, both shore and steadfast.
Well, it's wonderful. He swore by himself. So you have this wonderful thing in First Corinthians. I think it's 120. But don't turn. It says all the promises of God are in Christ. Yeah, and in him. Amen. That's swearing by themselves. God has suggested what he wanted Christ to do.
Christ said yeah, and he did it. And God said Amen. And it's sealed every promise, all the promises of God. If we started to individually, as we could think of them, name the promises in the word of God to us as believers, we could take the rest of this day and tomorrow wouldn't complete them. But it's wonderful. They're all yeah and Amen.
In Christ, he said he would come or come from the sea. And in Pleasantville, Nova Scotia years ago, there were a couple of brothers that used to go out on the fishing scores. They had no power but the wind, but they also had rope, one that they reserved for emergencies and if they needed to, they could roll out with an anchor in a small boat and the rope attached and they could go right into the harbor.
00:20:07
And drop that anchor over and then from the ship, they would turn this capstan and bring the ship right up to the anchor. What a picture that is of this wait, we're attached. The anchor is already there. The Lord is already there. And we have that hope. That's a rope that attaches us to him. And it's a, it's a secure thing. There's no falling away from that.
In view of what we have experienced, beloved brethren, so many of us, I think of the number of the large dear people who we know that have recently gone home to be with Him. And it brings our thoughts, does it not even more to this very issue. What happens to the soul after death? What about our future in Christ? And how lovely it is to consider these things.
It says here that for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.
Even so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent or precede them which are asleep for the Lord Himself.
I just love that the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout.
And the with the voice of the Archangel, the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the cloud, to meet the Lord in the air, and sold them. Shall we ever be with the Lord? Just thinking a little bit of this.
Dear brother recently went home with the Lord and the verse that was so comforting to.
His dear wife was this that as we read in Second Corinthians.
Chapter 5, verse eight, I believe it is, it says absent from the body present with the Lord. That would be the intermediate state. And then you turn to the 16th Psalm and we read those lovely words, the 11TH verse, the last verse of that Psalm, it says.
In thy presence present with the Lord. In thy presence is fullness of joy.
At thy right hand there places forevermore. And to think of this, the apostle Paul with the great joy that it was his as he walked through this world in communion with the Father, communion with the Lord. He could say to depart to be with Christ, which is far better, he could say to the thief. And I love to think of that beautiful scene, that solemn scene on Calvary, the Lord Jesus there on that center cross and the we find first that those two thieves.
That they had cast the same in his teeth. They had both said, If thou be the Son of God, come down to the cross.
But all brethren, how thankful we are. He did not come down, but he stayed there and he went to death for us. But the moment that same thief who had earlier accused him turned to him and said, Lord, Remember Me? I love to think of the Lords immediately immediate response, the beautiful response of our Savior. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise. What is heaven like?
It's to be with Christ, and the more we know of Him and learn of Him, the more thrill our souls as to the portion of everyone who knows Him.
Verse verses 15 to 18 very important to see this are a parenthesis so I'm going to read it without the parenthesis. Verse 14 if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.
Even so, them also which sleep in Jesus, or have been put to sleep through Jesus, will God bring with him? That's not the rapture, that's his appearing. We'll skip those parentheses and go to chapter 5. Will God bring with him? But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. And when it speaks of times and seasons, it's always Speaking of an earthly event.
There's no times and seasons in heaven. Those are earthly things. So how do they get to be with him so that when he returns to set up his Kingdom and to subdue his enemies under his feet, how do they get to be with Him? That's what we have in verses 15/16/17 and 18. The parenthesis. We don't have a parenthesis in the King James, but it should be there as it is in the new translation. The parenthesis gives us the truth of the rapture, which is a brand new truth.
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That they didn't have yet in the first chapter they waited for God's Son from heaven.
They were waiting for him to come back and set up the Kingdom. The Kingdom hasn't been set up yet. We've been in this parenthetical time when he's away and he's going to come and take us to be with himself 1St and then he'll come back with us and establish the Kingdom. So the one is the the rapture and the other is the appearing. And the appearing continues on into the 5th chapter, but the rapture is the last four verses.
Of chapter 4. If you don't see that, you don't understand the truth of the rapture.
It's interesting, Chuck, that when he gave them the 14th verse, they probably asked the question, and I'm not throwing things in here, but they probably said, well, how's that going to happen? And so then he, as you say, then he gives him the actual truth of the rapture. And that's a point, you know, in, in that First Thessalonians, Second Thessalonians, the Lord's rapture is mentioned.
Coming is mentioned, but the Lord's coming is mentioned about twice as many times as the rapture. Oh yes, and it's interesting because in the Second Thessalonians, Second Timothy, you know, we do get ourselves occupied with the rapture, and there's nothing wrong. That's good because that's our hope. But you know, what is the thing that is uppermost in the mind of the person of Christ? Not just to have us.
But to have His canyons, and that's what we have in Second Timothy. There is therefore now a crown of righteousness laid up for me, and not for me only, but for all of them that love is occurring. And that's one way we get a crown is to look forward with anticipation, not just to the rapture, but to the fact that He is coming back and setting up a Kingdom. And that's the next chapter that we haven't got. And as you said, Dave, the word coming is used.
For both the rapture and the appearing.
When you say coming, it's indefinite. When he comes for us, that's the rapture. When he comes with us, that's the appearing. When he'll establish his rights down here. But they're both his coming. They're coming in two stages.
He comes it's it's like a victorious army that's defeated the enemy and it's coming back. And then those who are his that have been held captive in the city that he's.
Come back to reestablish under his authority. They go out to meet him. That's the rapture.
And then He keeps coming with them to the key to the city that has kept his own in captivity. That's a good illustration of the Rapture. He goes out to be with him, and when he comes back, He brings us with Him to establish His rights down here. Both are His coming. It's His coming 1St to get us. And then he keeps coming and establishes the Kingdom. And isn't it beautiful that it's the Lord Himself?
You alluded to it, Brother Larry, but I think just to.
Stop and meditate on this little expression. When the Lord Jesus comes and gives the shout, what we refer to as the rapture is coming for his Saints. He's not sending a messenger, He's coming himself. We find through the Old Testament God often used messengers in connection with His people. But it says at midnight there was a great cry. Behold, the bridegroom cometh, not his sending his servants, but coming himself. And brethren, He's not going to send an Angel for us.
Not going to send Gabriel for us. He's going to come himself. He's going to give that shout. We're going to rise to meet him in the air, and he himself is going to have the joy of escorting us to the Father's house. He hasn't left it up to anyone else. When he came the first time into this world, he came himself. He offered himself without spot to God, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. It must be solved. And the one who gave himself.
Is the one who himself is going to come back and get us. You know you get that in Luke 16. I'll read verse 22. It came to pass that the bigger died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. That's not the rapture. That's angels that take it. So he had angels as his pallbearer and it doesn't say a word about the anything that the imagine the rich man had a very, very rich and lofty funeral doesn't say a thing about it.
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Just as the rich man died. But it tells about the pallbearer that the poor beggar had the angels taking him into Abraham's bosom. Beautiful. Can you read Acts 111?
Acts, chapter one, verse 11.
Read it please. Which also which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye get? Well, let me back up to the 10th verse.
Or I'll back up to the 9th person. When He had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up in a cloud, received him out of their sight, and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why Stan Yee gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you in heaven into heaven, shall so come again in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. But this is not the rapture here.
Because when the Lord Jesus comes again to stand on this earth, it will be at His appearing. When He calls His own home, He's not coming to earth, He's coming on the cloud, and we're going to be called away from this earth to meet Him in the air. But then He is going to come in like manner. His feet are going to stand on the Mount of Olives and every eye is going to see Him and so on. But I believe that this portion in Acts refers to the time when the Jewish remnant will see Him in a coming day, comes back in like manner to intercede on their behalf.
Not in humility, the way it came before, but he's going to come in power and glory when the heavens open up, as you get in Revelation 19 where he's crowned with many crowns and he comes. Who's right? It is. Is that right, Bruce? It is, It is.
His first coming was when he came to die, wasn't it? Yes, his second coming that we often speak of is what we have in verse two of chapter 5.
But the day of the Lord cometh when he comes back. That would be at the end. Would you correct me if I'm wrong? That would be at the end of the tribulation, at the beginning of the millennial state. But in the meantime, there's this blessed time for us, for the Church.
And that's what we're Speaking of is the rapture that Brother Chuck referred to in the end of the fourth chapter, last four verses. You know, we often speak of the period in which we're living as a parenthesis. Well, verses 15 to 18, our apprentices, that that's what takes us home to be with him as part of that parenthesis. Isn't it beautiful? The word, the word rapture simply means to be caught up, taken away. And it's a very important principle to lay hold of.
Because there are Christians out there that don't believe in rapture. I remember I was working with a client one day and he found out that I'm a Christian. So he said to me, he said are you pre or post? And I looked at him dumbfounded. I had no idea what he meant. And he looked at me again. He said and I thought you're a Christian. He said yes I am. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said then you don't know what pre and post means. I said no I don't. And then I had to be explained.
That some believe in what they call pre millennial rapture and the other one is post that's a very.
Wrong teaching out there. When the Lord comes that time to ****** us away up together in the clouds to be with himself, the church is snatched away on that. There is no more chance afterwards, and there's some Christian belief that you can stay behind and still proclaim the gospel.
Grace, that's the end of that time, is it not? And perhaps someone can even expand more so on that. Those that reject the the word rapture say it's not in Scripture. Well, it is in Scripture in verse 17. And we which are alive and remain shall be caught up. That's the rapture. It's just another way of expressing the word rapture. They're caught up together with them in clouds.
Just because it doesn't say rapture in scripture.
The word comes from reptory, which means the eagle, which can ****** things out of the water or out of the tree. It doesn't mean that there is no such work. Why get hung up on a word?
We're caught away. That's a good word, but a rapture makes it more spectacular, if you will. It's something like the JWS would say. The word Trinity is not in the Bible. I said what? The names of the three persons in the Trinity in our baptismal formula, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are there. What more do you want?
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The word isn't there, but the truth is there. The same thing about rapture.
If we could read the Latin Bible, that word that you pointed us to in verse 17 is that you?
Speak of, that's helpful. That's the what is it, the Vulgate I think it's called?
The very words caught up in the Latin Bible is raptura.
Well, so shall we ever be with the Lord? I think this is a tremendous statement because when He's in the Father's house, we're with Him. When He comes back to reign over the earth, we come with Him. We're going to be ever with the Lord. The whole redeemed company collectively gathered around Him for eternity. Now it's true. Individually. Now we have the Lord with us. I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee, and so on. Collectively we enjoy privileges like this.
Of coming into his presence at home on Lord's Day morning in Smiths Falls. Few of us sit down to remember the Lord. We claim on the authority of the Word and by faith his presence in the midst. We enjoy his company collectively here with a few of the Saints of God from time to time. But we're governed by physical limitations, by time and distance, by clocks and so on. And so we enjoy a time collectively in the presence of the Lord. Then we get up and we leave. We, we enjoy his company individually, but I'm speaking collectively.
But think of it rather, there's a time coming when we're going to be ever with the Lord and no empty seats there, no St. missing and everyone gathered around himself never to consciously lead or physically leave His presence again. Now if that doesn't do something to your heart and mind, I don't know what goes on within our hearts if when we realize there's a day coming when we're going to be ever with the Lord. Isn't that the springboard or motivation?
To desire his company now, individually, collectively, and to go on and to serve him here in this world. To think that he's going to gather and surround himself ever with the Lord.
He will always be. The Lord won't eat for all eternity. I was just noticing something so precious. You go back to the 45th Psalm and I believe it's verse 11 we read there. The whole Psalm is so good, but for the sake of time I won't read it.
But just in verse 11 There it says part of the verse, He is thy Lord and worship thou him. What a thought for us to meditate upon. He is thy Lord all. How it would save us so many problems if we could always remember that. And something else was called to my attention in First Corinthians, the first ten chapters where we have the subject of assembly truth 40 times.
You'll find that expression, Lord, and what a word that is to us, if we would really ever recognize that He is thy Lord and worship thou Him, and with eyes fixed upon Him. What a deliverance, what a freedom from fear, knowing that nothing is out of control for any of us. And the same one, the Lord himself, shall descend from heaven, and so shall he ever be with the Lord. And that's really what's going to make heaven. It's not going to be all the wonderful things that will be there.
But it's the one who's going to captivate our gaze for eternity. It's interesting in the 14th of John where the Lord introduced the subject of His coming in anticipation of His leaving the disciples and going back to the Father. He didn't say I will come again and receive you to heaven. That's true, He will. He didn't say I will come again and receive you to glory. That's true, it will be glory. But he said, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am.
There ye may be also, and that's really what's going to make heaven, is to be received to himself, to be gathered around himself. Because as often been said, four walls and fine furniture don't make a home, it's the presence of those that dwell there. Sometimes use this little illustration, but often when I get home from a trip during my absence, my wife has made some changes. Maybe rearrange the living room furniture, maybe done a little painting or papering or whatever it might be.
And after I'm home, a day or so, she says to me, don't you notice anything different? And I haven't noticed. She's disappointed because I didn't notice those changes. But when I get home, I go home, not because I have a comfortable home in Smiths Falls. I am thankful for a comfortable home, but I go home because of the presence of those that dwell there. There's loved ones there. And when I get home, what am I occupied with? Not so much the things that make up that house, but it's those that dwell there. I'm just glad to be back with my loved ones and occupied with them.
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Well, brethren, when we get to the Father's house as the children of God, we're going to be home perfectly at rest, comfortable in His presence, and we're going to be occupied with Himself. His presence is what is going to make the place, and His desire is not merely to have us in heaven or in the Father's house, but to have us with Himself. When it says at the end of verse 14, it says, will God bring with Him? When will that be? I'm going to read it in Revelation 19.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a White Horse. And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written, that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, And his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses.
Clothed in fine linen, white and clean. That's us, that's us. God will bring us with him. Out of his mouth goeth the sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of kings and Lord of Lords. What a day that will be will be with him to see his victory.
Displayed as he subdues all his enemies under his feet.
Interesting, isn't it, that the last glimpse that this world got of the Lord Jesus was hanging on a cross of shame, crowned with a crown of thorns. That's what this world awarded the Lord Jesus with. That was their estimation of the the King of kings. That was their estimation of the Messiah, their estimation of the Lord of life and glory. But the next glimpse this world gets of Christ, and it's so tremendous, brethren, to think about the next glimpse this world gets of Christ.
He's going to come forth wearing many diadems, Mr. Darby's translation. He's going to come forth. Who's right? It is.
And He's not coming in humility, but he's going to come with many crowns, many diadems, and every eye is going to see him, and it's going to be in power and glory, and God's heart will never be satisfied until His Son comes forth. You know what's interesting? In the interim between the crown of thorns and these crowns that Chuck has read to us about in Revelation 19, now he's in heaven, crowned with a crown of glory and honor. That's God's estimation.
Because the resurrection, the ascension, and the glorification of Christ are God's Amen to the work of Calvary. And God has crowned him with many crown with with a crown of honor and glory. But it says there in that portion we see not yet all things put under him. He has his rightful place in heaven. He's crowned with a crown of honor and glory, but glory and honor. But God will never be satisfied till he has his rightful place on this planet that spit in his blessed face.
This planet that beat a crown of thorns into his blessed head, they're going to see him and they're going to bow and own him as King of kings and Lord of Lords, and he's going to reign in righteousness. And that and that alone is going to satisfy the heart of God to see his King, his Son vindicated. And brethren, to think that we're going to be associated with him. Those that the world despises now are going to come and reign with Christ. Oh, it ought to motivate us to follow him. Now. God allowed, God allowed wicked men.
To mishandle his beloved Son, to crown him with thorns, to spit in his face, to whip him and scourge him. God allowed them to do that and nail him to a cross. God allowed wicked men to do that. But once he said, it is finished, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. God didn't allow any wicked man to touch him after that, only his own took him down and laid him in a new tomb where a man had never been laid. God, once man had done his worst.
And he had died and put away that our sins. It was only his own that handled him after that. And Chuck, it was only his. It was only his own that saw him too. In resurrection. Sorry, Tom. Yeah. What'd you say, Tom? I didn't mean to contradict, but the spear died. And after he said it was finished, it had to be after he died. Otherwise it would have been said he bled to death. Blood was shed necessarily, but it had to be after he died. But they didn't touch him.
00:45:21
No.
But I think it is important to realize too, that in resurrection then he only appeared to his own. And that's why I said the last glimpse this world, God of the Lord Jesus, was with that title, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, crowned with the crown of thorns. The next glimpse they get, he'll be crowned with many diadems.
Well, wherefore comfort one another with these words now, brethren, what comfort would we have? Let's just stop and think for a moment. What comfort would we have in this sad old world that's right for the judgment of God? It's not getting better, it's getting worse. I remember one time visiting a couple in North Carolina that we were asked to go and see and not a Christian couple. And it was just that during at the end of the Gulf War. And the lady said, I think after the Gulf War, this world is going to be on a course that leads to better and better things.
This is going to straighten out everything. Well, we can see in the years that have followed, have things got better? Are things better in the Middle East than they were back when the Gulf War came to an end? No, they're only worse. And brethren, what hope would we have? What comfort would we have? And as we see our loved ones pass on and older brethren that no longer take their seats in the meeting room because they're absent from the body and present with the Lord, what comfort would we have? Apart from this hope that we've been Speaking of, we would have no comfort. Now just go over to 2nd Thessalonians for a moment.
And let me read a couple of verses here in the end of the chapter, Second Thessalonians 2, verse 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and Good Hope here it's called a Good Hope through grace. Now notice this. Comfort your hearts, establish you in every good word and work. Now I just want to say this, Not only would we not have any comfort if we didn't have the truth of the Lord's coming.
But I believe that those who do not have the truth of the Lord's coming or understand it, I'm talking about believers. They are not really established in every good word and work. What is it that gives us ballast and direction in our Christian life? It's to have the hope of the Lord's coming clearly delineated in our mind and have it as a reality in our soul. But you talk to Christians who are mixed up as to the the rapture and the appearing and.
Post and pre and all this kind of thing that we've been Speaking of.
Are they established in their Christian life? They're really like a ship without a rudder. They turn into the wind and they drift, and they'll go with every wind of doctrine. And brethren, that's why it's important for us to hold tenaciously to the truth of the Lord's coming and to be able not to be ignorant. I would not have you ignorant concerning these things. We might be ignorant of many things, of the deep things of Scripture, but He doesn't want us to be ignorant when it comes to understanding.
The truth of the Lord's coming, because if we are, we're going to be just drifting. We're not going to be to have the proper character of strangers and pilgrims. We're going to be out lobbying for the betterment of this world, all this kind of thing. So it not only is our comfort, but it's our ballast and stability. It gives us that direction that keeps us on the right path. It's like a puzzle, and every piece has to be in its right place. Then you see the picture that God wants us to see.
And you can't see the picture in its entirety if one piece is out of place. It just doesn't work. And so we have to be clear as to the to the Rapture and the clearest to the appearing and on and on and on every. We have it all in the book.
No wonder that as Satan is so busy in propagating a false doctrine in regard to this, and I don't know, I'm sure we're all aware of the fact that there are many, many out there that disparage the thought of the rapture. They write against it. They preach against it.
That's Satan's work, because as you've said, Jim, if we don't have the.
Imminent return of the Lord in our heart. Well, what are we waiting for?
There's nothing there and Satan knows that and Satan is using that to to turn the hearts and the minds of many who really are Christians against the truth of the Lord's coming for his Saints, the rapture. Someone once gave me a book that was denying this, the rapture truth as we know it this way. And they were saying things like, well, ask your friends that believe in this.
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What scripture do you have that it's a secret rapture, you know, kinds of things like this. Well, as they went on, they found themselves trapped and they said, of course there are some things that we can't understand. Well, of course they can't understand it. And we were putting the puzzle together. You mentioned one time and we had the whole border. You usually start with the border, and we thought we had it right, but there were two pieces transposed and we didn't know until we got to the end and had six pieces leftover and six spaces that didn't match.
Until we swapped the two that were wrong and it didn't fit together. So they have a couple of pieces missing and they can't figure it out. And yet they're mocking what we believe. And I think that it's a proof to us that we haven't made a mistake. We're understanding this because it all fits together properly.
Now, how does a right understanding of these things affect us?
Practically.
Just leaving.
How does it affect your life and mine?
What would it be if each and everyone of us in this room knew for a fact?
That at the stroke of 5:00 the Lord would come.
What changes would we make in our own thoughts, in our own minds? What changes if we knew for a fact that at 10:00 tonight the Lord would come? What changes would we make in our lives, in our positions, in our homes? It's a good question, Chuck. Brother Dave, I read one time if a farmer normally milked his cows at 6:00 and he knew that the Lord was coming at 8:00.
What should he do?
But the answer was milk his cows at 6:00. If he was to do anything different, he should have been doing it now. So he he goes ahead. So if we knew that a certain hour the Lord was coming, we should keep going on and we should be going on the right path to begin with. In the past. That's according to what we have in our hand. The Word of God shouldn't make any change. Well, we say all run out and give out tracks. OK, let's do it. I wouldn't want to know. He's coming at 10:00.
That would take my hope away. I expect him any moment. And dear brother Tansley, he was wrapped up with finding out when the Lords coming and he's over that now. But he's still in the body. But he I went with him once and and sister Dunderdale warned me. He's going to tell you all the proof he's got when the Lord's coming.
She knows right where? So when he opened the door, he said go to Bowman. I know when the Lord's coming. I said, if it's one second after now don't tell me you've ruined my hope. And that if you didn't talk about it, we got reading. Well, knowing the tendency of our hearts, the Lord hasn't told us because I'm not so sure. I'll be very honest. If I had cows to milk and I knew the Lord was coming this evening, I'm not so sure I'd go out and melt the cows.
And God knows the tendency of the human heart, and so He hasn't told us because, brethren, He wants us to be on tiptoe. Expectation, expecting the Lord has been said to come at any moment. Let's go to Luke 19 and see a couple of verses there in this regard.
Luke 19 and verse 12.
He said, Therefore a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a Kingdom, and to return. And he called his 10 servants, and delivered them 10 lbs, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. Now, brethren, that's our responsibility. I like to connect this little expression, Occupy till I come. With the Lord's promise in John 14, I will come again.
So he's promised I will come again. What is my reaction to be in connection with that occupy till I come. And you'll notice he gave them responsibility here. He gave them each 10 talents. 10 denotes responsibility. Now in Luke's Gospel, you find there's a variance in the responsibility and or in Matthew's Gospel, I'm sorry, there's a variance in the responsibility and the same reward on his return because there it's God's sovereignty.
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But here it's just the opposite. They all get the same responsibility and then reward it in connection with how they've used that. And so, brethren, the Lord is coming, but he wants us to occupy until he comes. Right up until the moment that the Lord Jesus comes, we are to be occupied with those things that are for his glory, whether it's the encouragement and blessing of the Saints of God and building one another up in our most holy faith, whether it's propagating the gospel.
Whatever it is, we need to live in light of the Lord's return, because in Christianity.
That's the pivotal point. Everything in Christianity is in view of the Lord's return, the moment when He's going to come back. And brethren, if we're living in view of that, then it's not going to make us lazy. It's going to give us spiritual energy to take what He's placed in our hands as to our responsibility and to use it in His absence, knowing that He's going to return. At any moment. It could be Jim fixing supper for the family.
Very good occupying till he comes very good. You know actually was as you were saying that was think of scriptures matching quite a few things for us to until he comes because the word of God knows that our heart has that lazy tendency. I'd like to turn to a passage in first Corinthians Chapter 11.
We know that well because we have to read his on Lord's Day morning. You know the, the, the disciples of old, when this was written almost 2000 years ago, they had the same hope that we have today. The Lord didn't say to them that, well, you got 19150 years to go. No, that that same hope was just as real then as today. And this was written to them in First Corinthians. The Chapter 11 verse 26 says for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup.
He do show the Lord's death until He come. Oh, that's one of the first thing of how we can be occupied, isn't it? Do you remember Him? You know the Lord still leave us here tomorrow morning. Do we remember that as a special privilege? And it's not a one time, it's often. But how long do we do it for? Till He comes. It could be the very last one tomorrow, and we may not even see tomorrow, but at the meantime we have that privilege to do so till He come. But what else are we to do to keep ourselves occupied?
Let's turn to Timothy, I think in First Timothy, the chapter 4.
It tells us another passage of what to do while we're waiting for him. First Timothy chapter 4 in verse. In verse 13, he said until I come, but what are we to do? He opened up with this. Until he come, he sits here. Give attendance to reading, to exaltation.
To doctrine.
Oh, how much do we need to take heed to this, give attendance to reading? Now, correct me if I'm wrong in this. I don't believe back in the days, as the apostles have written this, that they can talk about reading at home. You know, often people will say, well, I can read at home. I take this a little bit differently. I believe it's referring to the assembly reading because in those days they did not have the privilege we have today. What we all have a Bible in our home. In fact, we have many Bibles. And in some homes we've been to, if it's like ours, you can go downstairs. You'll find one. You go into the bathroom.
You'll find one there too. So we have been blessed with that. But they have to share the manuscripts that was available. So I believe it's referring to give attendance to reading meeting and how sad it is. You know, sometimes people say how many are your assembly? And sometimes we look at it with shame. We don't know how to answer that because what they mean on Lord's Day morning or do they mean at a reading meeting night or do they mean at a prayer meeting night?
And we should say that with shame because the prayer, especially, as many have said, that's the powerhouse, isn't it? And the judge in the sense of the polls of the Assembly. So we're to give attendance to reading, to exaltation and to doctrine. But what else do we have to? Should we do? Let's go to when.
Another portion in Revelation, the Book of Revelation chapter 2.
Revelation chapter 2, verse 25.
But that which you have already, something that you already have, you said here, hold fast. Oh, you know, hold fast is a word that we often don't even use. We're the cold fast till he come. What we a minute now if we don't have something that we have laid hold of.
01:00:23
We have not bought the truth if we have not something that we value. How are we to hold fast and dear young people, we have to look into our hearts. What is it that you want to hold fast to the word of God want us to do so. Now there are a few other things that we can refer to, but we won't turn to it. We know that yesterday the young people we talked about, Samuel came and anointed David looking for his sons to be one of the sons to be anointed as kings. And if you remember, we didn't read further down. Samuel said he won't sit down.
So it's something that we're to do now. I'd like to turn to one more passage that we didn't have time yesterday is First Corinthian chapter 15 that we will add. That chapter ended with a comment. We talk about that. There were three parts to it. We talked a lot about the third part.
In chapter 51St Corinthians 15, verse 58, is that therefore so? It's something that's summing it up for us. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. We spent a lot of time yesterday on the work of the Lord, but I'm thinking particularly the two words here that we often don't use.
We just talked about holding fast a minute ago. Here it says be steadfast, steadfast. We don't hear that often, do we? And you know, sometimes it's a glorious sight to see someone working for the Lord. It seems to be so glorious to hear someone coming back in a foreign country. You know, we get, we tend to gravitate to that. But in the meantime, we forget there are those who are quietly in their own way, holding fast. So here is a species steadfast.
Unmovable And brethren, I believed that if we do what we just talked about till he come, remembering him being steadfast in our assembly, in the reading, giving attendance to the reading. And we were exalted about continuing like the Corinthian, the the apostles of old in reading and in prayer. And I believe we can learn to be steadfast and unmovable and decide of the Lord.
In connection David with.
Give attendance to reading. There's an underground church in China and maybe only one person has the Bible so he has to read it to the rest. Every one of us has a Bible in our lap and how privileged we are. But that's not the case in many places, right?
These are the things that should characterize us.
Go ahead, brother, go ahead.
I was just thinking these beautiful things that have been mentioned should characterize the child of God. And I just like to add one more and the the 1St chapter of First Thessalonians 2 verses at the end of the first chapter.
There, for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and notice the order of things here. And this again is something for us to to lay hold of in our hearts.
And how he turned to God, first of all, turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God. And then notice that tenth verse and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come. That's what should be should characterize us, brethren, to be waiting for his Son from heaven. If everything that we did was in view of his soon return, what an effect it would have upon our lives, would it our decision.
Excuse me, Brother Tom, I wasn't saying it. The question was asked. What does the hope of the soon coming of the Lord mean to you? And it wasn't answered, but I'll answer for myself. It means a settled peace, and you know that is worth everything.
Turn to John 14 and verse 27.
John 1427 The Lord says, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. When you realize all is well with your soul, nothing can harm it. You're going to go to be with the Lord.
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And forever. And that's what his soon coming really means to me. Everything is at peace with the world. Even let them do what they want. But the Lord is going to take us home and any moment it's a beautiful value to your soul. Brother Bruce, would you help us in the 5th chapter? Just give us a little outline of those verses. You don't have a lot of time.
As you said.
The times and seasons that are referred to here are really dealing with God's dealings with the earth. So now he's Speaking of a time that will take place after the rapture. And it's interesting to see in that third verse that the he changes his the and speaks of they and them, which is third person plural. And so he's thinking of a class of people that are not the same class as what we've had in our parentheses in the end of chapter 4.
For the end of chapter four, we have had we.
We which are alive and remain now he's speaking about they and them. So it's a different class of people now those who will be under the the judgment of God in that time. I might just mention about the verse two. It says the day of the Lord. Maybe some of the young are asking what that is. It's not the Lord's day. The Lord's day is a different that's the the first day of the week.
That's tomorrow, but the day of the Lord is a day when Christ will intervene upon this scene in judgment at the appearing as it says he'll come as a thief in the night. Five times you'll read about the his coming in connection with being a thief in the night, and each time it's his appearing under the rapture. And so it's the time when he will come back in judgment and deal with this earth. And the day of the Lord is not a 24 hour day as we speak of it to it's really.
A period of time that will stretch throughout the Millennium.
So it's one period of time when he will exercise His Lordship power in the earth. But then swinging on from verse four down to verse 10 or 11, we have it again, changing back to the first person plural.
He says, but ye brother, now he's Speaking of the believers again, and he gives a practical exhortation here now about the fact that we are not connected with the darkness and so we ought to live as children of the day because that's what we are. Some very practical exhortations are given to us now from verse four through 10 or 11.
When he speaks of the Lord coming as a thief in the night, which expression you get in the Gospels, it never has to do with the rapture. It has to do with the Lord Jesus coming back in judgment. Because there's two things that characterize the thief. He's unwanted and he's unexpected.
But that's not what our hope is. We're looking for the Lord to come. We want Him to come, and we ought to, as we've been saying, expect Him at any moment. But there is a day coming when the Lord Jesus is going to come back to this world and He's going to assert His rights here in this world, and He's coming as a thief in the night. This expression, the day of the Lord, is in contrast to what you have in First Corinthians 4, verse three. If you notice in Mr. Darby's translation, he speaks about man's day.
Man's day is now man is seeking to assert his rights. Not that God isn't in control behind the scenes because he rules in the kingdoms of the Most High, but man is asserting God is allowing man to assert his rights. Today. Man thinks he's pretty clever and arranging things on the world stage. This is man's day, but in contrast, there's a day coming called the Day of the Lord, when he's going to come forth from heaven and his rights are going to be asserted and owned by once looked up.
The expression The day of the Lord.
And every reference, it's the day of judgment, the day of darkness, a day of gloom, a day of trouble. So it's universally used that way, isn't it? It's constantly used that way and not another way. It's not. Certainly, as it's already been said, it's not the Lord's Day, it's the day of judgment.
01:10:07
And then there's the Day of God.
The day of God is eternity, isn't it?
I think that's done in the end of Peter, isn't it? And there's no nations then yes, it's God and men like it was in the very beginning.
And righteousness dwells.
We don't have very much in Scripture about that eternal day, but if you look at the Revelation 21 verses one through 8, you find the eternal states, and as you say, there are no nations there. It says He dwells with men.
Beautiful nations have disappeared, and God dwells with men, and they accept him and receive him. And that's the character of the eternal state. That's the earth will be above that. Whenever you get nations, it's the Millennium and men, it's the eternal state.
Wonderful. Even in the church, you know you have those 3 designations of the population of the world in First Corinthians 10. Give no offense either to the Jew or the Gentile or the church so that God looks down on the man mankind and He sees the believers as part of the church. You don't need to say I'm a Gentile Christian or that's a Jewish Christian. No, either a Christian or you're one of the other.
What's interesting, Tom, in connection with that is from a heavenly standpoint.
In the eternal state, the bride remains distinct, not beautiful to see because when he takes up the subject of the eternal state in those first few verses of Revelation 21, then you find the bride coming down adorned, the church coming down adorned as a bride for her husband. I think this beautiful, brethren, eternity is not going to be a melting pot for us. We're going to remain the bride of Christ. And when he delivers up the Kingdom to the Father at the end of the.
Millennium, there's nothing more to be put down.
The last enemy that's destroyed is death. There's nothing more to be ruled over in that sense. And then he delivers up the Kingdom to the Father, that God may be All in all. Why does he do it? Well, he delivers it up as a man, that God may be All in all. And then if I could just say this, brethren, He spends the rest of eternity devoting himself to His bride. Left tremendous to think of. And so on the earth there will be no more nations or distinctions like that, as we've said. But as far as in heaven, we remain a distinct entity, the bride of Christ.
To enjoy his love and that special place of relationship for eternity and no deterioration. She still adorned as a bride, adorned for her husband. And you know, after 51 years, if you looked at our wedding picture, you'd hardly recognize us.
The Millennium is for the vindication of God's character, but the eternal state is for the satisfaction of his heart. That's good.
God will not rest until eternity. As long as sin is in the in the creation, He enters into his rest as we get in Hebrews 4, and it's really the eternity, and that's when there is the satisfaction of His heart.
Is fulfilled the sun with his bride devoting his time and his you know there is no time then but his all his devotion of heart to her wonderful. There's a beautiful verse in the 72nd Psalm. Actually, the whole Psalm is unique.
I'll read the 19th verse, don't need to turn to it.
And bless it, be his glorious name forever, and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. Well, didn't David have more to say after this? Yes, he did.
But what David had in mind is when Christ gets his place, there's no need for anymore prayer.
That's beautiful. It's nice to see too, about the word of God has opened up and revealed to us the the mysteries that we talked about. We're in a such a privileged time that we in a sense, were given a blueprint of what's to happen now. What what would that do for us and how does that help us? We think about the the Old Testament sayings of old. You know, they didn't get to see any of this. They, they know of the general resurrection and that's about all the knowledge they know.
Here it should make our heart rejoice, because we know from the beginning to the end. So we should first of all realize that God is in control of everything. We talk about death not long ago. We talk about being raised from the dead. We talk about we which are alive to be caught up together with them in the cloud and to be forever with the Lord. But what about right now? We talked about how we ought to live, but we should also acknowledge the fact that the Lord has control of everything.
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That means life or death and even every event that happens. Do we acknowledge that there is a God who knows it all? You know, we, we sometimes get frustrated, but here it gives us a road map to remind us that our journey is almost over. You know, it's kind of interesting. On the way here, I usually don't fly, we do a lot of driving, but we flew from Toronto to here, which was supposedly A5 hours flight.
That turn out to be 12 hours trip. But you know, along the way it was kind of nice that we know the US geography a little bit as we look out the window. It was nice to say, hey, we've gone past Chicago finally. We're about 1/3 of the way here. And you know, as the hours going on, we look out the window and in that time we couldn't really tell. Now we, we cheated a little bit with what this little gadget called GPS. I turned it on. It took a while and then it came on and show us that we're over Colorado.
We go, wow, we're halfway home, and we knew that we were almost here. Now. There were turbulences, there were problems, and there were delays, but that was OK too, because we knew that we were almost here. In fact, when we got to the airport here, we waited an hour extra to taxi in, but that was okay too. It was a little bit frustrating, but it was OK because we know that this is just a temporary problem. But where is our heart, our object, and our hope?
If our object is to improve this world, if our object is to find a better life for our family and ourselves, if our object is full of I in there as we mentioned about the pride before.
And then we're in the wrong place. We need to look up and knowing that the time in this world is very short and the Lord also we have to acknowledge that he leaves us here for very special reason. That's to glorify his needs. Therefore, let us not sleep verse six of our chapter. And so in light of this, he doesn't want us to be asleep to these things. We've spoken at a great at great length about sleep in connection with the sleep of the body of the Saints when we lay one.
To rest.
Their body sleeps, we think, to a physical sleep. We're going to lie down this tonight and we're going to sleep for a few hours. But I believe the sleep here is something a little different. Let's go over to Romans 13 and you'll get it.
Romans chapter 13 and verse 11.
And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed the night is far spent the days at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light, and so on. But here again he's warning about the Saints sleeping, not physical sleep, but not sleep and death. But it's here spiritual sleep. They were asleep to these precious truths.
Asleep to the fact that their salvation was nearer than when we believed. It's the salvation of the body here that we've been Speaking of in these meetings. But they were asleep to this. And what was it causing? It was causing it, causing them to live carelessly, causing them to set their heart on things in this world, Drunkenness and wantonness and so on.
And brethren, if we don't have this truth before us every day, if we're asleep to the fact that the Lord is coming back.
And that we're almost at the end, as Brother Dave said, we're going to live careless, too. And so in the midst of all this, he exhorts these Thessalonians, he says.
I let me just read it again, verse six. Therefore let us not sleep as do others. And then he says, but let us watch and be sober. Are we really watching, brethren, for the Lord to come, not just waiting, but are we really watching for the Lord to come when we get up in the morning?
Is our expectation, is our thought in the morning that before another sunset we may hear the shout and be called safe home when we go to bed at night? Is it with the realization that the next time we open our eyes may to be to be look into the face of the Lord Jesus as snatched away, having heard His voice and called away to meet Him in the air? That's what He wants us to be doing. He wants us to be looking, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing.
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Not just waiting, brethren, but looking, not asleep to this precious truth, but awake to it, so that we live in a that we don't live carelessly, but that we live, as we said earlier, soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age.
Would you allow that? Sleep is used in three different ways in this portion.
The one you just read was sleep of indifference and seven days that sleep, sleep in the night is natural sleep. And then in verse 10, those who, whether we who died for us, whether we wake or sleep, that's the sleep of that. Very good. What's the last one? Did you say? Verse 10, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with them, whether we're alive or dead in the grave when he comes, OK.
Number 78. I was thinking as him here too. As we sing it, perhaps we can look at what the hymn writer trying to express.
Hymn #78 in the back of the book.
I'm waiting for the Lord thy beauty to see, Lord. I'm waiting for Thee for thy coming again. Thou are gone over there, Lord, A place to prepare, Lord. Thy home I shall share at thy coming again whilst thou art away, Lord, I stumble and stray. Lord, O hasten that day of thy coming again. This is not my rest, Lord.
A Pilgrim confessed Lord, I wait to be blessed at thy coming again. Hymn #78 in the appendix.
Oh my God.
Staying over 168.
That's 168.
That Which Was From the Beginning
Address—C. Hendricks
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And all our rest and pleasure find in learning.
Lord of the Sing the whole hymn, someone raised the tomb.
We love and refrain.
With all right.
Swollen your face.
On Earth to fall.
Before I get to the main subject I have before me, I have 3 scriptures I want to read. First is in John chapter one, John's Gospel.
Chapter One.
And verse one in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness.
And the darkness comprehended it not.
And then Genesis chapter one.
And verse one.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light. And there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good.
And then the third portion is in first John, the first epistle of John.
Chapter One.
First John, chapter one and verse one.
That which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes.
Which we have looked upon in our hands, have handled of the word of life, For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you.
That eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. And these things right we unto you, that your joy may be full.
You've probably noticed that going back to John One. Now you've probably noticed that the same word occurred in all three passages, and that's the word beginning.
John One, we're going to talk about the Blessed Lord himself, and it's good to start this way because then we we start by knowing who he is. I know most of you know, but maybe there's someone that doesn't or doesn't have a full understanding of who he is.
In John one we have.
The eternal being of this person called the Word.
Of the Persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This person we often refer to him as the Second Person, is the only one that's called the word. Father isn't called the word, neither is the Spirit. But he's the Word, the Lord Jesus. He is the one who gives expression to who God is. He's the one whose words are the words of very of God. His name is called the Word of God.
Get that in the last book in the Bible, written by the same author that wrote this gospel.
00:05:02
And the epistle that we read in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That's one of the most profound verses in all of Scripture. In the beginning was the Word states, a truth that he never had a beginning. In a in the beginning was the Word. He was there in the beginning of anything that had a beginning. That's Genesis One. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
But here was one who existed before anything started. It was only God.
And the Word was that's his eternal being in the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God his distinct personality, with God the Father and God the Spirit. He was one in the Trinity. He was with God his distinct personality. And the Word was God his proper deity. So you have his eternal being, his distinct personality, and his.
Proper deity that's brought before us in this tremendous verse of scripture.
So this beginning here, it's it's the fullest way of expressing that he never began. He never had a beginning, because he always was, even when something did begin.
And if you go to Genesis 1.
We have the beginning of creation in the beginning God, and that word for God is in the plural in the Hebrew. You don't see that in our English translation.
A plural subject and a singular verb. Created is in the singular. In the beginning, Godfather, Son, and Holy Spirit, the very first verse of Scripture, there's testimony to the fact that God is a plurality. And in the Hebrew tongue they have the singular that's one, the dual, that's two two hands, two arms, 2 legs, 2 feet, two ears, two eyes. The singular is used. The dual case is used for.
Two, only, not one, not more, but the plural has to be at least three.
And this is that word, the plural. And we know it is 3. When the Seraphim declared God's glory, they said, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. All three persons involved in the beginning, God in plural created the heavens and the earth.
The 33rd Psalm I believe it is. It says he commanded. He spake, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood fast. He said, let there be, And there was this being, this infinite being, this inscrutable being, one that is for impossible for us to really grasp and understand. He spoke the world's into existence by faith. We understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that that which is seen was not made of that which appears.
Sometimes it's stated, and it's not quite right, that he created the universe and the world's out of nothing. Well, there was never nothing. There was always God. There was always God, and he spoke the worlds into existence. That's what we have in Genesis 1. And when he did that, John, one tells us that the Word was there. In fact, he was one of those that was active in the creation.
The New Testament.
Usually attributes the creation to the son to the person called the word.
But I believe that all three persons of the Godhead were involved in the creation, as they are involved in everything that God does. Who is God? He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So everything that God does. Like take Luke 15 where you have the salvation of of a soul, you have the shepherd going out after the strange sheep. You have the woman searching for the lost coin shepherd, a picture of Christ, the woman searching for the lost coin, a picture of the Holy Spirit.
And then you have the Father receiving back the returning prodigal beautiful. You have the Trinity in that passage.
And we could go on and on, but that's not my purpose this afternoon.
So we have the beginning of creation in Genesis, one we have in John one the when anything that had a beginning began, the word was he never had a beginning. Now that brings us to 1St Epistle of John, which really brings before us more what I want to speak on this afternoon.
00:10:13
We have a different expression.
In the first epistle of John, that which was from the beginning.
Which we have heard, John says.
Which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon.
And our hands have handled if they saw him, if they heard him, if they contemplated him, if their hands handled him. He had to be in this world. And so here this starts with the Incarnation.
It's John 114, which says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
The first part of John One is his eternal being. And then the 14th verse brings before us that he became flesh. And that's where we start in the first epistle of John, that which was from the beginning, that expression from the beginning. It's a nice study. Read the the epistle of John, you'll see it. It occurs over and over and over again. It refers to Christ down here.
Christ down here, Christ in the flesh. Down here the Word became flesh, that which was from the beginning, the beginning of a new order of man down in this world.
Which we've heard.
It wasn't just a voice from some distance. No, they were in his presence.
They heard everything, he said.
They listened to him.
Which we've seen with our eyes.
He who was in the form of God, emptied himself of that, and took upon him the form of a servant.
And was found in likeness of men.
Tremendous truth.
They saw him, they heard him, They saw him with their eyes more than just song. Wasn't just a flash of light or something like that.
No, we've looked upon him now that the other translations is we contemplated him, we studied him there. He was one of us, but so different than we are.
And he came so close.
That their hands handled him.
It's beautiful that the only one that speaks of the Lord Jesus in the first chapter of John, now again that he was in the bosom of the Father.
He's the one that lay on Jesus puzzle.
He was that close to him.
Peter had to nudge John when the Lord said, one of you will betray me because Peter wasn't that close. Every one of us can be that close. It's open to all of us to get that close to the Blessed Lord.
There wasn't anything special about John, but he took what was available to all. He took that place and he lay on his bosom.
You heard his very heartbeat.
And he entered, probably, you might say, into his thoughts.
More than any of the others.
Our hands have handled him.
Hands have handled him. The great monarchs of the world are unapproachable. Remember the Book of Esther?
It had been stated that the Jews were to be put to death.
And Esther was a Jewish, Mordecai said to her. You have to go in and plead for your people.
And she says, you know, I can't enter the presence of the king unless he holds out to me the Golden Scepter. Otherwise it's death. She was the queen. She couldn't approach him without being bitten. That's how inaccessible man's great ones are. But here was the creator of the universe.
God overall blessed forever, came right to where we were so that they could touch him and handle him.
He was accessible, the most accessible of all men.
He never repelled anyone, except he was extremely severe with the Pharisees. Those proud, arrogant, self-righteous, disgusting Pharisees.
But he deals a lot with them.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee came to Jesus by night. You know he didn't want to be seen in the daytime, coming to the Lord Jesus.
00:15:03
He learns the lesson, he says, Teacher, we know that where the teacher come from God, For no man can do the miracles that thou doest except God be with him.
So he came to him as a teacher to a teacher.
And he got taught.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Can't see it, Can't enter it. You need an altogether new beginning. All your Pharisees and all your applause and the people around saying rabbi, rabbi and all this. That won't count for a straw with God. You need to have a new beginning.
So there was a man who came by night. He read of them a little bit later. I think it's in the 7th chapter and he speaks up to our law. Judge a man until you hear him and so on. And then later on he was there at the resurrection.
Deal with his body. He came out brightly for the Lord.
So he was a Pharisee. He didn't reject the Pharisees, but he spoke very seriously to them because they were hypocrites.
Did you know that you were born a hypocrite?
I was born a hypocrite. I think we're all born hypocrites. We're all born with high thoughts of ourselves.
Yes, you will have. You have that. Everyone of us has that.
The only one who who was the highest, He took the very lowest place.
And he's got to work with everyone of us to bring us down to the realization that was the trouble with Job. Hast thou considered my servant Job? The Lord said that to Satan a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and his chew with evil.
You'd say there's nothing wrong with Joe and you trace his life and the things that he did and that he was a remarkable man. He had in one chapter, I think it's in the 30th or so, he says. If I only had an audience, if I only had an audience with God, I could plead my cause and he would listen to me and he would justify me. Well, he got that. He got that wish later in the book. He had an audience with God. He was in the presence of God.
He says.
Now might I see a thee, Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent, and dust and ashes. You cannot be proud in the presence of God.
Let me say that again. You cannot be proud in the presence of God. The only time you're proud is when you're not in His presence and you start thinking highly of yourself when you get in His presence. You don't. You can't think highly of yourself.
His presence forbids that.
And that's what we all need. We need to get better acquainted with him.
Well, this.
The first chapter, first John brings brings before us.
But I have before me.
Where should we start?
Let's.
Let's look at Psalm 40.
Psalm 40.
Verse 6.
Sacrifice and offering.
It's not desire.
Nine ears hast thou opened, my margin reads.
The Hebrew means digged.
Prepared.
My ears hast thou digged?
Burnt offering and sin offering. Hast thou not required? Now that very verse is quoted in Hebrews 10. Please hold your place there in Psalm 40 and we're going to look at.
Where it occurs?
In.
Hebrews 10.
You won't recognize it when I read it.
00:20:02
Verse 5.
Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, When he cometh into the world, this is his incarnation.
He saith, sacrifice and offering the wood is not.
But a body hast thou prepared me? Now that's the very verse we read in Psalm 40, verse 6. Sacrifice and offering. Thou didst not desire my nearing his ears. Hast thou opened or digged? Why so different?
In I think it was around 290 years before Christ.
There were 70, approximately 70 Hebrew scholars.
That translated the Old Testament into Greek.
That's called the Septuagint.
I was referring to at one time.
And reading a note of Miss Darby's translation and it it had LX, which is the Roman numeral number L is 50 and the X's are 10, so that's 506070. And I read it the Septuagint and they said how did you get the Septuagint out of LX? Well because seventy were involved in that translation from the Hebrew to the Greek.
And so that's called the Septuagint. I happen to have a copy of the Septuagint in my library, and they came across this as they were translating from the Hebrew into the Greek. I think they did it at Alexandria, Egypt.
Very learned men. They wanted to get their scriptures into the language of other people. That Greek was quite popular at that time. And they came to the sixth verse of Psalm 40, Sacrifice and offering. Thou didst not desire my ears, hast thou?
Opened or digged? Literally digged.
What does that mean? What does that mean? My ears hast thou did?
And they translated it. A body hast thou prepared me?
The only way I can explain why they translated it that way is that God the Spirit LED them to it.
And in Hebrews 10 when the writer of Hebrews, the Apostle Paul, I believe gives us that verse quoted from the Old Testament, where it says, Pioneers, hast thou digged?
It says in verse 5, Sacrifice and offering, thou wouldest not, but a body is, thou prepared me. So I looked that up in the in the Greek in Hebrews 10, and I looked it up in the Septuagint in Psalm 40, and they are identical. A body has thou prepared me that means that.
Those men were led of God to give the sense of my nearest Hessel dig.
Why is the ears so important?
We hit that in the seven churches. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
The hearing ear.
To hear the word of God, so important that you hear what God says, so a body hast Thou prepared me.
So when he became a man.
He entered his own creation, He became now a servant, and he had ears to hear what God was saying to him, everything that he did.
Was from God his Father.
Everything that he did and heard was from his father.
He's the word very expression of God.
And the body was prepared. His ears were digged.
To hear God's voice to Him. That's the incarnation.
When he became a man, he became a servant. He laid aside his glory, Philippians 2 Says. He, being in the form of God, thought it not something to be clasped and been held on to tenaciously, but he.
Emptied himself of that form of God.
And took upon him the form of his servant.
He was the greatest and he took the lowest place. And then it goes. On being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself still further.
That passage in Philippians 2 Says the mind was in Jesus. What was that mind? He was in the greatest place. He was in the form of God, He who was deity itself. He Who was that eternal word.
00:25:00
He decided willingly. His mind was, I'll go.
I'll go into my own creation in order to save those that were created in the image and likeness of God.
Man is unique. Man is a special creation. That's never said of angels. They weren't created in the image and likeness of God. It's only said of man.
And so he became one.
He became the Word, became flesh. A body was prepared him.
That word prepared there is the same as in Hebrews 11, where it says.
By faith we understand that the world's were framed by the word of God.
In the room I'm in in this hotel has some pictures with A-frame around it. The frame is far more valuable than what's in between.
You don't even understand what it is. It's nonsense, modern art.
They had to put some nice picture in there. The frame would have enhanced it.
The world's were framed by the word of God. Well, that tells us right away that the world didn't come about as a result of an explosion. That's nonsense. That would be helter skelter everywhere.
That sounds like modern art, right?
No. Everything was in perfect order. Everything was in perfect order, framed by the word of God. That body was prepared, Him that was unique, that body, that precious body in which He bore our sins, it goes on to say.
It goes on to say verse 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, Once for all He offered that body, that precious body, that holy body which had no taint of sin to it.
The very idea that the Lord could have sinned.
Is awful.
It's a denial of who he is. The one that would say such a thing doesn't really know him, know who he is. It was a special body prepared him of God, in which he did everything for the glory of God, and ultimately in his body he bore our sins on the tree.
My body hast thou prepared me, His ears were digged, and as soon as he entered that human body.
His ears were digged.
To it would they were tuned to the voice of God.
He never was intimidated. He was never flattered, I mean to any effect on him. He only heard the voice of his Father. You read the Gospel of John. Gospel of John is everything, he said. The Father had not left me long, for I do always those things that please him.
Is there anyone in this room that would dare to say that?
That you do always the things that please your father.
Children.
Would you dare to say you always do those things that please your parents? None of us do that because we have a sin nature. How could he who had no sin nature, who was the infinitely holy one? And yet who became a servant, emptying himself of that outward form of God, and took upon him the form of a servant? And when he did that, his ears were digged to hear the voice of God.
Remember what Philip said. Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Hast thou been so long time with me, Philip? And yet hast thou not knowing me?
He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father, I have been asked so many times, Will we ever see the Father? We'll be in the presence of that blessed man.
He became one of us so that we might be able to see God in human form.
When we see him, when we hear his words and see what he did, we are seeing the Father.
Like father, like son. The living expression of the Father, the Word.
The one who tells us what the Father is like and who he is, and he had those dig deers to hear the voice of God. Now turn to the Isaiah 50.
Isaiah 50.
Verse three It says, I clothed the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth. They're covering the Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, the instructed 1 The learner that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary awakeneth morning, by morning he awakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned the learner, the Lord God hath opened ears correct.
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The dig gear is more what you have in in that Psalm 40, but here we have the open deer. I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
He wakeneth morning. By morning he went out and rose up before the rest. And he was with his father in prayer, prayed all night in prayer to God before he chose the 12 apostles.
He was in constant fellowship with the Father. Constant fellowship.
Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him.
None of us can keep and come close to that, even after we're saved.
That's the that's the the model that's set before us, but only he.
Did it perfectly.
The Lord God hath opened mine here.
He had an open deer. It's interesting in the Greek language.
The word disobedience and the word obedience are identical in one sense. They both have the word to hear.
But a disobedient one is one who hears alongside of that is if you're a child in the family and your father tells you to do something and you said you, you just take the attitude. But I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to do what you're telling me to do. So he's hearing alongside of what you're saying and he's rejecting what you're saying. That's disobedience in the Greek.
Obedience is to hear under in subjection to. Yes, Sir, I'll do it. I'll do it. That's the way the Lord heard. He always heard. And as a man he always heard in subjection to his father always.
Never, never could be anything else could he have sinned. The idea is monstrous, Absolutely monstrous. He always did the will of the Father. He always heard the direction from the Father. His ear was opened every morning to gather fresh instruction from his father. Those Dig Deers, that's the Incarnation. And now the Open deers is his life, his whole life down here.
To do the will of God.
What a person he was the one that clothed the heavens, as it says here, with blackness, and made sackcloth there covering the Lord. God hath given me the tongue of the instructed one, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary awakeneth morning by morning, awakeneth my ear to hear as to learn it. So obedience in scripture is to hear in subjection to what you're hearing. Disobedience is to hear and put yourself well. That's your idea. I have my idea. And mine's as good as yours. That's the that's disobedient.
That's disobedience.
He never heard that way.
He said in John 14, my father is greater than I. That's used by the Jehovah's Witnesses to show that he was not equal with God. No, it's all it shows is that he became a true man.
He became one that took the place of submission, he heard.
Under.
Not alongside of though he was in his deity. Now we're coming into the mystery of his person.
God and man in one person, you can't fathom that. I can't fathom that. But as man my Father's greater than I, as God, I and my Father are one.
They seem contradictory because.
There's a mystery. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
Justified in the spirit scene of angels preached under the Gentiles, believed down in the world and received up into glory. It starts with God becoming man. God was manifest in the flesh. It ends with man going up into the glory of God. There's a man in that glory now because the one who was in the form of God came down to where we are.
A special body prepared him.
His ears were digged to always hear and act upon the voice of God.
And here's their ears are opened. Every morning. He gathered fresh instruction from his father.
00:35:08
Precious.
Precious Lord Jesus.
The Lord God hath given me, he says. The tongue of the learned.
In John in Luke 2.
About Loop 2, Loop 12.
He was. They took him.
I'm not giving you the right chapter, but he they took him to.
They went from Jerusalem and he stayed back and they finally found him in the midst of the doctors hearing them and asking them questions. And it says they were amazed at his understanding and answers.
He knew more than all his teachers there.
He learned from God.
He learned from the father.
He had more knowledge than all his teachers combined.
You always think, well yes, because he was God, but he learned in subjection to his Father's voice.
That's the way we're to learn.
That's a principle of obedience. Learn in subjection to what you're hearing, and I'm talking about what you're hearing from the word of God. Don't reason on the word of God.
When God speaks, we submit to it. When his Father spoke, it was his delight. I delight to do Thy will though I come, I delight to do Thy will.
Never delighted in anything else. Any suggestion to him by the enemy of his soul, which was Satan, of course, caused him grief and sorrow, and he rejected it immediately. Not only did he not sin, but he could not. It was an awful thing to him, even the very suggestion of it.
Do you know him so well that to to suggest that someone have done that he could have sinned that that is a direct attack upon the integrity of his person?
Do we really know? Not really.
If we think he could have.
And the Lord God hath opened mine ear. I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. Remember in the one instance in John he he he says, Father save me from this hour. He was looking at the the awfulness of what it would cost him to be made. Sin put our sins away in the garden, he says father, if it be possible, the only time that he expresses directly his will.
Somewhat independently of his father, he says if it be possible that this cup pass for me.
Then he says nevertheless, the perfect submission that was always is not my will.
But thine be done.
The cup which my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Yes.
Yes, he drank it to the very dregs, but it was the most horrible thing to his soul, to an infinitely holy being. Think of it. Think of it. Here was this man in this prepared body, always hearing the voice of God every day.
Every morning. And his ears were digged to do that. And he went through this world such as you and I go through. He went through a world that's full of pride and hatred and deceit and trickery and all kinds of evil things. And he went through this. Remember, he said to his disciples on the way he was on the way to the cross. And he said, what? What were you talking among yourselves about? Well, they were arguing. Who's to be the greatest pride right away?
That's the last thing to die in, man, and everyone of us has it. Not a person in this room that isn't proud.
Everyone of us has it. He didn't have it at all.
And he had something to be proud about.
But once he took the place of a servant, once he entered his own creation and became one of us. Without sin, of course.
He always did.
The will of his father. My meat is to do the will of him that sacked me, to finish his work, that which sustained him here in this world, was to do the will of God.
That was the delight of his soul. Any suggestion that would be contrary to that was rejected with divine energy.
Do you know that person?
00:40:00
That person. There's a man in this world that never did his own will. He always did the will of his father.
Not even close for any of us.
And we're to walk as he walked.
We're to be subject to this precious book as he was.
When Satan came up and tempted him, how did he answer? He didn't reason with him. He quoted Scripture to him. The very thing you and I can do. Fill your mind so with the word of God, that when the enemy comes, you can, you can refute it by the word of God. That's what he did.
Blessed men.
So he had to dig ears, the body prepared.
To do the will of God, he went out in prayer every day, every morning.
His ears were open to hear the.
Voice of his father.
And let's turn to Exodus 21.
Exodus 21.
Verse two says if thou buy in Hebrew servant.
Six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
We've often read this at the Lord's table and it's so precious and beautiful. Beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus.
If he came in by himself, he should go out by himself. If he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her masters, and he shall go out by himself.
And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master with the Lord, that would be his father, my wife, that would be his assembly, church, and my children, that would be all his children, all those that believe in him. I will not go out free.
Then his master shall bring him unto the judges.
He shall also bring him to the door or under the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an all.
And he shall serve him forever.
So he had the.
The dig dear his incarnation.
He had the opened ear. His life characterized his whole pathway.
And now he has the Pierce, dear.
To be a servant forever.
He didn't just do the work on the cross that we were celebrating this morning at his table, remembering him and his death and then go back.
Without.
Never would he do that.
His ear was pierced.
Bored his ear through with an awe.
And he shall serve him forever.
Serve him forever.
Always be a servant.
Not tremendous.
After he finished the work on the cross where he cried out, it is finished.
Now He's become our Advocate and our High Priest. High Priest with God and our Advocate with the Father to bring us through this wilderness. He doesn't just say now you're saved, now make your way through on your own. No, no.
No, he's there in a new way. As soon as he entered heaven he was saluted of God as an high priest after the order of Melchizedek. He's doing a new work now, but he's serving us to keep us in the path. And if one of us strays, have you ever noticed in first John 2 where it speaks of if any man's sin? We not he has an advocate with the Father, but we have an advocate. We always have an advocate with the Father. John 13 presents him to us. Is that remember? He watched their feet and he came to Peter.
Peter said thou shalt never wash my feet. And he said, if I wash thee not Peter, thou has no part with me.
Not in me, but with me. And then Peter says not my feet but my hands in my head. And he said no. He that is washed all over, that's the new birth, a new life, needs only to wash his feet. He's clean every wet. As we go through this scene, we pick up the habits of the world, we pick up the defilements of the world and we have to have him wash our feet.
So that he can have fellowship with us.
And we with him, that's what he wants.
That's what he wants.
00:45:01
Is that what we want?
Is that what we want? Do we really want fellowship with him?
That's why He's given us his life and nature, and also his Holy Spirit indwells us so that we can have fellowship with him.
And he's serving us, serving us as our High Priest with God and as our advocate with the Father. The function of the high priest is to keep us going in the way. And if one of us fails in that, we have an advocate with the Father and he restores us.
Restores us so that he can have fellowship with us. We had that before us in our conference, and it's so important that the restoring grace, I think is just as wonderful as saving grace.
Saving grace, restoring grace of God.
David Livingstone was had come back from his one of his trips to Africa and he was being questioned at the in England. What was tell us your greatest experience when you were in Africa, wanted to hear something like an experience with a lion or some wild beast or something, he said. The greatest experience I had in Africa was he restoreth my soul.
Who restoreth my soul?
How many of us have needed that restoration of our soul?
We've all failed.
Is the only man that never did.
He's the only man upon whom the heavens were opened. This is my beloved Son, and whom I am well pleased. I found all my delight in him.
And then he's the one that when he took our place as the sin bearer.
Had to experience the unmitigated judgment of a holy God against sin.
The beginning of the Cross it was Father. Forgive them, for they know not what they do at the end of the cross. His Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit, but in between.
12 Noon The sun, the central witness in our creation of the Light Bearer, ceased to give its light, and it was dark.
And he was shut in alone with God.
He was denied the privilege during those three hours of saying father.
Instead, the only time he does see it, say it this way was my God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? It was God and all that. He is as God the judge, judging sin.
Wasn't the expression of communion or fellowship which his father.
But it was God, the judge, that he had to deal with. That's what caused him to sweat. Great drops of blood in the garden.
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass. But no, it wasn't possible.
He had to do that in order to save the likes of us.
The likes of us.
Turn to Luke 12.
Verse 34 where your treasure is.
There will your heart be also. Where's your treasure, young person? Where's my treasure?
What is it that I really value?
That's where your heart is.
What was the Lord's treasure?
To please him, please the father.
Always do his will.
Get his instructions.
And he did them, Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your lines be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord. When 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 Now notice this.
That he shall gird himself. Remember, in John 13 he girded himself and took the water in the in the towel, and he washed their feet. Now in the glory, now in the glory, he girds himself again, and he says, make them to sit down to meet.
And come forth and serve them, he came. He's going to serve us again.
00:50:03
In that coming day, what's he going to service more of himself?
More of himself.
A servant forever.
Never cease to be a servant.
You get that in First Corinthians 15. We had that before us, the chapter. But I don't know if we spoke too much on this. I'll go over it again because it's so precious. 1St Corinthians 15.
Verse 24 says, then cometh the end.
The end of verse 23 is they that are Christ at his coming. That's the rapture. Then come at the end. This is now the end of the tribulation, the end of the millennial reign, when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed, his death, That's at the Great White Throne.
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put under him, it is manifest that he is accepted. That's the Father which did put all things under him, and then all things shall be subdued unto him.
Then shall the Son, as man here also himself, be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, may be All in all.
But that second person I mentioned, the son, he's All in all with God, but he's still a servant as man in that body that was prepared him.
And he's come to come forth and serve us.
Can you fathom that?
Can we find a map?
I could speak on these things, but how feebly?
Do I understand them?
Oh, the love of God.
The love of that one that became one of us sin apart.
He was a perfect servant here.
The greatest work that he did as a servant was on the cross when he cried out. My God, my God, why is thou forsaken me? He's speaking. There is a man.
When he was in deity in the form of God, he never called the Father God because he was God.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, he wasn't his God until he became a man, 22nd Psalm says Thou art my God, even from my mother's belly. That's when he became his God.
But always the Father and the Son and the Spirit from all eternity they had no beginning. But His incarnation was a beginning of something new when He entered His own creation, that He might have you and Me.
In his presence forever, and he's going to serve us there.
These things are too wonderful.
For any of us, let's close by singing 124.
Jesus, the one who left the throne to save a ruined race. Thy love and loneliness still shine upon that glorious face. Jesus, the one who tried the earth.
The lowly subject 1. Obedience unto death was Thine God's well beloved Son Jesus. What memories?
Thrill our hearts of Thy blessed footprints here, while now to heaven our eyes we turn.
Gates upon the of our sing to hold him 124.
Before we pray.
The Lord chose 12 to be apostles.
And Peter?
They all heard everything he said and saw everything he did witnessed him.
And.
Were in his blessed presence.
Peter.
Was different, though, than Judas, you might say. Well, what's the difference? Peter denied him three times with oaths and curses. I never knew the man. Don't know the man.
And Judas betrayed him.
What's the difference? It was infinite. The difference was infinite.
They all knew all about him. They heard his words, saw what he did.
But Peter knew him.
Judith did not.
Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, AM?
Some say they are John the Baptist of Jeremiah, one of the prophets, Elijah one of the prophets, whom say ye that I am. And Peter said, Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.
He knew who he was.
And the Lord said, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father.
Which is in heaven. He knew him.
He had some pride, like we all do, and he had to have. He had to be humbled, so he was allowed. The Lord told him he would do it. He would deny him three times.
That Judas.
Didn't know him.
He knew about him.
Continue
YP Address—J.N. Hyland
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And 56.
Praise ye the Lord again. Again the Spirit strikes the chord. Nor toucheth he our hearts. In vain we praise, we praise the Lord stand fast in Christ. Ah, yet again he teacheth all the band. If human efforts are in vain, in Christ it is we stand. I realize that afternoon meetings at conference are very difficult, and so I'm going to suggest.
That it would be helpful if we stood up to sing this hymn 156 and if someone would please start it.
Way of introduction to the subject that is on my heart this afternoon. I'd like to read a little expression near the end of Daniel Chapter one.
Daniel Chapter One.
And I just want to read the 1St 3 words of verse 21. And Daniel continued. I have it on my heart this afternoon in speaking particularly to the young people, to speak a little bit about this word, Continue or continue, and to encourage us to go on in the path of faith, the few footsteps that are left before the Lord comes. We've spoken much in these meetings concerning the Lord's coming.
And I believe we're right on the verge of the Lord's coming. There's just another footstep or two, and then we're going to hear that shout and we're going to be called Safe Home. But in the meantime, I believe there are two things that God looks for in our Christian life. He looks for consistency and continuance, not just as the world says, a flash in the pan. And you know what burdens me in following out this subject, particularly in addressing the young people, is the fact that there have been, in my experience, even those I grew up with, so many promising young brothers and sisters.
And they made a good start. And I realize it's only the grace of God that keeps any one of us, if any one of us here, young or old, this afternoon, are going on in any measure in the path of faith and service. Let's make no mistake about it. It's the grace of God, and it's God that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. It's no credit to ourselves, but nevertheless, I think back in my experience and think of young people who made a good start.
But they've made shipwreck of their life today. They've pierced themselves through, as scripture says, with many sorrows. Because they missed the path, they chose their own way. Their hearts became cold and indifferent. One thing and another came in, and there's many who were once young people of my generation who are reaping the sad fruits of what they've sown. Thankfully, there are some, in my experience, who have experienced the restoring grace of God.
Because as we had this morning in our reading meeting, the restoring grace of God is as limitless as his saving and preserving grace, David said. He restoreth my soul. David experienced in a very real way the restoration of God, but nevertheless God wants us to go on consistently and to continue in our Christian pathway. And it's my great burden young people, that if the Lord leaves us here, you might go on that you would be like Caleb, of whom it says.
He wholly followed the Lord. Isn't that a tremendous commendation for the Lord to say? He wholly followed the Lord and he went on consistently. There were lots of difficulties for Caleb, but all those years in the wilderness when there was so much sin and fault finding when he saw the governmental hand of God on the people of God. Yet he went on and God honored it and eventually brought him into the land and gave him.
00:05:04
A personal inheritance. And so I thought of this in connection with Daniel, it says, And Daniel continued. Now I realize I'm taking this expression slightly out of its context, I suppose strictly speaking, in its context. Here he's mentioning how Daniel lived to be an old man and saw several kings come and go, several kingdoms, and he continued even to the year of King Cyrus. But I want to apply this in connection with what we've been saying.
And that is in continuing in the path of faith and following the Lord, because I believe this expression has its application in that regard. And we certainly see with Daniel that not only did Daniel live to be an old man, but he did continue on and follow the Lord in his pathway. I suppose there are many secrets to Daniel's life of continuance. One of them has given us in this first chapter, and that is that he had purpose of heart.
Because young people, if you're going to continue on in the path of faith, it must be with purpose of heart. Sometimes I've heard it said of young people, well, so and so has a nice desire and I'm glad when there's a desire expressed to follow the Lord. But young people desire isn't enough. It says in Proverbs the slugger desireth and hath nothing. It takes purpose of heart. If you're going to continue in days like these, the enemy is busy to seek to discourage.
To scatter, to weary and confuse the people of God.
But you must, like Daniel, have that purpose of heart. Because purpose of heart is really a desire where the affections are motivated by an object. It's a question of the affections. We'll speak of that a little in more depth a little later. But that's what purpose of heart is. David said in the 27th Psalm, one thing have I desired of the Lord that was good. But he didn't stop there. He said that will I seek after it took purpose of heart. It took spiritual energy. You know, we often talk about exercise in connection with spiritual things.
And why do we use that expression? Because if you're going to continue on, it's going to take spiritual exercise. And exercise denotes energy expended. You know, if you're going to get up and go to the gym and workout, it takes discipline. It takes energy. You've got to get up an hour before class, perhaps, or you've got to stay an hour after work. And it takes discipline and it takes energy. If you're going to avail yourself a bodily exercise, well, it's no different when it comes to spiritual exercise. And young people, I'm not going to stand here as one who's a little further along in the path of faith this afternoon and tell you that it's easy to follow the Lord. It is not easy to follow the Lord. And I want to tell you too, and make it very clear. It doesn't get any easier as you get older. You know, I used to sit in the meetings as a young person and think, well, it's all right for the older brothers to minister on various things and talk about going on for the Lord.
They're past a lot of the things, a lot of the difficulties and hurdles.
That young people go through. But I want to tell you, we're never home free as long as we're here in this life. And the attacks that those of us who are a little further along may have, those that we would consider perhaps middle age. And then those that are here that are older, they may be a little different from what you are experiencing, but they're nevertheless very real. No matter how young or how old we are, the enemy doesn't give up on us. And no matter how young or how old we are, there are difficulties and problems.
In the path of faith, and you see this with Daniel, it started out with purpose of heart. He shunned to set aside that which was offered to him of the King's meat. That would have meant defiling himself and compromising the truth. He set that aside. Was it easy for him? You know, we only read a four who refused the King's meat. But what about the others? I don't want to read into scripture, but I've often wondered those others that were brought from Babylon.
And put to this test that went ahead and ate of the King's meat, did they speak against Daniel and his friends? Did they say, well, you should come and try. It's good stuff. And you know, it's a different day than back when we were home in Judea and everybody's doing it now. Maybe there was a little reproach, I don't know right from their other fellow young people. Isn't that the hardest kind of reproach to take? You say I try to continue on. I try to follow the Lord. And it's one thing when people at school who don't know the Lord reproach us. But isn't it harder when our friends, our Christian friends, maybe those that, even that we sit down and break bread with at the Lord's table?
00:10:04
They don't seem to understand our exercise. They reproach us for something we try to do to be faithful to the Lord. Well, it wasn't easy for Daniel, but he purposed in his heart. There were other secrets of Daniel's life too. He had good companions. We've heard about that in these meetings. He had good companions. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And not only that, but I'm sure Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were encouraged to stand fast, because they were.
The friend of Daniel as we heard our friends affect us young people, the friendships that were forming now.
Are either going to make or break our lives. They're either going to make or break our lives. And especially in connection with a companion for as far as marriage, a husband or a wife, young fellow, the wife you choose for your companion is going to make or break your life. Young sister, The husband you marry is going to make or break your life. And so, as we've already had quoted, I am a companion of all them that fear thee and that keep thy precepts. We know too. Daniel was a man of prayer, and that's the powerhouse of the Christian life.
We know too from the 9th chapter, he was a man of the word. He was reading the word of God.
Particularly there, the book of Jeremiah and we need the word of God. And what I'd like to do for a few moments this afternoon is go on and to quickly look at some scriptures that exhort us in connection with continuing as to those things that we need to continue in. Now, this is certainly not an exhaustive list. Over and over and over in the word of God, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, we have brought before us those things that we ought to continue in.
As the people of God. But we're just going to look at a few of them, and I trust that they will encourage particularly our young people. But all of us, I believe, need these exhortations. Let's go first of all, then to Second Timothy.
Two Timothy, Chapter 3.
Second Timothy, chapter 3 and verse 14.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned 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. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Now just hold your finger here. Go back to first Timothy.
First Timothy chapter 4.
One Timothy, chapter 4 and verse 15. Meditate upon these things. Give thyselves holy to them, that thy profiting may appear unto all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine continue in them, For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee one more portion. For now back in Acts 14.
Acts, Chapter 14.
And verse 21.
And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, an Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the soles of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith. And that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. Well, I want to stress for a few moments the importance of God's Word, and I want to impress upon us the need to be well rooted and grounded in the doctrines and principles of God's Word.
Because if we're going to be preserved in the path of faith and continue on to the end, it must be with this before our souls. Now Paul was writing to Timothy here in this second epistle, writing of appalling conditions, the last days, perilous times. And what I want to point out is that this wasn't necessarily the condition of things in the world. This was the condition of things in the House of God, which had become at this point a great house.
Isn't that solemn to think about? Sometimes we read the Epistle to the Laodiceans in Revelation 3 and we think of it in connection with the condition and spirit of things in the world. But that was right. In the assembly these things come in, they affect us, because whatever the spirit of the age is, it always affects the people of God. And so he's spoken here of an undermining of the truth, evil men and seducers, waxing worse and worse. If we were to go back to Acts 20, we would find that in his final address to the Ephesian elders, he spoke of how there would be that which would come from without.
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And then he said, And of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw disciples after themselves. That was right from within in the assembly. But what's going to preserve us? What's going to keep us in a day when the enemy is busy to subvert our souls and undermine the precious truth of God? Oh, it's what he brings before Timothy here in the end of this chapter, after Speaking of this, Then he reminds Timothy that first of all, he had had the privilege of hearing the word of God.
From the very early days of his childhood. Now I realize there are some here this afternoon who were not brought up in a Christian home, not brought up in the assembly. And thank God you've been saved. And you have been brought to the assembly where the truth is ministered and the spirit of God is given liberty. But, you know, many of us, and I realize I look into the face of just so many who, like myself, had the privilege of being brought up in a Christian home. I didn't always appreciate it. I didn't always appreciate.
A father who opened the word of God in the home on a daily basis. But I want to just say to you what a privilege it is. As I look back, I'm thankful for it. I'm thankful that from a child I knew the Holy Scriptures, Timothy had a godly heritage. He'd had a God fearing grandmother and a godly mother. And now the Apostle Paul too had brought before him the truth. He had presented the what we would refer to as Paul's doctrine, and he reminds him to continue in those things.
Not to give it up. And so these two, in these two epistles over and over and over again, he exhorts as to the need for sound doctrine. Because while it's true doctrine in itself and head knowledge isn't going to preserve us yet, I believe it is a safeguard. It is necessary. And young people, open your Bible on your own individually. Read it every day. Come to the assembly meetings where it's ministered.
And then, you know, we have a vast heritage of good Christ exalting written ministry. There's much of it in the back there. Have you availed yourself of it? I wish that I had availed myself of it more when I was younger because, you know, I'm getting to the point now where I don't take it in like I used to. I read it and I enjoy it and I'm thankful for a good memory, but it's not like it was 10 years ago.
Oh, I want to encourage you to store up your mind with the word of God. Store up your mind and read that good Christ exalting ministry that God has caused men to write in the past and even is being written today. It will be a great help to you and it will be a safeguard. When something is presented that is not the truth, how are you going to detect it? By reading up on all the false.
Doctrine that was ever propagated on that subject, and I'm not saying maybe there aren't times when we need to have an outline of something to deal with a specific situation, or so and so on. But I believe generally the way we detect false doctrine and error is to be grounded in the truth of God.
A teller at the bank doesn't traffic and counterfeit money. No, she'd lose her job if she did. But in handling the real money from day-to-day, when a counterfeit bill is passed, then she detects it. That's how you're going to detect false doctrine. It says be wise concerning that which is good, simple concerning evil. And you know he speaks here of the man of God being useful and prepared unto every good work. And I know there are young people here who have a real desire.
To be used of God. You're praying as to what the Lord has for you in his vineyard of service, and I want to encourage you to continue on in that vein. But if you're going to be prepared unto every good work, there are two things brought out in Second Timothy that are absolutely necessary. The first one is in the previous chapter, and that is to purge ourselves from evil. To separate from that which is not according to the word of God. That's one thing that's going to prepare us unto every good work.
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And the second thing is to go on in the truth of God. That's what we have here, to take up the word of God and to walk in obedience to it. And if you do that, young person, you won't be just prepared under some good work, you'll be prepared unto every good work. So we need all the word of God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. And again in the previous epistle where we read.
He's exhorted Timothy as to this, but I just want to notice something else too, where we read in First Timothy 4 and that is he says meditate upon these things. You know it's not enough just to read the word of God and close it and not consider what we've read. We need to meditate on these things and I know it takes discipline in the day in which we live. I know the minute you close your Bible and step out the door in the morning until the minute you come back at night.
There's just so much to absorb your energy, both physically and spiritually.
You are physically and mentally I should say you fight rush hour traffic. You sit at a computer, you have a high pressure job, but I want to encourage you to discipline yourself, to stop during the day and meditate on God's word. Just go back to what you read. You'll find it'll be a great blessing to you and it'll become real to you and it will encourage you to continue on. And so we need to meditate on these things and then we need to give ourselves wholly to them.
Again, it's not enough to read the Word of God. It's not even enough to meditate on the Word of God. We need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. But we read and enjoy, and we need to put into practice. If you know these things, happy are ye. If ye do them. And then he gives Timothy a little warning in the 16th verse where we read.
Encouraging him to continue in the doctrine.
I want to just digress here for a moment, to say something to those of us who are a little older and those of us who particularly who take an active part in the ministry of the word of God, whether it's in the local assembly or on an occasion like this. Because here, Timothy, who had a gift and was told to stir it up for the blessing and edification of the Saints, he was told to take heed unto thyself, and under the doctrine to continue in them.
And then he says, in doing this two things would happen. Thou shalt save both saved thyself and them that hear thee.
I want to say this as carefully as possible, but I believe first of all, when we open our mouths in the assembly, when we open our mouths publicly in ministry, it's a very solemn thing because we need to realize that we're going to be tested by the Lord on the very things that we minister. And when the tests come, if we're not careful and we don't take heed to the ministry that we have been given by the spirit of God, not only are we going to be tripped up ourselves.
But we're going to trip up those that hear us. I believe it's a very solemn thing, and it searches my own soul and those who take part in the assembly, those who have a place of leadership and responsibility, they become very vulnerable because the enemy realizes that if he can trip them up, not only do they miss the path themselves, but they take others with them. Often they're restored, but often they don't bring their followers back.
And there are many I know in my experience who ministered the truth. And if they had taken heed to their own ministry, they would have both saved themselves and them that heard them. Well, let's continue in these things Paul was bringing before us, is bringing before us the need to continue in the doctrine, and particularly the doctrine that Paul brings before us as to the calling of the heavenly, calling of the Church, our responsibility now and so on.
We need that. And why are there so many Christians floundering in their Christian pathway? Why are there so many Christians today who think they're a moral force to change the world, and who are out running for public office and trying to clean things up? Because they've given up Paul's doctrine, they've given up the hope of the Lord's coming, or they've confused the hope of the Lord's coming with the hope with the Kingdom and the hope of his coming for his Saints and with his Saints and all this kind of thing.
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We really will never understand.
True Christian principles. Nor will we have the proper character of a Christian in this dispensation unless we are rooted and grounded in Paul's doctrine. We need all the word of God. It's true. I don't want to take away from that. We need the illustrations of the Old Testament. We need the life of Christ in the four Gospels. We need John's ministry that brings before us the family and the judgments of this world. Later on, we need James, which brings before us practical faith.
We need Peter, which brings has the lessons for the wilderness, but we also need to tenaciously hold on to Paul's doctrine. Well, let's cling to the word of God. Let's read it each day. Let's avail ourselves of the ministry that has been given to us by men that God has caused to write these things. Let's value it, and I believe it will be a great preserving.
Factor. But I read in Acts chapter 14 as well, because we find here that when they exhorted the early brethren to continue in these things.
They made no pretensions as to it being easy. We've mentioned this, but I just want to echo it. It says that we must, through much tribulation, enter the Kingdom of God. If you're going to stand for the truth at school, if you're going to stand for the truth at work, if you're going to seek to go on in the assembly, there's going to be problems and difficulties. We're not home yet. We must through much tribulation, but always it going to be worth it. When you look into his face, young person in the coming day, what's going to matter?
How well you planned your life, how well you got along down here, how many garages you had attached to your home, and what you had to fill it. And I'm not speaking against those things in any way, but is that what's going to matter in the coming day? No, what's going to matter in a coming day is did we continue on in the truth of God? Did we seek to be faithful to him and to covet at the end of it all his well done, thou good and faithful servant.
But now let's turn to John's Gospel, chapter 15.
John's Gospel, chapter 15.
And verse 9.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
Well, I want to speak now of continuing in his love, because, you know, when it comes to the truth of God and when it comes to doctrine, we can be clear as ice and justice as cold. But if there isn't love, it's interesting that in First Corinthians, where you have in the 12TH chapter the body of Christ and in the 14th chapter, shall I say, the machinery in operation. Yet in between you have that chapter on love, because that's the gas and oil that makes the machinery run properly.
And why is it so often we get into difficulties? We say, well, we tried to be faithful when it came to standing for the truth. But, brethren, sometimes we can stand for the truth and and that's good, but we stand for the truth without there being love. We do it in the wrong spirit. And so here we find he says, continue ye in my love, oh, I want to encourage everyone of us, the young people, but every one of us, to get into the presence of the Lord and let him love you.
Just let them love you. Just enjoy His love. Maybe you're discouraged because you think, well, my response, my love for the Lord is so feeble. But I believe what increases our love for the Lord is an enjoyment of His love for us. If we try to generate love for the Lord on our own, we're going to be discouraged at best. But just to get into His presence and meditate on His love, Bask in the sunshine of His love, That's what's going to preserve you. Continue in His love.
We all look back on our Christian life and do we remember a time when we felt we enjoyed the love of God more than we do now? Where we enjoyed the love of the Lord Jesus more than we do now, and where, as a result, our response then was more than it is now if we do, oh, I want to encourage you, continue ye in my love. What a difference it will make. Because, brethren, His love never changes young people His love never changes.
Divine love delights in a response, but it's not dependent on it. Divine love loves when there's nothing lovable in the object. Divine love loves when there's no response from the object. I say it delights in a response, but it's not dependent on it. Of what we refer to here as the upper room ministry. There's a confirmation of his love. Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them under the end. Young people get ahold of that in your soul. He loves us in spite of ourselves.
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He loves us despite our conduct and our response toward him. Think of that little company gathered around him on this occasion. Think of what they were like. There was a betrayer, there was a denier. They were all going to forsake him and flee. But all he loved them unto the end in that precious to think of you. Think of in Malachi, where you come to the end of the history of the children of Israel in the Old Testament. They were at their lowest point, morally and spiritually, in the Old Testament.
And how does he begin that little that little book. I have loved you, saith the Lord. His love was just as great for them there as it had been when he had redeemed them and brought them out of Egypt and delivered them. His love hadn't changed their pages. The pages of their history were stained with murmuring and fault finding and complaining and a lack of response to him. But his love was just the same.
Oh, do you realize this afternoon how much the Lord loves you? You know what's interesting? That when you read the Epistles to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and three, there are two churches, 2 assemblies that the Lord confirms His love to. One is Philadelphia. And you say, Well, of course they were seeking to keep His word and not deny his name. You see, I can see how he confirmed his love to Philadelphia. But the next assembly Laodicea. But it was complete indifference to his claims.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. He loved them just as much and laodicea as he loved them in Philadelphia. Oh, I say he loves us with an everlasting love. With loving kindness he's drawn us. But I can't stress this enough. We just need to get into his presence and enjoy that love. And I believe in the measure in which you and I enjoy the love of Christ in our souls. In that measure, our response will deepen. There will be more love for himself in the measure in which we realize.
How much he loves us have often said that the bride in the Song of Solomon, as she was awakened in her affections, and as she began to enumerate the qualities and glories of her bridegroom. What did it do? Oh, it only deepened her response. At the end of it all, she could say, my beloved is mine. He's altogether lovely. She loved him more at the end. Why? Because she tried to generate a response within herself? No.
Because she's been occupied with himself and his love for her. And so let's continue in his love, not just to enjoy his love for a time and then to go on our own way to, if I can put it this way, walk on the shady side of the street. That's not what he wants. He wants us to walk every day in the sunshine of his love, get up every morning and just meditate a little bit on his love. Let's follow this up by going to Hebrews Chapter 13.
Hebrews chapter 13 and verse one let brotherly love continue or if he knows Mr. Darby's translation, abide but let brotherly love continue. Now we've spoken of His love for us. We've spoken of the consistency of divine love despite a response in the object. But now we have brotherly love, if you notice when we read the 4th chapter of First Thessalonians.
He speaks there of brotherly love as well. In fact, if you notice in Mr. Darby's translation, there are six times in the New Testament that brotherly love is brought before us. You don't get it in the King James. But if you notice that Mister Darby's translation, there are six times that the need for brotherly love is brought before us and brotherly love has to do with our relationship one with another. Now brotherly love is of God too, because all love springs from God. God is love, and so brotherly love is of God and we're exhorted. You can follow those six portions that I mentioned and you can see how that we are exhorted to.
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In tenderness and.
With solicitude we are to exhibit one with another brotherly love, because what is to characterize the followers of Christ is love the Lord Jesus said to his own By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one for another. You know, sometimes I've heard young people and those of us who are not so young say something like this. Well, you know, there's not much love shown in my local assembly.
You know, that might be very true, but isn't that your opportunity to show love? Because you know brotherly love is going to bigot brotherly love. If you're kind to someone, if you show brotherly love, if you go out of your way to help someone, that's going to generate a response in the person unless their hearts are very hard or indifferent. But generally it's going to generate a response and you'll find if you show love amongst the other young people in your local assembly.
You'll find this is a lot more love there than perhaps you even realized. And so I want to encourage you. You know, it's easy in a setting like this to love all the people of God, and we're together for a happy weekend. But, you know, the tests come when we go home. We go home to that little assembly. And sometimes things are not always in order like we wish they were. Sometimes there's problems and difficulties. Sometimes personalities come in and there's little conflicts.
But let's seek to show brotherly love to love one another. And I believe that not only will it be a great blessing in the assembly and amongst the people of God, but it'll be a great testimony too. If you want to have a testimony to those around, you, want to have a testimony in the gospel. How can you bring people into the gospel meeting? How can you go out and give out tracks when they know you're connected with that group of brethren and go to that little hall if they see that there isn't practical love exhibited? I know it's difficult.
I know sometimes there are real problems and difficulties in the local assemblies, but we're exhorted to let brotherly love continue. Maybe again we look back and we remember a time in the local assembly when there was that love and we went on happily and there was just the manifestation of that in a very practical way. And now we realize things have come in and spoiled that hindered that, oh, he doesn't want that. He wants us to continue in that, to go on.
With brotherly love, Let brotherly love continue. Let's go now to Colossians Chapter 4.
Colossians Chapter 4 and verse 2.
Continue in prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving. We mentioned at the beginning of this meeting in connection with Daniel that one of the great secrets of his life was that he was a man of prayer. We see this right through till he's an elderly man there in the 6th chapter and his the habit of his life was to pray three times a day because as I said earlier, prayer is the powerhouse of our Christian lives.
But here we're told not just to pray but to continue in prayer. Recently I've been exercised as to this little expression. You know, sometimes in the local assembly something is mentioned for prayer, some brother or sister who has a real need, and we might pray for that brother or sister that night, maybe even the next week. Some remember to pray for them, and then we forget about them and we don't continue in prayer. Epifras, who was of the assembly at Colossi and who's spoken of here in this book?
He says of him that he labored fervently in prayer.
Do we know what it is to labor in prayer to continue in prayer for the Saints of God?
Young people, I want to encourage you to set aside a time and again it's going to take discipline. But to set aside a time for prayer, you need a stated time for prayer and let nothing come in to spoil that time. You know prayer is hard work. Prayer isn't easy. Again, it takes that exercise, that energy of faith that we were Speaking of. But if you discipline yourself to do it, like Daniel, he had stated times for prayer during the day. He had a very responsible job in the Kingdom.
He was a busy man. He had a high pressure job, we'd say today. But he disciplined himself to pray three times a day. Let's learn to continue in prayer. Maybe we have personal needs. We pray about it for a little time and then we kind of get discouraged. We give up our hands. Do we know what it is to continue in prayer? And then he says not only to continue in prayer but to watch in the same. Now why is watching so often connected with prayer in the word of God? And it is very often it's connected with prayer. Well, perhaps for a couple of reasons, #1 When we pray, we need to watch that we don't let things come into our lives that would hinder.
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The answers to prayer, for instance, it says if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
But I believe, too, we need to watch for answers to prayer. If you and I really pray in faith about something, we're going to be watching for the answer. Why do those men did? Those men that we read about of past generations have such tremendous answers to prayer. And sometimes the bills were coming in the front door and the funds to pay them were coming in the back door. They watched under prayer. They didn't just pray, they continued in prayer, and they watched for the answers.
Now perhaps I better qualify my remarks by saying this, Don't ever beg the Lord for something that may not be according to His will. We always want to pray in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, not My will but thine be done, because if you beg the Lord for something that may not be according to his will, he may in his permissive will give it to you, but it will not be for your blessing. He did that with the children of Israel, but it says He granted them their request and sent leanness into their soul. But you know by the same token too, there are things when you have scripture to pray for about you shouldn't give up.
Let me give you one example. Maybe you've prayed for years for the salvation of a loved one.
Don't give up. You have scripture for that. It says it's God's will, that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Don't give up praying for that person. Learn to continue in prayer. Watch for the answer. And then it says with Thanksgiving. Because you know as we pray, we have so much to be thankful for. We can thank you for past answers to prayer. Thank you for what he's done in the past. Thank him for what is ahead in that day of glory when will be beyond.
The need and exercise of prayer. Let's always come in thanks with Thanksgiving. But I say again, let's learn to continue or persevere in prayer. Now let's go back to Hebrews. Hebrews 13 again.
Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 15.
By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Well, here we're exhorted to offer the sacrifice of praise continually, young people, not just when things go well. And I know it's difficult. I know there's young people here today and you've got real burdens, and you're concerned about going back next week to school or work or to the little assembly from whence you come. You say, Brother Jim, you just don't know what I have to face.
Well, perhaps I don't. But I want to encourage you, no matter what the circumstance, to cultivate the habit of praise and Thanksgiving in your life, not just when things go well. Again, it's easy to be happy at a conference like this. It's easy to praise the Lord when we've got a room full of Saints who are enjoying the things of Christ. But what about when you go back? Oh, I say learn to cultivate the habit of praise, the sacrifice of praise to God.
Continually the fruit of our lips. You want to bear fruit for God's glory. Do you realize? Every time you open your mouth with a note of praise to God or the Lord Jesus, he jots it down in his book of remembrance as fruit for his glory. And so much does he value it. He counts it as a sacrifice and he says, I'm going to reward you for it in a coming day. The fruit of our lips. But I want to make this very practical because, you know, sometimes on occasions like this, and particularly on Lord's day, morning when we're together.
To remember the Lord and to worship him and to praise him, Sometimes I look around the meeting room.
When some of these good Christ exalting hymns are given out, and I see a lot of silent lips, I see a lot of still tongues, does the person and work of Christ mean no more to us than to open our mouth and praise and Thanksgiving? I know, especially for young fellas, it isn't cool sometimes to sing. I realize that sometimes we feel reproached if we open our mouth and sing. But what about the Lord Jesus? He wants us to open our mouths in praise and Thanksgiving.
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The fruit of our lips, whoso offerth praise, not silence, whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me. You know, I'm encouraged too, when I visit in a home to hear a sister out at the kitchen sink getting the meal ready. And there's that note of praise on her lip. She's whistling or singing the words to some hymn. Oh, I think the Book of Remembrance is open to that page in glory, and it's being jotted down.
Fruit for his glory. Oh, let's learn to praise the Lord. He's so worthy, brethren, when we think of what He's done for us young people, when we think of what He's done for us. We ought to be the singingest people on earth. We ought to open our mouths every day, not just when we come together in the assembly, but driving your car in your home, wherever you are. To have that note of praise in your heart and on your lips. The sacrifice of praise to God continually. Let's turn to Acts Chapter 2.
Acts chapter 2 and verse 42.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking bread and prayers. Well, I just want to apply this now in connection with the assembly meetings. We've talked for the most part, I suppose, in this meeting of continuing on individually. But here's the collective side of things. Isn't this a nice commendation of these early believers that they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers?
These are what we might say are the assembly meetings, and I want to encourage you, young people. I know your schedule is tight, but I want to encourage you to plan your life around the Lord and around the assembly. Make it a priority. What is an hour out of your life on Wednesday night to give to the Lord? I know you've got to study. I know that when you're in business, you bring a laptop home and a briefcase full of work. But can't you just close that laptop and go to prayer meeting for one hour?
That's what he desires. But notice it takes diligence, They continued. Or if you notice, Mr. Darby's translation, they persevered in these things. It takes perseverance, but you'll never be able. You'll never do it unless it's the habit of your life. And unless you plan your life around the assembly. You know, the difficulty today is we plan our lives and then try to work in the assembly. Young people. It doesn't work. Some of you are setting up homes. Oh, I want you to.
Make sure that you're exercised.
To be at the assembly meetings. I'm thankful for a father and a mother who were exercised not only to bring the truth before us in our homes, but they made sure we came to the assembly meetings. I don't ever remember sitting at the dinner table Tuesday night and it being a question of whether we were going to prayer meeting or not. It was just assumed that as soon as the meal was over, we'd get ready and we would go to meeting. There wasn't any question about it. I will grant you there were sometimes they're extenuating circumstances that perhaps we weren't there.
But I knew as I grew up what was important to my parents and can we expect our children to put any greater importance on things than we have placed ourselves if we don't value as parents? I'm going to speak to parents for a moment. If we don't value as parents the assembly meetings, and if we don't plan our lives around the assembly, then we can't expect our children to have any greater value for it than we have had.
But again, I believe it's a great preserving factor to come to the assembly, those assembly meetings for ministry of the word, assembly meetings for prayer, and then for the remembrance of the Lord Jesus. In closing, I want to read two further scriptures, 2 further scriptures, one of which I trust will exercise my own soul and perhaps it will yours too. And one to encourage us. Let's go first of all to Romans chapter 6.
Romans chapter 6 and verse one. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? And I want to read a verse in Luke 22.
Luke chapter 22 and verse 28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. Well, I think this verse in the 6th chapter of Romans is very solemn, and the reason I read it at the end of the meeting is because here's something that we're not to continue in. Maybe there's a young person here and you've been going on with something in your life that you ought not to be going on with. You really belong to the Lord Jesus. You're ready to go when the Rapture takes place.
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But there's something allowed in your life, some sin that you're going on with. Should you continue with that? You said I've gone so far now and God is gracious. Well, it's true God is gracious, but shall we continue in sin? That grace may abound. I want to encourage you because conferences like this are often turning points in the lives of young people. I remember in my own life as a young person coming to a Montreal conference, and it was a great turning point in my life.
And maybe you're sitting here and you're saying, well, I haven't gone on for the Lord. Oh, turn around. Get before the Lord. Repent of whatever you've allowed in your life. Confess it. Get it straightened out. If it needs to be straightened out with your brethren, seek grace to go and get it straightened out. Don't continue in sin. No, I haven't continued in the past like I should, but oh, there is a way back. There's restoration. And as we said earlier, His restoring grace.
Is tremendous. But then I read to this verse in Luke 22, because this is a great encouragement to my own soul. You know, I can't judge whether you've continued. You're continuing in the path of faith or not. I can see something in your life that may encourage me. But, you know, maybe there's been failure in all our lives. But isn't it precious what the Lord says of the disciples? Here ye are, they which have continued with me in my temptations. You say, How could he say such a thing?
What a bunch they were, what a group they were. There had been lots of failure trying to figure out who was the greatest and all this kind of thing. And they'd continued with him in his temptations. Why they fell asleep in the garden when they should have been watching and praying. But I've come, as I've got a little older, to appreciate more and more of the scripture that says that he can separate the precious from the vile. He knows what's there of faith. He knows in your life that what desire there is, and he honors that. He values it, and he can say.
Here by grace, only by grace. Here they which continued with me in my temptations. Oh, whatever failure there's been, let's seek to continue on and let's seek to covet his approbation of the thing. This was the Lord Speaking of the disciples, if I'd been Speaking of them, I'd said, well, there are pretty failing lot. The Lord says no, there's something there. Both spark there and I value that. He values that in each of our lives. Oh, again, I just want to say in closing to the young people particularly, but to all of us, May the Lord keep us by His grace.
That we might continue on. We're almost at the end. And what will it be to look into his glorious face and to have him say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, let's pray our God and Father how thankful we are for the.
Hindrances to Fellowship with Christ
YP Address—B. Anstey
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Let's begin the meeting by singing #294 #294. Take thou our hearts and let them be forever closed to all but thee, thy willing servants. Let us wear the seal of love forever. There #294.
Let's open our Bibles to the 22nd chapter of Luke's Gospel.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 22 and verse 15.
And he that's the Lord Jesus Christ said unto them, his disciples, with desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you.
Before I suffer.
Now pass on to verse 31.
And the Lord said.
Simon, Simon, Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
I've read 2 passages of Scriptures here in the very same chapter, and we have disclosed to us two great desires, the desire of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And the desire of Satan himself, the enemy of our souls.
The Lord Jesus great desire is that we would know what it is to have fellowship and communion with him, of which eating is a figure. He would have us to feast with Him and fellowship and communion, and to do that every single day of our lives. He longs for our company, He longs for our fellowship, and He wants to feed us with spiritual food for our souls, and feasting is a picture of that in the scriptures.
He would like to set on a feast for us every single day of our lives. This is what the Lord Jesus wants, not only for the young people, but for every one of His people, old and young alike, that we would know what it is to fellowship with him. But then on the other hand, as I've read in verse 31, we have the desire of the enemy of our soul.
This is directed particularly to Simon, but I believe that it has application to every single one of the Lord's people, and that is that Satan desires to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. So here we have two opposing desires The enemy here would desire to sift us. You may ask, well, how and what is sifting? Well, as I understand it, sifting simply means to draw out from the rest.
Through a disturbance, you know, you take a sieve, you shake the sieve and those things that pass through the sieve are taken away and what is left is the the other part that has been separated from it. And I believe that the devil wants to do that very thing with the young people today. But not only the young, all of God's people could be possible, that is to draw them out from the rest.
Lead them into a path that would dishonor the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and to make their life.
A failure.
And so these two opposing desires are before us on the same page in our Bibles. And in between we have the Lord Jesus speaking about his death and His resurrection and how important it is that we would let that capture our hearts affections, that we would be guided in the right way. And so the Lord Jesus has a design for our life, a design that would be for our happiness and our our good and our blessing.
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And the devil himself also has designs in our life. How solemn this is to think that he has a desire to have you as it says here, those of us who are Christians, you say, What would he want with a Christian?
He knows that a Christian can be a very good use to his end.
What better instrument could he use or call upon than a Christian? That is walking carelessly and with indifference he can get the Christian who bears the name of Christ to dishonor the Lord, and that's what his great desire is, whatever Christ is most set for. We read that the devil is most set against, and so fellowship and communion with the Lord is essential. And this is the great desire that the Lord has.
For you, dear young person, here this afternoon, but not just young, all of us. It is so essential that we know what it is to feast with our blessed Lord every single day of our life. It's with you. He wants personal fellowship and communion. He wants you to walk through this world and fellowship with himself so that we might know the joys of heaven and the secrets of his heart.
He wants us to speak to him and to talk to him and to pour out our hearts before him, as we're told in Psalm 62, to tell him what we really think about things in this life. We can tell them things that we couldn't really tell our nearest friend. He wants to hear it, and he delights to have that kind of fellowship with us. He wants to fill our souls with the food of heaven. He wants to feed us with himself.
You know, the Bible tells us we read this in the prayer meeting last night, that he has brought me into his banqueting house and his banner over me, His love. He wants us to feast together with him. But, you know, the designs of the enemy are quite the opposite. He wants to draw us out from the rest, make our life a failure. And you may ask, well, how exactly does he sift? How does he do this kind of a thing?
Well, I believe.
The way in which the enemy operates, and I might say on the side that we're very thankful for the word of God because it discloses the enemy's tactics.
So that we can say, like the Apostle Paul said, that we are not ignorant of his devices. The word of God tears the mask off of Satan's tactics and his plans. We're told that he has indeed plans and designs for every life of a Christian, and that's to spoil it. We read in Ephesians chapter six that we are to stand against the Wiles of the devil. You know what a while is? It's something that looks harmless.
Looks innocent, but behind it the soul is deceived into a path or making a step that would be.
A dishonor to the Lord. But I have noticed in Mr. Kelly's translation in Ephesians chapter six that he translates that word Wiles stratagems. We would stand against the stratagems of the devil. Now you say, what's a stratagem? Well, it comes from the word strategy.
Can it be that the devil has a strategy with regard to the Saints of God? Indeed he does. And what a strategy is the science of military warfare? And we're in a conflict and we're passing through an enemy's land, and there's no time for us to put our feet up and let our hair down, so to speak. We have to be on guard because this enemy is seeking to put something in our pathway that is going to distract us ultimately from the great feast.
With the Lord Jesus. And he knows that the way to sift the people of God is to 1St weaken their spiritual constitution by diverting them from the feasts. And so one of the tactics of the enemy is to introduce things into your life whereby you will be distracted.
From the feasts that the Lord Jesus wants to have with you. And we're thankful for the word of God that would.
Disclose these tactics you know I read in Two Corinthians chapter three. You might call them the three Bees. Satan's Three Bees 2 Corinthians chapter 4 tells us whom the God of this world hath blinded.
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So that's the first thing he likes to do. He's working to blind eyes. But you turn on a few pages in that epistle and you'll find that it says that as.
The devil beguiled Eve, so the enemy of our soul would like to deceive us. And so there's another tactic that is to beguile deceive and you turn another page in Second Corinthians chapter 12, I believe it is, and Paul speaks about the thorn for the flesh that he had.
And how that Satan would use that kind of a thing if he hadn't accepted it from the Lord to Buffett him.
There you have three bees that the enemy is at work with, to blind, to beguile, and to buffet the Saints of God. His attempt is to shake our faith and our confidence in the Blessed Lord and to deceive us into taking a path that is going to be for the dishonor of the Lord Jesus into our own heart.
And so we have two opposing desires here, the desire of our Lord Jesus and the desire of the enemy of our souls. Now verse 31 Says Simon, Simon, Behold, Satan hath desired to have you. The word you there in the King James Version is a plural. So though he was addressing Simon individually, because there was already at work in Simon's soul, that which was shows that his he was on a skit already.
He was occupied with his greatness among the disciples. The Lord had said to him that the other the disciples were going to forsake him and flee. And he said, the Lord be told, the Lord well, though I can see that what happened with these other disciples, that would never happen with me. And the Lord said, this very night, you're going to end up doing that.
And so Simon was particularly in danger here. But the Lord said, Satan hath desired to have you referring to the whole company. And so let's not think that we're exempt from the tactics of the enemy.
We have the Lord that's praying for us, interceding.
But the desire of the enemy is to introduce something into our lives that is going to weaken our spiritual constitution. And as I said, he's going to attack the very lifeline of the Saints.
Health. And that is the feast. Now, with that in mind, I'd like to turn to the 14th chapter of this same gospel and read a few verses. Let's turn to the 14th chapter.
And read from verse 17 verse 16.
Then said he unto him.
A certain man made a great supper, and bade many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden come, for all things are now ready.
And they all would want a consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it. I pray thee have me excused. Another said I have bought 5 yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them. I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife. Therefore I cannot come now these verses that I have read to you.
Are verses that have their primary application in the gospel and how that God is set on a great provision of salvation for sinners and has made a great invitation to this world for all to come and to partake of the blessing that God would bring in the gospel.
But these three excuses that we find that are thrown up here to reject the invitation that would keep sinners in their sins and from partaking of the salvation of God are the same three things that I believe that the enemy is using to divert Christians from partaking of the great feast of fellowship and communion with the Lord Jesus Christ.
This afternoon I'd like to apply this to ourselves as Christians. These three things are the same. Three things that.
Sinners from Christ keep believers.
From feasting on the Lord Jesus.
Well, the Lord has a feast for our souls, a feast of communion, and we find here that these three excuses come into the three great categories that might.
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That we will all encounter in our lives. The first one would answer to our possessions, our possessions. The second one would answer to our business pursuits. Oxen, as we know, were the the, the beast that they used in their businesses to plow down their fields. And so on.
Thirdly.
The third excuse would answer to our social relationships. I want to speak about these three things and how they get in the way of our feasting on the Lord Jesus and with the Lord Jesus, our possessions, our business pursuits, and our social relationships.
Our possessions, first of all.
You know, we're thankful to live in a society like this, which is affluent in comparison to pretty much every other place in the world. We can work, and we have lots of disposable income where we can buy the things that would tickle our fancy, that would amuse us. And I believe that this can be used as the enemy that is our possessions. We have Christians have a habit of surrounding ourselves.
Well, all kinds of things that we have purchased for our entertainment and for our pleasure. And in unconsecrated hands, they can be used as the enemy of our souls. Though they may not be wrong on themselves intrinsically, still they can be used as the enemy of our souls to distract us, to hinder us from the great feast with our Lord Jesus. And I believe that the enemy is at work today.
To introduce as much as we as he can of these kind of things into the lives of Christians with the hope that they'll be distracted in this way. The great result is that there's going to be a great malnutrition.
Spiritual malnutrition. I believe that the church today largely is suffering from that kind of malnutrition, Poorly taught and don't take time to have fellowship with the Lord. And it shows in our life. But when it comes to the feast that Christ would have with us, we can have as much of Christ as we want, and our lives show how much we want.
At any rate, our possessions can very often get in the way, and if we are not careful, we are not devoted Christians. What happens is that these things take up our attention, and they have a way of taking away our appetite for the food of God. There is just something in our preoccupation with all these various things that we can purchase and bring into our lives.
And I'm not picking in any one thing particularly, but you know what I'm saying? There's all these things that the young people are.
Of God for their entertainment. I don't even know what they are. The DVD and the VCR and the this and that and every other kind of thing that a man could crowd into his life for his own entertainment. Every single one of those things in the hands of an unconsecrated Christian can be used as the enemy. He can take advantage of that. He can make use of that. And I'm concerned about that for you young people, because.
We desire that you would go on for the Lord and be a help and further in the testimony of the Lord in this world. And the enemy is concerned about that too. He doesn't want to see you feeding on Christ. He doesn't want to see you growing in your soul. He doesn't want to see you being a use to the Lord Jesus. And he knows very well that if he can just bring in these things that would hinder you from feeding on Christ, that you're going to be rendered pretty much useless.
And the things of God, you know, there's an enemy in the Old Testament. I perhaps could have mentioned this when I was introducing the subject in chapter 22, but you have an enemy in the Old Testament that did exactly this. It's brought before us in tight and it illustrates really this very tactic of the enemy. You turn to Judges Chapter 6, and you read there was an enemy called the Midianite. And we find there that the Midianite came up into the land of Israel with one intention, and that was to systematically take the food off the land of the of Israel.
Away from the children of Israel, we find that they destroyed the produce of the land in a systematic way. The idea behind it, of course, was to weaken the children of Israel so they had no food. Then they would be an enemy to the Midianites that would be easy to push over. And that's exactly what the enemy of our souls is trying to do, to weaken our constitution. And then we're an easy pushover to the things that he would introduce into our lives. It says there about the Midianites, what they did to the children of Israel. It says they were greatly impoverished.
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Malnutrition. What a scene. Well, God delivered them from it. And God can deliver us from it too, if we have an exercise heart.
What we find here that he had bought a piece of ground and he thought that he needed to go see it and wanted to be excused from partaking of the feasts.
Well.
You know, there's an Old Testament type that I like to turn to now.
That would illustrate this movement of the enemy of our souls. So let's turn there now to Genesis Chapter 14.
Genesis 14.
Verse 17.
And the king of Sodom, His name is Biro. We learned from verse two, went out to meet him. That's Abraham after making a great victory.
After his return from the slaughter of Cable Omar, and of the kings that were with him at the valley, Sheva, which is in the King's Dale, or the King's Valley, and Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine. And it was the priest of the Most High, and he was the priest of the Most High. And he blessed him, and said, blessed be Abram of the Most High God.
Possessor of heaven and earth, blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand, and he gave him ties of all.
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram.
Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
And Abraham said to the King Sodom of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand.
Under the Lord, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelace, and that I will not take anything that is thine lest thou should say, I have made Abram rich, save only that which the young men have eaten, And the portion of the men which went with me, ainor, eshkol, and Mamre LED them take their portion.
So here we have an illustration of this point that I have now made. We find here, after Abraham comes back from the slaughter of the kings in the valley there, that there are two kings that meet him. One is the king of Sodom. He's a type of the devil himself. And we have another king. His name is Melchizedek. He's the type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And these two kings come and make a bid for Abram.
And I believe that there's a bid going on for the souls of the young people, of the Lord's people.
But isn't it striking that Abraham met?
Melchizedek 1St and Melchizedek brought to Abram bread and wine, and he partook of this bread and wine which would answer to the blessings that God would have, or what Christ would have for us. And Abram gave him ties of all. And there he learned from Melchizedek that he was the possessor of heaven and earth. He learned that he had all things that would belong to him.
In the Most High God and by partaking of what Melchizedek gave him.
We find that he was well able to refuse what the king of Sodom offered to him. Notice what the king of Sodom said. Give me the persons, but take the goods to thyself. And that's exactly what the enemy of our souls is saying he's telling us. Take the goods to thyself. Now remember what this is. Sodom's a picture of this world and all of its corruption. And the king of it, of course, is a picture of the devil himself, who's over it. And he's telling Abram, take all the goods of Sodom to yourself. Just take it.
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You deserve it.
But Abraham would not take a shoe latchered of it, or a thread from it. He had tasted something better in what Melchizedek had given him, and he refused it. And the only way in which we're going to beat the enemy's suggestions of piling into our lives all kinds of things that ultimately could be used to hinder us from the enjoyment of the great feast with Christ as to taste a little of those things.
That are heavenly, that are from God. And the more we taste of that kind of thing, the more we'll have the spiritual constitution to say no to what the world is offering us and putting before us. But isn't this here a striking point with regard to the enemy's tactics so obvious as I say, the word of God unmasks his tactics, His stratagems give me the persons or the souls. That's what he's after. He wants your soul.
But, he says, take the goods to yourself.
What good were those goods be to a man that was living in a tent anyway? Abraham was a Pilgrim. He had no place for it. It was not. It didn't fit his lifestyle. And if we lived the lifestyle the scripture would set before us as strangers and pilgrims. A lot of the things of this world has to offer for us really doesn't fit that lifestyle.
And more than that, what became of these goods, anyway?
You read about 3 or 4 chapters on in the same book of Genesis. You'll find out what happened to those goods. They were burned up with fire and brimstone. They had an end. And everything that we look at, you know, everything we rest our eye upon. We could write that one verse over it in Second Peter reserved unto fire. Every single material thing that we look at we can say is reserved under fire. Now I'm not saying that we cannot.
Enjoy the things that God would put into our hands. What I am saying is that every single thing that we do possess and bring into our lives is a potential for the enemy to use to distract us. So the lighter we travel through this world, the safer we can be. And it's really the Pilgrim path.
Take the goods to thyself. That's the voice of the enemy. Acquire as much of this world's goods as you can.
Surround yourself with all kinds of things for your pleasure. You can just enjoy it from morning to night, but it'll take away your appetite for those things of God. Let's be warned if it's been used with unconsecrated hands. And so we find that Abraham has the spiritual strength to say I've lifted up my hand to the Lord, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth.
And he said, I'm not going to take a thread to a shoelatcher, even something as small as a shoelace. He wasn't going to take something that might trip up his walk, may stumble.
That is an incredible victory of faith. Only faith can do that. And he had the strength for it because he had met Melchizedek first. And you know, we're here today. In the next two or three days, we're going to enjoy Christ and our souls. But we do have to go out into this world to make a living. You have to go to school and your education and all that I know is something that cannot be denied. And the enemy is going to be whispering.
Take the goods to yourself.
Get as much of this scene as you can into your life. We have to be careful.
Now we find the last verse that Abraham said he wasn't going to make a decision for the young men that were with him. He said, I'm going to leave it up to them, let them take what they think is right. But for myself, I'm not taking a thread to a shoe latcher. And I believe this is really important for us as older Christians in the past. You know, we can make decisions where our children are young for them, but there comes a time when they have to make their own decision. And so Abraham said for these young men.
Inner eschol memory and so on. I'm going to leave it to them with their own exercise.
They would do what they want to do with the goods of Sodom, but for myself I'm not going to take it.
And I believe that Abraham's example is the best thing he could have given to those young men. And it's the same for us. The older Christians know what's perhaps best for the young, but we can't always be insisting what they should have or what they shouldn't have. You come to a certain age. You need to make these responsible decisions yourself before the Lord. What the Lord wants you to have this, or what the Lord wants you to have that you need to ask him.
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And to be exercised before the Lord with regard to everything that you've purchased and bring into your life, because, because.
It could be potentially used of the enemy and So what an example we have here in Abram back, we'll look at the 2nd.
Excuse.
Luke 14 verse 19.
Another said I have bought 5 yoke of oxen. I go to prove them. I pray thee have me excused. Now this man allowed his business pursuits, his business interests to get in his way.
As I said, the yoke of oxen, what they used in their jobs and applying the fields and so on. And he had made a purchase here, so A5 yoke of oxen.
He bought them without even looking at them, which is not necessarily a very intelligent thing, but we won't focus on that just now.
He used this excuse to have himself.
Away from the feast.
You know, we can allow our business pursuits, our responsibilities to get in the way. And with this I would couple perhaps our education for those who are young, because really it's preparatory to our employment. All education is, isn't it? And we can allow that to come in the way of our feasting on the things of Christ. We have to be very, very careful that our jobs.
And our businesses, as I say, education too, which leads to that.
Are put in the right place in our Christian life.
Because, as we've been saying, in unconsecrated hands, the enemy can make use of it. And very often we can be deceived to think well, this is important because it's my responsibility. After all, the Lord wants us to work. It says in Scripture that I'm to provide things honest in the sight of all men, to work with my hands, and so on. That's true, but he wants us to be responsibly exercised with regard to the path, and these things would have the rightful place. And if we don't have a consecrated life.
It's very possible that the enemy could use this to crowd out time taken for the feasts of Christ. Let's be exercised about that. You know, I know a Christian man, Chinese Christian man that lived in Taiwan. I do business with him, actually. He was telling me one time that in Taiwan where he lived, he was just a young man. He didn't have much money. He was just working in a normal job. He couldn't afford a car.
But what he had was a little motorcycle, and if you know anything about the kind of motorcycles they have over there, more like what we would call a scooter over here. And he pulled up to a stoplight one day and he was on a scooter. And then up to what came up to him next was a car. It was a Mercedes-Benz, fully loaded. The window was rolled down, had some music going in there and there was this fellow that was sitting in there and he said I sat on this little motorcycle, or it was a scooter really. I looked inside there, he said. I could just smell the wealth and the.
And all that that man had, and he said I made a decision right there and then that I was going to work as hard as I could to get that because that was really success to him.
He looked at that and he said now that's success, The light changed. They went on and never saw him again, he said. He worked hard, very hard, and I know the man. He has definitely worked hard. He's become quite wealthy.
And he said a number of years later he had made so much money that he went out and put cash on the table and bought himself a Mercedes just like the one he saw.
And he said it wasn't too long after that. Of all the business responsibilities crowding in on him, he hardly had time for the things of the Lord, but he worked hard and he had made a lot.
There he was, driving his fancy car, he said he one day he drove down the road in Taipei, Taiwan. He came up to the very same stoplight that he had came up to 20 years before. He had passed there many times, but never thought about it. But he stopped there at the light, sitting in his nice Mercedes on the way home from work.
And you know what came up along beside him?
Some young kid on a motorcycle.
And he said that kid looked in at me and I looked at him and he said, I couldn't tell you exactly what was in that kid's mind. He thought, boy, I'd like to have that the light changed and the two went away. And he said I never saw him again, but he said that made me cry.
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He said. You know, I've wasted 20 years trying to get this stupid car and have a business like I got. And what have I got? This young kid thinks that I've got something.
And now he's serving the Lord more and more. I just thank God for it. But you know, what are we going to do? Are we going to waste our lives trying to get?
You know, through our businesses, through our jobs, just to acquire things.
And waste 20 good years of our lives.
Oh, how sad. What a picture that is. And I've heard him tell this story and it's really powerful to think.
That he chased something that he thought was going to be really cool.
And it turned out that it was nothing. He still got the car many years later. It's an old beat up Mercedes now, but.
Anyway, our business pursuits.
You know the enemy can use that.
In unconsecrated hands. Now I'm going to turn to an Old Testament passage that would illustrate this too. Let's turn to numbers 21.
Numbers 21 verse one.
And when King Arred the Canaanite, which dwelt in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies. Then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners. And Israel vowed A vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. And the Lord hearkened unto the voice of Israel.
And delivered them up.
The Canaanites. And they utterly destroyed them and their cities. And he called the name of the place Hormone.
In the 13th chapter we find that the Canaanite that says he dwelt by the sea.
Here we find he dwells in the South. Now the meaning of the name Canaanite means the trafficker or the traitor.
In other words, he's the merchant man. He's the merchant man. This is an enemy here of the children of Israel. There are 5 wilderness enemies. You can look them up. Five of them. This is one of the five.
And we find here that this enemy took some of the children, Israel of Israel, captive prisoners. He's a picture, as I say, of the merchantman, the trafficker.
There's nothing wrong with doing business. We have to do business in this world, of course. But here is the Canaanite king, the enemy of the children of Israel that would come in and he actually took captive some of the children of Israel.
And they came under his power. It's a picture for us of coming under the power of business, life. I remember a brother said to me one time. Brother, I'm captive to my job. I can't do what I need to do. I have no time.
And I thought of this passage, captive to your job.
Oh, what the enemy would like to do to distract you from the feast but the Lord Jesus Christ and thus weaken our spiritual constitution. Many are captive to their jobs. They work from morning to night. Even when they get home, they're thinking about it. Is that what the Lord wants for us? You know, it's to be a means for us to get through this world. But it isn't an end all and be all of everything. Our objective should be the things of God.
But somehow, if we're not careful, the enemy with all of his Wiles will slowly but surely try to bring us under his power, and we become captive to our jobs sometimes.
Some of them were taken prisoner and captive, but a sad situation.
Could they be free to offer sacrifices to the Lord and be used of the Lord and service? Of course not.
They were hindered by this. What we find here that we have the remedy, just as we had the remedy in Genesis 12 as to how we can beat.
The world and all of its possessions. The enemy suggestions to take the goods. Here we have a remedy in this chapter two. First of all, we find that they vow A vowel. I'm not suggesting you take a vow. We know from the Scripture that Christians aren't to be involved with vowels, but it has. It's a typical meaning here or to interpret the passages of the Old Testament and their typical significance. And I believe this would bring before us the weight of a spiritual exercise. There needs to be exercise about it. If this is you, that you feel like you're captive to your job and you're going around and around like a mouse or a tempster on a wheel.
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First of all, there needs to be the weight of a spiritual exercise.
Then secondly it says. Then they cried to the Lord. There needs to be prayer and bring this before the Lord.
And then thirdly, we find that they rise up.
And they make war on the King of Canaan and the Deliverer.
Themselves from that enemy. Notice it was not the Lord that made war, it was the children of Israel. And the Lord wants us to extricate ourselves from such situations, and he'll help us. You know, sometimes when the children of Israel fought a battle, they didn't do anything but stand still. And the Lord bought the battle. Remember with.
When they came out of Egypt, the Lord took care of the Egyptian army, but not now. Not exactly. He wanted the children of Israel to put their hand on their sword themselves, and to deal with this enemy themselves, the Lord would help. There was something that they needed to be exercised about, and so I believe this is the manner in which we can be delivered from it. The Lord will give us grace to be set free from this enemy.
The merchant man. Let's turn back now to the third excuse.
Luke 14.
And verse 20, another said I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come. And as I said, this would answer to our social relationships. This man had a social relationship in his life.
That hindered him from the feast, and I believe that our friends can be a help or a hindrance. As we've said at other times, our friends are like the buttons on an elevator. They can take us up or they can take us down. What kind of friends do we have in our life? Are they ones that help us in our spiritual path, or are they ones that are just a drag on spiritual interests?
We need to be exercised about this. Our companions are very important.
And especially the kind of companion that's mentioned in this verse, a marital relationship.
But our companions very definitely will mark which direction we're going to go. You know it says in Acts chapter 4, being let go, they went to their own company. But we need to have company with those who have exercise of heart that want to go on. The psalmist said, I am a companion of all them that fear thee and keep thy commandments. Those are the kind of companions God would have for us. But sadly there are those amongst the Lord's people that may not have that such exercise to fear God and to keep His commandments.
And if we surround ourselves with this kind of companions, it will not do us any good. You know, I'm thinking of David's men. King David's men in First Samuel. I think it's 25. You'll read about Nabel's young men. They were in the fields, and David's young men there were with him. And all the while they were shearing their sheep, we find that David's men were there with them. And when they came back and reported to Abigail what David's men were like, they said they were like a wall unto us by night and by day.
And I think that's beautiful. You know, if you have good companions, ones who are friends of David, David's the type of Christ they can be. Like a wall to you. You know, a wall speaks to us of separation, doesn't it?
They can be a spiritual help from all of the influences of this world.
By day and by night and the troubled times and the happy times, you know, that's the kind of companions we need. They can be like a wall to us. Perhaps there's a weak moment in our life, but we have companions that are there to strengthen us, to encourage us. I think of Jonathan, who had an armor bearer, You know, they were going to go up and attack the land of Israel, of the Philistines. Rather, they got to a point where Jonathan got a little scared. He was thinking about turning back.
And his armor bearer said, Turn thee, turn thee. I'll be there with thee. You can read about that in First Samuel 14, I think just a weak moment there in Jonathan's life. He had the faith to go up and attack that enemy. But when he got to the point, he thought otherwise and he was thinking about turning back. And when he thought that way, this armor bearer friend of his encouraged him to turn, and they went up and they brought a great battle, A victory, rather.
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And so.
What kind of companions are we identifying ourselves with? What kind of companions do you have?
That's to illustrate that now by turning to Second Chronicles Chapter 24.
The Life of Joash, I thought, might illustrate this. Second Chronicles 24.
George was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was also Zabaya of Beersheba, and Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. All the days of Jehoiada the priest pass on now to verse 15. But Jehoiada waxed old and was full of days when he died. 130 years old was he when he died. This priest had seen 7 kings come to the throne.
In Judah.
And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel both toward God and toward his house. Now after the death of Jehoiada came the Princess of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them, and they left the House of the Lord God of their fathers, and served the Groves and idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
And he sent prophets to them to bring them again unto the Lord. And they testified against them, but they would not give ear. And the spirit of the God came upon Zachariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus they have the Lord, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord?
And that you cannot prosper.
Because ye have forsaken the Lord, he also has forsaken you. And he conspired against him, and stoned him with stones, at the commandment of the king, At the commandment of the king, did you, what I read in the court of the House of the Lord. Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness that Jehoiada his father, which had done to him, but flew his son. And when he died he said, the Lord, look on it.
And require it.
Here we have an example of a man that got into bad company. He had been going on well for many years under the influence of Jehoiada. In fact, Jehovah's wife and him actually raised this boy because he was fatherless and motherless. He was an orphan from the age of 1. We learned from a couple of chapters previous and all the days that Jehoiada was on the throne and he was his guardian. This young man did good and went on for the Lord.
But there came a time when Jehoiada was removed out of his life and we find that these young men, the Princess of Israel and of Judah, came and began to influence this young man. And what happens is his heart was turned away from the Lord. He brought idolatry into his life. And then when the Prophet spoke, he didn't like his conscience being touched. And so he tried to attack the Prophet and gave order that they would stone him. What a sad, sad thing. And it came up as a result.
Of his companions. And so here we have an example, I believe, of companions that are no good to us. You know, your parents seek to bring you up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They want to shield you from many things that there are in this world, and to guide you in the path that would be to the pleasing of the Lord.
But we find here that when this parental.
Of this guardianship is removed that this young man now had to make decisions on his own.
And it became very evident what kind of a person he was going to be. He was very glad to have those kind of people in his life. And we find here that he.
Hearkens to them. It tells us in verse 17, and it's not long after that that they introduced things, and it was life. That was a terrible dishonor to the Lord, and he got on a path that was terrible. So our companions have a great influence.
On our life, and particularly the one that we read about there in Luke's Gospel chapter 14, The wife, a husband. Now, dear young people, you want to marry someone who's going to be a help to you in the Lord.
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And I know it's difficult. When you come together at meetings like this. You don't know everybody. You don't know what kind of spirituality there may be. But there are certain ways to read the index of a person's character. I don't have time to look into it here now.
That would help you greatly.
But every person gives an index to their character, and if you know how to read it, you can tell where they're at. And one of them, as we've been speaking here on this subject, is to look at their friends. You see a young person that looks promising and might be someone that you could.
But you don't know really where they're at because you know you don't know them that well. I'll tell you this, if you look at those who are their companions, you'll get a ready index as to the kind of people they are with. Whom do they fellowship? Is it the godly and spiritual young ones amongst us, or is it the careless and indifferent ones? If that's their companions, you've got to there, You've got your answer. You know, they say, if you want to know a quick index to a person's character, if you can get into their home, look straight at their bookshelf.
Go to the bookshelf and look at it. You see a bunch of books on fishing, then you see a few more books on.
Baseball or whatever.
And you see someone on some other subjects, you know, basically there's where their interests lie.
And it's the same when it comes to the companions that we keep. We give a cross section to others as to what kind of person we are. Another principle I would just give you in Acts chapter 15, it says Paul chose Silas being recommended of the Brethren. Now I know this was the choosing of a companion in service and the work of the Lord, but you know, our wives and our husbands are to be our spiritual companions too. And the principle that's laid down there is broad enough to take in even the marriage relationship and that is Paul chose Cyrus being recommended.
Of the brethren. The point I'm making now is, does that person have the recommendation of their home brethren? They know them much better than you do.
If you consult with some person that comes from their local assembly, you'll find out what they're really like because they'll tell you if they're godly and faithful brother or sister. You know, You come here to a conference like this, everybody shows up with a little pad and a paper, but do they have pads and paper at the home gathering?
Well, it's hard to read sometimes whenever in a mixed multitude like this.
But I believe that if we lean upon the principles of the Word of God, the Lord will lead us and guide us to a companion in marriage that will be for our good and our blessing.
And so Paul chose Silas being recommended of the Brethren. There's a principle. I'm going to give you one last little passage here. We've got about one minute to go, and I'm going to read it very quickly.
It's in First Kings chapter 20.
One, I think first Kings.
We're speaking about the bid that the enemy would make first kings 20 and verse one. And Ben Haydad, another enemy of the children of Israel. He's a type of the devil himself who's an enemy of our souls. The king of Syria gathered all his hosts together, and they were 30 and two kings with him horses and Chariots. And they went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against them. And he sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben, Hey, dad, thy silver, thy gold is mine, thy wives also, and thy children, even the goodliest are mine.
Claim this enemy was making on the children of Israel. They wanted their wives, their children, and their gold, and their silver. Well the Lord told him, don't listen to him, You need to make war with him. Verse 13 And behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab, king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the Lord, hast thou seen all that this great multitude Behold, I delivered into thine hands this day? And thou shalt know that I am the Lord. And Ahab said, by whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, even by the young men, the Princess of the province. And then he said, And who shall order the battle?
And he answered thou.
Striking, isn't it?
The very ones that this enemy was making a bid for a claim on the children, the young men were the ones that the Lord was preparing to use for the deliverance of the children of Israel. And I believe that the deliverance for the people of God lie in the next generation that is in our midst here, and we need to strengthen them and encourage them to get on with the things of the Lord. The enemy would like to take them into his system, to draw them into his world. Ben Hedad wanted to take them back to Syria, render them useless in Israel. And yet we find here that the battle was going to be won.
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By the very ones that Ben Haydad was making a claim on. Now the enemy is making a claim on your soul, dear young people, and particularly you young brothers here, because you're the ones that are going to be used of the Lord to be a stalwart in the local assemblies and to carry on the meetings as far as the public side of things is concerned.
And the enemy is going to make a claim, and he's making a claim thy goodliest. The ones that are most promising is that those are the ones I really want.
And so we need to be careful, because God is preparing you. If you're faithful and exercised that you're going to bring deliverance to the people of God. But don't let these three things that we've talked about here this afternoon step in the way of your feeding on the Lord, because you will be useless to the people of God if you don't have the spiritual constitution and the building up in your own soul.
May God give you the grace, dear young brother, young sister, to make decisions that are going to be for your own good and blessing. Don't let these three things interfere with your spiritual progress.
And God bless his word, Let's pray.
Open Mtg.
Open—D. So, R. Bauman, Andrew Scharf
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May lead to have either a Bible reading.
For an open meeting.
So we appreciate your prayers.
And waiting on the Lord accordingly.
I might mention this. I'm sure that we all are very familiar with the 1St Corinthians 14 verses.
That apply to an open meeting and I might just mention it mentions there twice in verses 27 through 29.
Two or three if it's an open meeting, a maximum of three.
So we might just adhere to that if we do have an open meeting.
I would like to also say that.
Oftentimes the Spirit of God would lead a brother. Like we know the character of Timothy was a little bit on the milder, more timid side.
And it would be wonderful if the maybe the more courageous brethren.
Would be patient and wait for one that might be LED of the Lord, who is of that character of being more timid.
And reticent to stand up and walk up to the podium to give us something.
Would that be acceptable?
So if the meeting is an open meeting, perhaps some of our brethren here who are.
A little bit reticent to stand up and walk up there might be given the opportunity. It would be wonderful to have the Spirit of God lead such to do that. And that might mean it might be a younger, little younger brother.
So let's be prayerful and wait on the Lord in that sense and that character of dependency upon him. But we've had some wonderful Bible readings pertaining to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and his person brought so beautifully before us in the last meeting. It just sets the stage for that glorious meeting day to see him face to face. So if there's a brother that has a portion on his heart for reading.
Don't be afraid to mention that.
But all would, I think, come under the.
Guidance of the Spirit and waiting on the Lord for such, whether it be an open or a suggested portion to consider for a reading. Thank you very, very much.
150 Thou art the everlasting word, Father's only Son. God manifest, God has been in person. The heavens belongs to the earth. 150.
Bunch of scriptures here to the book of Proverbs.
I was thinking as our brother raised a question in the last meeting, to know Christ.
Just got a small portion of my heart this afternoon.
Proverbs, chapter 30.
Just a view of the first few verses.
In the book of Proverbs chapter 30, let me just read the 1St 4 verses together, the words of Agar the son of Jaikal.
Even the prophecy the man speak unto Ethiol.
Even unto Ethiel and Yukor purely I am more British than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the Holy. Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended, who hath gathered the wind in his fists, Who hath bound the waters in a garment?
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Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name?
And what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
You know we had a wonderful time here to talk the last two days to learn more about our blessed Savior. We had our objects before us of His resurrection.
Here I was thinking of this passage.
Questions are raised about who this man is.
But before we can answer those questions, I like the way the writer in this book expressed it. The 1St 2 verses really look strange, doesn't it? I remember the first time I read this and I thought, well what is it really saying? I understand the questions in the fourth verse, but what is the 1St 2 verses and perhaps even the third verse telling us? And I enjoy a thought. One day someone encouraged me that he said, if you don't understand it sometimes by looking at the meaning of the names.
It would help us.
Understand scripture passages. So let's take a look at it from that standpoint. I'm sure others can expound more on this, but the little bit that I learned from this using the name. So let's start from the beginning. The word of Agar Agar. If you have a chance, look it up. It means a stranger.
There's also a second meaning to that name. It means gathered together. So here is the word of Agard from a stranger or one who are a gather together and he is the son of Jaycal. Jaykal means obedience, the obedience 1. So now we know right away here is the sun who is a stranger through this world is an obedient 1.
What else do we know? The man speak unto Isiel, and unto Isiel and Yukor. Well, ECL, if you have a chance to look it up, it means the coming, the coming of God, and you call means power. Oh, how precious to think. Now, if we were to relate this together, here's one who is the son of the obedient one, his friend, who are his friends.
His friends are those who believe in the coming of our blessed Savior. Coming, not just coming, but coming with power and majesty. We had before us yesterday about the two comings, and I thought it's how pressure it is. It is to know that the first coming, he came into humility as that man who was despised and rejected. The second coming, it's our brother, read in the Book of Revelation. He will come as the King of kings, the one on his forehead.
With that word, the word.
Coming with full power and majesty. And we read in the book of Zechariah there when he come, when he finally touched down to this world, even the Mount of Olive would be split. What power? So here's this man, Agard, the son of the obedient one. Now I believe to a guard is another name for the writer. And we believe that Solomon, the wisest man that we know of. Now, he tells more about himself.
In the second version he said, surely I am more British than any man. Well, I had trouble with that word. I have to confess. I have to cheat a little bit and I have to look it up in the dictionary. Brutish. And to my surprise it spells it out clearly. It said stupid. And you know we raise our children up telling them not to use that word on anyone calling anyone stupid. Now here.
Is that right here using the word I am more stupid than any man and have not the understanding of a man?
How precious to think of that. How much do you want to know about our Lord Jesus Christ?
It is not by our own wisdom. That's why he was going on in verse three, he said. I have neither learned wisdom.
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The wisest man would say, I have neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy.
Or we need to acknowledge as this man did, we need to be the son of the obedient. 1 Acknowledge that we know nothing from our own hearts, from our own abilities. We will not learn more of our blessed Savior. We need to be before Him. I enjoy that portion in the verse that sat in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good things.
When we think we can reason things out, what we think we can do things our way, than we fail here. Here's this man gathered.
And I thought how appropriate for us. You know, we often talk about being gathered to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and various ones can expound differently on it. But I thought how appropriate. If one would have asked me, I would have to say I really don't know that much about it. But we are to be obedient to His word. He told us that as often as he eat this bread and drink this cup.
E Duchov, The Lord's Death.
Till he comes we have the privilege only a few hours before this, that we can remember him in that simple manner. We had that loaf on this table, we had that wine. Was there anything else? Did we have a grand ceremony? Did we have some kind of ornaments or some sort of props? No, it was a simple manner, and this morning we had the privilege of having many here.
And I suppose 67800 people, but it's no different than when we are home.
When we may have two or three gather to His precious name, we are not very smart about this, are we? No, just being obedient to His Word, then we can learn. When we realize our nothingness, but realize that we can learn all things through Christ who strengtheneth us, then the question in verse four would come up.
There were actually seven questions that we read it carefully in this verse. In verse four, who has ascended up into heaven? Who do we know that ascended up?
Second question is, who at the standard? Oh, we know the Son of God, the Son of man who came into this world. He was the one who descended. As we look at these verses, I don't think I need to explain to anyone what it is we all know. Well, don't we? He's the one that ascended up at the Father's right hand on high. But who really is he who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Can any man speak of the power of God?
Who hath bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
You know, just this morning someone was praying for good weather so we can perhaps be able to go to the beach tomorrow. Or who is in control of all that? The creator of heaven and earth? Do we realize that? The one who is God himself, the Son of God?
You know we sing and that hymn he laid all his glories by and a brother came to me one time. He says, David, I think it would be more appropriate to think that he, he veiled all that glory as if they were to become a man so that he can taste death for you and I taste death for every man. How precious to think that we have the man Christ Jesus, the one who came into this world to die for you, and I the one who died but rose again.
And we had this whole weekend dwelling on that blessed thought of the resurrected Christ, the one who is living on high in the glory. Now the questions we must ask ourselves. What is his name?
And what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
You know, there is one advantage when you're standing up on a podium. You can see across the room and you can see everybody for the Bibles in their hands. Some of you can see pants. But you know, what's precious is you can see the faces at the look across the room. I see many smiles as I ask, as we read these questions, Oh, does it not thrill our hearts to know that many here do know the answer to this? What is his name?
00:15:14
And what is his Son's name, if thou canst tell? Oh, we must remember this and dwell on the fact that the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to me, His name is Jesus, and he shall save his people from their sins. And that name Jesus is that name. It will be soon that every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess.
While I will leave, I will leave room.
For others to speak, I just thought of why are we on the subject of using names to explain things. I like to turn to just two more passages, then I'll let others to come up. So here we use that to learn this man who is the son of the obedient one. I'd like to now turn over to the book of Jeremiah.
To the first chapter. It is not my intention to go through the book of Jeremiah this afternoon, but just to read the first couple of verses.
Jeremiah, chapter one, the word, the words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priest that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. I'm going to stop there because of time. I just thought perhaps just to look at the names here again for only exaltations, which is finished with this man who is the son of the obedience one. Now here's another name, Jeremiah.
We know that name Weld, don't we? And we know he's the one who wrote the following book, Lamentations, The Lamentations of Jeremiah that we quoted the day before yesterday and this morning. Jeremiah, Jeremiah, Exaltation of the Lord. Isn't it nice? Once we learn who this man is, once we learn his name and his son's name, we will learn to exalt our blessed Lord, do we not, Jeremiah?
Exaltation of the Lord. We find the book begins by saying the words of Jeremiah.
The sun of Hilkiah means God is my portion.
How blessed it is for us, for many of us here can save us from our heart that God is my portion because of that I can exalt our blessed Savior and the priests at Endoth endothought. If you were to look it up in me, it says if the meaning is I believe it says answers or songs.
It also means poverty. Oh, he was in a place. Yes, there are songs, but there are poverty. You know, it is wonderful to go through the book of Jeremiah. We can find in that book Here is that man expressing God's thoughts of his people.
And it's amazing to see how many times you speak to them as the backslider, wanting them to repent time after time, as if God graciously waiting for us to repent. Go through that book, young people. You'll find a lot of blessings in there. How He waited in patience for us. But then judgment will fall.
Just one more portion in the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah Chapter 3. Here's another beautiful chapter.
That speaks of the 10 gate in there. We won't have time this afternoon to go through the gate. Here's another portion that we should encourage us as we go through our Christian walk in life. But I thought of just the name here beginning the chapter.
Then Eliaship, perhaps I'll read the whole verse here. The first part of this verse. Then Eliaship the high priest rose up with his brethren, the priests, and they build the sheep gate.
Elijah, I thought of this man this morning.
Because sometimes we get discouraged, don't we, as we look at the runes around us?
You know, I talked to a few young people.
I don't know if I should word it. They talked to me and sometimes as young people they get discouraged. We as young people look at things differently. We see things that really don't look well. We see only problems as young people and I suppose as older one. We see that you don't we and we dwell more on the problems and difficulties than looking up to the Lord. We just finished talking about being the son of the obedience 1 gathered to His precious name.
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Being one like Jeremiah, the exaltation of the Lord will hear Elijah the meaning of his name means just this that God will restore. How precious to think that you know in this book of Nehemiah. Many of us know Nehemiah came back to the city and he found that the city was in ruin. And in this chapter, chapter 3, even the gates that protect the cities.
They are in ruin, so he begins at the sheep gate.
And interesting enough, as we say, we won't have time, but I'll mention it briefly. He began at a sheep gate that speaks of that gate. In fact, I thought of that this morning as our brother built this little narrow way that looked like a gauge. You know, the sheep gauge speaks off that one door and only one. And the chapter begins with a sheep gate. It goes through 10 gates and it ends talking about the sheep gate. Everything begins with our blessed Lord Jesus Christ.
And it ends with him. We must remember that everything was in ruin. But that's all right. Let's restore.
Eliaship God, not Elijah because we find he too have problems later on, but God himself will restore. Let's begin and I'll blessed Savior. Let's look to the Lord and just one more quick side comment. One to the gauge in there that is important to know is called the water gate.
We'll find that all the gays were in ruin except this one gauge. We find that in there.
They repair the gate, but when it gets to the water gate, there were no repair needed. The Word of God is what it stands for, is good all the time. There are no repairs needed when it comes to the Word of God, and we must remember that. And we have to remember, as this man's name Eliaship implied, God will restore.
Qualify. I'm not in the character of a young person. We wanted to come up.
And I'll take a little time and there's still some left.
Well, look at an Old Testament portion.
It'll be in.
Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy.
And I have a couple thoughts I think we should use before.
First, I think I'll turn to Timothy.
Probably Second Timothy. I'll be quick on this. Second Timothy. Delay the foundation, Second Timothy.
Chapter 3.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God. Some put it their God breathed God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. And then I'd like to look at, Oh, I don't have to look at it. John 546 the Pharisees boasted in Moses.
And the Lord said to them.
If you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because Moses.
Wrote of me that gives us the Pentateuch without any question. Then we look at one other, and that would be.
In Luke.
Luke, the last chapter of Luke.
Verse 27. I'll read 26 first. 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 in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself?
00:25:17
And verse.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me.
Now before, he said, and in all the scriptures, of course, only things that were written then are the Old Testament.
And you know, a lot think that why do we spend so much time in the Old Testament?
Because it's really the foundation. The New Testament is the key to it, but it's all there in the Old Testament.
Actually.
Many of the truths in the Old Testament can only be known by the New as the Spirit of God opens your understanding. That's the only way. Now I'm only going to look at 9 verses.
And it's going to be in probably familiar with both of you in Deuteronomy 21. And as all Old Testament scriptures, if you want to really understand it, you have to look to find Christ in it. Ask the Lord to reveal his Son. Ask God to reveal Jesus. Actually, he's not really in the Old Testament, but by type he is.
Jehovah's there, but Jesus is Jehovah, so it's not hard to find him.
21 of Deuteronomy if one be found slain in the land.
You know the land has a meaning.
Could be the Holy Land, it could be the land of promise, it could be the land that was given to the Jews. But I believe the significance is that just that, the land that God gave to his people.
Which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. Well, we know that's exactly what happened.
We have it in Regis, the verse, so I don't just say things. It'd be in Joshua. Joshua. And it'll be worded just that way, Joshua.
1.
Verse 11 maybe all right, pass through the holes and command the people saying prepare you victuals for with all within three days ye shall Passover this Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it. I believe that many other places could be found, but we not could waste that time. One's enough in the word of God as far as I'm concerned.
And so it says, if one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it lying in the field.
Now the field brings in a little different concept.
The field in the Word of God really speaks.
Of this world in more religious sense, you know, not this world, it is diabolical evil, the present evil world. But I believe it speaks of a religious sense, a little more cultivated people and so on. But if it's found in the field, 'cause we have that, you know, I think it's been.
Psalm 40. I'm sorry.
Hold it.
Well.
The one who's looking for.
I'm not sure what, but he bought the field.
And I believe that speaks of most of the world. He bought the field.
00:30:03
That's a dying for sin. That's what the Lord did. He died for sin first so he could offer salvation to any Sinner.
And that would be in the Pearl that's in the field the church at any rate, we won't get into all that. I don't want to turn over okay, but if one found in the field.
In a sense, it's Moab, you know, the place that Limelack took Naomi and his sons. They left the land that God gave them, Canaan, and went to Moab. Moab means what father? It's a question mark and I believe that characterizes the field today. Church of your choice in United States over 2002 Thousand.
600 different religions registered.
Well, that's enough of that, OK, the field and be it not be known who has slain him, but it's murder. It's murder. And that's the thing that's very important. You know, it says they flew innocent blood and even Pilate said I have betrayed innocent blood and I'm sorry.
That was Judas. I have betrayed innocent blood and his judge said three times over, no fault in this man. It was not only murder, it was murder of the innocent one and it was premeditated. This is what they found and it was premeditated. God knows all. He knew that it was that.
I believe it would be John 1153. It speaks that they then took knowledge of him and conspired to murder him. Now they didn't use the word murder to kill him, but they planned it.
Now we'll look on real quickly.
It was not known. No one would own up to it.
And no one will own up to it yet.
We know the Jews don't take their responsibility and the Gentiles are trying to lift it off of them anyway.
No one wants to claim that when you take the responsibility.
Of being one of them that had you been there, would have killed the Lord of glory. You're on your way to glory.
It takes that we are no different. The same multitude that was always with Jesus wherever he went is the multitude that said crucify him, away with him.
Fickle. So was your heart until you got saved. Sickle.
That's it. Still the same, but we don't want to let that one go and be using it, all right? It was not known yet. It was murder.
Verse 2. Then the elders and the judges shall come forth.
The elders are the ones who have been tried and proven to be good men. Men who could judge too. Men who could pronounce what is right. The elders. It's like in a Ruth chapter 4.
Boaz called the elders sit down here and they were the ones to witness what he was going to do. The elders are used that way.
Established God's things in righteousness. And then the judges, of course the judges, we know what they are and what they do. They they make a judgment according to God. So the elders and the judges shall come forth.
And they shall measure under the cities round about him that is slave.
What's the major mean? Well, it doesn't mean they figure out 27 miles and 12 inches or something. It means that the judge, according to God's word, which city was most responsible. Of course, it would be the nearest one. That would be the one that would be under most suspicious, so it says.
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And it shall be that the city which is next under the slain man, even the elders of that city. So what is that city? Jerusalem. Jerusalem.
Although all cities were under suspicion, they all were included in the measurement. And you know, everyone is guilty of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some are forgiven. Thank God for us who are forgiven. But we were all guilty of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And most guilty were the Jews.
We may deny it, some people may deny it and think you're terrible if you say it, but God says it, and so I'll leave it there.
And it shall be that city which is next under the slain man. Even the elders of that city shall take an heifer.
A Heather. What's a heifer? It's a cow. A female, one to three years old, not older than three.
That has never cast. That's what it is. Take a heifer which has not been wrought with, and which has not drawn in the yoke.
Not been wrought with.
It's not affected by sinful man.
That's what it means. It hasn't been under sinful man's terrible influence.
Has to be innocent, you know, there has to be an innocent victim here. You can see it coming, can't you? And is not under, not drawn in the yoke. That means there's the law has no claim on it.
That's Christ, isn't it? The law had no claim on him.
And he had no sin. He was unaffected by all the sinful men around him. So that's really the innocent heifer, the one there and the elders, verse 4, the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer. Well, of course, bringing down is enough to remind us so many scriptures of the Son of God, isn't it? I mean, we've had it over and over this morning.
In our remembrance.
He came down, as it says, in jobs, Job. I went down to the bottom. There isn't anything farther down than Christ has gone because of you and I to bring us up. He went into the horrible pit, the miry clay, and on and on.
So they had to bring the heifer down, which let's see.
Unto a rough valley.
Course it was wilderness. That's this world to Christ.
Nothing but wilderness, you know. It's the valley of the shadow of death.
All this world can give is death. That's why it's a valley of the shadow of death.
Unless you're saved, death is all this world can give you, and then you have to face God. Second death. Well, I won't go into that. A rough valley? Well, no. And bring down the heifer into a rough valley. It's also, you know, a groaning creation. That's this valley the Lord had to move for 3 1/2 years.
Among such a place. And he did in all his perfection and holiness. We had our brother give us some idea of what that was. We can't really grasp it, but this heifer gives us a picture of it, and that's really what it's Speaking of. I think it's Romans 8 that says it's a groaning creation. That's what we're living in.
Which is neither eared nor sold.
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Not cultivated.
It's not playing it, it's not sown.
It's wilderness, that's really what is being explained, which is neither eared nor soul, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley.
What only means one thing. They had to kill it. It had to die. It had to shed blood. Yes, this is what had to be. Why? But we'll find out in a minute. I'll go quick. They had to.
Strike off the heifer's neck. There in the valley he was crucified. In this world. It's really solemn, isn't it, when you think about it, this place.
In fact, he told his disciples in Mark several times that he's going to be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. They're going to spit upon him, they're going to strike him in the face, they're going to crucify him, and the third day I will rise again from the dead. That's what he told them, and this is it right here.
Now after.
The sacrifice because it does say and it's very important. Luke 22 seven. Then came the Day of Unleavened bread, when the.
Passover must be killed. Oh, I love that verse, don't you?
Jesus Christ had to die. Must is absolutely necessary, according to Webster.
Not shell. Shell may not be done, but must is absolutely necessary. All right.
All right then, Five. The priest, the sons of Levi shall come near.
Why? Well, they're done with the judges. They're done with the elders.
Sacrifice has been made, God righteousness had been vindicated. And now the priests, they're the ones that the Lord used to minister for him. They're the ones that the Lord used to bless his people. Now he can bless. And this is so beautiful. The priests, the sons of Levi shall come near.
For them the Lord thy God has chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried.
Aren't you happy that every sin you ever committed is gone? It's all been taken care of by our high priests, not one remaining. What does he mean when he saith every controversy? Well, he means this Jeremiah 25, I think it's 31. The Lord has a controversy with the nations Gentiles. He had a controversy with the Gentiles.
And I think it's Hosea 41. The Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, the Jews. They had a controversy with the Jews. And in Hosea 12/2, the Lord has a controversy with Judah.
That's Jerusalem. That's the holy place.
That's really Zion, his chosen place for his chosen people. He even had a controversy with them. Micah 62, the Lord has a controversy with his people. That's the Jewish. Isn't that something? Jews and Gentiles, a holy place, His nation, everything. He has a controversy with it. What about a stroke? Said. Every controversy.
And every stroke be tried.
Well, the stroke, Isaiah 53, I don't know the verse five or six by his stripes we were healed after stroke He took for us and I think it's Psalm 39, the Lord said.
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Remove thy stroke from me.
He wanted it to be removed, but it wasn't.
A holy God couldn't overlook one sin, and He had to take all of it. So much so that the weight of the brass shall not be found out. That's one thing we will never know in all eternity and glory, what the cost was to our Father or to our Savior to redeem us from our sins. The weight of the brass shall not be found out.
And then of course.
Maybe we should turn to Lamentation. I can't think of the verse Lamentation 1.
This is the stroke Lamentation. I'm sorry, a little slow. Lamentation 1.
At least at Jeremiah.
Sorry.
I thought it was. Maybe I'll have to. I know it is in one, but I'll have to probably go over to four or three.
Verse one of three. I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
19 Remember mine affliction and my misery, the Wormwood and the gall. Well, there are verses I could take time, but I won't stroke after stroke.
Isn't that something? And so by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried. It's beautiful to think that all we did against that blessed One.
To clause him to take the punishment we deserved.
Is tried every possible sin we heaped upon him his stride. I think it's wonderful truth. I'll be little quick.
And all the elders 6 of that city that are next under the slain man.
Shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley.
Identification with the one that was murdered, that died, the cruel cross. You know, they crucified the Lord of glory.
You have to be identified with him.
They gave the worst possible death to the highest possible one that ever walked this earth. That's what it means. They crucified the Lord of glory. That's the contradiction of sinners against himself.
He did it for us, He let them do it for us.
7.
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful.
And not a beautiful word though.
That's what the Lord said. If it wasn't for Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. The Jews couldn't be saved today, but He made it possible for even the Jews to be saved as we the Gentiles. That's what Peter finally said. They have to be saved. The same we have to be saved.
The same as they choose the same as Gentiles. But that's because he said they know not what they do.
He made the city of refuge available to once who knew what they did. It's really grace and mercy. Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood under thy people of Israel's charge, and the blood shall be forgiven them. So shalt thou put away.
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The guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.
Put away the guilt of innocent blood. You know our sins are not just gone. That's true.
But the guilt that we had of those sins?
Put away.
In their beautiful.
So like the tightrope water, here's a buzzword that we hear a lot these days, Tolerance. It may seem at first tangential to the subject that we have just had before us, that being the person, the work of Christ. But I think really that is the key to why the Lord came, because he could not be tolerant.
And thanks be to God for it, because if he had been tolerant of our sin.
We would be in a lost state.
When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, immediately he was barred from the Tree of Life.
If God His Creator had been tolerant of that sin, he would have allowed him to continue to remain in that garden, and he could have eaten of the tree of life had he partaken of that tree of life.
He would have had no hope, he would not have died, but he would have been barred from the presence of God.
And so I'd like to just like to turn for a moment to a verse in John chapter 8. It's a familiar passage.
John chapter 8 and verse three. And the scribes and the Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. Now Moses and the law commanded us that such should be stoned. But what sayest thou This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.
But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger rode on the ground, as though he heard them nod so.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you led him first. Cast a stone at her.
They were all sinners, every last one of them.
Both the women and those who accused her and the Lord knew that, and they could not deny it, and so they could not cast those stones.
And again he stooped down, and rode on the ground. And they would hurt it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest even unto the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst, When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those lion accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No, manlord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin.
No more.
Those last three words are the key to that whole passage. Sin no more. She had no ability to do that in her own strength, but the Lord had the ability.
And I was looking forward to the time when he must go to Jerusalem, he must give himself for the entire world.
What was it that held him to that cross? Was it the was it the nails that those Roman soldiers had driven there was at the verdict of Pilot, or the hatred of the Jews? No, it was none of those things. It was love, pure and simple. Love, love unbounded, as we say this morning. Love unbounded. Love to US-led him to die and suffer thus.
We will never be able to fathom that love, that power that held him to that cross of wood suspended between earth and heaven.
Subjected to the judgment of God against sin, He who he who knew no sin was made sin for us.
That's fathomless. We will never in an eternity in His very presence.
Truly understand the meaning of that small verse.
There's a that those three small words in first drawn God is love.
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We will spend an eternity mining the depths of three simple words, God.
Is love.
God is not tolerant. God is love.
And the key to that love is that he removes the Sinner from his sin. Tolerance leaves the Sinner in his position. The world around us is tolerant of anything. Whatever you want, do it.
Remain in the position that you are in. God removes us from our sin.
That is true unbounded love.
And number 85?
#72 in the appendix.
Yeah.
I'm saying never with my God.
Appreciating you today, we can give you a good evening.
Oh, I am, my beloved.
And my beloved mind.
He brings a poor vile Sinner.
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Into his House of wine.
I stand upon his merit. I know no safer stand.
Not even where glory dwelleth.
In Emmanuel's land, the bright eyes, not her garments, but on her dear bridegroom's face. I will not gaze at glory.
But on my king of grace.
Not out the crown he given, but on his pierced hand the Lamb is all the glory.
Of Emmanuel's land, could we also sing 77 in the back of the book?
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In John's Gospel.
Chapter 20.
Verse 21.
Let's go back.
But the last part of verse 19 Jesus stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands, and his sight breathing.
What Shall I Do With Jesus?
Gospel—A. Coleman
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.
We open our gospel meeting by singing hymn #10 hymn #10. There is a Savior on high in the glory.
A Savior who suffered on Calvary's tree. A Savior as willing to save now as ever. His arm is almighty, His love great and free. Oh come now to Jesus, that dear loving Savior. Receive him this moment and peace shall be 9 #10.
Turn with me, first of all, to 1St Thessalonians chapter 4.
First Thessalonians, chapter 4.
One verse, One verse.
Verse 18.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Two Peter, Chapter 3.
Verse 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise.
Some men count slackness, but his long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. I read that verse in First Thessalonians 4. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
You know, we've had the joy. It has been an incredible joy.
To have had those two chapters before us in the last four readings that we've gone.
And I really, really enjoyed this.
This wonderful subject of the coming of the Lord, and those wonderful verses in First Corinthians chapter 15 and these wonderful verses in First Thessalonians 4, but it ends with those words. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Well, you know that was for those that are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But I read this verse specifically for this cause.
As we were meditating on those verses about the Lord's coming in the last four meetings, I wonder if there was one person here or two, a young one, an older one, a boy or a girl sitting beside their mother and father. And as we were discussing and meditating upon the Lord's coming, was it comfortable to you?
Did you feel a little bit uneasy about it?
Did you feel a little bit uneasy about it?
I.
I see this because I know from experience.
Because I sat in a gospel meeting as a young boy and when these verses were read, I was uneasy. I wasn't comfortable about it.
00:05:06
I wasn't comfortable about it because of the one fact that I didn't know the Lord Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and if the Lord had to come.
I would have been forever lost, forever lost. And so we asked you tonight, be a little bit uneasy about this.
You know you can't get to heaven with your mother and father.
Your mother and father can show you the way to heaven, but you can't get to heaven with your mother and father's salvation. You have to come as an individual, as a guilty Sinner before a holy God. But how wonderful it is that we read those verses in second Peter, and it says the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some man count slackness, but his long-suffering and not willing in any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Isn't that beautiful verse?
And so we had the wonderful privilege of once more preaching the gospel.
At this conference.
God is long-suffering and not willing that any should perish. He doesn't want to send a man to hell.
And so he's lengthened out the day of grace so that you can hear the gospel once more. Once more the gospel message goes forth. Beautiful, isn't it? A wonderful, loving God that has his arms outstretched to this world, saying to you, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. That's the message of the gospel. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Wonderful, wonderful message.
Have you received? Have you received it?
Have you come as a guilty lost Sinner? You know you have sinned against God. Romans 323 says For all of sin, come short of the glory of God. You can't get to heaven with all your sins on you. You need the Savior of sinners, that one who suffered on Calvary's tree.
That one who died on Calvary's cross for you. He loves you. He gave himself for you on Calvary's cross for you.
And he saved me, and he can save you.
I want to bring before you a verse.
Matthew 27.
Now beloved, here tonight, this verse that I'm going to bring before you is a verse that I love to preach the gospel from.
Because it's a very searching verse.
And as I read this verse, I want you to ask yourself.
As this question is being asked, a very, very serious, important question that is being read here, this verse is coming from the lips of an unbeliever, an ungodly man. Think of it.
That God by His Spirit is using these very words.
To speak to poor lost, fallen man. Here they are, Matthew 27.
Verse 22.
Pilate sat unto them. What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called the Christ? Oh, what a question, what a question. And this question is being asked of everyone here tonight in this room.
And especially to those of you who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior.
This question is asked of you.
And this question especially is this that you cannot, it is impossible, impossible to get around this question. You must answer this question.
You must answer this question What shall I do with Jesus, which is called the Christ?
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Again, I repeat, you must answer this question.
This man pilot, he tried to answer this question in this way.
He took water and he washed his hands.
He wanted to stay neutral.
Who was before him, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ, I am innocent of this just person. And he took water and washed his hands.
There's a verse in John's Gospel chapter 3 and verse 36 it says this.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abindeth in him. Now I ask you, is there a middle part of that verse? No, there isn't. It's only one way or the other. It's either a decision for Christ or a decision against Christ.
You cannot remain neutral as Pilate tried to do. You can't. It is impossible. You must decide, as our song says, the gospel song says, decide for Christ tonight and God's salvation. See, Oh dear one, tonight as you're hearing the gospel, won't you come to this verse and decide for the Lord Jesus Christ?
What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called the Christ? I have to say this, that it was a thrill to my soul that.
When we were in Ghana, this year, Nigeria, I'm sorry.
And we had the opportunity of preaching the gospel to the prison there. 550 souls.
In this prison.
16 different cell blocks.
And when we came to the last cellblock, he was an enclosed cellblock inside.
And this verse came to me because it was my turn to speak.
Brother and I created all 16 cell blocks.
And this first came before me.
And I preached the gospel from this verse, and they told us afterwards that those prisoners were going to be executed.
God in his long-suffering mercy, not willing that any should perish, but at all should come to repentance. What a loving God, that those dear ones that we're going to be executed had the opportunity to hear the gospel once more. But think of it, dear one, tonight many of you here, if not all of you have heard the gospel over and over and over again.
And if you come to the Lord Jesus yet, are you saved yet, or are you still a lost Sinner?
Of what you, dear one, tonight I plead with you as the Lord Jesus is pleading with you, to come to the Lord Jesus tonight to be saved. It says in John 737 In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Think of that the last day, and this could be the last Gospel meeting that you'll be under.
Then we'll be fulfilled.
That wonderful chapter in First Thessalonians 4 when we'll hear the shout that will take us out of this scene and into His very presence forever. But think of it. But though there might be one here tonight, remaining in their seat, lost forever. No hope. No hope for all eternity. To face the blackness and gloom of a lost eternity. Does God want to send you there? No, he doesn't.
He says, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but at the wicked turn from his evil way and live turn ye, turn ye for while will ye die that's.
Coming from the lips of a loving God that doesn't want to send a man to a lost eternity and so long-suffering not dwelling at any should perish. And he wants you to hear the gospel once more. He wants you to hear the story of the the Lord Jesus of how he went came into this world.
And how he went to the cross of Calvary, and died for guilty lost sinners such as you and I.
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We sang. What does it say, those hours of darkness?
He suffered for sinners on Calvary's cross. Oh, forsaken alone. Oh, you think of that, You know, you go down in our chapter here and you go down to the 45th 1St. What does it say now? From 1/6 hour there was darkness over all the land until the 9th hour.
And about the 9th hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli Lamis are back than I. That is to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Oh dear one tonight. Why did God forsake his Son there on Calvary's cross in those three hours of darkness? I'll tell you why. Because he bear the sins of Al Coleman. Yes, he did. Oh, what a wonderful savior.
Study bore my sins.
In His own body, in the tree, my loving Savior, who died for me to make it all possible, where my I might have eternal life and spend an eternity with Thee in that coming scene of glory.
He wants you and I in that coming scene of glory. Are you going to be there? I know I'm going to be there. What is it? The authority is the word of God. This is it. What we have right here. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. We have it right here, recorded in the Word of God. But wonderful words of life. Can I tell you a little incident? I don't want to do this too much tonight.
But.
I got I got sick.
In in Ghana and so they took me to a hospital and it was 7:30 in the morning and.
They just dropped me off there and I and I went into this hospital and there was probably about 50 people in the, in the waiting room and the language I, I, I couldn't understand anything, but I had the.
Went to the front desk there and registered.
And that's everybody was speaking a foreign language and I was the only white person there. And so we're sitting there and about 10 minutes to 8, everybody stood up and held hands. And well, the, the, the black man beside me, he held my hand. So I held the hand the next fellow and somebody got up in the middle and prayed in a native tongue. You could tell he was praying.
This is in a hospital and in We all sat down and then that man stood up in the middle of the room there and he preached for about 10 minutes and then and then we.
And then they said the Lord's Prayer in English. And then the day began.
Would that happen to a hospital in Oakland in in Burbank, CA?
The word of God, the word of God, oh, it's so precious, wonderful that we have here open before us. What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called the Christ? There's a verse. I want to, I want you to turn with me to Lamentations chapter one.
Lamentations of Jeremiah, chapter one.
Verse 12.
Well known verse.
Is it nothing to you?
I repeat that again, is it nothing to you?
Is it nothing to you?
All ye that pass by, behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Oh, what is this? The sufferings of our blessed Lord on Calvary's cross. And what is He saying here? Is it nothing to you?
Is it nothing to you that the Lord Jesus Christ, God's beloved Son, suffered on Calvary's cross for you?
This is nothing to you, you know, dear one. Tonight you're passing by the cross.
The cross is being put before you tonight, even though it's been feeble and you're passing by the cross. And what are you going to do about that blessed one, the Lord Jesus Christ who died in Calvary's cross for you? Is it nothing to you? Are you going to go out of this gospel meeting tonight and say there was nothing, There was nothing? Are you going to go out of this gospel meeting tonight and go about your affairs?
00:20:24
And forget all about it. Forget all about what was said.
That you heard about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ in Calvary's cross, and are you going to say it's nothing?
Nothing.
What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called the Christ?
Turn with me to Exodus Chapter 5.
Exodus Chapter 5.
Verse 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord?
That I should obey his voice. Who is the Lord? That I should obey his voice? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. Who is the Lord? Said I should obey his voice, I know not the Lord.
You're going to say this tonight? I know not the Lord.
There was a Newfoundlander that came into our gospel meeting.
And after the gospel meeting, he came to me.
Dear brother.
So simple is one of those that had touched the hem of his garment.
He had touched the hem of his garment and he came to me, and he says, I knows, dear Lord. I knows dear Lord. He said that in his doofy accent. He come to me and he says, I know the Lord. Can you say that tonight is the Lord of your life? Is he? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior? Do you?
Can you say I know the Lord Pharaoh? He could say I know not the Lord.
What a solemn thing. Turn with me to 2nd Thessalonians.
2nd Thessalonians, chapter one.
And to you verse seven, and to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus.
Will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels inflaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Do you want this? Do you want this? Have you obeyed the gospel? Have you received the gospel tonight?
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord? What would a lost eternity be like?
All blackness of darkness forever.
By total banishment from a holy God. Total banishment from a holy God. Solemn, solemn go to first. John chapter 5.
First John, chapter 5.
Verse 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that they may believe on the name of the Son of God. Pharaoh said, I know not the Lord, but you know the Lord. You have the assurance of your salvation. This is a wonderful verse to show us the assurance of our salvation.
Really, No, you see, God doesn't want us to guess that our salvation. He gives us the assurance in this precious book right here that we have opened before us. And this verse, it says these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know.
00:25:00
That ye have eternal life, that ye may know how precious that is. I stand upon the Word of God for my soul salvation. I know it, and I have the assurance of it. Can you say that tonight, dear friend? All He wants you to know your salvation and have the assurance of it.
Turn with me to Acts 26.
Acts Chapter 26.
Verse 27.
King Agripper, believeth thou the prophets I know.
That thou believest then, Agrippa said unto Paul, almost Thou persuadeth me to be a Christian.
Here was the man that heard the gospel. You're hearing the gospel tonight. It's people. You're hearing it, but you're responsible for what you hear.
And faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Here's the man that heard the gospel. What was this comment? Almost. Thou persuadest me to be a Christian. He was just about a Christian, but was he?
No. He was just about a Christian. But was he? No.
No, there is not going to be one almost Christian in heaven. Not one.
You have to make a total commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The verse was read earlier that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in thine heart, that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, Jesus as Lord of my life.
He is Lord of my life. Oh, I wouldn't want it any more than that. Lord of my life. Is he. Lord of your life? Have you confessed the Lord Jesus as your own personal savior? Little boy, little girl, we sometimes sing the song. A little child of seven or even three or four may enter into heaven through Christ. The open door. Think of it. That door is still open tonight.
You can come, he says, come, for all things are now ready, yet there is room, yet there is room. You can come tonight knowing that he'll receive you. It says this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out, and I want to see this, that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son cleanseth us from all sin, and you'll never get to heaven without it.
The blood of Christ as we go to the Gospel of John and let's go to it. Gospel of John chapter 19.
We've read it many times, read it again.
Verse 32 Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and of the other that was crucified with him. And when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear, beers decide and force with came their own blood and water. And he that sought their record, and his record is true, and he knoweth that he set true.
That he might believe.
For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled. A bone of him shall not be broken. Again another scripture.
Says they shall look upon me who may Pierce. Oh, that precious blood that flowed from the ribbon side of the Lord. Jesus has washed all my sins away. Have you plead to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the land? The precious blood of Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sins.
Beautiful in this The Word of God is so beautiful. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. And you won't get to heaven without it. No, you won't. Wonderful, wonderful.
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Wonderful plan of salvation that God is offering poor, lost, fallen man. Oh, if man would open. And so man has so many excuses of not coming to Christ. I get them all the time as I go about my walk downtown giving out gospel tracts. I could say that I could probably write a book and all the excuses that I got of people that would refuse a gospel tract.
But still.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. How wonderful that the blessed news of salvation is still going out, but some guests will be the last. Yet there is room.
You know, if the last one was to come tonight, then would be fulfilled First Thessalonians 4 and we'd be there, home, beautiful home with the Lord Jesus in that coming scene of glory. Wonderful and exciting to know that that is just before us. And I believe that we're right in the last days before the Lord's coming. But oh, how responsible you are.
As you hear the gospel.
That tomorrow may be too late, too late, too late will be the cry Jesus of Nazareth has passed by. Go to the 24th chapter of of Acts here.
Yeah, 24th chapter of the book of Acts.
Acts Chapter 24 and.
Verse.
24 And after certain days, when Fetus came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And he, as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled and answered, Go thy way this time, for when I have a convenient season I will call for thee. He had a convenient season that was right there at that moment that he heard it.
And dear one, tonight you have a convenient season here tonight. You're here in the gospel once more. Tomorrow may be too late.
Be too late.
When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
His season was right then. Your season is right now. Tonight. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
That's the time to come to Christ when you're young. Don't wait, Don't wait till you're 20 years old like I did. Come now, he says. Come now. Let us reason together, saith the Lord. Throw your sins be a scarlet, they shall be white as wool, white as snow, though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool. He said. Come now, come now, come now, come tonight. Tomorrow may be too late.
There's a gospel meeting slated for tomorrow night. Our dear brother is going to give the gospel tomorrow night.
But he might not. He might not.
The Lord might come.
Beautiful.
Turn with me to Second Samuel, Chapter 20.
Second Samuel, chapter 20.
You know I love Second Samuel. He has so many.
Gospel stories in it that Bruce knows that I preach from so often. And here's one.
Amazing, amazing.
Was given every opportunity. David wanted him, he said. He wanted. He wanted a major for the captain of his host.
And what does he say here? Let me see. I got it here. Yeah.
Chapter 20 and verse four then then said the King David to Amesa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be their present.
So Amaza went to assemble the men of Judah, but.
But he carried longer than a set time which he had appointed him.
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And you know what happened to Amazon? He died. He died. He died at the hand of Joab. Joab came up to him.
And he grabbed him by the beards.
And he jabbed that sword into him under the fifth rib. Instant death.
Instant death. He died.
He tarried longer than the set time appointed him.
What a solemn thing.
A solemn thing, that.
Would there be one person here that would carry longer?
God's time is now.
Come tonight, God is pleading for your soul tonight. Come to the Lord Jesus tonight.
He wants to save you. He's willing to save you. He's longing to save you, his arms wrote, stretched to you.
Won't you come to him? Will you turn him aside again?
Turn to Second Samuel, chapter 3.
Second Samuel, chapter 3.
Verse 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebrew, and Job took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly and smote him under their first rib, that he died for the blood of Ashley's brother. Here he is. What is joy? What is what is Abner doing? He's pleased he had killed the man he was fleeing to the city of refuge.
And that city of refuge is Christ. It's Christ. He is the city of refuge, an old year one. Tonight, if you're with, if you're still in your sins, flee to the Lord Jesus Christ and get there immediately. Right now. There's an urgency to it.
Right now, tonight, in your seat. Don't wait for the end of this meeting. Come now.
There he was.
He had his hand on that gate and he was going to open that gate and get into that city.
And Job said just a minute. And you know that is just what the enemy of our souls is doing tonight to so many. You want to get saved tonight? What are you saying to you? Just a minute. Just a minute before you get saved. Wait a minute.
Wait another day, wait another hour, wait another month. No, God's time is now.
All he had to do was open the gate and he was in there and he was staying. Johab couldn't have touched him. He was inside the city of refuge. Beautiful, isn't it? And all you have to do is to come to the Lord Jesus, to be sheltered under the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. You think of the children of Israel long ago and that night of Egypt.
When I see the blood, I will Passover you. That blood had to be in the lentil in the doorpost, and they were safe, sheltered under the precious blood of Christ.
Abner would have been safe if he had gone into that city in the City of Refuge.
But he was turned aside, and he died right there at the gate. Instantly died solemn, solemn. How solemn these things are.
Turn with me now to Jeremiah.
Chapter.
38.
Jeremiah chapter.
38.
Verse 20.
Just a minute now.
Verse 19.
Jeremiah 3819 And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are falling to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee, so it shall be well with unto thee, and thy soul shall live. You know what King Zedekiah did.
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He said I'm afraid, I'm afraid. And you know, maybe there's one here tonight that's saying this. I am afraid of reproach for the name of Christ. If I come to the Lord Jesus Christ, I am afraid of reproach of what my friends will say and what my.
Classmates will say and what the men in my shop will say if I come to the Lord Jesus Christ, I'm afraid.
And you know, that was my case when I was a young man. What would my friends say if I followed the Lord?
You know, there's a verse, and it's a very solemn verse. Turn with me to.
Revelation chapter 21.
Revelation 21.
Revelation 21, verse 8. But the fearful.
But the fearful.
Gen. Believe you, the Abomo, the murders, the ************ the sorcerers, the idolatries, and all liars shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
You know this is interesting as we read this first, you would think that.
Listed first would be an idolater or an an adulteress, one of those awful sins that a man commits. But no, listed first is the fearful, a timid soul that is afraid.
To confess the name of Christ.
Sorry.
Is listed first solemn.
But the fearful, afraid of reproach for the name of Christ.
I want you to turn with me now to Mark's Gospel Chapter 10.
Now we've had.
Various ones here that came too late.
Now we're going to see two from Scripture here, one in Mark chapter 10.
Verse 46 Well known glorious gospel message from this blind Barnabas. And they came to Jericho, and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus sat by the highway side begging. When he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
You know, the public can say, God be merciful to me, a Sinner. That's the sinner's prayer. You know, he delights to have mercy. If you call, go for mercy, you'll get mercy. There's only one man recorded in the Scriptures that call for mercy and never got it, and that was the rich man Luke chapter 16. He never got it because it was too late. And here Barnum is calls for mercy.
Oh dear one, tonight call for mercy to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you'll find mercy. And many charge him that he should hold his peace, but he cried the great deal. Thou son of David, have mercy on me. He was a needy Sinner. And dear one, tonight you're a needy Sinner and you need the Lord Jesus Christ. And Jesus stood still. The creator of this world stood still to listen to a blind man. And you know the creator of this world.
Can stand still today and listen to a little boy or a little girl, if you'll call upon him, he says, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. That's God's Direct Line to heaven.
Direct Line to heaven, come to the Lord Jesus and they call the blind man saying be of good cheer, good comfort, rise, equality. What was his response? Did he wait? No, he did. He casting away his garment rose and came to Jesus. His garment was.
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Was a hindrance to him and he cast it away. He was so desirous to come to the Lord Jesus all that there would be 1 Sinner here tonight.
That would come to Jesus in this way.
Nothing hindering you from coming to the Lord Jesus once you come tonight.
Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto them, Go thy way, thy faith that made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Luke, chapter 19.
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, and behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was chief among the Republicans, and he was rich, and he sought to see Jesus, who he was, and could not for the press because he was little of stature. And he ran before and climbed up into a Sycamore tree to see him free with us to pass that way. Here's another one eager to see the Lord Jesus. Oh, are you eager to be saved tonight?
Oh, what did he do? He climbs up into a Sycamore tree.
Beautiful. And when Jesus came to the place he knew, he knew Jack is. Zacchaeus was up there and he knows where you are tonight and he's seeking you tonight. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
And he made haste and came down. Think of that. He made haste all, dear one, tonight, if you're without Christ, tonight, if you're still lost and in your sins, won't you make haste and come to the Lord Jesus Christ? Oh, dear ones, tonight there is a Savior on high in the glory arisen, and a glorified Savior there in the glory, and his arms are outstretched to you tonight.
He wants you to come to Him. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. And you'll find in that wonderful Savior, one who delights to save and take you all the way home to the Father's house. One that looks after you, cares for you, blesses you, keeps your wonderful loving Savior. Do you know this wonderful Savior, the Savior of sinners coming to me?
All ye that labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you rest. Shall we sing hymn #1 Almost persuaded.
Now to believe almost persuaded Christ to receive. Seems now some soul to say, Go, spirit, go thy way, some more convenient day on the I'll call him #1.
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Jesus invites you here list.
To his voice, so clear.
Now falling on thine ear.
Come, wander, come.
Commend ourselves to the Lord.
What is Your Soul Worth?
Gospel—D.B. Imbeau
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.
Hymn #7.
God loved the world of sinners lost and ruined by the fall.
Salvation full at highest cost. He offers free to all.
Someone start that please.
Turn with me, please, to a verse in Proverbs.
Proverbs, chapter 25.
And verse 25 Proverbs 2525 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
Well, we know it's the good news is.
I think everyone who is sitting in this room this evening.
Has heard the good news of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ before.
And you know that that good news is that the Lord Jesus Christ has come from the heights of glory and has come into this world.
As a sacrifice for sin.
And that in his love He has sought us out. Not that we have sought him or looked for him, but He has come for us.
And you know, it's from a far country.
And I have a little interest in talking a bit about for our country.
Why is it a far country?
Why is the source of this? From a long ways away I thought you know.
You're talking to me right tonight. This seems pretty close, doesn't it?
Well, the source of the message is from God.
And it's not so much that God has made himself distant to us, but we have made ourselves distant to God.
We have moved away.
From God.
Your sins have separated between you and your God.
And so step by step, sin by sin, you've moved away from God to where now the source of this good news is now a far country.
A foreign country?
How far away is it?
How far away is it?
Only you can answer that.
Let's turn to Luke chapter 15.
Well known parable, Lord Jesus Christ told.
Luke chapter 15 and verse 11.
And he said a certain man had two sons.
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a foreign country.
00:05:00
And they're wasted his substance with riotous living.
And you know.
You're not abandoned in this world.
There are no orphans because you have a father.
What do you think about him? You know what? You get up in the morning.
And the sun rises, Well, that that comes from God.
Light there you breathe, the breakfast you're going to eat, your abilities to get around, the energy that you have. It's all from God.
And so there's substances that God has given you.
And they in a sense belong to you now, because God has given them.
Now what have we done?
With all these things that God who wishes to be a father to us, what have we done with all these things, our abilities, our minds, our resources of all sorts?
You know what we've just taken off?
Well, that was nice of you to give me all this stuff. Now I'm going to have fun.
Yeah, now I can have fun.
And so we take off.
Leaving God and the thoughts of God behind us.
Not giving one care that there is a father there that has an interest in us.
And someone who truly loves us.
And in verse 14, when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine.
In that land, and he began to be in want.
For some people this happens earlier, for other people it happens later.
But it's going to happen.
Is that you're just going to run out of steam?
S just incredible.
But it's going to be.
And then you're going to go like, what happened?
You know, I was having fun just a couple of years ago and now like, I'm really depressed.
Verse 17 when he came to himself.
You know this, this fella had a conscience and he had some memories and he knew what the father had said and he knew what the father was like.
Now there's a lot of people that fake themselves out and they think that God is after them and God is wanting to take away from them.
But God is a giver. God.
And deep down, we all know that.
We all know that.
And when we finally come to ourselves, we go, there is a father. And you know what? He's cared for me all the while. And look at the mess I've made.
And he said, how many hired servants of my father's have bred enough into spirit? I perish with hunger.
I just can't get by emotionally and I thought I was out there.
You know, with people that I liked and, and you know, they kind of, they kind of deserted me and they weren't really all that great friends. And maybe this is my second or third marriage and, you know, nothing seems to work.
I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I've sinned against heaven and before thee, and I'm no more worthy to be called thy Son. Make me as one of the highest servants. He arose, and he came to his Father, and when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him.
His father saw him.
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We have a little.
Opportunities sometimes to deal with some young folks and we enjoy reading this passage.
And we enjoy stopping right there.
And then ask, and what do you think Dad did?
What do you think Dad did?
He beat him, of course.
My kids stole what I had, dissed me like that. I'd beat it when it came back.
His father saw him had compassion.
And ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
This guy had been living with the pigs. He was stinky and he had ratty clothes. He was a mess.
And dad runs out there and he hugs them and he kisses them.
This is the heart of the Father, and this is what he was missing all the time he was gone.
What are you missing?
I mean really, what are you missing?
There is someone out there that really does love you and really does care about you.
There's one who has sent his son across that gap.
From that far country.
And he has sent him.
For you.
Because he loves.
And he's died for you.
And he wants to give you a life.
A real life.
A real life.
What would it take you?
Or what would it take for you?
To really breakdown and to say OK, God's right and I'm wrong.
Let's turn to the book of Joshua.
Joshua, Chapter 9.
Joshua 9 and verse three. That is the story of folks called the Gibeonite and.
We probably all know the story. There is the Israelites. They got out of Egypt, you know, and wandered through the wilderness for 40 years.
They made it finally to their country, which we now call Israel.
And there is only one way to.
Get that country and that was to do battle with the folks that lived there.
Needless to say, folks that lived there enjoyed living there, and they weren't just going to move aside for some newcomers.
Well, the Gibeonites caught on.
And here's what happened verse 3. And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard that Joshua heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho into AI.
He conquered them.
When they heard that, they did work wildly, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their ***** and wine bottles old, and rent, and bound up, and old shoes, and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. And they went to Joshua under the camp at Gilgal. That's where the Israelites were camping out, and said unto him, And through the minivigil we be come from.
Far country.
Now, therefore, make ye a league with us.
So they asked where they're from and in verse nine they answer kind of the same thing with a few little details. They said unto him, from a very far country, thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God, for we have heard. Now remember to begin with because they were worried about what happened at Jericho and another little city called AI that got just they walked over them basically.
And they didn't want to be the next city in line.
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But look what they say.
They say, for we have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt. Well, my, what happened in Egypt was 40 years earlier and you know, let's say the lifespan of the folks was like 50 years or so.
Most of these people weren't probably alive when it all happened, but it was so dramatic and what happened to Egypt that the story got told and retold and retold.
And they knew what had happened in Egypt 40 years earlier.
You know, sometimes we barely keep in the news what happened a couple weeks ago. It's kind of like old news, you know, But this was made a big impact on it.
Now.
The Gibeonites.
Like any of the rest of us.
We're proud of who they were and of their culture.
And they had a sense of.
You know their own worth and stability.
And look what they did.
They dreamed up a story.
And they dressed down in these ratty clothes and took moldy bread and stuff. And they come to these people who.
Are the newcomers and they just kowtowed to them.
We'll just kind of say what you want, you know, and we'll kind of lick the dust your feet.
I mean, they were going to give it a try.
Think of what they had to put aside. Think of the attitude that you and I probably would have had, which is like everyone else did in the land of Canaan at that time. They said we're going to fight it to the death. No one's going to be telling us what to do. No one's going to be enforcing something, imposing something on us that we don't want. I mean, we've been here a long time.
But they did it. They swallowed their pride.
And they did this.
Now you keep reading in the scriptures and you find that God bless these people.
Down the road.
Yeah, they were deceitful and they lied and.
The people of Israel weren't necessarily wise in how they dealed with them and they didn't ask God for help. But yes we we know all that. But look at it from the Gibeonites point of view. They were desperate.
And so they did something that they would never dream of doing.
But it's like they didn't care.
They just didn't care. They were going to save their skins if they could, and they were going to give it a try.
Tonight.
If you're lost.
Can you be like one of these gibeonites?
You know.
We've got our pride.
And we've got our peer pressures.
And we have our own self respect.
But you've got to get saved.
And there's only one way to get saved, and that is to drop all of that.
And take a whole different task, a whole different point of view.
And go, you know, I don't care what it takes.
I'm going to get saved.
I'm going to really find Christ as my Savior.
This one who can take away my sins.
I'm going to do it.
Let's play a little.
Game, I guess. Not a game. Let's call it a challenge.
This is a pretty big crowd.
650 are here in the room maybe?
00:20:02
And you know we're.
Maybe we don't know each other real closely, but we're kind of know each other. We're a fairly close community.
Let's say I were to offer you $5.
Anyone. I'll offer you $5 to stand up.
OK, and stay standing while this little meeting time is going on for 5 minutes by the clock.
I'll give you $5.
Where are you going? Yeah.
5 bucks I can get that by allowance from my folks or.
Bum it off my wife or something, I could get it. So I'm not going to do that. That's being kind of embarrassing.
Well, let's say I offered you $50.
Well, that might sound a little bit a little bit better. You know, it might get a couple tanks if you're lucky of gas and I could use that right now. So maybe for 50 bucks.
I'll stand right, right there, right at my seat and everyone going to look at me and I.
The folks nearby I'll kind of chuckle a little bit, but I'll hang in there for 5 minutes for 50 bucks.
Well, for some people, that probably wouldn't be too.
Palatable. So let's bump it up a bit. How about $500? You go, well, you know, I could use $500. Either help pay the rent or the house payment.
Towards the car payment.
For 5 minutes, you know, for 5 minutes, I yeah, I could probably, I could probably do that.
What about your soul?
How much is it worth to you?
I have a concern.
And I don't think I'm alone in this.
And that is very, very easy to pretend that we are a Christian.
Very easy.
Now I'm going to be a little sexist.
I think it's easier for women to pretend that they're Christians than it is for guys.
Why do I say that?
A couple of reasons, one.
Guys kind of work in steps and we think in steps. Women tend to think in a continuum and only that. But women tend to build relationships a little better than us guys. And you know, with those two features, it's a lot easier for you to fake through things than us guys.
Also.
The guys, especially in a crowd like this.
You know, you got to open your mouth occasionally in conversation, not meeting itself, but conversation. And you know pretty soon things are going to come out.
And people will kind of start sensing you've got a problem.
And they'll Peggy is someone who's lost.
So the guys will kind of drop out.
But the women will keep going.
So it's conference time, you see.
And you're a young lady and you're 18 years old or so.
And there's a guy who has shown a little interest in you, wants to talk to you a bit after the saying or maybe on Monday at the beach party, wants to kind of see what the waves look like just a half mile down the beach.
And you discover they look pretty much the same as they did.
At the other place but.
You know, so you're walking along.
And you know what? You're not going to say? You know what? I'm not saved.
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You know, you seem like a nice guy and I'm kind of attracted to you. Can you tell me how to become a Christian?
You're not going to say that. And you know, if he kind of asked you a little bit about do you go to meeting of wherever you live, you know, and they go, yeah, I go with my folks, you know.
You break bread.
Yeah.
I break breath.
Fast forward 20 years, 37 years old, got four kids, another one on the way.
You're a nice Christian family.
And you're lost.
It's been easy. It really has not been a problem.
To keep saying that you're saved and go to meeting and you sing the hymns.
Tonight.
What would entice you?
To stand up.
If you are lost.
How much is your soul worth?
You probably wouldn't do it for $500.
What about 5000?
What about 5000?
Would you be willing to stand up and say, you know, I've been faking it the last?
Whatever number of years. And you know, I'm really not a Christian.
Michael.
What about $50,000?
Someone pay you $50,000. You're a lost person. You're living in a Christian family. You're one of the.
Parents of the family.
And you are lost.
With $50,000 encourage you.
Yeah, now I couldn't handle that.
What would people think?
They think I.
They didn't have a Christian. I can't suddenly tell my husband I'm lost.
I couldn't do that.
What if you keep bumping the price up?
What if he had $150,000?
And what have you said? Yeah.
Maybe I could do that?
Now you go, Mr. Speaker.
What are you doing jerking around with two important things in our lives, emotion and money.
Are your palms sweaty? Do you feel a tingle in your back?
Don't go messing with me.
But you know what? For maybe $150,000.
Maybe I'd have enough guts.
To say, you know what, I've been a fake all this time.
How much is your soul worth?
Would you do it for $150,000? Well then drop back a little ways. Let's say all I offered you was $130,000. You would be willing to keep your lost soul for $130,000?
You've put a price.
On your life.
What's it worth?
What is eternal life worth to you?
Do we want a little bit of embarrassment? Perhaps?
Or an eternity lost.
Without any hope.
No family, no kids, no nothing.
Forever.
What is your life?
And what is it worth?
00:30:03
And you know, it's not a game.
It's not even a challenge.
It's a step.
Between life.
And death, Christ has given you an opportunity here this evening, an opportunity now to face the embarrassment.
In this life.
So that you can have eternal joy with the Lord Jesus Christ.
And all of is redeemed forever.
What's the trade off?
What's the trade off? What is it worth to you?
You know, there was a lot of people that in the Bible that had various opportunities and we're going to talk about a few of them.
They had their chances.
And they missed the opportunity.
Someone will just mention someone will turn to some of the scriptures.
But think of a man named Cain.
He did some pretty bad stuff. He killed his brother, first murderer in this world, and yet God talked to him. God talked to him directly and says look, got a deal for you.
There's a sacrifice available. There is a sacrifice available and we don't know the reasons and we don't know the rationale, but Cain turned it down.
He had a little conversation with God. God himself spoke to him. What's it going to take if God himself talked to you and said got a deal for you?
You endure 20 minutes of embarrassment and I'll give you eternal life.
Just admit that you're lost.
And come to Jesus Christ.
Cain turned it down.
There's a man named Balaam, and let's turn to that. That's in numbers.
The Book of Numbers, chapter 24.
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers.
Numbers 24 and verse 15 He took up his parable and said, Balaam, the son of BR has said, And the man whose eyes are open hath said, He has said, which heard the words of God.
Listen to this.
He's talking that he's the one that heard the words of God, and he knew the knowledge of the Most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty and falling into a trance but having his eyes open. I shall see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh.
What did Balaam know? He knew a tremendous amount. How far away was he from the from really accepting the God of Israel as as his own?
It sounds like it was mighty close.
How close?
You know.
The words of God. You know who the Lord Jesus Christ is. You know that there's a Father in heaven that wants to be your Father personally. You know that.
And yet, we know what happened to Balaam not too long after this He died in a battle.
And he was a lost man.
What about Lot's wife?
Lot's wife.
She had her hand.
In the hand of an Angel.
And she was lost.
What an opportunity.
And she missed it.
One small request. That was all.
From this Angel, don't turn back.
00:35:04
But she had a heart that wanted something else.
There were emotions, there were ties, all these womanly things that that tighter down there in that city. And even her hand, being in the hand of an Angel did not affect her heart.
What's it going to take?
What is your soul worth?
There's another.
Interesting one, maybe not as dramatic, but in first.
Samuel.
In First Samuel chapter 6.
This is a little bit with the Philistines.
And we probably know most of the story, but let's read the verse that is.
Pertinent here First Samuel 6, verse 6.
Wherefore this They're talking among themselves. Now Notice how much these Philistines knew.
Wherefore then, do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? What do you mean Pharaoh and the Egyptians? This was 400, not 40 years, but 400 years later. And they, they're their, their storytellers still kept it in their oral traditions, and they remembered what happened to Egypt.
You know, we all have good memories. Let's face it. Yeah, we forget things, especially the things that happened recently. And when we're upset, we forget our kids names. But I.
We have pretty good memories.
And their memory went way back.
And after having said all that, and then they, they watched the arc go back up to Israel. It was a miraculous thing. They saw all this stuff. It was really, really bizarre. They would have never thought it was going to. In fact, they figured it wouldn't work that way unless there was really a true God who was going to work it out that way and that they discussed it all ahead of time. And so it happened.
And the two cows that had calves took off towards the land of Israel, carrying this ark with them. Everything happened according just like clockwork.
So what? The Philistines do Nothing.
Do you see them going up to Shiloh or wherever and saying, wow, this is a real God? We're going to change our religion. We're going to we're going to forget all these idol things that look like fish and go up and we're going to, we're going to really worship the true God.
Did they do that? No. Why not? I don't know. Why don't you get saved? I don't know.
What's it going to take? I don't know.
Let's turn to the book of Luke.
And early on in the Lord's life, when he is 12 years old, Luke chapter.
Luke chapter 2.
Luke chapter 2 and verse 46, we kind of know this. The family went up to Jerusalem and Jesus stayed in Jerusalem and his folks headed back home. They had left Him.
Things like that happen, you know, kids get left to.
Rest stops. It's kind of embarrassing.
Verse 46 And it came to pass that after three days they found Jesus. They found him in the temple. And what was Jesus doing there, sitting in the middle or the midst of the teachers, the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions and all that hurt him, were astonished at his understanding and answers.
Here are all these teachers.
Apparently the Lord Jesus came and talked with them for three days.
And you know, you're sitting here in this conference, this conference is going to last for three days unless Lord comes. And, you know, you might find it pretty interesting, some pretty neat stuff about the resurrection and that the way that the Lord values our bodies and, and that, you know, those that are saved or are with the Lord and, and after the rapture time, there's, there's the body's going to be taken up from this world and, and be glorified. And you're going, wow, this is really neat.
00:40:27
I like this.
But, you know, these teachers, they had their own philosophy, you know, and they weren't going to.
Yeah, they enjoyed, they were intrigued. They were even astonished at what this 12 year old kid had to say and the questions that he asked.
And you know, we've got our own philosophies flying around this culture too, don't we?
There's things like the Magdalene cult that you had mentioned in The Da Vinci Code.
We've got Gnostic philosophy coming out in our mainstream media in the Matrix series. What is it? Matrix Reloaded imploded and exploded or something?
You got all this bombarding us and, and you hear the things of the Lord and you know, they go, that makes sense. That's a lot better than all those other stuff. It's it's, it has a real ring to it. You know, I like that.
And so after three days, what are you going to do?
Well, here's what happened to these teachers. Here they were listening to this 12 year old fellow.
Who? They really didn't know who he was.
Though you wonder if they did.
And long come.
Those who were his parents.
And they say, Jesus, it's time to go home.
So this 12 year old.
Obeys them and he goes with them.
What about the teachers?
Did they follow along, say well, we want to hear more from him?
Where? Where do you Where do you live?
Oh, we live up in.
Galilee area. Ooh, Galilee.
We're pretty sophisticated folks down here in Jerusalem. You know, we don't mess with the riffraff up in that part of the country now. I think we'll just kind of stay where we are.
It didn't make any difference that a 12 year old was having a discussion with them and asked some questions that astonished them.
What would it take? What more do they want?
What more do you want?
How can you possibly, possibly turn down the love of the Lord Jesus Christ? And even if it meant a bit of embarrassment to say, you know, I've been lost and I want to get saved tonight, what is it going to take?
What is it going to take?
Isaiah chapter 5.
In verse 3.
And now?
Oh, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge.
Make a decision. That's really what it means here. Make a decision.
I pray you, I plead with you.
I get down on my knees and beg you.
Make a decision.
Between me.
And my vineyard.
What could have done more?
What could have been done more? The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and gave his life for you. What could be done more? The love of God has been told in a way that is astonishing. The Lord Jesus Christ has come as a sacrifice for sin. The Father has given the best that he ever, possibly, possibly ever could. What could be done more?
00:45:20
If you turn it down tonight.
There is nothing more.
And 37 years old will.
Turn into 57 or 58.
I'm not going to change now.
The grammar now.
With maybe now 5 grandkids.
How am I going to explain to them that grandma never knew the Lord Jesus?
And then it turns into 78 years old.
And then there is no 98.
What could?
Have been done more.
Let's turn to.
A pleading of the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke chapter.
19.
In verse 41, Luke 1941.
And when Jesus?
Was come near, he beheld the city and wept over it.
Saying, If thou hast known, even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace.
But now.
They are hid.
From thine eyes.
And there was another verse.
In Luke 13.
Verse 34.
O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem.
Which kill us the prophets stonest them that are sent unto thee.
How often?
Would I have gathered thy children together as a hen to gather her brood under her wings?
And ye would not.
Behold.
Your house.
Is left unto you desolate.
And So what was it worth?
For many, many years.
As a teenager.
As a 20 something ish.
A 30 something ish.
As a mom or a dad?
Grandma. Grandpa.
It's all lost.
Your house is left unto you desolate.
Because.
There is nothing more that God could do for you.
When you rejected him.
And the gift of eternal life and his Son Jesus Christ.
00:50:07
Let's sing the 1St 2 verses.
Of #20.
Just verse one and two.
Gospel
Gospel—D. Whitaker
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.
I would like to sing together with you.
#19.
O Christ and thee, my soul have found and found in thee alone.
The peace, the joy I sought so long, the bliss till now unknown, now none but Christ can satisfy.
None other name for me. There's love and life and lasting joy. Lord Jesus found indeed. Before we sing this, I'd just like to say this sometimes. You'll see it.
A mother with a brand new baby in her arms.
Maybe you've done this, I've done a time or two. You say to that mother, know the sweetest thing you can do, the best thing you can do for that little lamb is whisper the name of Jesus in his ear or her ear.
Let's see #19 would someone please start that?
Tonight, and for the sake of the young folks, I've got several interesting stories for you.
But you know, the Lord may come before I get to those stories, so I think I better tell you the gospel first.
First Corinthians, chapter 15.
And verse one.
We don't know.
The day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh.
1St Corinthians 15, chapter one, chapter 15, verse one. Moreover, brethren.
I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if you keep in memory what I have preached unto you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, How that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. Now these are facts.
And that he was buried. And that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
And was seen, and he was seen of Cephas then of the 12:00 And after that he was seen above 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
And then we find out in other places of Scripture where this blessed One, He appeared unto his own some few days there.
And then he was taken up in glory.
Taken up out of this world.
He was received up in glory.
He went up in glory to glory, and that's where he is sitting right now, at the right hand of the majesty on high in the heavens.
For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Beautiful, beautiful verses.
It makes me think of something.
There's a time when there was an A very important man from Ethiopia and.
And he was up at Jerusalem and he maybe he wasn't satisfied because he was coming back in his chariot.
He was reading the book of Isaiah.
You know, the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, some of you can probably quote it. And he took that wonderful message down into Ethiopia. Now, the other day I was in Ethiopia and I walked over to a desk like this. Well, I should say, I walked past and I saw a lady and she had her Bible open. And I should have gone and peeked over and seen if she was reading the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, wouldn't that have been interesting? But there she was. The Word of God was open.
00:05:09
The Word of God has reached way down to that part of the world.
Has the Word of God reached into your heart tonight?
I would like you to turn, please, to Romans chapter 4.
Verse 3.
What saith the scripture?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Not to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
That is, if you try to work, do something for God, for your salvation, you're making God a debtor and He owes you something. That's not the basis He has salvation on. Here it is, but to Him that worketh not.
But to him that believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
I like that little verse because there it's talking about an ungodly man.
It has been said before, God doesn't come along and take a little whisper room and start to clean him off a little bit, get some of the dust and the dirt off him.
And start to work in his heart and his mind in such a way that it makes him a better person, no?
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. So while you're in your ungodly condition, you're in a lost condition. You're in a hopeless condition.
Faith is counted for righteousness.
And he justifies the ungodly.
What a God we have if a Sinner.
Turns from his ways and he justifies God. God turns right around and justifies that Sinner. Wow, that's wonderful.
And that's what we have tonight. We have a God that has made the way clear.
And open.
So that we can bring just our guilt, just our sins.
And we can tell him, here I am, Lord, save me.
Act 1631. There was a man there that was in desperate shape.
Inside this prison.
There was a duet being sung in praise.
Look it up here.
It goes like this.
The keeper of the prison waking out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, he draw his sword. This is after midnight.
Paul and Silas would pray, prayed, and they were singing.
Songs of praise unto God. They were exercising their they were holy priests. And then later on they're telling this man how to be saved. They were royal priests. But here's this duet. They're singing praise to God. The prisoners heard. God heard and he did a miraculous thing. He opened the prison doors and everybody could have escaped, right? But no, the man with a bad conscience, he wakes out of his sleep.
Sleeping with a bad conscience? You ever heard of such a thing? Oh yes.
He wakes out of his sleep, trembling, knowing that the prisoners are all fled. They've gone away.
And he says to him, Peace.
Don't do yourself any harm, we're all here.
This man, he calls for light trembling. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever trembled in the presence of God?
Up our way, young folks, they have.
There are cars pick up trucks and so on. On the back of it it says No Fear, No Fear. I think if they get enough of those stickers up, they'll convince themselves there's No Fear. But I'm going to say to you tonight is yes fear, yes fear. One man who was just about to die said to another man, dost not thou fear God? Don't you fear God?
Well, this man, he called for light, He sprang in old. There was a diligence there, wasn't there?
He fell down trembling.
00:10:03
And he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Believe.
And they said believe both of them. They said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house now your mommy, daddy are saved, are they?
Well, God has mine for you to be saved tonight. You're part of that family.
Maybe you don't have a family that's saved. Never heard the gospel. Perhaps tonight we want to tell you about the loveliness of Christ, how you can be saved, and that eternally God requires a blood sacrifice and this sacrifice that he has provided.
Is flawless.
We were mentioning earlier in the day about a savior that some say a savior could have sinned.
But he didn't, of course.
This is a very serious thing to say that, and now I will add this young people, you sometimes think about how nice it would be to get in a big church somewhere where there's a lot of activity and there's a lot of wonderful singing. What if the man that stood up in front of you said, well, we know that Christ could have sinned.
You know a lot of them do that. They say he didn't sin, but he could have.
Were not redeemed with corruptible things.
Silver and gold.
But with the precious blood of Christ uncorruptible, it cannot be corrupted.
And soul if you have a corruptible savior, you have a corruptible salvation.
If you have a savior.
That could sin, although He didn't. He's the same yesterday, today and forever. He's off in eternity with us, with us. We're in Him and He has this ability to sin and He sins. You're out now. Don't get excited about going to some church.
Where it's all activity, you might get some wrong doctrine children, might get some wrong doctrine young people.
What we had here that we had the Spirit of God allowing one brother to correct another brother, to bring in a verse, oh, that's sweet to my heart, the truth, the truth of God and the truth as to the person of Christ.
He's flawless. I just might say here, some people say, well, you know, he could have sinned, but he didn't know. What about the temptation when Satan took him up there on the mountain and the pinnacle of the temple and so on.
Didn't that just show that he he was able to resist that temptation? I'll explain it to you this way. I have to admit it's a feeble one, but if you can make anything out of it, good.
Do kids have Velcro? You know, on your shoes, you pull your strap over like this and you have a Velcro. All right, there's two parts to that Velcro. I don't know what they call them. There's a name, but let's call it part one and Part 2.
You take part one, put a big piece of Velcro up here, Part one.
And you take Part 2 and you throw it against that, it sticks like that.
There it is. It sticks.
Now the Lord Jesus, he had a human nature.
I have a human nature, I have a fallen human nature. There's quite a difference now.
Back to the Velcro.
If you take and put a piece of glass up here and you take and throw that same piece of Velcro at the glass, that what happens, Just hits it and fall right to the ground. There's absolutely no sticking.
Well, that's what our blessed Savior is. He has no ability to accept or receive sin into his life. Did it show something? Yes, it showed that there's no ability.
For him to sin God, who cannot lie.
Peter was a man of action, he said. He did no sin.
John, a man that lay on his bosom, affection, said.
In him was number sin.
Paul, the man with intellect, said about the Lord Jesus. He knew no sin. No, he's perfect.
And that's who we have to present to you tonight, our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins.
00:15:04
He redeemed us to God by His precious blood.
The wages of sin is death.
And I don't mean to speak disrespectfully or fluke or lightly. The minimum wage.
That's an item that's talked about in this world today.
Yes. I don't know what it is, 5/16 hour or something and something, I don't know. Anyway, the minimum wage, that's what you pay. You pay your workers at least that much.
One sin, the minimum wage death.
Oh, think about that.
Now tonight we're going to, oh, I'll tell you a little story, children. You might like this, and maybe you won't.
There's a young man, his name is Gregory Crane. He's probably not that young. I'd say he's maybe 30 years of old, 30 years of age. He's a flight instructor up at Moses Lake, WA. So he takes these folks up in the airplane.
And they fly along and get their instructions and then they transfer from the small single engine plane over to the double engine and jets and all that sort of thing. Well, they were up over that part of Washington and something happened to that one engine, something called magnetos makes the spark that makes that thing run.
Started spitting and coughing and so has two magnetos and they started acting up at the same time. And so he grabs the mic and he says Moses Lake Tower, this assessment 25E I've got a problem over here. I've got an engine that's giving me some trouble and I'm 20 miles north of whatever he said. He said I'm 20 miles north of town at 6000. We can give him all the information. So get him on radio and all that stuff.
And the man in the tower, he said, OK, I have you. So on, so on. Let's see on radio where he's going to give him some vectors and some things to do as you do this as your closest airport and so on. So how many souls on board?
Oh boy, this man didn't believe there was a God. He didn't believe he had a soul. Now you've got a problem, you've got a failing engine, and you've got a conscience that's really troubled.
What is he going to do?
Well, the engine kept sputtering along, sputtering along. And he made it back to the airport. He put it down and he went up in the tower and he said I didn't appreciate you telling me I had a soul.
He got upset with the air traffic controller.
That's the way the story was related to me.
Gregory Crane is his name. He didn't believe there was a God, but you tell him that he has a soul and he gets real nervous. He had more problem with that question of a soul than he did the engine in front of that airplane.
Well.
Another story.
Brent.
A man by the name of Brent Hitchpeth, he's an important guy over there at the Boeing Airplane Company and he was he and another man John were took an airplane from Seattle down to.
I believe it was Southern California to have some work done on it that day and so while the plane is being serviced.
They're out playing golf. Brent loves the Lord Jesus. He's put his faith and his trust in the Lord Jesus.
And he tries to live for the Lord, and he does throughout playing golf. And this man, he.
Takes his swing and he takes a lump of dirt right out of the ground, and he takes the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in vain.
And Brent, who is his boss, becomes very silent and he said, well, are you upset by my language? And he just, he could lose his job by saying, yes, yes, I'm very upset with your language. But he was careful.
And indicated that this may be not the thing to do.
OK, they get back in the airplane and it's John's turn to fly it from Southern California back to Everett, WA. It's a long airplane, 777.
And when you take off, you know you have to.
Pull the nose up, but you don't want to pull it up too far. You pull it up 3 1/2 degrees.
And then you wait until it leaves the ground, and then you put the rest away. Whatever you want to climb. Well, he was a little impatient, so he pulled her back maybe four or five degrees, and he ground the tail. Yeah. These are probably, what, $60 million airplanes? I don't know.
00:20:05
Or maybe $260.00, I don't know.
So now in the cockpit, Brent and John.
Very quiet and they climb higher and higher. Everything's OK. They climb higher and higher and higher and they get up to cruising altitude and.
Says to Brent.
Maybe God wasn't happy with my language either.
Oh my yes, man has a conscience.
Man has a soul.
Man has a heart, a moral story. Oh, I've heard this airplane story. They're good, aren't they?
Little girl sitting there with about four year old girl with her with her mother.
And we've been flying along and it's time to go down. And it's evidence it gets quieter in the cockpit. You feel a tip a little bit. And the clouds start. And the little girl says to her, mommy, She says, mommy, are we going down? No deer, we're coming down.
So she was trying to comfort. So the one the person has a heart also.
Oh, I'm telling you.
You know you can learn all these things in the scriptures.
Well.
We're not going to talk about evolution. Maybe we'll take that subject up. Sometimes young people have to deal with it in school. And so I'll just make a little mention of it here. It's one of the writers had this in there and I thought it was especially good, you know, why young people these.
These professors.
Want to get rid of the story of the creation because.
Then they don't have to be accountable to God at the end of the road.
They can dismiss all that stuff.
And.
Back in the Old Testament, there was a man, Ahab and Elijah, and there was a confrontation.
Who are they going to serve? Are they going to serve Bail? Are they going to serve the Lord God? And so they built an altar. Remember that They built an altar and they killed Bullock. They put it on the altar and they started going around this thing round and round and round, and they were begging Bail to hear them.
Begging. Oh, and they cut themselves and they did all these strange things.
But it was silent.
Nothing happened.
And, you know, today it's kind of that way. They're begging evolution to hear them. Oh, evolution hear us. Oh, evolution hear us. And the further they look down into the marvelous creation of God, it becomes more and more complex all the time. Now, there's a girl in here that works with the DNA.
She's a doctor.
And I need to sit down and ask for some more questions. I've talked to some people about this DNA business. I don't know much about it. I can't even my wife can tell you what DNA means. But it's the how your body is made, how God has put your body together. And inside this little tiny thing that you can't even see with your eye is a map that's 10 feet long.
Or more.
And it has the color of your eyes, the shape of your ears.
And the color of your hair. And all about your body.
Wow. And there's 10s of thousands of them, these little maps inside your body. And when men look down into that, they start to wonder, you know, this, this, this probably couldn't be evolution. So they have to think of something else.
I'm going to tell you something God created and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, He created you and He created this marvelous DNA and this world through which we're passing. And I know that one as my own Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior.
Well.
Nowhere does man show his inability in his feebleness more than when he takes up.
The subject of his beginnings. You have to go.
00:25:04
Moses. Moses wasn't even there when it happened.
Moses got this from the heart of God. In the beginning. God created the heavens and the earth.
Isn't that wonderful? Now if God wrote a book about.
Science. Do you think you'd be able to understand it? No, you wouldn't. Now, you boys, sometimes you slam a door real hard in. A cockroach comes out from underneath, you know, out from a matter of fact. I don't want to get delayed here, but Jack Roberts was raised on a farm in Kentucky with his brothers. He kind of raised them, and they had an old game they'd played. They'd slammed the door in the cockroach. See how many cockroaches they could get out from behind the lights?
Well, anyway, that's beside the point. It's interesting things, young people, how God has done things. And men are starting to look in to see how God has done this in connection with aviation and mechanics and all. And you get a little Ant that carries 10 times its own weight or more, and they start to wonder. So they took a little picture of a cockroach.
They took a picture of a cockroach and they slammed something down to get that cockroach going and they took a picture of it and that cockroach accelerated so fast that it got up on its back legs and just moved.
Every time man starts to look at creation.
He sees the wonders.
God, but the wonder of it all is Calvary.
That's where it's a wonderful law. In it the Lord Jesus Christ became a man, came down here amongst men.
And he went to that cross, grace, love, and he shed his precious blood. He laid down his life.
That just for the unjust to bring us to God. I know these thoughts are a little bit disconnected.
It's OK.
We read some verses.
Heaven released him.
He came down and Mary wrapped him.
In swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger.
The Spirit of God released him at about the age of 30 for service.
He served releasing others of sin and ******* the power of Satan and the Devil.
And then wicked hands took and bound him. They bound him.
And they led him to the cross, and they nailed him to a cross of wood.
And then he released his spirit.
Nicodemus.
Joseph Vermathea took linen clothes and balanced him.
Lovingly.
And then he was placed in a grave where corruption had never been before.
Never touched a new grave.
Sepulchre.
God released him.
Heaven received him.
And now you know what he's going to do. He's going to take a towel and he's going to gird himself. He's going to bind himself.
That blessed servant and he's going to come forth as we heard in the meeting this afternoon.
And he's going to serve us forever.
Isn't that beautiful?
What a life, what a person.
I'll tell you another story. Children like stories.
Man Vester.
He's a man about 30 years of age. He lives in a country far, far away.
Poor man, yet he had a little property.
Down at the bottom of the hill was a young girl. Her name was Florence.
Florence had a mother and a father and a mother left.
And then the father would leave and there was number food on her table. She basically had barely had a place to stay. And as time went on she became poor and poor and poorer.
Until she had no one. She was about maybe 19 years of age and she didn't have anybody except there's a young man asked her house and talked to her on occasion.
00:30:08
There was a Hut, I suppose.
And he lived up the hill.
And.
One day this girl came up the hill. They were well acquainted, and she said, Man, Bester, I want to tell you something.
I don't have any mother.
I don't have any father.
I don't have a house, I don't have any food, I'm running out of clothes. I've got absolutely nothing. Nothing now.
She said Man, Buster, if you have me.
I'm yours.
My investor went over to his father, said father.
There's this girl. Her name is Florence.
And I love her.
And I would like to marry her. What do you think?
Well, he says, you, you know her. Yes, I know her.
Do you love her?
Yes, I love her.
Well, I think that would be good. So my investor said yes, I will take you as my wife.
Now this.
Influence, dear sister in the assembly in Umpumpo, Malawi.
Her husband serves the Lord constantly. That's how you need to come to the Lord Jesus. You just tell Him.
I'm lost.
IA Sinner.
I'm covered with sins and I need to be saved.
And you come just as you are. Last conference we sang that song just as I am, without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me. And now thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come and I wanted. Has anybody ever been saved? Surely someones been saved singing that song. Few days later I heard about a woman that quit had been saved in her younger days singing that song. What a beautiful song, just as I am. You come to the Lord Jesus tonight and you're broken and you're helpless condition. And the precious blood of Christ will wash every stain of sin away.
You will become a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
And then you will let the Lord Jesus serve you forever. But you know you have a chance now to serve Him.
Have a chance now to serve him.
This world is a very sad place. The brother announced just an hour or so ago that I believe it's southern India somewhere.
I'm not sure there was an earthquake that reached 8 point something which is.
Horrendous, terrible, terrible thing.
And these waves come and they will wash. These huge waves will come and wash. And I've wondered, young people, why the United States?
Gets by so often.
Tragedies here, tragedies, their famines and wars and things. Now there is problems, don't get me wrong.
But here we sit here after you have come to this conference for 45 years.
And God in his mercy has given us a full dinner plate. Every time we come the word of God, it just gets expounded beautifully and our hearts are lifted up and cheered.
Do you think time may run out?
You know something back in the days.
Of Sodom, which is the days we're living in now. They just had a few hours.
To prepare.
There was a man in Luke 16. He had his lifetime to prepare. How old are you children? I saw a little boy. His name was Evan. He's three years of age. He was almost as cute as my grandson.
And then?
There was a Noah, He was building that art for many years. They had seven more days. I wondered if the day of grace is up and this is just an extension because of the heart of God doesn't want anybody to go to hell tonight.
This man, rich man, he had maybe 50 years, he said. He had his lifetime. Maybe he had 70.
The people of Jericho remember when Joshua went and sent those men into Jericho, They said we know what happened.
00:35:05
When the sea opened up and let you children of Israel through and we're scared to death.
Did they do anything about it? They didn't think about it. Nothing.
They had 40 years to consider that.
Bill Schazzer.
He was, they said of him. You knew all this about what happened to your father was at the grandfather.
Whole generation to think about what happened, how his father was reduced down, down, down to where he was eating grass. Though thou knewest all this.
Judas. He had three years, didn't he?
Pharaoh. How many months did he have? I'm guessing he had three months.
Those 10 plagues to roll over that rebellious man and then him end up dead. And I was down there in Egypt and this young man was taking me through the museum there in Egypt. And they had this stone with all these figures of these kings and so on and on down. And I opened my mouth a little too fast. I said, oh, show me where Moses and, and, and that king was. Oh, so that's down there. And he took off.
He didn't want to tell me about that, so he had a testimony also.
Yes, that man Ferrell had some time to repent. Did he repent? You know he didn't.
And then there was a place that had 40 days and it was going to be overthrown. Can anybody tell, can any of you always tell me where that what city that was yet 40 days and.
Nineveh. Nineveh.
Did Nineveh repent? You know it was 120 thousand kids in there, Evan size. Where's that guy? Someone raised hand.
He's back there, three years old. He doesn't know his right hand from his left. I don't think he might.
But he was little. They were little. The 100. And does God love the little ones? Oh yes, he does. I want to just say something about little ones tonight.
Little ones in the arms of their mommy and daddy, those little ones are safe. They're safe. If they were to die tonight, they're safe. And you know why? Because the Lord Jesus came to say that which was lost. There's a lost one who's born lost. Lord Jesus came to save him.
But there's another situation that comes along when someone starts to be able to think about that reason about that when they hear the gospel, they say, well, I, I see what you're getting at, but I'm not interested.
Now that person has to be sought after, Luke 1910 says. For the Son of Man came to seek.
And to save that which was lost.
No, you can look at those little ones on their mother's breasts and you can say rest in peace. Rest in peace, little lamb. Jesus die.
But there's some here tonight that better not. Rest in peace.
Because they're responsible.
Yes, there is such a thing as sovereignty. There is such a thing as choosing.
That's all true.
But if you hear the gospel of the grace of God and you say I'm not interested, the responsibility falls right square on your shoulders.
It's all yours because Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
And the chief was saved.
Oh, you can be saved tonight. The wages of sin is death. But.
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now getting back to this.
Seven days in the days of Noah after the ark was a preparing yet seven days we heard about this tragedy that happened in India. Do you know how much time did those people have before those tidal waves and those buildings shook down? I don't know what happened down there, but it sounds awful beyond description.
How much time? They may not have had many any time or but they have their lifetime.
And then you get down to the days of Sodom, which I believe were there. The days of Sodom. I'm going to try to find a verse for you in Job.
00:40:12
And I want to ask you, have you ever thought about how many times?
Story of Sodom has talked about in the Bible. How many different books of the Bible do you think they talk about Sodom?
Maybe 3?
Oh surely must be more than that. Maybe 5.
6.
7.
8-9 Ten times.
Ten different books maybe.
11 books of the Bible. Wait a minute. Yeah, more than that.
12 books of the Bible. Oh, do you mean this world knows about Sodom? Yes it does. This world knows about Sodom.
Going down a road one time to Wesley Christensen's house.
A little Toyota passed me up and had a big block print in the back window that said remember Lot's wife?
Yes, this world knows about Sodom way back in the book of Job. I want to read you a verse, chapter 36 and verse 14. You didn't know that Sodomites was in the book of Job, did you?
Well, you looked in the margin of my Bible and there it is.
Job 3614. They die in youth.
Let's make you cry. They die in their youth.
And their life is among the unclean.
Sodomites, the margin says in my Bible.
16 books of the Bible. Maybe 17 books of the Bible.
Sodom, Sodomites. Sodoma.
And here it's unclean.
Sodom, that's where we are tonight.
How much time did they have? In the middle of the night these men came in. In the evening time, these men came in and this man, he was so mixed up. His name was Lot, had a wonderful uncle. He's up on the hill walking with God.
But here with this man down the city trying to straighten it out, make it a better place, I suppose if they had a stock market, he'd have been right in there. Let's keep things going good here in this city, and let's keep prosperity and all the rest of it.
And so when the men came to his door, the men of the city, they were going to breakdown the door. And well, just before that he, he went out to them.
And.
They said bring those men out.
No, don't. Don't do that, my brethren.
What? Oh, he'd become a friend. He'd become a friend of the world.
Think about this verse, and I don't. If you want your parents to explain it to you, they're welcome to do it.
They die in their youth.
Die on their youth. Terrible.
Their lives are among the unclean.
Oh, when Abraham was counting down.
If there be 50, righteous. If there be 40, righteous. If there be 30, righteous. If there be 20 and he stops, oh what was going through his heart?
There were relatives. Lot had his loved ones in there.
And when they left the city, like the brother said, in the hand of an Angel.
And they depart the city. Don't look back. That woman, her heart. Her heart.
Turn. She looked back.
And she became a pillar of salt. Salt preserves. Has that story been preserved to this day?
God's Word is wonderful and it's powerful.
And it's forever.
Think about that.
Would you like to hear another story?
Man bester this dear man and his wife, they live upon the mountain. You can go to see him if you like.
They even have beds in their house.
He went to his garden one morning.
And he brought his dog along with him and his tall grass alongside the pathway, and he was walking along and something hidden between the shoulder blades like this. And he stumbled forward and spun around to see what had.
What had bumped him?
00:45:02
Just in time to see a nine foot long snake wrapped around his little dog.
And killed it right there.
I said, man, Bester, what did you do? I said oh **** was shaking.
And he went to town, of course, and got some men and they go out. He said that's they couldn't find it. It was gone. The dog was gone and the snake was gone. This shows up about every two years.
And the name. I couldn't give you the name because they don't speak my language.
But you know, young people, there is an enemy out there. It's far worse than that snake. That snake could take you out of his world.
But there's one that wants to take you to hell.
You don't want to go to hell.
You've got a testimony, your mother, your father.
Oh, I'll tell you another story.
There's a young man, his name is Brent. These stories are about Brent tonight, young black man, 19 years of age, such a pleasant young guy, but he had an empty void in his heart. And he'd come by the back of the shop where I'm working there. He worked right next door. And so we would chat.
And he'd be slid down the seat of his little Honda Civic and the windows would be vibrating.
And he would be have that stereo turn right up there and he was trying to extract as much enjoyment on that thing as he could.
He came in the shop and he's talking to me. I said Brent, I said somebody's praying for you. Is it your Mama? Is it your auntie? Is it your grandma? He put his head down and said my grandma.
Who's praying for you tonight?
Young man, young woman, Are those guys over to school or down to party at the rock concert? Are they praying for your souls?
No, it's Grandma.
Mama.
A couple weeks later.
Brent came through the door on a Monday morning, he says. You know what happened to me?
Brent yes, I got saved. I saved.
Blessed salvation, are you saved?
If the Lord Jesus came tonight, would you go up?
Now Brent went away to school down in the South somewhere and he called me on the phone. Brent, are you still going on? Oh, I'm going on with the Lord Jesus.
Oh, a blessed thing.
Do you know the Lord Jesus?
There was a little boy in Bermuda. His name was Calvin Virgil.
His Mama would take him to Sunday school.
He was 10 years of age.
I love those people down there.
Anyway, Kelvin Virgil, his grandma would take him to school Sunday school, and while she was walking along the Sunday school, the other boys would watch him and they'd start making fun of him.
And he would break away from his grandma and he'd go over there and he'd start swinging at these boys, beating them up. And she'd run over and throw her arms around him and said, oh, Lord, save him. Save him. Save him for save him.
All he was saved. He was saved.
Now let me put it this way. Boys, girls, young people.
Ever build a campfire?
Sure you have. Take a log, put it there.
And you take some kindling, put it there, paper, put it there, cardboard, slide it underneath there, some more newspaper under there, some more kindling under there.
And there it is sitting. What does it mean?
Anybody tell me?
Fire is matched.
Your mother and your father praying for you tonight to make it safe. Boys, girls.
Mike is saved. They put those prayers.
They put that kindlen in there and there's just one thing left to have happened. You just say yes, Lord Jesus, and there you are, alive for Christ.
Living and burning brightly for him. Oh, what a blessed thing.
There's nothing in this world that can compare with it. I wish we had another hour. I'll tell you a story about a guy by the name of Whitaker.
Three years ago, or two rather, I looked in the paper and this guy, Jack Whitaker.
Run $130,000,000 in a in a lot lottery down in the southeast part of the United States. Jack Whitaker was his name.
00:50:08
$30 million.
The other day I saw a paper and there Jack Whittaker was in there again. You thought, wow, you know, here he's probably all set up with a Learjet and, you know, a couple of homes in the Caribbean and on and on and on.
No, that's not what happened. Jack Whittier, you've been in trouble with the law 3. He's been broken into three times.
And there's been a dead body found in his house. Wait a minute, isn't winning the Lotto best thing that can happen to you?
No, it's been a life of misery the last two years. It basically said that that man has had an awful time fighting with this person. That person and people breaking into his home and distressing his life. Who would your friends be if they knew you had 30 million bucks?
Know what you need, young person. You need Christ.
That's what you need, little ones. They need the Lord Jesus. They need him.
If you're a young person and you're in school and there's troubles, you can't figure this out. Oh, that person's treating you bad. You need the Lord Jesus.
He'll take care of that for you. Or you get middle-aged and you're raising families, a family and you have children.
Oh, you need the Lord Jesus. He's there. You become older and your health fails. There he is, right there, the Lord Jesus.
When it comes time to leave this world, I've spent so many people to say, Lord Jesus, and for thy hands I commit my spirit.
You need him all the way through life. There's nothing, Nothing more sweet, nothing more precious.
Nothing more blessed than having Christ as your own personal Savior.
For God so loved the world.
That he gave his only begotten Son.
That whosoever.
Believeth in him.
Should not perish.
But have everlasted life.
Beautiful.
It's yours for the taking.
So we pray.
David the Forgotten One; The Seduction of Christianity
YP Sing Address—D. So, E. 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.
Oh, how would I start with this? I normally in young people him saying I like to divide people into groups, but I think this is too big to control that. Some of you probably remember Scranton when we did that with three groups, they turned into quite a bit of fiasco. So perhaps I would do a little bit of speaking tonight because I find when it comes to evening like this, I'm tired to listen. So I don't know about you now do something for me if the person next to you started nodding their head to agree with me.
You have to help me out and give them a little jab just to make sure that either they're really agreeing with me or just resting their eyes.
I was thinking of a.
Passage here. Perhaps we can turn to that first in First Samuel.
Well, before we even read this, maybe I'll talk a little bit of why I think about that.
Young people, this is what this is for. How many of us feel we're still young people here? I am well, as young people, I don't know if you ever feel this. We've been told that the Lord has something for us to do. Have you been told that there's something you want us to do? But sometimes we don't know what it is, and it seems that we've been told that a long time ago. So I thought tonight perhaps we can look at someone who was told that he's going to do something great.
But he seems to have waited and waited and waited before he gets to do it. You know what I mean by that? Do you feel that now, before you can even understand that?
I don't know a lot of you, you know, in the East Coast, I look down the crowd. I I know most of the young people there. Here, I can still recognize many of the faces. My concern about talk like this is just this that many hope. Perhaps I should use the word some are still lost. We had the gospel before us not long ago. If you are still lost and do not have the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, what we talk about tonight wouldn't really matter to you.
So before you learn anything else, you must have to Lord Jesus as your own Savior, put it on the front as war reminded tonight will not help you. We need him as our Savior first. Now I'd like to turn to first Samuel chapter 16. There is a a young fellow that I want to talk about. His name is David. Part of the reason I'd like to talk about that is I think he has a very nice name.
David.
David has a little bit of a problem. You know, David in this chapter was supposed to be anointed as king. And the problem I see here is this. His own brethren, including his father, didn't think anything of him. Can you associate with that? And now why do you think I say this? Well, let's read a couple of the verses and see my rendition of it and see if it's closed. But we know Samuel came looking for someone to anoint in this chapter.
And we know we've gone through his brother, so let's go right down for the sake of time. It will start at verse 9. Then Samuel made Shama to pass by, and he said neither had the Lord chosen this. And again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel sat under Jesse, the Lord has not chosen thee. So here we see Samuel gone through one after the other, seven more gone past. No, not the right one.
And then he have to ask this question. Verse 11. And Samuel said unto Jesse.
Out there are hear all thy children. And he said, thou remaineth yet the youngest. And behold, he keepeth the sheep. Well, I think of it this way. This is my rendition. It's almost like when he's asking, they go, Oh yeah, there is still a David out there. Do you ever feel that you have been forgotten? You know his own brothers, his own father. Look how important this is. He's looking for a king to anoint.
Oh, no, yeah, we're that David. That's right. He's still out there.
Well, we know the following verses that David was brought in verse 12 and he sinned and brought him in. Now he was ready and with all of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to, and the Lord set, arise, anoint him for this is he. Well that was nice, isn't it? Now I know some of us would think that, you know, we've been forgotten, you know, like David. Oh, they're doing the dirtiest job possible and they've forgotten that he should have been the king.
And the part that we remember is we are ready. We're with all a beautiful countenance. Right. Look at me. And they forgot about me. Well, nevertheless, the Lord anointed David. Well, young people, you've all been here, having given or been told. You have been made both kings and priests. You're going to be a king. No, you are a king. Do you feel that? Now look at David here after he was anointed.
00:05:20
You know what happened to him.
Did he move him to the palace?
The Samuel said you saw bringing the chariot and bringing this new king. I don't think we read of that here, do we? In fact, David, if you look at it, I think if you keep going to Second Samuel, and I think it's not until the, oh, I think it's the 7th chapter. If you keep going down there, let me see if I can find this here in Second Samuel.
Further down into Second Samuel, I'm sorry I lost my place here. Now in the 5th chapter before he was reigning as king when he was 30 years old, some somewhat 1516 years later. So what happened in between? As this boy David, anointed to be the king just like you are, You have been made kings and priests. Well, let's go back to the 16th chapter. What do we know about David here?
Well, let's see you know the latter part of Chapter 16.
Saw, we know that he got in a lot of trouble and he needs someone to play music for him. And someone suggested, oh, yeah, remember that Jesse's son, we heard him playing harp out there. Yeah, I think he's pretty good, you know. So they bring him in and that tells us what David was doing. So let's go down to verse 19. Wherefore Saul send messenger unto Jesse and said, send me David thy son, which is with a sheep.
So what did David do after he was anointed king?
He gone back to look after sheep. That's a lowly job. I mean, this is for kids that really have no skills, right? He's out there. I mean, we read later on his brothers, a big and strong, they go to war and David was saying to send them some some supplies for them. So David anointed back with his old dirty job. But you know, it's just like us here. How many of you come to a conference like this? You get all excited, you learn things and you encourage one another. You watch your friends. They all want to go on for the Lord and you want to go on for the Lord too. You know what I mean by that?
And then come Monday, we'll go back to school.
Oh boy, that's another world again, isn't it? And all that excitement is gone. Well, you know the Lord allows that. You see, in David's case.
He was set anointed as king, but the Lord knew that he wasn't ready. He has to go to school in a sense. What did he have to learn before beforehand? Well, let's see now who can help me? I'm looking for the chapter where he's going to fight, fight Goliath. Now something you know these verses well. And Saul said to him, how are you going to fight this big man Goliath? And David then has to bring out his credentials. It's almost like bringing out his report and say, hey, I can handle this guy. And because I went to school in the backside of the desert, right? What did he do in the meantime? He learned well.
Maybe I'll tell you in 17, in 17th chapter here we find out in between these times. These are some of the many things that David has to learn because it will come in handy later. So let's see in verse 33 and Saul said to David, thou are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him. For thou art but a youth and he is a man of war from his youth. Well, how many times have you been told that you can't handle that? You're still a kid and these guys are so seasoned about it.
And David in verse 34 said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb off the flock. And I went out after him, and smoked him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smoked him, and slewed him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear. In this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he had defile.
The the armies of the living God and David said, moreover, the Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the lion and of the paw of the bear. He shall deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. So David Powers credential, what did he do? He learned how the wrestle bears and how many of you get to do that?
00:10:15
Not too often a well, you know, there are a lot of things that you get to learn at the mean time.
He learned to fight lions. He learned to handle bears. He learned to handle sheep. He needs to be gentle with those that need to be gentle. He needs to know how to fight something that came as fierce as a lion and as a bear. And you know what else you have to learn? You have to learn how to jump out of the way of javelins coming at him too. You know there are many things you have to learn. And through all these years, David learned. For some 1516 years, the Lord put him quietly on the side, learning the skills required.
So that when he when is the rightful time for him to do his work. In this case as a king, he was able to do it.
What are we to do? What are we to do? Well, I'd like to turn to a verse in, I think it's in Second Timothy.
Two Timothy, chapter 2.
We're young people here, we have school to learn, we have things to learn from school, but we also need to learn from the school of God too. Second Timothy chapter 2, verse 15 sets your study to show thyself approve unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Oh, is that important? Very much so, isn't it? You know, in school we study a lot of things. Some of you learn it through the academic side, and maybe some of you learn it through doing things hands on. But you go to school to learn something. Here we're told to study. Study to show thyself. Approve unto man. Am I right in saying that?
Now he said unto God, And you know the reason I use the word man is we'll find often we do things to please our friends.
Do we?
Yeah, we do, don't we? Because we're afraid that they're going to say something if we do it differently than what other people do. But here, study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Learn to rightly dividing the word of God.
Getting lead, we won't expand on that, but I want to go on just a little bit more.
Some of you.
Well, all of us come from various backgrounds. Am I right in saying that I'm sure here in the West Coast here.
Is different.
And from where we are?
Right. Things are better in the East Coast, right?
Oh, that's all relative I guess, right? Some of you are from Canada, you know it's better there, right?
I mean, we have to trade, what, 10 inches of snow to come down here for this 6075° weather? Well, I didn't mind that. No, I say that jokingly, but we all grew up differently. So some of you may say, but you don't understand. When I go home, it's so different. Am I right in saying that? You know, when I go to school, it's so different, you don't understand. It's easy here when everybody speaks the same language.
Everybody would encourage us to go on with the word of God. Well, we have to learn that the Lord put us.
In different situations because he wants you to shine for them. You know, sometimes I thought of this.
How come the Lord doesn't put us all together? Wouldn't it be nice that we're all together all the time?
We don't have to phase the world, but I remember Brothers spoke on this one time at Sunday school. He said, he said, have you ever noticed in most cities they have streetlights? You know, I flew into here last night. It only took us about 13 hours and a three hours flight. We get to see overhead what LA is like. We see street light all over the place. And he said something funny about street light is that he said, I haven't seen a place where they gather all the street lights and put them in one spot.
I said, Can you imagine if we put them all in one spot, how bright that would be?
Well, you're laughing, but you know what I'm trying to say there, don't you? The Lord want us to shine for them.
We got, we ought to be a testimony for him wherever we are. That's why we're here now. We have about 10 more minutes. You still awake?
00:15:09
OK, I promise that they'll give you some goodies after this. OK? If you stay here, wait for 10 more minutes.
I like to look at a few more kings and see how perhaps from different family, different backgrounds, see if things would be different. And I like to first look at in Second Chronicles.
Let's go to 2nd chronic codes.
Chapter Well, let's start as chapter 25. By the way, the example I'm going to use doesn't matter which king we're going to use, you'll find we find the similar things. As you know, there are 21 Kings of Judah and only about six or eight of them that are good and many were evil. And there are about 21 Kings of Israel and none of them the word of God speak of anything good about. And we can learn a lot of lessons from these kings.
I'm just going to go through it very briefly. We're not going to go through 21 of them in 10 minutes.
So we'll just pick a few. Chapter 25 and Messiah was 20 and five years old when he began to reign and reigned 20 and nine years in Jerusalem. Verse two, he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Now I just picked this king to start somewhere. So we know, here's him. Look at him as a father because I want to look at his son afterwards. So here's one who walked rightly before God. Yes, we know he will have some faults too.
But here we know that basically the Lord told us that He walked rightly before God. So I like that as an example for many of us here who grown up in a Christian home where your parents walk rightly before God. Am I right in saying that many of you have that privilege from a very nice home? Now his son, chapter 26, his son's name is Uzziah. Now what do we know of Uzziah?
Well, let's just read a little bit of that.
Uzziah verse four, chapter 26, Two Chronicles chapter 26, verse four. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father and Messiah did. Oh, isn't that nice? We see one walk the same way as his father before the Lord, and we can look around us and he can find some of your friends did just that. You can see He's just like his father.
He walked right before the Lord. Now Uzziah got a lot of problems.
Even though he walked right look at the next verse verse five and he thought God in the days of Zachariah who had understanding in the visions of God and as long as he sought the Lord God made God made him to prosper. I said he has a problem did that verse sounds very bad about Uzziah.
I don't think so. Was I wrong in that? Well, let's look at it again. You see, if that was right before God and He saw God in the day of Zechariah.
That's nice, isn't it? And we ought to. And that's why we're here at a conference, is this. That's why we're here and the young people get together. It's the fact that we want to encourage you to seek the Lord, to walk in a way pleasing to him. But here is a little catch. He did it as long as Zechariah liveth.
Without Zacharias encouragement, we find later on he didn't walk right before the Lord. Do you need to walk because somebody else is holding you?
We need to pay close attention to that. Are we walking before the Lord because we want to seek the Lord?
He was raised in a nice home.
He walked, right and we find, and we're not here to find fault with the servants of the Lord. We find later on that it got to his, it got to his head and he sinned, but nevertheless it was considered a good king. So now we see a father raised a son who walked before the Lord. Let's go to the 27th chapter. Now, does that mean that the tradition would carry on? Now let's look at Amaziah's son or Uzziah a grandson or Uzziah's son. By the way, I didn't make a mistake when I say son. You'll find in scriptures often when they say son, it could mean grandson too, and that's the way scripture worded so.
Just as a side comment now, chapter 27.
And Joe them was 20 and five years old when he began to reign.
00:20:04
Verse two. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Oh, isn't it nice? Here's the father, a son and a grandson all walk in the way. Isn't it nice? But some of you say, wait a minute. And my family is not like that. Well, let's see if God tells us more again. What? I'm just going to jump now to chapter 28. His son Ahaz Ahaz was 20 years old. Now remember, this is from a godly genealogy. The great grandfather, the grandfather, the father. Now come the son. Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign.
Well, I think some of you, there are quite a few here, would be in that age group, wouldn't that 20 years old, young as it can be. And he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. Oh, now the next part. Read it carefully. It's sad he did not.
That which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father. How sad David has to go to school. Remember to learn.
Here when we get to his great, great, great grandson, even though his father, his grandfather, and great grandfather before him walk rightly before the Lord, he did evil in the sight of the Lord. Verse 3.
Verse 2 For He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also motive images of Balaam. Moreover, he burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his children in fire.
After the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. Oh, how sad to see someone who know what the truth is.
He did. That was wrong. Before God, he worshiped other gods. He let his friends take over. And he walked like his friends, the other kings of Israel who worship Balaam. He even sacrificed his own children by fire. Oh, how sad to see that. Well, now you may say that. Some of you may say, yeah, you know, my family was like that. I didn't have the proper upbringing, as many of you do. Well, does that change anything?
Now let's look at his son real quick. Let's go to chapter 29.
Hezekiah, his son Hezekiah. Hezekiah began to reign when he was 5 and 20 years old. Verse two. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. I'm sorry of the Lord according to all that David his father hath done. Well, what did Hezekiah's father did that was so wrong? Ahaz himself. Let's look at what Hezekiah did and you'll see that what his father did, I'm going to jump right down.
To verse six for our fathers, that Hezekiah's father have trespassed and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the inhabitants, from the habitations of the Lord, and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put all the lambs, and have not burned incense, nor offer burned offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
Well, we knew he worshipped all the gods, so here Hezekiah listed three things. And that we have to be very careful with. He said his father shut up the doors of the porch. He put out the lamb, and he stopped burning incense in the House of the Lord. So what does that all that mean? Shut up the doors of the porch? Well, he stops people from approaching the temple.
Some of you are bobbing. You got a job, You're friends for me.
And he shut the door of the temple.
He put out the light, the lambs. Now we know the lamb. If you study the word of God, He speaks of the Holy Ghost because they use oil, lamb, and the oil speaks of just that. So they stay away from the church, from the temple. They rejected the Holy Ghost for helping them and they stop during burnt offerings. Burnt offerings speaks of the offering to God, about our Lord Jesus Christ, The perfectness in everything of him ascended to God.
So in our today's term is we don't go to meeting anymore. We don't want to have the spirit to lead us.
We want nothing to do with Christ. What Hezekiah has to revert all that?
Even though his father did evil and turned all the people away, because of that he did to open up. So if you have a family that's different, well, it is still up to you to follow after our God. Now there are many examples we can go, we can go through with these kings and you'll find whether they are good parents or have bad parents, you find that it doesn't really matter. Every one of them has to sod the Lord according to the way of God.
00:25:29
Well, what lesson is there for us?
The lesson, really, is this regardless.
Regardless of your family background. Regardless of your friends.
What are you to do? You know, a question was raised. If you remember, a brother Chuck mentioned all these things that we talked about. How is that going to affect your life?
Now this is Friday, this is a long conference. You have Saturday and Lords Day come Monday.
Is this going to change?
Now if you wait till Monday to change, it may be too late when you go back to your room tonight.
How are you?
What are you going to do that could change how you walk before God and man?
And don't look at your friends first.
Because sometimes one of the worst things we have of friends, you know, friends, we need friends. Don't get me wrong on that. But sometimes friends can Hindu as more so.
What are you to do now? I'm going to quote one more verse because I think I just ran overtime by one minute there.
I want to turn to one. I'd like to turn to one more verse in Philippians.
Is it OK if I spend 2 more minutes?
You OK with that?
All right.
Now all this thing that we talked about, I know many of you already know this, You find that when you come to conference, sometimes you really say to yourself, I didn't learn a lot of things new, but I've been reminded a lot of things that I have learned but I've forgotten. Am I right in saying that, you know, a lot of it's not new?
Well, this is what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians chapter 4 verse nine, and I think many of you can appreciate the first part of this verse.
Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me.
Can you associate with that the things that you have both learned, received, heard, and seen in me?
You know, sometimes people will say, look at that speaker. He's saying the same thing over and over and again. I remember a brother was at our place last week and he was making fun. I guess we ought to, we make fun of certain brothers. We try to do invitation of certain ones, right? And he said about his brother is this, oh boy, this is the 7th time I heard him talk about his granddaughter. Well, that's, you know, sometimes it's hard to say the same thing, right? But anyway, here it's just things that you have both heard and learned and received and heard and seen.
It's not new things, you know it, And some of you can stand up here and preach better than many of us can. And I'm sure you do an imitation at home when you play, don't you?
And even with the right accent at times.
But this verse did not stop there. There's one little word, it has only two letters in it, and it's the toughest word to follow.
That you notice I stopped before that word. Do you know what that word is?
What is it?
What?
Do Christianity is an action word? It's not just all talk, is it?
Faith and work is together, isn't it?
These things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do. And the God of peace shall be with you. If you want to see a change in your life you need to do, you need the first thing to do is not What you're going to do is to be on your knees before the Lord and ask Him what He wants you to do.
And I believe that would be a very good start. Let's commend ourselves. Let's look at Two Timothy chapter 3.
And verse 13.
Second Timothy 313 But evil men and seducers shall work wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
00:30:09
You know, some years ago, probably five or six years ago, I was talking to her brother Bob Tony, many of you know Bob and, and know him quite well. We were visiting about some things that he said, have you ever read the book The Seduction of Christianity? And I said, no, I've never heard of that. So he referred it to me and suggested I read it. And I read that in the sequel to that book about it about the same time. And how many here have ever read that book? Had a curiosity.
Reggie.
Nobody's else familiar with that book.
One other person. OK, well, I'll describe some things about it for you then, because in recent months we've had some dear friends of ours who have really struggled with some things spiritually and in their family and.
They've been turning to some things that seem to be somewhat questionable, and so the last week or so, again, I pulled out one of those books again and thought, well, I better get brushed up in some of that stuff. It's an interesting title, isn't it? The seduction of Christianity.
And I appreciate Brother Bob Tony referring me to that because I believe that he brings out some things that are exceedingly important in that book. And I'd like to speak a little bit about that. And let me give you just a little summary of some things first that maybe you can appreciate. I also went to college some some over 30 years ago now too. And before I went to college, I'm thankful that like many of you young people, I had the privilege of being raised in little meetings.
Where I heard the truth of God. That's a wonderful thing, isn't it, To hear the truth of God. And I heard the things we've been hearing today. Again, I heard that about the all sufficiency of Christ.
I heard that we sang the song as we often sing, Jesus, Thou art enough the mind and heart to fill. And we sang, Have I an object, Lord below, which would divide my heart from thee? Many of those hymns that we still sing. And I'm so thankful that I learned the truth of Christianity there, just as I hope you, dear young people, are learning the truth of simple Christianity, that Jesus is sufficient. He can fill our hearts and our minds.
That's a wonderful truth, not just for our heads, but more importantly, it's a wonderful thing to learn in our lives. I learned that the scriptures were all sufficient, and I think you people of young people have heard that too. But you know, there's always a tendency to take other things and mix them in with the scripture, as if the scripture really weren't enough. It's one thing to mouth certain truth that we've heard we hear. It's another thing to mix it up with some other things, isn't it? So I was taught, as I'm sure most of you young people have, that.
The Scripture are all sufficient that the scriptures are the revealed word of God and that they contain all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
And so I was taught those things. I was taught some other things we heard today, thankfully, again, some of the resources for the pathway of faith. It's a difficult pathway, isn't it? In many respects. Nobody ever said Christianity would be easy, but you know, life isn't easy either. But there are resources for the pathway of faith. We spoke about one of them, the all sufficiency of Christ. He won't disappoint us. We spoke about the perfection and the sufficiency of the Scriptures.
We heard today about the fact that we have the indwelling Spirit of God, what a wonderful, powerful truth that is. And so these many resources we have, the Lord Jesus Christ up on high as our high priest. Do you think you keep yourself? Sometimes I think that way. I know better. But sometimes we think, well, you know, we kind of get what we deserve. That's not always true, is it? There is such a thing as the government of God. But so often, you know, it's the grace of God that preserves us, doesn't it? We do things, we take certain steps.
The Lord preserves us by His grace. He takes us back from the precipice. So another resource of great of for the pathway of faith is the priesthood of Christ, the high priesthood of Christ. Aren't those wonderful things? I learned those things in the little meetings where I was raised as a child, and I'm so thankful for that. Then I went away to college and immediately I found out some different things, as I suspect many of you young people have, not only in college but also in high school. I found out, first of all, practically, if I didn't know it theoretically.
That the God of this world is Satan. The God and Prince of this world is not God, not the God we heard about in the meeting room, but the God and Prince of this world, according to scripture, is Satan. And so when I went to college, they were basically indoctrinating me in a rival religion. That religion had two parts to it, mainly. The one part is called humanism. It says that man is the measure of all things. And I studied, one of my majors was biology. Maybe you've studied biology before.
00:35:26
And of course, they taught us that there's a unifying system to biology, and that's called evolution. And Needless to say, it's managed. Religion always does. You know, you start out with a piece of dirt, I guess. And it changes miraculously over these years, in spite of the laws of thermodynamics that they teach us. Nonetheless, it supposedly migrates into these various things. It's really just, it's really just a form of Hinduism, isn't it?
Reincarnation is really what it is. It goes from one form to another and it always goes higher. And guess who's right at the top? Well, it's man, It's a rival religion. And I learned something else in those classes, and that is that, you know, they've had some problems with that theory of evolution because the fact is that the more scientists have learned about biology, they realized and, and chemistry, they realize how sophisticated and complex it really is. And some people have gotten out their calculators and computers.
And figured out that it's it's impossible for such complexity to have come together.
By probability and chance, it's not even close. It's impossible. So now we have an idea called Neo Evolution.
And this is the second great religion that I was taught, this rival religion I might mention in college. And this new evolution says, well, there's got to be some kind of a guiding hand. It's impossible according to many of the scientists in in, in the statisticians and probably people who do probability tests, it's impossible for these things to happen by chance. So therefore there must be a guiding hand, which is really what we sometimes call the New Age movement. So when I went to college.
I learned 2 new rival religions to Christianity. The one was humanism, which says man is the measure of all things, not God, who have been taught to been taught about in the meeting room. But I learned that it was according to according to the system of which Satan is the God and Prince, that in fact it's that man is the measure of all things, not God. And then secondly, I learned about this new age system. And this new age system is really the occult. It's really just heathenism with the new name.
But it is the occult. It has to do with supernatural systems. Can it work? It can work in parts because there is such a thing as supernatural powers. They're demonic powers, not divine powers. And that's the thing we have to remember and understand. But these are the two rival religions. I was taught in biology, and nobody actually explained it to me and said this is a rival religion to Christianity. It's much more subtle than that, isn't it? But I was taught that pretty plainly. Well, I was interested in teaching some, and I did teach for 10 years.
And so they say, well, if you want to teach, you have to take certain psychology classes. So I started taking psychology classes and, you know, I found the same thing, the same two rival religions underlined what they taught in psychology class. Freud was an agnostic and he talked about, he talked about these wild theories that have never been proved. And there's a number of conflicting schools in psychology and so on and so on and so forth. And so they ran into some of the same problems the evolutionists did. And so they said, well.
Since this doesn't work by itself, I guess we have to bring in some system to get it to work.
And so it's a proven fact that many psychologists are turning to the occult to try to get results. It's a bankrupt system by itself. So they turn to a power that's higher than themselves. It, again, is a rival religion. That's my point. So I learned those things in college, and I suspect many of you young people have, too. I hope you understand it in such simple terms sometimes. It's called worldview, isn't it? But one of the saddest things now.
Is that?
Is that these things are starting to come into Christianity. And as I said, one of the things that that made me want to reread some of these books again and get freshened up and some of the ideas was the fact that some of our dear friends were struggling and they were looking at things and some of these resources seemed to be somewhat questionable. You know, dear young people, what's happened is Christianity has been seduced.
When Christianity began, it was characterized by having resisted syncretism. You know what syncretism means? Who knows what syncretism means?
00:40:06
Jeannie.
Pardon.
Well, synchronistic probably, but synchronism means that you combine two systems together. You know, there was actually a time when it was, it was recommended in the Roman Senate that Jesus Christ become one of the gods in the pantheon of Rome. Rome would conquer these different peoples. They take their gods and they take them to their pantheon and, and Rome and they all were in the same place. They all faced off each other and basically canceled each other out. And Rome said, well, we can take Jesus and do the same thing with him. He's just like the religions of all the others.
And the Christians said, no, they said Jesus is our Lord, He's the one true living God, and he judges Caesar and all people in the world, and he's the creator and the Savior of mankind. And so Christians were martyred because they refused syncretism. They refused to combine the world system with Christianity. Christianity stood against the world system. But you know, I've also noticed as I read Scripture, we find there's a number of dispensations in Scripture.
What do you mean by dispensation is it's a way that God deals with mankind over a period of typically over a period of time. Sometimes it's not over a period of time, but typically over a period of time. And in these different dispensations, what what's characteristic? Look at the Jews, for instance. Remember Abraham was called and that began the the system of law, or some would say promise, but it was certainly a system when the call of God was was was brought forward.
He was called as an idolater. We're told in Joshua that Abraham was actually an idolater himself, but he was called out of that whole system to be a testimony to the one true God. And we know that he then became the the the patriarch of the Jews who were characterized by taking a stand as as serving the one true God. But when did the Jewish period end? Why did the Jews lose their place? Why were the 10 tribes and then later the two tribes carried off?
Why did the Lord allow that? What happened?
What happened to those people? Why were they judged?
Idolatry, exactly the thing they've been called from, right? And what characterized that dispensation was that when those who had the peculiar calling of the dispensation were no longer distinguishable from that from which they were called, they were judged. The same thing is going to happen to Christianity. Scripture points that out plainly. We have a call. We were called out from this syncretism, called out from this hedonism, this humanism, which is really the foundation of philosophy.
Called out from the heathenism, which is now called New Age, and Christians were called to stand against that. But in the last days, dear young people, it's well documented that Christianity now, even in evangelical circles, has been seduced by these same two systems. How is it done? Well, if you read some of these books, The Seduction of Christianity, I think you'll find it well documented that the system used is what's called psychology. By and large, not all of psychology, of course. There's learning psychology and neuropsychology and those sorts of things that are by and large scientific.
But particularly what's called psychotherapy when psychology, when humanistic men try to deal with the souls problems using their own resources.
That's what psychotherapy is, and it's a failure. What's happened now in Christian circles?
Have you ever heard of Christian psychology?
What does it mean Christian psychology? Now people are students, a lot of you which is stronger and an adjective or noun.
Which is, excuse me?
Which is stronger, an adjective or a noun? What does an adjective do? It describes what? A noun. So the noun is obviously stronger, right? Because an adjective just simply describes it. So when we're talking about Christian psychology, which is the adjective and which is the noun?
Come on, you guys have been in school since I have.
Pardon. Psychology is the noun, isn't it? And Christian is the adverb which adjective? Which is stronger psychology? It's a godless system invented by godless men. Are the scriptures sufficient or not?
So what's happening in this last day? As I said, what characterizes the end of a dispensation? Their time is just about gone. But what characterizes the end of a dispensation to your young people? And it's done in a very subtle, seductive way. That's why I read this verse. First of all, is the very thing from which we were called Christians were called in the 1St place is that thing from which those who had that calling Christians are no longer distinguishable. Be careful of the seduction of Christianity. Be careful of what you read. Some of the things have pretty harmless titles, like Chicken Soup for the Soul.
00:45:29
It's a new age book.
What's the other one? The Purpose Driven Life, written by a man who I think is actually a Christian, but he's a disciple of Robert Schuller who doesn't even recognize the fall of mankind.
He just talks about human potential. He doesn't talk about the work that Christ did for us and dependence on Christ as our only source of blessing. Christianity has become seduced. In fact, this man in this book writes and says the same Christians that were able to resist Darwinism.
Have now fallen to the seductions of Freud and Maslow and Laird. That's a sad thing, isn't it? Christians have been seduced. Christianity is falling to syncretism. It's combining with an anti religion with a rival religion. It's the same rival religions that I was taught in college. They didn't call them that, but that's what they are. The same rival religions that I was taught in college have now syncretized with much of Christianity. Be careful, dear young people. I don't want to go into any more detail than that, but there's abundant detail if you want to look into it.
But much of what's passing for Christianity Today says Christ is not sufficient. It's Christ and something else. The Word of God is not sufficient, but we need the help of godless men to find our way through this world. It's not because Christ isn't sufficient. It's because we're looking in the wrong places, aren't we? Let me just read one thing and then I'll close. I thought it was quite striking. It's a quotation. You're probably like me. You're probably write some quotations down in the back of your Bible.
But one thing we need to be careful about.
Um.
Let's see if I can put my finger. I thought I.
OK, here's a quotation that maybe will help us discern some of these things. It says our business, this Christian author wrote, is to put what is timeless, the same yesterday, today, and forever into the particular language of our own age. That's fair enough, isn't it? The Word of God speaks of that which is applicable to men at all times.
But umm.
The bad teacher actually does the opposite. He takes the idea of our own age and tricks them out in the traditional language of Christianity. That's the serious thing, isn't it? And dear young people, that's what's been done on a wide scale in Christianity. Be very careful of what's called Christian psychology. Even men like James Dobson. I don't say it's all bad, but it's a mixing of woolen and linen, isn't it? It's a mixing of principles. It's a syncretism.
The very thing that people were martyred for, they resisted that syncretism in the early days of Rome is the very thing that seduced Christianity in these very last days. We live at the very last days of the church, and I just want to warn us about that, the danger of the seduction of Christianity. Be thankful for what we the kind of ministry you've heard today. It's true Christ is sufficient. It's true that the word of God is sufficient. It's true that the work of Christ is sufficient to meet our needs as men in this world.
And to walk a pathway that's pleasing to the Lord Jesus. You know, just one final thing and then I'll close. I think one of the tests of true religion is this. Some years ago, and I imagine many of you young people probably know this, but it's been a help and encouragement to me to think of Christianity as the the the acrostic for joy. I don't say all Christianity, but it's a great help and what's true religion, isn't it? You know what the acrostic for Joy is? Who can tell me what the acrostic for joy is?
Either you're shy or I'm asking questions that are too hard. I don't know.
Right. Thanks, Allison. Everybody hear that? Jesus first. Is that what these religions teach? No. Evolution has men at the top. Not Jesus. Jesus first, others next. Jo and yourself last. That's a measure of Christianity, isn't it? A false religion. Always put self first. It puts self first. Be careful of that. You know what the great lesson of Job is?
00:50:19
Job sought God for the blessings God could give. In the process of the book of Job, he learned God for who he was and himself. That's a tremendous step forward, isn't it? And I think too often that's a great danger today is we want God's blessings, but true Christianity is to know Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. Let's bow our heads.
David - God's Choice Not Man's Choice
Gospel
Is Jesus Your Comforter
Three Beginnings
Address—C. Hendricks
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.
Before I get to the main subject I have before me, I have 3 scriptures I want to read. First is in John chapter 1, John's Gospel.
Chapter 1.
And verse one.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.
And then Genesis chapter 1 and verse one, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, Let there be light.
And there was lights, and God saw the light that it was good.
And then the third portion is in first, John.
First Epistle of John.
Chapter 1.
And verse one.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life. For the life was manifested in, we have seen it. And bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly.
Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things rightly unto you, that your joy may be full.
You've probably noticed that going back to John One now, you've probably noticed that the same word occurred in all three passages.
And that's the word beginning.
In John One, we're going to talk about the Blessed Lord himself, and it's good to start this way because then we we start by knowing who he is. I know most of you know, but maybe there's someone that doesn't or doesn't have a full understanding of who he is.
In John one we have.
The eternal being of this person called the Word.
Of the Persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, this person we often refer to him as the second person, is the only one that's called the Word. Father isn't called the Word, neither is the Spirit.
But he's the word, the Lord Jesus. He is the one who is, who gives expression to who God is. He's the one whose words are the words of of God. His name is called the Word of God. Get that? In the last book in the Bible written by the same author that wrote this gospel and the epistle that we read.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
That's one of the most profound verses in all of Scripture. In the beginning was the Word states a truth that he never had a beginning. In the beginning was the Word. He was there in the beginning of anything that had a beginning. That's Genesis one. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, but here was one who existed before anything started.
It was only God.
And the Word was, that's his eternal being. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, his distinct personality, with God the Father and God the Spirit. He was one in the Trinity. He was with God.
His distinct personality and the word was God, his proper deity. So you have his eternal being, his distinct personality and his proper deity that's brought before us in this tremendous verse of Scripture. So this beginning here, it's it's the the fullest way of expressing that he never began.
00:05:02
He never had a beginning, because he always was, even when something did begin.
And if you go to Genesis 1.
We have the beginning of creation.
In the beginning, God and that word for God is in the plural in the Hebrew. You don't see that in our English translation.
A plural subject and a singular verb created is in the singular in the beginning, Godfather, Son, and Holy Spirit, the very first verse of Scripture. There's testimony to the fact that God is a plurality. And in the Hebrew tongue they have the singular. That's one, the duo that's 22 hands, 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 feet, 2 ears, two eyes. The singular is used. The dual case is used for.
Two only not one, not more. But the plural has to be at least three.
And this is that word, the plural, and we know it is 3. When the seraphim declared God's glory, they said holy, holy, holy.
Holy, holy, holy, all three persons involved in the beginning, God in plural, created the heavens and the earth.
The 33rd Psalm, I believe it is. It says He commanded, He spake and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. He said let there be and there was this being, this infinite being, this inscrutable being, one that is for impossible for us to really grasp and understand. He spoke the world's into existence.
By faith, we understand that the world's were framed by the word of God.
So that that which is seeing was not made of that which appears.
Sometimes it's stated, and it's not quite right, that He created the universe and the world's out of nothing. Well, there was never nothing. There was always God. There was always God and He spoke the world's into existence. That's what we have in Genesis 1. And when He did that, John One tells us that the Word was there. In fact, He was one of those that was active in the creation.
The New Testament.
Usually attributes the creation to the sun, to the person called the word.
But I believe that all three persons of the Godhead were involved in the creation, as they are involved in everything that God does. Who is God? He is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. So everything that God does like take Luke 15 where you have the salvation of of a soul. You have the shepherd going out after the strange sheep, you have the woman searching for the lost coin.
Shepherd a picture of Christ.
The woman searching for the lost coin, a picture of the Holy Spirit. And then you have the Father receiving back the returning prodigal beautiful. You have the Trinity in that passage.
And we could go on and on, but that's not my purpose this afternoon.
So we have the beginning of creation in Genesis One. We have in John 1 The when anything that had a beginning began, the word was He never had a beginning. Now that brings us to 1St Epistle of John, which really brings.
Before us more what?
I want to speak on this afternoon.
We have a different expression.
In the first Epistle of John, that which was from the beginning.
Which we have heard, John says.
Which we have seen with our eyes.
Which we have looked upon.
And our hands have handled if they saw him, if they heard him, if they contemplated him, if their hands handled him. He had to be in this world. And so here this starts with the incarnation. It's John 114 which says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The first part of John 1 is his eternal being.
And then the 14th verse brings before us that he became flesh.
That's where we start in the first epistle of John, that which was from the beginning, that expression from the beginning. It's a nice study. Read the the Epistle of John, you'll see it. It occurs over and over and over again. It refers to Christ down here.
00:10:02
Christ down here, Christ in the flesh down here. The Word became flesh, that which was from the beginning, the beginning of a new order of man down in this world.
Which we've heard.
It wasn't just a voice from some distance. No, they they were in his presence.
They heard everything, he said.
They listened to him.
Which we've seen with our eyes.
He who was in the form of God emptied himself of that, and took upon him the form of a servant.
Was found in likeness of men.
Tremendous truth.
They saw him, they heard him, they saw him with their eyes more than just saw him. Wasn't just a a flash of light or something like that.
No, we've looked upon him now that the other translations, as we contemplated him, we studied him. There he was.
One of us, but still different.
Than we are.
And he came so close.
That their hands handled him.
It's beautiful that the only one that speaks of the Lord Jesus in the 1St chapter of John. Now again that he was in the bosom of the Father.
He's the one that lay on Jesus Pusa.
He was that close to him.
Peter had to nudge John when the Lord said one of you will betray me because Peter wasn't that close. Every one of us can be that close. It's open to all of us to get that close to the blessed Lord.
There wasn't anything special about John, but he took what was available to all.
He took that place, and he lay on his bosom.
You heard his very heartbeat.
And he entered, probably, you might say, into his thoughts.
More than any of the others.
Our hands have handled him.
Hands have handled him. The great monarchs of the world are unapproachable. Remember the book of Esther?
It had been stated that the Jews were to be put to death.
And Esther was a Jewish, Mordecai said to her. You have to go in and plead for your people.
And she says, you know, I can't enter the presence of the king unless he holds out to me the golden scepter. Otherwise it's death. She was the queen. She couldn't approach him without being bitten. That's how the unacceptable man's great ones are. But here was the creator of the universe.
God over all, blessed forever, came right to where we were so that they could touch Him and handle him.
He was accessible, the most accessible of all men.
He never repelled anyone.
Except he was extremely severe with the Pharisees, those proud, arrogant, self-righteous.
Disgusting Pharisees.
But he deals a lot with them.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, came to Jesus by night, you know.
He didn't want to be seen in the daytime coming to the Lord Jesus, and he learns the lesson. He says teacher. We know that where the teacher come from God, for no man can do thee miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
So he came to him as a teacher to a teacher.
And he got taught.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Can't see it, can't enter it. You need an altogether new beginning. All your Phariseeism and all your applause and the the people around saying rabbi, rabbi and all this that won't count for a straw with God. You need to have a new beginning.
So there was a man who came by night. You read of them a little bit later, I think it's in the 7th chapter. And he speaks up with our law judge, a man until we hear him and so on. And then later on he was there at the resurrection.
Deal with his body.
He came out brightly for the Lord.
So he was a Pharisee. He didn't reject the Pharisees, but he spoke very seriously to them because they were hypocrites.
Did you know that you were born a hypocrite?
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I was born a hypocrite. I think we're all born hypocrites. We're all born with high thoughts of ourselves.
Oh yes, you will have you. You have that. Every one of us has that.
The only one who who was the highest, He took the very lowest place.
And He's got to work with everyone of us to bring us down to the realization. That was the trouble with Job. Hast thou considered my servant Job? The Lord said that to Satan. A perfect in an upright man, one that feareth God and his cheweth evil.
He'd say there's nothing wrong with Joe and you trace his life and that he was a remarkable man. He had in one chapter, I think it's in the 30th or so, he says if I only had an audience, if I only had an audience with God, I could plead my cause and he would listen to me and he would justify me. Well, he got that. He got that wish later in the book. He had an audience with God. He was in the presence of God.
He says.
Thou might I see a Thee, wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. You cannot be proud in the presence of God.
Let me say that again. You cannot be proud in the presence of God. The only time you're proud is when you're not in His presence and you start thinking highly of yourself. When you get in His presence, you don't. You can't think highly of yourself.
His presence forbids that.
And that's what we all need. We need to get better acquainted.
With him.
Well, this.
The first chapter of First John brings before us.
But I have before me.
Where should we start?
Let's look at.
Psalm 40.
Verse 6.
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire.
Mine ears hast thou opened? My margin reads.
The Hebrew means digged.
Prepared.
My ears hast thou digged.
Burnt offering and sin offering, hast thou not required now that very verse?
Is quoted in Hebrews 10. Please hold your place there in Psalm 40 and we're going to look at.
Where it's where it occurs.
In uh.
Hebrews 10.
You won't recognize it when I read it.
Verse 5.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, When he cometh into the world, this is his incarnation.
He saith sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not.
But a body hast thou prepared me now that's the very verse we read in Psalm 40 verse 6 sacrifice and offering that it's not desire my near and his views has thou opened or digged. Why so different in I think it was around 290 years before Christ.
There were 70 approximately 70 Hebrew scholars.
That translated the Old Testament into Greek.
That's called the Septuagint.
I was referring to it one time and reading a note of Mr. Darby's translation and it it had LXX, which is the Roman numeral number. L is 50 and X's are 10. So that's 506070. And I read it the Septuagint and they said how did you get the Septuagint out of LXX? Well, because 70 were involved in that translation from the Hebrew to the Greek.
And so that's called the Septuagint. I happen to have a copy of the Septuagint in my library, and they came across this as they were translating from the Hebrew into the Greek. I think they did it at Alexandria, Egypt.
Very learned men.
They wanted to get the their scriptures into the language of other people. That Greek was quite popular at that time. And they came to the sixth verse of Psalm 40. Sacrifice and offering thou that's not desire my ears hast thou opened or digged? Literally digged.
What does that mean?
What does that mean? My ears hast thou digged?
And they translated it.
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A body hast thou prepared me?
The only the only way I can explain why they translated it that way is that God the Spirit LED them to it.
And in Hebrews 10, when the writer of Hebrews, the apostle Paul I believe, gives us that verse quoted from the Old Testament, where it says, Pioneers, hast thou digged?
It says in verse 5 sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body has thou prepared me. So I looked that up in the in the Greek in Hebrews 10 and I looked it up in the Septuagint in Psalm 40 and they are identical a body as thou prepared me. That means that.
Those men were led of God to give the sense of my ears. Hest thou be?
Why is the ear so important?
We hit that in the seven churches. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
The hearing ear.
To hear the word of God so important that you hear what God says so.
A body hast thou prepared me?
So when he became a man, he entered his own creation.
He became now a servant, and he had ears to hear what God was saying to him.
Everything that he did.
Was from God his Father.
Everything that he did and heard was from his father.
He's the word, very expression of God.
And a body was prepared him. His ears were digged.
To hear God's voice to him.
That's the incarnation.
When he became a man, he became a servant. He laid aside his glory, Philippians 2 Says he, being in the form of God, thought it not something to be clasped and held onto tenaciously, but he.
Empty himself of that form of God.
And took upon him the form of his servant.
He was the greatest and he took the lowest place, and then it goes on. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself still further.
That passage in Philippians 2 Says the mind was in Jesus. What was that mind? He was in the briefest place. He was in the form of God, He who was deity itself, He who was that eternal word.
He decided willingly his mind was I'll go.
I'll go into my own creation.
In order to save those that were created in the image and likeness of God.
Man is unique. Man is a special creation. That's never said of angels. They weren't created in the image and likeness of God. It's only said of man.
And so he became one.
He became the word became flesh, a body was prepared Him. That word prepared there is the same as in Hebrews 11 where it says by faith we understand that the world's were framed by the word of God.
In the room I'm in in this hotel has some pictures with a frame around it. The frame is far, far more valuable than what's in between.
You don't even understand what it is. It's nonsense.
Modern Art.
They had to put some nice picture in there, the frame would have enhanced it.
The world's were framed by the word of God. Well, that tells us right away that the world didn't come about as a result of an explosion. That's nonsense. That would be helter skelter everywhere.
That sounds like modern art, right?
No, everything was in perfect order. Everything was in perfect order, framed by the word of God. That body was prepared Him that was unique, That body, that precious body in which he bore our sins. It goes on to say.
It goes on to say verse 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. Once for all He offered that body, that precious body, that holy body which had no taint of sin to it.
The very idea.
That the Lord could have sinned.
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Is awful.
It's a denial of who he is. The one that would say such a thing doesn't really know him.
Know who he is. It was a special body prepared him of God, in which he did everything for the glory of God.
And ultimately, in his body he bore our sins on the tree.
My body has thou prepared me. His ears were digged, and as soon as he entered that human body.
His ears were digged.
To they were tuned to the voice of God.
He never.
Was intimidated. He was never flattered, I mean to any effect on him. He only heard the voice of his Father. You read the Gospel of John. Gospel of John is everything, he said. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.
Is there anyone in this room that would dare to say that?
That you do all these the things that please your father.
Children.
Would you dare to say you'll always do those things that please your parents? None of us do that because we have a sin nature. How could he who had no sin nature, who was the infinitely Holy One, and yet who became a servant, emptying himself of that outward form of God, and took upon him the form of the servant? And when he did that, his ears were digged to hear the voice of God.
Remember what Philip said. Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Hast thou been so long time with me, Philip? And yet hast thou not known me? He that hath seen me has seen the Father.
I've been asked so many times, will we ever see the Father will be in the presence of that blessed man?
He became one of us so that we might be able to see God in human form. When we see him, when we hear His words and see what He did, we are seeing the Father.
Like father, like son.
The living expression of the Father, the Word, the one who tells us what the Father is like and who he is. And he had those big deers to hear the voice of God. Now turn to the Isaiah 50.
Verse 3 It says, I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering. The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, the instructed 1 The learner, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary awakeneth morning, by morning he awakeneth mine ear to hear, as the learned, the learner, the Lord God hath.
An opened ear is correct. The digged ear is more what you have in in that Psalm 40. But here we have the open dear. I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
He wakeneth morning. By morning he went out and rose up before the rest, and he was with his Father in prayer.
Prayed all night in prayer to God before he chose the 12 apostles.
He was in constant fellowship with the father. Constant fellowship.
Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.
None of us can even come close to that even after we're saved.
That's the. That's the the model that's set before us. But only he.
Did it perfectly.
The Lord God hath opened mine ear.
He had an open ear. It's interesting in the Greek language.
The word disobedience and the word obedience are identical in one sense. They both have the word to hear.
But a disobedient 1 is one who hears alongside of that is if you're a child in the family and your father tells you to do something and you said you, you just take the attitude. But I don't want to, I don't want to. I don't want to do what you're telling me to do. So he's hearing alongside of what you're saying and he's rejecting what you're saying. That's disobedience in the Greek.
Obedience is to hear under in subjection to.
Yes, Sir, I'll do it. I'll do it. That's the way the Lord heard.
He always heard, and as a man he always heard, in subjection to his father always.
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Never. Never could be anything else. Could he have sinned?
The idea is monstrous, absolutely monstrous. He always did the will of the Father. He always heard the direction from the Father. His ear was opened every morning to gather fresh instruction from his father. Those big deers, that's the incarnation. And now the open dears is his life, his whole life down here.
To do the will of God.
What a person he was, the one that clothed the heavens, as it says here, with blackness, and made sackcloth their covering. The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the instructed 1.
That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning awakeneth my ear to hear as the learned. So obedience in Scripture is to hear in subjection to what you're hearing. Disobedience is to hear and put yourself well. That's your idea. I have my idea and mine's as good as yours. That's disobedience.
That's disobedience.
He never heard that way, he said in John 14, My father is greater than I. That's used by the Jehovah's Witnesses to show that he was not equal with God. No, all it shows is that he became a true man.
He became one that took the place of submission.
He heard.
Under.
Not alongside of though He was in his deity. Now we're coming into the mystery of His person.
God and man in one person. You can't fathom that. I can't fathom that. But as man, my father's greater than I. As God, I and my father are one.
They seem contradictory because.
There's a mystery. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
Testified in the spirit scene of angels preached under the Gentiles, believed down in the world and received up into glory. It starts with God becoming man. God was manifest in the flesh. It ends with man going up into the glory of God.
There's a man in that glory now, because the one who was in the form of God came down to where we are. A special body prepared him. His ears were digged to always hear and act upon the voice of God.
And here is their ears are opened every morning. He gathered fresh instruction from his father.
Precious.
Precious Lord Jesus.
The Lord God hath given me, He says, the tongue of the learned.
In Luke 2.
Not Luke 2, Luke 12.
He was. They took him.
Not giving you the right chapter but he took into.
And they went from Jerusalem and he stayed back, and they finally found him in the midst of the doctors hearing them and asking them questions. And it says they were amazed at his understanding and answers.
He knew more than all his teachers there.
He learned from God.
He learned from the father.
He had more knowledge than all his teachers combined.
You always think, well yes, because he was God, but he, he learned in subjection to his Father's voice.
That's the way we're to learn.
That's a principle of obedience. Learn in subjection to what you're hearing, and I'm talking about what you're hearing from the Word of God.
Don't reason on the word of God.
When God speaks, we submit to it. When his Father spoke, it was his delight. I delight to do thy will. Though I come, I delight to do thy will.
Never delighted in anything else. Any suggestion to him by the enemy of his soul, which was Satan, of course, caused him grief and sorrow.
And he rejected it immediately. Not only did he not sin, but he could not. It was an awful thing to him, even the very suggestion of it.
You know him so well that to to suggest that someone have done that he could have sinned that that is a direct attack upon the integrity of this person.
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Do we really know they are? Not really.
If we think he could have.
The Lord God hath opened mine ear. I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. Remember in the one instance in John he he he says, Father, save me from this hour. He was looking at the the awfulness of what it would cost him to be made sin put our sins away in the garden. He says Father, if it be possible, the only time that he expresses directly his will.
Somewhat independently of his father, he says if it be possible that this cup pass from me.
Then he says nevertheless the perfect submission that was always his, not my will.
But thine be done.
The cup which my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Yes.
Yes, he drank it to the very dregs, but it was the most horrible thing to his soul, to an infinitely holy being. Think of it. Think of it. Here was this man in this prepared body, always hearing the voice of God every day, every morning, and his ears were digged to do that.
And he went through this world such as you and I go through. He went through a world that's full of pride and hatred and deceit and trickery and all kinds of evil things. And he went through this. Remember, he said to his disciples on the way was on the way to the cross. And he said, what? What were you talking among yourselves about? Well, they were arguing who was to be the greatest.
Pride right away. That's the last thing to die in man, and everyone of us has it.
Not a person in this room that isn't proud.
Everyone of us has it.
He didn't have it at all.
And he had something to be proud about.
But once he took the place of a servant, once he entered his own creation and became one of us. Without sin, of course.
He always did.
The will of His Father, my meat, is to do the will of him that sent me to finish His work. That which sustained him here in this world was to do the will of God.
That was the delight of his soul. Any suggestion that would be contrary to that was rejected with divine energy.
Do you know that person?
That person, there's a man in this world that never did his own will. He always did the will of his father.
Not even close for any of us.
And where to walk as he walked?
We're to be subject to this precious book as he was.
When Satan came up and tempted him, how did he answer? He didn't reason with him. He quoted Scripture to him. Everything you and I can do.
Fill your mind so with the word of God that when the enemy comes, you can you can refute it by the word of God. That's what he did.
Blessed men.
So he had the dig deers the body prepared.
To do the will of God.
He went out in prayer every day. Every morning his ears were opened to hear the voice of his Father.
And let's turn to Exodus 21.
Verse 2 Says if thou buy in Hebrew servant.
Six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
We've often read this at the Lord's table and it's so precious and beautiful. Beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus.
If he came in by himself, he should go out by himself. If he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her masters, and he should go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master with the Lord, that would be his father.
My wife, that would be his assembly church and my children, that would be all his children.
Those that believe in him.
I will not go out free.
Then his master shall bring him unto the judges.
He shall also bring him to the door or under the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awe.
And he shall serve him forever.
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So he had the.
The dig deer, his incarnation.
He had the opened ear his life.
Characterized his whole pathway.
And now he has the pierced ear.
To be a servant forever.
He didn't just do the work on the cross that we were celebrating this morning at his table, remembering him and his death, and then go back.
Without us.
Never would he do that.
His ear was pierced.
Bored his ear through with an awl.
And he shall serve him forever.
Serve him forever.
And always be a servant.
That tremendous.
After he finished the work on the cross where he cried out, it is finished.
Now he's become our.
Advocate in our high priest, High priest with God and our advocate with the Father to bring us through this wilderness. He doesn't just say now you're saved, now make your way through on your own. No, no.
No, he's there in a new way. As soon as he entered heaven, he was saluted of God as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. He's doing a new work now, but he's serving us to keep us in the path. And if one of us strays, you ever noticed in first John 2 where it speaks of if any man's sin, we not, he has an advocate with the Father, but we have an advocate and we always have an advocate with the Father. John 13 presents him to us.
Remember he washed their feet, and he came to Peter. Peter said thou shalt never wash my feet. And he said, if I wash thee not Peter, thou has no part with me.
Not in me, but with me.
And then Peter says not my feet, but my hands and my head. And he said, no, he that is washed all over. That's the new birth. A new life needs only to wash his feet. He's clean every wet is go through this scene. We pick up the habits of the world. We pick up the defilements of the world and we have to have him wash our feet.
So that he can have fellowship with us.
And we with him, that's what he wants.
That's what he wants.
Is that what we want?
Is that what we want? Do we really want fellowship with him?
That's why He's given us his life and nature, and also His Holy Spirit indwells us so that we can have fellowship with Him.
And he's serving us, serving us as our high priest and with God and as our advocate with the Father. The function of the high priest is to keep us going in the way. And if one of us fails in that, we have an advocate with the Father, and he restores us.
Restores us so that he can have fellowship with us. We had that before us in our conference. And it's so important that the restoring grace, I think, is just as wonderful as saving grace.
Saving grace. Restoring grace of God.
David Livingstone was had come back from his one of his trips to Africa and he was being questioned at the in England. What was tell us your greatest experience when you were in Africa? Wanted to hear something like an experience with a lion or some wild beast or something.
Said the greatest experience I had in Africa was he restoreth my soul.
He restart my soul.
How many of us have needed that?
Restoration of our soul.
We've all failed.
He's the only man that never did.
Is the only man upon whom the heavens were opened. This is my beloved Son, and whom I am well pleased. I found all my delight in him.
And then he's the one that when he took our place as the Sin Bearer.
Had to experience the unmitigated judgment of a holy God against sin.
The beginning of the cross it was. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do at the end of the cross. His Father into thy hands I commit my spirit, but in between.
12 noon.
The sun, the central witness in our creation of the Light Bearer, ceased to give its light, and it was dark.
And he was shut in alone with God.
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He was denied the privilege during those three hours of saying father.
Instead, the only time he does see it say it this way was my God.
My God, why hast thou forsaken me? It was God in all that. He is as God the Judge.
Judging sin wasn't the expression of communion or fellowship, which is Father, but it was God the Judge.
That he had to deal with. That's what caused him to sweat great drops of blood in the garden.
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass but know it wasn't possible.
He had to do that in order to save the likes of us.
The likes of us.
Turn to Luke.
12 verse 34, where your treasure is.
There will your heart be also. Where's your treasure, young person? Where's my treasure?
What is it that I really value?
That's where your heart is.
What was the Lord's treasure?
To please him, please the Father.
Always do his will.
Get his instructions.
And he did them.
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your lines be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when 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.
Now notice this.
That he shall gird himself. Remember in John 13 he girded himself, and took the water and the towel, and he washed their feet. Now in the glory. Now in the glory.
He girds himself again.
And he says make them to sit down to meet.
And come forth and serve them. He came. He's going to serve us again.
In that coming day, what's he going to service more of himself?
More of himself.
A servant forever.
He'll never cease to be a servant.
You get that in First Corinthians 15. We had that before us, the chapter, but I don't know if we spoke too much on this, and I'll go over it again because it's so precious.
Corinthians 15.
Verse 24 says then cometh the end.
The end of verse 23 is they that our Christ at his coming, that's the rapture. Then cometh the end. This is now the end of the tribulation, the end of the millennial reign, when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power, for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that should be destroyed, his death, that's at the great white throne.
For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is accepted. That's the Father which did put all things under Him, and then all things shall be subdued unto Him.
Then shall the Son.
Man here also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may be All in all.
But that second person I mentioned, the Son, is All in all with God, but he's still a servant as man in that body that was prepared him.
And he's come to come forth and serve us.
Can you fathom that?
Can we fathom that?
I can speak on these things, but how feebly.
Do I understand them?
Oh, the love of God.
The level that one that became one of us sin apart.
It was a perfect servant here.
The greatest work that he did as a servant was on the cross when he cried out. My God, my God, why is thou forsaken me? He's speaking there as a man.
When he was in deity in the form of God, he never called the Father God because he was God.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, he wasn't his God until he became a man. 22nd Psalm says Thou art my God, even from my mother's belly. That's when he became his God.
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But always the father.
And the son.
And the Spirit from all eternity. They had no beginning.
But his incarnation was a beginning of something new when he entered his own creation that he might have you and me.
In his presence forever, and He's going to serve us there.
These things are too wonderful.
For any of us.
That's closed by singing 124.
Jesus, the one who left the throne to save a ruined race. Thy love and loneliness still shine upon that glorious face. Jesus, the one who tried the earth.
The lowly subject 1 Obedience unto death was thine. God's well beloved Son Jesus, what memories thrill our hearts of Thy blessed footprints here.
Well, now to heaven our eyes we turn, gaze upon Thee. There sing the whole hymn 124.
Before we pray.
The Lord chose 12 to be apostles.
And Peter?
They all heard everything he said and saw everything he did, witnessed him.
And.
Were in His blessed presence.
Peter.
Was different, though, than Judas, you might say. Well, what's the difference? Peter denied him three times with oaths and curses. I never knew the man. Don't know the man.
And Judas betrayed him. What's the difference? It was infinite. The difference was infinite.
They all knew all about him.
They heard his words, saw what he did.
But Peter?
Knew him.
Judas did not.
Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man in?
Some say that our John the Baptist or Jeremiah, so one of the prophets, Elijah, one of the prophets whom say you that I am, and Peter said, Lord the Christ.
The Son of the living God.
He knew who he was.
And the Lord said, Blessed art thou, Simon bar Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven, he knew him.
He had some pride, like we all do, and he had to have had to be humbled. So he was allowed. The Lord told him he would do it. He would deny him three times.
But Judas.
To know him.
He knew about him.
Two Contrary Desires
The Word became Flesh
Address—C. Hendricks
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.
Meeting this afternoon by singing 230.
Oh Lord, when we the path retrace.
Which thou on earth has trod.
To man thy wondrous love and grace, thy faithfulness to God, we wonder.
At thy lowly mind.
And fain would like thee be.
And all our rest and pleasure find in learning.
Lord of the seeing the whole hymn.
Someone raised the tune. Amen.
Before I get to the main subject I have before me, I have 3 scriptures I want to read. First is in John chapter 1, John's Gospel.
Chapter 1.
And verse one.
In the beginning was the word.
And the word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life.
And the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.
And then Genesis chapter 1.
And verse one.
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, Let there be light.
And there was light, and God saw the light that it was good.
And then the third portion is in first, John.
First Epistle of John.
Chapter 1.
1 John chapter 1 and verse one.
That which was from the beginning.
Which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. For the life was manifested, and we have seen it. And bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us, that which we have seen and heard. Declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and truly.
Our fellowship is with the Father.
And with his Son Jesus Christ, and these things rightly unto you, that your joy.
May be full.
You've probably noticed that going back to John One now, you've probably noticed that the same word occurred in all three passages, and that's the word beginning.
In John 1.
We're going to talk about the Blessed Lord himself, and it's good to start this way because then we we start by knowing who he is. I know most of you know, but maybe there's someone that doesn't or doesn't have a full understanding of who he is.
In John one we have.
The eternal being.
Of this person called the word.
Of the Persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, this Person we often refer to him as the Second Person is the only one that's called the Word.
Father isn't called the Word, neither is the Spirit, but He's the Word, the Lord Jesus.
He is the one who gives expression to who God is. He is the one whose.
Words are the words of God. His name is called the Word of God. Look at that in the last book in the Bible written by the same author that wrote this gospel and the epistle that we read.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That's one of the most profound verses in all of Scripture.
In the beginning was the Word, states a truth that he never had a beginning. In the beginning was the Word. He was there in the beginning of anything that had a beginning. That's Genesis one. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, but here was one who existed before anything started. It was only God.
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And the word was, That's his eternal being in the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God, his distinct personality, with God the Father and God the Spirit. He was one in the Trinity, He was with God.
His distinct personality and the word was God, his proper deity. So you have his eternal being, his distinct personality and his proper deity that's brought before us in this tremendous verse of Scripture. So this beginning here, it's it's the the fullest way of expressing that he never began.
He never had a beginning, because he always was.
Even when something did begin.
And if you go to Genesis 1.
We have the beginning of creation.
In the beginning, God, and that word for God is in the plural in the Hebrew. You don't see that in our English translation. A plural subject and a singular verb created is in the singular in the beginning, Godfather, Son and Holy Spirit, the very first verse of Scripture. There's testimony to the fact that.
God is a plurality.
And in the Hebrew tongue they have the singular. That's one, the dual. That's 22 hands, 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 feet, 2 ears, two eyes. The singular is used. The dual case is used for two only, not one, not more. But the plural has to be at least three.
And this is that word, the plural, and we know it is 3.
When the seraphim declared God's glory, they said holy, holy, holy.
Holy, holy, holy, all three persons involved in the beginning, God in plural, created the heavens and the earth.
The 33rd Psalm, I believe it is. It says He commanded, He spake and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. He said let there be and there was this being, this infinite being, this inscrutable being, one that is for impossible for us to really grasp and understand. He spoke the world's into existence.
By faith, we understand that the world's were framed by the word of God.
So that that which is seen was not made of that which appears.
Sometimes it's stated, and it's not quite right, that He created the universe and the world's out of nothing. Well, there was never nothing. There was always God.
That was always God, and He spoke the world's into existence. That's what we have in Genesis 1. And when he did that, John One tells us that the Word was there.
In fact, he was one of those that was active in the creation.
The New Testament.
Usually attributes the creation to the sun, to the person called the word.
But I believe that all three persons of the Godhead were involved in the creation, as they are involved in everything that God does. Who is God? He is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. So everything that God does like take Luke 15 where you have the salvation of of a soul. You have the shepherd going out after the strange sheep, you have the woman searching for the lost coin.
Shepherd a picture of Christ.
The woman searching for the lost coin, a picture of the Holy Spirit. And then you have the Father receiving back the returning prodigal beautiful. You have the Trinity in that passage.
And we could go on and on, but that's not my purpose this afternoon.
So we have the beginning of creation in Genesis One. We have in John 1 The when anything that had a beginning began, the word was.
He never had a beginning. Now that brings us to 1St Epistle of John, which really?
Brings before us more what I want to speak on this afternoon.
We have a different expression.
In the first Epistle of John, that which was from the beginning.
Which we have heard, John says.
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Which we have seen with our eyes.
Which we have looked upon.
And our hands have handled if they saw him, if they heard him, if they contemplated him, if their hands handled him. He had to be in this world.
And so here this starts with the incarnation. It's John 114 which says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The first part of John 1 is His eternal being, and then the 14th verse brings before us that he became flesh. And that's where we start in the first epistle of John, that which was from the beginning.
That expression from the beginning, it's a nice study. Read the the Epistle of John, you'll see it. It occurs over and over and over again.
It refers to Christ down here.
Christ down here, Christ in the flesh down here. The Word became flesh, that which was from the beginning, the beginning of a new order of man down in this world.
Which we've heard.
It wasn't just a voice from some distance. No, they they were in his presence.
They heard everything, he said.
They listened to him.
Which we've seen with our eyes.
He who was in the form of God emptied himself of that, and took upon him the form of a servant.
Was found in likeness of men.
Tremendous truth.
They saw him, they heard him, they saw him with their eyes. More than just saw him. Wasn't just a flash of light or something like that.
No, we've looked upon him.
Another the other translations as we contemplated him.
We studied him. There he was.
One of us, but so different.
Than we are.
And he came so close.
That they're hence handled him.
It's beautiful that the only one that speaks of the Lord Jesus in the 1St chapter of John. Now again that he was in the bosom of the Father.
He's the one that lay on Jesus Pusa.
He was that close to him.
Peter had to nudge John when the Lord said one of you will betray me because Peter wasn't that close. Everyone of us can be that close. It's open to all of us to get that close to the blessed Lord.
There wasn't anything special about John, but he took what was available to all.
He took that place and he lay on his PUSA.
You heard his very heartbeat.
And he entered, probably, you might say, into his thoughts.
More than any of the others.
Our hands have handled him.
Hands have handled him. The great monarchs of the world are unapproachable. Remember the book of Esther?
It had been stated that the Jews were to be put to death.
And Esther was a Jewish.
Mordecai said to her. You have to go in and plead for your people.
And she says, you know, I can't enter the presence of the king unless he holds out to me, the golden scepter. Otherwise it's death. She was the queen. She couldn't approach him without being bitten. That's how unaccessible.
Men's great ones are, but here was the creator of the universe.
God over all, blessed forever, came right to where we were so that.
They could touch him and handle him.
He was accessible, the most accessible of all men.
He never repelled anyone.
Except he was extremely severe with the Pharisees, those proud, arrogant, self-righteous.
Disgusting Pharisees.
But he deals a lot with them.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee.
Came to Jesus by night, you know?
He didn't want to be seen in the daytime coming to the Lord Jesus.
He learns the lesson. He says, teacher, we know that we're the teacher. Come from God, for no man can do the miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
So he came to him as a teacher to a teacher.
And he got taught.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
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Can't see it, can't enter it. You need an altogether new beginning. All your Phariseeism and all your applause and the the people around saying rabbi, rabbi and all this that won't count for a straw with God.
You need to have a new beginning.
So there was a man who came by night. You read of them a little bit later, I think it's in the 7th chapter. And he speaks up with our law judge, a man until we hear him and so on. And then later on he was there at the resurrection.
Deal with his body.
He came out brightly for the Lord.
So he was a Pharisee. He didn't reject the Pharisees, but he spoke very seriously to them because they were.
Hypocrites.
Did you know that you were born a hypocrite?
I was born a hypocrite. I think we're all born hypocrites.
We're all born with high thoughts of ourselves.
Oh yes, you will. Have you? You had that. Everyone of us has that.
The only one who who was the highest, He took the very lowest place.
And he's got to work with everyone of us to bring us down to the realization. That was the trouble with Job.
Hast thou considered my servant Job? The Lord said that to Satan. A perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and his cheweth evil.
He'd say there's nothing wrong with Jill and you trace his life in the things that he did and that he was a remarkable man. He had in one chapter, I think it's in the 30th or so, he says if I only had an audience, if I only had an audience with God, I could plead my cause and he would listen to me and he would justify me. Well, he got that. He got that wish later in the book. He had an audience with God. He was in the presence of God.
He says.
Now might I see a Thee, wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. You cannot be proud in the presence of God.
Let me say that again. You cannot be proud in the presence of God. The only time you're proud is when you're not in His presence and you start thinking highly of yourself when you get in His presence.
You don't. You can't think highly of yourself.
His presence forbids that.
And that's what we all need. We need to get better acquainted.
With him.
Well, this.
1St chapter of First John brings brings before us.
But I have before me.
Where should we start?
Let's.
Let's look at Psalm 40.
Psalm 40.
Verse 6.
Sacrifice and offering.
Though it's not desire.
Mine ears.
Hast thou opened my margin reads.
The Hebrew means digged.
Prepared.
My ears hast thou digged.
Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required? Now that very verse is quoted in Hebrews 10. Please hold your place there in Psalm 40 and we're going to look at.
Where it's where it occurs.
In.
Hebrews 10.
You won't recognize it when I read it.
Verse 5.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, When he cometh into the world, this is his incarnation.
He saith sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not.
But a body hast thou prepared me? Now that's the very verse we read in Psalm 40, verse 6. Sacrifice and offering. Thou didst not desire mine views Hast thou opened or digged? Why so different?
In I think it was around 290 years before Christ.
There were 70 approximately 70 Hebrew scholars.
That translated the Old Testament into Greek.
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That's called the Septuagint.
I was referring to it one time and reading a note of Miss Darby's translation and it it had LX, which is the Roman numeral number. L is 50 and the X's are 10. So that's 506070. And I read it the Septuagint and they said how did you get the Septuagint out of LXX? Well, because 70 were involved in that translation from the Hebrew to the Greek.
And so that's called the Septuagint. I happen to have a copy of the Septuagint in my library, and they came across this as they were translating from the Hebrew into the Greek. I think they did it at Alexandria, Egypt.
Very learned men.
They wanted to get their scriptures into the language of other people. That Greek was quite popular at that time.
And they came to this sixth verse of Psalm 40. Sacrifice and offering. Thou didst not desire my ears. Hast thou opened or digged? Literally digged.
What does that mean?
What does that mean? Mine ears hast thou digged?
And they translated it.
A body hast thou prepared me?
The only way I can explain why they translated it that way is that God the Spirit LED them to it.
And in Hebrews 10, when the writer of Hebrews, the apostle Paul I believe, gives us that verse quoted from the Old Testament, where it says, Pioneers, hast thou digged?
It says in verse 5 sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me. So I looked that up in the in the Greek, in Hebrews 10, and I looked it up in the Septuagint in Psalm 40, and they are identical. A body hast thou prepared me? That means that.
Those men were led of God to give the sense of my nearest Hest thou dig?
Why is the ear so important?
We hit that in the seven churches. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
The hearing ear.
To hear the word of God so important that you hear what God says so.
A body hast thou prepared me?
So when he became a man.
He entered his own creation.
He became now a servant, and he had ears to hear what God was saying to him.
Everything that he did.
Was from God his Father.
Everything that he did and heard was from his father.
He is the word very expression of God.
And a body was prepared him. His ears were digged.
To hear.
God's voice to him.
That's the incarnation.
When he became a man, he became a servant. He laid aside his glory, Philippians 2 Says.
He, being in the form of God, thought it not something to be clasped and held onto tenaciously, but he.
Emptied himself of that form of God.
And took upon him the form of a servant.
He was the greatest and he took the lowest place, and then it goes on. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself still further.
That passage in Philippians 2 Says the mind was in Jesus. What was that mind? He was in the greatest place. He was in the form of God, He who was deity itself, He who was that eternal word.
He decided willingly his mind was I'll go.
I'll go into my own creation.
In order to save those that were created in the image and likeness of God.
Man is unique. Man is a special creation. That's never said of angels. They weren't created in the image and likeness of God. It's only said of man.
And so he became one.
He became the Word, became flesh.
A body was prepared him.
That word prepared there is the same as in Hebrews 11 where it says by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.
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The room I'm in in this hotel has some pictures with a frame around it. The frame is far, far more valuable than what's in between.
You don't even understand what it is. It's nonsense.
Modern Art.
Theta put some nice picture in there. The frame would have enhanced it.
The world's were framed by the word of God. Well, that tells us right away that the world didn't come about as a result of an explosion. That's nonsense. That would be helter skelter everywhere.
That sounds like modern art, right?
No, everything was in perfect order. Everything was in perfect order.
Framed by the word of God, that body was prepared, him that was unique, that body, that precious body in which he bore our sins, it goes on to say.
It goes on to say verse 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. Once for all He offered that body, that precious body, that holy body which had no taint of sin to it.
The very idea.
That the Lord could have sinned.
Is.
Awful.
It's a denial of who he is. The one that would say such a thing doesn't really know him.
Know who he is. There was a special body prepared him of God, in which he did everything for the glory of God.
And ultimately, in his body he bore our sins on the tree.
The body hast thou prepared me? His ears were digged, and as soon as he entered that human body.
His ears were digged.
To they were tuned to the voice of God.
He never.
Was intimidated.
He was never flattered, I mean, to any effect on him.
He only heard the voice of his Father. You read the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John is everything he said. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.
Is there anyone in this room that would dare to say that?
That you do always the things that please your father.
Children.
Would you dare to say you always do those things that please your parents? None of us do that, because we have a sin nature. How could he who had no sin nature, who was the infinitely Holy One, and yet who became a servant, emptying himself of that outward form of God, and took upon him the form of the servant? And when he did that, his ears were digged to hear the voice of God.
Remember what Philip said, Show us the Father and it suffice with us.
Hast thou been so long time with me, Philip? And yet hast thou not known me? He that hath seen me has seen the Father.
I've been asked so many times, will we ever see the Father will be in the presence of that blessed man?
He became one of us so that we might be able to see God in human form.
When we see him, when we hear his words and see what he did, we are seeing the Father.
Like father, like son.
The living expression of the Father, the Word, the one who tells us what the Father is like and who he is.
And he had those dig deers to hear the voice of God. Now turn to the Isaiah 50.
Isaiah 50.
Verse 3 It says, I clothed the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering the Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned the instructed 1 The learner, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary awakeneth morning. By morning he awakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned the learner the.
God hath opened mine ear, now here opened ear is correct.
The dig deer is more what you have in that Psalm 40.
But here we have the open dear. I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
He wakeneth morning. By morning he went out and rose up before the rest, and he was with his Father in prayer.
Prayed all night in prayer to God before he chose the 12 apostles.
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He was in constant fellowship with the father. Constant fellowship.
Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.
None of us can even come close to that even after we're saved.
That's the. That's the the model that's set before us. But only he.
Did it perfectly.
The Lord God hath opened mine ear.
He had an open ear. It's interesting in the Greek language.
The word disobedience and the word obedience are identical in one sense. They both have the word to hear.
But a disobedient 1 is one who hears alongside of that is if you're a child in the family and your father tells you to do something and you said you, you just take the attitude. But I don't want to, I don't want to. I don't want to do what you're telling me to do. So he's hearing alongside of what you're saying and he's rejecting what you're saying. That's disobedience in the Greek.
Obedience is to hear under in subjection to. Yes, Sir, I'll do it, I'll do it. That's the way the Lord heard.
He always heard in subject as a man. He always heard in subjection to his father. Always.
Never. Never could be anything else. Could he have sinned?
The idea is monstrous, absolutely monstrous. He always did the will of the Father. He always heard the direction from the Father. His ear was opened every morning to gather fresh instruction from his father. Those dig deers, that's the incarnation. And now the open dears is his life, his whole life down here.
To do the will of God.
What a person he was, the one that clothed the heavens, as it says here, with blackness, and made sackcloth their covering. The Lord God hath given thee the tongue of the instructed 1.
That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. He wakeneth morning. By morning he awakeneth my ear to hear.
As to learn it. So obedience in Scripture is to hear in subjection to what you're hearing.
Disobedience is to hear and put yourself well, that's your idea. I have my idea and mine's as good as yours. That's the end. That's disobedience.
That's disobedience.
He never heard that way.
He said in John 14, My father is greater than I.
That's used by the Jehovah's Witnesses to show that he was not equal with God, no, Which all it shows is that he became a true man.
He became one that took the place of submission.
He heard.
Under, not alongside of, though He was in His deity. Now we're coming into the mystery of His person.
God and man in one person. You can't fathom that. I can't fathom that. But as man, my father's greater than I. As God, I and my father are one.
They seem contradictory because.
There's a mystery. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
Justified in the spirit scene of angels preached under the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. It starts with God becoming man. God was manifest in the flesh. It ends with man going up into the glory of God. There's a man in that glory now because the one who was in the form of God came down to where we are.
A special body prepared him.
His ears were digged to always hear and act upon the voice of God.
And here is ears are opened every morning. He gathered fresh instruction from his father.
Precious.
Precious Lord Jesus.
The Lord God hath given me, He says, the tongue of the learned.
In Luke 2.
Not Luke 2, Luke 12.
He was. They took him.
I'm not giving you the right chapter, but they took him to.
They went from Jerusalem and he stayed back and they finally found him in the midst of the doctors hearing them and asking them questions. And it says they were amazed at his understanding and answers.
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He knew more than all his teachers there.
He learned from God.
He learned from the father.
He had more knowledge than all his teachers combined.
You always think, well yes, because he was God, but he, he learned in subjection to his Father's voice.
That's the way we're to learn.
That's a principle of obedience. Learn in subjection to what you're hearing, and I'm talking about what you're hearing from the Word of God.
Don't reason on the word of God.
When God speaks, we submit to it. When his Father spoke, it was his delight. I delight to do thy will. Lo, I come, I delight to do thy will.
Never delighted in anything else. Any suggestion to him by the enemy of his soul, which was Satan, of course, caused him grief and sorrow.
And he rejected it immediately. Not only did he not sin, but he could not. It was an awful thing to him, even the very suggestion of it.
Do you know him so well that to to suggest that someone have done that he could have sinned that that is a direct attack upon the integrity of his person.
Do we really know? Not really.
If we think he could have.
And the Lord God hath opened my ear. I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. Remember in the one instance in John he, he he says, Father, save me from this hour. He was looking at the the awfulness of what it would cost him to be made sin put our sins away in the garden. He says Father, if it be possible, the only time that he expresses directly his will.
Somewhat independently of his father, he says if it be possible that this cup pass from me.
Then he says nevertheless the perfect submission that was always his, not my will.
But thine be done.
The cup which my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Yes.
Yes, he drank it to the very dregs, but it was the most horrible thing to his soul, to an infinitely holy being. Think of it. Think of it. Here was this man in this prepared body, always hearing the voice of God every day, every morning, and his ears were digged to do that.
And he went through this world such as you and I go through. He went through a world that's full of pride and hatred and deceit and trickery and all kinds of evil things. And he went through this. Remember, he said to his disciples on the way, he was on the way to the cross. And he said, what? What were you talking among yourselves about?
Well, they were arguing who's to be the greatest?
Pride right away. That's the last thing to die in man, and everyone of us has it.
Not a person in this room that isn't proud.
Everyone of us has it.
He didn't have it at all.
And he had something to be proud about.
But once he took the place of a servant, once he entered his own creation and became one of us. Without sin, of course.
He always did.
The will of his Father, my meat, is to do the will of him that sacked me. To finish his work, That which sustained him here in this world was to do the will of God.
That was the delight of his soul. Any suggestion that would be contrary to that was rejected.
With divine energy.
Do you know that person?
That person. There is a man in this world that never did his own will.
He always did the will of his father.
Not even close for any of us.
And where to walk as he walked?
We are to be subject to this precious book as he was.
When Satan came up and tempted him, how did he answer? He didn't reason with him. He quoted Scripture to him. The very thing you and I can do, fill your mind so with the Word of God that when the enemy comes, you can you can refute it by the Word of God. That's what he did.
Blessed man.
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So he had to dig tears. The body prepared.
To do the will of God.
He went out in prayer every day. Every morning his ears were opened to hear.
The voice of his father.
Now let's turn to Exodus 21.
Exodus 21.
Verse 2 Says if thou buy in Hebrew servant.
Six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
We've often read this at the Lord's table and it's so precious and beautiful. Beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus.
If he came in by himself, he should go out by himself. If he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master had given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her masters, and he should go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master with the Lord.
Lord, that would be his father, my wife, that would be his assembly church, and my children, that would be all his children, all those that believe in him.
I will not go out free.
Then his master shall bring him unto the judges.
He shall also bring him to the door or unto the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl.
And he shall serve him forever.
So he had the.
The dig deer, his incarnation.
He had the opened ear his life.
Characterized his whole pathway.
And now he has the pierced deer.
To be a servant forever.
He didn't just do the work on the cross that we were celebrating this morning at his table, remembering him and his death, and then go back.
Without us.
Never would he do that.
His ear was pierced.
Bored his ear through with an awe.
And he shall serve him forever.
Serve him forever.
You'll always be a servant.
That tremendous.
After he finished the work on the cross where he cried out, it is finished.
Now he's become our.
Advocate and our high priest. High priest with God and our advocate with the Father to bring us through this wilderness. He didn't just say, now you're saved. Now make your way through on your own. No, no.
No, he's there in a new way. As soon as he entered heaven, he was saluted of God as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. He's doing a new work now, but he's serving us to keep us in the path. And if one of us strays, have you ever noticed in first John 2 where it speaks of if any man's sin, we not he has an advocate with the Father, but we have an advocate. We always have an advocate with the Father. John 13 presents him to us is that.
Remember he washed their feet, and he came to Peter, And Peter said, Thou shalt never wash my feet. And he said, if I wash thee not, Peter, thou hast no part with me.
Not in me, but with me.
And then Peter says, not my feet, but my hands and my head. And he said, no, he that is washed all over. That's the new birth, a new life needs only to wash his feet. He's clean every wet. As we go through this scene, we pick up the habits of the world, we pick up the defilements of the world and we have to have him wash our feet.
So that he can have fellowship with us.
And we with him, that's what he wants.
That's what he wants.
Is that what we want?
Is that what we want? Do we really want fellowship with him?
That's why He's given us his life and nature, and also His Holy Spirit indwells us so that we can have fellowship with Him.
And he's serving us, serving us as our high priest with God and as our advocate with the Father. The function of the high priest is to keep us going in the way. And if one of us fails in that, we have an advocate with the Father and he restores us.
Restores us so that he can have fellowship with us. We had that before us in our conference. And it's so important that the restoring grace, I think, is just as wonderful as saving grace.
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Saving grace, The restoring grace of God.
David Livingstone was had come back from his one of his trips to Africa and he was being questioned at the in England. What was tell us your greatest experience when you were in Africa? Wanted to hear something like an experience with a lion or some wild beast or something. He said. The greatest experience I had in Africa was he restoreth my soul.
He restoreth my soul.
How many of us have needed that?
Restoration of our soul.
We've all failed.
He's the only man that never did.
Is the only man upon whom the heavens were opened. This is my beloved Son, and whom I am well pleased. I found all my delight in him.
And then he's the one that when he took our place as the Sin Bearer.
Had to experience the unmitigated judgment of a holy God against sin.
The beginning of the cross it was. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do at the end of the cross. His Father into thy hands I commit my spirit, but in between.
12 noon.
The sun, the central witness in our creation of the Light Bearer, ceased to give its light, and it was dark.
And he was shut in alone with God.
He was denied the privilege during those three hours of saying father.
Instead, the only time he does see it say it this way was my God.
My God, why hast thou forsaken me? It was God in all that. He is as God the Judge.
Judging sin.
Wasn't the expression of communion or fellowship which his father?
But it was God the judge that he had to deal with. That's what caused him to sweat great drops of blood in the garden.
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass. But no, it wasn't possible.
He had to do that in order to save the likes of us.
The likes of us.
Turn to.
12.
Verse 34 where your treasure is.
There will your heart be also. Where is your treasure, young person? Where is my treasure?
What is it that I really value?
That's where your heart is.
What was the Lord's treasure?
To please him, please the Father.
Always do his will.
Get his instructions.
And he did them.
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your lines be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when 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.
Now notice this.
That he shall gird himself. Remember in John 13 he girded himself, and took the water and the towel, and he washed their feet. Now in the glory. Now in the glory.
He girds himself again.
And he says make them to sit down to meet.
And come forth and serve them. He came. He's going to serve us again.
In that coming day, what's he going to service more of himself?
More of himself.
A servant forever.
He will never cease to be a servant.
You get that in One Corinthians 15. We had that before us.
The chapter, but I don't know if we spoke too much on this. I'll go over it again because it's so precious.
1St Corinthians 15.
Verse 24 says then cometh the end.
The end of verse 23 is they that our Christ at his coming, that's the rapture. Then cometh the end. This is now the end of the tribulation, the end of the millennial reign, when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power, for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that should be destroyed, his death, that's at the great white throne.
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For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is accepted. That's the Father which did put all things under Him, and then all things shall be subdued unto Him.
Then shall the Son.
As man here also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may be All in all.
But that second person I mentioned, the Son, he's All in all with God, but he's still a servant as man in that body that was prepared him.
And he's going to come forth and serve us.
Can you fathom that?
Can we fathom that?
I could speak on these things, but how feebly.
Do I understand them?
Oh, the love of God.
The love of that one that became one of us. Sin apart.
He was a perfect servant here.
The greatest work that he did as a servant was on the cross when he cried out. My God, my God, why is thou forsaken me? He's speaking there as a man.
When he was in deity in the form of God, he never called the Father God because he was God.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, he wasn't his God until he became a man. 22nd Psalm says Thou art my God, even from my mother's belly. That's when he became his God.
But always the father.
And the.
And the Spirit from all eternity. They had no beginning.
But his incarnation was a beginning of something new when he entered his own creation that he might have you and me.
In his presence forever, and He's going to serve us there.
These things are too wonderful.
For any of us.
That's closed by singing 124.
Jesus, the one who left the throne to save a ruined race. Thy love and loneliness still shine upon that glorious face. Jesus, the one who trod the earth.
The lowly subject 1 Obedience unto death was thine God's well beloved son, Jesus. What memories?
Thrill our hearts of Thy blessed footprints here.
While now to heaven our eyes we turn.
Gaze upon thee, they're saying the whole hymn.
24.
Before we pray.
The Lord chose 12 to be apostles.
And Peter?
They all heard everything he said and saw everything he did, witnessed him and.
And.
We're in his blessed presence.
Peter.
Was different though, than Judas. You might say, well, what's the difference?
Peter denied him three times with oaths and curses. I never knew the man. Don't know the man.
And Judas betrayed him.
What's the difference? It was infinite. The difference was infinite.
They all knew all about him.
They heard his words, saw what he did.
But Peter?
Knew him.
Judas did not.
Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, AM?
Some say, Thou art John the Baptist of Jeremiah, one of the prophets, Elijah one of the prophets, whom say ye that I am? And Peter said, Thou art the Christ.
The Son of the living God.
He knew who he was.
And the Lord said, Blessed art thou, Simon bar Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven, he knew him.
He had some pride, like we all do, and he had to have had to be humbled. So he was allowed. The Lord told him he would do it. He would deny him three times.
But Judas.
Didn't know him.
He knew about him. Now everyone in this room knows about him, a lot about him.
Do you know him?
Are you a Peter?
Or a Judas?
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The difference is infinite.
Infinite.
Do you really know who he is?
If you know who he is, you're his forever. But if you just know about him?
You're like Judas.
He went out and hanged himself. His own existence became intolerable to him. He put an end to it.
I hope there are no Judases in this room.
I hope you're all Peters. I don't mean I want you to fall like Peter did, but I want you to be real.
Be real, let's pray.
1 Corinthians 15
1 Corinthians 15:31
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:10
God will restore
Daniel Continued