Chicago Conference: 1981
Table of Contents
Four Anchors
Address—C.D. Andersen
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I was thinking about.
Something in Acts chapter 27.
Connection with that shipwreck.
That the Apostle Paul was in.
We're not going to go into the details of that shipwreck.
But there's something there in that account.
That gives us a key, I believe, to what's necessary in these days.
I don't know why such a detailed account is given of this journey of the Apostle Paul and this shipwreck.
But it would seem to me that because of this, the Lord might have more in mind than just recounting this story.
And recounting, perhaps the face of the apostle Paul.
But I believe when we look at the Apostle Paul, we look at 1:00.
That might be an example of the truth.
Or he might be the embodiment of the truth, or whatever expression you might want to use.
Because when you think of the apostle Paul, you think of the truth that was revealed to him by the Lord.
The truth for this present dispensation. The gospel of the grace of God.
And the truth of the Church.
And when you think of him, that's what you think of and you're thinking correctly.
But in this account we find that that ship is in a very dangerous condition position out there in the sea, and in danger of being dashed to bits. We might think of that ship as the testimony of the present time.
And surely the church has gone through a similar experience of being dashed to bits. Now, as far as the body of Christ is concerned, it's as whole and entire and one as it ever was. That cannot be torn apart. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. But it's a testimony, the awkward testimony we're thinking of. And perhaps this ship might be looked at as.
A type or an example of the outward testimony of the Church?
And I notice in verse.
29.
Of Acts 27, it says then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks.
They cast 4 anchors out of the stern and waited for the day.
That's a very significant statement that seems to me.
This ship.
Is about to be dashed to pieces and they cast out the anchors.
I believe the apostle Paul was seeking to encourage Timothy.
In his day because of what he saw.
In Second Timothy he writes.
In the second letter to Timothy, he writes All day in Asia, be turned away from me.
I don't know if there was an outward breakup, but there was something going on in the hearts of the Saints in all of Asia.
And they were turning away from the apostle Paul.
Well, what could that mean but turning away from the truth that the Apostle Paul had given them?
The truth of Christ, the center. The truth of the one body, Christ, the head of the church.
The truth that we're members one of another members of his body.
Members of Christ united to him the head and the glory, all of this. Could it be that they were giving up? Well, we know the apostle was in prison and he was suffering great persecution for the truth, and it seemed that they were becoming ashamed, because he has to write to Timothy exhorting him not to be ashamed of the testimony.
Are we ashamed of the testimony we see breakups?
We've seen a breakup. Christendom is divided into many, many denominations, sex and systems.
That doesn't mean that the body of Christ has been torn apart because.
We are all still members one of another. All true believers are members of the body of Christ that can never be touched. But the outward testimony is what we see, and we can become discouraged when we see the great breakup.
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And we find that it's a place of reproach to be gathered simply to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 13 we read. Let us go forth unto him, therefore, without the camp bearing His reproach, to be gathered simply to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who to go out and be associated with Him is a matter of reproach. It was always a matter of reproach, and very much so in the early days.
And the dear Saints of God in those days had to have real, vital faith.
In the Lord Jesus Christ, and be attached to him in their souls in a real way, in order to cleave to him with purpose of heart, to go on with Him, to go on in what the apostle Paul had given us.
So here we find that the ship is in danger.
And there are the four anchors cast out of the stern.
And they're waiting for the day. Well, that could remind us of the day star that Peter speaks of. When the day star shall arise in your hearts, the day stars the Lord Jesus Christ. We're waiting for him to come.
And we need anchors to hold us fast to the Lord Jesus Christ.
To hold us fast for his sake, for his glory, that we might be some little testimony until the Lord comes.
I enjoyed what was said in connection with Josiah.
And I think we need to take it to heart.
We do need to keep our eye on the Lord.
We need to be occupied with him, going on with him and not get distracted or turned aside.
Which evidently he did at the end.
We might look at 4 anchors and we can still look in this same book of Acts chapter 2.
There are other things that might be considered as anchors. Reference was made to scripture in Jude and we find 4 things there that are very profitable for us to consider, but we'll consider first.
These things in Acts chapter 2.
And verse 42.
This is a familiar scripture, perhaps to everyone here.
And it's good for us to be acquainted with this scripture.
Acquainted with how things were going in the beginning because.
This was in connection with the church that was formed on the day of Pentecost and to which there were souls added.
And it says in verse 41.
The same day they were added unto them about 3000 souls. I take it that they were added to the 120?
That were there on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down. The Holy Spirit came down and baptized those 120 believers into one body. And when these others believed, they were sealed by the Spirit of God and were added to that same body. And ever since then, souls that have been saved have been sealed by the Spirit of God and they have been added to that same body.
There is one body. There has never been two bodies or three bodies. There is still one body.
The body that began on the day of Pentecost. The body that's going to be taken to glory.
When the Lord comes to take us home, there is one body, and if you're saved this afternoon, you belong to that body.
And since you've been joined to that body, there's no need of joining anything else.
All adjoining that we see in Christendom.
Is something that supposed.
To be adding to the church. But there's no need of it. It's a superfluous thing because if we're joined to Christ, if we're joined to the that one body, we're members of that one body. Why do we need to be a member of anything else?
So if we're clear on the truth that we're members of the body of Christ, it will keep us from becoming members of anything else. So here we have this company, and what are they doing?
It says they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of prayer, bread and prayers. 4 anchors.
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You notice the first two are linked together.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine and fellowship.
It was the apostles doctrine and it was the Apostles fellowship, which means that the fellowship was according to the Apostles doctrine.
And if you want to find out the character of the fellowship today?
Read Paul's doctrine, the truth of the apostles, the doctrine of the apostles, and you find out what the character of the fellowship is. And when you read that, you find out that there are a lot of things that have been added in Christendom that have no place there. Well, it was when the Lord began to deal with me and show me.
The truth of the Church, the apostles doctrine that I began to see that the fellowship, what I was in, had things in it that were not according to the apostles doctrine.
And so there was exercise about really going on in the Apostles Fellowship.
Well, there may be someone here this afternoon.
That is exercised about these things.
And like I was telling a brother just this noon.
John 717 If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine.
If you really want to know the truth, declare to the Lord Himself that you want to do His will, and He will show you the truth.
I believe that the Lord is faithful. He will not leave us in the dark. He doesn't want to leave us in the dark. And He wants us to know the truth. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Oh, there is delivering power in the truth of God, because when you see the truth of God, it shows up all that's not of the truth and you don't want anything to do with it anymore. So the important thing is to get the positive, the truth before you, and that will take care of those things that are not according to the truth. It'll show up itself, but it's not there.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine and fellowship.
Our brother spoke of those leaving the meeting or leaving the fellowship, getting away from the Lord, getting away from the Lord's table, getting away from their brethren.
Getting out of fellowship, well, that's a sad thing. We don't want to see anyone leave the meeting as is said, or get out of fellowship and just deliberately leave the Lord's Table.
But this is what happens so often. We get into a bad state of soul, and no one here, not one of us.
Has any guarantee that we will be at the Lord's table when the Lord comes if we're not going on with the Lord?
We need to be exercised about that going on with the Lord, going on in personal fellowship with Him, not allowing anything to come in between US and the Lord, to bring a cloud between US and the Lord. We need to judge it. If it does, we need to get before the Lord if it does and judge that thing, confess it to Him, get rid of it, get the cloud removed and go on with the Lord. We don't have to go on.
In that kind of a condition.
Where there's a cloud between US and the Lord.
Maybe there are some here this afternoon that have a cloud between them and the Lord. Well, it's not the Lord's fault, is it? It's our fault if there's a cloud there, because he says I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So if there's any forsaking, it's on our part. And perhaps the forsaken comes in a sort of a gradual way, day by day, little by little.
And down the road aways, we find ourselves far away from the Lord in our own souls.
If we're the Lords were still the Lord's, but as far as fellowship with him is concerned.
We're far away from him. We're really not enjoying things with the Lord. We're not enjoying the things of the Lord. And we get to the point where we don't care about being together with our brethren, don't care about being at the meetings, being at the reading meeting, or being at the prayer meeting. We just give up. We get so far away. Oh, may the Lord give us grace to continue steadfastly in fellowship.
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The Apostles Fellowship.
So the Apostles doctrine gives us the truth of the fellowship, the characteristics of the fellowship.
And the fellowship itself is, of course, the fellowship of the Father and the Son, fellowship of the members of the body of Christ. Actually, when you're thinking about a body like the human body, you can think of all the parts of the body, all the members of the body. They are having a certain relationship together. You might say they're having a fellowship together.
And they have one thing in mind, all the members of the body.
What do they have in mind? The welfare of the body.
Even when you go to the wash patient.
You need two hands to really.
Wash your hands. They're helping one another. What's that for? To keep the hands clean. And it's for the welfare of the whole body.
And you can think of that way out to the NTH degree.
Fellowship, fellowship together, going on together, and you might think of the members of the body enjoying one another.
This hand enjoys what this one does. This one enjoys what that one does. The mouth enjoys having the hands put food in, put food in it, so on.
There's a working together going on together.
And the body, the human body, is used in Scripture by the Apostle Paul as a picture of the church.
The body of Christ. And you can think about that yourself. Any person, young people, children who know the Lord can think about that too.
And think of the body as a picture of the body of Christ. Christ is the head. We have a head, and then there are the members down here on earth. And this body has members beside the head. But the body is united to the head, so that every member of the body here is united to the Lord Jesus Christ up there. And if you want to know what to do.
You just ask the Lord Jesus who is the head.
You just look to him for guidance because the direction for the whole body comes from the head, doesn't it?
And if you want direction for your life and direction for yourself as a member of the body of Christ, look to the Lord Jesus the Head.
Well, it's as simple as that. And yet sometimes I think we make it very complicated, but we also remember that the flesh in US doesn't like something like that total devotedness to the Lord Jesus Christ. And there's another one, Satan that doesn't like it all. How he fights the truth of the church and he fights the body of Christ. He fights the church. And if you want to go on according to the truth of the church as we find it in Scripture, you'll find out that the.
Fight you and He will try to get you into a low state of soul. Get occupied with this or that, get occupied with the failures of your brethren, get occupied with your own failures and get you down in the dumps just to spoil you.
In your function as a member of the body of Christ.
Or how we need to just get before the Lord, tell Him all about it, judge yourself one with him, that we might fit into the body of Christ as the Lord would have us, and function there as He wants us to function and go on in that sweet fellowship together until the Lord comes to take us home. So here we have two anchors, the apostles teaching.
And the Apostles fellowship and we need to go on in those two things.
The doctrine and the fellowship. Now we come to the break of bread. That's another anchor we might look at.
We remembered the Lord this morning.
Together for the Breaking of bread, we read in Acts 20, The disciples came together to break bread.
What did that mean? They came back. They came together to remember the Lord.
As the Lord had asked, he has asked us to remember Him. It's very plain that He asked his disciples to do that. And it's plain too, that he asked the apostle Paul to do that. And the apostle Paul got the revelation from the Lord himself.
What they ought to do, what the Lord desired.
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And the Apostle Paul went on with it and he taught it everywhere. And those that he taught went on in the breaking of bread. That's why when he came to throw *** he found that disciples came together to break bread. For it must have been a joy to him to see that, that they came together to break bread. Well, we've been going to Ghana.
For some time since the table of the Lord was spread there.
And every time I've gone back there, it's been a joy to me to see, well, the disciples are still coming together to break bread.
Or what an encouragement it is to see that, that they still come together to break bread. And over Nigeria, now they're coming together to break bread. And then we hear those in India, they're coming together to break bread. And those who go over there and see that after they first been there, what an encourage it must be to them to see, yes, they're still going on. They're coming together to break bread.
Is that so important to break bread? Well, evidently it is because this was part of what they continued steadfastly in.
In the beginning, in the breaking of bread.
It wasn't an off and on thing.
One time a month or anything like that, but it was the first day of the week, which indicates that they did it weekly.
The first day of the week.
Not the first Lord's Day in the month. That's what we used to do where I was before. Some places to do it once every half year, maybe every once in a year. But oh, that can't be enough. As OFT as you do this, you do show his death till he comes. We try to do it as often as we can, and we find it really convenient to do it every first day of the week, which is Lord's Day.
The Lord's Day, especially the Lord's Day, and you can connect it with the Lord's Supper and the Lord's Table, the Lords Day, the Lords Supper, the Lords Table, it's all the Lords and you link it all together and so you want to remember the Lord.
At the on his day at the Lord's table by eating the Lord's Supper. Then there's a fourth one here. They continued steadfastly in prayer.
Sometimes.
I see people missing from the prayer meeting, it's so encouraging to find.
Most of the assembly at the prayer meeting. I know there are circumstances which might prevent some from coming, but yet most of the time we find more to breaking bread than we do at the fair meeting. Well, I believe the prayer meeting is just as important as the breaking of bread. The Lord is in the midst at the breaking of bread and the Lord is in the midst at the prayer meeting.
If you want to meet the Lord, you can meet him on Lords Day morning and you can meet him at the prayer meeting. And you might add that you can meet him at the Reading meeting because that is where we take up the Apostles doctrine.
And in all the meetings we express fellowship together.
All of these things are important.
Are we giving up to prayer meeting? I hope not.
Someone has spoken of the prayer meeting as the powerhouse of the assembly.
Well, it's not because we're powerful, but we are there and we get in touch with the one who said all powers given unto me in heaven and in earth, and we need to be in touch with him. We need to keep up the line of communication. We need to keep up that line of communication with Him so the power can come down because we're very weak.
And when we're in His presence, we own our weakness.
That's part of it, humbling ourselves before the Lord, owning our weakness, our nothingness, and being cast entirely upon Him. The prayer meeting is the place where you express dependence upon the Lord.
And if there's not good attendance at the prayer meeting, it must mean that there are some who are not feeling their dependence upon the Lord for themselves individually and for the assembly. This is where we pray for those who are sick and afflicted. This is where we pray for those who need prayer, who are getting away from the Lord, who are sick in their souls.
This is the place we would pray for those who are in foreign lands.
Giving their time and energies to the work of the Lord. This is the place where we pray for one another. This is the place we pray for all those who are serving the Lord full time and those who are serving the Lord part time.
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In fact, all who know really what it means to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ are serving the Lord.
We can't leave it to just one person or two people.
All of us must feel the responsibility, and if we feel responsibility, we feel that we must go to the Lord to get what is needed to fulfill the responsibility and we feel our dependence upon the Lord and this is what we express in the prayer meeting. All brethren, let's cleave to the Lord Himself with purpose of heart and not forget these 4 anchors.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15
Reading
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First Thessalonians chapters 4 and five, beginning with verse 13 of chapter 4. For that would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep.
That you sorrow not even as others which 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 him.
For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord.
That we which are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord shall not prevent or precede them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout.
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.
For 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 the him as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
But she, 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. You're not of the night, nor of the 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 foreign help, the hope of salvation.
For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who died for us that whether we wake our sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also you do.
Or now that in the early chapters of the book of Acts, we see that there was still when the Lord Jesus Christ went up on high, there was a bonafide a good offer made that if Israel would still repent nationally, God would send Jesus back for the restitution of all things and the Kingdom would be set up.
We know that by the time we get to Acts Chapter 7.
There's a message sent up to heaven in the stoning of Stephen. We will not have this man to reign over us, God of course, knowing the all things beforehand. In the next chapters we see then God raising up a man, Saul of Tarsus, a man that was prepared from his mother's womb, as we learned from Galatians 1.
And God is going to use him as a special vessel.
For the whole truth of bringing out of the church. Now, Paul was given many revelations, we learned, But specifically four are mentioned, aren't there?
There is one in connection with the gospel in Galatians chapter one.
The and that's outlined for us, shall we say, in the book of Romans, how a man can be just before God, then the three special revelations given to him connection with the church. What in Ephesians 3 that the Jew and the Gentile should be 11 Newman united to Christ in glory, forming that one Newman head and body. So the mystery of the church.
Was made known to the apostle Paul. Also the 2nd revelation not in an order now I'm just mentioning then would be the fact that the apostle Paul was never in the upper room when the remembrance of the Lord was instituted. So he had a special revelation from the risen Christ that this the remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ because an ultra dispensationalism.
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They teach that that was something that was just for the early Christian Church when it was in its transitional period.
But thank God that which is most blessed to us each Lord's Day was given to the apostle Paul as a revelation, something that should characterize those believers, you and I, until the Lord Jesus Christ comes back again, this do Remember Me.
Then, of course, the other revelation would be what we have before us in First Thessalonians chapter 4. The apostle, visiting early in Thessalonica, had given them truth about the coming of the Lord the day of the Lord. We learned that in chapter 5. But now a special revelation is given to him in connection with the Church, and that those that had died and those which remained, that the Lord Jesus is going to come and take us to be with Himself.
So these revelations, at least four, as we say, one in connection with the gospel.
3IN connection with the church given to the apostle Paul, some of it unfolded here before us. I mentioned we might mention in connection with the revelation in First Thessalonians chapter 4 that we could connect with that what we have in First Corinthians chapter 15.
Verse 51. This is in connection with the resurrection.
The two are linked together, the resurrection of the Saints and the catching up of the Saints, to be with Christ in glory.
And it was appropriate that the apostle Paul should get a revelation in connection with resurrection because.
The resurrection in the Old Testament times was looked at as a general thing, a resurrection of everybody. There wasn't any distinction in resurrection. But now we have this revelation here, and it's stated this way in verse 51 of chapter 15 of First Corinthians. Behold, I show you a mystery.
Well, that word mystery is something like the word secret. I show you a secret that is, here's something that is given to the apostle Paul that before it was revealed to him, it was secret. It was hidden. It wasn't strange to God. It was hidden in him like the truth of the church. It was hidden in God. But now he says, I show you this mystery.
We shall not all sleep.
But we shall all be changed, and you connect that with what we have in First Thessalonians chapter four in a moment.
And the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, or the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. So Speaking of those who have died in Christ, and those who are still living that belong to Christ. And the living will be changed, and the dead will be raised incorruptible. And then of course, in First Thessalonians.
Four tells us that they're going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
The Lord himself shall descend to to meet them there in the air. What a glorious truth this is. We're going to see him. We're going to see the one who died for us, the one who loved us and gave himself for us. We're going to be caught away from this scene up to meet him and be taken to the Father's house. And if we want to read more, we can read about that.
In John's Gospel chapter 14.
Read that portion of scripture with this particular scripture too, because the Lord, the Lord is making an announcement there really in John 14, and it's the truth of the Lords coming in its Christian aspect that we're getting there.
The Lord has gone to prepare place for us. The very fact that He's there as a man means that a place is prepared for us there, and He's coming again to receive us unto Himself, that where He is, we might be also. So this is what we have really brought before us in this scripture that's just been read to us. First Thessalonians chapter 4.
Now it says in verse 13, I would not have you to be ignorant.
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The Apostle Paul was giving these dear Saints of Thessalonica.
This revelation, this truth, because he didn't want them to be ignorant about it. Some of their loved ones who knew the Lord had died and they were wondering now what's happened to them? They've lost out, they've lost everything. Nor the apostle says, I don't want you to be ignorant about that. And isn't it wonderful that we have this Scripture that when we lose brethren, we lose loved ones in the Lord? We know what's happened to them. We know where they are.
We are not ignorant about it because God has given us His word about it for something. Notice that.
In verse 15 of the 4th chapter, the verse 18 is the parenthesis and chapter five really is a continuation from what you get from verse 14.
Now as you remarked, I would not have been ignorant concerning them with our sleep and verse 14 for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, Even so them also asleep and Jesus will God bring with him well, how is he going to bring with him well, the following verses is the rapture the Lord coming.
Four years old. For many years I used to.
Think that this was a Raptor verse 13 and 14, but it is not the Raptor. You get the Raptor in verse 15 and that's how they can come with him because the rapture has taken place and.
The regime there with the Lord.
Revelation chapter 19. It speaks of an army that comes with him, with the Lord out of heaven.
Well, no doubt this is what this is referring to here. We're going to be brought with him, it will be taken up so we're with him and we can come back.
And be part of that new Jerusalem that will hover over the earth during the Millennium while the Lord is reigning here on the earth will be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ in His reign over this world.
And everyone.
Who belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ will have a part in that be associated with Him. No one will be left out.
What a wonderful expression this is for all of us that belong to the Lord Jesus, which sleep in Jesus. We have that blessed hope to death overtake us, but we understand it and we take it in not by our thoughts or our reason, but it's because the Holy Spirit has been dwelled us and by faith we can enter into these things. I was thinking when the Lord in John 11.
Was telling this to his own disciples.
And he said, our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may wake him out asleep. They couldn't enter into that. And he had to say plainly, Lazarus is dead. Well, how wonderful it is. Now we have the mind of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and by faith we can enter into the blessed truth that those that have gone ahead are asleep in Jesus.
When the disciples heard it.
From the Lord himself they couldn't enter into that it's too precious isn't it? And it takes it takes the faith through the Holy Spirit of God, which by the grace of God we have now in order to enter into this blessed truth. The 14th verse has been very interesting in this way that.
As it's been already pointed out, this would be is appearing, wouldn't it, when he comes back with his Saints. But if you notice it says or if we believe.
That Jesus died and rose again. Even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Isn't it precious to know that God's whole plan is the exaltation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and when He appears, we appear with Him. When He's glorified, when He has His rightful place, then the Saints are there too with Him. I was thinking of it is don't we get a thought in?
First Timothy chapter 6 where we get the.
The Lord Jesus and God brought so closely together.
First Timothy chapter 6 and verse 13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, that thou keep this commandment without spot, unremucable until the coming, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Which in his times he shall show.
Who is, who is the blessed and only potentate, the king of kings and Lord of Lords? God is going to show he's going to display his beloved Son in that day. I wondered if there wasn't some connection between verse 14 and those verses that we have in First Timothy chapter 6 that that title the King of kings and Lord of Lords. I think of a verse in Revelation 17.
To read to us Revelation 17, verse 14.
We read.
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of Lords and King of kings, and they that are with him, and that's what our verse says, are called and chosen and faithful. Now those are not the angels, we are the called ones.
The epistles are addressed to the called ones, and we are those whom he's called out of darkness into his marvelous light, called to be a people for his name. And so those who are with him when he returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, are called and chosen and faithful. How precious that we are so identified with him that when he returns we will be with him and we will be like him.
Isn't it? It's called and chosen. When were we called in time? When we were chosen in eternity? What a what a glorious portion this is, isn't it some folks that said, well, why should we take up prophecy? You know, that's not very profitable for our hearts. Well, dear ones, we would say this, that anything that relates.
To the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
His work, His person, His glory, His offices, anything that touches upon the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, it should be precious to us. And so if we do, if we should get into some prophetic things, it isn't just to feed the intellect, but it's to know of those coming scenes of glory in which there are two men in the Word of God.
The man in responsibility, Adam.
And the man of God's purposes and counsels the Lord Jesus Christ. And so anything that touches upon that Blessed One is important to us. Now our part is that we're waiting for the rapture. We're waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to take us to be with himself. Blessed moment that can come at any time. But how about the revelation? How about the time when the Lord Jesus shall come with the armies of heaven and put down?
All of the iniquity and rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of Lords. Well, Second Timothy chapter four, I think has a word for our hearts and consciences there in that connection. Second Timothy chapter 4 and verse 4.
The apostle Paul now is at the end of the pathway. This is his last epistle. He might say that what we're reading in First Thessalonians is false first epistle that he wrote in about 51 to 53 AD, somewhere around there on his second missionary journey that we connected with the book of Acts.
This second Timothy would be the last epistle, possibly the 14th one that our fossil road. And here he says henceforth, and verse eight, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love the rapture. That's not what it says.
Unto all that love his appearing.
All we love is appearing as believers. We love that that moment when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be manifested, and when He shall have everything that is rightfully His. There's coming a day right now it's Sit down at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Or one day in Psalm 2, ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for thine inheritance. And he will ask, and he'll come with those armies, and be irresistible as the lion of the tribe of.
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And put down everything. Of course, as I say, our blessed hope then is his coming. But here there's a crown of righteousness that we can have in the coming day if we love is appearing. We might say that a little bit later on in verse 10, there's a man who loved the wrong thing, a Christian.
Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. Now what are we loving? Do we love the appearing when the Lord Jesus Christ shall have his rightful place? Or do we love this present world? Doesn't say evil world either, does it? Here He's delivered us from this present evil world, Galatians one. But Demas love this present world could have had a fair appearance. It could have been something that was more lucrative to him than going out preaching the gospel.
But he loved this world and he was the loser for it and all. If we set our affections on things down here, that's going to rob us of the joy of the Lord. Connection of John 14 has been referenced recognized when he says to his own who were sorrowing.
He says, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am.
That must have been precious to their hearts. The very thought of the blessed Savior setting before them, the emphasis. I will receive you onto myself.
Not referring to the completion of the councils of God, although that would be true. Not referring to the place to which we would go, that's spoken of that where I am.
But unto myself, and if it is precious and real to his own heart, that you and I as redeemed ones would be with him.
And like Him, and therefore His praise and glory. Then what ought to characterize us now? We understand, beloved brethren, the truth concerning the coming of the Lord. But I wonder if it is fresh in our hearts. I remember traveling, if you pardon the reference a moment, remember traveling with a dear woman who was only saved about four weeks.
And we began to speak about the coming of the Lord.
1St Thessalonians 4 simplified scriptures that we've had before us again and again. Her heart just seemed to throb in her face. It was that beam of the fresh sense. You mean the Lord who loved thee and died for me is going to come really and truly.
And take me with everyone else to be with himself.
She thought it was marvelous. She said, wait just a minute till I write all these scriptures down so that I can send this to my son who has just also recently known the Lord Jesus as his Savior. It was fresh, it was real. It was.
Perhaps the first time she had ever heard of the glory of these truths. And I, in sitting here this afternoon of Finn enjoying what has been before us. And I would challenge our heart, beloved brethren, is it fresh and real? And does it mean something to our heart that the Lord Jesus has not only died for us?
And given us the fullness of the Word and the glory of His purpose.
But he plainly told us that I will come again and receive you to myself.
He says this do in remembrance of me.
Where I am, there shall also my servant be. May the Person of Christ be fresh and real. And may these glorious truths as we sit here during these days, the Lord willing, be real in our hearts, as if we were hearing them for the very first time, the truth of the Word of God.
Made real by the Spirit of God to the Saints of God. May there be that sense.
In which we would be here in the Lord's presence to receive the word of God for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 15. It seems to me that.
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That the Apostle Paul is giving us a witness, a testimony. Now witnesses or testimonies can be words that are hung upon. Often times you get into a courtroom.
And witnesses are brought to the witness stand, and whatever side has the witness, they're hanging upon the words of that witness that the judge might hear those words and make a favorable decision. Well, here we have one giving a testimony. He's giving a real testimony. He's telling something that he has heard.
Now there are those.
That doubt the word of God.
But God speak, and holy men of old wrote as God speak to them, and they spoke by the Holy Ghost, or they wrote by the Spirit of God.
Witness was given to them, words were given to them to write, and they wrote them down. Here we have the apostle Paul writing down, telling us what the Lord told him.
For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, You have any doubts about this? Well, it's a testimony of the law of the apostle Paul to what the Lord told him.
Hang on, do we find assurance in it? Do we really cling to it? Is it a foundation for us to stand upon? God has spoken. The Lord Jesus Christ spoke to the apostle Paul and he's writing it down. It's his testimony. Do we believe it? The whole word of God is a testimony of God to us. Do we believe it? Does it mean something to us?
Sometimes we read the word of God.
Perhaps in our private reading and we're just reading words, but does it mean something to us? Well, I need to be stirred up in this myself to really know that when I'm reading this book, I'm reading God's testimony to me, holy men of all space as they were moved by the Spirit of God. Oh, I'm thankful for that testimony. He says the Lord told me this.
That we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them.
Or precede them, or get ahead of them which are asleep. And he goes on to tell the whole thing that the Lord told him. It came directly from the Lord Jesus by the apostle Paul to us. These are the words of the Lord Himself through His servant.
And the whole story is here.
This passage could not be quoted from the Old Testament.
It was not the word of the Lord until the apostle received it by special revelation.
Then it was the word of the Lord, and this is acknowledged by.
Peter in his second epistle.
If you'll notice in the third chapter as he writes in verse 15 and account, the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him as written unto you, as also in all his officials speaking in them of these things in which.
Are some things hard to be understood?
Which they that are unlearned and unstable rest as they do also the other scriptures. So this informs us that this truth of the Lords coming for His people is scripture also. And they rest these scriptures under their own destruction, evidently.
It was necessary for the apostle to instruct these Thessalonians in this way.
Because of the rejection of Christ and the introduction of Christianity and the change that came about.
Because in coming to his own, his own received him not being in the world that was made by him. The world knew him not, and there's a change in dispensations. So Peter makes a reference to the present truth.
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And we can be thankful for what is known in the the religious world, shall we say, as dispensational truth.
Aren't we glad the Lord is coming and that we're not put in the expectation of a long hard struggle to finally advance the cause of good until the the works of evil are defeated? The Lord is coming and you refer to that is appearing in Revelation 19.
A few years ago in Walla Walla, WA, the subject of the Lord's coming was taken up.
Not in the way that it's so vitally concerns us, because we'd love to see him, just as that Lady on the train, or whatever mode of travel it was, was so intensely glad in the thought of the Lords coming and she would see him.
But the ministry in those meetings had quite a two and quite a bit to do with the Lord having his rifle placed in the appearing.
And both are necessary and we can be thankful for the truth of the rapture. And may I close this with the question, what is the rapture? Because the young people would like to know.
Really means to catching up.
That's in simplicity what it is. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. I think we have it right there.
In verse 17, shall be caught up. That's the rapture. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air, raptured away, caught up in connection with the coming of the Lord. You know, we know it as a doctrine.
Think of whether Brother Reeve has been saying we know this as a doctrine, but is it reality in our walk? And it's been interesting to me to see in this chapter, chapter 4, that the beginning of the chapter brings in our walk. Now if there's a if there's a careless walking Christian here today, I don't believe.
You're really looking for the Lord to come? That's a sad statement to make.
But we need to be careful as to our walk. We receive the truth of God on the principle of faith. That's true, But to enjoy it, we should be wound walking in it. And you find that in that first verse of this chapter. I I don't want to go back to those verses, but just the thought of referring to responsibility now in connection with a truth that we know as a doctrine.
But do we really enjoy it? Is it really before us?
The first verse says furthermore than we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more. Or if we're walking in the in the enjoyment of that fact that we know that perhaps today the Lord would come.
What a joy that is, and we can say we can respond as we find in Revelation. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
And the Spirit, it's the Spirit of God in US.
That keeps the coming of the Lord before our souls. That keeps it alive in our souls, doesn't it? We're entwelled by the Spirit of God, that divine guest, and he says where he's given us of his Holy Spirit. Well, we should consider then our walk as to the fact that we may see the Lord today face to face. I believe these are important points in connection with the coming of the Lord rather than.
We know it as a doctrine, but.
Shouldn't we know it as a practical truth in our lives? Most of us have heard that old saying.
An honest confession is good for the soul.
This chapter was being read.
My ears were listening and I didn't recognize the chapter until they got to verse 13.
We dwelt so much on the Lord's coming, the Rapture, but we'd forgotten the instruction in the first part of the chapter.
Now the word.
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Refers to beautiful feet.
And we don't usually talk about beautiful feet, but.
Beautiful of the feet of those that preach the gospel, who walk according to the truth of the Word and proclaim it in that way.
I.
And notice of all this in this chapter, that God is brought before us many times. It's God, isn't it? As such. And God is holy.
He is our Father, that's true if God is our Father, but we must remember that God is holy and he's never the same. Holy God, He hasn't changed because of His grace or His love to us, and so it's to please God.
The will of God.
Which know not God all through God is going to bring those back with him, with his Son, when he when he brings him in that place of exaltation. So it seems that God is brought before us here, isn't it?
Very, very much the trump of God and so on. So it's well for us to remember that God is holy.
What?
I suppose could be summed up in verse three of first John 3.
The Epistle of John. The First Epistle of John, chapter 3.
And verse 3.
And every man that had this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
Every man that hath this hope in him I take to him there refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's what we have in our Scripture. Hope in him brought before us the blessed hope. And every man that hath this hope in him, what does he do? Purifieth himself.
Having this truth before us, the coming of the Lord.
It has a purifying effect upon us.
It's part of that which the Lord is doing, purifying our hearts, cleansing, cleansing us with the washing of water by the Word, and having His coming before us in this aspect any moment He may come. It has a purifying effect.
Every man that has this hope in him purifies himself even as he, the Lord, is pure. What's the standard? The Lord himself, the Lord himself, and we need to keep him before us. And how do we keep him before us? Well, we think about him, but we read about Him and as you're reading about him in the Gospels, throughout the Word.
It has an effect upon us.
Reading about him, seeing him as he walked, we get a picture of himself, a picture that the Spirit of God gives us, not a picture that some man has painted, supposed to be a picture of the Lord Jesus. That kind of a picture of the Lord is not going to purify anybody. It'll make him an idolater of anything. But it's a picture that the Spirit of God gives us as we read about the Lord.
Christ in the Word, and having Him before us, what can it do but purify it? We get face to face with Him, and we judge ourselves, and we see ourselves in the light of Himself, and we confess to Him what we are.
And what we have done.
And it's good for our souls. Our brother mentioned confession. Honest confession is good for the soul. Well, this is what we need. Honest confession before the Lord, getting everything right with Him. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hebrews 6, verse 18 and 19.
We have the hawk vets and these two verses.
And by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation or comfort. Who have planned for Rapids to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Well, we've had the hope. It's the hope of the Lord coming for his own. We we expect him any moment. And.
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Laying hold upon the hope, I believe, is laying hold with the hand of faith. Do we really have faith that the Lord may come today?
It's laying hold of that. If we are going to get comfort, consolation from this hope, there needs to be that practically whole with the hand of faith upon it. And then it goes on to say verse 19, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. We're living in a day when the tide of evil is rising higher and higher.
And when there is a high tide, bullet has to have a good anchor, or it will drift. And if you and I do not have an anchor for our souls, we're going to trip with the tide of evil. And so the apostle says, which hope we have.
As an anchor of the soul, so the hope is an anchor for us both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil where the forerunners were centered. Even Jesus made a high priest forever, half the order of Melchizedek. So by faith we see the Lord Jesus, that God's life had enough, we see him there. What's he doing?
Oh, his eyes upon us this afternoon.
He knows that the sorrows of problems and trials and difficulties of each one of us.
Some different than others. Nevertheless, we are all passing through a world that's full of trial and trouble, and it affects every home.
Well, how wonderful as Saints of God we have a hope, we have a comfort. Well we need to lay hold of it. And this is what is going to, I believe, put into practice in our lives when our brother Heinz who is bringing before us. I believe it will affect our walk and it there should be that loved one for another.
Oh, if I thought this afternoon, I was sure that the Lord would come.
Before this meeting was over, or before the day was over, could it be that I would harbor in my heart an unkind, unforgiven spirit against any my brother? Oh, I'm sure if we had that. Oh, and really believe that the Lord might come today. Oh, wouldn't we want to get right with one another?
Well, I believe these truths are very needful and precious to us. They do comfort.
Asked a very sensible question. If we are waiting for the coming of the Lord, isn't it also true that there are practical things in life which we need to have and we need to do in a responsible manner?
And the answer is yes. And however the emphasis is clearly set out for us in Scripture. Maybe if we looked at it in picture form, it might be helpful. Turn back to Genesis 24.
I believe we'll see the relationship.
Of a practical circumstance.
Genesis 24 we have the subject.
Of the servant obtaining a bride before Isaac, and we have then Rebecca at the end of the chapter going.
Reverse 61 Rebecca rose and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels and followed the man, and the servant took Rebecca and went his way.
The servant surely setting before us in picture the Spirit of God now leading on and you and I now going on as Rebecca, who was to be that bride for Isaac. And then verse 62, Isaac came from the way, the way of the well.
And verse 63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field eventide.
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And so forth. Verse 64. And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
Why didn't my act as if the sentence ended there? Because if you and I were mostly thinking about the camel, we would have some provision for watering the camels. Previously in this chapter there was the question of animals, and we are told of watering those animals and caring for them. What about the watering process and all of the things in relationship to this camel?
We're not told anything about it. She lighted off the camel, period. I believe clearly, brethren, that there is a little hint here that the camel had properly served the purpose to carry Rebecca through a difficult journey following the server. But now that Isaac is there and she's going to be with him, the camel has nothing further to do with the story, and we needn't be concerned as to what became of.
Camel and so if we in our lives can sense the Spirit of God is that servant that would indeed lead us on in the way to be with that blessed One. And that we do have a camel. We do have provision for a difficult journey and during the journey there are responsibilities. The camel was no doubt provided for. When we get to the end of the journey, we abruptly have that.
She lighted off the camel, and she had said unto the servant, What man is this, beloved brethren? What man is this, the man Christ Jesus?
Will anything then be of any importance? No, during this life? Important Yes, as it serves the purpose to go from where we have been taken in His matchless love and grace unto Himself. That's the only purpose and to be tended to in a responsible manner. But when our eyes can see that blessed man face to face.
Nothing else would have any value. And may there be a sense in our souls, as we have it in Luke 12, of waiting and watching? Both are suited. Both have to do with the sensitivity in our heart of the One for whom we long. And may there be, I believe.
An instruction for us in this little hint concerning the camel Useful, suitable, suitable. But surely when we seek.
What man is this?
All then the camel has no purpose, no further reference to it or provision for.
We noticed that there are two companies really in this portion of Scripture.
Verse 15 speaks of those that are alive and remain and those that are asleep.
Well, that's the case right now. Many dear Saints of God have died. They're spoken of as being asleep.
Put to sleep by Jesus or sleep in Jesus?
But there's still a goodly company that are still alive.
Well, if the Lord should come right now, what would happen?
Well, that's what's told us here.
The dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Now He tells us here in verse 15 that those who are alive are not going to get ahead of those who are asleep.
That's really what the thought is. They don't really have a better position. The ones that are dead really have a better place because the the scripture brings before us that the dead shall be raised first, then the living changed.
See the dear ones who have already died in our sleep in Jesus.
They're going to be raised.
Just how it's all going to be done, I don't think anybody of us really knows, but it tells us in Philippians 3, it's according to the power whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself. The Lord knows how to do it, and He will do it according to His power. And when He does it, it's going to be done just right.
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And the dead are going to be raised first.
Well, it would seem that when they come out of the graves, they come out complete spirit, soul and body already with bodies change new bodies. Not a different body now. No, because it's shown a natural body is raised, a spiritual body. It it, it's the same body.
Well, the body may have lain in the grave for hundreds of years.
Thousands of years doesn't matter to the Lord and maybe.
The Saint of God has been swallowed by a fish and.
Maybe the body has been swallowed by many fish, disintegrated in the water, and those fish have been swallowed by other fish. Well, where are the elements of that body scattered all through the ocean? According to the power whereby he is able to subdue even all things unto himself, He'll gather them all together.
Oh, what a wonderful thing to know that we have a Savior like that who can save our souls, and we're going to have the salvation of our bodies, the redemption of our bodies too. The Lord takes care of everything. He doesn't leave one thing out, and we're so thankful for that. And that's the hope that those who have died in Christ.
Have that the Lord will take care of the whole thing.
And raised them from the dead. And how about us, the living? Well, when the Lord comes to take his own, to be with himself, we're caught up to meet him in the air before we're gone, before we go, we're changed right here. The Lord should come right now. Those of us who are the Lords would be changed right here. And whatever isn't suited for that scene up there will be dropped off.
We'll have a glorified body.
Like unto the Lord's own body of glory. And will be to go up together with those who've been raised from the grave, and meet the Lord in the air. Two companies going up together. Not two separate companies in the sense of being separate or different. No, but the Lord takes care of the dead first, then the living.
Well, it's a principle with the Lord to go to the weakest first.
You find that all the way through Scripture goes to the weakest one first. Well, this is wonderful, isn't it, that those who've died in Christ, they'll be taken care of. And this is the assurance that the apostle is giving to these Thessalonians, your loved ones who've died in Christ. Everything is all right. The Lord is going to take care of them. They'll be raised, they'll be with me, and they're going to be with me.
At their period in the glory when I reign over the earth, the Lord has given that assurance and His word.
Comment on.
This asleep in Jesus because there's a doctrine in Christendom that is called the soul sleep. As if all people after they die, the soul sleeps.
Well, we believe that this is a terrible doctrine which would certainly be proven very easily from Scripture to be incorrect, because when it comes to the resurrection, every first first to the body, doesn't it? We know that the soul of the believer is with Christ. We have several scriptures that we can quote to depart and to be with Christ, which is.
Far better.
And absent from the body present with the Lord.
Or the Lord told the thief on the cross, today thou shalt be with me in paradise. So a conscious existence after death. We have in Scripture even Luke 16. But we also want to state very plainly that the believer only who has fallen asleep is in Jesus, is spoken of as being asleep in Jesus.
A state of rest can only be in connection with those who have died in faith.
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But the unbeliever is not asleep.
And so we have to clearly see these things in order not to be LED astray by teaching that is taught by Jehovah Witnesses, and certainly Adventists and people like that teach that. But how comforting for us to know that those who have gone to be with the Lord, that Scripture speaks of them as in a state of rest.
A slave and the Lord Jesus.
Will raise them the body and unite body and soul in the resurrection. And together with the living being changed. We go to meet the Lord in the air. But what a comfort for us to know that they're resting. We do not look at their bodies so much as decaying, but as resting in pride before we leave the war.
Caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. Unite us together.
Again, that little word, lovely word together is brought embarrassment. You're caught up.
We will survive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds then these morning, the air. How conscious that is, and the Lord knows our hearts that perhaps.
Have missed loved ones and this is a comforting hope that they're going to be united for today. We're going to be joining together.
Say there is nothing that can improve the blessedness of the dead except resurrection.
And looking back at verse 14.
We can observe that the same power that wrought in the resurrection of Christ.
Will also be exercised in the resurrection of the dead.
Those who've fallen asleep in Jesus.
There's no limit to the power of God and resurrection because He is the living God.
And it's wonderful to know that this victory over death was won by the man Christ Jesus.
As you learn in First Corinthians 15.
Since by man came dead.
By man came also the resurrection of the dead.
That's Christ the first roots, and afterwards they that are Christ at his coming.
To verse 21 of that First Corinthians 15 might be helpful to notice verse 22.
Some are not too clear as to it.
Brother Javadan Red for a sense by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead. Verse 22 of First Corinthians 15 For ask in Adam all die, Even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Now that all refers to all for the simple reason that the subject is the power of God in Christ Jesus. In connection with who He is. We have been speaking about those who have died in Christ.
Those who have died in faith before God, and when we speak about them being raised to be with Christ, that's principally what we have had before us. Now what about those who have died?
But who have not died in faith, and who have not accepted the Lord Jesus as their Savior, by what power shall they be raised?
In connection with the coming Day of Judgment.
1St Corinthians 1522 We just read it. So in Christ shall all be made alive. That is, there is the marvel of the power of God in Christ Jesus and with respect to those who have died in their sins.
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Let's look at Revelation chapter 20. Make sure we see that it's an entirely separate matter. Revelation 20 and verse five. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. That is, it is at the end of that period of time. Then there's a little season. We recognize that, but the point being, it's at the end.
Of that period.
That we have any reference to those who have died outside of faith before God, those who have died in rejection of Christ, with any reference to them being raised, they will be raised in the power of the glory of the Son of God.
Man Christ Jesus raised for what purpose? For judgment, to stand before the great white throne, which is at the end of chapter 20, and their lot is plainly shown. Verse 15 of chapter 20 of Revelation. Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast in the lake of fire.
But the resurrection has to do with the power of the glory of the man Christ Jesus. And it should thrill our hearts, beloved, because it's the vindication of the glory that belongs alone to him that is really involved in the subject of coming display of judgment.
It has to do with the support of the glory of God. It has to do with the acknowledgement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the King of kings and Lord of Lords, and to that extent, as we had before us earlier, loving his appearing and loving all that would flow out after that in connection with support of the glory that belongs to Him is something that's critical and real to our hearts. But we ought to recognize in First Corinthians 15, the contrast is the first man.
Adam and the.
Contrast with the last Adam, we have that throughout the chapter and we have the differences spoken of for instance in verse 45 in First Corinthians 15 and saw it as record the 1St man Adam was made a living soul, the last item a quickening spirit.
We have therefore reference as well, do we not? To John 11, I am the resurrection.
And the light resurrection in connection with those who have died.
Light in connection with those alive, and all in connection with himself. Is that as you see it?
I was reverses in John 528 and 29. Is that what the Lord Jesus is saying there might read that verse 48 Marvel out at this, for the hour is coming, into which all that are in the graves shall hear is voice shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life.
That have done evil under the resurrection of their nation.
Resurrection has to do them with the body, doesn't Resurrection has to do with the body. And oftentimes we hear a statement made, it's a little bit wrong, but we don't make a man an offender for a word that we're going to have a new body.
Well, God could in his own divine power create a new body from that dust. But that's not the truth of strict. That wouldn't be resurrection. Resurrection is that body that went into dust.
The Lord is going to raise that body. It's going to be changed and fashioned like under His body of glory. There would be a separate creation of God by divine fear gave a new body to that one, but it's going to be a change body fashion like under His body of glory.
In which of course no more like in Philippians chapter 3.
There, this body is a body of humiliation. It's a body that's subject to decay, the organs malfunction, a lot of suffering in it. Not so in that glorified body, as we learn from First Corinthians 15. Also resident within now is the old nature.
And sometimes we like to believe the holiness doctrine that it could get burnt out, but it just ain't the truth of Scripture, that's all. There's nothing in the Bible that says that it's going to throw a second work of blessing, get burned out. It's there. It's been condemned in the cross, and we need to keep it in the place of death.
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But the why might say one other thing and I stand to be corrected on this.
I think they're ones that the apostle Paul said at one place I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2nd Corinthians 11, he speaks about how he was beaten and no gal, he had scars all over that body, but I don't believe they'll be there on that body in glory. There's only going to be one man in glory with scars.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Behold my hands and my feet to draw out our hearts affection throughout all the ages of eternity. We'll look upon those scars and we'll remember. I love my Master, I love my wife, I love my children. I will not go out free. And so he went and was crucified on the cross of Calvary. He bears alone the marks in his body.
There are some very unusual things said in verse 16.
For the Lord Himself, that's one thing.
Shall descend from heaven. That's another thing.
With a shout, that's the third thing.
With Archangel voice, that's the fourth thing, and with the trump of God.
The 5th.
Thing Some unusual things are said in connection with the Lord's coming.
And of course, what can we say about the coming of the Lord itself?
That will be.
An unusual thing.
No doubt that moment when we're caught up to meet the Lord in the air will be a moment for which all other moments was made.
Everything looking forward to that, because that surely is what we have in the word himself.
The Lord Himself.
A brother was speaking about Isaac and Rebecca.
Well, Isaac himself.
Was out there in the field waiting.
For that price, I don't know if he even knew what her name was.
He had never seen her before.
She had never seen him.
But he was waiting for that moment. I believe that's what the meditation was about. He was meditating in the field that day. That moment that he would have his companion, the Lord is meditating that moment that He'll have us with himself.
Well, it's mentioned first in John 14. Receive you unto myself. And here we have it, the Lord Himself.
It's a personal thing with him.
His delight.
And he is going to be fully satisfied.
To have us with himself.
And wonder if wonders were going to be like him.
Not anything about us, no staying, nothing that will mar that scene. Everything gone just like himself and all of us like him. And what a company that's going to be all around himself.
I suppose we'll all be happy to be there. Well, perhaps some solemn things that have been said.
Have stirred us up this afternoon and we do want to be purified and ready to meet Him. There is a sense in which we are ready, but there's another sense in which I'm afraid we're not ready. We're not walking in the spirit of self judgment, but all when we think about His desire for us, longing to have us with Himself.
Surely this stirs our hearts.
His joy stirs us to be happy. His love stirs us to love Him.
There are 7 because the five are from heaven, but the Spirit and the Bride, they come. Those are the two on earth. There you have the completeness of all in seven things.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
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1St Thessalonians 4 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven.
It was a sheriff with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God.
The dead didn't crush your eyes first.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together within the clouds.
To make the Lord in there.
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 for yourselves. Know perfectly that the day of the Lord shall cometh as a thief in the night.
For when they shall say peace and safety.
Then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child. They shall not escape.
But she, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
You're all the children of light and the children of the day.
We are not of the night in our darkness, therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.
The Bay, the sleep. Sleep in the night.
And they that be drunken, or drunken in the night, but let us who are of the day be sober.
Putting on the breastplate of faith and love.
And for inherit the hope of salvation.
For God has 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.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together.
And identify one another even as also you do not do to any of us. I'm sure to notice that in the Thessalonian epistle we have the Lords coming in every chapter.
In chapter one of First Thessalonians at the end of it, it says in verse 10 and to wait for his son from heaven will be raised from the dead, even Jesus our deliverer from coming wrath.
And so I know that as you read each of these, we can have different thoughts, I'm sure upon them, but I would just suggest that in this first instance, then it's the Lord himself.
Apart from anything else of raising the dead, it's just the Lord Himself. These Thessalonians. Remember in Acts 17 the apostle Paul was there and he reasoned 3 Sabbath days, just a short time.
Could have been there perhaps a little time before the 1St Sabbath and a little after the last three weeks, a month. But one thing that as they turned from their idols to God, why the first thing was the wait for His Son from heaven. His Son, all the affections would be engaged. That the Lord Jesus Christ, the one that Paul preached to them that died on the cross of Calvary, but going back up to glory, He's the one that was coming to receive them to Himself.
So at the 2nd chapter at the end of it, it says verse 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing are not even gain in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming. For ye are glory and joy. So how blessed too that not I alone.
But all thy loved ones, it's it's nice that we enter in. The Lord's going to come for me. I'm going to see him.
But oh, how blessed our affections go out to all the people of God. It's not just for myself, but all the dear Saints of God are going to be caught up together at that time. And also, someone has said this is an incentive for the soul winner because the apostle Paul says he was the one that went and ministered the gospel as it were to them and saved their souls. And there's going to be a crown for each one that goes out and win souls for the Lord.
Jesus Christ, may we be gospel minded as we have in Philippians chapter 3 at the end of it. It has to do with responsibility. Verse 13 to the end. He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints. Well, that's not the coming four. That's the coming with whenever that's spoken of in that sense it has to do with.
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Responsibility as to our walk in our ways here while we're waiting, not to go on too long, the 4th chapter. Then we have the Lord coming and he's going to bring those that have gone on before and there's going to be a reunion, as it were, all how blessing. We're going to see loved ones that have gone on before and we'll know, just like on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah and Peter, James and John.
Who they were. And we're going to have recognition too in that coming day. The 5th chapter that tells us.
In verse 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. And verse 23 the very God of peace sanctify you holy. And I pray God, your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. So here the coming of the Lord is set before us as a deliverance.
We will not go through the tribulation he's delivered us from coming wrath. God has a controversy with the scene that rejected his Son. The judgments will fall, but we're going to be caught away and the at that time we'll know sanctification in every part of the being, spirit, soul and body at that time will be completed. Like to give a thought in the third chapter.
Our brother did not read the 12Th verse and I'd like to connect those two verses often times.
Love is looked upon is different.
Almost as the opposite of holiness. Notice how those two verses read. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love, one toward another and toward all men, even as also.
Even as we do toward you to the end, He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His Saints. Here we're talking about His coming with the Saints, but notice that the operation of love is to the end that the hearts be established in holiness.
There is no conflict.
In fact, there is nothing so holy as love. There's no conflict between love and holiness, and when divine love is operative amongst the Saints of God, love always seeks the blessing of its object. Love does not. If it's true divine love, it does not link it evil, but where we see one who is possibly going astray or tending to air from the path of.
Love seeks Him out, and it's to the end that the hearts be established in holiness. If Divine Love is really operating in our midst, it will seek to correct that which is an error. It will seek the good and the blessing of its object. It is always to the end that holiness be the result.
The two are not in opposition. The one leads to the other. The one you might say, is the product of the other.
God sent His Son into this world to put our sins away. He is light and He is love. And when it's true love that's operating, it's never at the expense of His Holiness. Never. If it is, it's not true love. And I think that's so important to bring out that divine love, divine love operating amongst us.
Will always see the good and blessing of the object, and to have all evil judged and dealt with.
That holiness might be the result for sin to surface.
In an atmosphere of love.
The flesh can never correct the flesh, and when we have bitterness, the flesh is still active. Have the marvels of these trows to see the way the thought of encouraging and comforting one another is also woven together.
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For instance, in our chapter, it's a marvelous thing to read of the Lord himself shall descend.
The end of verse 17 So shall we ever be with the Lord?
Wherefore comfort one another with these words, verse 11 in chapter 5. Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as also you do. That type of language is also woven through this epistle because it is not simply beloved brother, not simply a fact of being.
Told of coming events, although that's here, there's a reason we are being told.
These dear Saints were being called for their encouragement, for their comfort, for their edification that there would be the result in glory, and there would be that peace and that way of going on as on to the Lord and for the Lords glory.
And it's marvelous to see that at each juncture it is woven together. Is the subject of the first few verses of chapter 5, Is that the same as the subject in 16 and 17 of chapter 4? No, it is not the same subject. But we come along to the end of that subject. And in either case, we have comforting one another with these words, that is.
The intelligence.
In divine things, in action in our lives, in a manner which when we speak together, is to comfort, to edify. And that love therefore, that has been before us in operation and shining out to one another. And wouldn't that be glorious and for the honour and glory of the Lord, if it were more operative in our lives?
Quite a number of years ago.
I met a lady.
That was very much occupied with the facts of prophecy.
And trying to get everything in order.
And was occupied with it to such an extent.
Especially in the Book of Revelation.
That she seemed to lose contact with the Lord himself.
And went into a period of darkness, depression. Well, she was simply looking at the facts, the prophetic facts that we find in Scripture and looking at them simply aspects.
And seeming seemingly not connecting them with the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way.
And this is what we find in connection with future events, prophetic things.
They are all connected with the Lord Jesus Christ. They're centered around Himself.
And if we miss that, we've missed the real point of the whole thing, because it's all to bring before us that scene of coming glory in which we will be with the Lord Jesus Christ. And as that is related to this earth. And we find that we have these two things brought together here in First Thessalonians, what we're still reading.
Is the revelation that the Apostle Paul got from the Lord himself?
In connection with the church being caught up to meet the Lord in the air. But later on we come to times and seasons taking up really where it left off in verse 14 of chapter 4. Because those two verses 13 and 14 are connected with the times and seasons which have to do with things here upon the earth and the Lord reigning during the Millennium, reigning over this sea.
And so it the whole thing is related together, and it's all centered around the Lord Jesus Christ.
You notice when you come to chapter 5 that the day of the Lord is spoken out. Well, that's connected with this earth and the judgments of this earth. When the Lord reigns is key and He is ruling and judging every day. The wicked in the land, keeping everything cleaned up here on the earth. That's times and seasons. It's times and seasons because it's not eternity yet during the Millennium, the 1000 years reign of Christ and Christ.
Of course, is the center of that whole scene, the millennial scene. He will be king of Jerusalem and He'll be the center of that throng of which will be a part in the glory. And I notice that it speaks of the Lord descending, and then later on we meet him in the air. Of course, that tells us that the Lord, when he comes for his people, He doesn't come way down to earth.
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But during the Millennium he does come down to earth, and he takes his place on the throne of Jerusalem.
To read Rain and just all the details connected with his, his passing between the earthly people and the heavenly people. I, I couldn't answer that. I don't think we're giving all those details. But still, there is a way in which he's the center of the heavenly company and he's king on the earth as well. And all of these things, all of these facts that come out.
Are connected with himself.
And we mustn't forget that. And this is the part that's really the comfort to our hearts, because to be caught up there, to be in the air, well, what would that be without Him there? That's what the comfort is. We're going to be with him. So shall we ever be with the Lord? And what about heaven? Sometimes people wonder, well, what is heaven well.
It's a sphere in which the Lord Jesus Christ is the center of everything.
And if the Lord were not in heaven, it would just be an empty place. And what would we want to be there for? Nor the Lord is there. We used to sing a song where Jesus is tis heaven there. Well, if Jesus isn't there, we don't want to be there and bring it right down to the present time.
We here today.
Why are we really here today in this reading meeting? Why were we there together yesterday at the breaking of bread? Why are we together at the prayer meeting? It's because He is there. I trust it is. I hope that this is brought before us powerfully by the Scripture that we have, that the Lord is the center of all that's worth anything.
In these meetings we've been speaking about.
The loving kindness of God, the righteousness of God, the holiness of God, God's judgments on the earth. Are they all woven together or are they separate subjects? Love it. They're woven together. Mike just turned to Jeremiah Chapter 9, and we'll see that they're all woven together because the subject is really one. The subject is the glory.
Of God the subject is He the glorious, Let him glory in the Lord.
It's all one subject.
Jeremiah 9, verse 23.
Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.
Neither let the mighty mind glory in His might.
Let not the rich man glory in his riches.
But let him the glory in this.
He understandeth the knoweth me that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness.
Judgment and righteousness in the earth were in these things I delight set the Lord.
Have therefore 1 subject.
The glory of God and the fullness of it declared on the earth and in heaven. And we have the righteousness of God, surely, but we have the loving kindness of God first, whether it be with respect to his people of old, or whether it be with respect to you or to me.
But righteousness must be maintained. Judgment on the earth must be here.
That Blessed One will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and all of these marvelous things, therefore, would but in your heart and mind show that the glory of that Blessed One will yet be in fullness declared. And it is that that causes within us that interest and that keen awareness that it is all given to us by the Spirit of God for our instruction.
Learning comfort, exhortation, edification, and praise to Himself as we see it all woven together by the Spirit of God for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The Lord himself shall descend from heaven. We had before us yesterday. He that had this hope in him, in Christ, purifieth himself even as he is pure. I was thinking of the.
Verse the last verse in John 14. I'll quote it. You don't have to turn to it, but that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father has given me commandment, Even so I do arise. Let us go hands. These were the two things you might say that characterized the blessed Lord love to the Father.
And obedience to the Father. We are sanctified to the obedience of Christ, to obey as He obeyed. And it was love to the Father which was the spring of his obedience. It was love to the Father which always led that blessed One, when He was here below in affection for the Father.
To walk a path of perfect obedience and dependence.
And this is really how true holiness is produced in the life of the Christian. True holiness is the result of affection for Christ, having the heart attached to Him, the Lord Himself, and as we have him before us.
You're certainly not going to fall into sin when you're in love with him, when you're walking hand in hand with him, when your affections are engaged with Christ. This is the most perfect way of separating you from all that is contrary to Himself and and holiness is the result. It's love to him. It's having him before your heart and my heart that really separates us.
From all that is contrary to Him. It's not doctrine that separates us. It's the person of Christ who is before our hearts, who engages our affections. And then there is holiness, Then there is separation From all that is contrary to Him. There are three things mentioned in this verse. He descends from heaven.
With a shout. In the new translation it says with an assembling shout.
Kelly renders it with a shout of command. It's the word that General uses to his soldiers, the Admiral to his sailors, a shout of command. I think of the Lord Jesus at the grave of Lazarus, where he said with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth. It suggests to me that with this shout of command he awakens the sleeping Saints. And then.
Archangels voice, the Supreme Commander is the one that gives the shout.
And then the trump of God, and we're home with him. Not that these are sequentially vents. I don't mean to suggest that they take place in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, but the shout of command which assembles us, ready to March the authority of the one that commands. And then the trumpet, and we're gone. We're home, we're with him, the Lord Jesus. How precious. What a prospect.
And so in First Timothy 1, the apostle says, Christ Jesus, who is our hope. He is our hope. It's not just a doctrine, it's himself, the Lord himself.
Things in connection with these important things mentioned in verse 16, I wish you would repeat them.
Just had to add two things that made the five points that you brought out your brother in the 15th verse.
All heaven and has moved and comes forth.
There was nothing, nobody left in heaven, humanly speaking.
But there's one or two that are on earth. That is the spirit.
And we find the mention of that Spirit who Letteth will let in chapter two of Second Thessalonians. And we learned that the Holy Spirit is now withholding and keeping the world in such shape that we can still go on live a quiet and peaceable life.
But there comes this time of that meeting in the air.
When the Holy Spirit will be taken from the earth and we along with the Holy Spirit and that made the two additional ones so that the number and that is what I enjoyed was seven. Now it is like the completion is here. It is all complete. That is it was stated on Saturday.
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This is the moment for which every other moment was made. All beloved is a wonderful thing, is it not?
And then may I also share with you a thought in the next verse that I've had and enjoyed very much. The question may come up. And I would specially address the dear young people here because, you know, we're analytic Sometimes as young people, we like to find out the very last of what the Scriptures say.
And the words in the clouds are here. Spend my query. What do the clouds have to do with this event?
And the first thought went back to the first chapter of Acts in.
There the disciples see the Lord Jesus caught up.
And it says that he was taken in verse nine and a cloud received him out of their sight. And I felt that was saying what it wants to say to us out of their sight.
When that cloud was between the blessed Lord Jesus and His disciples who were watching him, He had disappeared. So the cloud was like a veil or a barrier between that ascended Lord and His own that were to remain on earth now till the moment in our chapter comes to pass.
Now we know in Christendom, in the world, there's a lot of speculation going on. Not that the Christendom or the camp generally takes these things to heart, as we have learned to do, but they do speculate, for they believe that they're going to be caught up. What's going to happen?
Here it speaks of clouds in the plural took one clouded.
Take up the Lord Jesus and out of their sight. But there will be clouds, beloved, that are like a barrier between ourselves caught up to be with the Lord and this world. Perhaps many are in such expectation. They would just love to train Paloma.
Back to telescope on that event if they could, but God wonderfully puts a veil right across it. All this world is left to wonder. They'll soon have to believe a lie, but because some explanation will have to be given and it says that they shall believe a lie.
Well, the cloud is to me here of that significance. The Lord draws a veil over the whole thing. As to the eyes of the world that would love to fill their curiosity with some information, it's all going to be closed at once and we'll be home with the Lord and no more troubles from this world. We have forever left it behind.
That we find in Christendom that there's a lot of speculation as to events, present events, and bringing these in connection with the coming of the Lord Jesus. And that I believe is a snare of the enemy to occupy the people of God with events rather than be looking for the Lord Jesus himself. There is no prophetic scripture that we're waiting for to be fulfilled.
Before the Lord Jesus will come Himself to fetch us away and we should not be overly occupied with the things that are going on. They can at best have something to do with that which will take place after the rapture. The rapture has nothing to do, as we have seen with the times and seasons. That has to do with His return to earth and we can for those who might not be that familiar with it.
Even have been confused by teachings that are going around in Christendom. The Lord Jesus can come any moment. It's an imminent imminent to hope at any moment he can come. We do not look for any events to take place and we do know that there is the teaching of.
That we will, as believers, go through the tribulation.
That which has to do with the times and seasons for others again speak of a partial rapture, that only the faithful one will be raptured. And these are all doctrines that we take heed not to listen to. We should be occupied with the person of the Lord Jesus. The Spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.
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The Spirit of God will always seek to link the events in Scripture with that person.
And if that is not accomplished, that that person becomes dearer to us, that our joy is great because we see He will be exalted and glorified in the very place where He was rejected and crucified, then prophecy really doesn't do as much good.
The enemy uses it to puff us up, but we have to ever seek, as the Spirit of God would seek to do, bring them into connection with the person of the Lord Jesus. And that's for us especially what we should be looking for, not events and be occupied with these things too much we should be occupied with.
That expectation of seeing the one who loved us and gave himself for us.
Our brother is brought before us the coming of the Lord in each of the chapters in Thessalonians.
It just has struck me so forcibly that these living Saints at Thessalonica were so waiting for the sun from heaven that the error that they had that they needed to be corrected on was when some of the Saints died.
They wondered what would happen, would they lose out when the Lord came? And that's why the apostle has to give this instruction in verse 15 through 18, that the dead in Christ shall be raised 1St and then the living changed and caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. They were waiting for the Lord, but they were so expecting the Lord to come in their day way back then.
They were waiting for him.
And when some died, they wondered, are they going to lose out? Are they going to miss out? And that's the error. That's the mistake in their minds. That is corrected here by the apostle.
Glad that the apostle was hindered, he would have gone not merely once, but again to the Cecil lynchings, to minister to them. But he was hindered. And so we have this epistle in our hands here this morning.
And all this array of blessed truth to enjoy the coming of the Lord for His own is never associated with judgment in the Scriptures. The first mention of the coming of the Lord and its Christian character is in John 14 and.
That's the reason for the disappearance of the title The Son of Man in the 13th verse of Matthew.
Because the Lord is coming for His own, and there's no judgment connected with that. Our judgment has already been taken care of at the cross of Calvary when our blessed Lord died. The just for the unjust to bring us to God. And judgment does not change men's hearts. We see that in the last two verses of Revelation 9.
After all the severity of those judgments that have been poured out.
Man's heart is still unchanged, so it's the Lord himself that we need, and we're glad that that was mentioned from the first chapter before we come to service in the second chapter.
The judgment seat of Christ, then.
Well, that expression judgment seat of Christ is really not a correct expression because.
The after we've been taken up to be with Christ, then the works of all of us as believers will be evaluated, and it's at that time that the Lord sits what is on what is called the the Bema.
Or the judgment seat, and it has nothing to do with sins, because the sins are all taken care of and the finished work of Christ, the precious blood has cleansed us from all sin. The judgment is passed will not come into condemnation, but that time when we passed before that judgment seat, or I'd like to call it the man, a place of manifestation or a place of evaluation. It's a manifest.
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Evaluation of the works that we have done to please the Lord in whatever way it might have been down here to please the Lord. And rewards will be given out for those, for those works on the basis of those works. So we mustn't get that confused when it speaks of the judgment seat of Christ, it's not a judgment of doom. It's in a judgment of evaluation.
Like at a County Fair.
Or any kind of affair where people bring all of their produce and they cook thing baked things, and the farmer brings in all of his wares from the farm and the livestock. And all the judges come in and they're not coming there to condemn any of these things or to destroy them, but simply to evaluate them, place an evaluation upon them. And so one gets first prize and another one gets second prize and third prize and so on.
It's a judgment of evaluation or manifestation. It's not a judgment of doom. So our brother is correct in what you say, that the coming of the Lord has nothing to do with judgment as far as condemnation is concerned, that fast.
Someone has said that I believe it's true in connection with what you just said, Brother Anderson, that the coming of the Lord for his people is an affair of the heart.
The coming of the Lord with his, with the Saints, is an affair of the conscience.
Going to be brought into judgment. Judgment is coming.
Thinking to us, someone has said remarked about we find those that are seek to be occupied with prophecy today and it's they get very confused on many things. I was thinking of what Daniel said in connection with.
In the book of Daniel, in connection with that which is to come, Daniel's prophecy has to do much with the Book of Revelation also.
And we know what's coming, but just notice there.
As as to prophecy today, there is much speculation as to what this is or what that is, but God's desire is that we'd be occupied with Christ because this is where we're going. There's the the the church is not a part of prophecy at all. It's been set in. God is now calling out of a condemned world of people for his name up there.
And so as far as the scene now is concerned, even we as those who belong to the Lord now, we see through a glass dimly, not darkly, but dimly. We, we don't see clearly all that we have because God wants us to be occupied with Christ, as someone has already said. But I was looking at Daniel chapter 12.
And verse 4.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end.
And many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Seal them up. Well, that's that's taking place now, isn't it? It's sealed as far as as the.
The knowledge of these things are concerned and then then we find later.
That's verse nine of that chapter. And he said, go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.
Well, that doesn't come until after the church has gone home. And so it says. Many shall be purified and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly. None of the wicked shall understand, but the why shall understand. When will they understand? Not today. They'll understand then, because judgment will fall.
Man is going to learn a knowledge, then he'll learn of God through judgment.
But then in in Revelation in the 22nd chapter.
When we get there.
Verse the 22nd chapter, verse 10 that says, and he said unto he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of the book where the time is at hand now it's going to be open, but when is it opened? After the church is gone to glory, then it will be revealed. So it's good for us to know that as we were having in our chapter that.
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It's the Lord Himself that's coming for us.
Someone referred to Matthew 13 when he when he comes together his elect.
He will send his angels, He sends a representative there but for us, and now He comes himself. How blessed that is all. In chapters 13141516 and around there the Lord says that what I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. And constantly He keeps referring to and in that day well.
We're in that day.
And the disciples only could take hold of so much while the Lord Jesus was here speaking to them.
What day did he anticipate, the day after he would do that work on the cross, go up on high, receive the second time the Holy Spirit, and send him forth. And this the Spirit of God would come down and be with and in all believers and baptize them into one body and unite them to the hidden glory.
And the Spirit of God indwells each one of us, and would lead us in the intelligence of the whole world of God, prophecy included.
Proverbs 25, Proverbs 25 and verse two says it is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings is the search out a matter.
Kings and priests unto God, and God would have us search out the Lord would lead us into the intelligence of all of us. Truth in the word of God. Now there is a prerequisite, shall we say?
Who was used by the Lord in the New Testament to bring out the truth of the Book of Revelation in the prophetic things?
The one in John chapter 13 who laid his head upon the bosom of the Lord.
What was the secret with Daniel that had all this coming time unfolded these prophetic things, Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the King's meat and wine.
And so Abraham, shall I hide this thing from Abraham?
This judgment that's to come, that which was a secret to God. No, he let it be known unto a man who was walking in separation from the world. The so dear ones, for you and I, the Lord would open up the Vista of all this truth that's there. There's a capacity for it and he loves us so much. I'm not going to hide anything from you. All that all that's coming.
One other thing we might say we have a Trump mentioned here.
Let me go back to a statement now that our late brother chapter Brown said one time, talking about fundamentalism as we know it in the Christendom around. He said fundamentalism is the effect of the truth back in the camp.
In other words, when God wrought in 1830 and 40, and through Mr. Darby and Mr. Bellitt and Wigram and later Mr. Kelly, all of those writings, they brought out the whole truth of scope, as it were, of the prophetic things and the nature and calling and character of the Church.
There are many who never got into the pathway. They got the truth of it through the writings of the brethren.
Fundamentalism is the reaction of the truth back in the camp, and if you don't take the position somewhere along the line, you're going to give up. So why do they start teaching now in fundamental circles that the church is going to go through the tribulation? We can expect a lot more.
Of erroneous things to be taught. Well, how about this Trump? Well, they say, look, here's a Trump here. 1St Corinthians 15 says the last Trump.
And here in Revelation 11, it says the seventh trump shall sound of the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of Christ. They're all one. So the church has gone through the tribulation.
Well, I would just suggest to you that as those who have the Spirit of God indwelling us as we learn the truth of Revelation two and three, the prophetic history of the church and profession upon the earth, that we get to lay it to see you. And then in the 4th and 5th chapter, what do we see? We see 24 elders up in glory. What do they represent? They present represent the whole company of the redeemed for the.
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Testament Saints are going to be raised here in First Thessalonians 4 along with us, and we are seen in that company as the 24 elders right after chapters two and three of Revelation. So in the rest of the unfolding of all the judgments that have to do with the tribulation period, we're the 24 elders, as it were represented there. Now we'll get our own distinct place later on the 19th chapter we find the last time the 24 elders are mentioned. Then when the marriage supper of the.
Comes we have our own distinct place as the bride of Christ with the Lord Jesus Christ and will be associated with him like a son at was with Joseph of old. We're going to be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ not only in the Kingdom, but on through eternity.
For a high school, there is this scripture in John 16 that helps me in what you have said. As to prophetic scripture, He shall show you that which is to come.
And I have enjoyed this thought, that in the 14th chapter the Spirit of God is used to bring to our memory that which the Lord had uttered on earth. You might say that has to do with the Gospel. For us to have spiritual intelligence as to the Gospels, to really enter into them, we need the Spirit of God in the 15th chapter.
It has to do.
With the Lord Jesus himself that he presents him, and it has to do, we might say, with the Church, the epistles, that which we have in Paul's writings in particular, but then in the 16th chapter we have to prophetic scriptures. The statements that we made earlier are not to be understood, that we should not seek to read.
Prophetic Scripture.
Blessing is pronounced upon those who read this book.
And revelation, in contrast to Daniel, is not sealed because we live now in the dispensation of the Spirit of God, where we have spiritual power to enter into those things. But the danger is to bring the rapture in connection with events that are taking place. This is the warning that we want to give.
And we do certainly benefit from reading the prophetic scripture.
I think just about 2/3 of the Word of God, maybe not quite that much, is prophetic in character and it all has to do with the blessed Lord. But how wonderful, like Freddie Hindsley has said in the 5th chapter is the best proof that we will not go through the tribulation when the Lamb stands there.
A slain he is the one that has the right to take the book out of him.
That sitters upon the throne and this book is the book of judgment. They are unfolding one after another. But before he even has that book and receives it, the redeemed are already around him. So we do see that. We just see from this that we, the Saints of God will not go through the tribulation. The rapture will take place. And in the 4th chapter.
Verse one I believe we have.
A scripture that hints or gives us an indication that the rapture.
There could be implied. Here's what it says after this.
I I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me.
And which said come up, hit her.
We see in John being called up hitter a picture as a prayer of the church being called to glory after the 2nd and 3rd chapter which presents us a prophetic picture of the church here on earth.
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Order.
So to speak, to be on the Isle of Patmos with John, where the Lord is, when we read the Book of Revelation, When?
The early brethren came together to study prophecy. I believe I read that they broke bread every morning or before they began their studies of the prophetic word. They wanted to avoid taking up the prophetic subjects of Scripture in a merely intellectual way. They wanted their hearts warmed and drawn out to the Lord Jesus, and there's nothing that draws the heart out to Him like the remembrance.
Himself and his death and I believe they remembered the Lord each time before they had their prophetic studies and it it becomes us. And it's so important to stress again the words the Lord himself. You can have all the knowledge of Scripture, but if He is not the one who is before your soul in mind, the truth that we possess will not keep us.
That's been abundantly proven in the history of the Church.
Men far better than you or me have gone astray. Well, it ought to keep us very humble with our faces in the dust as we realize what we're capable of. But the Lord himself alone can keep us.
And Prison Dumb expects or plans to bring in the Kingdom through the enlargement of the professing church. And of course that is an empty sort of thing and man's design, and it makes something of man as he is in the flesh, but we are thankful for.
Dispensational truth. And that Lord has promised. I will come again.
And receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.
Here in these verses that the word Lord is used several times. Verse 15.
The word of the Lord, and in that same verse, the coming of the Lord.
Verse 16. The Lord Himself.
And then again down in verse 17, to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord. But why is it that that is mentioned there? I believe five times. We read it there, Lord. Well, to me it speaks of this.
That he is the one that has everything under control.
He is the one in dominion because the word Lord means the one who has dominion.
It's you know what a Dominion is.
King is it is raining.
His sphere of rain is a dominion. He has dominion over that sphere. Well, here's something that the Lord has complete dominion over. He is the Lord. He's in control.
And I think it's wonderful to see that it says at the end where for comfort one another with these words, the Lord has all under control. Recently we heard with the passing of a brother.
That just before he went, he said.
God's way is perfect.
God's way is perfect. Yes, God is perfect in all of his ways. And the Lord is going to do everything for us according to his desires, and it's going to be just right. It's going to be perfect.
And to be with the Lord, that is the essence of comfort and perfection, or whatever you could call it forever with the law. Comfort one another with these words.
And we'll be with the one.
Reigning with the one who will have all things under control in the Millennium, the 1000 years when he reigned, and we'll be with him for all eternity.
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What a wonderful thing that is to be with the one who loved us, gave himself for us, and he's doing the very best he can for every one of us, even now.
Doing the very best He can for us all. He would love to do a lot more for us, but sometimes we're in a sort of a state of soul that prevents him, as we have in the Book of Revelation in the first chapter. There the Lord stands with the golden girdle.
Around his bosom.
Well, the seed of his affections are there in his heart, in his bosom, but the golden girdle is on there to hold the affections back.
To keep them from being shown out as he would love to, because the of the state of things, the state of the church. He's standing in the midst of the golden candlesticks, symbols of the testimony of God here on the earth at this time, and he's standing in the midst of us.
And he's there for our blessing, but he has to judge everything too.
And he wants to show his love to us, but oftentimes he can't because we're in a bad state of soul. He has to chasten us instead. And then he has to tell us whom the Lord loveth. He chasing us while he's trying to get us closer to himself in such a state of soul that he can show his luck to us and we can be in the enjoyment of that love, the love of the Lord.
Toward us never changes.
But he can't always show it to us as he would love to. And this ought to touch our hearts. But all we're going to be in that scene where everything that comes into our lives brings a barrier between us and him. It disturbs our fellowship with him. We're not going on in communion with him as we ought to. Everything that disturbs is going to be dropped.
And we're going to be just like him, having a body of glory, like unto his body of glory.
And we will be able to enjoy him in fullness and we're thankful that he is in control. I'm so thankful for that and all that. We might learn that lesson now that even in the assembly he is in control.
Is not the brothers meeting that's in control, It's not leading brothers that are in control. All that we might recognize that he is in control.
Always looking to him, to the one who is in control, that we might give all the controls to him, that we might recognize him really as he is, because we're going to see him as he is.
Yeah, and this verse is to be found in the promise and fact of the Lord's coming.
Chapter Brown had my father's funeral in the year 19140.
Do you think that he suggested to me that after time that you will be allowed to rejoin your loved one that has been taken away? No, that's not the comfort of the verse.
The covenant of the verse is in the promise and fact of our Lord's return. The Lord Himself shall come.
Together, I'm sure you have thoughts about it. Let's turn back to Ezra three and four, and we'll glean a few thoughts from there on the word together, Ezra, Chapter 3.
When this little remnant went back some 42,000.
To the center and when the 7th month was come, Ezra three one and the children of Israel were in the cities. The people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. And how blessed this is. Then this together they were together there at the right center, the divine center, having come back from Babylon well.
God, on the day of Pentecost, they were all of one heart and one soul. They were together.
The Spirit of God came down, baptized believers into one, united them to the head in glory. But we see that after the death of the apostles, things went into ruin and divisions have come about in Christendom. God raised up a testimony in 1830 or 40 around there. How blessed that God and his marvelous grace.
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Has given the truth that there is one body.
And that we can meet all that ground and we have this truth and we trust by God's grace that will appreciate it and we'll go on together. We love the people of God. We know that there are some even in Thyatira, which have not known the depths of Satan and are going to be in glory in the Roman Catholic system. There are those scattered throughout the branches of Protestantism. We meet them every once in a while and.
In no time at all, we learn all they're a true child of God.
We can't walk with them here.
We can't be divine Love will not allow us to go. Just the other day we were having something to eat in a restaurant. We bowed our head and gave thanks. And then when we were ready to leave, we left the gospel track on the table. There were three ladies and a gentleman, elderly in the next table. And the lady looked over and she says, I think I'll do that too. Well, I knew that was just an excuse to speak. So I stood up and I said, well, I said, let me see your track.
And she showed it to me and it was a fundamental track. And I said, well, I says, are you the Lord? Oh, yes, indeed. Well, there was response in no time at all. We just shared some common thoughts. Then they says we're going to a Bible conference down at the Ocean City and such and such as the speaker. How about coming down? Well, I said, you see, I can't go there.
As I'm gathered with a little group of Christians to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, she says, I know who you are, your brethren. And I says, well, you're saved, aren't you, each one of you and your brethren too? Well, I couldn't go where they invited me. It would be false to the truth.
Blessed that hymn we sing no more to view thy chosen few by selfish strife. Divided that will be up on the other side. But here in love to my brethren, I've got to walk in that separated pathway. It condemns that position. That's contrary to the word of God. It might exercise his conscience that he might meet on that ground. That's according to the word of God. Well, that's one thought here in verse 9.
It says then stood Joshua with his sons and his brethren, Kate Mills.
And his sons, the sons of Judah, together to set forward the workmen in the House of God.
So we see these dear ones working together. They were gathered together. Now they're working together and all. How blessed that you and I can be workers together in the vineyard of the Lord. Some of the dear servants are out on the front line. God hasn't called all to that position.
But all we can sustain them, we can pray for them earnestly and fervently. We can minister of our substance to them. And also we have our own to every man, his own work. We each have our jobs to do. Well, let's just take two more things.
In verse 11, they sang together. How blessed to be seeing the praises of the Lord together, both in assembly or as we gather around the piano over at Fisher Hall. How it rejoices our souls in these hymn sings. And another thing that's blessed is on Lords Day or any other time when we pick up this book.
To sing from it. We can sing without with ease. We don't have to worry. Are we singing things that are not accurate according to the word of God? This has been proven.
And the expressions are good and faithful to the Word of God. Let us be careful then. And a lot of the songs that we pick up from the camp, they may not be scriptural, they may have a good tune, but watch what you sing. One other thing that is in chapter 4 and verse 3.
You have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God, but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel. While these were the adversaries, and they came and they said, let us throw in with you, we'll help. We're going to be worshippers too in that temple and.
They had the sense of discernment to say you are not worshippers, you are adversaries.
And so with you and I, we cannot throw in our lot. They would like us to join in their amalgamations. I remember one time, you'll forgive me, but T8 Frank Jackson went into a restaurant in Washington, DC.
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And who should show up in the same restaurant but a great evangelist whose name is close by?
They had gone to school years before, and Billy recognized Frank and he had some words with him. They spoke together of old things. And then he says, I'm having a big campaign over at the Coliseum. I trust you'll be there, Frank. And Frank says, I'm sorry, but I won't be there. Why? What's wrong?
Well, says Frank.
I'm with a little group of Christians gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Mr. G said I know who you are, don't go any further.
Just pray for us. Just pray.
Well, here in our chapter building together, we don't amalgamate, we don't join in, we don't secure the help of others. We'll go on with God's help till he comes. The story comes to mind. It's a bit of information. Our brother Larson was laboring in the western part of the state of Arkansas.
And the local minister edged up pretty close. He wanted to find out what was going on. He was a man preaching the gospel. It was.
The truth of the Word and he was baptizing people.
And he wanted to find out who this man could be.
And after a time, he says I've got it.
You're a Plymouth brother.
Larson says Plymouth brother.
I'm a Des Moines brother. Aren't you an Arkansas brother?
Apostle Paul say.
Times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you.
They must have been acquainted with this. They could. They could find out about that from the Old Testament Scriptures. I'm sure the Apostle Paul had spoken to them about these things when he was there preaching the gospel.
And the times and seasons are spoken of in the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophecy.
You don't find any revelation in the Old Testament about the church, but you do find revelations concerning the times and seasons. Well, the times and seasons are connected with the restoration of Israel, the reign of the Lord during the 1000 years. Rainiest king, the Kingdom of Israel established again.
Has to do with the times and seasons. Well, the beginning of the times and seasons is really when the Lord comes back to earth, isn't it? And he deals with the nation. He comes in judgment. He comes to set everything right.
See, when the children of Israel went into the land of Canaan, they had to clean it up first. They had to deal with all of the enemies. They had to destroy those enemies according to God's word, because they were wicked sinners. They had to clean up the country, and then it was that Solomon reigned. The Kingdom was set up then.
I speak of Solomon because it was really then that the Kingdom was.
Set up according to the mind of God. In the beginning there was Saul of Tarsus, and he was given to the people because they desired a king like all the nations around. But still in Solomon we get a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ reigning in glory. But there had to be a clean up first. And so when the Lord comes, he'll do both things. He'll clean up the whole seed, and then he'll reign.
It's the same as the day of the Lord.
We find in scripture two expressions that it is good to understand the difference, the day of the Lord and the day of Christ or Christ Day and the day of Christ has to do with his own. We find that in Philippians and other scriptures and.
The day of the Lord has to do with his coming back on earth and the judgment and the Millennium.
All of this is the day of the Lord and even the final judgment. Is that correct?
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The first chapter of Acts we get that the question there was asked wasn't it they were still concerned about the Kingdom.
The first chapter Acts one verse. Chapter one of Acts and verse.
6.
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father had put in His own power, But then he brings them to the other era, when the Spirit of God would come down, and.
Reveal this to them, but He shall receive power after that. The Holy Ghost has come upon you.
You shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, into the uttermost parts of the earth. But they were concerned there, weren't they, about the Kingdom. And he said it's the times and seasons were not for you to know.
I believe to what the Church is. The Church is a heavenly people. The Church belongs to heaven, and the Church does not belong to the sphere that's included.
In that statement, times and seasons, we don't belong to that sphere of times and seasons. We belong to heaven. We're heavenly people and we're heavenly because the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church, is in heaven and we're connected with him there seated in the heavenlies in Christ. And so this has nothing to do with the church, the church at this time.
Is home with the Lord, but then the Lord comes back to deal with this earth.
And as was already mentioned, he comes as the Lord, and it's the day of the Lord, and he mentioned about the day of Christ. And I remember Brother Brown giving us this simple illustration.
Of a two-story house.
He says these two things are really like a two-story house. The day of the Lord has to do with the earth. The day of Christ has to do with heaven. The day of Christ has to do with his earth, his heavenly people, those who are in Christ, who belong to Christ the Church. The day of the Lord has to do with people here on the earth that come in for judgment, the judgment of God.
Read in Matthew about all nations being gathered before the Lord and he deals with them all and separates them as shepherds, divides the sheep from the ghosts, and those on the left hand are sent to eternal destruction, and those on the right hand they go into the blessing of the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth. So the Lord comes, and he is in full command.
And that's another reason, I suppose it's called the day of the Lord, because he's, he's in command.
He's in control of that too, and nobody is going to say anything to him. They're not going to again say him. All of them will be submitting to him. And in chapter 18 of the Psalms.
It tells us that they're going to give feigned obedience to the Lord. They'll be so afraid of him that even though they're not born again, they're going to bow to him and give feigned obedience to him. And all the way through the Millennium they'll do that which is the day of the Lord. That whole 1000 years and a few more years are the day of the Lord, and they'll give feigned obedience to the Lord. And so when you come to the end of 1000 years reign of Christ.
Then it is that Satan is loose, and he goes out to deceive the nations.
And of course all of those who simply give given feigned obedience to the Lord, they will follow Satan and fire comes down out of heaven and destroys them all because they dare to compass the camp to Saints about that is the Lords little company of earthly people, and the fire of God destroys all of them. So all of those during that time were not really the Lords who are not really born again.
There are only feigned subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will be dealt with and all of them going to death. And so at the end of the Millennium, all those who are not the Lords are in death. And then after that you get the great White throne judgment. When the Lord sits on that throne and all are gathered before him, all the dead, well, there's no point in calling living there because all the living.
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Are in the Lord's safekeeping.
We in the glory and those on the earth who are the Lords, they're all safe keeping. 2 But all the wicked dead are brought forth, all those who died in their sins are brought forth to stand before the great white throne and be judged there, And the doom is that they're cast into the lake of fire. Perhaps you might just give a word on 2nd Thessalonians 2, verse 2.
Because I believe some of the young people might.
Like a little help on this. It speaks, but they have Christ. But you read this Mr. Darby's translation. It's the day of the Lord, isn't it? I just mentioned that #282.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-5
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First Thessalonians chapter 5 beginning verse one. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you, for 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 travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
Brethren.
Are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief, for ye are all the children of light.
And the children of the 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 or drunken in the night.
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and foreign helmet the hope of salvation.
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 within.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and they defy one another, even as also you do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them, which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.
To esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.
And be at peace among yourselves.
For we exhort you, brethren.
Warn them that are unruly. Comfort the feeble minded St. hearted, support the weak. Be patient toward all men.
See that none render evil for evil under any man.
Whatever. Follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men.
Rejoice several more. Pray without ceasing in everything, give thanks.
For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Quench not the Spirit.
Despise, not prophesying.
Prove all things.
Hold a fast that which is good.
Abstained from all appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved lameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We took up and we closed our last meeting spent mentioning some of these days and there's a marginal reading on 1St Corinthians chapter 4. Is it First Corinthians chapter 4 and verse three? But with me, it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you.
Or of man's day, man's day. Then we have the day of the Lord that we looked at, and the day of Jesus Christ and the day of God. So there are these four days, aren't there? And this is man's day. This is when the mystery of God is going on, the silence of God. Some people often say, why doesn't God intervene? Well, he is, He will in the coming day they're asking for.
Though if they want God to intervene and so this is man's day wherein lawlessness prevails and eventually it's going to be headed up in the man of sin with violence and corruption and falsehood there when he's revealed in Second Thessalonians chapter 2. So man's day will reach its height and the display that a manifestation of the man of sin, the lawless one well.
We spoke about the day of Jesus Christ, the heavenly side of it, and then the day of the day of the Lord, the earthly side that relates to the earth and the judgments of God in it, the whole millennial scene, and then the day of God. Let's just mention this one other thing then. This is a time now when righteousness suffers. You and I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.
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And as we walk in the Spirit.
And the new nature is energized and strengthened, and we walk for God's glory, righteousness produced in our walking ways. The world don't want us, doesn't love us, and the Lord warned us about that. This is a day then when righteousness suffers, when the Lord Jesus Christ comes, it says in Isaiah 32A, King shall reign in righteousness.
Righteousness shall reign, then, in the millennial state of things.
But then in Second Peter chapter 3, when it speaks about the day of God, it says righteousness shall dwell. Righteousness in the eternal state shall permeate everything. In the millennial day there will still be that wickedness in the heart of man. As we learn from some of those songs, they will render feigned obedience. Everybody won't be born again or saved in the Millennium.
But in the eternal state that is Revelation 21, one to eight, it's the day of the fruition.
Of John 129 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, and when every trace of sin has been fully eradicated, when God is All in all, will have the eternal state, and righteousness will not only reign but dwell. It's very difficult to do the will of God on earth at this time.
There's opposition, there's temptation that we're exposed to.
In the millennial time, it will be easy to do God's will on earth. I don't suppose you can object to this if you wish.
That you would be praying in the Holy Ghost to pray Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven, because you would really be asking for judgment. And that's not a Christian prayer now.
Is important in connection with these things.
Recognize that in second Peter 3 where the day of the Lord is spoken of merging into the eternal day, the day of God. It's important that it becomes very practical when you get to verse 14 of that chapter. We might do well to look at it.
Because as in other things in the Word of God, as we learn of these truths, they are to translate into action in our lives. And that's what we have in second Peter three, we have in verse 10 the day of the Lord as was referenced going on.
Merging into the eternal day which is the day of God in verse 12.
And the question of wherein dwelleth righteousness in verse 13.
Verse 14.
Wherefore, beloved?
Seeing that, she looked for such things.
Be diligent, she may be found of him in peace.
Without spot.
And blameless.
We've been told of that which is God's purpose and that which is His counsel. Now we're being told that as we know it, it ought to have an effect. For instance, when Abraham was told of God's counsel regarding Sodom and Gomorrah.
What did it produce in his heart? The simple thought that he was intelligent as to a matter that others were not intelligent about? No, it produced a godly concern for those that are without automatically, right away he began. But Lord, there are people in that city and and what if this and what if that there was a concern?
Not only did he know what was coming for Sodom and Gomorrah.
But it produced its effect. Now, as he had a godly concern for the welfare of those in that city, do you think it would have been suitable for him to live in a manner inconsistent with that concern? It all has to go together. It's our position in Christ. It's the glory of God to take of the things of Christ.
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And all that relates to His glory and make it real to us by the Spirit of God.
Then it ought to have its effect. It ought to have its effect in my life and yours in a diligent manner of living before God, reading the Word, and knowing how to walk in the good of what is told us in it. It ought to produce in our hearts even more the thought of concern for those around us who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. And as we hear of judgment, two things should.
Our hearts, dear brethren, one is the fact that that judgment is that which will produce.
A circumstance in which finally, everything will conform to the holiness of God in every essence, to the honor and praise of the one to whom it belongs. And our hearts beat with praise to think of the blessed Lord Jesus acknowledged in every sense.
But it should also produce a godly concern for those who would be brought into judgment and those who would be dealt with in that manner, of a holy One dealing with judgment consistent with His nature, and some falling under that judgment. There ought to be that dual concern, that rejoicing concerning the blessed Savior and that which would be His glory and praise.
A real concern for those without.
All that this might just press upon us because responsibility is clearly brought in here.
It tells us here that this day of the Lord is coming as a thief in the night. Well, how does a thief come? Does he tell you he's coming? Are people aware that the thief is coming? It's not advertised. No, people wouldn't believe it. They wouldn't understand it. And when people hear this, that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming in judgment, they don't believe it. They don't understand it. They don't.
Even though they might read it in the word of God, it's no advertisement to them. It's not a notice to them, it means nothing to them.
And so people are not prepared for a thief, nor are they those who will be left behind when the Lord has taken his own to be with himself.
They're not. They're not expecting anything else because it says.
In the third verse, for when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, well, that would perhaps indicate that the people have a certain reaction to certain ones that are missing.
When the Saints are all gone, perhaps they say, well, now we can have it all our own way. We'll have peace and safety. We can just go on as we please.
But what happens then? Sudden destruction cometh upon them. This day of the Lord comes as a thief and comes suddenly. Or many people have been hurt by burglars.
And they have broken into houses unexpectedly, and lives have been lost, and the property has been stolen and havoc has been rocked. When those thieves come, well, what will it be when the Lord comes as a thief? When the day of the Lord comes as a thief to them, it will mean destruction for them.
It will not simply be their property taken or their lives.
Taken. But it will be moral destruction, eternal destruction, because they got to meet the one who is the judge of all the earth, the one that's been prophesied of. That's the judge, and they're going to meet him right then and there on this earth. Thousands will have to stand before him.
And he will scrutinize them all and he will divide them into two companies.
And destruction will come upon them. And I don't know that we know all the details of the destruction that's coming on this earth when the Lord comes as judge. But it's going to be a solemn thing because they're they're real enemies here in this world that have risen up during the tribulation period. There's the beast, the false prophet, and all those that follow them.
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All these wicked people, and when the Lord comes back, and we will accompany him down.
From the skies, but we will be left up above this earth in what is called the New Jerusalem. But the Lord himself will come way down to earth and the enemies of the Lord will meet him. And they think, well, this is just a usual thing. We can meet him. We're it's just an ordinary warfare.
But the Lord by the word of his mouth can destroy them all, and houses will be slain there and not battle. So much so that God has to call all the flesh eating birds from all over the world to come there to feed upon that flesh, to clean, to clean it up. What a destruction that will be. And even when they're saying peace and safety, everything is lovely now.
Anderson that this word, that the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
There should also be a voice to the conscience of a believer, Because if we do not walk with the Lord, and if we do not have before our hearts the coming of the Lord, if we get involved in the things of this earth or this world, the coming of the Lord will not be an event to us then as individuals, as if we had been waiting and watching and longing for Him.
It will overcome us at such a time when we look the least for when it may surprise us. We do not wish it to be that way. But we cannot serve 2 masters. And if we get engrossed in the world, it detracts from the hope of his coming. And it may just be as a thief in the night. And the very thing that I believe was expressed on Saturday already.
That there is that within us, when we get so occupied with earthly things, that says.
Well, but I'd like to get married first think that was brought up or I like to 1St have this pleasure yet, and then I'll be looking for should exercises when we read it as a thief in the night that it might not be that in that character for us. We have enough in this chapter to tell us that the believer is of the day he is does not belong to the night nor to that event when the Lord comes in judgment, but.
The character of his coming to us, let us beware that it does not overtake us by surprise.
For that, for that purpose, to stir up the Saints, I don't see any reason why it should be put in this letter. But we have other scriptures in other places like in Hebrews 6 warnings there and then in Philippians also we have a warning to those who are earthly minded and who are enemies of the cross of Christ.
And this is written to Saints as well. The Saints is vilified. So we have other scriptures along the same lines.
That these things that are brought in in this way can be a warning to any that are going on carelessly because sometimes we have a big question mark in our minds as to certain ones, whether they're really the Lords or not. There is reading and watching and there's also in that same loop 12 and aspect that connects with the appearing and there are several young people that had asked questions.
And we might just take a moment rather than to go over it because there might be other young people with the same thoughts.
The statement was made earlier in these meetings regarding responsibility associated with the appearing and the simple fact that we are his own is that which is associated with him coming for his office. We have those two thoughts and one chapter in Luke 12.
For in verse 37, Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve them. Serving them. Just a simple thought of the servants being received and Him serving them.
Not a question of what they are doing other than.
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Watching. But now there's another aspect, and that's in verse 43.
Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. That is responsibility for how you and I have lived during this life, and it is connected with Him and with the glory of that which will be his in the future.
And that also brings us the first John chapter 2 and verse 28, first John 228 and now.
Little children abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Now we're committed here to abiding in Him.
The sense of that very position which must be ours consciously daily in order to walk as pleasing to Himself with respect to any aspect of servantship at all, there would have to be abiding in Him that we may have confidence. And then the verse that was referred to us yesterday afternoon.
And 2nd Epistle of John.
Mercy, look to yourselves. And we lose not those things which we have wrought. They will receive a full reward.
Very simple thought I believe is that the blessed Savior wants His own with Him and so He will come for us.
But then later, at least seven years later, there is the fault of him coming with us as his own. He's going to set up a Kingdom then and we associated with him and as our brother Anderson has been bringing out some of the detail related to it. But the real thought there is the setting up of a Kingdom and the acknowledgement of him, the Lord Jesus, as King of.
Lord of Lords Now how does the thief in the night aspect fit together with it? Well, perhaps we can read Matthew 24 and it might just.
Make it plain to us.
Matthew 24 and verse 27 for as the lightning cometh out of the East.
Shineth even unto the West.
So also also the coming of the Son of Man.
Now the lightning shining from the east to the West is apparent to people living on the earth, and the coming of the Lord and the display of glory will be apparent to those that live on the earth. The coming of the Lord for His own will not be as we've been enjoyed. He's joined Just take us to be with Himself because He loved us and He died for us and He's waiting for that.
That we would all be with him.
For his praise and for his honor and for His glory. But why does it say Son of Man here? Because it's as man beloved that he was rejected. It's this man that he was cast out. It's as man that he hung upon that cross. And God is going to be honored. That blessed man is going to be honored here.
Not in some other planet. Here the Son of Man is going to be acknowledged.
And magnify. Why would there be that coming as a lightning from the east to the West? Because it is identified with the glory of the Lord. It says in Psalm the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Why doesn't it say that about the earth?
Because man is included largely in the Earth, and in general there's been much spoiling.
But man's little intrusion in the starry heavens will never disturb the glory of the fact that the heavens of God will display the wonder of who He is. The language of Scripture. Carefully then, saying that lightning from the east to the West, controlled by God himself, and in God's perfect timing, and a display to the natural eye of man, surely there will be the coming of the Son of man.
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And our delight in it has spoken up in Timothy unto all them. That love is appearing is connected with the fact at the very place where that blessed Savior was crucified and cast out is the very place, this earth where he will be honored and magnified, and everyone will bow right here.
You and I identified with him, all, beloved brethren, as we think of identification with himself.
Do we understand the concept of sharing glory? We probably don't.
We probably don't because in scripture we little grass what God tells us about us to the glory in our identification with it. Look at Zechariah 14. If there's ever a place where you would be not expecting to find the end of verse five in this at all this chapter, you would not be expecting to find an expression.
All the Saints with it. Let's read verse four and five is just have the connection to forest.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the West. And there shall be a very great valley. Half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the South. That is an actual cleavage, and the marvel of the one, the Lord of glory, the very.
Right here and a cleft very apparent. Now you shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel. Yeah, you shall flee like as you've fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah.
That is all natural circumstance in respect of the fact that this is the Lord of glory, the one who created all, and then the Lord my God shall come.
And all the Saints with thee.
All the Saints with thee in this kind of a context. Yes, because the purpose and counsel of God does not only relate to His power.
It relates to His glorious grace, and you and I are identified with Him in that. Beloved, it's the power of God that can command your attention and respect, but it's a loving kindness of Christ. It's the glory of God and His love toward us in Christ Jesus. That alone can draw my soul and yours.
For all eternity.
In identification with Himself, one with Him in glory. Amen. Identification with Him in a coming day of display, Yes, And with Him and like Him for His glory for all eternity. That's what the Word of God brings us all, beloved, that we might sense how we're linked with Him, and counsel and purpose.
And plan and design and all to share with him in the coming day.
One and 10.
When he shall come to be glorified in His Saints, not by His Saints here, but in His Saints.
Is that what you were talking about brother? Believe that's that's it. I like the picture that was given to me once on this.
And it's important to see that it's the Lord in the midst of his Saints here.
When he shall come to be glorified in or in the midst of his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that faith. That's Second Thessalonians 110.
Sometimes Jewelers or brother Tony Kelly here can vouch for this. I think that Jewelers make up some very nice arrangements of gems.
And I have heard that sometimes they will take a diamond, make that the center of a ring setting, and then put pearls all around it to display it.
Well, the Lord Jesus Christ is the diamond in the center, and we will be around him. And what will be we be there for? To be looked at? No, to put the Lord Jesus Christ on display.
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By Him, that's what we'll be there for, to honor and glorify Him, to set him off as it were, to put Him on display. And that's what we're going to be taking the glory for, to set the Son of God on display and as Son of man to put Him on display there. God has that one thing in mind, to display the glory of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was denied everything when He came the first time.
But the second time.
He's going to have his rightful place in the whole scene where he was rejected, and he's going to be set on the pinnacle to be observed and glorified by all the Saints around him. And of course the world that's left here will see that too, and they can't help but bow before him, even though they might not like to do it. The character that the Lord comes upon the world is as a thief in the night.
You said our consciences should be exercised if walking carelessly, and that's the way it's presented in the Revelation chapter 3.
The messages to the seven churches and we have the church Sardis, which historically of course would have been that period right after the Protestant Reformation and how that of course the Reformation itself was a work of the Spirit of God as it degenerated into state churches and became just dead and ceremonies and forms why it was in the hands of man.
And.
It says here in verse three. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. So I think there's the principle of what you mentioned in Sardis, that coming upon the world, he's going to come as a thief, but also.
Hearing Profession.
Of Christianity, which is makes a profession that they're the Lords and ostensibly waiting for his coming and walking so carelessly. And yet of course there's a a message to our own conscience too might point out to one other correction here and that's in Matthew 25, Matthew the 25th chapter and verse 13. We know that this is the Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 and 25.
In response to the questioning of the disciples, When shall all these things come to pass? What shall be the sign of thy coming, even the end of the age?
So the Lord unfolds to them in this whole passages 24 and 25. And I don't want to take too long and going through the unfolding of it. It's not an address, but just here in verse 13. Watch therefore, for, you know, neither the day nor the hour period. Isn't it the new translation?
That leaves the rest of that First off, because as soon as you introduce the Son of Man, you're dealing with the appearing.
The revelation and this passage here is talking about the Lord's coming for us, for believers, and it is one other correction, verse 14 for the Kingdom of heaven. You notice that's italicized. That doesn't belong there. The last similitude in this gospel of the Kingdom of heaven is in chapter 25, the first verse. Then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened unto.
There are 10 similitudes of the Kingdom.
There are six of them in Matthew 13, There are three in the intervening chapters, and this is the last one, the 10th one in the Gospel of Matthew. And it makes, it completes things, the Kingdom of heaven, the whole spirit of profession. It's time, it's sojourn on earth. And here it ends with the five wise and the five foolish. And the announcement goes out.
And dear ones, we believe it went out in 1830 and 1840.
And then there's a little interval of time and the Lord comes. And if our understanding of the whole scope of Scripture is right.
We're down and Daniel chapter 2, that whole image, we're all the way down to the toes in the formation of the 10 nations of Europe. Then the stone cut out of them out without a hand, comes down and grinds the whole thing in the powder becomes a mighty rock and fills the whole earth, the Kingdom of the Lord.
Isn't that where we are down to the formation of in Europe, of the nations? Is it Matthew 25, the little interval of time after the announcement has gone out? Behold the bridegroom isn't Revelation two and three. Isn't our understanding of it that we're all the way down to lay it to see in times of indifference and lukewarmness and that they can say anything about the person of Christ, the work of Christ and the need of blood atonement just.
00:35:19
Shove them under the carpet. Let's get together on one big world church. We're not cared about. We don't care about doctor and truth of the Word of God. Well, that's where we are. So what should our expectation be? Oh, our hearts beat high. The dawn is nigh that ends our Pilgrim story and thine eternal glory. All dear ones were on the tiptoe of expectation. We of our understanding of the Word of God is correct. The Lord is at the door. He's about ready to open.
Believe with all my heart like Albert Hale, who used to say, I expect the Lord in my generation. And remember that man, he won the Christ. One time he was thinking he was up on a ladder and Albert reached up and shook hands with him and held on. And he said with a smile on his face to us, You know what I was waiting for? I thought that maybe this was the last one and the church would be complete and we would be caught away.
Well, the the how the expectation, dear ones, that this afternoon.
Or before even the gospel is preached. Tonight we might be home in the glory, but the Lord Jesus Christ and all of the redeemed together.
Chair another saw dive in here. We'll have to turn to 1St Kings for that to find out.
Verse in the second.
Of Thessalonians in the first chapter verse 10 might return to Second Chronicles the 9th chapter for couple verses there Second Chronicles Chronicles 9 it says there in King Solomon made 200 targets of beaten gold, 600 shekels of beaten gold went to one target and 300 Shields made here beaten gold. 300 shekels of gold went to one shield and the king put them.
House of the Forest of Lebanon, Stay First Kings 14, First Kings 14. There's the day of Reborn and the Glorious Departed.
There we read in verse 25.
It came to pass in the fifth year of King Reboom, that Sheshack, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, and he took away the treasures of the House of the Lord, and the treasures of the King's house. He even took away all, and he took away all the Shields of gold which Solomon had made. And King Riabour made in their stead brazen Shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard which kept the door of the King's house.
And it was so when the king went into the House of the Lord, that the guard bear them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
Now here we learned what the Shields were used for. When the king went into the House of God, these guards lined up.
Can't you see them in two rows? And the king passed through this line, and these Shields from either side were facing to the inside, where the king went through and his image would be displayed on those Shields. But why wasn't this told us in Solomon's day? Because the glory of that one who was to come.
And who was going to be glorified in his Saints was so tarnished in Solomon's day.
That the application isn't even mentioned, but now in rehab stay there, we have find out what they were used for. But the Shields who were made after the pattern of the first ones and who were, were used here as well. They consist now of brass. They do not reflect quite the same image now beloved, I wonder.
When we come together on the Lord's day and we read in First Corinthians in the 11Th chapter, so let a man examine himself and so let him eat. Brethren, our approach into the Lord's presence is mixed with judgment, self judgment, and then it doesn't say, so let him stay away.
But we have the way into His very presence, but it is mixed.
Was self judgment, but that's part of our earthly journey when we meet the Lord in the in the glory S will be all gone and the targets of gold will once more be displayed and our blessed Lord Jesus as he comes along and he Saints as it were on either side will reflect his image.
And those Shields of gold, as it were. I've enjoyed that thought and I would like to be corrected, but I just thought I'd share it with you better. I noticed here in the end of verse three that this destruction is called sudden destruction, cometh upon them as travel I'll upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. Now every mother here.
00:40:23
Has gone through this experience, can understand this. You don't escape.
And they're not going to escape.
But a solemn thing. They may want to escape, try to escape, but they can't.
This destruction comes suddenly and they have to go through it.
Running awful thing it will be to be left behind.
And I trust there's not anyone in this room that will be left behind when the Lord comes to catch us up to be with himself.
Because if you're left behind.
Look what's before you. Something is coming that you can't escape.
Impossible to escape it. And now he talks he's writing to the to the brethren at Thessalonica, the Saints there. But ye, brother, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Now they're the darkness is connected with.
Being overtaken by that which is as a thief, darkness, well, they don't have eyes to see. They're in darkness. They can't understand anything they can't preserve.
That's why it comes suddenly upon them as a thief.
But those who are the Lords are something else. They're not in darkness, but that day should overtake you as a thief. You're not in darkness, you're all children are sons of light.
And Sons of the day, I believe it should read Sons there because it's a character brought the force of the child of God. It's his character.
Person who is saved is a child of light, and he is light in the Lord.
The Lord Jesus Christ is, of course, the light.
We read about him in the first chapter of John, that he was that light.
We read about light and doctors in the very beginning of Scripture.
And we see how there's a division, a separation between light and darkness.
And so we come right down to this chapter and we find the same thing, that there's a separation between light and darkness.
And light and darkness have nothing to do with each other, and it's quite a subject.
That we have before us now the subject of light and darkness. God is is in the light, isn't he or he wouldn't be a child of God. But every child of God isn't working, isn't walking according to that light. We have that expectation in Ephesians don't walk as children of light. Just thinking about in Ephesians.
Ephesians chapter 5 verse seven be not, be not ye therefore partakers with them, that is, with these children of disobedience that are in the dark, for ye were sometimes dark. That this is a remarkable statement because.
It doesn't say here you were in the dark, you were darkness itself, the darkness of the soul before God. He were sometimes darker and it's a strong statement here, isn't it? But now are you light in the Lord walk as children of light for the fruit of the light. Really it's the fruit of the light, isn't it is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
This reflects back upon ourselves, doesn't it? We prove it by walking in it. We prove it by being enjoying the fact that we are in the light and a testimony to God that we are light in the Lord. So it's an expectation to it says for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and fruit. Well, this is where we are.
And the expectation is if you're in that condition, if you're in that state, let's walk in it, let's enjoy it. Let's be a testimony to the fact that we are in the lake because there are many that are walking, there are children of God, but they're walking in dark paths. They not enjoying this. So it's a it's an expectation for us, isn't it?
00:45:07
You're all here, it says in our chapter. You're all the children of light, the children of the dead.
We are not of the night, nor of dark. Why should we walk in that condition if we're not of it? God wants us in His presence, and in His presence is only light, That's all.
Is connected with darkness in the very beginning.
The the light he called day and the night he called darkness, or the darkness he called night. The light was day, the darkness was night, and there was a definite separation there between light and darkness.
And we notice here that he says to these Thessalonians, hear all the children of light and children of the day, light and day.
He says we are not of the night nor of darkness. Apostle Paul puts himself in with that company of Saints at Thessalonica.
And Speaking of themselves as a body that are like.
They're they're not darkness.
Nor of the night.
Wonderful saying, wonderful place, wonderful, wonderful condition that we've been brought into. We can look back when we were darkness.
We were children of darkness, children of the night and walking in darkness, and we didn't know where we were going. We were like blind people walking through this world.
And then all of a sudden, the Lord dealt with us. We were convicted of our sins. We saw the Lord Jesus Christ to die for our sins, suffered on Calvary for us.
And we felt the working of the Spirit of God in our souls.
Joining us that we were sinners in the need of a Savior. We accept that the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. And there was a change. We became light. We became children of the day. Well, that's God's work. That isn't our work. People try to make themselves children of light, children of the day by their own works.
Well, that's not possible, because way back in the beginning in Genesis, that whole work of light and darkness was God's work.
And so it is now. It's God's work, the changes from darkness to light.
To make us children of the day instead of the night. It's God's work.
130 gives us a wonderful verse that fits in here. The entrance of thy words giveth light.
And giveth understanding unto the simple. I think that verse was quoted already.
During a conference once before. But how wonderful to see that the Word of God is that which has given us life, and when by faith we were unable to accept it and brought us into the light. If that is so, beloved, I'm sure we all realize the importance of reading and meditating.
This blessed book, the Word of God.
That brought us into life, saved us and transferred us from darkness into light. And it also is that which gives us intelligent and understanding all along the vast pathway.
First John 1 seven or three positive statements aren't there. It's as if we walk in the light as he is in the light. We have fellowship one with another in the blood of Jesus Christ. His Son cleanseth us from all sin. The if there is not a conditional in this verse, it's the fact there. If we walk in the light that is true of every child of God. They are in the light. It's not how we walk, it's where we walk every child of God.
In the light, every child of God has fellowship one with another, though in its practical demonstration it might be restricted. Like we say before, we love all the Saints of God, and there is a fellowship that we've been called into with a father, with a son, and it's just as true of every child of God. And so there is that fellowship. And the blood of Jesus Christ has its continuing efficacy before God for every child of God. So there are three positive.
00:50:13
In that verse, we're all in the light, we all have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ positively provides for every spot and stain of sin, and I'll never lose its power. What characterized the law and the giving of the law was thick darkness. God dwelt in thick darkness, we read.
But now he dwells in the light.
And He is the light, and we walk in the light, the light of the full, complete revelation of God the Father in the Person of the Son.
That God cannot be more perfectly revealed than He has been revealed in the person of His Son. We walk in the light of the full, complete, total revelation of what God is. He cannot be more fully revealed.
That he has been revealed. And so in second John it says, Whosoever goes forward and abides not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. I remember talking to a man on the train one day, and I gave him all the precious truths of the Gospel. He says, Oh yes, Oh yes, I know that, I know that, but I've got something beyond that. And I said, dear friend, there's nothing beyond Christ.
He is the fullness of God. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him.
And he is the full complete revelation of what God is. And that's what the light is. And we walk in the light of that in the full blessed truth of it. In the second, second chapter of first John. I'd just like to read a few verses in the seventh verse.
First, John, two brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning.
Again a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing, should read, and the true light already shines. Now shines he that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother is in the darkness. Even until now he that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes. To be in the darkness and to walk in the darkness is to be what is the darkness. It's the ignorance and non revelation of God, and that's what characterizes the world through which we're passing. We were once darkness.
Once walked in darkness, as our brother has said, we were darkness itself, but now we are light in the Lord. We walk in the light as children of light. And that which was true of him when he was down here as a blessed man, is now true in us. A new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you that which was true of him as a blessed man down here. The expression of.
That same life is now been communicated to you and to me, and as we walk down here and live in the power of it, we express the very same life and become the expression of the very same life. That He is the essence of Himself, that eternal life that was with the Father and was manifested unto us. And so that which was true in Him is now true in us. How blessed that we.
Eternal life, and that's all connected with being in the light and walking in the light. Maybe someone can add to that.
What we have in Second Corinthians chapter four, we read how the light got in Second Corinthians chapter 4 verse six. For God who commanded the light shine out of darkness going back to creation has shined in our hearts.
To give the light to the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in person vessels.
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Why did God put the light, this divine light, into an earthen vessel?
That the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
Put it into a weak vessel.
That God might be glorified.
That the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
We're troubled on every side, if possible, goes on to speak of difficulties, problems, trials. We yet not distressed with, perplexed but not despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying or the putting to death of Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. Now it's not only that the light is there, but it speaks of the manifest.
Of the light, that the light, the light force of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. She's linked with the life. Well, Jesus was that life, and he is that life.
That's what we read of in the first chapter of John's Gospel.
And so we have the light, and we have the light for we which are.
Always. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake. Well why? Why are we delivered to death?
Moral death.
Feeling that we have no connection with things here, reckoning ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. Why, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh as long as.
The elements of darkness are working in us and is if morally we are not up to the light, what happens?
Well, the Lord has to deal with us. He allows different things in our lives to bring in this.
Grace to us, that we might reckon ourselves indeed to be dead under sin, and so death.
Is there that we might be delivered to it? Why that the life also Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies?
So it's something like.
I read this story but.
Of how they used to make lanterns.
In the old country, I don't know if they ever did it as pioneers here in this country, but they would use a large turnip.
I suppose.
Several inches in diameter and they would hollow out that Turner, scrape all the flesh out.
Of the inside, leave only the skin or the shell of the turnip, Leave it all intact.
And then they would put their candlelight inside of that tournament.
Well, the thinner they could make the shell of that turn of the better light they would have, the better the light would shine through.
And perhaps that's the illustration of what the Lord is doing with us, working with us, delivering us to death, delivering us to circumstances where we're dead to South, dead to sin, reckoning ourselves dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is God working this way in US that that light He has put in US might shine out? This is what God wants.
Because.
The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light is not here anymore. They wouldn't have him here to shine in this world. He's up there shining in the glory, but he's left us here to shine and that's why the Lord kills was us to thin us down as it were, so that the light can shine out and we don't like that process that the Lord is putting us through bird to brother Anderson and I've enjoyed the thought there in in second Corinthians chapter 4.
For God, verse six. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our heart, not our heads here, but in our heart. And the purpose is to give, give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, that that it might be seen that this one belongs to Christ, that that light might shine out.
Well then if it does, I was thinking if you turn over to the 26th of of the book of Acts.
I was thinking of this too, that not only does it give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, but it goes out beyond that. Acts chapter 26, verse 16 to get the but rise and stand up on my feet. This was to Saul. Remember who we have here in 2nd Corinthians 4. I have appeared unto thee for the purpose to make the administer and a witness.
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Both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things which.
In the which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people, from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them, which are sanctified by faith.
Me, but I enjoyed that thought that the light of God shone in his heart that it might shine out to the glory of God and have its effect upon those around to deliver them. There was that was the purpose, wasn't it Christ having his proper place first the glory of the Lord Jesus and then this shines out to others and they're brought into that same.
Precious portion of light in the Lord subject of the contrast between darkness and light is so prevalent in Scripture, and if it is so important, we would expect to find it right away in the Word of God, wouldn't we?
Well, we do find it because it says in Genesis One and the evening and the morning were the first day. But you and I don't refer to days like that. We refer to the day and then the night. We're tired, we go to sleep.
The Scripture says the evening and the morning were the first day. Why? Because all God's purposes. And in a glorious blaze of a displayed light, even though you and I look around and you say the world is in confusion, how will God's purposes ever be worked out? We look at everything committed to man and we say that's in confusion.
He'll say, well, how will that work out? Well, everything will work out according to the truth.
For instance, when the Glory left Israel, it left in Ezekiel from the eastward direction, and that's where it went, and when it is pictured as coming back in connection with Israel in the future as restored.
God's glory in connection with it, where does it come from? It comes from the east. The Tabernacle was to be facing east because clearly for us to understand how gracious of God that we can understand the sun comes up in the east, as simple as that. And it's depicting that light which has to do with what comes from God. And God said let there be light.
Without that statement, there is no physical light.
No spiritual light and nothing else but darkness. Isn't it interesting, beloved, that the Spirit of God is seen in Genesis chapter one, although it is not the Spirit of God that is credited with the subject of creation? Why is the Spirit of God there in chapter one?
I believe that we'll see very clearly.
The whole Godhead gloriously interested in that marvelous way in connection with this earth, which was to be the exact place for the display of all God's purposes and all God's ways. And so the Spirit of God is there.
In Genesis 1, because it was going to be that very that very place.
That very sphere where the blessed Lord Jesus would be the one to work out all God's councils and the Spirit of God so divinely interested in that place, because it is here where he takes of the things of Christ.
And Speaking of that which is given to him, it says the Spirit shall not speak of himself, or perhaps from himself in the sense that it's that which is his to speak of. Because the Spirit of God gives us the Word of God, and in the Word of God we are told about the Spirit of God. So it is a question of the Spirit of God speaking.
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From that which is all of the display of the Council of God, making it real in your height and mind.
And there in Genesis 1, because God said, let there be light, now there was going to be that very sphere of associated with that which God is in himself light. How would it work out the purpose of God in Christ Jesus, the basis of blessing?
The finished work of Calvary, the testimony to that finished work, raised from among the dead and a glorious man there, the Father's right hand in glory. The Spirit of God sent down, indwelling you, indwelling me individually, indwelling in the sense collectively at First Corinthians three and 1St Corinthians 6 and the light made real in our hearts, but in that general way, right away we find.
Genesis 1.
The evening and the morning were the first day, and do you think the Bible would end without the glory of that thought of the day? No, for if we simply look at the last chapter of the Bible, we find I am the root, verse 16. I am the root, the offspring of David.
The flight and morning star, all beloved there would have to be authority and displayed power, the root and offspring of David. But power isn't the subject, it's the glory that's the subject. And so we therefore have the bright and morning star. Then verse 20, he which testifies these things.
That surely I come quickly, and our hearts, beloved brethren, surely answer Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Jesus came in the second chapter of John. We have that same truth.
First the poor wine and last the best wine.
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Spirits mind from the very beginning.
All right, like the Lord Jesus Christ is.
Spirit of God is connected to that light.
And God has worked to put the light in us that we might be in harmony.
In light with that light.
And that that's the only thing that can shoot God.
Shall we see how out of harmony darkness is with that whole purpose of God?
And this should speak to souls who are not like in the Lord, but are still darkness, that you might leave in the Lord Jesus Christ, that that light might come into your heart, and that you might be light in the Lord and be in TuneIn harmony with God and all his purposes. Because if you're not, you're going to miss out the most wonderful thing that ever was that we come in.
With the only light they'll ever see is what is radiated through you and through me. They may. They may never read the Bible. They may never.
Enter to into a place where they're under the sound of the Word, that as you live, Christ in the life of Christ in you is manifested before their eyes. That very light which shot in all its blessed brightness in Him when He was here, will shine in you.
And so it's so important that we realize that God has put us here to be a light and to manifest the life of Christ. In order to that, the vessel must be broken. And that's what we had before us in 2nd Corinthians 4. The vessel has to be broken, that the life that is within, which is the light, might shine out of light, isn't it?
Well, God is the source of light. We now are, and now are ye light.
In the Lord, the only way that we can reflect that light is in the Lord that is going on in communion with him. So it's we are reflected light, He is a source, and when we're occupied with Christ, we're in the right place before God, aren't That's the source and that's reflected light.
The autumn way, the only way the moon can shine give light is when the sun shines on it, because the light is only reflected light. So sometimes there's an eclipse, and an eclipse is made by the earth getting between the sun and the moon, and then the moon isn't reflecting much of any light at all. You might see some of the fringes.
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Well, I believe the moon is a picture of the church.
The Son picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And if the earth or earthly things get in between US and the Lord Jesus Christ, how much light are we going to reflect? There's an eclipse then where we don't want to be eclipsed, Christians or light fares. We want to be in the sunlight of His love as we are exhorted in Jews, keep yourselves in the love of God.
Walk in the light of his love. Be occupied with his love, walking in the good of that love.
And when that light is shining into our hearts in fullness, then we can shine forth in reflective way. We must remember that that the light we give forth here is only reflection is the light of the Lord Jesus Christ and how He loves to shine through us. And so we need grace to judge the things here that they might not get in between US and the Lord.
I believe that's why John wrote in the end of his epistle.
Little children, keep yourselves in the love of God, keep yourselves from idols, keep yourselves from idols. Because those idols he knew would get in between them and the Lord, and then they wouldn't be giving forth light. Because in that very official, he speaks of God as being not only love, but light. And so it's important.
To the apostle John, and of course to God and the Spirit of God.
That we should not allow anything to come into our life as an idol to make more of it than the Lord Jesus Christ that would rob us of reflecting that light and shining for Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:6
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First Thessalonians chapter 5 and this verse as an introduction.
For yet a little while.
That shall come, will come, and will not tarry.
Hebrews, 1037.
And in chapter 5, beginning just where?
Verse 5.
Ye are all the children of light and the children of the 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.
And lay the sleep sleep in the night.
And they that be drunken, or 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 element the hope of salvation.
Well, God has not appointed us to rise, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us.
That whether we wake or sleep, we should live together within. Wherefore come from yourselves together and edify one another even as also you do.
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake, and be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, Comfort the people minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men, See that none render evil for evil unto any man.
Whatever fall of that which is good both among yourselves.
And to all men.
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
And everything gives thanks for this. Is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
French do not restore.
Despise, not prophesying.
Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.
Abstained from all appearance of evil.
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Brethren, pray for us.
Agreed, all the brethren, with an holy Kish.
I charge you by the Lord, that this official be read unto all the holy brethren.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be with you. Amen.
On the 1St that bring before us.
Darkness and light and night and day.
Those that are connected with either one.
And that sixth verse or fifth verse says you're all the children of light.
Fossil was addressing the Saints in court, leavers and the Lord Jesus Christ. My faith in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ coming into their hearts. They had become children of light. Actually the word should read Sons of light. That's what's in the margin because.
It's true that as children.
We're light in the Lord.
But the thought I believe here is a manifested character, and Son brings before us that.
The manifested character of the one who's a child of God.
And so it's important that we be exercised about this, that we manifest that we are children of light, sons of light.
And so it goes on then in verse six, to give an exhortation. Therefore let us not sleep.
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Sleep. It's interesting to see that sleep is brought before us.
And they in the portion of scripture we've had before us these three days three different ways sleep is brought before us first as we.
Had back in the 4th chapter.
Those that sleep in Jesus.
And in verse 15 them which are asleep.
Well, that's referring to death. That is the sleep of the body, not the sleep of the soul, because there's no such thing as soul sleep, but it's the body that's asleep. And so some of these Saints and corns have died, and the rest were worried about them. Now what's happened? Now? What's their portion? What's going to happen to them?
Well, they were asleep, the body was asleep in the grave and that's how it's referred to even as the Lord said about Lazarus, Lazarus sleeping. Well, we know he was dead and the Lord talked about raising him out of sleep. Well, it meant raising him from the dead. So that's one way sleep is used in scripture referring to death. But for the Saint of God asleep because.
It's just like when we sleep at night, we expect to wake up again.
And when we go to sleep, what the are put to sleep by Jesus? We expect to wake up again. The Lord is going to awaken us.
And that's of course what we have brought before us in that course of scripture. The dead are raised, living, are changed, and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Well, now we have sleep rock before us in a different way. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.
Well, that's referring to a moral condition. That is the spiritual condition of us as children of God.
And so this could be spoken of as moral sleep, referring to our state of soul, our spiritual condition. What condition are we in? Are we sleepy Saints?
Well, we shouldn't be sleepy Saints, because we're children of the day. We're sons of light.
And people don't usually sleep in the daytime, they sleep at night. Sleep is connected with night.
But being awake, spiritually awake, is connected with being in the light in the daytime.
Well, it's it must have been a striking thing for these Thessalonians to hear something like that. Have it read to them.
But then there's another.
The way sleep is spoken out here in verse seven, for they that sleep sleep in the night, well that's ordinary sleep is spoken of. The apostle Paul uses ordinary sleep as a figure of of moral sleep, a low spiritual state.
And they that are drunken are drunken in the night, Well my wife should he connect that with with the sleeping.
Well, sometimes when Christians get sleepy, they fall into bad ways, and that's something to be exercised about.
Chapter 5 and verse 14. In that connection, there's an admonition and exhortation there while writing to the Ephesians in chapter 5 and verse 14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleep us, and arise from the dead.
And Christ shall give thee light. Walk circumspectly, and not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. And so here's an exhortation, and may we press it on our hearts here this afternoon. Have we fallen into a low spiritual state? Has lethargy come in into our own souls? All dear ones, In view then of the fact of what we've had before us, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Coming at any moment.
Oh wait, thou that sleepers arise, as it were, from among the dead. It's well enough that the people around us, those are dead in trespasses and sins, but it's not a time for us to fall in amongst them, as it were. So it's time to awake out of sleep. It's time to read the word of God.
And read these things and meditate upon them, and just fill our souls with the Word of God.
There's precious ministry, remember in the book of Ruth where it says that there's food and despair. Naomi heard the word, the back boom. There was plenty of food in abundance. And one brother says there never has been such an abundance of food on the shelf for the people of God. Good sound ministry as there is in this day since, you know, 1800, we have an abundance of good sound.
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Ministry that are build our souls up. So awake, let's read the word of God. Let's read good solid ministry and be edified and built up. Let's arise and pray all. There's so much need about us. The servants of the Lord need to be sustained. There's the unsaved that we need to arise in the night and cry out for the loved ones. And so arise awake and let's be diligent in our prayer life.
And then how about the visitation? Aren't there some old folks homes to be visited or aren't there some dear Saints of God that are shut in? Oh, there's so much yet that we can do each one. Let's not all, let's not leave it all to the front line. While we say that belongs to brother so and so. He's a laborer. He's a semi laborer. Now there's something for all of us as believers. And so awake, awake and read.
Awakened, pray awake and visit. Well, you say maybe I can't do that. Well, can you write a letter? Can you get somebody'd address and you know they're going through a trial and a nice comforting word some that you're interested in them all. There's so much if we look to the Lord that he can guide and direct us to do for his glory.
And not to go beyond all we've had in the chapter, but just noticing that I was noticing as it was read.
Verse 24.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also live, who also will do it well. Here we find.
The standing that we're in, don't we? God is going to bring us into that place of blessing and glory. But what we referred to back there as let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. That's a state, isn't it?
Our state and standing are quite different. Our standing is absolutely perfect in Christ. Every child of God has been cleansed by the precious blood of Christ. He's a child of God by birth into the family of God. And that standing is absolutely perfect.
But the state ebbs and flows, doesn't it? So we need to be exhorted there. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. This brings before us that state of soul is necessary to enjoy the fact that we are children of God. And so I just thought of the just referred to that verse as.
Connected with the fact that this had what would have to do with our absolute standing faithful is either calleth you and he's going to do it.
He's going to bring every child of God safely home. God is going to do that and but he wants us now to be in the enjoyment of it, doesn't he as someone has said that the mistake and standing is like a like a thermometer, which is very we all are familiar with thermometers. Of course, now it's Fahrenheit and a different change in this but however.
Those numbers on there are like our like our standing.
They never, never change. There they are. But that our state is like that little red mercury that flows up and down. Sometimes it's down very low and sometimes it's up very high. Well, there's that's the difference, isn't it? But God always puts us, shows us where he puts us as to our standing before him.
And then he says, now act upon that.
As to your state.
What is it that brings the liquor up in the thermometer?
Its warmth and heat, isn't it?
We need to keep ourselves in the love of God, keep ourselves in the sunshine of his love. That Mercury might be up there where it ought to be all the time. So if there's failure, it's our, it's our fault, isn't it?
The what our brother Anderson is referred to sleep brought before us in these three different ways. How faithful God is to to bring these things before us and to expose it to show us what he has for us. God is faithful, I think.
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Paul delights to use that expression, doesn't he? God is faithful and he's going to do it as we find here. Sleep brought before us in three different ways. That there be no mistake about it.
Faithful to us, one who is asleep is unconscious.
It is possible for us to sit here this morning.
We're not sleepy, but we might be here unconscious. What has been said? And so it says, let us not sleep.
But let us watch. The word watch would suggest to be on our guard, to be alert, be on our guard.
A watchman that has a habit of sleeping with when he should be making his rounds is not fulfilling his responsibilities.
So you and I are left here to be a testimony to our Lord Jesus and we need to be awake. You need to be conscious of His love and of His claims upon us and our responsibility towards Him. He has given us His word to instruct us and how important that we take heed to it. We've had the Lords coming brought before us during these past three days.
And what a wonderful comfort it is. But there's so many things around us in the world today.
That can have effect upon our lives that we might be unconscious as aware of the fact that the coming of the Lord is drawn up. So James would remind us of the coming of the Lord is draw not so how important that we be awake ever consulate is love be on our guard.
You know a thief comes.
At the time when he expects others to be asleep, he doesn't come to rob when he knows that, knows he wants to rob are alert and awake.
He choose the time when people are unconscious, and he does his work well. The enemy of our souls is looked at as a thief and a robber, and how he'd like to rob the sinks of their joy. The Lord.
The robbers of our testimony, and so unequal to be awake.
To be on our guard.
I watched, talked to a brother who was a watchman and he took me around.
And he said, Brother, I get sleepy and he pointed out a little spot where he goes.
And has his sleep well in that particular case is rounds roadside.
So you had a table.
He said, Brother I, I sleep on that table. But he says before I lay down, I put all these chairs around so that the thief has to move those tears to get at me.
Well, the next time I visit that area I found out he was no longer what?
Oh, we need to be on our guard. Why was on his guard? Why?
He's open to the attacks of the enemy.
He brings before the same thought.
No doubt in his first letter, First Peter chapter one.
And.
Verse 13.
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober.
And hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation or the appearing of Jesus Christ.
Well, this is really what?
We're talking about here in our portion of Scripture, First Thessalonians. It's about that time when there will be the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ appearing of the Lord.
It's the thought of the day of the Lord has been brought before us in the first verses of chapter 5.
And.
This time is connected with rewards.
And the apostles who wrote they were concerned for the Saints of God, Well it was the Lord Himself expressing concern for the Saints through these men. And just to think of the Lords concern for us, He wants us to be ready. He wants us to be watching. He wants us to be sober. He wants us to gird up the loins of our mind.
00:20:08
And hope to the end for the grace that's to be brought unto us.
After revelation, after his appearance.
But what grace are we going to see there? We're going to see how his gracious rock, no doubt, in many ways.
On our behalf.
Grace that saved us. Grace that kept us.
Grace that enabled us to do some little thing for Him, to please Him, because without Him we can do nothing. The Lord already has told us that He told that to His disciples, and we can't do anything on the Lord unless the Lord ministers grace and mercy to us to help us in every time of need.
So there's going to be grace brought to us at the appeared. Well, I believe we'll see the grace that's been ministered to us all along the way. And at that time our hearts and our mouths will be open to praise Him as we have never praised Him before. And it's put before us as an incentive. It seems that we're going to see all the grace the Lord has ministered to us all along the way.
When we get to the end of the road, when we stand before him and rewards are meted out.
Well, it stirs us up to think about that. And so we have an incentive before us because we really want to hear His well done, our good and faithful servant, don't we? We want to hear that well done. Now, the reward may not be anything especially tangible.
Or material or anything like that. But just to hear is well done is not going to be enough. Well done thou good and faithful servant, but we'll just have to turn around and give Him all the praise and glory for all that's been done, because we have to acknowledge that He was. By his grace, it was done.
We couldn't do anything by ourselves, but we are given points of responsibility to watch and to be sober and so on, and the Lord brings that before us just to stir us up, to remind us things that we can do for the Lord.
There's a brother that prays daily.
Lord, to keep me out of the way, so thou canst work.
As a state of soul, that's necessary in connection with what is suitable in the way of serving the Lord.
Years ago.
A brother.
Was attending the general meeting in Smith's Falls.
During that great heat wave that invaded Canada.
And he called my attention to a Psalm. It might be 105. He had an exercise about serving the Lord.
And he didn't feel free about it.
There was a lack of release.
And.
A word to go.
This is in some 105 verse 17. He sent a man before them.
Even Joseph.
Who is sold for a servant?
Whose feet they hurt with feathers.
He was laid in iron.
And the margin reads, his soul came.
Into iron.
Until the time that his word came.
The word of the Lord tried him.
So in the exercise.
In my own personal history.
There was a time when it was not suitable.
And it was necessary to be home.
My soul was laid in iron. The brother that referred me to this verse is our late brother Kohler.
00:25:07
I believe that.
Probably the saddest thing that we can witness in Christendom today.
Is the latitude and Aryan spirit that pervades everything.
Laodicea, the days of indifferent ISM. And that, I believe, is what this moral sleep is, is being indifferent to the things of God. Beloved, if there is one thing that is worth our everything, it's this precious book. It's the Lord Jesus.
The diligent soul shall be made fat.
Are we diligent in the things of God? I remember a young brother speaking to an older once and he said I give the world to have the peace you have. And the older brother said that's what it cost me.
Buy the truth and sell it not.
Paul had to lament in his day and he spoke of Timothy. He said I have no man like minded who will care with genuine feeling how you get on, for all seek their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ.
And I think of the address of the Lord to Laodicea, and let's turn to it in Revelation 3.
I think it's good to have it before us.
Revelation 3.
Verse 14 Unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, right?
These things say at the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.
He was the Amen. He was the confirmation of all the promises of God, of all the word of God. The way he presents himself to this assembly is what the assembly ought to be for him in this scene. The assembly ought to be a little echo of what he was the Amen. The assembly ought to be a faithful and true witness of what has been committed to our trust.
The assembly ought to be a true expression of the new creation, as the Lord Jesus was the beginning of the creation of God. It doesn't refer to the first creation, it refers to Him as the head of a new creation. All of these traits that the Lord Jesus presents Himself as to this assembly is what the assembly ought to be for Him.
The assembly should be the confirmation of all God's Word.
A faithful and true witness, and a true expression of that new creation into which we've been brought in Christ, risen and glorified. But what was there?
He says, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot.
I would thou word called or hot.
So then, because thou art lukewarm, I will spew the.
And so then, because thou art Luke warm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. The Luke warm condition that pervades Christendom today is the final state of the assembly, and I think of Pauls word to the Romans in the 12Th chapter.
As to diligent zealousness, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
All what is so sad is to see young brothers listless.
Unconcerned anyone? Any of the Saints, unconcerned about the things of God just going on in this moral sleep?
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from among the dead, and let Christ shine upon thee. It is high time that we awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believe.
All how we need to be stirred up to be in the word, to seize every opportunity to be in the in the meetings of the Saints or the Lord is in the midst where we can gather fresh precious truth for our souls and meditation so lost today. Meditate upon these things Paul said to Timothy.
00:30:04
That thy profiting may appear to all.
How we need to ponder, to consider as we go through the day our lives. And I know what it's like and and every one of us knows what it's like. We're so weighted down with things down here. I remember an old brother said to me some years back, He said it takes me an hour or two when I get home from work just to be able to rest in the Lord's presence.
You know this is a day of so much activity. You walk into the home, a hymn is being played. Cassettes are on.
A message is being listened to all things which have their place.
But what do we know about just being alone with the Lord quietly, just sitting quietly in his presence, taking a walk at night, just you and the Lord and talking with him, taking him by their hand and saying, Lord Jesus, let's have a talk together. I want to commune with you. We don't know what that is. I'm talking to my own soul. The sweetest moments I had in my life is when I've done that.
Try it.
Get equated with that Blessed One. Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee. Oh, we've lost something. We're so busy doing things. We need to sit in His presence, to be with him, to walk with him, to talk with him, to enjoy him. The Lord himself shall come.
To know the way.
Jehovah said there's a place by me.
Stand here upon the rock.
There's a place by me. I've enjoyed that little expression there in in Exodus. I believe it's the 33rd chapter. Well, that's that's knowing him, that's being near the Lord Jesus, isn't it? In that sense, He said there's a place by me, let's walk together and it's solid ground, something that can't be moved.
Charles Kohler a little bit ago and he was sitting in a chair one time back with a look of heaven upon his face and a sister wondered he till 5-10 minutes went by and she says I wonder if something wrong with him. So she went over and she says Brother Kohler, are you all right?
He looked up. Oh yes, he says. I'm just sitting here letting the Lord love me.
In contrast with enjoying the Lord, His communion with Him and His thing is that which is found in the other word, the lack of sobriety.
When we are not sober, we are intoxicated, and this is what we find to be true. On the other hand, that the things that really should fill our hearts are not there, and we are turning to things that bring on a superficial excitement.
Thinks that are not really a happiness in the things of the Lord. Would you agree with that better? That's right.
About that over in Ephesians.
Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 18.
And be not drunk with wine.
We're in a success, but be filled with the Spirit.
Well, the expression that be filled with the spirit is somewhat similar to the other expression drunk with wine. When a person is full of wine is under the power of that the alcohol spirit. There he acts in a certain way and can go to excess.
But to be filled with the Spirit is to be under the control of the Holy Spirit. That's an entirely different thing.
I think it's ironical that the alcohol and liquor is called spirits.
Spirits. Well, it's a spirit that brings on a condition that's all together contrary and different to and opposite to the result of being under the control of the Spirit of God.
When we are yielded to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And submissive to His word, were under the control of the Spirit of God.
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And even in that.
We go on in a sober way, a serious way.
And we won't go to excesses there either because we can go to extremes and become unbalanced because one part of the fruit of the spirit is temperance or self-control or balance.
And we need that very much.
And I know young people can be very enthusiastic and we like that. They can be very jealous too, and that's commendable, but all has to be under control.
And we can go to one extreme or the other to the other. We can become sleepy and having no care attitude, be Luke warm, cold and indifferent to Christ and to His word. Well, that's the other extreme. But I think there's a balance that we can have and the Spirit of God, God by his Spirit will help us to be balanced.
To keep under control and be on an even keel all the time.
Were on the ocean several times and one time we got into the Bay of Biscay on our way back from the Congo.
And it was an awful storm.
And my wife thought that surely every time the ship knows down, it was going down. Well, that ship was not on an even keel. It was very unbalanced one way or the other. One time we could look up and we could see the bow, the boat way up here. The next time we look down, it was way down there. We don't want to be like that. We want to stay balanced, going on with the Lord if we go on hand in hand with the Lord.
And seek grace to be under the power of the Spirit of God. He'll help us.
And we look to the Lord for grace and mercy to help us in our time of need. He will help us in these things so we don't go through extremes. We're glad to see younger brothers exercise about really taking hold of things and and doing the Lords work. But I would counsel them to just look to the Lord what hand in hand with the Lord and seek to be under the power of the Spirit of God and His word and the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Time that that fruit of the Spirit might be manifested. Temperance, Balance.
He perhaps?
Find 3 attitudes toward the Lords coming.
If we notice in Matthew 24.
Verse 48.
But, and if that evil servant shall say in his heart.
My Lord delays his coming.
And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken.
The Lord of that servant shall come in the day when he looketh not for him.
And in an hour that he's not to wear off.
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Now here's the attitude of saying my Lord delayeth his coming.
And he begins to make use.
Of present.
And opportunities for the indulgence of what is referred to in the way of being drunken with wine.
My Lord delays his coming. That's what he says in his heart.
He knows about it in his head.
This is a man of profession.
And there are evil servants.
And this shows us the end.
Of the man of profession, because he'll get his rightful appointment when the Lord returns.
He's a loser.
Now we have another attitude in Second Peter chapter 3.
And there we read of those.
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Through question.
The reality of the promise of the Lord's return.
The second Epistle of Peter.
And chapter 3.
Verse 4.
Where is the promise of his coming?
We don't believe that.
This is the man of reason.
His reasoning is to put ahead of.
God's revelation to man about His Son.
About his having come into this world, and that he will come again the second time, without sin unto salvation.
This is the reasoner.
And we have.
Quite a rank of those that reason about these things and they declare that everything is just as it was in the days of our fathers and this is to be expected and we've got to work ahead and all things will continue.
And that's the normal state of Christendom. There's reason mixed up with these things.
With the precious truth, they say we've got to win the battle.
Somewhere down the line we'll come out all right. There'll be enough of the.
Word and the preaching and the Church will become enlarged, and through that the Kingdom will eventually be brought into existence. And so the Church goes through the tribulation.
But that's not within the range of the revelation that God has given to us in His precious Word. He's coming again.
A little while we read.
So does the attitude of the man of reason toward the Lord's coming. Is it so? Nor we can't pay any attention to that. We've got to move ahead and do the work that's necessary for us to do here in this world, wherever we are. And we need the gospel, a gospel that will help us.
In our purposes and plans. But now let's notice the.
Refreshing.
Prospects of our Lords coming in the 22nd chapter of Revelation. Here it's different.
And the apostle John.
Who was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day?
After going through all the series of those solemn judgments which will bring the earth into line.
For the reign of Christ.
He closes up in verse 16 with this very personal name.
As he's under the spirit of revelation.
I, Jesus have sent mine Angel, to testify unto you these things in the churches.
I am the roots on the offspring of David.
And the bright and morning star.
And dropping down a little farther.
In verse 20.
He which testifies these things sayeth.
Surely I come quickly.
The last message.
To the church.
To the Lord's people.
And here's the man of communion.
The man of God.
One was who was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day?
And he's ready with the right response.
With two amens.
Amen.
Even so as the second one.
Come, Lord Jesus. So we invite the Lord to come. We do not pray for him to come.
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But we shall be glad.
When he comes and glad to in the prospect of watching and waiting for him, you know there was a brother who had a wife that wanted to drive the car.
All right, take a drive.
She left.
Wheel of the vehicle.
He waited.
She's gone a while.
She hadn't come back.
Then he was watching.
Waiting and watching for a return.
And so we need to be waiting and watching.
For the blessed Lord in his return and be able to say readily, and John was old, maybe 96, Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
We have something else putting on the breastplate of faith and love and foreign helpment, the hope of salvation.
Now we know in Ephesians chapter 6.
Faith is connected with the shield. Shield of Faith. Why is it connected with the breastplate here?
You got to start on that, Brother John.
Seemed that it might be.
Two aspects of the same battle.
In Ephesians chapter 6 is the shield of faith. We know what a shield is is worn on the arm.
And it speaks of it. There's warding off the fire darts of the enemy.
And it can be moved around.
Protect various parts of the person himself.
But here it seems to be the vital part that's before us, the heart.
And when it's the coming of the Lord and the appearing of the Lord that's before us, the heart is surely touched by that.
And that's the only concern we have. What is the concern of the heart?
But it's the breastplate of faith as far as the heart is concerned. In our hearts, we trust the Lord to take care of us until we're taken home to glory.
And we don't get careless then when we're in that attitude of dependence on the Lord, we don't feel independent on Him. We feel very much dependent upon Him, and we're looking to Him right in our hearts.
We want to be preserved in our hearts until the Lord come.
Linked together here with.
Love, faith and love.
It's interesting to see that the three things that are brought together many times in Scripture, faith, hope, and love, are brought together here again.
So there's love, too.
In that breastplate.
Well, our hearts need to be kept in the love of God too.
We need the breastplate on to protect us, keep us, keep us going on in faith, dependence on the Lord, and in love toward the Lord.
Thinking about His faithfulness wants us to be faithful to Him and go on in faith. Thinking about His love makes us love Him more. We want to go on in His love.
Precious to see that reminds me of.
Incident and I was told of a ship coming in the harbor.
There are two sailors on that boat.
And with all the rest, they were appearing over the railing.
And one said to his friend.
My wife is going to be. I think I see her right out there in the frontline.
On the K, waiting for me, watching for me.
The others, with a sad smile, said.
My wife isn't out there in the front.
He's not waiting for me there.
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This happened before, he says.
I come home.
And went to the door.
And knocked on the door to open. There comes my wife.
She is. I'm waiting for you.
Yeah, but Jim's wife was watching for him.
As the heart engaged.
And I believe this is true. The best place.
Of faith.
The Lord Jesus expects you and I to watch.
If we're just waiting.
Oh, you come. Anytime is all right. I'm ready.
But to be out watching, it's a different stories than engages our affections.
That are coming on us quickly here. The Lord is going to have us out of this seat to Himself before this world runs into that terrible fullness of its wickedness and evil. That's how much His love is toward us when we're talking now about our love toward Him.
And the thing that really keeps us, I was thinking to follow Solomon as we see that same event, but it isn't in any way an expression of violence or a quick matching outdoor.
Catching up, it says here in the second chapter.
1St, 3:00 and 1:00.
The bride is occupied with the love of the bridegroom and in verse four it says it's bad and over me what's love. So as she thinks of that blessed event, we do not have any big violent action. There are things that's the way what she says. Verse 8, the voice of my beloved.
The holy cometh and she has that thought. And so in verse 10 she says, my beloved faith is set up to be rise up my love, my fair one.
Come away well, She's watching, she's anxious, she's doing whatever is necessary. Completed when he calls. But how? How wonderful it is for us. We're waiting. We have every assurance in our heart that he himself is coming.
And so the plot is a very impression thought of waiting and knowing that when he comes, it'll be that gracious word toward us right up my love is fair one and come away within the chapter of of Thessalonians, the 4th chapter that we're thinking of the day of the Lord coming after and the terrible conditions that we're going through now.
It says we're caught up, we're snatched out of this scene. That's the Lord's thought toward us.
Is going to happen himself before it gets so terribly bad. And we're not occupied, of course, with escaping this world. That is why we're looking for it coming just because of his love for us as we've asked the son of Solomon. So it's a completely different attitude incident, a completely different way of we hear of hearing his voice when we think of it as Father Solomon.
That's what we were speaking. Our hearts are warm towards him.
We have that wonderful expectancy as the bride and we are not only waiting, but we're watching for that event now with a, with a very preciousness in our heart is that anticipation.
Connection with the faith, hope and love. Let's go back to the first chapter and verse three First Thessalonians.
For all speaking to them says, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father. And oftentimes the the end of the chapter has been seen in connection with those three things, the work of faith.
The labor of love and the patience of hope. Notice in verse 9.
How you turn to God from idols. There's the work of faith. They turn to God from idols, the labor of love to serve the living and true God, and the patience of hope to wait for his Son from heaven. And also in another passage in First Corinthians 13, we don't have to turn to it. Familiar to us, it says, and now abideth faith.
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Hope, love these things.
But the greatest of these is love. Why? Well, one day faith shall give place to sight.
Hope shall be fully realized. It's deferred now, a deferred certainty.
Hope will be realized, but love is the very nature of God and it will go on, on and on into eternity. One other thing or brother.
Brought before us Revelation chapter 22.
And the end of it.
And not to be clever, but can we give you just a three piece in which the way the Bible ends?
The last Promise.
Surely I come quickly.
The last prayer Amen. So come Lord Jesus and.
Last provision while we're waiting, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. The last prayer.
The last promise, first the last prayer, and the last provision for its grace that has sought and found us. Grace that we need every step of the way.
This faith, hope and love.
I believe it's at least 10 times brought before us together in the New Testament.
Very precious thought, isn't it? Faith, hope, and love. And as our brother is saying, I was thinking of that in First Corinthians 13.
Now I just going over to that First Corinthians 1313 I believe it is yes, First Corinthians 1313 now abideth faith, hope and charity or love these three, but the greatest of these is love because it goes on.
And on and on. And so here in our chapter.
Again, we're we are reminded of responsibility as it says in our verse, but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on putting on well, God has placed us in a marvelous position and there is faith that pleases him, love that goes out to him and to others.
And the hope of salvation, which, again, as our brother has said, is only deferred certainty.
We're just as sure of being there as if we were there already. Hope of salvation. This is the completed man here isn't the complete thing. We have the salvation of our souls now, and so we have that faith and love. But it says the helmet for a helmet, the hope of salvation because we're not home yet.
We're still here in the body, but how lovely to see that those three things, faith, hope and love.
Are at least now you can check it at least 10 times given together in this area in the New Testament.
It's interesting, I think that the helmet should be the hope of salvation.
The helmet is put on the head, isn't it?
That's where the brain is. That's where the reasoning comes from.
And our brother pointed out that scripture in Peter where they say where is the promise of his coming? They were reasoning about it. They weren't believing it. They weren't finding joy in in it, reveling in it. No, they were reasoning about, well, we need to have our heads kept to our brains, our thoughts. We need to have our thoughts subject.
To God and we need to have our thoughts formed by the word of God.
And in connection with with the mind, we might look at Colossians chapter 3.
Colossians chapter 3 and verse one. If he then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ should us on the right hand of God. Set your affections and I believe the better rendering is let your mind be on things above.
Not on things on the earth. Well, if our hope is the Lord Jesus Christ and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, if we're just occupied altogether with the hope of our salvation, well, there won't be any room for anything else but to have our minds on things above, if that's what we're waiting for, the Lord from heaven, we're waiting to be with Him.
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That's really our hope, and that's.
Filling our hearts, it will be controlling us. It will be controlling our minds too.
And our minds will really be set on things above, not on things of the earth. The positive side of it is put before us, isn't it? And that's what we need. We might say, well, I know I'm not going on very well. I, I, I should give up this. I should give up that and all the other things.
What's going to happen after you've given up everything if you don't have something positive to be occupied with, but you're occupied with a positive, the Lord Jesus Christ and glory in his coming. Setting your minds on things above it takes your mind off things here on the earth and the things of earth grow strangely, Jim, in the light of his glory and his grace.
We have something very precious brought before us in the next verse, verse 9, For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. And also verse 10, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
All those two verses together really are wonderful. Not appointed to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
And he died first wife.
That we should live together with Him, and that's a strong word there. Live together with Him, Co partnership with Him, being associated with Him in His glory. This is what he's looking forward to, to having us with Himself, to be associated with Him when He gets His rightful place. That he was denied when He first came into this world and we're sharing that rejection now. We've gone forth unto Him without the camp seeking to bear His reproach.
Well, the reproach is still on the Lord Jesus Christ. He's still the rejected 1.
And we are associated with him in that. And Paul says to Timothy, if we suffer, we shall reign with him. If we suffer, we shall reign with him. And it's put before us as an incentive, something to spurs on and to keep us, even though it costs something to be identified with the Lord Jesus Christ in this world, the Lord has a reward.
Coming up for the one that's faithful in this.
And we need grace to be faithful, but we're going to be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ in a special way, and he's looking forward to that.
Make one more remark about the sleeping we talked about first and get back to.
Something that would lead to perhaps what you were mentioning at last there. We should live together with him.
Your sleep is a progressive thing, and it is preceded by tiredness.
And while we're talking about sleepiness, that question came to my mind and heart. Are we by any chance becoming tired of the precious Word of God, of the ministry of Christ? We've had it before us now, for this is the 4th day, and what wonderful ministry. But I'd like to turn just.
For.
Word there in numbers in Chapter 11 just trusting that it might be an incentive again to our hearts. Israel got tired of the manna which God provided and in Chapter 11 of numbers in verse six it says or perhaps I should read read verse 5.
We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely.
The cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic.
And now this verse. But now our soul is dried away. There's nothing at all beside this manner before our eyes.
Beloved.
You know when we get tired, when we let that tiredness, that spiritual tiredness, get the best of us, our language would be that, would it not?
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Our soul is dried away. There's nothing at all beside this manner. Oh.
It is dreadful if the soul gets into that condition.
Tired, sleepy and then goes to sleep over it all.
But when we think of these words.
Nothing beside this manner.
I believe we would claim this morning we've had manna.
And more manner, and still more manner before us. And brethren, I like more of it.
25.
In connection with the similitude of the 10 virgins.
It says.
And verse one, then shall the Kingdom of heaven be lightened under 10 virgins?
Which took their lamp when forced to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were wise and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their laps and took no oil with them.
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, While the bridegroom carried. They all slumbered and slept.
Not just the foolish ones, but the wise ones too, all slumbered and slept.
By the bridegroom, Terry. They got tired as you were speaking up, and then they got sleepy, and then they went to sleep.
Well, something is brought before them to wake them up, and at midnight there was a cry made. Behold the blind crew.
Not even cometh. Behold the bridegroom. He's right here, right the door.
And maybe that's why we've had this portion of Scripture before us all four days. We need to be wakened up. We're sleeping all sleepy. We know that those aren't who aren't saved are sleeping. They they're really asleep in their sins and they're dead in trespasses and sins.
About how sad when the rest of us get sleepy and go to sleep.
And we have to wait for some special awakening, something special to wake us up.
But this is the faithfulness of God. That's why we have His Word. And by His Spirit He seems to direct us to something like this, to wake us up.
All how he'd love to have his awake going on with him.
That verse 10 with him and the fact of the Lord's coming in different ways in which it's presented in the word of God and I'm sure the Lord would have us to enjoy each of these in June, 20 in June, I'm sure which verse now it says looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh what a blessedness that'll be, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. You and I have a nature that suited the glory.
We are redeemed, but we're down here in a scene in which there's violence and corruption. We hear the blasphemy of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, what a what a joy. The Lord is going to take us out of it all when he comes looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 14 says in my Father's house. Oh, can we describe the joy and the blessedness of the Father's house?
Where all is light and love and joy.
Where there's no sorrow, not a discordant note. It's indescribable. Oh, that should fill our hearts. Is it not true that as long as we're here, we have a sinful nature?
And we're in a body that is subject to disease and decay and sickness.
Well, when he comes, what does it tell us in Philippians is going to change this vile body, this body of humiliation and fashion it like in those body of glory? Oh, that'll be blessing. Then we shall be where we would be. Then we shall be what we should be. So we're going to be like Him physically and morally. So all of these are ways in which the Lord's coming is presented.
The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ being brought out of the scene, the glorious scene of the Father's house on high. This body of humiliation fashion like under his body of glory.
We're going to be like him physically and morally, and we're going to see loved ones. They're there, we'll know them. And as I say, all of this is blessing in the form, shall we say, a perimeter. But the center, center of it all, his himself, the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the man of Calvary, the man that, as Paul can say, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
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He'll be the object, bright and fair before our souls.
In First Corinthians.
13 We've been talking about this.
Faith, hope and love.
Very first clause of the next verse of the 1St to the 14th chapter. Follow after love. That's the one to follow, not man. We're an active preacher in verse 11.
It says wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also you do.
Now this is not just each one of us individually, but it seems to be a collective phase.
Comfort yourselves together.
And the word comfort there, I believe means also encouragement. Encourage yourselves together. And what an encouragement this is to us. I have visited in homes, especially where they're aged ones, perhaps they can't get out to meeting, they're shut in. And whenever I have read some scripture concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, it has.
Up more than once I have seen this, how their eyes light up and they find joy in in hearing that word about the coming of the Lord. It's a real comfort and encouragement to them. And so surely this is a very practical thing here. Comfort yourselves together and then edify one another even as all you do. Well, they were already doing that.
Yes, they had been saved and then they were waiting for the Lord to come.
So it was an encouragement to them, it was a comfort to them, and now they had to have the added light that the apostle gives to them in connection with being caught up to meet the Lord in the air now that they would have something more in and in addition to comfort and and encourage them.
And we're to enter into this too, to comfort and encourage one another together. Together. That's that's the ground of the one body there is. It's a collective seed for all the Saints of God. And we can speak to any child of God anywhere about these things and we can encourage one another.
The House of God
Address—H. Walker
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Just like to read a.
Little extract from one of the calendar leaflets that appeared some time ago and in connection with the word of God that you and I have been so blessed with. It's really not part of what is on my heart this afternoon, but I cut it out and I taped it on the inside front page of my Bible and it it reads like this Holy Bible.
Book Divine precious treasure, thou art mine, mine to tell me whence I came.
Mind to teach me what I am?
Mind to chide me when I Rove?
Mind to show a Savior's love. Mind thou art to guard and guide. Mind to punish or reward. Then last year walking out of the conference here, there was a Bible on a chair that was open, and I noticed a little inscription in the front page of that Bible. And I don't know whether the owner of that Bible is here this afternoon. I'm sure they would pardon me for having taken the time to copy.
What was in their Bible and it reads like this.
When thou readest what here is writ, let thy practice second it, so that twice each precept read may be first in the book, and then in thee. So we trust that what the Lord may bring before us this afternoon, beloved young people, will be something of an encouragement and something of a practical word for our hearts and for our souls in the day in which we are living.
I would like to.
Turn first of all to two verses in First Timothy.
1St Chapter. First book of Timothy. Chapter 3.
And verse 14 and 15.
These things right I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the Truth. And beloved young people, what especially is on my heart this afternoon?
Is in connection with verse 15.
That thou mayest know how to behave thyself in the House of God.
If we were to turn into Ephesians at the end of chapter 2, and perhaps we should just to prevent misquoting a verse, we read there in verse 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
Jesus Christ himself.
Being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. I'm sure you have noticed.
That we don't read of the households of God, we don't read of the temples of God, we don't read of the buildings of God. Everything that we have before us in these two portions that we have read have been in the singular, not in the plural.
I think that's very instructive and very important for the young people because Christianity Today, if we were to look upon it.
Objectively, we would have to say it looks to me like the houses of God are all around us. It looks to me like there are many buildings of God. Everywhere I turn in Christianity, I see buildings dedicated to the glory of God. And yet we find in the word of God, if we're careful and we read it carefully and prayerfully, that it's referred to as the household of God. It's referred to as an holy temple.
In the Lord, it's referred to as having one chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in the singular. Well beloved young people, it's easy for us in Christian Christendom today, I suppose, if we're not before the Lord, if the Lord isn't before us and we aren't diligent in the things of the Lord Lord and in the word of God, to become confused and to even imbibe, shall we say.
00:05:07
That which Christendom generally glories in, and that is the multitude of so-called Christian denominations.
All God is the not the author of confusion. And if you were to visit one of these denominations and then another one and then a third one and so on until you had exhausted yourself or the denominations, I'm sure it would be yourself first you would find confusion rain you would be in an utter state of.
Confusion. But God is not the author of that. And what I have primarily on my heart this afternoon is fourfold. First, that Christ might be glorified in you and in me, his Saints. That's first, the glory of Christ. First of all, beloved brethren. Secondly, individual encouragement for you as a Christian young person, or perhaps as an older one as well, because we have to acknowledge the presence of our.
Brethren, here this afternoon, thirdly, that you might be encouraged, not only as an individual Christian but in your collective assembly testimony, and perhaps last of all, that we might have some very practical instruction in connection with the working of the Holy Spirit in the assembly.
Well, we have to perhaps use a school teacher's format because of the passing of time. If we are unable to accomplish, shall we say, those objectives this afternoon, Would you bear with me if I assign you a homework project? Because I know that traveling down the highways on a day like this can be hot and humid, and perhaps it's difficult to concentrate too much. But it's nice that we could continue the conference even though we're not gathered.
Actively, as we travel the highways or the Airways, what a privilege we have of being able to be together. But as we separate and go to our homes, may the Lord encourage us in just continuing on in the spirit of the conference, in the spirit of the Lord and that which we have enjoyed collectively together since last Saturday. Would you turn then, please, in connection with this?
To Exodus chapter 28.
Brother Armstead Barry once made this comment and it was helpful to me and I'd like to pass it on. When you read of Aaron alone, you have brought before you in tight Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. When you read of Aaron and his sons, you have brought before you the family or the household of God. Now with that in mind, I'd like to read some verses from.
Various chapters here and then turn to a portion.
That, I trust will give us encouragement in the sense that we will see the operation of the Spirit of God in a very real way in Israel's presence. And then finally, that the Scriptures in the New Testament might give us, and they give many examples. We'll turn to one where the Spirit of God can be an exercise in our practical assembly matters as the church is looked upon. I want to say this at the beginning that I.
I don't want to create the impression or leave the erroneous impression that the the assembly of Saints here at Wheaton are the household of God in Wheaton or in Addison. I don't want to leave the impression that the assembly that you may be privileged to meet with in your own home city is the household of God there in the sense that the household of God is made-up of all believers. A brother in his prayer this morning prayed for.
Member of the household of God, they're everywhere wherever the Lord Jesus Christ has been owned as Lord and Savior of that person is a member of the household of God. But I do believe this, beloved, that the assembly is the, shall we say, the testimony that exists in the earth today to the truth of the household of God.
One body. It is the testimony.
That exists presently on the earth today, that there is one body. Let us read then from Exodus 28 verse one, and take thou unto thee, Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priests office. Even Aaron, Nadab and Abiyu Eliezer and Ifthem are Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make holy.
00:10:04
For Aaron, thy brother, for glory and beauty.
Verse 40 And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles. And bonnets shalt thou make for them for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, and that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt make them linen breeches.
Their nakedness from the loins even unto the thighs, they shall reach, and they shall be upon Aaron and upon his sons, when they come in under the Tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place, that they may bear not iniquity and die. It shall be a statute forever unto him, and his seed after him.
Well, in these two portions we find Aaron and his sons brought in, and we find that they were both given in or God gave Moses instruction concerning the clothing of both Aaron and his son.
And we find that we have some similarities, of course, and some differences, and we look upon Aaron as a type of our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and his glory, His beauty, it must exceed ours. We will be seen, though, as the church in the coming day displayed in his glory and beauty. But here we find that.
The garments that Aaron was to wear.
And the garments that his sons were to wear were for glory and beauty, for glory and beauty, beauty. Well, that seems to me to suggest that there is a testimony to be seen in the world today. And the only way this testimony can be seen according to God's mind.
Is if it's in obedience and in subjection to the Word of God I enjoy so much.
Chapters in Exodus, because so many of them begin with and the Lord said unto Aaron, or to Moses, and the Lord said unto Moses, one chapter, the next one will do it, but the next one will do it. But then near the end of the book of Exodus, it tells us, and Moses did all of the Lord spoke unto him. He left nothing undone of all at the Lord did said unto him all beloved obedience.
And happiness.
Go together. If you heard that before at a conference, I have many times before. Obedience and happiness can go together. Well, we find if we look at the book that sometimes has been sold here, there's a book called The House of Gold.
And the Alice in different prints, so it looks like the House of God, and it takes up all of the typical meanings of the various parts of the robes that Aaron was to wear and the mitre and the ephod and so on. It's not my intention this afternoon to dwell on them, except to say that everything was given in godly order and for the glory of God and for testimony or for beauty.
Well, that was fine. And we look in those picture books, we see a beautiful.
Shall we say display of a robe and a mitre. Holiness unto the Lord. But there's something I've enjoyed in the Scriptures that doesn't usually, I believe, show up in the picture books. And it's found over in the 29th chapter of Exodus. We'll read from from verse 21.
And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar.
And of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him. And he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons garments with him. Beloved, have you seen a picture of Aaron in those priestly robes?
With the blood, the stains of the blood.
And the stain, shall we say, of the ointment, I believe that ointment, that anointing oil, speaks to us of the Holy Spirit of God. And the blood speaks to us as we're sure we're all in agreement with that precious blood of Christ that was shed. The cleansing of sin and the priestly work had to do with sin. We're in a world, beloved, our testimony that we render unto the Lord in feebleness and weakness.
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But I trust in faithfulness as God enables is rendered in the midst of a world of sin, and so much glory is made today in the embellishments of Christianity. I had the opportunity of seeing the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, and I was impressed, I have to confess, with the beauty of Saint Paul's Cathedral.
In London, England.
I was impressed with the sounds that I heard in terms of what was rendered on the pipe organ. The natural man responds to these things that have come into Christianity. But Aaron went forth into the presence of God with these robes of glory and beauty, but they first of all were sprinkled from the blood of the altar.
With that blood, and they were anointed with that holy anointing.
Oil and maybe to an Israelite who wasn't acquainted with the mind of God, as he saw Aaron going forth, he shook his head and said, my he looked so much better before the blood was put upon him. All the flesh delights in the flesh, beloved young person. I know it from experience and I trust you have and perhaps are learning it from your own personal experience. The flesh delights.
In the flesh. But the eye of God rested upon that holy priest, and the eye of God rests upon today.
In Wheaton and worldwide, the household of God and that household of God has no beauty, it has no meaning, and it has no blessing unless the blood has seen sprinkled upon it, unless the holy anointing oil abides upon it. When the early church was formed in Acts 2, what was the evidence? What was the manifestation of the evidence there? First of all, they were believers.
They had been cleansed in the precious blood of Christ. I trust that every young person in this room this afternoon has been cleansed, washed from their sins, washed from their guilt, save for glory through faith in Christ and his finished work. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Then those believers gathered there at Jerusalem.
Were suddenly overshadowed, shall we say?
With the Holy Spirit descending upon them, the anointing oil, that's when the church was born. That's when the Assembly of God, the household of God first was manifested collectively. Then if you go on to the 19th of Acts, you'll see that there were some at Ephesus who were cleansed with the precious blood of Christ. But Paul says to them, have ye received the Holy Ghost? And they said their answer was, we don't even.
Know whether there is such a thing as a Holy Ghost? He said, under what were you baptized? They said unto John's baptism. John's baptism, he said, was the baptism of repentance, but he led them then to be baptized. He said from John, I'll just turn to it because I want to get the thought there correct. Acts 17.
From John's baptism were led into Christian position or Acts 19, I'm sorry, Acts 19 and the Saints of Ephesus referred to in verse three. And he said unto them, under what then were ye baptized? And they said unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John barely baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him, which should come after him, that is.
Jesus Christ, John said, I am not the Christ, I am not the Messiah. My gospel, my baptism is a baptism of repentance. And it was. It was for the nation primarily of Israel. They were to repent and had they repented, all the blessing would have come in at that point. But they didn't. He came onto his own and his own received him. Not so he says. Paul says unto them that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when the Lord Jesus and when Paul had laid his hands upon them, now says the Holy Ghost came on them. So you'll see that the Holy Ghost, they wouldn't be an assembly until two things had taken place, sheltered with the blood of Christ born again believers and then.
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Indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and thus LED.
And directed by the Holy Spirit. Every believer is a member of the household of God because those two things are true of Him. But every testimony isn't correct in the sight of God because those two things don't apply to every Christian. Christian testimony that is in Christianity and generally.
Well, we find then that Aaron and his sons had to be anointed and sprinkled in this way. Now I'd like you to turn with me to chapter 30. Verse 22 Continues with the Lord's instruction. Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also under the principle spices of pure myrrh, sweet cinnamon, half so much.
Even 250 shekels and of sweet calamus.
250 shekels, and of Cassia 500 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive and hin. And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary. It shall be an holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint the Tabernacle of the congregation. Wait a minute. We just read about Aaron and his sons being anointed. Wasn't that enough? Isn't that enough?
Sight of God No, beloved brethren, the assembly is a very special place, has a very special place in the heart and in the sight of God. Aaron and Aaron and his sons could go forth anointed with the ointment and sprinkled with the blood, but to what place would they go? Where in the midst of Israel would they go with this?
Indwelling of the Spirit of God.
God provided a place for them as individual believers to enjoy worship, to burn the incense offering on the altar of incense, to burn the sin offering on the altar of sacrifice, to present all of the various offerings, and so on. There was a place provided by God, but what was to characterize that place? Was it something that Aaron and his sons got together?
And made-up Did Aaron and his sons get into a architect's office and say we have been anointed of God for the purpose of worship as holy priests and you and I are holy priests unto God. We have a royal priesthood and a holy priesthood function. No, they didn't go that route at all. Again, it was the Lord's leading them. And beloved young person, on Lord's Day morning, there was a special section that I have yet to be at a conference.
Where it hasn't been necessary for a special section to be erected for those young people not yet in fellowship. Not yet in fellowship they have not. They may have been saved. You may be saved, you may be indwelt by the Spirit of God, and enjoying Christ individually in your heart and soul. But don't you see from these scriptures, beloved young person?
That God also provided a place.
And what was it the characterized the place that God provided? Did Aaron and his sons choose it? Go to the Church of your choice? No, that wasn't it at all. God provided for them entirely. He left nothing to the will of the flesh, nothing to the imagination of man's mind. Well, what's it? What is it that characterizes it? It's the.
Anointing I took time the other day.
To write down the various pieces of furniture that are in the Tabernacle. And I have to confess that I'm not fully acquainted with their type, typical meaning, and so on. But there is the the Mercy seat, and the Ark of Arc of the Testimony, and the table of showbread, and the labor, and the basins, and the altar of incense and the altar of sacrifice, and the curtains and the boards and pins and.
So on. All in their proper order.
All arranged, given to Moses by God's mind and by the Word of God. Well, we find that they could have set that all up, but it still wasn't enough because now God, as it were, provides a very special anointing oil. Now God gives them exact proportions for making this oil. God knows, and you and I have witnessed, I believe in this world today more so than ever before, that there are many spirits gone out.
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Into the world there have been many who have been indwelt with these terrible spirits from Satans power that are felt in the even in the Christian world even in the United States of America the power of these spirits is felt. But you see God gave.
Instructions as to the anointing oil, the compounding of it, the Constitution, shall we say of it? It was from God himself. And then he gives a warning.
In connection with it, He has them, He said everything in the Tabernacle, everything has to be anointed with this oil, everything is anointed. Why? Well, it says in verse 29. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy, beloved young person Holiness.
Become a fine house, oh Lord, forever, forever.
In the glory, the essence of heaven, in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, I believe will be holiness unto the Lord forever. And that characteristic should be seen and borne witness to right now. That they may be most holy, Whatsoever touches them shall be holy. That was one. That was the reason for the anointing not only of Aaron and his sons, but also.
Of the assembly, also of the Tabernacle. Everything was in it. I checked it off to make sure that nothing was left out. I took my pencil and as it reads here, it tells us what was to be anointed. The priest was a Moses was to take it, and it was to be all anointed, sanctified, sanctified, sanctified. Nothing was left out. Nothing was left out because it was all of God. Isn't that wonderful that we can have a place even in the midst of a ruined testimony?
There is a place where we can rest in peace, where we can rest in quietness, knowing that God has his delight in His people and in the gathering together by his Holy Spirit of His people for worship. God is satisfied, God is honored, God is glorified. In that position there may be outward weakness.
There may be outward.
Shall we say from the eyes of the world scorn?
But the eye of God rests satisfied, because it is in accordance with his mind. It is in accordance with His word. Now it says in verse 32. And upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it after the composition of it. It is holy, and it shall be holy.
Unto me the in the ways of God, beloved young person in the assembly.
There is no place for the flesh upon man's flesh. Shall it not be poured? You know there's a verse in John 6 and 63. I believe it is, and I think it's a very important, instructive word there. It says it is the Spirit or the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh.
Profiteth nothing have I learned this for my own heart.
All May God give us exercise to learn the truth of those of those words. The flesh profiteth nothing. It is the Spirit that quickeneth. Now in verse 33 there's a very solemn warning. It says, whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off.
From his people, Beloved friend, beloved young person.
Please, please be warned about these other spirits.
These imitations, if you like, there are those today who say we have a power, we have a spirit that fills us, that overpowers us. It's an imitation. And God warns solemnly, whosoever compounded any like it, they say you should see the manifestation of the power that comes over us. What a power that is. And you know, we're all human in that we enjoy, I suppose, that which the flesh.
If we're not living in the spirit, if we haven't judged the flesh, well, they even shall be cut off from His people. Oh, how solemn it is to dabble in that which is not the Spirit of God. Try the spirits, we're told, Try the spirits, Prove them. How can we discern? How can we know what is the Spirit of God?
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Does not that which exalts Christ come from the heart of God?
Has it all, has it not always been that that which exalts the Lord Jesus Christ is of God that honors that precious name that was so despised in this world, and that my heart too once despised, and that your heart too once despised? But now unto you therefore, which believe He is precious, He is precious. Oh, beloved friends, here we have dear young people, here we have Moses and Aaron, or Aaron, I should say.
Sons and the place and the place all sanctified, anointed with this holy anointing oil. What is the result? Well, let us turn to a portion now in Second Chronicles chapter 19. Our brother brought before us in the first young people's address something of the life of Josiah.
And I'm sure that we were encouraged by the.
The life of Josiah, but saddened to in connection with his latter end. Here we have Jehoshaphat that brought before us, and preceding the portion in the 19th chapter. We find that Jehoshaphat had a very solemn.
Warning from God Jehoshaphat made. He was something like Josiah in that he set out to please the Lord.
And he set out to do that which was right in the eyes of the Lord.
And it tells us in the in the 18th chapter how that he had riches and honor in abundance, but he tells us also that he joined affinity with Ahab.
My brother mentioned in one of the reading meetings earlier in the conference were joined to Christ and we don't need to join anything else. We've been joined to Christ. And here we find that Jehoshaphat makes a mistake. He joins affinity with Ahab. Then we find that he goes out into a war that he had no business being involved in, but because of this.
Unequal yoke. He was honor bound, I suppose we might say, to get involved in it. And.
But by the grace of God, his life is spared and he learns a very wonderful lesson from this experience. And now in chapter 19 and verse 8. Moreover, in Jerusalem, that is after Jehoshaphat had learned this lesson and you can that can be part of your homework assignment to read back a little bit and find out more about this lesson.
Moreover, in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set out?
Set of the Levites, The Who? The Levites. He's he sees now in the mind of God that there's a place for these anointed ones, for these ones who have been sprinkled, for these ones who have been anointed with his holy anointing oil. He set go on in our chapter.
A set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for judgment of the Lord, and for controversy when they return to Jerusalem.
He charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart, and we'll go on in a minute. Beloved young person, some of our brethren here have been exercised, at least I sense that in the meetings about the How shall I put it kindly?
Lethargy or lack of interest that sometimes I trust. It's coming from a humble heart myself.
That sometimes is evident amongst some of our young people in connection with assembly matters.
The responsibility I've sat in this conference and there are voices that we all have been so used to hearing that will not hear this side of glory because the Lord has taken some whose ministry we have enjoyed.
And being privileged to hear. But I was so thankful in sitting back in the reading meetings.
And that the Lord has exercised others to minister Christ to our hearts. The Lord is able even for these days of weakness and declension. And the Lord won't forsake the testimony and the assembly of his own. And so these dear priests.
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And Levites had a very solemn charge. He charged them, saying, Thou shalt do, thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord. Beloved young brother, beloved young sister, don't and don't become involved. Don't undertake anything.
That has glory for the flesh connected with it.
May it be that whatever you seek to do for the Lord's glory is done in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a perfect heart. Moses and his sons could not have gone into that anointed Tabernacle either faithfully or with a perfect heart, unless the blood was present and the anointing oil was present.
They would have. In fact, we find later on that two of Moses.
Son, two of Aaron's sons and maybe using Moses and I should be saying Aaron, I'm not sure two of Aaron's sons did indeed undertake a work that had all the appearance of a religious exercise, if you like at one time in their life. They off they took incense offerings of strange fire and offered it unto the Lord. Did the Lord honored such an act of the flesh.
No, no he didn't.
He judged it, beloved young person, he judged it. He did not honor it. The earth opened and swallowed them.
Or was it fire? Fire came down from heaven and destroyed them. Yes. And beloved friends, anything, beloved young person, anything that we undertake to do in the flesh can only receive, I believe, the judgment of God. So He gives them very wonderful and practical instruction. Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord.
Faithfully and with a perfect heart. And what's caused so ever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments. Ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord. And so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren this do, and ye shall not trespass.
And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord, and Zebediah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the House of Judah, for all the King's matters Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with you.
Well, that was wonderful instruction, but it hadn't yet been tested. Is that instruction, is that instruction going to stand the test of experience, the test of time? We go on into into Chapter 20 and we find some test coming along. Then that test, the practicality of the instruction that they had received, Chapter 20. And it came to pass after this also that the children of Moab and the children.
Famine with them other beside the Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle another battle this time. This time the battle is not one that she holds the fat is forced into because of a an unequal yoke. This is something that is allowed of God in his experience and in his life, and it puts to test his faith. It puts the test.
The reality of the instruction that he had given the Levites and the priests.
And the chief of the fathers of the house, and so on. And the verse 2. Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria. And behold, they be in haze. Azan Tamar, which is in Getty.
And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord. Oisei, Jehoshaphat, faith is like yours and mine. I'm sure we can talk about our faith, but in the midst of the real test, sometimes we have to confess. I have to confess at least.
That there is fear. But what did Joseph Jehoshaphat do in connection with this test that was coming upon him and which caused fear in his heart? Well, it says he set himself to seek the Lord, set himself to seek the Lord. Beloved, anointed. 1A young Christian, born again through faith in Christ, indwelt by his.
Holy Spirit.
In the midst of any test and any trial of what a example we have for our hearts, set himself to seek the Lord.
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And proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord. Even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the House of the Lord before the new court, and said, Now this is a prayer.
Let's look carefully at Jehoshaphat's prayer. Oh, verse 60. Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven, and rule us not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thine hand? Is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not thou our God, who did strive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel?
And gave us it to the seed of Abraham, thy friend forever.
And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary there for thy name, saying, If when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house and in thy presence, for thy name is in this house.
And cry unto thee in our affliction. Then thou wilt hear and help. And now behold the children of Ammon and Moab, and mount Seir, whom thou wouldst not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt. But they turned from them and destroyed them not. Behold, I say, how they reward us to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.
Oh our God, wilt thou not judge them?
For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither nor we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
There's so much beloved in that prayer, so much there perhaps is an element to that prayer that.
Indicates weak faith because in each in the beginning he starts out not with a an assertive sentence, but with a question. An interrogative sentence says, Art not thou that God who did strive out the inhabitants are not thou God in heaven, and rule us not thou. There seems to me perhaps to be a little element of a weakness of faith, but there is certainly.
Element of faith. He's resting upon that which he has learned of God the Creator. He has learned of God as the ruler of all kingdoms, even of the heathen. He has borne witness in his prayer to the truth that God did drive out the nations of the land of Canaan as the Israelites went into inhabit the land. All this is wonderfully and gloriously acknowledged by.
Affair. And then he speaks of the sanctuary.
I think that's so lovely, the way that is brought in, and it's so simple a way. It's expressed in that ninth verse. If when evil cometh upon us as the sword, judgment, or pestilence or famine, we stand before thy house and in thy presence. Now I really enjoy what's in quotation, what's in brackets, in parentheses. Therefore thy name is in this.
House when the trouble came, when the crisis came.
All the people of Judah came from their cities to Jerusalem. Why Jerusalem? There were other cities that they could have gone to because it was in Jerusalem that God met with them. It was in Jerusalem that the temple stood. And so they came to God's house, the House of God, that sanctified place, that anointed place.
And they acknowledge not only the presence of God, their beloved, but the name.
Of God, I would just like to.
Just like to tell a little incident that recently happened in our home assembly, there was a sister who used to come and sit back from time to time. She was a friend of a sister gathered and.
Arthritis took possession of her body to such a degree that the the dear sister wasn't able to go anyplace and just at that point in time, which was back in the early 60s, she wrote a letter to my father, which she read out in the.
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In the assembly 1 Lord's Day morning after meeting and in her letter she in her own words, but in the tenor of her thought is this that she recognized that the Lord's presence with was with those who were gathered there to his precious name. And if the Lord had enabled her, she would desire to have been gathered with us, but she was no longer able to to come.
Any of the meetings? Well, Brother Gladding and some of the older ones in the assembly kept in a reasonable touch with this sister, but not, shall we say, overdoing it in any way perhaps. But this spring this sister went home to be with the Lord, and in her will she left a rather large bequest. But she hadn't fully grasped the concept of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone because.
When the check came to my house, I opened it up and there was a check from the executors and it was made out to the Plymouth Brethren at Saint Thomas. Well, this caused a bit of a problem in connection with the processing of this check because in the bank where the assembly funds are kept, the.
Account has been opened in the name of Christians gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ at St. Thomas ON. Well, the banker didn't want to cash a check that was made out to Plymouth Brethren. We weren't particularly anxious that that name be identified with the testimony that we seek to to uphold by.
By grace, there in Saint Thomas.
The question came and to a brother who went to cash the check, is this a one shot deal? Well, of course, beloved, it was a one shot deal and he cashed the check and everything went all right. But that sister, just to use it as an illustration, although her hearts desire in her, shall we say, lack of intelligence in scriptural things, spiritual things hadn't discerned really.
That we're not gathered as Plymouth Brethren. We're not gathered as Brethren, period. We're gathered as Saints gathered to the name.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ and this is exactly I think what Jehoshaphat is indicating in his prayer for thy name is in this place. Isn't that precious that it comes out in the Old Testament a truth like that that Jehoshaphat recognized he didn't have the the glorious revelation of the epistles and Paul's teaching and so on that brings out such wonderful.
Church truth and church teachings, as you and I can be privileged to enjoy.
Supposing there was a young person because it says they came with their little ones, their wives and their children. All the assembly is a family place. The Assembly of God is a family place. Opposing some young Judy boy from the from Judah came and he said.
I really don't want to be associated with Jehoshaphat in this place. I would rather go to another city and I would rather go to another.
Place in Jerusalem even than it then to the temple. What would Jehoshaphat say if the young boy from the tribe of Judah came up to him? Says really, is it necessary? Is this the the place that you think is the only place? Well, Jehoshaphat I'm sure would say to him, my dear young friend, his name is only associated with this place. You can go anywhere else in the city of Jerusalem. And if you go there today, you'll find there's mosques.
And different be non Christian denominational churches. But at that time Jehoshaphat could say there's only one place where his name is upheld where he has placed his name there. That's there at the temple. And if you don't go there, you've missed the mind of God for your pathway as a young boy, young man or a young girl, because as I said, it was a family place. They brought their wives and their children and I'm thrilled to see the.
Mothers and fathers coming to Wheaton conference bearing with the heat.
Because they have little ones to care for and to dress and to provide for and to get those trays for and everything in connection with it. There must be something that that attracted your heart to, to stimulate you to put forth the effort to be here with your family.
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You know, there's a verse, perhaps I should have read it. It's in seconds in first Peter. I believe that she may know how to behave yourself in the House of God. There is a behavior associated with it too, a behavior in connection with the House of God. I remember in high school when I was in grade, 930 years ago this September actually, and I was just a little boy from a small country school. And to be honest with you, I'd never been in a school.
Over probably 60 or 70 children in it and this school was a big City High school and I was very small and very much alone on the first day of school and lost on top of it. My brother was in grade 10 but he didn't have a grade 11 but he didn't have anything to do with we grade 9 hers. So he abandoned me as soon as we got to the door and he said you're on your own so.
I suddenly spotted a boy that I had gone all through.
Elementary school with some distance down the hall. What a site that was to a lonely lost boy and great nigh on his first day of school. I ran down that hall and I was just rounding the corner where I'd seen him go when a hand clamped me on the shoulder and I looked up what to me then seemed to be a giant of a man. Turned out it was the principal of the school, and he says young man.
We don't run in the halls of this school, I was beginning to learn.
Some of the lessons about behaving myself in the school I had, I had misbehaved that you may learn how you ought to behave yourself in the House of God. Well, you see, he was teaching me a lesson. That was my first lesson on the first day not to run in the halls of that school. And I don't believe that I can recall ever running a second time because I looked up into the eyes of that man I knew he meant.
Everything that he said and beloved, God is not mocked. God is not, shall we say, smiling at what we might term to be deliberate disobedience. God is not marked in connection with those who seek to scorn or despise of that which he has promised blessing upon. And there may be those who are even true Christians who say.
Oh, I couldn't go there. You're too legal. You're too strict. You're too this. You're too that.
And they, they may even ridicule you for any stand that you may take in faithfulness. God is not marked. That principle was not to be marked in connection with my misbehaving. As we were coming from breakfast this morning, I met a sister and her husband. There were three little girls walking along, but I knew there were three that also that they had that weren't with them. I said, where are the other three? And her reply was.
Behaving, I hope. Behaving, I hope.
See behavior. Behavior always brings blessing. It always brings a comfortable feeling. If you know if you go into a certain persons home that there is a certain manner of the behavior expected of you, you'll be more comfortable if you adhere to that.
If you're convinced of it and act accordingly. When Lady Diana Spencer became engaged to His Highness Prince Charles of England, from the moment of her engagement, she moved in with the Prince's grandmother in Clarence House. Why did she move in with the Prince's grandmother, Queen Mother Elizabeth? Because Queen Mother Elizabeth could instruct her on how to behave in the House of royalty to which she was going to be.
Joined in marriage in two or three months and so she learned from the times she fell in love with the Prince. She learned how to behave and you know and beloved the Lord Jesus. If we may use a speak of it reverently and I trusted his cell. He's such a savior.
And he would have, he would have us fall in love with him. And in connection with that, of course, there is that thought of responsibility, because we wouldn't want to displease the one that we have learned to love, the one whose love has so filled our hearts and being so wonderfully manifested to us in so many uncountable ways. Would you desire in any way?
To grieve him.
Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God when you go on in a pathway, When I go on in a pathway that does not please the Lord Jesus Christ, it grieves the Holy Spirit of God. Well, perhaps we've gone a little off our subject and our time is up. I'd like you to to notice that when the crisis came, and you can read this for yourself, the rest of this 20th chapter.
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It was a different war and the other war that was a war that.
Jehoshaphat had no business being connected with. He had to go out there and ride in the Chariots. He had to go out there and endanger himself. When it was the Lorde testing of his faith and so on. We find that they just had to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord the very morning. It was to be the next day that the Lord would deliver them from this huge host, and the very morning of deliverance. If you read from verse 20 on, you'll find that they went out.
And they sang praises unto the Lord. What did Paul and Silas do when they were put in prison? That was their test of practical Christianity, saying praises at midnight. What was the result? Well, the prison doors swung wide open. They didn't have to escape by climbing over a wall. God brought them out and full deliverance. And what was the result for Jehoshaphat and his and and Judah?
Full deliverance and they never had to raise a sword because I believe they rested in the truth.
Of the assembly. He brought them to that place where they could get strength. He brought them that place where God's presence was promised. Well, we need to search the Scriptures in connection with these things, but may these thoughts, and I trust the Lord will bless them to your heart as well as to mine, in connection with the anointing and in connection with the place.
Be for our prophet and encouragement.
The Race
Address—E. Pilkington
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The light turns in this afternoon to the 12Th chapter of the Book of Hebrews.
Hebrews, chapter 12.
Wherefore.
Seeing we also are compassed about.
It was so great, a cloud of witnesses.
Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin with us so easily be sent us.
And let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Looking on to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Or the faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endure the cross.
Despise in the shade and is sat down at the right hand.
Of the throne of God.
Or consider him.
That endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.
Lest she be wearied and faint in your mind.
We have here, beloved, this afternoon.
I believe the Christian race spoken of.
And in this first verse we have the cloud of witnesses mentioned, and these cloud of witnesses are those that we have in the 11Th chapter, men of faith.
And it is encouraging as we think of these names that are mentioned here in the 11Th chapter. I believe we have the names of 16 mentioned beside many others.
And it is a source of encouragement to me.
That the Lord knows all about each one of us.
And he knew all about those dear Old Testament Saints. And here in his.
Word here in the 11Th of Hebrews we don't get their failures mentioned at all.
No, we get the record that they were men of faith.
And as we think of the lives of those mentioned in the 11Th chapter, perhaps we might be familiar with some failure in their life.
Why has God been pleased to give us a record of their failure?
All, beloved, I believe so you and I might not get discouraged.
All as I think of David.
And as we think of his life, there are many failures in his life.
That all the word of God has been pleased to tell us that David was a man after God's own heart.
Also, David could say in the 23rd Psalm he restoreth my soul. Well, we have a Christian race and you know, if there's something between your soul and the Lord Jesus Christ, you have a hindrance.
That will hinder you and running the Christian race that we have brought before us here. And so the apostle brings before us these cloud of witnesses.
And he doesn't occupy us with their failures, but know with their faith. And so it speaks whose faith follow.
I know as a young man.
And I think I can speak for others.
As I look back over my life, there are some things that I'm thankful are not recorded on this wall for you to to read.
Yes, God has a record of them.
But I'm thankful he has hidden that record from each one in this company tonight.
This afternoon, and I'm sure that many others can say the same thing.
Oh, it's only by the grace of God.
We're here this afternoon.
And as we think of our past life, oh, is it nice to know that the Lord has been patient with us all. He's been so patient. From the day that He saved us to this very present day, He's been patient with us.
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And so we have the Christian race, and one of the things that would hinder anyone of us from running the race for the glory of God is impatient with others.
I think of.
Some at this present time.
Who have been very critical of others.
Who have been so quick?
To point out failure in others, impatience, and so on.
This afternoon, they're not here.
This afternoon they are not walking and communing with the Lord.
There are those things in their lives, and I believe they love young people. Let us be so careful to set a wife before our lips. Let us be so careful that what we say, we say and love one toward another.
I think of a dear brother who is not here.
And he got his eye on some of his brethren.
And this afternoon, he is an unhappy brother.
And so he has a weight.
He has a hindrance in his life that is a hindrance to him running a race.
And the apostle says, here let us lay aside every weight, and the sin of the death so easy be set up.
It centers in these few verses. I believe we get the hands mentioned and we also get.
Our feet.
We also get our eyes and our whole spirit and body in these few verses.
And without these five things, we certainly cannot run successfully the race set before us.
As I think awakes what is awake.
Our weight is anything that you and I allow in our lives that would hinder us from running the race.
Anything that we allow in our lives that would hinder us from pleasing the Lord and doing those things that would honor His name.
And our weight may not be asset.
Some of us know something about having weight. As a young man, I I had some weights and I thank God for the day He gave me grace to lay aside those weights because they were a hindrance to me.
And so I repeat, a weight may not be a sin.
But if you persist.
Or I persist and carrying those weights.
It may lead us into sin.
And.
The result is loss of communion with the Lord.
I'm thankful this afternoon to see so many young people here, and children too, and older ones.
How good of God to give us this praise of being together.
You know, in the second chapter of Acts, it tells us all that believe we're together.
Yes, the early Christians who believe they were together.
And how sweet it is to be together here. But you know, we have an adversary who is called the devil, and that adversary that we have is also called the God of this world.
And as such, He does control those things around us that we see with our eyes and which we hear with our ears.
And you know, he can use those things that we see with our eyes and hear with our ears. He can use those things to be awake to each one of us, to hinder us.
Not only in reading the Word, but in walking in obedience to it.
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Now here we have our hands mentioned, I believe. Let us lay aside every week all the folly to think that anyone would run a natural race with lakes. You know, there are many races today, and some of us when we were young, perhaps we we entered many races.
But too long ago we had a Sunday school picnic and there were some races.
And.
You know, I noticed that.
Some of the young parents.
They had their little ones and they were given a few lessons and running.
And one of the last thing was to keep their eye, look at the head and to look at the end of the race. There was a rope at the end. That race wasn't going to go on and on and on. You know, little ones can't run too far. And so the distance was just a little shorter for them and.
All these dear parents, you know, they they wanted their children to come in first.
They wanted them to get a prize.
And they them had before them all the desire to come in first to get the prize.
Well, if you're going to win a race, run a successful, you must.
Have your eye fixed on the goal, the end of the course.
This afternoon.
I think of some who has started out in the Christian race so successfully all they seem to be making so much progress.
And perhaps there may be some here this afternoon that have made progress.
Oh, there was that time when you were making the excellent progress.
But little by little.
That progress was hindered by something.
Allowed in your life?
And it was such a weight that it hindered you.
In running the race, it hindered you and pleasing the Lord.
Oh, beloved.
How important, then, to lay aside every weight? Every weight?
And the sin that does so easy beset us. I'd like to repeat this again.
I'll wait. May not be a set.
But if you persist.
And carry that weight.
Knowing that the word of God.
Condemns what you are doing.
And alone in your life.
I want to say this.
It might lead you into sin all. Let's be careful.
And so the Lord wants us to run successfully for Him.
And coming here on our travels, we saw.
A couple young men and they were running along the road.
And they were running together. They were trying to outrun the other. They were running and they were running together. And as they ran, I noticed that they were talking together too. Oh, isn't that lovely? Yes. Isn't it lovely to run the Christian race and to have fellows at one with another?
Oh, this is what gives us strength to run the race.
Think of one this afternoon.
Who got on a self willed path?
And on that path.
You know what happened.
He lost the fellowship of other Christians.
He lost the fallacy of his brethren.
And that path he'd get on led him away further and further.
And today?
Is alone, is a Christian, but he's alone. He has no fellowship.
No fellowship. Oh, the sweetest thing on earth, beloved, this fellowship. And we appreciate the fellowship here this afternoon. But you know, we're going to leave this building. We're going to leave this place of blessing, this place of fellowship we've enjoyed. Yes, we're going to leave. Some have already left.
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Others may be leaving today and others tomorrow.
How about it? Are you going to have fellowship?
With God's people, With those who walk in obedience, the Word of God.
Are you going to have fellowship with them?
Or is your fellow she doesn't come to an end when you leave this place. Oh, I want to say this. Satan wants to hinder you and I from heaven fellowship. But all fellowship is so sweet and it's a source of strength, and it will help us to run the race. And so let us lay aside every weight and the sin with us so easy beset us, and let us run with.
That is set before us.
He knows that word patience. Let us run with patience.
Oh, we think of some who have been in this race or many, many years.
I think of an old brother I visited not too long ago. He's been on the race course for many, many years, much longer than I.
And so there are many who are older than we are this afternoon who have been on this racecourse for many, many years.
Oh, isn't that sweet? He says. Here, let us run with patience. We've had the hope of the Lord's coming brought before us.
And I am sure this afternoon there isn't one here who really loves the Lord Jesus in your heart.
If the truth was to come out.
Oh.
I'm sure we all will be so glad when the Lord comes. But I want to say this.
When the Lord comes, we're going to be caught up.
The race will be over.
The only time you and I have to run the race.
Set before us for the Lord's glory is now this very present. Now let us run with peace in the race that is set before us.
Sometimes we see.
Young people running a race.
And.
All of a sudden they some drop out.
They drop up, they get discouraged. They've been lagging behind.
What caused them to lag behind?
Ah, beloved, there was some cause behind it all.
That caused him to lag behind, and when they lag behind, why they didn't have the fellowship of those who were ahead.
Perhaps you might just notice.
Let's turn to 1St Corinthians 9. We'll turn back to our chapter, but.
First Corinthians, Chapter 9.
And the apostle here are speaking.
Let's read from verse 24.
Know you not that they which run in a race run all?
But one receiveth a price, so run that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is tempered in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown. But we an incorruptible I therefore so run not as uncertainly, so fight I. That is one that feedeth the air.
That I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest I by any means, when I preach to others, I myself should be a castaway or reprobate.
Well, I believe this is a verse that would exercise each one here this afternoon.
Because perhaps there may be some in this company.
Who perhaps may break bread?
But perhaps in your heart, you really are not safe.
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Perhaps you can stand on the corner and preach the gospel.
And yet not safe.
Oh, if there's one here like that this afternoon, may I urge you and love for your soul.
Oh, get on the friends of God. Yes, get in the presence of God. It is possible.
As it were, as the apostle says, beyond the race.
And so the apostle says, run that you may obtain.
Well, we know in a natural race there is a prize at the end of it.
And that's why people today under a race, you know, in the world, they want to get the prize.
And they run, and if they're going to be successful, they have to have their whole body in tune, as it were. Yes. They just can't wildly move the arms around. There has to be the whole body engaged. An actor in running. And men of the world recognize this. And so they train, and there's that unison as they move their arms and their legs together.
Ah, the object is to get the prize.
I think of a.
A lot of our Sunday school races.
And the big teenage boys, they can run pretty fast and, you know, they were running. And there was one young man, he, he just seemed to be more athletic than the others and he was leading.
And all he was running, he was taking good strides, he was having good success and he almost got to the goal. He was almost there. He was first.
But he turned around to see who was behind him.
And in doing so, his progress was slowed so that that boy passed him on the other side and came in first.
One looked at his companion cost him the prize.
Asked him that honor of being first. Just one look.
Oh, this got a word for us. Are we looking at our fellow Christians?
Do we have our eye on our brethren? Perhaps some of them may have said something unkind to us.
Do we have our eye upon them? Is there that look from our hearts that really isn't a look of love?
Oh, I want to say this.
That little malice, that unkind look and be such a weight.
And it will slow you up and be a hindrance to you. And so the apostle he speaks about.
The race and we're to run to obtain the prize. That should be our object.
Oh, to please the Lord, because he does have a reward for those who do run the race of faith. And so the apostles as they these do it for corrupt, for crown. But we an incorruptible.
Yes, the coming day is going to manifest the love. Those who have run the race successfully, God is going to have His rewards.
I remember years ago.
And notice in a race in the newspaper.
A certain race and a certain man came in first.
But he was disqualified. He came in first.
To all natural peers in the eyes of spectator.
He was first.
But he was disqualified.
Why? Because he had broken one of the rules.
Oh yes, there were those judges who had an eye on them. And I want to say this, beloved Christian, the eyes of the Lord go to and fro this afternoon.
One said, Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Yes, he will do right.
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And so how important it is if you and I are going to feed the Lord.
To run according to the rules.
Yes.
It's important to be familiar with the rules. One may plead ignorance and say, well, I didn't know that was part of the rules in this race. That would not excuse him from breaking the rules. He would be disqualified. And may I say this no matter how sincere anyone of us may be.
We may be sincere.
But if we are sincerely mistaken.
No matter how sincere we are, we are mistaken. Oh yes.
We must run according to the rules. Are you and I running the race according to the rules that God has given to us in His Word?
And so the apostle says, I therefore so run. That is one that beateth the air.
But I keep it in my body of bringing this objection. Oh, how important it is to keep our bodies in subjection.
I remember many years ago.
A man coming up to me.
And I just like to say this, especially for those young men who perhaps been on the corner preaching the gospel.
I've never forgotten this remark. That's where I was in the corner and the middle-aged man come up to me.
I know him and he said Eric.
I'm glad to see you preached in the gospel. I'd like to do it.
But I can't.
He says I can't years ago.
I turned my back on the truth.
And there are still things that have come into my life that now my mouth is shut.
At dear young, that dear man, all there was sorrow. He said those words with sorrow.
Yes.
All let's be careful.
Let's be careful that we run the race according to the rules.
Let's keep our bodies in subjection.
An athlete.
That doesn't keep his body in subjection is not going to have success naturally.
No, if he just eats everything I set before him, the day will come when he won't be able to run as he did formally. There has to be that denying self. And so, beloved, may each one of us learn to deny ourselves. We still have the old nature, we still have the flesh, and the flesh is the same in any one of us. But if we allow.
The flesh to control our bodies we're going to find.
That we have weights.
And if it's not judged, it will shut our mouths, as that dear man told me his mouth was shut.
Shut.
Oh, I won't go into his history.
Enough to say.
There seemed to be evident repentance.
And I feel that even now, right now, I'm confident that man is with the Lord.
Oh, the Lord will not cast up any who really love him.
But I can think of some.
Who have been in such gallons as this, and have preached the gospel, and today they have given up the word of God.
They've given it up. Oh, I trust this may not be true of any here this afternoon. Why do I speak this way? Oh beloved, is because.
God loves you and we love you too. And the whole sorrow.
It's only those who are older brethren know the real sorrow when one who seemed to be so promised and come along.
His mouth have been shut.
Oh, let's keep our bodies in subjection. Let's lay aside those weights with us. So easy to beset us.
I speak to the young children here this afternoon. We all have two heads. What are we doing with those hats?
Are we using those hands to please the Lord? You know those hands can get us into mischief.
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Those hands can do a lot of harm.
Remember little girl that came to our Sunday school?
She had two eyes, as many have here.
But the day came when another little child.
Rolled up a little pieces paper and as a joke through it. And they hit that little girl in their eye. And today that little girl is a woman, but she's blind in that eye. Grateful the little girl. Oh, a little folly.
We might say, what's the harm in this, or that it's only a little piece of paper, something small. But that little object was a cause of blinding that little girl, and so she has to go through life with one eye.
I can think of a brother.
Who had the same thing happened to him?
An older one. He lost his eye. A little carelessness.
It cost him his eye. Oh, let's be careful. Let's keep our body in subjection.
And let's seek to help one another.
And to be faithful to the Word, now we just turn to Galatians 5.
5th chapter of Galatians. We have a question asked there by the apostle.
And.
Verse 7.
He did run well.
Who did hinder you?
That ye should not obey the truth.
Oh, you notice this, Apostles, Galatians, they did run well.
Yes, he started out fine, but the apostle and right in here says.
He did run well, he gave him credit for running well, but who did hinder you?
How many start out well?
But something comes in. There is a but oh God forbid there would be any butts in our lives.
Or we can get rid of them this afternoon and we get in the friends of God. And so the Galatians, they had that question, asked them, who did hinder you?
I challenge anyone here who has run well and perhaps this afternoon you're not running so well. What is a hindrance? The hindrance in the Galatians was this.
They were going back to the law.
Yes, and the law can only condemn them.
Oh beloved, Satan has his emissaries in this world this afternoon.
And we have false doctrine, we have parts of the word of God denied, and we have compromised, and so on. And so He brings in these things which are hindrance. All the Galatians started well.
But you know, if they insist on going back to the law, they would have to come under the curse of the law.
And the apostle there brings before us in the third chapter that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. He made a curse for us.
Yes, and so we have the whole inspired Word of God.
And I want to say this all scriptures given by inspiration of God.
Beware of those who build a doctrine.
Around one verse.
Ah, we're going to get into trouble. We need the whole Word of God, and the Word of God does not convert. Contradict another verse.
No every word fits in.
Yes, it all fits together. All the Galatians, how sad for the apostle have to write this way. Who did hinder you? There was a hindrance and they love. There may be a hindrance on the lives of some here this afternoon. If that be, let's get rid of the hindrance, let's get rid of it. Yes, let's lay aside these things.
And let's just hold back.
You know we have two hands and what are we to hold? Where to hold fast? The truth.
Don't let anyone take it away from you. And I say this if you and I value the truth.
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There's no one going to take it from.
No one's going to take it from us if we value it, but if we cease to value the truth, we might lose it. It's the young people's meeting, but I see children here.
And I think of a little illustration for children, and for it fits those of us who are older.
Those children like to play and they have toys and some of them have children that have experienced.
And perhaps others who don't have children have never had.
When our children grow up, why we just love to recognize each year that there they live and when they have a birthday, why they have a little present.
And, you know, perhaps the youngest member of the family has this birthday, and so he receives a present.
And the older one, why he looks at it with how much his eyes and in his heart, he doesn't say it with his lips and his heart says I'd like to have that. And so he tries to take it from his little brother or sister, but they hang on to it.
They got something gets theirs and they hang on to it.
But you know.
The older brother or sister has lived a little longer and so they think of something that they have that they don't want anymore.
And.
You don't value it. And so they go and get it. And this little younger brother, sister sees it. And right away let the eye see at once. And that little child, why at once what he sees? And so he puts forth his hand to get it. And then doing it, he, he, let's drop what the other one wants. Yes, he lets it drop. You can't take something with one hand.
When you already have something in that hand and the older one knows and so the little one he drops.
What he had to get, what he saw.
And the other one picked it up.
With a smile and off they go. They got what they want now. We understand this. Boys and girls understand this. We see this every day, almost only.
Now the God of this world, he knows what our hearts are coveting after he knows and perhaps you may seemly may have the truth and hanging on to it.
But He knows our hearts, and if we don't judge those little things in our lives, He can bring something along that will attract our eye or our ear or our hearts.
And the first thing we've let go of that which we didn't value.
All that which we have become unconscious.
I have a hymn book in my hand.
I'm conscious. I have it. You have a Bible. But I want to say it doesn't take us, doesn't take very much, you know, to be unconscious.
No, don't take very much. And when we become unconscious?
Why? It just slips out of our head, doesn't it? What makes us unconscious?
Sometimes we get sleepy and perhaps we may drop a hymn book or reliable, but you know, it's not always sleepiness.
Sometimes it's our hearts somewhere else. Our minds are somewhere else, outside, somewhere.
And so we, I swear our hearts are and we just get unconscious of what we have.
The moment you and I become unconscious that we have the truth of God, we're in danger.
Oh, let's hold on that. Let's value it. And so regulations, the question who did hinder youth that he should not obey the truth. I'm confident this afternoon that everyone here wants to be happy.
And we've had brought before us that verse and John so often. If you know these things, happier if you do them.
Oh, happiness comes from obedience.
And if you and I want to be obedient, we must, we want to be happy, we must be obedient. That's John 13, verse 17.
A little word do it so important.
00:40:01
Do happy ye, if you do them. And so who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? Well, may we each ask ourselves that? Now I'd like to turn back to Hebrews 12.
We've been speaking about the hands laying aside. We've been speaking about the feet.
Perhaps at this time I might just quote the verse in the first Psalm, because we all have two feet here this afternoon, and the feet are very important if you're going to run a race.
First time says blessed is a man that walketh not, not counts of the ungodly, or stash the way of sinners, or sit in the sea. Is the starred full? Oh, is that true of any one of us this afternoon?
This scripture says Blessed are happy as a man that walketh not in the constantly ungodly. Oh beloved, if you walk in the constant ungodly, you're going to imbibe their false doctrines.
And you're going to imbibe those practices, those evil practices that they're going on with. Yes, if you sit in the seed of the scornful, you're going to hear the name of your savior, blasphemy.
Could it be that we would allow our feet to take us anywhere?
Where we would hear the name of our savior blasphemy, a member of a man once that seemed so kind and wanted to be kind to me and.
You know, every once in a while he used my savior's name in vain.
One day I couldn't stand any longer and I said Jack.
Why do you use the name of Jesus like that? I love that name. He's my savior.
Why do you use that name like that?
Oh, if I hadn't confessed the name of my savior.
Or, beloved, I may not be here this afternoon.
Oh, so important to confess the name of the one you belong to.
And so he said, oh, I didn't realize I was using that name like that.
But the day came.
When that friendship must be terminated. That they came when we could no longer walk together.
We had to separate. Yes, they love. I challenge you this afternoon. Do you love the Lord Jesus?
Do you allow your feet to take you into those places of position where the name of Jesus blasphemy and spoken evil of.
Oh, God forbid. But if you do, I want to warn you the end is going to be sorrow in your life.
Yes.
You won't be able to run the race successful. And so our time has gone. But I just want to notice a few more things about this. It speaks here looking on to Jesus, the author and finish of our faith. Oh, you know, if you're going to run the race, we have two eyes and we must keep our eye on the goal, the end of the race.
We've had the end of the race brought before us in these meetings, the hope of the Lord's coming.
Because when the Lord comes, the race is going to be over when he comes. Oh beloved.
Will be with him.
Won't that be wonderful?
Oh, I believe there will be a special joy to those who are on the race course, who are running the race according to the rules. I believe there's going to be that special joy and I'm confident will be that special recognition of it in the coming day when everything is going to be manifested. Yes, there will be that special joy when those rewards are presented.
And so that looking on to Jesus.
The Arthur and Finish of our faith.
Who, for the joy that was set before him, endure the cross?
Despising the shame and a set down on the right hand of the throne of God.
Where is the Lord Jesus now?
All he sat down. He once trod this world beloved yes, and his pathway took him to the cross of Calvary.
00:45:05
In love for your soul of mine. That's where his path took him to the cross of Calvary, where he suffered as no one ever suffered.
Were he bled where he died for your sins and mine. And as I think of those three dark hours when God clothed the heaven with darkness, when God refused to allow it a human eye.
To witness.
The sovereign of his son.
Oh beloved, the Lord Jesus endured.
You're those three dark hours.
The wrath of a holy God.
As you and I deserve. Now could it be?
That we would forget that all he's bought us with his own precious blood.
The apostle says you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body. Well, I believe when we run the race according to the word of God, to the rules, we are glorifying him. And so how important looking on to Jesus. Oh, if you look to him my faith this afternoon, I want to tell you you're going to get encouraged.
I think I'm a little little boy and a little girl a few weeks ago.
As their mother was a now at the end of this little race course.
And you know, there they, these little children, they stood behind up and the mother, the parents were there at the end.
And you know, there they had their arms out and those little ones who had their eye on their mother or father.
They ran successfully, some got their eye off and they tripped and they fell.
If you're going to run a race, you have to look where you're running.
Yes, I'm brethren, we have to be careful because.
If we don't keep our eyes open, if we don't allow the Word of God to control our eyes, we might.
We might stumble somebody, and so we have.
The hands.
And we have the feet and we have the eyes.
Can we turn to Psalm 119? Just briefly? Psalm 119 and verse 39 believe it is.
Turn away mine eyes from beholden vanity, and quicken thou me in thy ways. Now one more verse. Verse 18. Open thou mine eyes. They may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Oh, what a good prayer for us, each one of us, young and old alike, Turn away mine eyes and the whole infantry. These things will be awake. It will be a hindrance. And run the race. And how good is opened our mine eyes. I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. O beloved, there's some treasures in this book, and God wants us to to find them and to enjoy them.
Now we return to Colossians Chapter 3.
The several verses I'll just perhaps read with very little comment because of time.
Colossians chapter 3 If he then be risen with Christ to seek those things which are above where Christ is in the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. I believe this is so important. Set your affection on things about.
Not on things on the earth. And if we allow our eye, our affections to be on those things down here.
We are going to stumble ourselves and perhaps someone else.
We're going to be hindered in the race.
Now another verse in First Thessalonians 5 and verse.
23.
Perhaps we might just read a little further back without comment.
Verse 17 Because I believe we need this if we're going to run the race.
Pray without ceasing, and everything give thanks, for this is the will of God and Christ. He is concerned in you. Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesying. Prove all things, Hold fast that which is good have seen from all appearance of evil.
All these things are so important and the very God of peace sanctify you holy.
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I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless.
And the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, I trust that this will be sold this afternoon. And the lives of each one of us.
And we sing #46 at the back of the book.
Have I an object, Lord below, which would divide my heart with thee, which would divert as even flaw in answer to Thy constancy? Oh, teach me quickly to return, and 'cause my heart afresh to burn #46 at the fact.
Check Lord be long.
Which would divide my heart.
With thee, which would diver.
If he followed.
Taking your stand for Christ
Address—P.B. Geveden
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 certainly need the full anchors that.
Have been referred to.
In the address of the brother.
That stood here a few moments ago.
It's a little difficult to follow after another.
But my chair was very hard. I think it's the worst one in the room and all of us are ambulatory. You walked in here.
You saw me walk to this podium and we read about those who are walking according to the course of this world.
And yet they are dead in trespasses and sins.
Also, we can supplement that statement by another from.
Ipis love Jude.
Where reference is made to those who are twice dead. The brother referred to being born two times in the gospel last evening and the possibility of not even dying once.
But if you're born only one time, there's a possibility.
Of the second death, not only the natural death, the separation of the soul from the body and the condition of the body when the soul is separated from it is death. The condition of the soul and separation from the body is Hades. Gehenna is hell.
Everlasting punishment, the lake of fire. But would it be possible for you to be present here this afternoon and be classified?
As being twice dead, although you're here, you lived in, and one way of being dead is.
By nature.
The children of wrath, even as others were dead in trespasses and sins. A soul without reference to God. No response to God. You're dead toward God.
Honest to God that we are responsible creatures, but how can you be dead the second time? You can be dead the second time by false profession.
By taking a position that is not real, you're dead in natures way and also dead by religion, not having Christ in reality for your soul. Now there was a young man. He was not too young however.
And he's referred to in John 20.
When thou was young.
Perhaps not as young as some of us are here, but if you'll notice this verse.
Our Lord is restoring a failing servant.
A faltering disciple, one who had denied that he knew the Lord.
Verse 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, This is a John 21.
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou was young, thou girdest thyself and walkest whither thou woodest, but when thou shalt be old, and thou shalt stretch forth thy hands.
And another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
Usually in our younger days, our wills are very strong.
And the sooner our wills are broken, the better it is for us because we won't make so many mistakes. It's important to learn to bow to authority, the authority of the husband.
The authority of the Mother, the authority of the powers that be.
And the authority of the Lord in the local assembly, it might not be right.
But it's important to bow and that authority abides its God-given it stands, it needs to be respected. Peter, you know, was a very ambitious in his devotion to the Lord and the declared that he would go with him even.
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To the very last.
All he was acting on his bravery.
His energy.
And the power that he possessed as a natural man. And he failed.
And when our Lord was washing the defeat of the disciples.
He resisted.
Submitted when he understood what was necessary. However, he didn't fully understand likely he did understand when we come to this verse in the 21St chapter and the Lord restored him and committed to him the lambs and the sheep that needed the care that belongs to God's people that.
Our tender, loving Lord in all of His shepherd care would have us in the exercise of toward our brethren in Christ.
The members of the body of Christ as we know today.
When thou was young, thou girdest thyself, and walk us whither thou wouldest.
But when thou shall be old, and others shall gird thee.
And.
Those were stretched forth thy hand.
And then and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
So he came into that devotion to the Lord and live to old age in faithfulness to the Lord, and he gave us a ministry that we still need today, and he carried out his responsibility of feeding the lambs and the sheep.
Orally, as he traveled about considerably and his apostleship to the circumcision.
And to all others too, because he has left with us 2 letters.
The first Epistle of Peter and also the second. Now you remember the history of what happened in the 12Th chapter of Acts.
James was killed by the sword.
Herod took the life as he vexed certain of the Church.
James James life was brought to a sudden close and Peter was in prison at that very time and they were praying for him and he was not allowed to come under the anger of the king that was in power.
And.
To be committed to the Jews on that special day.
When there would be so many around in Jerusalem, he was delivered from the prison.
Sometimes those things are difficult for us to understand, or one is taken early, another is left longer.
Being a school teacher and all the exams would come around now and then.
And usually the teacher was pleased with those young men and young ladies that finished early and handed in their papers and went out the door free and over the examination. That's the way it is. You know, it seems to me with some that finished the course, they've handed in the papers early and they've made good scores.
And they've gone on to the reward that is due there.
Now Peter is of that.
Latter type who stayed because.
He hadn't.
Performed his ministry.
As indicated.
And he's left. He spared. But James?
Is beheaded.
And a young man who was against him came out, we're told, and put him, put himself down at the feet of James and begged for pardon. And he lifted him up and says, you've done me no harm.
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And through that testimony, he was converted.
And slain along with James at the same time. You read that in Miller's church history.
But now.
The four anchors are very important.
They continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine, the apostles fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers.
Now in second Peter chapter one, we got 7 things that will enable us to continue.
As we look around over this congregation and so many of you are young.
My younger days are gone, of course.
But possibly you are an endangered species.
We hear so much about that today, 700 animals and plants are endangered by the opposing elements that surround them. And there's much being done to relieve the opposition and the things that hinder in order to save these tender species that mean so much to the people.
So with all the opposition that has come upon us in these perilous times.
We're somewhat endangered ourselves.
But here, as we begin to read in Peter the 1St chapter of the 2nd Epistle, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them who have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness or faithfulness of God our Savior Jesus Christ.
He greets them with peace and grace, and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Well, he couldn't write that when he said one day I go efficient.
But now he hadn't gone fishing in a long time, except to be a Fisher of men.
And he is able to fill out the precious Word of God to his extent in his time. Although it's the apostle Paul that rounds out the full scope of the Canon of Scripture, making the subject complete when he gave the truth of Christ in the church to fulfill the Word of God or to bring it to its completion. But where would we be today without the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord?
We have that. You've heard it all your life. You've been instructed in it somewhat, and though are you twice dead? There's a danger in being twice dead. You're a nice boy, a nice girl, but you need to save your just the same as any other individual needs the Savior, you need the cleansing power of the precious blood of Christ.
That you might be cleansed and suited for the Kingdom of heaven.
According as the divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
Now there's no excuse. A soldier complaints about being sent into conflict fully equipped, but you're not fully equipped. You've been provided for fully, as we see here in this verse, with all things that pertain unto godliness, unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called you to glory and virtue, You've got a wonderful future that lies before you.
You have a future that this world does not know anything about.
But we'll move on here rather rapidly.
You have exceeding.
Great and precious promises. They're found in this book. One of the promises is the return of our blessed Lord that has come before us in these special meetings.
And by these that you might be partakers of the divine nature, you need to work on this. You know, eternal life is a gift, but we're also exhorted to lay hold of. Eternal life is something that we can lay hold of. And now we read about this a little further over to notice something.
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But while it comes to mind.
Wherefore the rather brethren in verse 10 give diligence to make your calling.
And election? Sure.
Now that is your responsibility.
That's a job that is in your assignment.
And you need to be occupied with it to be diligent about it.
You should make your calling and election sure. Now we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the first epistle. That's on the side of God's sovereignty, His sovereign grace. But here in this epistle, it's a question of man's responsibility, and we need to make our own calling and election sure.
This we can do. Those four anchors are important.
Then we have seven things mentioned here that should be supplied in our faith.
As shall we proceed a little further?
Beside this.
And giving all diligence, you've come into a position, you know, of protection from this corrupt world.
Through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
And we trust you have that divine nature, that you've been born of God.
That you have been born from above. That you are a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
And being so, of course you are a member of the body of Christ for by 1 Spirit.
Are we all baptized into one body?
And verse five beside this giving all diligence supply in your faith is really the thought.
And this.
Suggests that one might be added, you know, one after another as you would stack blocks one upon another. But really, let's think of it as a tree and all these different things coming out at the same time. And that's the way we should grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that you would supply in your faith.
Verse five beside this giving all diligence and are supplying your faith or to your faith virtue.
Which is moral courage.
And the power of the confession of Christ.
Among your friends in your office.
Are enrolled in the school.
Or lift the banner, and all the power of heaven will stand behind you to confess Christ.
My nature is a cowardly 1.
But.
It is an experience.
That you find enablement.
When you take a stand for Christ.
When you inform others.
That you belong to the Lord.
So supply in your face a virtue.
And to virtue knowledge.
So that would.
Make it necessary to open this book.
And do not leave it on the shelf covered with dust.
Knowledge.
Which is very useful and which can puff up if it's not regulated.
And to knowledge temperance.
Moderation, and that's a regulator for the knowledge that we come.
To possess as we pour over the precious pages of the Divine Writ, and to temperance, patience, or endurance perhaps.
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A determination to continue.
And to patience godliness, because the troubles will come and there will be tests that will bring us into.
Such a point of distress that we will inquire. We'll wonder, Well, why did the Lord allow this?
Is this an expectation in the Christians profession? I belong to the Lord and here this has happened to me.
Well, that's where the test is made. And if we turn to the Lord in that trial or difficulty or whatever it is.
We can go through the valley of Becker place of weeping and it becomes a well to us and the rain comes down to fill the pools and we're comforted and sustained and we receive the blessing that God has forced and the difficulties of the wave. That's child training and all we need to believe and to add these things to supply them in our faith.
And to godliness, brotherly kindness.
And we are instructed a little later on, perhaps in this same epistle or in the other one loved the Brotherhood.
Is not a nice thought.
Love the brotherhood.
And he's not thinking of the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man.
No, he's thinking of brethren in Christ, those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, those who come under the power of the cleansing of the precious blood of Christ.
That is the Brotherhood.
And we need to love those that are the children of God, because they are his children, that brother for whom Christ died.
But there's an further indication here that we might love a brother that is lovely and nice.
Marta and a brother.
Fails in responsibility or something we might veer away, and it might be proper sometimes to do so because we are given this further instruction and to brotherly kindness, charity or love.
And that's from God, and that will bring blessing. Now these things will be helpful.
In the sustainment of your Christian life and pathway, and if you go along with these seven things in addition to the four anchors.
You'll not be so endangered, you'll not so Scottish, succumb to the pressures of the way and fall by the wayside to making shipwreck as some do. You can continue and to look forward to that.
Entrance.
Abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We had in our country, down South in Kentucky, a lady that moved there from Illinois, the wife of Armistead Berries father, Mr. Barry Senior.
And she was always in the kitchen or in the household or going about her work and she and never was seen at any time without this book being open where she could get immediately into the language that into the print there and could find out what it was saying.
When she passed away, the man down the road, the center man, he said. Everybody knows where she's gone.
She'd made her calling and election sure. Now sometimes, you know, there are many funerals.
And that has been my responsibility quite often. And there are those that are doubtful. And you have to read from Ecclesiastes about the dust returning to the earth as it was in the Spirit returning unto God that gave it.
And you don't get into the light and gladness and the fullness of the New Testament, where we read that the life of the soul and incorruptibility for the body have been brought to light by the gospel.
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You can't go that far. Then there are those that are the Lords.
But they failed to go on in this way here, supplying these different things in their faith to make their calling and election sure. And what they've done is wood, hay and stubble, and they suffer loss, though they are saved themselves.
Josiah
Address—W.J. Prost
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.
It's very difficult, you know.
To know what to say to you, dear young people this afternoon.
I was thinking, you know of how many different ages there are represented here.
And I was thinking too how that as far back as I can remember, whenever I have been to general meetings such as this, there has been a young people's meeting.
And you know, I suppose that our beloved brethren of years gone by saw the need for a meeting that would address the young people.
You know, there's a true story told of an old senator back in Roman times who had a very strange dream.
And in that dream, he saw.
A group of soldiers walking along a street in Rome.
And in the forefront of those group of soldiers there were some old warriors, old men who had fought in years gone by. And as those old men walked along, they said, we have been brave.
All the old senator thought that's good, but that won't do, that won't do, for that won't keep Rome going.
And after him came, after those old men, I should say, came some men in.
Middle-aged time of life.
Man in their full prime of manhood and they said we are brave.
Well, he thought, that'll do for now. But what about the future?
And finally, bringing up the rear were a group of young men, and amongst them quite a number of boys.
And they said we will be brave.
All said the old senator to himself, Then I can rest, because the future of Rome is secure. Well, that's a homely story. They were Speaking of natural courage. But you know, as I look around today, I see you, dear young people. And if the Lord should leave us here for a few years yet? Not likely, and we hope not. But if he should, then it is upon your shoulders that responsibility will fall.
So I'd like to turn this afternoon.
To a passage in Second Chronicles, and we'll read first from Second Chronicles chapter 33, Second Chronicles 33, and just a few verses at the end of the chapter, Second Chronicles 33 and verse 20.
So Manasseh slept with his father's, and they buried him in his own house, and AM and his son reigned in his stead.
Ammon was 2 and 20 years old when he began to reign and reigned two years in Jerusalem.
But he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father. For Ammon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them, and humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself. But Ammon trespassed more and more, and his servants conspired against him.
Flew him in his own house.
But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against King Ammon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son, king in his stead. Chapter 34. Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and 30 years.
And here we find a situation, beloved young people, that to me seems to parallel our own day.
Here was a time of great declension in the nation of Israel, a time when things were at a very low ebb. Here we find that after a very godly reign by King Hezekiah, his son Manasseh, possibly the most wicked king that Judah ever had, had passed from the scene, and his son Ammon reigned in his stead.
And instead of learning from his father's evil ways.
We read here that this son Ammon, instead of humbling himself, had trespassed more and more.
And into this situation comes a young man, a young boy, we might say, by the name of Josiah.
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And you'll notice that he wasn't born into very favorable circumstances. He didn't come on at a time when things were going well. He came on at a time when things were going badly. He had a most wicked father and a most wicked grandfather who had set the stage for perhaps the worst iniquity that had yet been seen in the Kingdom of Judah.
And yet we find this young king called to the throne.
At the age of only eight years, Ammon was such a wicked king that we find that his father had been assassinated by his own servants. And of course, Josiah ascends the throne at the age of eight years.
Well, as I say, it is a day that parallels our own judgment had been pronounced on that nation of Israel, and God was about to carry it out.
But we'll see what happens to King Josiah.
Verse two of chapter 34.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left.
Oh, beloved young people, to me this is a wonderful encouragement. But here, out of the midst of all that evil, this young son of Ammon, it says he walked in the ways of David, his father. And it doesn't stop there, but it says he declined not either to the right hand or to the left.
What does that mean? Oh, I believe it simply means this, that to tread the Christian pathway.
We have to stay on the road and there's a danger of falling into the ditch on either side.
Now, we don't need to elaborate on what those ditches might be. We know what they are. We know how that people can go off the deep end in one side or on the other side, how that we can get carried away with something on one hand or carried away with something else on the other hand. Here we find one who declined neither to the right hand or to the left.
And how did he do that? Oh, I believe because it says here he walked in the ways.
Of David, his father, he looked to the Lord. And I'd like to speak a word now, particularly to the very young people here.
Because Josiah was only 8 years old when he began to reign.
And in the next verse, it takes him up in the eighth year of his reign when he was 16. So it doesn't say very much about what happened between the ages of eight and 16. But you know, those years were important. Those years were important. And I say to any year this afternoon who are between the ages of eight and 16 that those years are important.
I was just thinking, you know?
And it's been 21 years since I was first privileged to attend a meeting here at Wheaton.
And I was between the ages of eight and 16 at that time.
And you'll forgive me if I say so myself, but I could tell you today things that I heard at that meeting, things that I'm glad to have heard, because the brethren who said them are with the Lord now.
But I was glad to be here, and I know these meetings are long. Perhaps to some of you children, I know that perhaps you find it very hard to sit through them. But remember, these are years when you're laying a solid foundation. We don't read of King Josiah having too much to say during those years. And there's no question that during that time he was advised by older men in the Kingdom as to how to rule.
He didn't take an active part at that age, and rightfully so.
I believe that the Kingdom was probably in the hands of older men, but at the same time, those years weren't wasted. And all beloved young people, beloved children, make it the habit of your life, as Josiah did, to walk in the ways as it says here of David, his father. Make it the habit of your life to read your own Bible.
I'm sure that many of you here come from homes where the Word of God is read every day.
At the breakfast table, and maybe at the supper table as well, or in the evening. And that's well and good. And, you know, when I was young I used to think surely that ought to be enough. But oh, how good it is when we see children, as soon as they're old enough to read, take this precious book and read it.
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For themselves. And so I encourage each one of you children to read the word of God for yourself.
He'll soak it up better than you ever will again, I tell you that from experience.
You'll soak it up better than you ever will again. Go to the meetings with mom and dad.
You'll drink in things that you will perhaps never hear again.
You may not remember at all.
But it will be worthwhile.
The years of eight to 16 have sometimes been called the difficult ages, and they are difficult sometimes. We hardly know whether we're children or whether we're adults or how we're supposed to act. And some of us know a little bit how you feel because we went through it ourselves. And sometimes we're supposed to act like adults and sometimes we're supposed to act like children. At least it seems that way, doesn't it? But, you know.
If our eye is on the Lord, He'll enable us to go through those difficult years.
As he did Josiah. And even if the circumstances aren't too favorable, God will give the grace. Josiah no doubt had a difficult time of it because he didn't have a godly father to help him out like many of you do. He had to go it alone. And maybe you'll have to go some of it alone, but it will be well worth it.
Verse 3.
For in the eighth year of his reign.
While he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David, his father.
Oh, here we find him at the age of 16.
The age of 16.
This is when young people start to feel their own responsibility, start to feel that they should be able to look after themselves a little bit in this country. Most of us begin to drive a car at that age. Most of us be able to get around on our own. Most of us are able to do some things that perhaps weren't possible before, and we begin perhaps to think for ourselves. We begin to question everything that we've heard all our lives up until that point.
We begin to say now I'm ready to start looking on things.
The way I want to.
Well, that's natural, I suppose. And when it came Josiah's turn to do that, what does it say?
He began to seek after the God of David, his father. Oh, how wonderful that is. How wonderful that when it came time for him, you might say, to assert his place as king over the realm, that this was the one he looked to. Oh, what a bright spot in the history of Israel. What a bright spot in this otherwise sad history of declension, to see this young man standing out.
And you know, I tell you, beloved young people, once more.
But if you want to take a stand for the Lord today, you may have to stick out.
You may have to stick out a little bit, and sad to say, you may have to stick out even amongst those who are your fellow Christians.
Yes, you may have to. And I have no doubt that it wasn't easy for Josiah in a day of weakness, with the idolatry that had been set up all around him and people going on with it, it was no doubt very difficult for him to have to stay on the ground of David, his father. But he did so. And so I encourage you, dear young people, those of you that are in your teens now, those of you that are starting to think.
Ourselves, those of you that are starting to say, what shall I do in life? What kind of a position shall I try to obtain? Shall I go to college? Shall I go out and get a job? Oh, let me tell you, the word of God can give you guidance. You know, sometimes we say, how can we know the Lord's mind?
Oh, it says in the Psalms, the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, then that fear Him. One thing, if I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after.
And what was that? Oh, it was to behold the beauty of the Lord.
And only then to inquire in his temple. Oh, I was so glad to see so many young people here this morning to enjoy that precious remembrance of the Lord.
And now, when it comes to go out into the world again, be assured that God has a pathway for you. God has a will for you, and there is not one single thing in your pathway and mine, but that which our Father has a positive will for, if only we look to Him.
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But we must be willing to follow him. Verse 3, continuing on and in the 12Th year, now he's 20. And in the 12Th year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the Groves and the carved images and the molten images.
And they breakdown the altars of Balaam in his presence, and the images that were on high above them he cut down. And the Groves and the carved images, and the molten images he break in pieces, and made dust of them, and strode it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
And so did he in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even unto NAFTA, lie with their Maddox roundabout.
And when he had broken down the altars and the Groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
Here he is 20 years old.
20 is an age, I suppose, when we begin to step out on our own.
You will recall that in the Old Testament the priests were to serve from the ages of 30 to 50, or rather the Levites, but then later on David lowered the age to 25 and eventually even lowered it to 20.
And so it was possible for a Levite to begin to serve at the age of 20. And here we find King Josiah, that age, that age when young people begin to strike out on their own, perhaps you leave home because you're going off somewhere to school. Perhaps even at that age, you start to set up a home on your own. I don't know. But it may be that at that age, you step out from the family home, perhaps, and start to go on for yourself.
What does Josiah do?
Oh, first of all, he says. I've got to get rid of all those images and all this idolatry that is all around me.
Up until that point, no doubt it had grieved his righteous soul to see it all. But now he's prepared to take an active part. And he says, I'm not going to have that kind of thing in the land anymore.
And he starts to tear down. I have often questioned in my own mind as to how and why the people of God in the Old Testament would serve idols so much. I couldn't understand it. Why did they turn aside to idols so often? What ridiculous nonsense it seems to us.
But all if we come to the New Testament, we find out that idols.
Such as we might think of in the Old Testament images and so on do not exist, but yet we're still told to keep ourselves from idols.
And I suggest to you young people and to my own soul that an idol is anything that comes between myself and the Lord. And how easy it is when we get to strike out on our own, when all the world looks good before us, when there are lots of prospects to do well, when we can start, you might say, to acquire things for ourselves, ourselves. How easy it is to become dazzled by idols.
What can an idol be? Just about anything.
Clothes, homes, cars, material things.
Even loved ones, a job, position, prestige, money, you name it, the devil will give it to you whatever you need. As dear Mr. Wigger once said, the devil knows each of us through and through. And he says to himself, this man needs a little money to rob him of the enjoyment of Christ. Well, that's no problem. I can give him a little money because the devil can easily give you the things of this world. And this man, he needs a little prestige.
Him of the enjoyment of Christ, that's fine, I can give him that if he falls for it. And this man, he wants to be wrapped up in his family, in his home, and we can easily manage that. And so an idol can even be those things which naturally are all right in themselves, but which rob us of our enjoyment of Christ.
Here, King Josiah, he dealt with an unsparing hand. You might think that he didn't need to go that far.
Why did he need to burn the bones of the priests on the altars, you say? Why did he need to be so ruthless? After all, he could simply have broken down the images and all those high places and gotten rid of them. But why go so far as to take and burn the bones of the priests on the altars? Oh, I believe that he had the mind of God. And as God's mind and God's heart utterly abhorred those idols, so Josiah said, I'm going to show them beyond any shadow of a doubt.
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That I don't want those things to rise up again, you know, in the history of the children of Israel when they were conquering the land of Canaan.
They didn't drive all of the inhabitants out completely. Some of them they were content to put them in a place of subjection.
Instead of driving them out completely And what happened?
Later on, those nations rose up to trouble them. And I say to you that if you and I.
Are not willing to deal unsparingly with those idols that present ourselves in our lives. They'll rise up to trouble us later on. Oh yes they will. King Josiah dealt with an unsparing hand and it was clear to everyone who saw him that he really meant what he said. And we don't read of those idols being set up again in his time. Well, let's go on to the eighth verse.
Now in the 18th year.
Of his reign now he's 26.
When he had purged the land.
And the house he sent Chaffin, the son of Azalea.
And Maya Sia, the governor of the city, and Joe are the son of Joa, has the recorder to repair the House of the Lord his God.
Oh, the age of 26. Perhaps we're embarking and perhaps a bit established in the life of our own. Perhaps the money has started to come in. Perhaps we have gotten secure in the job that we wanted. Perhaps we have a family and we have a home set up. And now the question comes, what do we do?
This is a young people's meeting, I realized. But I like to think that those of us that might fall into this group of 26 and over could still consider ourselves young people for this time.
And what we're going to say applies to all of us, whether young or old.
But here we find that when he had purged the land, that came first, remember, that came first. Then he sets himself to repair the House of the Lord. All things were pretty bad. The House of God had no doubt fallen into disrepair. And here Josiah is going to repair that house. And I suppose that that would speak to us of turning ourselves toward the assembly.
The assembly. Now I don't mean to suggest that the Assembly of God needs repairing in the sense that the House of the Lord.
Needed it. But I tell you, beloved young people, and especially you young brothers.
That what we need today is young people who will take leadership and responsibility in the assembly. We need those who are willing to step forward and assume responsibility in the assembly. Not that God needs any of us, you know, but if there is to be a responsibility exercised, if there is to be a going on for the Lord, we need young people who are willing to step forward, not in the energy of the.
Not in the sense of, well, it has to be kept going and so I'm going to stand in the breach, but rather having the eye on Christ and seeking to go on for him. And so here he comes to repair the House of the Lord. Now I ask you, beloved young people again, where are your energies directed?
You know, life has become very complicated today. We've said it before, but it bears repeating.
And it is possible for us to get so wrapped up in our own lives and in the business of earning a living, in the business of establishing a home, in the business of everyday life, that there just doesn't seem to be time left for the things of God. I feel it so much in my own soul.
And as someone has remarked, the most subtle things that rob us of Christ are things which stem from necessary duties, from the duties of everyday life, because it is only right and proper that we should attend to those necessary duties. But when we allow them to become so complicated that they shove the things of the Lord to the sidelines, oh, then we need to do something about it. We need to do something about it. We need to set our.
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Priorities.
And so here, Josiah, he had his priorities and he says I want to repair that house.
Of the Lord.
What else did he do?
Going on to verse 14.
And when they brought out the money that was brought into the House of the Lord.
Hilkiah the priest found a book of the Law of the Lord.
Given by Moses.
Verse 19.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
And the king commanded Hilkiah, and a Hikm the son of Shifan, and Abdul the son of Micah, and Schaeffer the scribe, and Asia a servant of the kings, saying, Go inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord to do, after all that is written in.
Book.
All he found the word of the Lord.
That had been lost for many centuries, perhaps, I don't know.
But he found it. And when that godly king heard those words read before him, he was so overcome.
When he saw how far short they had fallen, that it says he rent his clothes.
Oh, I speak reverently. Word to God that there were more of us. I speak to my own heart. Who would rend our clothes morally.
When we see how far we have come, God has seen fit in the last 150 years.
To bring back to us the truth of the church that was lost for centuries, that truth which was searched out by our brethren of a past generation at great cost to themselves. And that truth which we might say has been put into our laps with very little effort on our own. I can remember our love, our beloved late brother George Jones saying to us, he said, you know, we have the truth given to us just like baby food. All we have to do is open.
Promote and swallow it, O beloved brethren, beloved young people. That's true. And here Josiah found that book, and so overcome was he that he reads the book, and the first thing he says, Go and inquire of the Lord.
Oh, the first step towards recovery and restoration was a humbling of themselves. Josiah wanted to follow the Lord. And as I look around you, dear young people this afternoon, I know that you want to follow the Lord. To put it very bluntly, if you have a new life, if you have accepted Christ as your Savior.
You can't help but want to follow the Lord because you have a life that loves to please Him.
But all in the day of ruin, in a day of declension, the first step towards blessing was a realization of how far they had fallen. And I suggest to you, my beloved young people, and to myself and to my dear brethren, but if there's to be any blessing amongst us in these last and closing days of the Church's history, it will have to be through.
Utter humiliation before God concerning how far we have fallen.
Not that we should be occupied with that. I don't mean that in any way, but only to realize.
Our weakness. If we pretend to be that which we are not, then God has to occupy us with failure in order to make us realize where we are. You know, in those churches addressed in Revelation chapter 3, we read of that bright light in Philadelphia, and then we read of the moral darkness of Laodicea. But sad to say.
Laodicea's attitude was I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.
But the Lord had to say, You don't know that you're wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
Oh yes, Josiah and those with him, with right desires and right motives.
Had to own their low state before God, but then what happens?
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Notice in.
Verse 27.
We don't have time to read all of this, so we'll skip over some of it, but here's what hold of the prophetess had to say to Hazard or two. Josiah by the word of the Lord.
Verse 27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God.
When thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and humblest thyself before me, and did strand thy clothes and weep before me, I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord, and notice the encouragement that he gets. Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace.
Neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place.
And upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
Oh, when he humbled himself before God, he got an encouragement. An encouragement, you might say, that was greater than any king before him had ever had. He was told that because his heart was tender, he wouldn't see the evil that would come upon that city and upon that nation. And all beloved young people, you and I have an encouragement.
Too.
We were reminded of it this morning. My brother read that verse.
Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And when he read that verse, I connected it with that verse in the 17th of John. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory. You, beloved young people, beloved brethren, have a hope that this world knows nothing of, and, sad to say, even many in Christendom know nothing of.
There are dear Christians in Christendom whose hearts are failing them for fear.
Thinking for sure that the Church must go through the tribulation, thinking about all the awful things that are likely to come upon us. Looking around at the economic situation in this world and wondering where do we go next and how do we manage things?
Oh, God's Word gives us that encouragement in the address to Philadelphia. Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the earth.
All beloved young people, don't worry about this world. We're going to be snatched away.
Long before the judgment falls. And notice that God gave that word of encouragement to one who was faithful and who had humbled himself.
Every Christian will be caught up when the shout is heard and when the Lord Jesus Christ comes for his own. But some, some will be living in the good of it and will be waiting and watching. Will you be among that number, or are you going to be like some of those?
That our brother in a long past generation once said Brother Heaney, I believe, if I have it right, although of course I don't remember him, said that most of Christendom will be saved.
As it says in the word of God, yet so as by fire just pulled out of the debris.
Before the judgment falls, well, not that we would in any way take a position as being above that, but by the grace of God may we be found not only waiting, but watching. Turn over now to the next chapter, verse or chapter 35. Moreover, Josiah kept the Passover unto the Lord in Jerusalem.
Verse 17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the Passover at that time.
And the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven days.
Now notice this verse especially.
And there was number Passover like to that captain Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet.
Neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Oh, to me this is very precious.
Josiah wanted to keep the Passover.
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I have no doubt that that Passover had been kept in a cursory sort of way.
Perhaps not for some time. We aren't told.
But there was something that characterized that Passover in Josiah's day amid much weakness.
And amid much that perhaps the eye of God.
Could not rest upon.
With joy, as it once had.
Things were in ruin.
There was a giving up.
We know from the book of Jeremiah that the state of the people hadn't really changed all that much.
But yet God's eye looked down on that Passover, and God's eyes said there was number such Passover kept from the days of Samuel the prophet.
Oh, could it be? Could it be that God's eye would pass back over history?
Over the glories of the Kingdom, over the time of David and Solomon, when everything was going on well.
Over other revivals, perhaps in the time of Hezekiah, and in the time of ASA and various others, could it be the eye of God would pass back over all that, and say there was no such Passover kept since the days of Samuel the prophet?
That's what it says.
Beloved young people, as we sat down and remembered the Lord this morning.
I thought of this scripture.
Thought of how God valued that poor feeble people in a day when the judgment was about to fall. None of the glories of Solomon were there.
None of the outward manifestation of power that had existed in the time of David, and yet there was that which was precious.
To the eye of the Lord and to the heart of God.
And whole beloved young people, I tell you.
The numbers are not what counts.
Numbers are not what counts.
No.
Whether our hearts are true to Christ, and once again referring to the address to Philadelphia, God could say.
Thou hast a little strength, and has kept my word, and has not denied my name. Do you come from a little assembly? Do you come where there isn't? From a place where there isn't much fellowship? Do you come from a place where there aren't very many other young people with whom to associate?
All the great things to get our eye on the Lord in the midst.
I trust I may be forgiven for this remark, and I know my dear brethren to whom I refer will forgive me.
But I have had occasion.
A few times.
To visit in parts of the earth where there were not the large numbers that we have here.
And where it would be impossible for them to even muster this large a number if everyone.
Within the area were there and yet there has been a reality at some of those meetings that lifted my soul up so much.
Then I came home with a heart overflowing with joy when I saw how much they value the fact that they were gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Until you, dear young people, I say that if the Lord Jesus Christ leaves us here for a little while longer.
We don't know His coming we feel is just around the corner, but if He leaves us here a little while longer, May God give you the grace and the desire in your heart.
To remember the Lord in his death. To have the heart to be there.
Because he is there. How blessed that is.
What an approbation for God to give in His Word. I don't think Josiah realized that God was going to put this down in His Word like this. But God valued that Passover and He has recorded it for us. And beloved brother and sister in Christ, God has recorded it this morning that you were present at the remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is dear to the heart of God.
And when he sees you present at the remembrance of himself.
He records it and I believe there'll be a reward in a coming day for those.
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Who have valued the place where He is in the midst?
Verse 19.
In the 18th year of the reign of Josiah was this Passover kept?
I wish we could stop there. I wish we could just close the chapter at that point.
And close the meeting.
But the word of God is faithful.
The Word of God doesn't write an autobiography.
Because it isn't an autobiography. As our brother remarked last night, an autobiography includes all the nice things.
And leaves out the failure, but when God writes the record, God in faithfulness.
Gives us everything and this 20th verse to me is one of the saddest verses in the word of God.
After all this.
After all this beloved young people, after all this, it told us that in the 18th year of Josiah's reign.
That's when he was 26. Was this Passover cap?
We read in the first verse or two that he reigned 31 years and if you add the age of 8.
Or the number of eight to that figure we find out that he was 39 when he died, and the account given here in the last part of the chapter is the account of the close of his life.
What happened to those 13 years?
What happened to them all? They're passed over in.
They're passed over in silence, just as the last 40 years of Isaac's life is passed over in silence, and just as various others in the Word of God, sad to say, have parts of their lives passed over in silence.
It doesn't tell us very much.
But things were going into declension.
Notice what happened verse 20 after all this when Josiah had prepared the temple.
Nico, King of Egypt, came up to fight against Car Chemist by Euphrates.
And Josiah went out against him.
But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, Thou King of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have made I have war. For God commanded me to make haste for bear thee from meddling with God, who was with me, that He destroyed thee not.
Nevertheless, Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself that he might fight with him, and hearkened not under the words of Nico from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
And the Archer shot at King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, Have me away, for I am sore wounded. His servants therefore took him out of that chariot and put him in the second chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died.
And was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers.
And all Judah and Jerusalem.
Mourn for Josiah.
As I say, I'd rather have left out this part of the history. The Word of God records it for us.
A sad ending.
To one of the brightest rains in Israel's history.
No doubt Josiah got to thinking that he was doing pretty well.
He no doubt got to thinking that here he'd arrived on the scene.
He'd purged Israel of all those idols in high places. He kept the Passover, he'd restored the Temple, he'd brought out the Book of the Law. He'd had a word of encouragement from the Lord through the prophetess. And I only suggest.
That perhaps, perhaps Josiah thought, maybe, maybe I can restore some of the Gloria to the Kingdom that existed in the time of David and Solomon. David was a warrior king. David was one who never lost a battle that is recorded in the Word of God.
And maybe he thought I should be able to go out and defeat other kings and make Israel's name great in the earth so that we'll have some of the power and prestige that we had in the days of David and Solomon.
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But it wasn't the day for that.
And sad to say, sometimes we, and I include myself in this number. We as young people tend to feel that there should be more power amongst us.
That we should have some of the power that was displayed in the days of the early church and at the days of Pentecost.
That there should be that kind of power exhibited when 3000 souls were saved in one day, when there were miracles performed, when it says great grace was upon them all and everything was in its pristine state.
We can get to thinking that way.
Loved young people, If we get that thought, I suggest that it's not according to the mind of God. Josiah's was a day of declension. It was a day of remnant testimony. And his was to be faithful to the Word of God, but not to try and restore that which had gone before. And I believe it's a mistake for you and I to expect to have the power of Pentecost or to look for things to happen that perhaps we saw happen.
In past generations, no read on the one hand, that David, it says, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep. And then in the book of Ecclesiastes it tells us what is It says, Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this matter.
And so I believe it is a mistake. And we see here that Josiah was found meddling with God.
You might say, how could God take a king like a king of Egypt, a king who was, you might say, an ungodly king, possibly, I don't know, but certainly not of the nation of Israel. And how could God give him a Commission to go out and fight against?
Car Kemish by Euphrates. I say I don't know, but God is sovereign, and if you and I see around us and Christendom today those perhaps whom God is called to do certain things.
I suggest to you that our place is not to meddle with them. Not to meddle with them.
Because we may be found meddling with God.
God may have given them something that's not for us to worry about. Our part is to be.
Faithful to the truth that God has revealed to us if God has revealed truth to you and to me, then it is our responsibility to walk in it, never mind what God may be doing with others outside of our.
Sphere, leave that with the Lord, but let us be faithful to what God has given us. But poor Josiah didn't listen. He didn't listen and he went out to war anyway.
And it says and he died and he died. It takes me back a few years ago.
To a meeting such as this.
Some here will remember the occasion.
When a beloved brother stood up in an open meeting and spoke with much feeling.
About David's lament over Jonathan.
And how he could lament for that beloved friend of his.
Who had died on the battlefield? And he went on to remark about how many dear Christians there were today who were dead on the battlefield.
You won't die like Josiah did if you don't go on for the Lord, but you may be dead on the battlefield.
I look around this room and I see many faces that I know and many faces that I don't know.
But the fact remains that there are faces that I wish I did see, that I don't see, faces that once used to sit in those seats, but are there no longer? Why?
All because.
Because they died.
Morally and spiritually on the battlefield.
They missed the path, sad to say.
Without himself, Will went out on their own.
And they're no longer found.
Where the Lord would have them. How sad.
And notice what it says here. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourn for Josiah.
Some time ago I was talking to a brother older than myself.
And we were talking about someone that we both knew.
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A young person who had gone out into the world and left the meeting.
And he said, you know, he said, you brethren, when something like that happens.
All you do is read the Motor Fellowship and then you forget about them.
And I put down the telephone after that conversation and I said to myself, I hope not, I hope not, I hope not.
Beloved young people, be assured that in our measure and in our weakness and failure.
If you leave.
And go off in a pathway not pleasing to the Lord. Your brethren mourn for you.
Notice in verse 25 it says in Jeremiah lamented for Josiah that godly weeping prophet.
Who no doubt could look upon that young man with all the joy and happiness that an older Christian sees or has when he sees a younger one going on brightly for the Lord? And then to have him fall like this and be taken away, you might say in his prime, How sad.
Beloved young people, if you don't walk in a pathway pleasing to the Lord, your older brethren mourn for you.
Turn over to the Epistle the 2nd Epistle of John for a verse there there.
Dear old brother, now with the Lord, gave me this verse once.
Which I have treasured ever since.
2nd Epistle of John.
In verse eight, Second Epistle of John and verse 8.
Look to yourselves.
Now notice the language here that we that we lose, not those things which we have wrought.
But that we receive a full reward.
Oh, he doesn't talk to them about losing their own reward.
He says.
Will you lose our reward too if you don't go on well?
Oh yes, because those over whom he had labored, those whom he had tried to encourage, to go on for the Lord.
Were the fruit of his labor and he would get a reward in a coming day, but oh, he wouldn't get the same reward.
They didn't go on well.
Neither would they.
Now Josiah will get a reward. He'll get a reward for those 26 years of faithfulness.
We don't lose.
Our reward for what we have done in the past because we fail in the future.
But we may not get a full reward. Verse 25.
And all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations to this day.
And made them an ordinance in Israel. And behold, they are written.
In the Lamentations.
How sad.
But I don't like to end on that note, beloved young people, because as I look around, I feel encouraged as I see so many of you with the desire to be at these meetings. I feel encouraged when I see so many here from all ages, ranging right from the smallest through those difficult ages of eight to 16, through those ages from 16 to 20, through those ages from 20 to 26.
And then some of us that have gotten past that a little.
But all my prayer for each one of you is that you may be found going on, not falling by the wayside, but making those decisions before God and in the light of His precious Word that will keep you in the pathway of faith and with the eye on our Lord Jesus Christ till He come.
I see our time is up, but perhaps we might have time to sing.
Just the last two verses of number one 68168.
Verses four and five, O pardon us, Lord.
That are loved to thy name is so faint.
Worth so much our affections to move #168 verses 4:00 and 5:00.
The Old Paths
Address—C.E. Little
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First of all, I'd like to turn to a verse in the book of Proverbs I've been enjoying.
In my own soul, what our brethren have been bringing before us concerning the four anchors.
And the seven things brought before us.
We just look at Proverbs chapter 24 and verse 21 and we read these words.
My son.
Fear thou the Lord.
And the king.
And I want to call attention to the end of this verse.
And meddle not.
With them that are given to change.
Thinking in the address to the young.
You know, each one of us are children of God, some young, some are young, some are older.
And the attitude in Christendom today, and I'm afraid sometimes in our.
Little gatherings of the twos and threes.
There is a seeking for something new.
Some change must be made in order to go on in our modern.
They shall we say.
Beloved brethren.
This is not necessary. We have the word of God.
And so the warning is given here in the book of Proverbs, and it's a very interesting book. I'm sure you're all aware of the fact that there are 21 Chapters in this book and there's one for each day of the month.
We've suggested to read a chapter, read a proverb each day, very simply done by reading on the first day or today is the is it the second day? Read the 2nd proverb and God has something in it for you.
But further, I was thinking in the epistle to Peter that our beloved brother has just brought before us those seven things. I like to go back there into that first, second Peter chapter, one a little further down in the chapter.
And.
Read verse 12 Wherefore.
I will not be negligent.
To put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established in the present truth, not something new.
Not some innovation, not some change.
But in the present truth, what is the present truth? I believe that our brethren have bringing it, been bringing it before us, the present truth, that which God has revealed.
In his word for us for the very day that we're living in right now, not tomorrow, but today. So Peters exhortation here.
To be established in the present truth, verse 13. Yeah, though I think it meet or fit, as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.
Verse 15. Moreover, I will endeavor that you may be able after my decease.
To have these things always in remembrance. Isn't this blessed? God has not given us some new thing. He wants to establish us in the present truth. Peter had brought these things before them, as our brother has said in his restored life. Now he wrote an epistle. He wrote 2 epistles.
And brings truth before them of course again.
Paul's truth rises above, but Peter brings before us.
The things that are needed for our pathway. Now a Peters ministry takes us through this world and points us to that inheritance up there on high. And so we need the ministry of Peter, but it's a it's ministry that he says you already know, but I want you to remember. I want to bring it to your remembrance.
00:05:02
And you know, beloved brethren, in order to remember.
Something.
The thought of remembrance brings before something that we've already learned, something that we presently know. And so Peter's ministry is brings us before us. He says. I will put you not be negligent, negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things.
And so when we've had the thought of remembrance, isn't it true to that as we remember the blessed Savior in his death?
That thought is remembrance, isn't it? We look back at Calvary's cross and we see that Blessed One who bore the judgment for us. We remember him as he was there. We know he's glorified now at God's right hand. He's seated on the Father's throne, awaiting the moment when he will come to take his own throne and share that throne with his own beloved Saints. But how precious to know that.
He says remembrance. That is, we go back in our memory, and we remember him as he was here, that man that hung up on Calvary's cross, with those blessed hands nailed there, and his head crowned the thorns. We remember him in those hours of darkness, though we can't penetrate them. But here Peter wants us to be established in the present truth.
Remember, he says.
The things though, ye know them now. I'm sure there isn't one in this audience.
That hasn't heard all of these things before. We've all heard them over many, many, many years.
But how much of it do we remember? God would have us to be established in this.
Not just to.
Well, we're gathered to the Lord's name, to the name of the Lord Jesus, and this is a different day than it was when the church was born on the day of Pentecost, as we've had in Acts chapter two. Different today we need to.
In inject some new ideas, some new forms or ceremonies, something else to excite more well, the apostle Peter says.
I will put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them.
It isn't something new He's bringing out. He wants to tell us of the old, old paths, the old truth, and be established in that. What is it to be established? Stand firm in that which we know to be the truth of God. Not new things, not ideas, not innovations, not thoughts of our own.
You know man's thoughts. Our thoughts are not his thoughts.
And neither are his thoughts our thoughts. But I thought, how precious it is that our brethren bringing before us those anchors that are so necessary for us to anchor us and fasten us in the truth, Not anchored in some tossed area, but anchored firmly in the truth of God.
And so here he says, though ye know these things.
And be established in the present truth. And so Peter was on his way. He was leaving, he was going to leave this world. And he says here, yeah, I think it in verse 13. As long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance. We need to be stirred up as to the truth of God. Does it mean anything to us?
Is there anyone here who is just sort of drifting along and saying, well, if I go to the meetings, that's perhaps?
A good place to go and there's there's quietness there and so on. But does it mean anything to you? Have you been stirred up?
As to know personally contact with the blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus, to whom we are gathered.
That one Peter could say to to whom shall we go? It was the person of Christ, wasn't it? He was gathered to him and so with us and put you in remembrance and stir you up. And then he says in verse 15, well, 14 tells us that he must shortly put off. I must put off my Tabernacle, even as the Lord Jesus has showed me.
We know how the death was before him, that is his leaving this scene, his deceased.
00:10:04
Verse.
Well, verse 15 moreover.
I will endeavor that she may be able, after my deceased, to have these things always in remembrance. Isn't that blessed after my decease? Peter has been long gone. The apostles and many of our beloved brethren have been long gone. But what was the truth? What was, what were the things that they brought before us?
All the truth of God, that which was basic, which was fundamental.
Which was necessary to keep us in the place that God has chosen. The Lord has chosen to place His name there. If you carefully read through the book of Deuteronomy, you will find that over 21 Times in that book, the name the place the Lord says in the place where I have chosen to place my name there. This beloved brother is present truth.
Not some new idea, but something that Peter would keep before us.
And again, Peter didn't take us as far as Paul did. Paul takes us right into the glory, doesn't he? Peter takes us up to that and says, you have an inheritance. It's undefiled that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you. But while we're here, we need to be established now in the present truth, that which God has given us.
Not what we think.
Not what others think, not what we read on some of these book stands. We need to read ministry.
Of those gathered together unto the precious name of the Lord Jesus, we need ministry. We need the ministry of the Apostle Paul and Peter and those in our early days who walked in the path.
And walked in the enjoyment of the present truth. And so we find here we just like to refer in closing to a verse over in Jeremiah.
Chapter 6.
Jeremiah and verse 16. Now I'm not seeking to.
Bring something that you haven't heard before. These are all truths.
And that's the old established word of God, isn't it? And so in Jeremiah 6, verse 16, thus saith the Lord.
Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths.
Where is the good way? And walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls.
Well, I'm not going to read the end of that verse just now, but isn't it? Isn't this lovely? The Lord says, this is Jehovah here saying, stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths. Wherein is the good way? This is God's way.
Their old paths and their established paths. And it says and walk therein, I believe, beloved brethren, again repeating.
Walk is very, very important.
You know we have much in our heads, we know many things, we know many doctrines. But what is our walk? Does it comport with that which we know?
Well, here, he says, walk therein, walk in the old paths.
And it says, And ye shall find rest for your souls. You know, I have found this in my experience, and you perhaps have too, that those who are seeking some new thing or seeking to inject some new idea.
Their restless souls. They're not happy, they're restless.
But if we rest in the old paths and the truth of God and the good way, we find rest.
It's peace and rest for the soul. We're resting in the truth of God, in that which God has established. For just in closing we see here, but they said we will not walk therein. This is a sad, sorrowful statement.
Oh, I just pray that there isn't one here today that would have that thought.
00:15:03
We will not walk. We want something different, we want something new. We want to change.
All, beloved, God's Word will never change. And all the unbelief.
And all the ideas of men will never change the truth of this precious book. It remains intact, it remains firm, it remains sure, it remains solid. And so how lovely it is to be able to follow the injunctions, as we have in Peter, to remember the old paths.
To stand in the good way and to walk therein.
Well, I'm sure that no one is unfamiliar with the truth of God here.
So we can stand in the ways that which is the good way and walk therein. And you know what happens? We're in a path then that pleases God. Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him. Then we read he had this testimony that he pleased God. He didn't walk in some new ideas.
He walked in the old ways, and this is what God wants.
For each one of us.