Chicago Conference: 1989
Table of Contents
Open Mtg.
Open Mtg.
David Failure and Restoration
Address—R. Pilkington
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
I'd like to speak about failure only in the sense of maybe connecting it a little bit to yesterday's talk on overcoming failure is a very negative subject.
But I wish to talk of it in a positive way. I don't know what there is positive.
About failure? None. I suppose. On the other hand, there is.
I wish to think of failure in the sense of what is your.
Reaction to failure.
What is my reaction to failure when I find it within my life? So who would you use as an example of failure from scripture, ironically enough.
Why not use the man who was called?
A man after God's own heart? Probably first reaction would be what? Man after God's own heart? No failure there. Oh yes, there was.
Very serious failure. I would like to, as I say, consider David's reaction to failure. Of course, the greatest failure, David.
I shouldn't make that statement. I can't substantiate it.
Because all sin is sin and just as serious in God's sake.
But what we might consider the greatest failure in David's life, of course, was the sin of adultery with another's wife in Chapter 11.
In the background, because our time is short this afternoon, the background be behind this would be that.
David is on the roof and he's looking down. He sees a beautiful woman. The armies are at war and he's at home relaxing. This is quite a challenge to each one of us.
Actually.
Sometimes the most dangerous area in our life is leisure. What do you do with leisure time? One brother made the remark. I think it was this morning.
Things right in their own place.
If the heart gets set on them, then they become a snare and eventually a sin. So he has his leisure time. He doesn't spend it properly.
He looks down, he sees a beautiful woman, and he desires her.
He takes her, lies with her, commits the sin. Sins can happen very quickly when we're not close to the Lord. Was that the end of the story? No, God never allows you to escape.
With sin in your life, it's like a rotten apple. It can only get more rotten with time if you don't deal with it with the Lord. So he calls Uriah.
But she was husband Mac pretence of asking about the battle.
Very devious, his ways says go on home and lay with your wife.
I don't know if I'm right inferring this. Seems to me if that could happen then he could claim that the child belonged to Uriah. But one thing is very certain that you can't get away from the Lord. He loves you too much.
And God would not allow David to get away and cover up his sin like that. Then he, because he arrived, will not listen to him. He gets your eye drunk.
Figures if he gets drunk enough he doesn't know what he's doing, he'll probably go home and lay with his wife.
Cover up the same same way doesn't work, thank God.
He never lets me away with anything in my life. Then he resorts as my memory comes to me. If I serves me right, has a little plan.
Very careful covering over his sin.
Right goes into battle, gets in the forefront.
Army pulls back.
Your eyes killed your brother and sister, so I think about.
David, a man after God's hand, a heart.
Could it be that he would sink to such depths as this?
Devious ways, I think we find it repugnant, Your brother and sister. It hurts, it really hurts to see somebody who had the title of a man after God's heart to sink into sin like that. Not a sort of being caught off the guard, but a insistence.
That he was going to commit that sin and that he was going to cover up. So Uriah is killed, and then David goes and takes Bathsheba. A little boy is born.
From the relationship of adultery, your brother and sister where was gone? Why did it not God jump out?
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Had David.
He lets him go.
That's what really frightens me.
About sin.
And maybe in my own life, if we let.
Things go.
And we insist on our own will.
Sometimes God says leave them alone, let them go right to the very end.
How important it is?
In failure.
As soon as we discover it.
To come to the Lord Jesus, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and justice to forgive us our sins.
So God leaves the failure go right to the very end.
Now there is no way of refuting.
A little child is born, and so God.
Says the Lord sent chapter 12 and verse one it says the Lord sent Nathan.
Nobody.
As far as I can see.
As far as it's recorded in Scripture, nobody.
Was appalled by what David did. There must have been somebody who knew about it.
Moreover.
The Lord sent Nathan. It wasn't like we were talking about a little while ago.
That we become so concerned about a brother and sister when we see weakness.
Then in tears, we go to that person. It hurts us too much to see that person going on in a path.
That is going to eventually end in sin.
But here the Lord himself is faithful, and he sends Nathan.
He tells a little story.
About a lamb.
Little lamb a rich man and the poor man that had little lamb and how the rich man steals the poor man's little lamb In verse five of chapter 12, David's anger was greatly kindled against the man.
And he said to Nathan, as the Lord liveth.
The man had done nothing. This thing shall surely die.
And he shall restore the Lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
Know what I look for in my own personal life as a weathervane to see which wind the blow the wind is blowing.
Health finding.
Criticism. David is quite hard on this man, he said. He's going to die, he's going to simply pay back four full.
When you get away from the Lord, we start criticizing people. You really get hard on people.
But there's basically something wrong with us.
Nathan quietly says 4 words. Thou art the man.
You're the man. Does David try to?
Think of it, David, powerful king.
He could easily simply say chop that man's head off. It's an arrow conviction to his heart. He has no more excuses. He never did. I suppose he just had devious ways trying to cover up. But when he's found out, he quietly admits.
With no excuses, I want to you to notice what God says. This is what I want to say to my heart and yours this afternoon above failure. How does God consider it? How other people consider it?
Please don't think when you see failure in your own life, sweep aside.
How other people think about it. In one sense, the word, I don't really mean that, OK, but you'll understand what I'm trying to say. Sweep aside of what other people say about it. Come into God's presence yourself and look at the thing as God looks at it, and that will produce real repentance in your heart.
And mine. So here's what God says. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel. I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, and I gave thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah.
And if that had been too little, I would more moreover, have given thee such and such things. Why hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to the evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and has taken his wife to be thy wife, and has slayed him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from thy house.
Thine house, because thou despisest me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hidayat to be thy wife.
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Thus saith the Lord, be Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wise before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sin, for thou didst it secretly. But I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. Now this is God's response. In a minute we see David's response. But it seems to me, having read all of those verses.
That what God is saying to him.
I blessed you. I delivered you from Saul.
And my blessing came fully on you.
And as soon as it touches my sense of humor, then he says a little phrase he said to him in verse 8.
If that had been too little.
That have been too little.
I would, moreover, have given unto these such and such things.
Dear young people, this is really, I suppose, for all of us. God has blessed us, first of all with those of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. We have eternal life, sins forgiven. We have the Word of God.
We have the Holy Spirit to open up this book and really give us guidance.
And give us very precious things to make us enjoy God's love, the Lord is saying, is not enough.
That's OK.
Isn't that enough? That's OK, I can give you more.
If that's not enough, I'll give you more. There are certain needs in our lives as a human being. We need to relax. We need a partner in life. We need a job.
We need brothers and sisters in Christ to walk with and to encourage us, David said. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
Not in this chapter.
David thought he could. He needed something more than God had given to him.
And failure is not necessarily.
Disobeying the 10 commandments.
Failure comes in our lives when we grab things that God is not given to us.
Is there anything wrong with feeling the need of a wife or a husband or a friend?
Is there anything wrong with needing fellowship of brothers and sisters? Do you need it?
Why don't you ask God? Don't steal from God. He doesn't pay. It only brings as it did in David's life.
Pain and suffering to both him.
And his family. So I would encourage you, dear brother and sister in Christ, don't steal from God.
If you feel a need in your life.
You ask him for it.
And he will either give it to you.
Or he will fulfill that need.
He will satisfy that need. Now. David's reaction.
How does David?
React lots of excuses.
Verse 13 David said to her, under Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord.
What else does he have to say?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Could it be in our mind's eye that we stand in the presence of David? He's confronted with his sin.
And so if we can see David standing there speechless.
With only four words I've seen against the Lord. No excuses, no explanations. Dear brother or sister in Christ, as we are before the Lord in this conference, maybe even in this meeting if you are conscious.
Our little secret things in your life.
Come quietly and stand before the Lord if you cannot get full peace and rest in your heart.
About something in your life, you bring it to the Lord this afternoon.
If you are conscious.
Of an area in your life where you have stole from God.
Come quietly, you yourself and justice. Tell him I've said Lord against you. No excuses, no exclamations. I just want you to know I've sinned against you this afternoon. So the Lord forgives him and that's the end of it, no?
Because there is such a thing.
In our lives.
His God's government is called.
Such a thing in our lives as God saying you can't escape from the consequences of your action.
You're going to pay for it now in a very real way. And so in our story.
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Nathan in verse 13.
And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin. Thou shalt not die. First of all, God doesn't strike us dead. God does not wipe us off. God does not dismiss us from his mind because we have sinned. But there are consequences.
Is what what we read now? But first thing you must get clear in your mind, if you have sinned before the Lord, if you stole something from Him.
He doesn't write you off and say OK after this you're a second class Christian.
OK, after this, you're not going to get as much blessing. I'm not going to bless you as richly as somebody else. But we do suffer consequences.
When we allow sin in our light.
And so the first thing he said, you won't die.
The Lord has put away your sin. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
And their cleanses from our iniquity. So that's the first thing. Second thing.
Verse 14 however, however, I trust dear young person, dear older, middle-aged, or older brother and sister.
That.
There won't be a however in your life, dear young person. I desire and the Lord desires far more than I do.
That there may be no howvers in your life. That he might feel quite free to bless your life.
That there might be no consequences of sin in your life in this example that we are dealing with.
It is adultery, a very serious sin in God's sight. Extremely serious, because as far as I know.
The sin of adultery. Fornication Sin of adultery.
In a spiritual sense.
Spoils one of the most beautiful.
The Bible and that is the relationship between Christ and the Church.
He is the husband and wife relationship.
And so David Sin is a very serious one, but I'm not thinking of it this afternoon in the sense that.
You know the sin of adultery. I'm just saying sin itself.
Is a very serious thing in the sight of God.
So he says in this verse, however.
Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord, to blasphemy.
The child also that is born unto thee, shall surely die. He can't escape the consequences of sin in his life, and God deals with him with it.
And so, he said, the child is certainly going to die.
And Nathan verse 14.
Verse Right. Verse 15 Nathan departed from his house, and the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bear unto David, and it was very sick.
Where is David's reaction?
Does he rebel?
Does he say if you're going to do that to me, God?
I'm going to fight you to the end. No he doesn't. The young person. God wants to bless you.
Very greatly in your life.
He wants to satisfy all of your needs. He wants you to put you in a position where you will be fruitful and very happy. Don't steal from God. Seek to go to Him for guidance in your life. Be honest with Him and tell him your needs. Because God said to David if you thought you needed more, I sure could have given it to you.
God is not a selfish God. This is what happened in the Garden of Eden.
Satan was trying to tell Eve that God was holding back something.
For himself.
But the truth was, God knows what's good for us and what is not good for us. And so that little child.
He's very sick. And what's David's reaction verse 16? First of all, his first reaction is he confesses it with no excuses or explanation. He simply says I have sinned against the Lord. His second reaction is probably towards the consequences of his sin. And in this verse 16, they were therefore besought God for the child, and they were fasted and went in and lay all night.
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Upon the earth and the elders of his house, they want him to eat bread, but he refuses. And then they start talking. And David perceives in verse 19 that their child is dead. And he asked them, is the child dead? And they said he is dead.
Verse 20 Then David rose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the House of the Lord in worship, And then he came to his own house, and when he required, they set bread before him, and did eat.
Seems like a very strange reaction.
He lies on the ground, he fasts, he begs God.
Give me what I want.
Please give me.
The child, the fruit of what he stole from God. God said you can't have it.
That was his discipline against David. David did not rebel.
And I want to show you what's behind this strange behavior of David.
The servants ask him, what N are you doing in verse 22 is his explanation and he said while the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, who can tell whether God will be gracious to me?
That the child may live, but now he is dead. Wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. When we sin, we steal from God.
That is at the basis of sin in our lives. We are stealing something that God has not given to us.
There are certain sins that are simply against God's holiness, but there are certain sins where we're simply stealing something that God didn't give to us.
Whatsoever is not of faith.
Is sin and the thing that comforts my heart is his verse, he said. Who can tell?
God is a very gracious God, and maybe he'll give me that little boy.
But he didn't rebel, he said the boy's gone now. He accepted it from God's hand. If you find consequences from sin in your life.
Two things. First of all, accept the consequences.
Second thing I wish for you and I.
That even when there is failure in our lives, that we might get a hold of one thing.
And that is that God is gracious. He is gracious. He is not someone who is out to steal your happiness or your fun.
Or anything else in life. He has the power to give it. He has the power to hold it back.
Pray God that you and I.
May have a deep sense of confidence in him. The Lord is gracious. The Lord is gracious. And when you have something that you feel you really need and you cannot do without.
Quietly come to the Lord Jesus and tell Him you need it.
In quiet humility.
And.
What He has for you, He may give it to you, and if He does, your heart will be filled with praise.
And if he holds it back?
He will comfort your heart.
And fill the knee.
Let me turn just for a second to some.
51 which is David's reaction.
Psalm 51 it says, Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, and according and according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgression. This is David. What went on in his heart when Nathan pointed the finger and said, David, you're the man.
That did.
Such.
A horrid thing. You're the man.
And David pours out his heart to the Lord here and said, Have mercy on me, Lord, according to Thy loving kindness, and according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgression. Do you have a sense of His loving kindness in your life? We sang the 1St hymn 71 a very special hymn to me and it speaks of inside of Calvary.
I've learned my guiltiness when I come to carefree. I learned the loving kindness of God.
And I learned how dirty and repugnant is sin. And as I stand at the cross and see my Saviour on the cross.
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Especially if I have sin in my life and God has called me up short.
There was one time, specially in my own personal life.
And a thing that hurt me most.
Was thinking about the needle. Needlessness of sin.
When you say, see the Lord Jesus hanging on the cross, his head is bowed, nobody can understand the anguish of his heart. And I think it says the second Peter, he bore my sin, God taking those sins, those filthy dirty sins and quietly putting them on the Lord Jesus.
In one sense of the word, holly must have shrunk.
From those filthy dirty sins being laid on him and then Gods judgment.
God simply shuts out the light.
It's too sacred a sin.
That anybody?
Should gaze with curious eyes.
On the anguish.
Savior as he quietly bowed his head.
And stroke after stroke.
For your sins and for mine fell upon that spotless 1.
Verse two washed me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
A desire to be clean again. Do you have a desire to be clean again this afternoon if there is a secret sin in your life?
You will enter into David's longing to be clean again.
For I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me.
Think of David.
As conviction came into his soul and he reviewed that whole devious path that led to the killing of Uriah, it must have been a really hard thing to take. It must have just been a broken man, because it says down below about brokenness.
Do you think he could ever?
Boast again? I don't think so.
If he had, he had forgotten his sin. My sin is ever before me. And then he says, 4 verse four against thee, and the only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight?
That when thou mightest be justified, thou mightest be justified, when thou speakest to be clear, when thou judgest against thee and the only.
Just a sense that it's not against other people, not against the meeting, but between you and the Lord personally. Verse 5A, Sense of the old nature.
Of the old nature.
Weakness.
Becomes failure.
When we don't bring it to the Lord.
Weakness becomes failure when we don't bring it to the Lord.
If we come quietly and confess our weaknesses to the Lord, He is able to help us to rise above. He fills us with His power to quietly rise above that weakness that you and I don't seem to be able to conquer.
Do you have a weakness that threats to become a sin quietly come into the Lord's presence this afternoon and say, Lord Jesus, I feel a deep need for something. It's my weakness. Could you give it to me please? Or could you fulfill?
That weakness for me.
I don't have time. Verse six is the truth and the inward parts. It's not a show. It's really in the inward parts. And that's why David said against thee, and the only have I sinned.
A deep sense that he had offended the Lord.
Sin against the Lord.
And then verse 7.
Purging with hyssop so that he'll be clean again. Verse 8.
The deep need for joy and gladness again.
To retain, to obtain once again the joy and the peace of being a Christian now, of quietly walking near to the Lord.
But sin will hinder this. Verse 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. O God, thou wilt not despise. Verse 16. For thou dost not desire sacrifice, else would I give it.
Thou delightest not in a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, and a broken and a contrite harm. O God, thou wilt not despise. Is what God is looking for in each one of us a broken spirit?
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This is why God allows weaknesses.
To come to the surface in our light sins.
So we might become aware.
In a human way, how weak we are.
And that makes us more soft towards the Lord.
And against our brothers and sisters in Christ have no time, but I recommend.
To your quiet reading.
Tonight.
Two things.
Would like you to read them over quietly.
Or leave it to some other time. Just be by yourself quietly and consider them.
Go on this topic, how do we respond to failure?
Do we excuse it, explain it away, or do we bring it into the presence of the Lord?
When David.
Son Absalom chases him out. There's a man who runs along the hilltops cursing him.
Look at his attitude. Here is attitude.
Quiet acceptance of the result of his sin.
I also recommend to you.
Another little passage, if you could go through it quietly, praying by yourself. And that is when David numbered the people he sinned against, sinned again.
And God came to him only this time it's very interesting. He came to himself very quickly this time and he didn't need a prophet coming to him to accuse him, but he simply said to God, I have sinned against thee. And in that story the people had to suffer for Davis mistake. Of course, there's an aspect where it says that the people had sinned and David moved, Satan moved. I've forgotten how they they exact whatever it was. David committed the sin the people.
Had also done wrong, but the people suffered for David's mistake.
This is another area in our life failure, where sometimes we fail and those around us have to suffer for our weakness or for our sin. Look at David's tender spirit to the Lord, his brokenness.
He just broken down, he said. Please, Lord.
Don't allow these people to suffer.
I take the responsibility fully and wholly for this mistake, his tenderness towards God and his confidence in the graciousness of God. And in that story God gave him three choices. He said you made a mistake. OK, I'm going to give you 3 punishments so you can choose from Do you know what? Do you know what David chose?
Brother in Hong Kong pointed this out to us.
Said he didn't choose anything. He didn't choose anyone of the three punishment, he only required one thing and he said, Lord, I want to go into your hands.
And not into any other. If you want to punish you, punish me, please. But I won't fall. I don't want to fall into the hands of men.
He had tremendous confidence in the Lord. And so I encourage you that if you find failure or sin in your life, bring it to the Lord.
Never lose a sense of confidence in His loving kindness and His care for you.
And David knew the seriousness of sin. He wouldn't accept a gift to make atonement for the sin in that story. He paid it for himself.
So I desire for those of us, perhaps I haven't spoken very clearly this afternoon, but if you could give us some quiet thought and prayer that.
When there is failure and there is sin, he liked David, who had tremendous confidence in God's loving kindness. He was not, he was not a person who takes God's loving kindness for granted or use God's kindness, but he did have tremendous confidence in God's love for him.
And may each one of us find in that area in our life, when we come across failure in our own lives and weakness, that we might have that tremendous sense of, of, of confidence in God's love for us, that we might have a tender spirit towards others, and that we might walk quietly together in God's great loving kindness for us. Let's pray.
Treasures in Heaven
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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.
Matthew, Chapter 13.
And verse 44.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like under treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
And then in Matthew chapter 6, verse 19.
Laying out up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves breakthrough and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, Or where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And just one other verse in Second Corinthians chapter.
For Two Corinthians chapter 4.
Verse 6.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasury in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distress. We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed.
Just thought of these three passages, brethren, in connection with that theme about treasures. Isn't this lovely in the 13th chapter of Matthew where the Lord is Speaking of the similitudes of the Kingdom of heaven? That is what would take place during His absence.
Until the time that all would be ordered according to his mind and will and it says here it's like on the treasure hid in a field. All we're told in this chapter that the field is the world and I think this is most amazing thing that God should speak of us as being a treasure. Our brother was talking to us in the meeting this afternoon and how well we're appointed with the failures of our own hearts and lives. God's graciousness.
Restoring. But isn't it blessed for us to think that the Lord found a treasure in US, and as he looks down upon this room, in spite of all that we are, He looks upon us as a treasure, a treasure for which He was willing to give himself. I believe the thought of this can't help but touch our hearts. That creates a response because it says the love of Christ.
Constraineth us that we should not live unto ourselves.
But unto him who died for us, and rose again. Surely, as I say, if we think of ourselves, we hang our heads, and we say, Why would He ever find delight in me whatever? What did He find in me that He wanted? But it says there was a treasure hit in the field. How much did the Lord give for that treasure? We see things that we value, and we think, is it really worth it? I would I be willing to pay so much for that thing?
Is that a sufficient treasure to me that I'd be willing to pay that price? How much did the Lord give for you? And I, the beloved apostle, could say, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me? And I want each one of our hearts, brethren, this afternoon to get hold of this.
And I wanted for myself to how much we mean to the Lord, how dear we are to Him.
That he went all the way to Calvary and paid the price in full in order that we might belong to him. And so the apostle could say, you're not your own, you're bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. I believe, brethren, that there's no greater.
Constraining power than to think of what we really meant to him and how much he gave for us. When someone gives us something that has cost them a great deal.
Why? It means a lot to us. Perhaps the thing itself is not as important as the fact that it costs this person so much, whether it's labor or money, whatever it may be, that they thought that much of us, that they would be willing to pay such a price just to give something to us. But the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
I know a brother and he had a text hanging on his wall, that very one.
The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me, a business acquaintance came in to visit him in his home and to talk over some business. And when this man stepped out of the room, this businessman who was not a saved man, just kept looking at that text hanging on the wall. The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. And when my friend came back again, he said to him, Do you really believe that?
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Oh, he said, I certainly do. He said, no wonder you're happy, No wonder you're happy. And brethren, that's true. It says there was a treasure hid in this field, this field as we know the world, the world with all its system, the world with all its confusion, the world with all its sin. And the Lord looked down and He has a personal love for you. He gave Himself for you. We know that He loved the Church and gave himself.
But it's very blessed when we lay hold of it personally for ourselves. What was the effect in the life of the apostle Paul? Well, when he realized that, why he was willing to give up everything in order to follow that blessed one. He didn't place himself under a certain code of rules or how much he had to give. He didn't say it. Well, I should give a 10th. No, he was. He gave himself.
And he valued the fact that it says of the Corinthians, they first gave themselves to the Lord.
So isn't this very beautiful? The treasure hid in a field for which he gave it, it says.
Which in a man hath found he hideth, And for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, And buyeth that field notice he hideth he caused. The thought of this produces separation, just like in marriage. Maybe a person has been very popular with a number of people, but when they realize that this particular person really wants them for their own.
And then it produces separation. They belong to that person. They love to be with them.
Their relaxation and their joy to be in their company. And isn't this beautiful?
Whom for the joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath. Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. He brought out his Father's heart, He did his Father's will, and that will was your blessing. And so that well known verse in Nehemiah says, the joy of the Lord is your strength. It's not our joy in the Lord.
You know what will give you an eye strength to go on to think that the Lord is finding joy in it. Did you ever do something for a friend? And you're looking forward to the time that that friend is going to see that thing that you have done and they're going to really admire it. They're going to love it. And you say, well.
It's worth all, it's worth all the effort just to do that and see what what's on their face when they look at what I've done. Well, what is it that will keep us going on? The joy that the Lord is going to have when He has all His own around himself. He'll present us to the Father's house, brethren, with singing for the joy thereof. And that joy the Lord is waiting for when He's going to have that which for which He gave.
With him now he's hiding us, we're hidden in this field, so to speak, but there's a good day coming when he's going to joy over his own with singing and rest in his love. So this is perhaps we might say the starting point. And in that 6th chapter of Matthew that we read, the Lord says here.
In the 19th verse, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.
Where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves breakthrough and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, Than where your treasure is there where your heart be also. Now we have an opportunity to lay up a treasure. The Lord found a treasure in us, a treasure that was sufficient to make him willing to give himself for us, and to look forward to the day when He'll see of the travail of his soul.
Be satisfied, but we also have the privilege of laying up a treasure.
Now that which is going to be manifested someday at the judgment seat of Christ, a life that in some little measure responded to his love, because the Lord is going to review our lives. And one of the most wonderful verses to me is that verse in Second Corinthians chapter, First Corinthians chapter 4, where it says, and then shall every man have praise of God.
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I can certainly understand why I should praise him, but why he should praise me? That's totally beyond my mind.
But it says that every man shall have praise of God, and that as he looks over your life and mine, every little thing that you and I did for him out of love and in obedience to His word, it says we'll have praise of God. I say, brethren, is it worth it to lay up our treasures in heaven? We can get a lot of praise for what we do down here, and it's nice, too, when we do recognize what others do. That's right and proper.
But isn't it more important? Everything here fails to lay up treasure in heaven, where moth and rust don't corrupt. And so many of us have laid up things down here, and they've been a disappointment.
Class was graduating in high school and the man who was addressing them said never set your sights high enough that you can attain to because you'll never be happy when you've attained to it.
The door will not be in possessing the thing, the joy will be in striving for it. When you get it, it will be a disappointment. And so it is with everything here, brethren. Moth and rust corrupt. Many of us have thought, wouldn't it be wonderful when I get that when we got it, it wasn't all that we expected at all, but all those treasures in heaven, to have the Lord Jesus say that He's pleased with something that we did for Him.
To have praise of God.
Is it worth to lay up our treasures in heaven? And then the Lord adds that little comment, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also? He doesn't want just lip service. He doesn't want us just following certain rules. He wants that which comes from the heart. And so for your treasure is there will your heart be also. Think I can repeat a little thing that my father used to say to us at home, he said.
We can have as much of Christ as we want, and our lives show how much we want.
We know that we can have as much as we want because He's willing to bless us more abundantly than we ask or think. He really has for us far more than our little hearts can contain. But our lives show how much we want. Do we? Do people really recognize in our lives, brethren, that Christ is the object? I don't believe we should go around telling them. I think that's all.
Self to say I want to do this and I want to do that, but I believe that our lives are what speak.
And it says where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And the Lord would have us to set our hearts on things above those things that are really lasting, those things that are really abiding. And if going away from these three days or 2 1/2 days of meetings have the result that the joy that we have found, that the Lord has found a treasure in US.
Fills our hearts to the point that we want to live for Him and we want to lay up our treasures, not on earth.
But in heaven, then they have accomplished the purpose that the meetings were arranged that we should be drawn closer to him that in this world would be living as those who are not like the people of the world. And the third chapter of first John. It says, therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not the world will understand if you're living for things that are seen you'll they'll say you're a wise person. You're really.
Shrewd, and they'll understand that. They'll praise you for it. But if you're living and I'm living for what is unseen and eternal, they won't understand because they have no such motivation in their life. They don't see that the Lord finds a treasure in his own. They don't see what it is to lay up treasure in heaven. All that's very dim to them as we grow older.
We get papers that continually trying to encourage us.
To still try and find pleasure in life in this world and really live for things down here. Because don't let the fact that you're getting old dim the fact that you're living for things here. All brethren, isn't it lovely that as we get toward the end of the journey, which is that much closer to where our treasure really is, it's up there in the glory. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
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And then the last one that we looked at is in Second Corinthians chapter 4.
Says they are for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, as verse 6, pardon me, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not.
In despair.
Could I illustrate it something like this? You have a gift that you want to give to a person, but you don't want them to get occupied with a nice box it's in. So you say, I'm just going to put it in an old cardboard box because I don't want them to get occupied with the box. I want them to get occupied with this treasure, this gift that I'm putting inside. And then they'll just throw away the box and they'll enjoy the treasure that's inside. And you know God does that with us, brethren.
He allows things in everyone of our lives that break us down.
Troubles, sorrows, difficulties, disappointments, all kinds of things because he wants to bring out the treasure. And we see a brother and maybe things were going along quite nicely in his life, quite smoothly. And then a big disappointment comes and you see the treasure that was inside, all that that he seemed to have outwardly that looked very.
Shall I say successful and nice? It all fades in a moment.
See the treasure that's inside, that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. You can honor a man because he's been successful in his farming or in his business or in something that he has attained for perhaps. But when all those things fade, then you find what's inside the treasure in the earthen vessel. And God allows these difficulties and troubles that come into our lives and the world of sun.
And they can understand that we should enjoy the natural things. And as our brother said, it's not wrong to enjoy them providing they're kept in their place. But the world looks on and said, as they said to our brother Stan Dodds, when he had his disappointment and sickness, and they said you have something, you have something. They saw the treasure in the earthen vessel. And God allows these things as it says here.
He caused the light to shine out of darkness.
And he gave to us the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord in our hearts, that the world said, well, they have to get a good job. They have to provide for their homes the same as we do. They have to go to the store and buy a night's clothes like ourselves. Then they saw a problem come into your life. They saw a disappointment, but they saw a sickness. Then what did they see? Did they see that there was something inside?
Well, God allows that. That's the way it was with Gideon.
People around would have known that there was those lights in the earth and vessels, but when the earth and vessels were broken and 300 shining torches shone out in the darkness, the Midianites ran and fled. They realized that there was something there. And brethren, the Lord allows these things. May we have grace when the trials and difficulties of life come, when He upsets and the disappointments that it's only an opportunity that He has given.
That this light, this treasure that he put in the earthen vessel should shine out and be a testimony in this world. So I say again, I saw a treasure in the field. It was you and I. He gave all that he had for us because he wanted us. He's going to see if the travail of his soul and be satisfied. And now he says, I'm going to give you the privilege the rest of your life of laying up treasure in heaven.
So that you can live and I can live.
With a different view than the man of the world who's only thinking of this earth. But we can lay up our treasures in heaven. And then he's going to say, I am not going to give you anything that you can glory in in yourself. Not going to give you anything that you can boast about because I may give you like I gave the apostle Paul a thorn in the flesh. Let me give you an accident. Let me give you some sickness so that what I want to be seen is not.
Just that everything's going well for you and your life.
But the world can look on and see that treasure in earthen vessels. And I might just say in first Peter chapter one, where it says the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Isn't it? Is not the thought, brethren, that the trial?
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Is some honor to the Lord, but it's the trial of your faith that is that when the trial comes, what God values is the faith that trusts him. As the little song says, trust him. When to simply trust him seems the hardest thing of all, and that's what the Lord values. Sometimes illustrated it like this. You have to do something that hurts your child.
But you say to the child, I really can't explain it to you now. You wouldn't understand if I did.
But I'm doing it for your good. A child looks up with a smile and says, Dad, mother, I know you love me and I know you wouldn't do it unless it was for my good. Doesn't that make you feel happy inside? That they have that confidence in you and the Lord allows a trial to come in your life and mine. And when faith responds and says he doeth all things well, that brings praise and honor and glory to the Lord, the faith that trusts him.
When we can't understand, even when things seem to go under reverse in our lives, that faith that trusts Him. And so we know that all things work together for good to them, that love God to them, that are the called according to His purpose. Well, may the Lord make these thoughts precious to our hearts, that He found a treasure in us, that He gives us a privilege here, and that He may allow trials just to bring out that treasure.
That He has put in the earthen vessel. Maybe we have grace, brethren, and I say it to myself, to receive all the circumstances of life, pleasing or painful, dark or bright, as best may seem to thee.
Do Your Reverentially Fear God? }ref
Gospel—R.F. Bauman
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We'll turn to Acts chapter 13, Acts chapter 13. I'm going to read verse 16 or the part of it the apostle Paul. Then Paul stood up and said ye that fear God give audience.
And you know, this is so important center if one is here still in your sins and you don't have that reverential fear.
Of God, your Creator, the one in whom your life is the one you're going to face.
And have to do with then the gospel won't have any effect at all upon you.
That fear God give audience in Psalm 66 verse 16 we read come in here all ye that fear God, I will tell you what he's done for my soul.
Verse 26. The middle. Whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent for they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Jesus.
And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired a pilot that he should be slain.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulcher.
But God raised him from the dead. Verse 32. And we declare unto you the glad tidings.
How the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled, in that he has raised up Jesus. Verse 38. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
The forgiveness of sins is being offered to any here tonight who will simply receive it in faith. This is God's will. Center for everyone here who's still lost. That you be saved. God's will is that you be saved. There's a beautiful verse in First Timothy 2, verse three to five. It starts out with just three words that are so precious. God.
Our Savior.
God our Savior, who would have all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth. There's one God and one mediator between God and man. It's the man Christ Jesus who gave his life a ransom for all to be testified in due time.
God is not willing that you perish. God would have all to be saved.
That's the will of God. Through this man is preached unto you, the forgiveness of sins. I can assure you there's power in the precious Word of God tonight to save everyone here who still lost and on their way to hell.
And the Spirit of God is working here tonight to take this precious word and to convict you of your peril and your need, and let you receive the provision God has made for that need, the precious blood of Jesus that will cleanse you from all sins.
Yes, Sinner, there's power in this precious word. Power. There was a professor of biology, a very aged one, who was a Christian, who had tested this and was the recipient of eternal life through Jesus. He knew about the power and he'd begin every new class in biology this way. He hold up a tiny little brown seed.
And he'd say to them, I know.
Exactly the composition of this little seed, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon, and I can tell you exactly the proportion of each that's made-up this little seed, and more than that, he said. I can make one like this of the same elements.
But I'll guarantee you, if I plant the seed I make, it will come to nothing. The elements will merely go back into the earth and dissolve. But if I plant this little seed in the earth, it'll become itself a plan, a living plan.
Why? Why? He says it's because of the mysterious principle that men call life principle. You know, in Genesis 111 we have this thought. God said let the earth bring forth grass and herb yielding seed, and it was so then he would hold up the Bible.
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And he'd tell that class.
This is just like other books, looks the same as other books, and we cannot understand altogether the strange power in this book. But if this word is planted in a Sinner by faith, it brings out eternal life.
The precious word of God has that power, but only to one who realizes they have that need. Only to a Sinner who realizes you're lost and helpless and you take it by faith. Turn to Romans chapter 3, please. Romans chapter 3.
Verse nine at the end, Romans 3, verse nine at the end, They are all under sin. I'm going to read just a few verses, but in these few verses you're going to have God's biography of mankind, all mankind. You're going to have a portrait, divine portrait of yourself, Sinner.
This is God's word, verse 10. There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way. They are together, become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, No, not one. Verse 18. There is No Fear of God before their eyes. Verse 22 at the end there is no difference. All have sinned.
Everyone here, everyone must have their sins forgiven. Forgiven. All have sinned. Need that be debated tonight? Need we take time tonight to convince you of that? You were conceived in sin. You were born in sin, and I'm sure you've done a heat of practicing of it.
One sin keeps you out of heaven. God says all have sinned. Let's get over that now with an agreement.
There is no difference, says God, 22 at the end. There is no difference. This is a world of difference. God made all things different, a great variety in his wonderful creation. The firmament chose his handiwork. There's no two snowflakes alike, never has been. There's no two fingerprints alike. They're all different.
There's so many fish in the sea, they stopped trying to catalogue them.
I know one entomologist gave it up the job of even cataloging the Moss in London. All a variety. Man himself insists on a variety and difference, doesn't he? His automobiles, his homes, his fashion, his clothing, everything has to be a variety.
There is no difference though, on this one thing. One thing it's all the same, the heart of the Sinner.
God says there's no difference. The heart of the Sinner all have sinned. The wisest man that ever lived, Solomon the king.
Except for the man that gave him the wisdom, the man Christ Jesus.
What he said in Ecclesiastes 720 There is not a man that doeth good and sinneth not not one. You have to take it from the wisest man that ever lived. What meaneth that Sinner?
It means that all must be saved. That's what it means. It means the wages of sin is death. But after this, the judgment.
And then eternal punishment. And that's hell. That's hell. You need only to acknowledge this.
You need only to admit your condition to be saved, That's all. But that's the hardest thing for a Sinner to do.
Back where I came from, there's a court. City Court, 10 judges, 10 courtrooms.
But they years back they brought the prisoners because on Monday morning they had a lot of them.
From the Hall of the Weekend.
And all kinds of crimes committed on the weekend. And they were in the county jail waiting for their time on Monday morning. And they bring them from the pit to the bullpen by a tunnel.
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The pit was in the county court jail.
At the bottom.
And one judge insisted on this with the Sheriff's Office, that before they're brought to the bullpen through that tunnel.
Everyone of those accused had to stand before a full length mirror for a minute.
You know, some of them gas when they looked after a weekend of sin and the ravages of it, and they're in that jail. Some cried, some sobbed, some ridiculed and smirked in embarrassment.
But they all had to look.
And then they took that long walk through the tunnel and up into the bullpen, which is a glass cage in the court where they sat until they brought them before the judge. And that judge said, since I've been practicing this with the with the sheriff, I've had so many more guilty pleas.
So many more guilty pleas.
That's what the word of God is for Sinner, to let you realize your condition and your needs so you'll be saved. Why the law? We have it right here in our third chapter of Romans that the whole world, verse 19 may be guilty before God. It's like a mirror. Believe God, believe God and you could be saved.
Oh, you know, it's so solemn that you have to realize your condition.
In God's sight as a Sinner. And then you'll repent. How marvelous though the good news which we can preach.
Through this man Jesus is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. First Timothy 115 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and there's none other but him, Jesus, none other. Acts 412 Neither is there any other, there's none other name under heaven given among men, whereby you must be saved.
That's why this book was written.
That's why this precious book was written and preserved all these years for you tonight.
John 20 verse 31. These things are written that you might believe that Jesus.
Is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have life?
Through his name. Isn't that wonderful? Turn to Luke chapter 5. Luke chapter 5.
In verse 17, the Lord Jesus was here teaching and preaching, and we see there was Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by. Out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The religious leaders were all there listening to the Savior.
Notice what it says at the end. The power of the Lord was present to heal them, but we don't find in the scriptures one of them got saved.
They didn't think they had the need.
But notice now verse 18. Behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy, and they sought means to bring him in, and delay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst.
Before Jesus, And when he saw their faith, he said unto the him man.
Sins are forgiven thee.
Scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? And when Jesus perceived their thoughts, the answering said unto them, What reason you in your hearts? Weather is easier to say thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Rise up and walk, but that she may know that the Son of man hath power.
Upon earth to forgive sins.
Jesus said to that sick man of palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy couch, and go into thy house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today.
Behold, a man.
Taken with a palsy. You know what that means? He's helpless.
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These are typical. The Lord gives these examples as typical. They really happened.
But they speak of the condition of every Sinner. You're helpless.
That's the thought. You're helpless and not one thing you can do, Sinner. They're not one thing you can say or pay to get rid of one sin. You are helpless. This man was helpless. His friends thought means to bring him to Jesus. The multitude got in the way, but they were so determined and I trust you won't let the crowd, the peers get in your way.
You need him. There's none other Savior. Through this man, Jesus has preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
You can leave here with your sins. Go on. You can leave here judgment free.
You can leave here with joy in your heart, knowing all is well with your soul.
Don't let anyone stop you, just ask the Lord Jesus to save you tonight.
He will they were determined, so they took embedded all in the housetop. They tore away the tiling.
And they let that man down on his couch before Jesus.
Was Jesus upset with that interruption? Oh no, not my Savior. That's why he came.
That's why he came. He wasn't upset. He always responds to faith. Always. There's no question that man of palsy had faith. No question. Or he wouldn't let those four men make such a spectacle of him in front of that multitude. He knew if he could get to Jesus, he could be well. He could be well. Did Jesus heal him of his palsy?
No, not right away. No, he took care of the most urgent matter first.
He saved him. Not wonderful. He saved him. The most important matter was not palsy.
No, the most important matter was sin sickness. And that's the only matter that matters here tonight is sin sickness. You know, palsy is a dreadful thing, but sin sickness is worse. It's far worse than leprosy. It's far worse than dreaded AIDS. It's far worse than any disease you can think of, because they're only under death. Since sickness is under second death, if you die in your sins, you die again.
How solemn. Second death. It's in Revelations. We won't turn to it.
This is the second death, eternal separation from a holy God whose love and light who's being offered to you tonight as Savior, but you face him as judge and you'll be separated from him for all eternity if you die in your sins. So Jesus said man, thy sins are forgiven thee man, thy sins are forgiven thee. Verse 20 Would you not like to hear that from the creator of.
Universe from the sustainer of all life, from the one who gave you your breath. Wouldn't you like to hear that from him? The Son of God, the eternal Son, the Savior of sinners, Jesus, That's what he said to this man. That's what he wants to say to you, man. Thy sins are forgiven thee. You know, it's such a precious thing. I quote the verse, but I'm going to turn to it. First Timothy. I want you to see it. First Timothy and chapter one.
Verse 15.
This is a faithful saying. It's worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Would you like to hear those words from the Creator, the source of all life, the judge as well?
Thy sins are forgiven thee. That's what he wants you to hear. That's what he wants you to believe. Thy sins are forgiven thee.
Sinner, let those words sink into your soul tonight. Therefore you let them take hold of your soul. Believe them. Thy sins are forgiven thee and receive eternal life right now.
Beyond your joyful way to heaven. And know without a question that all is well with your soul. You know there was a man who was very religious all his life. He was very old now, but he never had peace with God.
He never had the assurance of his sins forgiven.
You know, there's a lot like that. How solemn.
But he was taken by a friend to a gospel meeting, and the evangelist preached the faithful word.
And he got on to this verse. Christ Jesus convinced the world to save sinners. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And that preacher settled on that verse for a few minutes. He illustrated it. He gave examples of it. He quoted it. And all of a sudden this old man who had worked all his life to get to heaven stood up and slowly walked up the aisle right towards the preacher. And he stopped right in front of that, now curious.
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Evangelist And he looked up at him and he said, Preacher, would you please?
Say that again, that verse makes my soul feel so good. You know, he got what he was searching all his life. He got what he was working for all his life just by simply believing the precious word of God and it made his soul feel so good. Christ Jesus came into the world to save you, to save sinners. That's the precious truth. Go back to our portion in the in the 5th chapter of Luke. Let's see verse 20 we were at it's so precious.
You know, Senator.
You have your sins forgiven. You're going to spend eternity in hell.
The lake of fire. It's clear of the word of God. There's weeping, There's wailing. There's gnashing of teeth. There's torments. Unending a never dying thirst. The blackness of darkness forever. No company, no release, no repentance. That's hell. But one more thing. Clear. Lasting memory. Clear.
Lasting memory. Sometimes I think that might be the worst. I want you to turn because God so faithful Sinner.
To Luke 16 just for a verse or two. Luke 16 we have a picture.
By God, which is real of a man in hell, verse 23.
And in hell.
Being in torment, verse 24, he cried mercy. And what was it he wanted? Water. One drop. Now notice verse 25.
Son, remember, this is the thought, you know, whenever I speak of hell, according to the word of God, a different aspect comes before me, and it's so awful I shudder right now. Good, clear, lasting memory comes before me.
There is torments and all the other things are true and there's no water there. And this man.
Cried out and for mercy. One drop of water almost 2000 years ago and he still.
Crying for it, and he'll be crying for it for all eternity. There is no water in hell.
But memory, memory, I believe that's the awful sentence. Everyone who has heard the precious word of God and the Lord has been so faithful, they'll remember every meeting, every time. I do not believe there's a more severe punishment or sentence or awful punishment in memory. Shakespeare wrote this to be alone with my conscience.
Is hell enough for me? But then he wrote a little thing that struck me.
Believe me, no torture that the poet's fame can match the fears and honorable pain one feels who night and day avoid the rest carries his own accuser within his breast memory. You know, on December 7th, 1985, a man by the name of Carol Edward Cole, 47 years old.
Who had admitted killing twelve women.
Was executed in Carson City, NV.
Cole's attorney appeared before the Supreme Court and explained to those judges why no more appeals would be made. He said Coal wants to die right away. He wants to get it over with. He said it would be unbearable to stay on here with his memories any longer. But you know, his execution was not the end.
It was just the beginning of never what never ends.
An endless eternity with clear, lasting memory.
That's hell.
You know, there was a man named Matthias ****. I never forgot that story.
He was tried convicted for a heinous crime, the murder of two people, a husband and wife, and thereby orphaning.
13 little children. Well, they went down in a ladder, but during the trial, every morning those thirteen children marched into the courtroom.
And they sat there.
And Matthias heard their cries and their sobs.
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All that time for every day of the trial and you know, before the judge pronounced sentence, he said to Matthias, is there something you have to say in your own behalf or do you want to make a plea for a life sentence rather than execution? And to the judges astonishment, Matthias **** said, I want to be executed as soon as possible.
He explained that he could not stand the memory of those children.
Sobbing and crying any longer, he wished to rid himself of that torture, of those memories.
But you know, Matthias **** will have a clear, lasting memory for all eternity. He will continue to hear those cries and all other things that will torment him forever. I want to get that thought across. Let's go back to our portion.
I have to warn you, Senator.
You can't rid yourself of one sin. You can't be cured of the dreaded sin sickness that you've got.
That's the word of God in Jeremiah 4611. It says in vain shalt thou use many medicines. Thou shalt not be cured. Thou shalt not be cured. How bad is it? Isaiah chapter one tells us pretty clearly how bad it is. Isaiah chapter one.
Verse five at the middle, the whole head is sick, the whole heart faint from the sole of the foot, even to the head, no soundness in it. Wounds and bruises and putifying sores. They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Is there a cure? I'm going to turn to Jeremiah chapter 30. There's no cure.
Jeremiah chapter 30. We're Speaking of sin, sickness.
Chapter 30. Verse 12.
Thus says the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, thy wound is grievous, there's none to plead thy clause that thou mayest be bound up. Thou hast no healing medicines.
This is the hopeless, the helpless condition of every Sinner.
God wants you to know.
But there is one cure.
The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses from all sin.
It's a wonderful thing that is being offered to you.
You know, it says is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? There's a bomb. The bomb is the word of God you have in your hand. That's the bomb. It brings you right to the great physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. As I mentioned, there's power in this word and there's power in that name Jesus power to give you eternal life and take your right into heaven, save you for male. It's a wonderful, wonderful.
Four, there was a missionary group.
Making their way to a new location and they came to a place in Africa where 2 trails meet at the Rivers Bend. Very popular place for the tribes.
And a white man had put up a trading post there, and he was taking the tribal goods, the best things they had made cheap by rum and whiskey and trinkets.
And this missionary group stopped at that place where the two trails meet at the Rivers Bend.
For arrest.
And one morning, a woman missionary saw a chief.
She could tell by his headband, band and feathers, a tree from a tribe she knew the language of coming out of one of those trails.
Dissipated the botched degradated by whiskey.
Tripping over his own feet. And she confronted him, and in his language she scolded him.
She said, Chief, look at yourself. Look at the way you are. How can you help your people? How can you do one thing good the way you are now with this whiskey and all your ravages? And he just cried. He said, I can't help myself, Missy, I've got to have more. I've got to have more. I can't help myself.
She told him that there's a cure.
See. And it's it's sure there's a physician who can heal you. His name is Jesus.
He said where is he? Take me to him. Whatever it costs, let me know.
She said, he's right here and he doesn't charge anything. It's free. All you have to do is want to be cured and healed of that sin, sickness, that awful disease you got that makes you long, long for these things. And he said, what's his name again? And she said very reverently, his name is Jesus. His name is Jesus.
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She got him to go on his knees and he cried out in anguish and he got saved.
The Lord Jesus came in there with the Spirit of God and gave him that new life, and instead of going towards the trading post after he left her telling him about the gospel, he went back the trail towards his village. Well, they went on and it was several weeks later that a group of that missionary party came back at the same place where the two trails meet at the Riverbend. They were on their way to get more supplies.
And this woman saw that chief coming out of the trail again, and when he saw her.
His eyes lit up. He was a changed man already.
He had his hand holding a hand of a woman. It was his wife. She looked just like he did before.
Degraded. Debauched.
Sin Sick.
And he left her stand there in the trail. He went up to the missionary, said Missy, Please, Missy, can I tell her that name?
She felt so terrible that he thought he couldn't tell that name to anybody else because perhaps the way she spoke it so reverently, she says tell your wife that name and tell everybody else in your family and tribe that name. And he ran back to her and took her hands. And he says his name is Jesus. So rap, his name is Jesus.
Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
Wonderful to see the change that can come over one turn to Matthew, Matthew's Gospel.
Chapter 9. Matthew. Chapter 9.
Verse 10.
That came to pass, as Jesus said at meat in the House. Behold, many Republicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples.
Why eat as your master with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard that, he said unto them.
They that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye, and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy.
Not sacrifice. I am come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
They that behold need not the physician. This is the great physician, This is the one that can say thy sins be forgiven thee, but they that are sick.
You know, in Mark's Gospel Chapter 6, we won't take the time to turn to it.
It says they knew him when Jesus came to their cities, their villages, the countryside.
And they brought all those that were sick of whatever diseases, and laid them in the streets.
And it said as many as touched the hem of his garment were made whole, no matter what the infliction. This is the wonderful gospel. As many as believe in faith be saved the sins of God.
That as many as is the whosoever of the word of God.
That's it. Any Sinner anywhere, anytime, the whosoever the word of God is brought out in that beautiful verse that I'm sure perhaps all here know. John 316 It's the whosoever of God's salvation. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Isn't that wonderful? But there is a whosoever of the judgment of God. God is so faithful.
Whosoever was not found. Written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Cast into the Lake of Fire.
Sinner, get your name in that book.
It's the Lamb's book of life. When your name is in there, it can never come out.
You're in there for all eternity on your way to heaven in glory. If you came in here tonight in your sins in peril. The good news is the glad tidings Sinner. You don't have to leave this room that way, because through this man, Jesus is preached unto you. The forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins. Notice what the religious leaders said to Jesus.
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Or to his disciples.
Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners? You know we can read in Luke 15 verse two I believe it is.
He receiveth sinners.
He receiveth sinners. What they said was so true and so beautiful. But in verse 21 of our chapter it says this. Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins? God alone.
You know how wrong they were and yet how right they were. Blasphemy in this case, making himself God. They were wrong. He is God. But when they said who can forgive sins but God alone, they were right and Jesus is God. Jesus is God, He could forgive sins. This man's sins were forgiven.
In Luke 5, my sins are forgiven.
Your sins can be forgiven, and only God can do that. And Jesus is God. He's the eternal Son of God. He's the creator of this world. He's a sustainer of all life.
He's the Lamb of God, providing the substitute in judgment for every Sinner. He's the Savior.
Back to Luke, 5I think I'd better get on with that portion. Luke 5.
And verse.
22.
When Jesus perceived their thoughts.
You know Jesus is God.
He knows everything, He sees everything. He knows all about you, Sinner. He knows how many hairs are on your head, and not only that, He has them all numbered. He knows how many stars there are in the heavens, and not only that He calls them all by name, and there is no lowly Sparrow falls in the ground. But what that He knows it?
But oh, what grace it says Jesus perceived their thoughts. What grace?
What love exhibited. They accused him of blasphemy and yet he loved them. What love? That's divine love, Sinner. Divine love reaching out to you tonight. Don't refuse it. Don't refuse it. How awful to refuse it. It's the same love that on the cross of Calvary said.
Father forgive them.
Words echoing throughout Calvary, that awful, disgraceful day when they crucified the Lord of glory.
Words reaching the ears of God the Father. Words reaching your ears now, Sinner, forgive them.
In that wonderful forgive them through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins. But how could God forgive those that so despitefully and hatefully treated his beloved son?
Divine love, That's it.
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
Having yet one son is well beloved, he sent him also.
They cast him out, they crucified him, they crucified the Lord of glory. And Jesus said as he hung on that cross, Father, forgive them, Father, forgive them. Through this man Jesus is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus said in verse 23 chapter 5 Luke, which is easier to say?
Thy sins be forgiven thee, or rise up and walk.
Both are impossible to man, but that which is impossible to man is possible.
To God, and Jesus is God. You know when the rich young ruler came running to Jesus?
Who had been religious all his life, kept keeping the law the best he could, fell down at his knees.
Wanted to have eternal life, thinking that his exemplary life could merit it. And when the Lord Jesus told him what he must do to have eternal life, he left him sorrowful because he coveted things in this world and would not come to Jesus. And you know, the disciples marveled, they said to Jesus.
If this man can't be saved, who can be saved?
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And the Lord said it is impossible with men.
But not with God. All things are possible with God.
Verse 24 of our chapter, but that she may know Sinner, that's why you're hearing the gospel tonight. The Lord wants you to be saved that you may know know what through this man Jesus is preached unto you. The forgiveness of sins. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses from all sin. So Jesus proved himself to those hypocrites.
Those religious bigots, he said to that man, arise, take up by couch and go into the house. And he did. That man of palsy had given up his sins and now he took up his couch and he went to his house. He was healed, he was saved. How? How long? Immediately, Immediately. Isn't that wonderful?
You know, at the tomb of Lazarus, who was there four days, dead, buried, corruption set again, Jesus said, Lazarus come forth. He that was dead came forth.
And, you know, at the coffin of a young man at Maine on his way to burial.
The Lord Jesus stopped that funeral possession and said to that man in the coffin, Young man, arise, and he arose and began to speak, and at the bedside of a little maid who had just died, Jesus said.
Maid arise. And she awoke and began to eat.
And you know what the Lord Jesus is saying to you tonight, Sinner? Live that wonderful live. You're dead and your sins live.
Deuteronomy 30, the Lord says I set before you this day, life or death, one or the other. Then he says please choose life, live if you'll just believe him. What's the last verse we read? Verse 26. We have seen strange things today. They saw strange things. Every time a Sinner is saved you see strange things.
Because it says if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature.
All things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Indeed, strange things happen when this power of the Word of God touches a Sinner. He has eternal life. He's a new creature. He's on his way to heaven, and he is happy. Turn to Luke 7. Luke Chapter 7.
Verse 34. At the end they accused Jesus of being a friend of publicans and sinners.
And I like to say the accusation is true. This man receiveth sinners, and you better believe it.
That's why he came. But then let's look at verse 37. Behold, a woman in the city, which was a Sinner.
Said this woman was a Sinner. Verse 47.
First verse 39. At the end the Pharisee said she is a Sinner.
It was generally known her conduct, her way of life, she was a Sinner. Verse 47, the Lord Jesus said her sins are many. Yeah, Jesus said she's a great Sinner. So there's absolutely no doubt about this case. This woman was qualified for heaven.
This woman had all the necessary prerequisites to get into heaven.
She was a Sinner.
And so are you everyone here.
She knew she was a Sinner.
And I trust you do too.
She had faith in Jesus.
The Savior of sinners, what about you?
That's the only question. Oh, do not be so foolish as to disqualify yourself, Sinner. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Take your place and be saved and have your sins washed away.
You know, in verse 41, we'll read it, there was a certain creditor which had two debtors. The one owed 500 pence, the other 50, but they had nothing to pay. He freely forgave them both. They were bankrupt. And so are you Sinner. There's not one thing you can do to get rid of one sin. You are bankrupt, you have nothing to pay. What's the difference? Does it matter?
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If one has a lot of sins and one a few. If one has some great terrible sins and won some mild sins.
Still go to hell, it doesn't make any difference. They had nothing to pay. He freely forgave them both.
You know, I heard a story that happened in France. A man, a businessman, very wealthy and successful, got saved in the gospel meeting, put him on fire. Put him on fire. He couldn't wait to tell everybody. And after he told all of his friends and relatives, he decided to get it out in the village he lived in. So he rented some billboards and he rented a big building, and he advertised that on certain week, every night of the week.
Weeknights.
There be a gospel, the good news will be preached. And you know, the first night, out of curiosity, it was almost full. And he told in a simple way, the best he could, how he got saved. The second night it dwindled down to about half. And the third night it was his friends and relatives, and after that there wasn't any. He was discouraged. They didn't want to hear. And it was this portion in 41St and 42nd verse that really struck his heart.
So he decided to do something.
You run into the largest billboard in town, what everyone sees, and he told him that billboard that on a certain Saturday.
At noon.
Anyone who came there with all their debts, proof of all their debts.
He would pay them all freely.
Well, that got around town fast. That was a little different.
Some said, do you believe it's going to do that? No, we were laughing stock of the town, if we'd go there. They had to go to his office at 12 noon.
12 noon.
I should say 10 minutes before that office was surrounded by a crowd.
They all stood there wondering if anybody's going to be so foolish as to go up to the door.
Five of 12 A man broke from the crowd. He had an envelope full of bills and he ran as fast he could and knocked on the door. It was open, he was admitted.
Just before 12, another man broke and he had his first full of bills and he ran up there and he was led in at 12:00. They waited. Few minutes later, they came out, beaming faces, happy boys and men. They said, did he really do it? Did he pay all your bills? Every one of them? I'm free. I have no more bills. I'm free. And they're all rushed toward the door. But he had a policeman. They're ready to stop him from coming in.
And he came out and gave him the Gospel based on this precious portion and told them, when the bridegroom comes, Matthew 25, the door is shut and it's forever too late. He let them know they could have all their sins forgiven right now, but if they wait and the Lord comes, it's forever too late. Oh, how solemn. What about you? He freely forgave them both.
And He would give you eternal life if you just come to Him. Don't say I don't need a savior. Don't disqualify yourself.
If you do, you must go to hell. That's it. Because if you can't admit your condition, you can't be saved. I know some years ago in India, the Prince of Wales visited.
And you know, when he arrived, the high caste were selected to meet him and greet him. Not the common people. They had barriers built to keep the common people back. But the high gristocratic cast was there. The Prince arrived. He ceremoniously shook hands with all of those distinguished people. And when he was done, he looked at those barriers.
And he said, remove those barriers right away.
They were astonished, but the police took down those barriers and then anyone of those masses, the common people that wished could come and greet the Prince and shake his hand, You know, the next time the Prince came to India.
There were the common people, the masses with banners. Welcome the Prince of the outcast, it said, welcome the Prince of the outcast. Well, you know, the Lord Jesus is a greater Prince than that. He's the Prince of sinners. He's the Prince of sinners. He said, take the barriers down. Set the prisoners free. They're wonderful. Set the prisoners free. You know, in our portion here, Chapter 7, Notice what he said to this woman.
Thy sins are forgiven. Verse 48. Thy sins are forgiven. Verse 49 they said who is this that forgives sins also? It's God. Only God can forgive sins and Jesus is God. Notice verse 50. Jesus said thy faith has saved thee, go in peace. Thy faith has saved thee, go in peace.
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Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.
Sin Center, I'd want you to have that tonight. You could never lose it. It's so precious. You have peace with God. Just turn to Acts 5 please. Acts chapter 5.
Verse 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom he slew and hanged on a tree.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince.
The Prince of sinners and a Savior, the Savior of sinners. To give repentance to Israel and to forgive sins. This is it.
Colossians 114 in whom we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins. Remember to the man of palsy, Jesus said Thy sins are forgiven thee. To that sinful woman, Jesus said Thy sins are forgiven thee. To those two debtors who had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them, and on the cross he said, Father forgive them.
Through this man, Jesus is preached under you the forgiveness of sins.
The forgiveness of sins. All you have to do is take it. The last verse. Revelations 22, take it.
Take it Revelations 22, verse 17. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, let him that hearers they come, let him that the thirst come, And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely, let him take. An evangelist preaching the gospel was approached afterwards by a man who simply asked, Can you show me the way, please to Jesus?
Can you show me the way to Christ?
And the evangelist said, no, I cannot.
But Sir, you're an evangelist, he said. I know, but I cannot show you the way to Jesus Christ. How can that be? Because he is the way. He is the way. Christ himself is the way. All who simply believe in Him are on their way to heaven, justified from all sins. He's here, he said. He's here. All you have to do is take him, receive Him, and be on your way to heaven.
The Lord said I'm the door.
By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. I'm the way. No man cometh to the Father, but by me he's the gate.
The gate to glory in heaven through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. I can't tell you the way to Christ, but I can tell you Christ is the way to heaven, and there's no other way.
Overcoming
Address—W.J. Prost
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I have been particularly impressed in the last little while.
With that word overcomer.
Overcomer.
And I'd like to speak a little bit this afternoon from the Word of God on the subject of overcoming.
Let's turn first to John's Gospel, chapter 16.
John's Gospel chapter 16, and we'll read just the last few verses. John's Gospel chapter 16, verse 31.
Jesus answered them. Do ye now believe?
Behold, the hour cometh. Yeah, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me might have peace.
In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer.
I have overcome the world, you know that word overcome has the sense of gaining a victory.
And I believe we have here in the Word of God the blessed truth that our Lord Jesus Christ has already gained the victory for us.
Satan is a defeated foe, The Lord Jesus. We know when he was tempted of the devil in the early part of his pathway down here, answered the devil with the word of God, and he was from that point powerless against the Lord Jesus. He bound the strongman, as it were.
For then the Lord Jesus we know went to that cross of Calvary, and there we know that through death.
He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and delivered them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to *******.
And you know, it's very precious to my soul to see that the Lord Jesus in this precious Upper Room ministry just before he went to the cross, gives particular encouragement to his own.
And you know, just to make a little remark here, we find the subject of overcoming spoken of primarily in John's ministry. You don't get it so much in Paul's ministry, although the word is mentioned, but you don't find it so much it's characteristic of John's ministry. And so you have the overcoming mentioned in John's gospel, you haven't mentioned in John's epistle, and you have it mentioned in the book of.
Revelation all three of those broad categories of John's ministry we find overcoming mentioned.
Why is that? Well, I've wondered in my own soul why it is, and I'll just pass this subject or this remark on to you.
Especially to our beloved young people.
And, you know, I don't think our brother Yule Ton, who's sitting here will mind my mentioning this, but he mentioned this dear brother Sammy Razor last night in the prayer meeting in Addison. And he mentioned him as being a young brother. But then he told us how old he was, and he was older than I am. So that made me feel good. So maybe we can all take this subject to heart, because it's not just for the so-called young people in the sense that we usually think of it.
I need it. We all need it. And I say again, I believe it's characteristic of John's ministry for this reason.
That Paul gives us the truth of the church in which everything is displayed.
The purposes of God from eternity to eternity. The Church of God and all God's purposes concerning it.
And everything connected with it. But John speaks more of the family of God. John brings before us more of the family of God. And you know, to be an overcomer, it is not a question of how much truth I hold or how I should I. Let me correct that. It's not a question of how much truth I know.
It's how much I walk in what I do know. And So what we have in John's ministry is the new life.
Encounter distinction to the old nature, the family of God, and contrast distinction to the family of the devil. And I use that word advisedly because if you don't belong to Christ, you're living under the authority of the God and Prince of this world, the devil. And those two are contrasted in John's ministry. So the question of overcoming is more a question of the enjoyment of my position as a child of God and my living in the truth.
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That God has given me not a question of how much I know. I say that because there's sometimes a tendency in those of us who are younger to think that we can't go on in the same way as the older ones. And we sometimes read the ministry and listen to the ministry of those giants in the truth who perhaps are older than we are, and perhaps those who went before us. And we say, my, I could never get a grasp on something like that.
Well, I don't say that you can't, because with God's help, I believe we can.
We may not be able to give it out in that way, but there's no such thing as a gift in taking in the truth of God.
But I say this that overcoming is not connected with how much I know, but with how much I walk in of that which I do know.
Notice here then in John's gospel we find overcoming spoken of, and it seems to me that there are some very precious thoughts here. We're going to go over to John's epistle in a few moments and then to the Book of Revelation and just make a few remarks about overcoming that I have been enjoying lately here. First of all, the Lord Jesus.
Answers the.
Remarks made by his disciples, how that they Well, let's read the verse.
Verse 29 and 30. We probably should have read them to get the connection. His disciples said unto him, Lo now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee? By this we believe that thou cameest forth from God. And so there was perhaps, if we might say, a little confidence in the disciples, that they knew the Lord, and that they knew who the Lord was. And I'm thankful as I look around the room, that there are many here who know the Lord and know who the Lord is. And maybe you too, by the grace of God, as you sit in that seat, can say.
Oh, I know who the Lord Jesus is. I know he's the Son of God.
I know He's my savior. I know that God has set him up on high as head over all things.
But with that knowledge alone, keep them.
Know the Lord Jesus has to speak to their consciences, and say, Do ye now believe? Oh, he says, the hour is coming, His end is now come, when ye shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall lead me alone.
O beloved young people, I tell you from personal experience, it's not how much you know up here that keeps you, it's how much you enjoy down here. It's not what I eat which nourishes my body, it's what I digest.
And is made good to me. It's not what I know of the truth that keeps me going on. It's how much I enjoy in my own soul and walk in. And so the Lord Jesus, as it were said, don't don't think that you've arrived if I might use that expression, because shortly you're all going to be scattered. But then he gave them the secret of overcoming. What does he say?
And shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, because the Father.
Is with me. Our blessed Savior had to go on his way to the cross alone and we don't need to go over that account again because you all know how that the Lord was forsaken by everyone, literally everyone, even those disciples who were nearest and dearest to them to him.
They forsake him.
But yet he says I am not alone because the Father is with me. You know, if you're going to be an overcomer in this world, you may have to go it alone. And yet you are not alone because first of all, you can say along with the Lord Jesus, the Father is with me. And then you have the blessed promise of that one. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. You will never be alone the way the Lord Jesus was, because He has promised to.
With you, but you may see everyone else on whom you may have depended.
Fall away from you and so it has to be a pathway of individual overcoming.
I'm not sure that overcoming is spoken of in a collective sense. It's spoken of in an individual sense.
And we can be thankful for other overcomers who are an encouragement and help to us.
But never forget, it has come down to the end of a dispensation, when overcoming is characterized by individual faithfulness, not necessarily by collective faithfulness. And so the Lord Jesus could only fall back on that blessed communion with his Father. But yet he says, I am not alone, but the Father is with me.
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Then he goes on to say in verse 33, These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. Oh, I love that peace. Does he mean the peace that comes as we get it in Romans 5 and one, Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, I'm sure that's included, but I feel that the peace here goes deeper than that.
It's like.
What the Lord says in the 14th chapter, where He says, My peace I give unto you. It was that peace on the one hand that accepted every possible circumstance from His Father, and that in return took every difficulty to the Father, seeking from Him that guidance as the perfect dependent man to walk the pathway down here.
Oh, the Lord Jesus has left you, beloved young people, and me, a legacy of peace.
Isn't that something my peace I leave with you, he says. And here he says that she might have peace. You know, these are days of pressure and hurry.
I don't know how it is with some of you young people, but I know some young people that have a rough time sometimes.
I know the pressures that you run into at school, pressures that I never had to face, pressures of mountains of work, perhaps, that you scarcely know how to cope with, pressures of persecution and difficulty that I never had to encounter in the days, perhaps when there was a little more respect for the name of God and for the question of what was right and proper before the Lord, I never had to encounter some of that.
Peace. The Lord Jesus wants you to have peace in your soul.
He wants you to have peace, but how can you have it?
Oh, in the world ye shall have tribulation, he says.
But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Isn't that blessed? And so I just suggest to you, if we could perhaps speak of it in this way, these verses bring before US1 aspect of overcoming, and that is the individual enjoyment of Christ and the abiding in His love and in the love of the Father.
Isn't that blessed?
You know what we're never spoken of as being in the Father. The Lord Jesus could say I am in the Father and the Father in me, but we're spoken of as being in Christ and he and us and by our relationship with him. We enjoy that love with the Father. We are complete in him. Oh, what I long for my own soul, as I long for your soul is a deeper enjoyment of all of that blessed.
And the realizing that he walked the pathway alone and that he's gained the victory already for us.
And that now we have by grace only to follow him in that same pathway.
Turn over now to First John Chapter 5.
Well, we'll read some from chapter two. First of all, because it's connected.
Read from chapter 2 and then from chapter 5.
Chapter 2 of 1 John and verse 12.
I write unto you, little children, or as it should read simply, children, because it's addressed to all the children of God here.
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
I write unto you, fathers, because you have known Him, that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. There's the word again. I write unto you, little children, and hear. It's correct, little children, because it has the sense of those who are babes in Christ, because ye have known the Father.
But notice the next verse I have written unto you, Fathers, because you have known him, that is from the beginning.
Same thing I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you.
And ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passeth away in the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
00:15:09
Isn't that blessed? We'll read in the 5th chapter in a moment or two, but just to comment on this.
First of all, I would just say this, that in John we have him writing.
We have his writing 3 broad categories. We have the Gospel of John. We have the Epistles of John.
And we have the Book of Revelation.
And I might just mention it was a help to me as a young brother to see this and I pass it on.
That we could categorize John's ministry in this way. The Gospel of John is eternal life come down to earth.
In the person of Christ, John's epistles are the blessed consequences for those.
Who accept that Blessed One is Savior and who have that eternal life. The revelation is the awful consequences for those who have rejected him and do not have eternal life. And so here we have in John's epistle something perhaps added to, if we could put it that way, what we have in John's Gospel. In John's gospel, it was the enjoyment of Christ himself.
In all that he is.
On an individual basis, but here we have the overcoming in connection with being strong and the word of God abiding in US. And I think it's particularly noticeable here that three categories are suggested. He writes to the fathers and those I believe are the fathers spiritually, those who have perhaps.
That more mature knowledge and what characterizes them in both cases.
Ye have known the Father. Nothing beyond that, nothing beyond the knowledge of the Father.
But what about the young men? And think of this. And it's not only young men. I believe it's young sisters too. But what characterizes them? Oh, it says you have overcome the wicked one. But then in the second verse that we read, verse 14, it tells how and why. Because ye are strong.
And you have the word of God abiding in you. Isn't that blessed? I think that's a particular voice to you young brothers.
You know, it's not that we can boast and say, well, I'm strong enough. I can overcome the wicked one.
No, we'll sing a hymn at the end which I have in mind, which reads like this. By meekness and defeat He won the Mead and crown, trod all our foes beneath his feet by being trodden down. And it's only in His strength that we can overcome. But if that precious word is abiding in us, then I believe we can count not on our own strength, but on His strength.
You know we have the word of God referred to as the sword of the Spirit.
In Ephesians 6, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
A brother in our home assembly made a remark once which I have never forgotten. He told how that in a meeting many, many years ago.
There was a brother.
By the name of Mr. Fleck, who sat in that meeting and asked the question, What is the sword of the Spirit?
And someone said it's the word of God and he said.
Yes, you're right, but it's more than that, he said. It's the word of God that you have read.
And made your own and walked in. He said, that's the sword of the Spirit. Beloved young people, you can't have the sword of the Spirit unless you walk in what you read. And so let me get very basic. Let me encourage you to read the Word of God for yourself. Never let anything take the place of reading the Word of God because it is the way that the truth is brought before us and it's the only way that it can enter.
It takes the Spirit of God to do it, but the Spirit can't bring the Word before me if I don't read it.
Oh, but then what do I do? Oh, may I walk in the good of it? I said it before, but I'll say it again. Overcoming and victory in this world is not characterized by how much I know, but by how much I walk and what I do know. But the more I have in the things of God, the more I want. And you know what's the opposite of natural things? Because if I go to the table over here at noon hour and eat the good food that is prepared, I get full and I don't want anymore.
Whereas at least this is the way it works with me. Anyway, if I have to miss a meal, I feel like making up for it on the next one. But you know, in the things of God. May I suggest you that it works the opposite way? The more I have, the more I want. And the more I neglect the things of the Lord, the less I want. So that once I start neglecting the things of the Lord, pretty soon what we have in these next few verses starts to take over.
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The world, the things that are in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. And pretty soon I don't seem to want those things of the Lord anymore. Maybe I could be even more practical. And I hope that I may be forgiven if this remark offends anyone. But it shouldn't.
It's wonderful to read the word of God for yourself.
But it's wonderful to be at the assembly meeting where the Word of God is read, because there I get the rough edges knocked off me. There I get the wrong thoughts that I may have had about the passage straightened out. There I get the complete thoughts presented by other brothers that add to what I have so that I get rounded out. I tend to be a little warped if all I do is read on my own and never have the fellowship of my brethren, because no matter how much.
Might read None of us knows it all. I was reading just the other day a remark made by one of our old brothers in the last century.
And he was quoting someone else and this was the remark he made.
Someone said to him, you make a great deal of going to an assembly meeting. His answer was, I cannot make too much of being where my blessed Lord is in the midst. Isn't that blessed? By the grace of God, dear young people, I can stand here and say I have found it so to my own soul. And I know there are many here who would say the same thing. Never let the pressures of work, the pressures of school, and I know what they are. Believe me, I do.
But never let it interfere with what we have here. Otherwise you won't be able to be an overcomer, you won't be able to be strong, you won't be able to meet the enemy. And as someone has said, suddenly you'll need the sword of the Spirit and you find yourself fumbling for it, and you can't find it because you haven't been using it regularly. And so here we have the Word of God brought before us.
But as we said a moment ago, there's a warning here. Oh, there's a world out there that wants to rob us of all of that.
And I suppose, I suppose there never was a tug on our souls and on our hearts more than there is today.
And I want you to know that I stand here not necessarily having learned all that I say to you. I say it to my own heart just as much because the world has at least as much a tug on my heart as it does on yours, and quite possibly even more. There is a world out there that holds out all its attractions for us. And there are opportunities today for young people, perhaps at least in these favored lands that have never existed before.
And if you have any ability at all, at any ambition?
And any, shall we say, get up and go as the world says, oh, there are opportunities out there to go into all of these things. Well, I don't say that the Christian shouldn't work hard. The Scripture tells us to do that. I don't say that the Christian shouldn't necessarily have a good job. The Lord gives you a good job. You can be thankful for it. But where is my heart?
The Lord Jesus could say where your treasure is.
There will your heart be also. He didn't say where your treasure is. There should your heart be? He said where it is, there will your heart be. Is my treasure down here? Is my objective to have things down here? Then that's where my heart is. Is my treasure up there? Then that's where my heart is. How blessed to have that treasure up there.
And you know, we need to take the long range of you.
And perhaps they may speak plainly, because I have seen many not so young either. I don't mean just young people, but I have seen many who have, as we said here a moment ago, neglected the word of God, neglected that personal enjoyment of the Lord, neglected their heavenly portion, and then instead of being an overcomer, they had been overcome by the world.
The Lord Jesus could say I have overcome the world, but oh how many I can think of at this very time.
And I say it with fear and trembling, because my own heart is no better. Who?
Have not been able to overcome who have allowed the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life in some way, shape or form to take hold of their souls. And so the things that are not seen, which are eternal, tend to be forgotten, and the things which are seen that the apostle Paul says are temporal, tend to have first place in their lives. Oh, how solemn, because it says here the world passeth away, or is passing away.
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Might more accurately read, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
I can remember several years ago sitting down with a young man.
And he told me a lot about all his ambitions and all the things he wanted to do. He had a good deal of ability. He had a fairly good job for someone who was only in his late teens. And he had all kinds of ideas of where he was going to go and how he would be the youngest manager in that particular company for the whole area and how he expected to go on from there to hire things. And after he finished it all, I addressed him by name and said, you know, that's all very good.
And you know that I'm glad to see someone who works hard. The word of God tells us that. But I said, where is it all going to go when you sit down before the judgment seat of Christ? He was a believer. He knew the Lord as his Savior. I said, where is it all going to go? And more than that, even before that time, where are the Lord's things and where are his interests going to be in all of what you've.
Saying to me, well, he kind of sat there, he didn't say anything, kind of hung his head a bit and then he changed the subject.
Well, it's very sad. I won't go into the history of that young man, but he's not an overcomer today. He's not an overcomer. He's been overcome. Which is it going to be? Let's turn over to the Book of Revelation now.
Revelation is primarily a book of judgment.
As we said a moment ago, it's the awful consequences for those who reject that eternal life which came down to earth.
But you know, Peter tells us that judgment begins at the House of God. And so we find in Revelation chapters 2:00 and 3:00.
That God, before he takes on the judgment of this world, the Lord Jesus Christ walks in the midst of the candlesticks, and he tells what he sees. And those candlesticks that we have, those seven churches in Revelation 2 and three, as perhaps many of us are aware, were actual assemblies that existed in that day and age. But I believe the Spirit of God has put them together in the particular order in which they occur.
In order to bring before us what we might call a panoramic history of the Church of God down through the ages. And so we have Ephesus, the condition of the church. Shortly after the apostles left the scene where they had left their first love. Everything outwardly OK, but then having left their first love, the Lord addresses them.
But there was no turn around of the state of things.
So then we have Sardis, and there you find a period of persecution in the second and third centuries that occurred under the Roman Empire. Terrible persecution. Why did the Lord allow it? Oh, he allowed it in order to recall the Church to its heavenly calling. Was it effective? Oh, many wonderful tales of faithfulness during that time, things which I commend all of you to read.
But it didn't result in a turn around.
The devil was trying to stamp out Christianity, but he couldn't succeed in that way, so he tried a different tack and it was all too successful. And under Pergamos, which would speak perhaps of the beginning of the era under the Emperor Constantine in the year 330 AD, we find that instead of Christianity being persecuted as a religion, and instead of Christians being hounded to death and thrown to the lions in the.
Coliseum and so on.
We find that here was one who outwardly embraced Christianity, and so it became the religion of the Empire.
By infiltrating and connecting the church with the world where he couldn't succeed. By open and outright persecution.
Well, once again God makes a call to the overcomer, and no doubt there were overcomers in Ephesus and in Sardis and in Pergamos.
But once Pergamos had come to the scene and once there had been no turn around there, then we might say it and say it reverently. God said there's no hope to turn the situation around. I am going to speak only to the overcomer now. I'm not going to expect that the church as a body will turn around and come back to where it was at the beginning. I'm going to speak only to the overcomer because each of those next.
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Churches, all characteristic of certain things, I believe, go on to the end until the Lord comes.
Thyatira.
I'm sorry, I said sorry to secondly, I meant Smyrna. They both begin with an S and I got them mixed up. The second church where the persecution occurred is Smyrna. Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea all go on to the end. And so we're going to read what God says to the overcomer in each one of those because I suggest that there is a voice to each one of us, to your heart and to mine.
Revelation chapter 2, then remember we're finished with Ephesus Smyrna.
And pergamos, they have passed, and now God says, I'm going to speak only to the overcomer. And so that's why the word of encouragement, he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, is at the end of the dissertation. It's addressed only to the overcomer.
I ask each one here as an individual to ask, do I want to be an overcomer by the grace of God?
Revelation 2 and verse 25.
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to Him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father, And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Thyatira.
Is the case where the church rules the world? It started up.
Shortly after the era of Pergamos.
Where instead of the Church courting the world as it did in the time of Constantine, it ruled the world.
And for nearly 1000 years, the Church held sway over this world, at least outwardly.
But what was the result? All kinds of evil crept in by that unholy alliance.
And God addresses the overcomer here by saying that would she have already hold fast till I come?
Oh, I say to you again, beloved young people, there is a danger of losing what we have. And how do we lose it? We lose it by not walking in it and when we're surrounded by so much evil.
How easy it is to lose what we have.
And the first passages we were talking about in John 16. And in first John, we find that we were talking about, first of all, the Lord Jesus Christ, and secondly, his word as overcoming the world. But here it's more a deeper thing because the world has become mixed in with the church and the church with the world. And so I suggest here it's a question not merely of overcoming the world, although that is the real.
Bottom line, but it's overcoming that spiritual wickedness, it's overcoming that unholy alliance and all of those things that would drag us down in the religious and spiritual realm as well as in the world. Well, here we have He that overcometh verse 26 and keepeth my works under the end.
Keepeth my works under the end. O how many there are who have started out well and who have not gone unfaithfully to the end. But God gives encouragement here, and he doesn't point us to any recovery in this world. He points us on to the end. Are you misunderstood in this world? There's a day coming when you're going to rule. Are you having to endure a lot of difficulty down here? The Lord Jesus says you will reign with me someday.
And then he mentions the Morning Star for the first time in connection with the seven churches.
The Lord's coming is mentioned, and you can't be an overcomer unless the coming of the Lord is bright before your eyes. And you know, as we get occupied with this world, we tend to lose the sense in our souls of the proper hope of the church, the Lord's coming. That's what went out the window, we might say, first of all, and then the church settled down to enjoy the world. But if the Lord's coming is before us as an ever present hope.
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Then I believe it will give us that sense in our souls that we don't belong here.
And that encouragement to go on in that day when we'll reign with him.
Let's turn over now to Sardis.
Chapter 3, Verse two. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die.
For I have not found thy works perfect before God. 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. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment. And I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Oh, this is very searching. Sardis brings before us Protestantism, and we might make this remark that the Reformation was of God.
Protestantism was not.
The Reformation was a work of God, but what arose out of it? Oh, the Lord has to say, and we didn't read it, but in the first verse thou hast to name that thou live a standard dead. And oh, this is a very solemn thing to my own soul, when I think that there may well be those sitting right in this very room who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. What a solemn thought to be sitting in the place of privilege.
Surrounded by others who are on their way to glory and waiting for the Lord's return. And yet deep down in your heart, perhaps you know and realize that if the Lord were to come right now.
You would not go up to meet him. Oh, how solemn to have a name to live and yet to be dead, dead spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, as it says in Ephesians 2. But oh, here we have.
Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to die.
Oh, there are things which remain, and perhaps they might seem ready to die, but you know, I would encourage your heart to go on. If God has revealed something to you of his precious truth to walk in, oh, may I encourage you to walk in it. I may be perhaps forgiven if I tell a story that concerns my father. I've told it before, but I think it's worth telling again. My father worked for a very wealthy man who has been gone now perhaps 15 or more.
For years, and he was a very wealthy man, he owned a very nice farm not too far outside the city of Hamilton where I live. And as so often happens, as the city grew, it gradually came out and the surrounding farm started to be bought up for building. Well, I don't know how it is down here in the United States, but in our area at least, farming is not as profitable as it used to be, especially fruit farming.
And this man, he only kept the farm basically as a hobby. His income came from other sources. And that farm didn't even pay the expenses that were involved in running it, but he ran it just the same. And he hung on a wood until every other farm surrounding his was bought up and built on. And one day he said to my father as we were sitting eating our lunch there in the summer.
He said. Why do you go to that little meeting where you go?
Why do you be bothered going there? Don't you think it would be just as well to give it up and go in with some larger group?
Or go in with something else. Why do you bother hanging on to that?
Well, Dad said, why do you hang on to this farm? Why do you hang on to it when every other farm around you is being built up upon and you're left like an island here in the middle? Why do you hang on to the place when it doesn't even pay expenses? Why didn't you sell out long ago? Oh, well, he said. You know very well that as all the other farms surrounding me are bought up and built on, the value of mine goes up.
And when I do sell it, eventually I can command the highest price for it.
Because it's surrounded by all the others that have been built up all, Dad said. It's the same with the truth of God.
It's the same with the truth of God. If it weren't the truth of God, I would have given it up long ago. But if it is the truth of God, if anything, let me hang on to it all the tighter as I see it being given up by others around.
That's that's what characterizes an overcomer. It's not one necessarily who goes out and boasts of great things know.
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Nor was someone else has said how inappropriate in this day and age to boast of Greek things when the light from God's precious Word has revealed how little we have done. But by the on the other hand, individual faithfulness and what God has given us, I believe the Lord will reward in a coming day as we have here to walk in white before Him. What a blessed hope.
All our time is nearly gone. Let's turn to Philadelphia verse 8.
I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.
For thou hast a little strength, and has kept my word, and has not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not but to lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee, because thou hast kept the word of my patience. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation. That's the tribulation.
Which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is near Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God. And I will write upon him my new name.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Oh, I wish we had more time to dwell on this, because I suggest to your heart and mind that there is no greater encouragement in the whole Bible than what we get here, no greater encouragement in the whole Bible than what we get in the address to Philadelphia. Oh, there's nothing to boast of, only a little strength.
Despised and rejected, I believe that characterizes the recovery of the truth in the last century.
And by the grace of God, I believe there will be a Philadelphia till the Lord comes.
I wouldn't want to say that I was connected with it. I hope I am. But I do say that there will be a Philadelphia because each of the last four go on till the Lord comes.
May it be the exercise of your heart and mind to want to be connected with it. I covet this place because it has the Lord's approval. And what characterizes them is what we've already had before us, kept His word and not denied His name. Oh, those two things never fail. And the Lord Jesus in John's gospel connected us with himself, and in John's epistle with His precious word. May we ever have those two things before.
And so it says here.
Behold, I come quickly. Oh, he doesn't just say I will give him the morning Star. The morning star he was going to give them. But now he says I come quickly. Oh, the time is getting closer and closer. But he says, hold that fast which thou hast that No man take thy crown. What does that mean? Take thy crown? How can someone take my crown? Oh, I suggest to you that it means this.
That God is going to have those who are connected with Philadelphia when he comes.
But if you and I will not be overcomers, if you and I succumb to the pressures around us, if you and I do not, by the grace of God, lay hold on.
What God has given us, and if His precious truth does not lay hold of us, then God, as it were, is going to raise up someone else to do it. But you and I will be the losers. Oh, how solemn to think and how touching to think that in that coming day I may see someone else receiving a crown.
That I might have received and hear my Savior say at the judgment seat of Christ.
Bill, you could have. You could have had that crown too. You could have had that crown.
But you didn't overcome.
And now I'm giving it to someone else.
Well, I say that very humbly. Here we have hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. And then the word of encouragement, Oh, I say again, there's no more better word of encouragement in the whole Bible. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God. I may not stand out as a pillar in this world. I may not stand out as a pillar in the religious world or in the Christian world. But if I'm part of this.
I'm going to be a pillar in a coming day, the name of my God, the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem.
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That cometh down out of heaven from my God. Oh, if you turn to Revelation chapter 21, you'll find that New Jerusalem described. And what is it? Oh, it's the bride of Christ. The bride of Christ. Oh, what a blessed thing it is to be part of the bride of Christ. And every Christian saved in this dispensation will be part of that bride. But oh, I believe there will be a special joy for those who have kept His word and have not.
His name. And then it says I will write upon him my new name, Although that, that that goes beyond my mind.
The only thing I can say about it is this, and that is that I wonder, I say it in that way, I wonder if his new name is the name of Son of Man. Because the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, and we all know that he was always the Son of God, but he is Son of man, and the Son of man is perfect man and perfect God. He is there risen and at the Father's right hand, and he's going to be a man for all eternity that he might enjoy your.
In mind and God is going to write his new name upon us. Well, I just suggest the thought. We don't know, but I wonder if that's the new name that is referred to here.
Our time is nearly gone.
Laodicea verse 17 or verse 15 perhaps?
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would though Wert cold or hot. So then because thou art Luke warm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.
And anoint thine eyes will I serve, that thou mayest see as many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will Sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his throne.
Oh, you know, the worst state of all that a Christian can be in is to be.
In a state where we don't realize what we really are.
It's one thing to feel our weakness and to own it before the Lord. And no matter how weak we are, if we own our true state before the Lord, the Lord delights to come in and blessing, and He blesses according to our need. But if we pretend to be what we're not, oh, then the Lord has to occupy us with our failure before he can bless us and fill us with Christ. And yet that is what is characteristic of the last state of the church.
A saying I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.
Beloved brethren, that tendency is in my own heart, and it's in all of our hearts if we're not careful.
The tendency to think we're doing fine and then the Lord perhaps has to speak to us. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Oh, brethren, young people, the Lord is speaking to us in many ways.
In ways that he perhaps has not done before in the same way.
Serious ways, the Lord wants our ear. Is it because there is a Laodicean state that he is speaking about? I don't know.
I know what my own heart is like though, and I know that God did not write these things merely for us to read and say, Well thank God that's not me. Oh no, Oh no, no. I believe there is a tendency here. And so he says, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Well, we know that could never happen to a true believer in Christ. I believe that that properly speaks of the false church that will be here after the true church.
Home but I do suggest that the state of things that is spoken of here is equally abhorrent to God and not realizing our true state and are pretending to be what we're not. And if the Lord in his wondrous love to us rebukes and chastens. May we hear the word, may we listen to what he says to us. May we not say well have to go on these things happen, you know.
Didn't happen to me. Oh no. As many as I love and rebuke and I rebuke and chase and be zealous therefore, and repent.
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And oh, how blessed if any man hear my voice. Oh, it comes down to the individual. And by the grace of God, beloved young people, I've said this before, but I'll say it again. There is no reason why you, in these last years of the Church's history, cannot enjoy the Lord just as much in your own soul as the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John and others did right at the beginning of the dispensation.
The collective testimony may be in ruins. We know it is.
And we may all like the Apostle Paul on the voyage to my leader. The church may get to the glory to the shore just like his shipwreck. Someone boards and someone broken pieces of the ship, and so on. It may be a mess, but there's no reason why you can't enjoy the Lord individually just as much as anyone did at the beginning of the dispensation. God and the Word of His grace have not changed.
And then there's the blessed encouragement. He that overcometh.
Will I give to sit with me in my throne? Oh, you may be despised and rejected down here. You may be misunderstood by other young people, other Christians even. Never mind. There will come a day when it will be all worthwhile.
Our time is gone, I said. We turn to one verse in one John 5, and I'd just like to read it.
I, John. Chapter 5.
And verse 41, John five and four. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.
And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Or may we have faith to lay hold on these things in order that each one of us might be an overcomer. Don't say I can't be an overcomer. I've heard more than one say that I can't do it. I can't do that. I can't be like this one or that one. Don't try and be like this one or that one. Try to be like that blessed one in the glory. He has walked the pathway for you. He has gained the victory. You have only to draw on His strength. It's all there for each one of us.
Even in these difficult days.
Gospel
Gospel—R. Thonney
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Like to begin tonight by reading in Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians chapter 2. You have a Bible with you might want to look it up Fusions chapter 2 beginning with verse one. And you hath he quickened who were dead.
In trespasses and sins, wherein in time past.
He walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince.
Of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in time past, and the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and whereby nature.
The Children of Wrath, even as others.
But God, who is rich in mercy.
For His great love, wherewith He loved us even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace.
In his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith.
And that not of yourselves. It is the gift.
Of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.
Unto good works which God hath before ordained.
That we should walk in them. Beginning this chapter, you'll notice that the 1St.
3 verses paint a pretty black picture.
Of our state by nature, my friend and I.
Here this evening as they stand up to preach the gospel of the grace of God.
And speak about what our condition is thy nature before God.
I cannot make an exception with any in this room, starting from myself and going from one end.
To the other.
These first three verses are painted of our state by nature, apart from the grace of God. Your condition, my condition by nature is exactly this starts out by saying that we were dead in trespasses and sins. What do you mean by being dead?
Something that's dead has no life.
But I'm a friend. In this verse, it's Speaking of spiritual death.
Death always means in the scriptures separation.
It may be separation of the body from the soul and the spirit.
That is physical death, but what we're talking about here is spiritual death.
Death and results in a man being separated spiritually from God.
And many souls today are dead in trespasses and sins.
This is my condition by nature, apart from the grace of God, and this is your condition by nature.
I say of each one who is sitting here, I cannot make an exception here, for God says there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Those sins of yours, those sins of mine, naturally speaking, have separated between God and ourselves. It has produced spiritual death when Adam, the 1St man that was ever made and placed in this world.
Was told not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
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He was warned, he said. The day you eat thereof, you will surely die.
He didn't die physically, but as soon as he ate the fruit.
Of that prohibited tree, as soon as he disobeyed God, as soon as he sinned.
Immediately there was a separation between him and God. Death came in, spiritual death and all. My friend, if you are here without the knowledge of the Prince of Life, without having Him received Him into your heart, you too, my friend, are dead in trespasses and sins. I was that way until I received for my own Savior.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's go on to the next verse, next two verses here.
Because it continues to show the terrible condition.
In which we are found by nature before God.
God is the one who's painting this picture. I'm not painting it, my friend. And God sees like we do not see.
I can see the outside of you and you're all dressed pretty fine this evening. You all look like pretty nice people.
But God does not look on the outward appearance. God looks on the heart, and as he sees you, he looks at all that is in your heart. He examines, He knows your thoughts from afar off. And so here's the testimony, the picture that God paints of us, the human race by nature, apart from His grace.
Wherein he says in verse two, in time past you walked according to the course of this world.
According to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
There is a course this world is on. It's a powerful stream that runs through this world.
And it's going to destruction, my friend.
I'm amazed at the way Satan can get ahold of people with this course, this powerful stream that runs through this world to destruction and he uses something he finds in the heart of man will find it in verse 3.
Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh.
Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath.
Even as others the third verse, you'll notice that it speaks.
Of the lusts and the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
Lusts are uncontrolled desires, the enemy of our souls.
Who is here called the Prince of the Power of the Air, has nearly 6000 years experience on how to control man, on how to lead him the way he wants him to go. You may think you are a free moral agent.
But I say, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are presently under the control of the devil himself. Oh, my friend, this is a serious thing to consider. But he's using those very uncontrolled desires that are in your heart to steer you where he wants you to go. You may say, I'm going to decide my destiny in.
My friend, we have to tell you on the ground of the truth of the Word of God, that you are not in control of your destiny if you do not come to the Lord Jesus Christ to accept Him as your Savior. There is no such thing as controlling your destiny if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. I sometimes give the illustration in South America where I live most of the year round.
Of a horse.
Before we get on the back of a horse, we put a bridle in his mouth.
And then we mount the horse, and that horse is looking directly ahead. He's not looking at us.
And he may think that he's going pretty much like he likes, but really it is not.
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He is going like he likes. He is going according to how we guide him.
By means of that bridle that is in his mouth. And the enemy of your souls has a hold of you. Not every man is controlled by the same sin. Not every woman is controlled by the same sin. But we all have sins that the enemy of our souls likes to get ahold of them and try to carry us down that course to eternal destruction.
I'm amazed.
And how he does it sometimes. Last night her brother was speaking about.
That he was baptized and he was.
Not saved. And I really believe that there are a lot of religious people in this world.
People who have been baptized, people who have partaken of the Lord's Supper, so-called.
And never, never been saved. To me it is a real burden this evening, as I said, looking into many of your faces to think that maybe some of you were passing as Christians are on your way to a lost eternity in the lake of fire right now.
And my desire is that you might be wakened up before it's too late.
I think I've told the story to some, but it shook me to the very core.
When we first moved to Bolivia after we were married.
I contracted a man to build a house for me in the city of Montero, in the Amazon basin area of the country of Bolivia.
And there was another young man who has subcontracted to help out in the building of the house.
He seemed to be a believer. He professed to be. He was baptized. He was breaking bread at the Lords Table. I had no reason to think that there was.
In any problem with him, well, the house got finished in time.
And he went off to work in another area and gradually I lost complete contact with him for several years.
You've ever been in the city of Montero?
They have, besides the regular taxis, they have motorcycle taxis, their motorcycles in that town. If you want to go somewhere, you can get on the back end and they'll drive you to a certain part of the town you want to go to.
Well, it was after a number of years that these men began to appear dead. These men that were working as motorcycle taxis out in the jungle, sometimes one place and another, and they could never figure out who had done it.
One day a man appeared on a road who had been shot through the head and the bullet must have gone around to one side.
Because it didn't kill him and he was picked up and brought to the hospital and he denounced who had done this crime and it was this very person. His name was Jaime.
And Jaime was taken into custody by the police and the people.
The town of Montero were so incensed at what he had done.
That they mobbed the jail.
And he had to be taken by the army to the larger city of Santa Cruz.
And under the police examination, he confessed.
To having killed 12 People.
Not only killed.
But drinking their blood?
I was shocked.
To the very core. Is it possible? Is it possible that he occupied?
That place where we remembered the Lord.
And I broke bread with him.
And this happened.
It happened, friend, it happened.
It was a military government in Bolivia at the time.
And under military government.
They do not often give a very adequate trial.
He was out in the taken out by the police one day to investigate some of the areas of his crime.
And.
Police, they're not always that careful. And he got away and started running for the woods.
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And they called for him to stop, and he didn't stop.
They pulled out their pistols.
And Jaime went into eternity.
The man that I broke bread with.
Who I really believe is burning in hell fire today.
My desire is.
That those of you who are younger.
Some of your playing around.
With Satan's world.
I say it's an extremely dangerous thing because if you think you want to do your own thing.
There is a master at his art in leading men to destruction, eternal perdition.
Who is right behind you and you're not aware of it? I'd like you to wake up tonight.
Oh, it's a solemn thing we have in the story.
Of the Gospel, one of the very disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who is controlled by a desire that he had in his heart.
He accompanied with the Lord Jesus for 3 1/2 years of his public ministry.
He heard the words of the Lord Jesus. He saw the miracles that he did.
And he even evidently did many miracles himself. His name was.
Judas Iscariot Judas had a real love of money in his heart.
He loved money.
And the scripture tells us the story.
How that on the a few days before the Lord Jesus was betrayed?
There was a supper made for the Lord Jesus in the city of Bethany, and there were the Jesus and his disciples were there.
And there was a woman in that house, her name was Mary, and she brought a box of perfume.
And the very expensive box of perfume and broke it and poured it on the Lord Jesus. And Judas was the first one to say.
This is waste. This money could this thing could have been sold, we could have given it to the poor. And the scripture says it wasn't because he was careful for the poor, it was because he had the bag, the money bag that the disciples used to buy their supplies. And he was a thief because he took out for himself.
Judas Iscariot love money.
Judas must have thought, must have seen many times when the enemies of the Lord Jesus came around him.
To capture him and to take him away, to kill him. And how the Lord Jesus had walked through their midst and had gone his way.
And Judas came up with an idea. He thought, I'm going to go and betray.
Jesus to those people who want to kill him, and I know I'll get the money in my pocket.
And then when he comes to be bound, why he will.
Just continue to walk through their midst and go away, just like he has done so many times before, and I'll have the money in my pocket.
That money was what Judas loved and the enemy of his soul.
Was taking Judas. Although he was so close to Jesus, he was taking him right down the road to eternal destruction.
And so he did it. He went and made a contract to sell Jesus.
For 30 pieces of silver. And then he came at the right moment.
And gave Jesus a kiss and betrayed him to his enemies, and they came.
And they bound him. Oh, my friend, I say Judas didn't realize that he was being controlled.
By another agent far more powerful, Judas never never had opened his heart to receive Christ in.
Truth. He was a disciple of Jesus, but not in the heart.
And Judas after he saw that Jesus wasn't going to escape.
And saw the terrible infamy of what he had done.
He brought those pieces of silver that could not console his tormented conscience.
And he threw him down. That money could not comfort him at that moment.
And he went and hanged himself. Satan was successful.
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In taking another soul to eternal perdition.
I remember.
One time in the mining town of Siti Tsuyos in the mountains of Bolivia.
We went to a series of conference meetings like these.
When we got there, the brethren told us a story of a young man.
Something that had happened just the day before us. Sorry. Story of a young man who liked to drink.
And he came home one day. He was only 20 years old.
Came home one day and his mother, although she wasn't a Christian.
She didn't like to see him drunk all the time and she got on his case.
She really gave him a scolding and he got mad, really mad. And he said to his mother, mother, you're going to be sorry for doing this. And he went out of the house and he started up the road. This town of Siete Suyos is built on a ravine all the way around, kind of a ravine in the middle.
And he went up to where there is a siren.
That they used to blow at noon in the mines, and it's right up on a rock above the ravine.
And as he went up, he went up muttering to himself. My mother is going to be sorry for this.
Took off his hat and threw it down. Took off his coat and threw it down. Took off his shirt and threw it down when he got up to the point of the rock.
The blue whistle blew for noon. He took a dive into the ravine.
Ended up a mass of broken bones and flesh.
Satan got his bridle into that young man, took him right down the road to eternal destruction.
And I'm afraid you say my case isn't the same. It's true your case may not be the same.
Maybe you like some other sin. Maybe some other sin is appealing to you.
But I say, if you have not come to the Lord Jesus in true repentance.
And faith in His name, the enemy of your souls, is taking you softly, subtly, right down that same Rd.
To eternal destruction, friend, my desires that you will wake up tonight before it is forever too late.
Satan is a master at his heart, A master.
And so he uses the lusts of our flesh and of the mind. We were by nature children of wrath, even as others children of disobedience. It says in verse two, children of wrath. It says in verse 3, disobedience is the characteristic thing of the day today. Do your own thing. Doesn't matter what anybody else says, do your own thing.
That's the characteristic of a person who Satan is leading.
Down the road to destruction.
Now we come to verse 4, friend. Notice it please.
But God.
Oh, to me these are tremendously wonderful words. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us. The 1St 3 verses are pretty bleak picture of our condition by nature. But it's important that you understand where you stand by nature before God, because if you do not understand your lost condition.
You will never have any appreciation for God's salvation.
But here we have God's salvation. God comes into the picture. Everything changes.
But God, who is rich in mercy.
I love that expression. Rich in mercy. Oh my friend, the God that we preach is not a poor God.
So many who profess to preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And at the same time, they're preaching that gospel are begging for money.
My friend, I say God does not need your money. He is too rich to ask of you. He gives, and he gives freely. God is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us. For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever.
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Lasting life, That's God's love. Oh my friend, there's no love like it.
People in this world speak of love, but their love that they talk about as a different love.
It's all of you if you be nice to me.
But if you do something rotten to me, I'll do something rotten back to you too, and maybe a little bit worse, so you don't do it to me again.
That's the love this world talks about. But God's love is different.
God's love is love that loves when there is nothing lovable in US.
It's love that loves because God is love and is very person.
God is love. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.
I'd just like to take a moment here to tell that God sent his own son into this world.
There was only one who could save this poor soul of mine.
There was only one who could save you, my friend. It was.
The very Son of God, the very creator of the universe, came down into this world and was born.
Through the normal channel, the way we came into the world, he came into the world.
The only difference was that he was without sin. The Angel that announced to the Virgin Mary that she was to have a child.
Said That holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called.
The Son of God.
The Lord Jesus was born here. When he was born, there was number room for him.
In the end he had to be born were the animals were eating.
There was number room for the Creator of the universe as he came into this world.
God, in the person of Jesus, walked through this world.
For 33 1/2 years showing nothing, manifesting nothing but the love of God.
His mercy, His truth, He preached the Gospel on every hand.
He raised the dead, He healed the lepers. He raised those.
That were on beds of sickness. He gave the sight to the blind, and every hand dispensing, blessing, preaching the gospel to the poor, every hand feeding the hungry. That's what his work was in this world.
At the end of 33 1/2 years, God allowed.
Men, mainly, at first religious men.
But they have delivered him up to Pilate, the political authority in that day.
Of the Roman Empire in the land of Judea, where Jerusalem was.
And they took Jesus and they gave him a false trial.
And they condemned him to death, the soldiers.
Spit in his face.
They stripped him. They crowned him with thorns. They put a scarlet robe on him.
They blindfolded him. They took sticks, they beat him on the head.
They used their fists in his face.
Till his face was so marred more than any man's.
They took him outside the city of Jerusalem. They nailed him to the cross.
They hung him up between heaven and earth.
And left him there to die.
Oh my friend.
He What had he done?
Pilate had to admit this man has done nothing amiss.
The thief who was nailed by his side had to admit his innocence as well.
But there he was dying. Why, friend? Why? Because he wanted to show you how much he loved you. God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us. Oh, my friend, that's God's love. I often think if I were to look out the window of my house someday and see somebody.
Mistreating my boy.
I don't think I could take it. I don't think I could take it. I'd run out.
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I'd say, hey, don't hurt him. You want to beat somebody, beat me instead.
You know my friend God.
Saw exactly what those men were doing.
As they pounded the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, as they crowned them with thorns, as they beat His head, as they mocked Him, as they scourged Him, He saw it all and He didn't do anything about it. You know why? Because God is interested in your salvation. And if you are going to be saved, those sins of yours must be accounted for. They must be paid.
And so.
When the Lord Jesus was on that cross, he hung there between heaven and earth, scorn and ridiculed by men for three hours, from 9:00 in the morning till 12 noon.
And then everything got dark.
And in three hours of darkness, when nobody could see what was happening.
On Calvary's Hill.
God took our sins and laid them on Jesus, and God punished him as if he were the guilty one. He bore our sins in his own body on the tree, Isaiah the prophet tells us. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.
The chastisement of our peace was upon him.
And with his stripes we are healed all we.
Like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Jesus bore my sin on Calvary Cross. He suffered.
The just penalty from the hand of God for my sins on the ground of his redemption work on Calvary. God can forgive a poor last Sinner like myself. He cannot pass over sin lightly.
Not the least of those sins of yours, my friend. He cannot. Impossible. God must do everything in accordance with the holiness of His own nature. But when Jesus hung on the cross of Calvary, he paid the debt in full, so that you can now come to receive a full and free salvation from the hand of God Himself.
Because.
Jesus died. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.
He was buried. He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
The Lord Jesus died. Think of it, friend to me.
It is tremendous to think that this, the creator of the universe, the Lord Jesus Christ, hung dead on the cross for me.
A soldier came up and to make sure he was dead.
Shove the spear in his side, and out came blood and water. The precious blood of Jesus is that which can wash our guilty souls from every stain of sin in the sight of God.
The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us.
From all sin Jesus died. They took him down.
They buried him, but after three days in the grave.
God raised him from the dead. God was so satisfied with the price.
That Jesus paid for the question of sin, That he couldn't leave him there.
He raised him from the dead the third day. And tonight it is our privilege to tell you, friend, that we announce a living Savior, a Savior of real flesh and bones who's alive in the glory of God tonight.
Powerful to save all that coming to him by faith. Have you come, friend?
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Have you come? This is the richest of God's grace.
You know, I think of that terrible thing that men did to the Lord Jesus Christ. I say God would have every right to turn around and say.
OK, you miserable creatures, to hell with all of you.
And not in this light sense of it. He would have every right to say it.
What does God do? God turns around and he says now.
I can offer through what my son has done on the Cross of Calvary.
Free and full salvation to everyone.
That believer, this is the richest of his mercy, the richest of his grace. Oh my friend, this is the God we're telling you about tonight. He's not a God who's the fabrication of the human mind. He's a God who is revealed in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now notice in verse 5.
Even when we were dead, and sins hath quickened us together with Christ.
By grace are you saved? That word quickened means to be given light.
Somebody that is dead needs life and my friend, you don't know what life is really about.
Until you know the Prince of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, you may think I'm having a great time living it up. I tell you, my friend, you're miserable in comparison to what you can be if you accept God's Son, the Lord Jesus as your Savior. He has given us life and then what it has gone to say it says in verse 6.
Hath raised us up together. This is resurrection.
Why does it say it seems like the same thing? He's given us life to dead those that were dead. In our trespasses and sins. He's given us life, but then he's raised us up together too.
You know there was a man that the Lord Jesus raised from the dead when he was here in this world.
His name was Lazarus, he was already in the grave and they uncovered that grave.
The Lord Jesus said Lazarus come forth and he came out of that grave.
Did Lazarus continue to live in the graveyard? No.
That's not the place for living people, that's the place for dead people.
And when God?
Gave you life. If you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior, he completely took you out of that position. You no longer occupy that position of death any longer. You've been raised up. That was not the place that Lazarus lived after that. And I say maybe there's a young person here who is dabbling with the world, I say.
My dear young person, if you have accepted the Lord Jesus and truth in your heart.
God has raised you up together with Christ. He's brought you right out of that position in this world.
And if you're walking there, you're walking still in the graveyard.
But it doesn't stop there, it says. And he's made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.
It's written in the past tense. What does this mean? I thought we were seated here.
In this hotel.
What does this mean? Seated together in heavenly places in Christ? You know, my friend.
When a person truly receives the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior God.
The salvation of God is so sure that it's as if.
He already sees you there. It's so sure, and so he puts it in the past tense.
He's made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ and then verse.
Seven, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Oh, that's what's ahead for the believer in the Lord Jesus. He's going to see in the ages to come.
The exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus have him think of the Lord Jesus when he was tempted by the devil.
It says that the devil took him to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory in a moment of time.
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It only took a moment of time to see all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Having said.
Of a wealthy man.
Came and said, come, I want to show you all my riches. How long would it take? I don't know.
I don't know how wealthy people are, but it might take a few days, it might take a couple weeks.
Might take a month. I don't think I'd go beyond a month.
But when God starts to show his riches, friend, it's going to take ages and ages and ages. That's what they had for the believer in the Lord Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Now we come to verse 8.
For by grace are ye saved through faith and that.
Not of yourselves, It is the gift of God.
What does this mean?
Oh friend, how can you come into this blessing that we're talking about tonight?
Or by grace, are ye saved through?
Faith. Faith is a simple trust.
In the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, there are people in this world that have faith in themselves.
There are people in this world that have faith in other people, but I tell your friend.
Any mortal human is not really worthy to be trusted all the way.
No, there's only one who you can trust all the way.
And that's God's Son, the Lord Jesus, and so faith.
Is the hand that reaches out to take the gift that God offers of salvation.
You say I believe I take it for myself.
That's faith, for by grace are ye saved through faith.
There's no power in itself in the faith, but there's the power in the person that we have faith in.
Sometimes they illustrate it like the terrain that runs down the track, all the cars.
That run behind the locomotives don't have any power in them themselves. Still, they go at the same speed as the locomotives. What is it that makes them go at that same speed? Is there any power in them? No, no power whatsoever. But there's something that's called the coupling that unites them to the power that there is in the locomotive, and faith is that.
Hand that reaches out to take hold.
Of the Savior to receive that gift of salvation.
Full and free, or by grace are ye saved through faith.
Where does that faith come?
That not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. God can give you the very faith you need to believe in His Son.
How's that? The scripture tells us in another place.
Faith.
Comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Are you hearing tonight, friend?
I'm not talking merely about your ears and your head. I'm talking about the hearing ear of your heart. I've often seen people who listen to the gospel, the message of the gospel of God, and it's evident that they're listening with their ears, their head. Yeah, they're polite and they're listening, but it's evident too, by the expression on their face.
That the ears of their hearts.
Are roadblocked. There's no way that word is getting into their hearts. I want to ask you tonight, friend, if that's your case, to take down that roadblock to open up. You say you cannot believe. You say you can't. You don't feel faith to believe. I say simply let the word of God penetrate into the deepest regions of your heart tonight.
Oh, that message of God's love, that God is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us.
Not of works, lest any man should boast. No man will ever get to heaven.
And be able to boast there that he made it. Know all those who are at home in heaven are going to sing glory to Jesus.
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That's the song that's going to be sung there. You get there and sing glory to yourself. It wouldn't work. You'll never do it. God has ruled out that option. There's no way it's going to happen. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Before I close, I just want to read a couple verses in Second Thessalonians chapter one of warning. Because we're living in days when this world is on the edge of going to pieces. I think anybody who has a fair evaluation of things in this world realizes that this world is getting to the point of no return.
The economic structure, the political problems.
Are tremendous in this world.
And friend, by the word of God, we have to advise you that there is awful.
Awful judgment ahead for this world.
This world has not seen anything yet like is just.
About to happen. It's a time that the Bible calls Great Tribulation, and Jesus, the only man who never told a lie, said there will be no time like it after, nor was there any time like it before.
And at the end of this period of great tribulation.
Jesus himself is coming to judge this world. If you do not accept God's offer of mercy and salvation, you must meet God anyhow, and you will meet your God in the person of Jesus.
You will meet him face to face.
Two Thessalon. Two Thessalonians, Chapter One.
Verse 7.
The middle of the verse speaks of.
The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.
In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.
I just want to read that.
To sound an awful, awful warning, my friend. I wouldn't be.
True to you as a friend if I didn't tell you the awful danger that lies ahead.
I got out to go in my car tonight down the road and you knew there was a danger down there. I know you would come up and tell me. And I'm telling you, my friend, there's a danger ahead for you if you do not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord for those who do not know God and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It's because of this friend.
You've been invited here tonight and we want to say with all that's in our hearts.
Please stop tonight. Stop in your tracks. Take.
A moment to reflect on the way that God sees you, because it is the true picture of you that we've been talking about tonight. And I ask you in the name of the Lord Jesus to come to him tonight to receive.
Your salvation from eternal destruction.
1 John 1
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It was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.
And that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And these things right we unto you, that your joy may be full.
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say and that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in US. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not enough at the close of our brothers. At best he read first. John 54. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.
And this is the victory that overcometh the world.
Even our faith.
And in the second chapter you've referred to the young men who are strong.
Because the Word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. It takes strength to be an overcomer.
And I believe this first chapter gives us the way of getting that strength because it takes up the subject of communion.
We have eaten a meal at noon.
In the strength of that we are.
Walking around here and we have communed with.
Together in material things to get strength for a physical woman.
Now for a walk or a sail through a storm of life we were singing about, we have got to have strength and it comes from the word of God and we get it through the apostles.
We get through the apostles what they got directly from Christ.
And that is the beginning that John is writing about here. It's Christ down here on earth as a man amongst men that they saw, they they felt, they touched, and they looked upon him. And now the apostles are conveying that about Christ to us. And we've got to get it if we're going to have strength to be overcomers.
Just faith with an abstract way that amounts to anything. The very next verse you read the 5th chapter on read verse five. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? The Gospel of John ends with many other things did Jesus which are not written in this book.
But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ.
The Son of God and that believing you might have life through his name. So the faith of the Christian is that Jesus is the Son of God. What did the world do to him? The world despised him and cast him out and rejected him. And we believe that he is the Son of God. That is our faith that overcomes the world because the world is that system of things which has hated him.
And we believe that he is the Son of God. So this gives the victory over the world. Why should we desire anything that that system of things which has rejected and cast out of this world, the one that we believe to be the Son of God? Why should we desire that? That's what gives the victory over this world, isn't it? The faith that we have that he is?
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The Son of God, and this is what John brings out in his writing. So.
So beautifully that he is the Christ, the Son of God.
The first verse is really the basis of the believers hope. It's this precious verse. That second one is the life of the believer. It's eternal, but that which was from the beginning of the word of life.
It's wonderful that the Lord here has given us something that would relate to us and what we can take in. He became a man. That was this beginning when the eternal Son of God became a man. This, this portion is really God's testimony, the testimony of the Father in Son. But we have the other beginning.
In in first in in John's Gospel. That's of course.
Eternity. It's the eternal Son. But there of course He reveals the Father, as in the 18th verse of John One. No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father. He had declared it so it said in the beginning was the Word. That doesn't mean there was a beginning when He started.
It means we have to have something that we can relate to.
We only can think in the measure of time and space, and so the Word always was. It was with God before anything was made and all things were made by Him. But here we have the beginning of Him as a man, and how precious that is.
Course, we have that beginning in Genesis which is creation. So God gives us these things that we can really lay hold of. We can take it in, perhaps not fully understand it because here he is a man. And yet as you get in the third chapter of John, this precious verse.
The Lord speaking verse 13 No man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven.
Even the Son of man, which is in heaven.
So we have one here that they could, and they did see, and they heard him, and they handled him. He was very mad, and yet he never ceased being the eternal Son of God.
It's it's helpful to see that the the Gospel of John begins with the the eternity of his person in the beginning was the word in the beginning when whenever a beginning began.
Whatever anything that had a beginning came into existence, the Word was. He did not begin, He always was. John 11 is the eternal past. But John 114 says, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glorious of an only begotten with the Father, full of grace and truth. The Word became flesh. Well, that's where the Epistle of John begins. It begins with the Word become flesh.
And it's called. The expression that he uses is that which was from the beginning.
From that point in time when he came into this world of his own creation and became a man, That's proven by the rest of the verse, he says, which we have heard.
Which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled. All of these things were true. When he was down here as a man in this world, they saw, they heard him, they saw him, they contemplated him, they looked at him, and they even touched him and handled him. The word of life.
John's Gospel and this epistle we're reading.
Both begin with light. It's light that makes manifest.
And in John's Gospel, he was always there with the Father.
And the eternity, the past. But he came.
And he came as light into a dark place.
And it had to be in order for God to communicate.
With us God, in his love and in his purposes.
And wanted us. He wanted children in the glory. How was he going to get them? He had to come out in light.
And the light makes manifest, and it may manifest of course our guilt and our lust condition. But then Christ came into the world and brought love to light reveals. And what it has revealed is that God is love and in his love he has.
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Wrought redemptions work. Salvation's work is completed.
So that we can be brought into God's family, saved by grace through faith.
In a finished work and become his children so that what God is doing is making himself known as light and as love and one who wanted a family. He had one son whom he loved.
And who was ever perfect? And he wanted children like him, and he gets them.
He gets children like Christ. We're going to be like Christ.
Morally in absolute perfection when recording that glory.
But he has wrought now to save us from our sins. He tests us through this light. We go through storms and we have conflict and there is a necessity to overcome and how are we going to do it Through the word of God, through communion and getting what the apostles have passed on to us back in the eighth of Isaiah bind up the testimony sealed the law among my.
Disciples.
Through the word, through the testimony, I believe that's a prophecy that refers to.
Pentecost in particular, but in the prayer of the Lord in the 17th of John, he tells about it definitely. Let's notice in John 17 where the Lord was in prayer to the Father.
And especially about his disciples who were also apostles, at least the.
Special ones were.
But he has a prayer for others besides, he was praying for you if you're a believer that day. Me too very precious to see this in John 17 verse 20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word. That's the word of the apostle. Now Pentecost, it says they continued steadfastly and the apostles doctrine. That's what they thought. That's their writings. That's the.
That we have in our hands, and that brings us into the apostles fellowship. And we're going to see that there are three fellowships here, and they have to be entered into in sequence in the order in which they aren't here. First of all, there's the fellowship with the apostles or communion with the apostles, which comes through practicing their teaching, their doctrine.
Bill, would you say those remarks you made about knowledge that isn't that controls us or keeps us or?
Carry that on and repeat that, please, because it's choice.
Well, I just was saying that it is not how much we know the number, but how much we walk and what we do know. We all have certain capacity and if we have a certain amount of truth and we walk in it, then God gives us more and that makes us an overcomer. But walking in what we have is what we really need, isn't it?
But if we don't walk in what we have, then we lose it. And that's what the Lord meant when he said to him in half shall be given, but unto him that hath not even that he hath shall be taken away from him. And So what we have in our heads doesn't keep us, it's what we walk in. Isn't it very important? And we can't get into the apostles fellowship.
Apart from knowing something intellectually what it is, but practicing it not just not knowledge, not enough. You have to obey the doctor.
And then we have fellowship with them. And immediately that brings us into fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And then there's a little space before we get into fellowship with our brethren. I just mentioned this to start, that these three fellowships are very, very important and you and I have to enter into them in that order. We have to get the teaching the.
Light the doctrine of the Apostles and obey it, practice it, enjoy it.
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And then we are immediately in fellowship with the apostles, and immediately then we are in fellowship with the Father, with the Son, Jesus Christ. And then there is the.
Walking.
Where the light puts us so that we can be together as we are this afternoon to bring us into that third fellowship.
And in order for us to enter into that fellowship, the eternal Son of God became a man. We should dwell a little on that first verse. It is so exceedingly precious. I was thinking in contrast with this verse of the book of Esther, where even the queen did not dare to enter the King's presence.
Unless she was hidden.
And if he didn't hold out the golden scepter to her, it would have meant death. Those kings were not accessible. They were not approachable. They were way off and above and unreachable by the masses. But what do we read of this one? Who is eternal life? Who is God over all, blessed forever?
John says we heard him.
It wasn't just a voice speaking from heaven. It wasn't just a Once Upon a time.
Utterance that they heard or maybe a few times, but he was here. He was actually here down here in a in a man as a man in this world, speaking amongst them, moving in and out amongst them. It says they not only did they hear him, but they saw him. They they saw him with their eyes and this wasn't just a vision.
That appeared once and then.
Was gone, but they looked upon him with their eyes. They contemplated him, as Mr. Darby puts it.
They, they fixed their eyes upon him. He was here, the most accessible man that ever walked this scene to the poorest and the most wretched. And then the last expression, they, they.
Handled him with their hands. Well, that was unthinkable for a mighty monarch being who he was. The infiniteness of the grace that we have in that verse.
That knowing who He is, the very expression of life, the very word of life, the One who was that eternal life, that with the Father, He came so near to us. He was heard, He was seen, He was looked upon, He was handled by the likes of us sinners. That's infinite grace in itself, isn't it?
That He would come to to such a place of nearness to us, that he might bring us into this fellowship that our brethren have been talking about, that we might know him.
And enjoy him.
What do you think? That this was their Creator and the Creator of everything, and the Sustainer of all life, and the One in whom was the dominions of heaven when He was here. All power in Him, all judgment committed to Him, Everything centers in Him, and yet He walked with them. He lived with them as a man.
It's a beautiful thing, isn't it, that they were able to tell here that they saw him?
They heard him, and we hear him now. How wonderful it is. We hear Him speaking to us. That's the preciousness of the Word of God. When the Spirit of God, who makes nothing of Himself but all of Christ, is able to function and operate here today in our midst, we hear Him.
And this is so precious. He's the one that gave us this beginning of life and then this eternal life. And it's lovely the way it is brought out in his prayer. This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent. That's not a definition. That's in essence of what life eternal is, to know God is Father and know Jesus Christ.
Savior and Lord, life eternal. It's so beautiful, and that's really what's brought out here. And without that, you cannot have this fellowship we're speaking about. None of the fellowships that we're speaking about here can be yours. You may be here, you may feel like you're among us, but you do not enter into that precious fellowship which only comes if you have life eternal. He is the word of life. He's the source of life.
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And the only way we could receive it is by and through his death for us. That's it. But you know, when he, even when he came back in Luke 2024 and presented himself to the apostles, and showed them his hands and his side, it says in 37 And he said, Peace be unto you. It says they were.
Terrified. Supposedly seen a spirit? He's still the man.
He is still the man Christ Jesus. He will always be that man for us. These truths are so precious, as our brother said, Just to dwell a moment on that first verse and grasp in your heart who this is that we're Speaking of and there and John is telling us about.
Eternal life is the life of the family of God, and So what we have in the Gospel of John is eternal life manifested in the person of the Lord Jesus.
Basically what we have in the Epistle of John is that same eternal life that was manifested in the life of the Lord Jesus, manifested now in the life of those who are children in the family of God. And so it's really wonderful, brethren, to take that first verse and those little short phrases. We have heard him, we have seen him, we have looked upon him.
We have handled.
And it seems to be an ever increasing nearness to hear something and maybe still a distance.
To see something still maybe a little closer, but still maybe at a distance, to contemplate it has to be a little bit nearer.
To handle something that has to be very, very near. And to get into the Gospels and to contemplate the Lord Jesus, to hear Him, to see him, to contemplate him, the perfection of his character, and how he passed through all the vicissitudes of life, circled by his enemies. But they could never find a family in Him. And now we can.
Brethren, that's the life that is our life in the family of God. This is the same life that we possess. Really enjoyed contrasting this first verse with the story of the Good Samaritan. When that poor man fell among thieves, it says the priest came down and he saw him and passed by.
It uses one of those verbs that we have in the first verse.
And then it says.
A Levite came, and when he was at the place, he looked upon him. It's the next verb that it uses there. But then it says a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. He came so close that that poor wounded man could actually handle him. And God has come so close to us.
In the person of the Lord Jesus and a desire for our fellowship, brethren, that the apostles could actually say our hands have handled him the word of life.
Jesus came.
Read in the second of Hebrews, that he passed angels by, and laid hold of the seed of Abraham.
And we read in the eighth of Romans that God sending his own Son.
And the likeness of sinful flesh. And that is as close as the Son of God could come to humanity in our state without being contaminated by our nature. That Holy One that was born of the Virgin was made in the likeness of our own sinful flesh in order that he might do what the law was incompetent to do, and that is produced fruit demand.
And so he came as the sin, offering to bring us to God and to bring us into this life.
Of which he himself is the perfect expression.
You mentioned how near the apostles were when they handled him, but think how near John was when he leaned on his bosom. Isn't that precious to have the heartbeat right to the closest spot in the precious Lords affections? John was there so he's the one that could say rightfully children keep yourself some idols. He was at the place where an idol can't come in between.
00:25:17
Himself and this one who gave him life. Thinking of that about gone leaning on Jesus breast at supper time. The nearness of the apostle John and he's the one that's writing this epistle. I heard some choice remarks at a conference many years ago.
About the absolute perfection.
The sinlessness of God's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
As they are brought out in Scripture, John writes in the plural. Here we.
That's the apostles. He would include Peter.
Paul and others with him that knew.
And saw and touched and handled the Lord. Paul comes in special.
Has been caught up to the 3rd heaven.
And seeing the Lord, we believe more than once.
But the way that this truth of the perfection.
Of the Lord Jesus was expressed this way that the apostle.
Of schooling, of learning. The one that was brought up the feet of Gamaliel wrote about Jesus. He knew no sin. Now that's second Corinthians 5 if you want to look at the verse.
2nd Corinthians 5 and the last verse says whole writing to the Corinthians. He hath made him to be sin, for us to knew no sin.
That we might be made the righteousness of God. That is, Paul the man of learning, says he knew no sin. Or as Peter the one of action.
He wrote about Jesus and says he did no sin.
But when it came to saying in him is no sin.
Especially is this Apostle John, and it's in our third.
A chapter I believe here. Yes, first John 3.
John goes on in his intimacy of seeing and touching and knowing, handling the word of life, leaning on his breast at supper time. He writes in verse five. First, John 35. You know that he hath, He was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. It's just beautiful the way God brings truth out through the apostles.
And we ought to learn it and appreciate it and enjoy it.
That verse that just wanted to make a few comments on the verse that you was talking about in Romans 8, three. It's such a profound verse. It says God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. It does not say God sending his own son in sinful flesh. Couldn't say that.
It couldn't say God sending his own Son in the likeness of flesh.
Couldn't say that. No, He was true flesh, but he was not sinful flesh. He was that holy one. And so the precision of Scripture, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. He was the Holy One of God. And that's what we're considering here in this first verse.
Of our chapter to think that the holiest man that was ever here.
Was the most accessible of all men, the most approachable?
Marvelous. These were very close to him, but what about us today?
You know, there was one that was at a very intimate, close relationship with the Lord Mary of Bethany, but she was at his feet. She was at his feet taking in His word. She was at his feet making requests for her loved one. She's at his feet, always adoring him and offering up praise to him. Worship. And we have that privilege.
And you know, it does say in Hebrews 2 we see Jesus.
00:30:01
But it's that place at his feet where we can just take in his word. And that's the thing. He identifies himself in that sense with those that take that position. I was thinking of the way it's described in in Isaiah 5715, because we're really speaking about Himself here. For thus says the high and lofty one that inhabited eternity.
Whose name is holy? I dwell in the high and Holy place with him.
Also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, to revive the heart of the contrite ones. And so he said of Mary. She has.
She has done a good work.
It shall never be taken from her. So that's what we have the privilege of now. We can't touch him and handle him, but we can be at his feet. We can feed on himself. We can know more of him by the Spirit of God.
And it's wonderful, isn't it, that we have this privilege. The tendency with us is when we become strangers, we take a position of aloofness and inaccessibility. That was never the Lord Jesus. He was the heavenly stranger, the most separated man that ever walked this scene, the holiest of all, and yet the most accessible to put those.
Two qualities together is only found in perfection in the person of the Sun.
I'd like to respond to Brother Baumann's question. What about us by directing our attention to chapter 2, verse eight. Again, a new commandment I write unto you. Which thing is true in him and in you? So, as it's been pointed out, we have the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, that eternal life. Which thing is true?
In Him and in you, so that in the day of judgment we have boldness, because as he is.
So are we in this present world, so as to us?
We are as near to God as His precious Son. So near, so near. I could not bear be or in the person of His Son. I'm as near as He. So it's true in him and in us, by the grace of God. Our brother Clem pointed out that it is feeding upon him that is contemplating the Son of God as He was as a man here below.
That enables these moral features to be displayed in US and if those moral features are to be displayed in US.
And I say this to my own heart. We must deny ourselves.
And as the Apostle Paul tells us, to bruise under our body.
That the life also of Jesus might be manifested in this mortal body. But those features can, by the Spirit of God, be reproduced in US, beloved, as we contemplate Him, as we see Him in the Gospels, as a man. Here below we have an object that elevates our hearts above this poor scene, and gives us a plain in which to function, that enables in our own feeble capacity, the moral.
Christ to be displayed in US, and we have those exemplified.
In Steven lay not this sin to their charge, the life of Christ, of the Spirit of Christ, producing in that man the feelings of the Lord Jesus Christ, to forgive his enemies that were putting him to death. Paul pleading for those who forsook him, and not make the accountable, so that yes, they should be displayed in US, and the only way they can be is as we behold him.
In the word of God.
Those features are formed in us and we are translated into His image, glory to glory.
If we would look at first Peter two, we would see just that as to those moral features and moral traits that Peter writes about which were seen in Jesus. And then we can go to 2nd Corinthians 6 and find out what were exhorted, how those moral traits and features ought to be seen in US. But Peter writes about the blessed Lord.
And says in one Peter 221 even hereunto where ye called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. Then you get the statement of Peters who did no sin. Peter said he did not sin. Peter was a man of action. He said Jesus did not sin that holy one. Neither was GAIL found in his mouth.
00:35:12
Who when he was reviled, reviled not again?
When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him. That judgeth righteously.
Then he goes on, bears our sins. Now if we look in 2nd Corinthians 6, there's a series of chapters here in Second Corinthians that the Spirit of God gives us the ministry in chapter 3 and he gives us the minister in chapter 4. And he gives us the motives that activate the minister in chapter 5, and it gives us the moral traits of the minister in chapter 6. And that's what we're talking about.
And the first one swats me down like swatting the fly. Let's look at it.
A minister is just a servant, and we're called to be ministers, we're called to be serviced. So that's what it says in Second Corinthians 64. But in all things, approving ourselves as ministers of God, that's what you are. That's what I am, a servant of God. We're left here as children in the family.
To represent Christ.
To be children of God, what's the first thing in much patience?
In much patience, I went by on these billboards on one of the denominational.
Churches, buildings in front of it, and it said patience is.
Life'll hardest lesson for me, it's life's longest. It's going to last as long as I'm here.
In much patience, but these things are practical. We need to look at our precious Savior and learn.
How perfect he was. Have him before us to have the motive to follow him.
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. In Colossians one. What is patience? Patience is power under control.
In Colossians one verse, well, I'll read from verse 9 for this, 'cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will, and all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.
Being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Here's the verse.
Strengthened with all might, with all power, according to his glorious power. For what unto all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness. That's the power of God, takes more power to be patient and submissive.
Than it does to fly off the handle.
That's power under control, isn't it? Control of the Spirit of God that was Christ.
As mentioned earlier too, about feeding and the importance of it. And I just feel that we need, dear brethren, those of us who are younger really applies to us all, to know more what it means to feed on Christ. It's so easy to pick up the Bible and read a chapter.
Everyday lives and rush off to work but feeding.
Eating is something that takes time. I put a bite in my mouth. I don't swallow it directly, but I spend time with that food in my mouth, chewing it and getting the savor of it, enjoying it. And I think it's so important, was mentioned in the address. It's not what we know. What we've taken in, a knowledge that is going to affect our lives is what we enjoy in the depths of our soul.
So it's when that food passes on into my body, it actually becomes part of Maine. It is absorbed through the stomach into the body, the whole body, and it becomes part of me. And so when we get into the Gospels, we really need to stop to hear him. We can hear him, brethren, to see him, to contemplate him.
And I really believe, although not in a physical sense, there's a sense we can get so close we can actually handle.
Of the word of life. It is a spiritual experience that we need to.
Have everyone of us, but it doesn't come in our hurried ways of life. We need to be quiet, we need to sit in His presence. We need to put our busy activities to one side and feed on Him. The Old Testament there were three kinds of food that were mentioned for the people of God. It was the Passover in the land of Egypt, the manna in the desert and in the.
00:40:27
Land of Canaan, the old corn of the land, it all is Christ, Christ and death is the Passover Christ in this humiliation.
Down here is the manna and Christ in his glory as the old corn of the land.
In all those ways we need to feed on him, but especially I believe it is as the manna that we need to contemplate him in the Gospels as he passed through the circumstances of life to contemplate it. Look at it. It's not study of the Word of God that's going to bring the truth of God home to the soul. It's the meditation of the Word of God.
Steady seems to indicate the effort of the human mind to.
Understand something, but the human mind cannot understand by its own effort the truth of God. But it is meditation in meditation that the Spirit of God can bring home these things to our soul, to savor them, to enjoy them in the soul. Then it's going to form our character. Then it's going to be become part of us.
What we're speaking about here in this first verse.
Truth, God not only cleaned in the field, but she beat out that which she gleaned and she had an EFF of it which is 10 times more than was needed for one of the sacrifices in Leviticus and she was able to take that which she beat out. She made it good for herself into the city and show it to her mother-in-law and share it. Lovely is when she said where hast thou gleaned? She didn't tell her where the field.
Located. The man's name is Boaz. So we feed on Christ, but we don't just read the word of God as he was saying. We beat it out. We make it good to our own souls. And then it will not only be noticeable that we've been with Christ as it was with those disciples. They took knowledge of them. They've been with Jesus, and we'll have something to share to them.
It's also very interesting is to rule.
Having beat out Anifa.
When she took her place at the feet of Boaz on the threshing floor, he gave her exactly twice what she had beaten out.
Check the weights and measures in the dictionary, you'll see that the amount that he gave her was exactly twice what she beat out. So he will richly reward every thought of meditation that we spend every moment we spend twofold and feeding upon him.
First one or chapter verse one, the latter part of the verse, it says the word of life. I'm sure there's a rich treasure in that expression, the word of life.
And it would seem to me that verse two of our chapter is an explanation of that expression.
What do my brethren think about that? That's right. The life was manifested in the apostles got it, and they wrote it down for us, so we ought to get it.
It's the same life of Christ. We have that life, it's eternal. And we have a life right now that has never had a beginning and will never have an end. It's eternal. I don't explain it, I don't understand it, but I'm sure enjoying it. And that's what we have. It's the life of Christ. And a beautiful thing is our brother was telling how they described him as the sinless one, holy, which he is.
But notice in chapter 3 and verse nine, and this is very important to grasp. Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him. He cannot sin because he's born of God. This principle is true for each one of us who have the life of Christ. That life cannot sin.
It can only please God.
Now it's marvelous that we have that life later on. It tells us faithfully that we sin. But that's not that life. That's his old nature that we still have in activity. But it's wonderful, brethren, that we have that life and as long as we allow the Spirit to have His way and that life to be manifested.
00:45:13
There'll be no sin. There'll be no sin. It's a wonderful thought.
That we have that.
Wonder if we could turn to that little book of Ruth. It's been mentioned and there's two times that Ruth got counsel there that I think are very important for all of us here in this room today and all who are exposed to the truth that the.
Apostles have left for us where the Spirit of God is allowed the liberty to teach of Christ.
Him that was from the beginning, and it's very simple, the two warnings, the two admonitions in Ruth chapter 2.
And verse eight, it's Boaz himself who talks to Ruth and he says, hearest thou not my daughter, go not to glean in another field.
Either go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens.
The teaching seems to me that Christ himself is telling me.
You stay in my pasture.
Where?
My truth is held and known and there are companions there. Now that was Boaz, which answers in the type to Christ telling me that and the same chapter it's Naomi in verse 22.
The mother-in-law, Naomi said unto Ruth, her daughter-in-law. It is good, my daughter, that I'll go out.
With his maidens that they meet thee not in any other field. She as the mother-in-law.
Knowing Ruth, her daughter-in-law personally counsels her, too. Don't let yourself be found.
In any other field, stay where you are.
Now that's the kind of counsel we ought to have for ourselves personally. As to the truth, you'll never find anything but where it is.
And the truth is unique. If you don't have.
The truth as such, you've lost something.
And the practice of it is the only way that you can hold it. So the apostles doctrine comes through the apostles. And when we obey it, as we've been hearing, then we get into the apostles fellowship. And there are lots of mixed up fields and Christendom today where they have a little truth, but they don't have the truth as such.
At least I see it that way. I think the Council is important.
I'd like to read in connection with your thoughts, Clem Colossians 2 verse eight. I think it applies here. Other fields young people can can spend their time and their energies and their intellect in other fields than the word of God, the field of Christ where we're going to get the wisdom that he gives. And there are many, many religions in this world religious systems that.
One can get mixed up in other fields. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. Philosophy, the world's wisdom, its way of thinking, its way of viewing things, its way of analyzing things. Let's not glean in that field.
They deceit, man's religion, man's religious thoughts, man's way of viewing things, all all giving place to the first man, all assuming the fundamental fallacy that there's good in man and that we can make it on our own efforts. Don't glean in those fields. Don't read those books, don't occupy your mind in those fields, but glean in the field of Christ.
The tradition of men, the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
But I just thought of that verse in connection with what you were saying. I think another portion that's always helpful is Second Kings chapter 4.
With Elisha.
It's a nice type of Christ as we have him now in grace coming on instead of Elijah character. But in verse 38, Elijah came again unto Gilgal, the place of the cutting off of flesh, and it's a very important place. He was out there, but there was a dearth in the land. And you know that happens sometimes. There's a leanness and it may be because of our state of soul collectively.
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Or maybe because of a problem individually in the assembly. But there was a dearth in the land the sons of the prophets were sitting before.
Elijah, they knew where to go, the man of God, and he said unto his servant, said on the great pot, and seethed potties for the sons of the prophets. This was time for the great pot. When we really looked to the Lord, we need the great plot. You could use small vessels other times, but when you're getting fed by the Lord, the Spirit of God in the Word, we need the great pot.
Fill the vessels to the brim.
Flowing. That's the thought. And then it said he gave them directions, he said.
At the middle of the verse.
Set on the great pot and seize pottage. He told him exactly what to do. Verse 39 one went out into the field. This wasn't his field. This wasn't his instructions. If we're going to get fed by the word of God, brethren, it's going to have to be according to the Spirit of God, the Lord's way, the Lord's mind, and that's all. He went out to gather herbs and found a wild vine.
And gathered their wild gourds, his lap full. I'll tell you when you go out.
Into the field, and that's Moab. It's really religious Christendom.
You don't have any trouble getting it. You will get a lap full and it's very easy. You can sit down. You have to, to get a lap full. You don't have to work to get it. It's all there. And so he got a lap full and then it says he shred, he came and shred them into the pot of pottage and they knew them not. You know, it's solemn. Sometimes it comes in unawares, but if it's from the field, if it's from out there.
It's no good. It isn't going to help at all.
So they poured out, and it came to pass as they were eating of the pot each, they cried out and said, thou man of God, death in the pot, not poison, death in the pot. And they could not eat. And the lovely part of it is, it wasn't one that discerned this. They discerned it. Isn't that lovely? How's the truth preserved among us, brethren?
It's by each one who's in dweller the Spirit of God.
Let one speak and the others judge, and I believe it's beautiful here. They discerned it. But he said bring meal. That's Christ and the way we have him presented now in our epistle as the mayor, the man, the meal, perfect and everything. And he cast it in the pot and he said pour out for the people, they may eat. There was no harm. I believe the words evil in the margin at least, maybe in J&D.
There was number evil in the pot. Well, brethren, anything you're going to get from another place then from the place where the Lord is, is not going to be helpful. It's going to be harmful in that plot. It'll add something that isn't correct or isn't right and could end up death. And I was thinking of that, you know, what is this death if we have eternal life?
Well, you know, there's the young among us, there's the children.
And how solemn when you think it could be death in that sense. But those of us that are alive in Christ, we can't lose our soul, but we can lose our life. I believe the thought of death there speaks both ways. At any rate, he went out into the field, and he gathered of the field a lat full and put it in rather deceitfully. It comes in that way. There was Mr.
Wonderful revelation.
Of God and the Old Testament wasn't there, but it wasn't until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in person.
That the life was manifested. And so that's what we're considering, isn't it? And I was wondering, Brother Chuck, your thought was to.
Take up the 1St chapter and this reading meeting. Would you have any suggestions as to how we might be able to progress to the end of the chapter? I'd kind of given that thought up.
I didn't think we were going to make it, but if this is so precious, I don't know. As though we should go faster.
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We could move on a little bit before moving.
Say a word as to manifestation.
That life was manifested. The nature of the word itself demands.
That the theme displayed exists before it was made known what it was.
So this eternal life existed in Christ in the sun, and being manifested, it came to be known what it was before it came. When He was sent as Son, He brought with Him the manifestation of what He was there, and as that eternal life has been communicated to us and His coming.
You have to manifest what is. You can't manifest what is not.
I was thinking of first four of these things right beyond you that your joy may be full. That lovely is the only source of joy. The only source of true joy is himself, that life, Christ. And he said I would that my joy be in you and your joy be full. But you know, we ask ourselves what was his joy? And I love it as it brought out in Hebrews 12 who for the joy set before him.
Endured the cross.
Despising the shame, what joy could he find in that awful cross?
Well, it was the joy of obedience, doing His Father's will. And you know, that's the beautiful truth here. This is the joy we can have. The more we know of Him, the more we seek to please Him in everything we do and say, in all our way. That's the thought our brother was bringing out his address, and that's the joy. That'll be a joy that the world knows nothing about, nor can they.
But it's a testimony. It's a real testimony.
Connection with what was said about the manifestation, the word word or the title of the Lord Jesus word is really the expression, isn't it? And I think it's an important thing. It's a very simple thing. John speaks in very simple words, but very profound. It's the expression. I may have a thought in my heart that nobody knows what I'm thinking until I express that in words.
And so Jesus.
Is the word of God. He is the full expression of all that God is.
We have the full revelation of God now and the person of the Lord Jesus.
The word of life manifest is the expression of life, the word of life.
What life really is.
What true life is, is found in Him and only in Him. Isn't it? Without Him you don't have life. There is no life either. Hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God hath not life. There is no life apart from Him. He is.
The word of life, I just want to mention in verse three, says that which we have seen and heard. Declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us.
Well, that's the apostles. And what was their fellowship? Truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
That their fellowship was with the father and the Son. We have fellowship with them. So we have fellowship too with the father and the Son.
There has been an interpretation of that verse that would rob us of that, I believe.
The force of the verse is that we have fellowship with the Father and the Son.
Because we have eternal life. That's what that life is all about, isn't it?
Very clear in First Corinthians one and verse nine, and very precious two. First Corinthians 19 says God is faithful.
By whom you were called under the fellowship of his Son, that's the Father, Jesus Christ our Lord. So that's what the Corinthians were called to. That's what every professing believer, if we take the greeting of this salutation, the beginning here is called to.
Do we get into it? We are called to enjoy the Father and the Son in communion through the Apostles doctrine and Apostles fellowship, and that's what produces the fullness of joy in that fourth verse. You can't get anything anymore wonderful than this fellowship to think that you and I as mortals can enjoy common thoughts with God.
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Knowing his Father and talk about his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior.
Does that make you happy? Does that fill your soul? It certainly does. I think it's so important, like you mentioned earlier, the order of fellowship in this chapter. So often we speak about getting together and having a nice time of fellowship, but I think it's if we're going to understand fellowship like it is presented in this chapter, which is a normal condition in the family of God. Sometimes we lose a brethren, but.
It is the normal thing to be in fellowship.
But still to realize that fellowship with the Father and the Son on the ground of the fellowship of the apostles comes first. And I can talk about having a great time of fellowship with one another, but if I'm not really in fellowship with the Father and the Son, this second part is just a mere form.
That is not going to last very long.
So we need to cultivate fellowship with a father and a son on the ground of the fellowship of the apostles, which was based on the doctrine of the apostles. It's really an important order to consider. You know, it's one thing to enjoy the truth for its sake and perhaps and to speak of it and have fellowship in the.
Speaking about that truth, but even truth itself, if it doesn't lead me to Christ, will not keep me.
And so I like your remark earlier, Brother Bob, about studying the Bible. We don't quite get that expression in Scripture. Not that the Bible shouldn't be much read, but it should be read with the Lord and with Him is the object of it. And so we get the same expression. Here is what we get in the Lord's upper room ministry, that your joy might be full.
Our brother Harry Hayhoe used to say not half full, brethren full.
Well, there's only one that can fill our hearts, and that is that Blessed One Himself. And that revelation has been given to us in order that our joy might be full. And it's really only Himself ultimately that can fill our hearts, isn't it? It seems that when God made man in the garden and placed him in the Garden of Eden that.
God came down in the cool of the day, and it must have been.
That God the Creator and man the creature walked side by side in fellowship.
Because we have hearts, brethren, that cannot be satisfied with anything except Christ and fellowship with God. We've been made that way and we can't be satisfied apart from that fellowship that I think it's so important to see that.
Here in this verse 4.
That.
Our joy may be full. We have lost that fellowship. Man lost that fellowship. Adam sinned, and that distance came in between.
He and God, he ran. God did not go away. God came seeking, but the distance came in. And when God restores something, he always restores it in a far superior way than it was before, and so now.
We are not brought back into fellowship with God on the ground of creator creature. We are brought back into fellowship now on the ground of father and son your remarks brother Bob and naturally take us to the precious blood of Christ and I've been enjoying the.
The Order of this Chapter The first thing we hear about in this chapter is the life.
Manifested and then we come to verse five and we see that God is light, and we're brought face to face with the fact that God is light and in him there is no darkness. Well, the natural tendency of our sinful hearts would say, well, how can I have any part then with this God, the God whose life has been manifested and the God whose light?
How can I as a Sinner?
Have any part with a God like that? And so the precious order of this chapter is just beautiful. And then we're introduced to the 7th verse that we're walking in the light, but we're not afraid anymore. The light doesn't scare us now because it says we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ.
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His Son cleanses us from all sins.
So the order of this chapter is very beautiful, life light. And then the precious blood of Christ to set us at liberty to enjoy all the other truths that this chapter presents. And if it were not for the value of the precious blood of Christ, and if it were not for the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross, his death.
His glorious resurrection, if it were not for that.
We could have no part or fellowship in these things we've been talking about. So let's let's think about and thank God over and over again for the precious blood of Christ.
Notice three times in this chapter. Verse six, if we say that we have fellowship with him. Verse eight, if we say that we have no sin. Verse 10, if we say that we have not sinned.
Israel expressions of profession and he tests those.
Expressions of profession. First, he says, if we say that we have fellowship with him with whom? With the God who is light, with the God who has given us his very own life nature, that we might have fellowship with him, but he is light. There's no darkness in him. Absolute purity, essential holiness, light and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
So there's the testing of that profession.
We say we have fellowship with him whose light and we walk in darkness.
That, of course, is one who doesn't know him, is still walking in darkness, and he's just a liar and does not the truth, walking in darkness and walking in the light.
At least in John's ministry, he does not refer to a practical state, but rather to our state as either part of the family of God or still part of the family of this world, the family of the devil. And so a walk in darkness is not what I might do as a Christian, nor as a walk in the light what I might do. But every believer is in the light, isn't he?
It supposes a condition into which we have been brought.
Or in the case of one in darkness supposedly remaining in that condition in which he was naturally. And those things in John's ministry are, are not, shall I say, Gray areas. They're either black or white. I think we have that life or we do not have it. And we're either in that condition of darkness or we're walking in the light, one or the other. The 8th and 10th verse at the end of each one brings that out so clearly.
Truth is not in us. That's one who is not real, not a believer. The Word is not in us. His Word is not in us. So it's very clear. It's not Speaking of one who belongs or who has life on those verses. But we wouldn't want to overlook verse 9 where there is failure on one who has life, provision is made that restoration to fellowship can be enjoyed.
And all we have to do is come to God and confess our sin.
And he is faithful and just to cleanse us from all our sins, from all unrighteousness. Your vision is made. We don't have to ask for forgiveness.
We have forgiveness. Isn't that wonderful? It's just a confession of what we've done, keeping a short account. An upright man. That's really what that is. An upright man is one who keeps a short account with the Lord. We have forgiveness.
It would be foolish not to confess it. He knows it. You can't hide anything from God. The only way is just to confess it. It's a beautiful thing when the light does come home to the conscience and we get it all out into the open, brethren, if there's any that here this afternoon that have anything hidden in their lives.
We can just say you're only robbing yourself worst of all.
Of fellowship with the Lord and when you get that out, even though it may be shameful.
If you have something hidden there, it's not the character of a child of God to have things hidden. And if you try to hide things in the light, you're going to only make yourself that much more conspicuous. I love the testimony of the Samaritan woman who, after the light had shone into her conscience and revealed to her what kind of life she was living.
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She went right back into the city and told those men.
Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?
There was number need to hide anything. There was number way she could her conscience was in the light and what liberty this gives and we need to.
When sin does come in, to get it out into the open, to recognize it. And that's what we have in the eighth verse and the 10th verse, to recognize the sin and then to confess it. It's so important for confession. So often we try to cover it over just kind of sideline it.
And we rob ourselves of a lot of joy. And if that's the case this afternoon, if there is not fullness of joy.
It's because there's some hidden pockets, perhaps in my life, perhaps in yours.
That we need to get out into the light, recognize it, and then to confess it. Notice it doesn't say if we confess our CNC is merciful and gracious to forgive us our sins. That's true, but it doesn't say that. It says He is faithful and just. To whom is He faithful and just? To the person of Christ who has accomplished a work that has so glorified God.
That when we just confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive it. The work has already been accomplished that has put it away.
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. And so we just have to confess it, and we have the assurance of the forgiveness, and more than that, the cleansing from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-11
Reading
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My little children.
These things right, they owned you that you cannot if any man's in you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ's righteousness.
And here's the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
And hereby we do know that no him can keep his commandments.
See that I know him, he does not. His commandment is alive, and truth is not in him isn't so deepeth his word, and him verily is the love of God. Hereby know we that we are in him. See that that He abideth in Him of Himself also, so to walk even in sea walk. Brethren, I write no new commandments unto you, but an old commandment.
Which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
From the beginning again a new commandment I write unto you, which things drew in him and in you, because of the darkness is fast, and the true light now shining. See that Seth, he is in the light and hated his brother. He's in darkness even until now, with that love of his brother, and by this in the light. And there is no occasion of stumbling in him, but he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness.
And knoweth not whither he going, because that darkness blinded his eye. I write unto you, little children, because you're saying.
I write unto you, fathers, because you have known Him. That was from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked ones. I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. I've written unto you, fathers, because you have known Him.
That is from the beginning I've written unto you, young men, because you are strong in the word of God, abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, for all that is in the world lust in the flesh.
And the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father.
That was overall.
The world passes away and the lust there are but he that doeth Rd. God and Biden forever. Little children, it is the last time, and as you have heard that Antichrist shall come. Even now there are many antichrists, whereby you know that it is the last time they went out from us. But they were not all of us, or if they had been of us, there was no doubt of continued with us.
But they went down, and they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.
I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
He is a liar. That he that denieth and refuses is the greatest.
He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.
But he that ignored the Son hath the Father also.
Let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning.
That which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in noon. You also shall continue in your Son and in the Father.
And this is the promise that you have promised us, even eternal life.
These things have been written unto you in turning them that seduce you.
But the anointing which you have received of Him abideth in you, and you need not Amen teach you. It has the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and there's no line. And even as it has taught you, it shall abide in Him.
And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, you may have confidence, and not be ashamed.
You know that He is righteous. You know that everyone that doeth righteous means is born of me. I see that there are a number of brethren here today that did not have the privilege of being with us yesterday, so it would seem to me to be helpful.
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If we would just have a little review of.
The starting point.
That the Lord brought before us yesterday. It was the exercise of the brethren.
As we began our readings yesterday.
And as much as we have free Bible readings before us at this conference.
It was the exercise that we might spend one reading on the 1St chapter of John.
And then one reading on the second chapter is the first John, and then the last reading on the 3rd chapter of first John.
So with this exercise in mind, I would like to encourage our brethren to.
Consider being diligent as we consider this second chapter.
That we might progress through the chapter from beginning to attend and get the main teaching of the chapter as the Lord leads.
But I would just like to give a little review of Chapter one for the benefit of those of you who were not here yesterday. In chapter one, we found that the first thing that was brought before us was the fact that the word of life.
Have been manifested in this world in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into this world as a man.
Eternal life was manifested in a man, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And then the next thing that was brought before us in chapter one was that God is light.
And in him there's no darkness at all. And then we were glad to find in chapter one that there was No Fear of the light on the part of the leaders, because the precious blood of Christ has taken care of the sin question.
Was brought before us, that whatever the light exposes the precious blood price covered. And so then there is nothing to hinder you and me as those who possess this divine life in Christ.
There's nothing to hinder us from going on to manifest this life in our lives as well.
The eternal life was manifested fully in the Lord Jesus.
And it is God's desire that this eternal life shall be manifested also in US.
And since the blood has taken care of our sins, we are no longer afraid of the light. And the proper method was given to us in chapter one, that if 10 comes in to cloud our fellowship with the Father and the Son and with each other, the proper method was given to us, and that that might be corrected. Or it says, if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just.
To forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Well, in chapter one we were challenged with the precious proof that the life of God has been manifested in Christ Himself fully, and there is nothing now to hinder us from manifesting that same life ourselves as we are in this world. And it was the God's will for us as His children to manifest that same life.
Which he had given to us. Well, I just offered those few words of introduction for those that weren't here.
And as we progress into chapter 2 Through the desire that we might be encouraged that that life, that divine life which we possessed by the grace of God as being God's children, that life might be manifested now in us in this world. The fullness of joy spoken of in John first John one is that we might have fellowship with.
The Father, and with the Son, fullness of joy.
And so he starts out chapter 2, my little children, these things write down to you that you sinned not and sin would interrupt and hinder that fullness of joy and that fellowship that we would that we have with the Father and the Son. So he writes these things that we don't sin, but then he says, if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous notice.
The beauty of the language, it doesn't say if any man's sin, he has an advocate of the Father.
That would suppose that the advocacy of Christ begins to operate when one of us sins, and that's not the case. He's our advocate at all times. Neither does it say if we sin we have an advocate with the Father that would suppose the necessity of sinning if we sin, but it it uses the exceptional case if any man sin.
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We the whole company of believers.
Has an advocate with the father. We always have an advocate with the father. He is always there.
On our behalf, interceding for us, he said to Peter, Peter, you're going to deny me, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.
Now he did that before he failed, and so the Lord Jesus.
Is our advocate at all times for the whole household of faith. But the individuality of sinning is brought out so that we don't suppose it's a it's a must that all Christians are going to sin. In fact, that's the exceptional case, isn't it?
That's why this first is really addressed to the whole family of God, isn't it? It's not to a special group. The little word middle ought not be in that word. It's to the children of God. And the principle brought out that ye sin not is a true principle. You have that life of Christ, you cannot sin. It's a principle that ought to be.
What God knows that the old nature is still enough. We still have that.
And so we do fail, but the principle is what's wonderful to see here, and then the provision.
That God makes him great and if you look at two Peter just to see the principle as it comes out. Although we do not we're not able to do it. It ought to be in the verse ten of second Peter chapter one wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure where if you do these things, the things that are brought out before.
You shall never fall. Never.
Paul Well, the principle is true. What we do fail and we do fall. And that's what's wonderful with the advocacy of Christ. He's the one there at the right hand of God who can't intercede for us, who can sustain us, who can bring us back. That's the advocacy of Christ. We want to be sure, brethren, guard against what?
We must then these things are written, that you may not sin.
I feel in my own soul we often make allowances for our failure because, as has been stated, the old nature is still pleasant with us. We have an in Galatians chapter 5.
The Spirit wars against the flesh, and flesh against the Spirit, in order that you may not do the things that you would.
So we have precious word of God-given us here that you may not send, and so we don't have to send. The old man was crucified. Roman 6, verse 6.
In order that the body of sin might be unknown.
In order that there might not be a vehicle of expression for that old lady that's still there.
These precious things are given us in order that we may not.
We want to guard against the thought that we must. We may not.
It is often said, after all, we are only human. We must sin.
That's really a denial of Christianity. But to say that we don't, or that we live a sinless life is a denial of our true condition or in all things we often offend. So both are true. We do not have to sin. God has given us all things that pertain to life and to godliness, and He's given us a new life.
The eternal life and the Spirit of God and an object outside of ourselves. The Lord Jesus in glory.
Who is the power of holiness, the word of truth we have in our hands. We have all that we need to walk above sin, to walk as he walked. That's the only standard that God knows of verse six of our chapter. He that saith he abideth in him on himself also. So to walk even as he walk, well, he walked without sin. He walked the sinless one, but that's the standard. God can't lower that and he can't have another standard.
But.
To say that we have arrived at that point in this life would be a delusion and we won't arrive at that point of, of perfection until we get home to the glory. But we're we always have that before us as the the object, don't we? That's the object that God would set before us. The theme and John the pistol is the two families, isn't it? And when a person sins, he is not acting as a child of God.
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As a child of God and viewed as such, why He's in the family and the character of the family is set before us. It's righteousness, it's true holiness, it's Christ himself. If we abide in Him, we walk even as He walked. So provision is made for our failure, but we're not acting as a child of God. And I think if we see that, it helps us understand the whole epistle.
For it tells us.
That in the third chapter it says.
In the fourth verse, whosoever committeth sin transpresseth also the law, where sin is the IT should be.
Commits lawlessness. But then in the eighth verse it says He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin.
For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
You might say, does that mean that a believer can't stand viewed as a child of God? He can, but we still have that old man within us. But what is set before us, brethren, in the epistle, I believe, is the two families. And so he raises the question, if a person sins, are they acting as a child of God? Because a child of God doesn't sin as a child of God.
He is allowing that which is inconsistent with the place that he has been brought into.
As our brother remarked, the Lord Jesus is our advocate before the Father at all times.
And even before we have confessed our sin, the Lord Jesus is there on our behalf.
So that the believer is always maintained in a perfect standing. And the confession of sin, as it brought before us in the first chapter, is to restore us to communion, our fellowship. It is not to bring us back into a new standing. Outstanding exists so that the advocacy of Christ goes on continually.
Our restoration does not take place until we have confessed it. I think it's good for us to see that.
Because if the Lord should come after a believer has sinned, then before he has confessed, why, he'll certainly go up at the Lord's coming. Confession has nothing to do with our standing, but it does have to do with fellowship. It does have to do with our enjoyment of the standing. So isn't it lovely here we haven't advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
That is, a friend of ours might say, Oh well, I don't blame you. That was a very provoking situation.
But the one who is our advocate never overlooked and never looks lightly upon it. But thank God he has settled that question. At Calvary. The whole question of our sin and guilt was taken up and settled, and God sees us as dead and risen with Christ in a new standing. Advocacy is precious, but his high priestly office is more precious. And if we would go to Him?
The great as high priest, we wouldn't need him so often his advocate. I speak to myself, not to you, but he's ready to keep us from failing, keep us from falling and then we don't need that aspect of the advocacy, but thank God we have it is a complete Savior. He's the Lord throughout our standing is perfect and we need to be restored into the blessed communion with God through his advocacy.
That's the reason for it. But he'd rather act as high free. He'd rather act in the priestly often.
With our federal brethren that we understand and advocate with a broader term that applies to our failure.
The expression itself is exactly the same expression that the Holy Spirit uses in John 1415 and 16 relative to this period himself.
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The Lord Jesus Christ has entered into the presence of God for us. He is there as the manager of all of our interests and activity in the glory, in the same capacity that the Holy Spirit is present with us as a utter comforter of the Lord Jesus Christ promised to come when He went on time. But we have a Holy Spirit here to walk alongside us.
To help us through the wilderness journey, we have the Lord Jesus Christ as advocate on time, as He who represents all of our interests and maintains us and all of our interests and the glory. John 13 brings that out, doesn't it? The Lord washing the disciples speak that we might have part with Him where He is in the glory.
Things of of this scene.
A lot of legitimate pursuits down here that if gone into with too much of an intensity and too much devotedness to those earthly things would rob us of our heavenly portion with Christ. And so he's our advocate to remove those things as well as the the actual sins that defile us.
Here it says, if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father.
I like the opposition to that. Jesus Christ, the righteous, the righteous 1.
The one who never sinned, the One who always did what was right, He's the one that is in the Father's presence to intercede for us and to restore us to communion. If one of us falls into sin, isn't it wonderful? Rather than in verse two, our hearts are taken back to Calvary Cross. I have noticed that so often in the Word that God delights to direct us back to the cross. And so in chapter 2 and verse 2.
After talking about this matter of sin.
And the gracious provision that God has made for us to restore us to communion, then he points us back to the cross.
And I was thinking of that hymn that we sometimes sing. It says yet insight of Calvary.
Contract should my spirit be? And so may we. May we be reminded often of Calvin's thoughts. And I see that in verse two, God wants us to think back upon Calvin as He is the propitiation for our sins. The word propitiation is mercy seat. And so the blood is on the mercy seat.
The question of sin has been taken up and settled.
And that's why it adds that not for ours only, but also the word sins of is an italic shouldn't be there, but also for the whole world. That is, any Sinner of Adam's race can come and obtain mercy because the blood is there. The only ground by which God could meet a guilty Sinner is through the blood that was shed there at Calvary. And it's there so that God can.
Meet the Sinner who comes. But what about us who are believers?
Well, it's through that same blood that we too can come, and so we can come into the very presence of God with holy boldness, no other title but the blood. And the person, of course, is brought before us here. He is the propitiation because we see Him. The man of the world may not see Him and what He has done, but you and I know it, know it's so blessed, rather than that we can sit here in His presence and rest in the consciousness.
That the whole question of sin and sin has been taken up and settled, and that there's no other ground on which he could come but through that work and through that glorious Person who accomplished it. Because I believe this is particularly brought us before us in this Epistle, the glory of the person. So he could say later on in this chapter He acknowledges not the Son, the same hath not the Father, if we don't recognize there was blood.
On the mercy seat in the Old Testament. But it was the blood of bulls and goats, and it didn't put away sin.
But it's the person who gives value to the work. So he is the propitiation that glorious person by his word has given us this place, and now we have this standing. And then, as it's been remarked, the hardest, then at ease to serve him and to live for him. If I have any uneasiness as to the question of my salvation or what, how God can meet me since I have been saved.
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By then, I'm not going to be at full liberty to serve him and live for him.
Very blessed, brethren, that God sets our mind fully at ease as to the person and the work of Christ, the place that we have been brought into, the provision that has been made that we might be maintained in the enjoyment of that place, and then gives us exhortations as to our walk. As it's often been said, every Christian act exhortation is based upon.
The place that we have been brought into, not attaining the place.
So much of Christendom is occupied with attaining a place before God, either before they're saved or after they're saved by something that they're doing.
God says, I want you to know that's all been settled and you are in that place now. You can serve with fullness of joy, with perfect liberty because that place has been prepared. And if sin interrupts that enjoyment of it, you can be restored and go on in the happy enjoyment of the place that we have been brought into and in liberty to live for and serve Him.
Glory of person speak of the magnitude of the word, and it's because we can say, as John did in John chapter one, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
That we can say in the preaching of the gospel that is unto all.
The sin of the world God has been the glory, has been vindicated. That has been the same question.
But it's unto all on all who believe the answer to the same question available to all.
Perhaps I should just say a little word about the difference between propitiation and substitution. Propitiation or the mercy seat, the ground on which God has provided to meet the Sinner, that has all been settled. And so we can preach the gospel to whosoever will and tell them the blood is on the mercy seat. You can tell them that Christ died for all, all that is scripturally true.
But to say that he bore the sins of all is not a scriptural expression.
It's never found in the Word of God, and if we lose that, then we have lost something of God's righteousness, because if we say He bore the sins of everybody, then we have God sending people to hell for those who sinned. Christ bore, and it's totally inconsistent with the whole truth of God. But we'll find as we read God's word that the truth is always spoken of in the singular, and every truth of God is bound.
Together and if you are misled us to that saying that price for the sins of everybody, then you've lost predestination an election, but it all stands together, but no Sinner will be able to say well, I couldn't help but being born in sin. Therefore God is going to send me to hell. Know that baby that dies before it's old enough to express its own will will go to heaven not because it doesn't didn't sin because it was born in sin.
But it goes to heaven because Christ died. And so the whole question of what man is has been taken up, but his sins have. God brings before us responsibility and election perfectly in union, perfectly united. And it's good for us, President, to be clear about these things. And the heart is fully set at rest and the heart is full of joy that the Lord should have chosen me. I don't know why he chose me.
I just know that he did and saw that he's the propitiation, the mercy seat for the whole world. But I can say to bore my sins in his own body on the tree.
The question is often raised by many of us and many unsaved.
How can God?
Allow the evil of this world to go on.
How can God bear with it, after what they did to His Son on the cross, they would think that the very next thing that would follow would be immediate judgment upon that wicked system that was wicked men that nailed His Son to the cross. Well, the very act of wickedness that put him there was the very work by which.
Christ glorified God as to the whole question of sin.
Thus enabling God now to act in grace to a guilty world. That's what propitiation is.
Propitiation is meeting all the claims of God's holiness with respect to sin so as to maintain untarnished that holiness now while acting in grace. It enables God to act in grace to a guilty world, and that's why this world is still here, unjust.
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Because of the propitiatory work of Christ, He's not only the propitiation for our sins, specifically for our sins, but is the propitiation for the whole world. And so God has acted in grace and continues to do so until that moment when he sends His Son back to take us home and then begins a new way of dealing, and that is in judgment with this world. But this day of grace has gone on longer than any other dispensation, and that's because.
Of the propitiatory work of Christ in verse three of our chapter we we have the thought of assurance, assurance, and a remark has been made which I have enjoyed so much, and that is this, that the best book on assurance is the Epistle of First John.
So if someone says I lack assurance.
And you want to recommend a good book to them on assurance. Recommend to them to read first, John.
The whole book. And so in verse 3. Hereby do we know that we know him.
If we keep his commandments.
Well, we're going to have assurance if we walk in the communion with the Lord. And if a person has lost assurance of their salvation, now is the time to inspect the life to see if there has been the allowance of some sin that has robbed the soul of assurance. So I enjoy that thought. You want assurance?
You want to be reminded that you truly are God's child and the basis for it.
Read the First Epistle of God over and over and over again. It's the best book there is on assurance. But we're not going to have assurance if we allow sin in our lives. And I believe that's the teaching of those truth. But the characteristic word of this epistle is ANOW precious, isn't it, for the family. And so we not only have assurance, but in the third and fourth verse he brings out reality, doesn't it?
Really, we know. We hereby we do know that we know him.
And that's eternal life. Eternal life is the Naldis, the only true God and Jesus Christ who now has them. We know Jesus is the Lord and Savior, and God is our Father, and we have eternal life. We have that in the first chapter brought to us. But there's a reality. There's a fruit. God loves to give us these wonderful fruit. And do you love His word? Do you keep his words, commandments?
Not success, isn't it? That's the test. And so the fourth verse brings in there was no reality if they say I know him.
Well, how many may I know him how many after the Lord takes his home will not Lord Lord and say that there's no reality doesn't keep his word. You have that brought out in the address in the in the in the message to the ones in Philadelphia simple thought thou has kept my word not denied my name. That's real. That's real. If you know him, you'll love his word and.
Become the heartstrings. Let's guide your walk through. It's lovely how John here loves to give truth to the family. So it strengthens our faith, doesn't it? It just strengthens our faith. We have the faith, but it strengthens our faith. I didn't love this word, for I was saved. I read it as a matter of duty. I didn't understand it, but now I love it.
Every one of our hearts in this expression.
Of those 3 cause the measure of our knowledge of God is the obedience to His word God has.
More principle of obedience and submission to himself as the room of Man's Monday. We say that we know him.
We can make it with knowledge of God that we have in possession by the extent with your walking into what he is revealing. Converse of that is that the measure of mild deviant is the love. If you love you, keep my commendment.
We have the that would speak to our heart, measure our knowledge is wrong.
By the sin.
Of this first and first John chapter 5 and verse nine, if we receive the witness of man, and the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God, which he has testified of his sons. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
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I'd often like to connect together 3 verses brethren, we have in Second Timothy chapter 2. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And then we have in games that it'll be manifested to others by our walk, that is, by their fruits you shall know them. But here we have the witness in yourself.
And every person in this room knows how you feel when someone confesses the name of the Lord Jesus to you.
Whether there is any response and that's the witness you have in yourself. Even a doubting Christian might have that he has that witness in himself. Story is told of a sister many years ago who lost the enjoyment of her salvation in many of the brethren visited her and tried to help her, but it seemed hopeless. She couldn't. They couldn't seem to be a help to her.
Till at last one brother went to visit her.
And she started to tell him of how she wondered if she was ever really saved. And he said to her, well, why don't you just give up Christ and die without him? Oh, she said, I could never do that. There was a witness in herself, and God used that to break the spell and to give her again a restoration to communion. And I believe this is very beautifully brought out there. Is that in ourselves?
How does your heart respond when the word of God is presented? Maybe.
Maybe our hearts don't respond exactly as they should, but there must be some response if we're in the family and this is what he is bringing out. And I'd just like to turn to a verse in Second Corinthians chapter 3. Second Corinthians chapter 3, verse 3. For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ.
Ministered by us, lit not within, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stones, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to Godward not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.
That is, the law was written on tables of stone. Why? Well, because that's the natural heart of man, the Stony heart of that we read about.
But when one is a real believer, there is the flashy table of the heart. God has communicated that new life that responds to the claims of Christ. And so Paul in ministering to the Corinthian Saints who had got away and were allowing things that were inconsistent with their Christian testimony, he said, I have confidence that underneath all the rubbish and all the things that you're doing and saying that there is that heart of flesh. And he said.
That's why I want to minister praise to your heart, because if you're really his, there's something underneath all that departure that has taken place in your life that responds to the claims of Christ. And may I say that if he's trying to help anybody, always remember that we're not trying to write on the table of stone if they're really children of God, but we're trying to do is, as it were, get below a bit of the rubbish and touch the heart with the flames of Christ.
And that is what he brings out here. He shows what Christ has done for us and he shows that if we really know him, you can't help but feel a response be below. It may be the response is there. And Paul said, I'm not sufficient of myself, but I want to try to minister Christ in such a way that that response will be produced. So if there's anybody that here is not saved, means nothing to you to talk about the love of Christ and his work.
Because you're not in the family, but if you're in the family, you don't care how far off you have God in your ways. There is something in there underneath it all that responds to the claims of Christ. This is very beautifully brought out before us in this chapter. If we have failed, well, there's an advocate we can get restored, but we're in the family. But if we're not in the family and he's not, he's a liar. He's sayings in the family, but there's nothing underneath there's.
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Divine life there, oh how precious to be partakers of the divine nature. And if it's profession only and no reality, the Lord knows and of course it's manifested too. We should know that part of it. It says in the fourth verse, he that saith, I know him say it, but he does not keep his word by the truth is a medium. And I was thinking, as the Lord said about the Pharisees.
Lives in Matthew 23. They say and do not they say.
And do not. It was very clear and of course he had nothing but harsh words for them. And then to the Pharisee, I think it's in Luke 16.
He said your heart is not right or God knows your heart, God knows your heart and they were coming on again, contrary to the word of God when I was thinking to an act think it's chapter 21. What is in Acts chapter 8 verse 21.
Where Simon the sorcerer was going along there wanting that power of the spirit that the apostles were demonstrating how beautiful. But Peter said your heart is not right in the sight of God. And there was profession or there was a desire and there was something to go on with the people of God, but there wasn't any reality. And so it's a searching verse if you say you're a Christian.
But you do not keep His word. You do not love His word. The desire isn't there.
Whoa, you should be examining yourself when we walk in love.
We walk in obedience, and verse five brings that out, whoso keepeth his word.
In him, verily, is the love of God Perfect, The Lord says in John 14, If you love me, keep my commandments.
And then he says, He that loveth me keepeth my word. So love is is holy. I was thinking of that expression in the hymn that we sang.
Thy holy love, thy holy love. It's a beautiful expression in that, that hymn that Mister Darby PA love is holy.
Love always seeks the good of its object. If I need to be corrected and you, just because you say you love me so much, you don't administer the correction. That's not love. That might be brotherly love, but that's not divine love. Divine love administers the needed correction. And when when we need correction or when we're in an erring path.
Sometimes our young people start to go astray. They start to company with.
A young man accompanies with a young lady of the world or vice versa.
What they are launching upon, the course they're launching upon is, is going to lead to sorrow and departure and grief and tears.
Divine Love wouldn't be quiet at such a time. Divine Love would go to that person and faithfully warn them and exhort them and assure them of their concern. I remember.
When I was a young man, I was going with a for a while with a Roman Catholic girl and and I brought her the gospel. We prayed together, we went to meeting together, we read together. But an old brother came to me.
And he put his arm around me and he expressed concern.
Over that girl.
I didn't detect it, but he detected it. She wasn't real.
And I'll never forget.
His faithful words to me and how I value them to this day.
That He's the only one in the meaning that came to me and warned me about her and it became manifest later. The Lord gave deliverance. So love is holy and if we really are acting and prompted by love, we won't let those things go undetected and we will administer the needed warnings.
Or rebukes if needed, in order that we might be kept in the path. We need one another, don't we? We need one another in our path together.
Word commandments that we have in verse three and four, and then the distinction between that and the.
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Expression in verse five, His word. Well, I believe that the Lord's words and the Lord sayings and His commandments are the saying, but I believe that the question is what power they have over our hearts. Have often said, if I were away from home and my wife asked me to get something, I wouldn't say is that a request or a command?
It would have the power of a command over my heart because love is there.
And so I believe that everything the Lord said and every word that He has uttered has the power of a command where love is operative. Little example of it we have in David. He said that he wanted to have a drink from the well of Bethlehem. He didn't make any command. He didn't even make a request. But his word had the power of a command over those mighty men, and they risked their lives to go.
Water for him. So I like to think that that's the way it's presented in John's epistle where the where we're acting as children of God and the new life is operative every why everything that he has said, whether it's his saying or his word, it has the power of a commandment over our hearts. I believe your brethren, that the contrast between the two families is brought out.
That the contrast is.
Fourfold the love and light and obedience and righteousness characterized the family of God.
And he didn't see those characteristics because the character of those who are not in the family is hatred.
They hated me without a cause. The Lord Jesus said it's disobedience, it's darkness, it's unrighteousness. That is the character of the family who are not of the family of God, those who are not brought into that family. And he sets the two families in contrast and says, as it were, you look for those characteristics.
Just as somebody might say, you're going to meet somebody. Well, I'll tell you what the family characteristics are and.
Tell you a few things. So you look for those characteristics when you meet that person. If you don't see them, person might really be in the family, but they're not in display. And so he is emphasizing the character of the family in a practical manifested way and where we know his love, where we are in the family by those characteristics are there.
Person might have a mask on and he doesn't look like the family at all.
But underneath it, he's still part of the family. And so thank God, if we're born again, we're in the family.
And those characteristics are there, but they need to be developed and as the love of Christ constrains us.
And as we read his words, we allow and we judge what's wrong in our lives, disobedience and unrighteousness than those characteristics then begin to display themselves. But they're there because we're in the family, love and light characterized.
Have family. And so we've got that new commandment coming to us. It's beautiful to see it. It is love.
He says, brethren, in verse seven I write no new commandment, but an old commandment which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning. But then he says, a new commandment I write unto you, and it brings this beautiful thing in because.
The true light and I have now shyness there. It's the light that lets us go on in the love that we have and and the new commandment is really verse 23 of the third chapter. This is his commandment and we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love love one another.
It's beautiful to see this. It's new because by being indwelt by the Spirit of God with the life of Christ.
We have the power, we have the ability to show the same love that.
Was being described by our brother Henry. It's love that doesn't overlook failure in shortcomings, but love that intercedes and love that moves and passion and sympathy toward it and light is never lost sight of. Isn't that beautiful and for the first time, brethren, when we're saved we can do it. I know when the Lord to.
His own in Matthew was introducing in a sense.
The new thing, he brought that out in such a full thing that I'm sure it was strange through their ears. Chapter 5, just one verse and chapter 5 of Matthew.
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He said in verse 43 two verses you have heard that it's been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor in hate by enemy. That's that's not divine love. However, what I say unto you, love your enemy, bless them that curse you, and do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitely use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.
That's a new thing coming in. That's the new commandment and how wonderful it is.
He took the ordinances and mailed them to the tree, and all that's left is this one commandment.
It's love.
Brought in by light, of course, that's what we have, but it's love, Oh brethren, how that's needed among us. How that's needed in the assembly and among the children of God today. Divine love, I mean true divine love being manifested one through the other.
13th is gone or did say a new amendment.
Give I unto you. The reason for a new commandment is because the old was inadequate. The old commandment was the love God with all your heart, with all your mind, your soul, and your strength, and your neighbors yourself. This the apostle James says we could not do when recounting the bringing into the law on the 15th of Acts. So the Lord says now a new commandment I given to you, that you love one another, and the new commandment is.
In divine light now he says, I'm giving you the life capable of doing what I'm giving a commander to do. And that's the perfect law of liberty, giving us a life capable of loving, because we are created, brought to God and made without Napoleon, without blame before him, in love, with a capacity now in the new nature to do the new commandment, and then giving.
Spirit as the power of that. But now in our verse seven, he says it's not a new commandment I give. He's giving them exactly what he gave them in Acts in John 13. And now it's not a new commandment. It's that which I gave you in John 13, he said, which was given to us, Lord, that you had from the beginning that commandment of the origin that you heard.
Now he said I'm giving you something new, and that's what is true in him and in US.
Well, now that we are brought into the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and that is really the new commandment that we get here in the eighth eighth verse, which is true in him and in you.
Been good connecting those two verses, 7:00 and 8:00 with the verse that we have in John 12 right at the end of the ministry.
John 12 and verse 50 he says, I know that His commandment is life everlasting whatsoever I speak. Therefore even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
So His commandment is life everlasting, and when it speaks here in the seventh verse, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. I think that relates back to the first chapter in the first verse, that which we was from the beginning. It's the beginning of the manifestation of divine life.
Was the manifestation of the divine life and the person of the Lord Jesus. That's the old commandment, but then the new commandment is that which was manifested in the life of our Lord Jesus.
Is now manifested in the life of a believer in the Lord Jesus, and so it's true in Him.
And in you taking it very practical.
You know, in our assemblies we need this and when we come to a meeting in our assemblies at home.
Let's come to show love, not to find it. Let's come to really see Christ in our brethren.
And what a wonderful spirit atmosphere will have in the meeting. That's the real thought, isn't it? You know, when we go to someone to correct them, the attitude that we have, the spirit that we display makes all the difference. If it's divine love, that would be received with thankfulness because they realize we're doing it because we love them and we seek their good. We're not Downing them. We're not putting them down. We're not trying to make them.
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Inferior. We're not criticizing them. We truly, genuinely want their good and blessing.
That's the kind, that's the kind of correction that is prompted by divine love. But when we sit in judgment upon as superior to and take a legal attitude towards those that are failing and use the Word of God as a whip.
Paul said, I commend you to God into the word of his law, no, to the word of his grace. And when that is being administered, there will be holiness. You can't say that enough because grace really ends in holiness if it's if it's true grace. And the thing that I fear sometimes is when we say, well, let us just see the good in one another and so on. Love sees it all.
And love deals with it all.
And love does not overlook sin, and love does not wink at sin. And this kind of false love, this pseudo love which is being propagated in Christendom.
That we just ignore it. That's not love. That really isn't love.
Have you ever had your child say to you when you're disciplining them you don't love me? Well, that's the way they feel at the moment.
But when they get a little older and look back, they'll realize you did it because you did love them, and had you let them go their way and do what they wanted to do without discipline, that would not be love. That's another word about life, too. I am come. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. The abundant life is not that we receive.
That if the progress in Christian life.
Is the fact that God has given to us.
A life now in Christianity that we can enjoy the fullness because of the work of Christ, because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, and so that we possess life more abundantly. Every believer in Christianity possesses life more abundantly. We're not maybe in the enjoyment of it, but it's true of every believer. And I believe that's the thought here.
New commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you? It's new in the fact that the Holy Spirit has come. We possess life in a risen Christ so that we can enjoy the place that we have been brought into. That wasn't possible before the day of Pentecost, but now every believer possesses the abundant life.
1 John 2:12-29
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Might be helpful to just quickly outline this section that we've read.
Verse 12 he writes to the children. I think Bill pointed out to us the other day that the word little shouldn't shouldn't be there. It's the whole family of God. And again in verse 28, it should be just children. In those two verses 12 and 28, it embraces the three classes that are mentioned in verse 13, which are the.
Fathers, the young men and the little children.
And then again in verse 14 he writes to the fathers and in the middle of the verse.
To the young man, and in verse 18 to the little children.
So you have.
The same thing said to the fathers both times. And then there's an expansion of what is said to the young men and much more of an expansion to the little children at the end of the chapter. And then he goes back in verse 28 to the whole family of God under the term children.
That's helpful to see that he starts out with what is characteristically true of all the family of God that your sins are forgiven you for his name safe verse 12. That's a common portion for all of us and.
Then going and then in verse 28 And now children abide in Him, and when He shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him. It is coming if you know that He is righteous.
You know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him. So righteousness is one of those characteristic features of the family of God.
Fathers, I write unto you, Fathers, in the 13th verse because you have known Him, that is from the beginning, and then in the 14th verse I have written unto you, Fathers, because he have known him, that he's from the beginning. I believe that's a little warning that we should remain in the simplicity of the truth. All feared for those that.
Torrent that they would be fired from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Sometimes with a desire to get perhaps some kind of deeper knowledge, which has happened that some they've gone beyond revelation and started to speculate and you can't go beyond the revelation that God has given as to the person and work of the Lord Jesus. I think that's very important. There is always that danger. I think as we get older possibly that we would go beyond what God has revealed.
His Word. So the truth of God we made. And so at the day of Pentecost the Spirit of God came down. We have the truth of Christianity brought before us. There's no progress beyond that which God gave from the beginning. That is, the Canon of Sister was complete. And let us beware of speculation. The silence of Scripture is often just as important as what the Scripture has said.
No progress, John, but I can't go any higher than him. That was from the beginning. Fathers would take in all who would speak of the sisters as well as the brothers who are in this position, in their state of soul, who have grown to the point that Christ is everything to them. I believe we have the sense of it in the Song of Songs, where she has been brought along after.
Some experience.
And in the 4th chapter, the bridegroom says to her in verse 8, come with me. And the thought is look from the top of a mana. Well, there's three things there. But the man is what I have in mind and it means constantly she has her eyes fixed upon him now and the experience did it. I believe this speaks with Speaking of fathers, those who are full grown in.
Things with the Lord perfect, as it's mentioned sometimes in the epistle. I think Timothy speaks of that. It just means that you've taken hold that Christ is the theme and Christ is the subject, and he's all. And that's a lovely thought because all can attain for that, all could reach it. It's a lovely thing when Christ becomes everything.
I think often the worst errors that have come into the Church of God.
Has been come to those who have known the truth for some time perhaps, but wanted to bring out something new, perhaps something somewhat spectacular and they go beyond that which is written perhaps over applying some type or something that simplicity as to the truth of God and never going beyond what God has revealed.
00:05:20
Because the Lord Jesus is always the same. The truth is the same.
When they asked the Lord about marriage, he goes right back to what God established at the beginning and God thoughts of sin as to the person of Christ as to the work of Christ is the very same as what God revealed when the truth of Christianity was brought out. It was to the apostles and prophets of the New Testament. Interesting that.
Verse 13 What characterizes the Father's knowledge of him? That is from the beginning. That's Christ as He was down here.
As a man, what characterizes the young men is that they've overcome the wicked one. That's the enemy. And what characterizes the little children or the babes in the family is that they've known the father. They can cry, have a father. That's the first cry of a little child, isn't it? Have a father. And so there's the knowledge of the father with the with the children. I think it's very instructive if you get to the end of the chapter.
And how so much that is addressed to the to the little children?
Those who are the youngest in the family, and yet they are responsible to maintain the truth as to the person of Christ and to recognize the Antichrist and the false prophets. There are particular dangers, I suppose, at certain stages of life. And so in writing to the young man, he says particularly in the 14th verse, I have written unto you young men, because you are strong and the word of God.
Abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked ones. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. Any man love the world. The love of the Father is not in him. And how often they have been of those who have started out very well, very diligent and earnest, and then some sneer and pitfall in regard to the world and what the world has to offer has come in.
And maybe afterwards, as our brother was saying, they might be restored, but there could be a lot of lost time.
And so there's nothing so important as youth and as youth and when we make those really important decisions that often affect the whole of the rest of our lives and the world makes a great attraction. I believe our brother Erisman said that.
In the different lusts that are mentioned here, we're always within the world. The lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life made this comment that I thought it was very practical.
That in use the particular danger was the lust of the flesh. In middle life the particular danger, the lust of the eyes, and in old age the particular danger, the pride of life. So that I think we all perhaps experience this in some way, that there is a great snare and youth of the lust of the flesh even must those of us who are older can look back. But then in middle life perhaps there's a feeling that we.
Somewhere we're settled in a nice job, we have a nice home, we're sort of feeling out security, and it's the last of the eyes. We looked out on a certain position that we may have gained a nice home, a nice job, and so on. And that becomes a danger that it occupies us in those very important years when we might be so helpful to God's people. We become occupied with those things that are really the lust of the eyes.
Then perhaps he he get older.
There's a feeling, well, I've come somewhere and there's a danger of pride in those things we shared as we grow older, be more humble because we've had more experiences that ought to have taught us that the flash prophet is nothing. So what ought to characterize us as we get older is humility. And so I believe that what he said was very helpful, and I think it's in line with the expectations that are given here for those different stages.
Of life. But all that's all that's in the 15th, 16th and 17th verses are in that section addressed to the young men. They have overcome the world because they are strong. The word of God abideth in them. We don't have the word of God abiding in us if we're not in the scriptures.
00:10:01
We're not going to have the strength that it alone can impart to the soul, and we will be overcome by these things that are in the world. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life.
The only safeguard is the strength that comes to the soul through feeding on Christ and the precious Word of God. They they have the Word of God and they are in the Word of God. It abides in them. It's not enough to just read a chapter or two and then go away and forget what we've read. It has to abide in us. We have to take it in. We heard that yesterday.
You have to take it in and it has to become a very part of us, and if it's not abiding in US, we don't have that strength. That is mentioned in verse 14.
There is a warfare and we do have the strength. That's the thought of the he speaks to the young men. But I believe it's all of us that's been there is the the Trinity of evil. There's a flesh in the world and the devil and it works against us all the time. And it's publicist us that brings it in the Lutz, which is publicist us and it's spoken especially here the second time.
He speaks to the young man, He adds that one thought. You are strong, Word of God abides in you, You know, overcome and so with this warfare.
They have what they need. It's what the Lord used and all the temptations against him in Luke four was the word of God, and that's what we need. We can resist all things with this crisis words. And I was thinking as it's described in Timothy, I think it's first Timothy.
6th chapter. It brings this in. First of all, in verse eight, it gives us something we need to take hold of. Having food and raiment. Let us be there with contempt. That's just the opposite.
Lust and covetousness, but they that will be rich fall into temptation.
And the snare, and in the many foolish and skirtful love which drown men in destruction and position. For the love of money is the root of all evil. It's coveted nuts, which while some coveted, after they have heard from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows, the Thou, O man of God, flee these things.
And follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also fall, etc. Well, the thought of it is we have that faith, we have the Word of God and we have the enemy and the warfare. But young men, you've overcome because the Word abides in you the correctest truth and we all need it. We all have this temptation coming to us. Often we not say the whole world system operates.
These things now that's what came in the IT says the three was pleasant to the eyes. A tree desired to make one wise good for food. So we have the three lusts there and when they're presented to Adam, the natural man, why he falls in every one of them. He wants that. He wanted it because of those three fans.
The enemy comes with those three things to our blessed Savior. He presents to Him.
Turn stones into bread, the lust of the flesh tells them all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them at the lust of the eyes and them wants him to jump down from the pinnacle of the temple. That's the pride of life, showing that you can accomplish some great feast. And so the Lord Jesus answered everyone, as you said, by the word of God. And that's the only way that we can meet these temptations and the world still.
Some of those 3 principles, Every advertisement appeals to one or more of those lusts and we do have to watch against them constantly. But there is a path for us.
It has been said that the Lord Jesus walked in that path. There's a path through this world where Satan can't touch us, and that path was the path in which the Lord Jesus walked. By the word of thy lips have I kept me from the path of the destroyer.
I always thought it was well illustrated in the children progress.
Where Christian comes along a certain spot and the lions roar at him, and he's greatly afraid. But he consults the chart that was given to him, the weight of the Celestial City, and he finds that that was going to take place, that there was a spot where he had to go through with all these lions roaring around him. But he found that there was a path marked right through.
00:15:14
And that the lions were tied and they couldn't touch him as long as he stayed on that path. And I thought that was a very nice illustration. There is a path, brethren, through this world. It's full of temptation, but there's a path. That's the path in which the Lord Jesus walked. You're in the family of God. We possess that eternal life. We have power to walk in that path. Provision is made if we fail. But there is power to walk in that path. And I think it's.
Beautifully brought out because, and I think the reason it's addressed to the young man is because it's the decisions that we make so often in those important stages of life that affect the whole of our lives and our usefulness, whether it's going to be in use or in old age or what. So often there's that formative time. Sometimes said I can quote diversity of the day. It isn't because I learned it yesterday.
It's while we're young that we can take in the precious Word of God and store our minds with it.
And they'll be a blessing to us all through life. This verse loved, not the world. What does that mean to you? What does that mean to your soul? What is the world? It's used three ways in Scripture and one way. It's the place where we live, this world we're living in the world. We're in the world. We're not of it. Well, it doesn't mean that.
It doesn't mean we're not to love this planet Earth.
It's not what's meant here. It also is used for mankind.
God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son. That's all mankind. God loved all men.
We loved all of his creation.
It doesn't mean that we are to love the world in the sense of reaching out to them and preventing Christ to them. But the third meaning is what it means. It's a vast system of things that man has built up.
Around himself, away from the Lord, to make himself feel comfortable.
And happy without God. That's what the world is. The world has something for every taste, for every appetite. If you like sports, the world has it. If you like education, the world has it. If you like politics, the world has it. If you like.
Social things. The world has it. The world has something for every taste, but it wants its. It wants its.
Arena of things, its assortment of things by itself, away from God. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and builded a city, and the city is the concentration of all man's efforts and all that he can build up for himself and for his own glory.
Away from God, outside of the presence of the Lord, That's the world. That's what we're not to love.
You're not to love this vast system of things that man has built up independent of God without God. Not wanting God to intrude into his into his life and to join hands with the ungodly to promote that system of things is wicked. For the Christian love, not the world.
It's put in contrast with the Father. We have three enemies.
Right, Satan. And the opponent, of course, is Christ.
We have the flesh, and the opponent is the Spirit, and we have the world, and the opponent is the Father.
We belong to the Father's world. We belong to another scene where Christ is entered.
And he says in John 15, If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love his own, but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Therefore the world hated you, and now they both seen and hated both me and my Father. So the world hates Christ, the world hates the Father, the world hates us. Strange that we should love it then, isn't it? Strange that we should love that which has turned Him out and rejected Him, He who is everything to us? And that, I believe, is why it says in the 5th chapter this epistle. This is the victory that overcometh the world, our faith.
00:20:04
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Well, there He's the one they won't have. The world won't have the Son of God, and yet our faith is in Him.
That overcomes the world nation chapter one and verse four. In fact, verse three at the end of it, our Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from the present evil world according to the will of God our Father.
Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. He is speaking there of this evil world.
Satan's domain under his power right now in his rule. But you notice in our verse 15.
Love not the world.
And you know, if you have any of the world as your goal and your heart, it'll take you away from Christ. It'll take you away what from what's precious?
Paul said demons have forsaken me, having loved the present world, not the evil world. You know, some say, well, I don't want that wicked nut and that sinful nut that's running rampant now, but they want the world and it'll take you and take your heart.
Because you're right there where Satan's power can exert itself against the flesh, and the flesh is so easily drawn in. Demas means popular. I believe that's the danger.
You're popular with those of this world, you're in danger because they hate your Savior, they hate Christ, they hate your Lord. And I believe it's just the thought of the world and the things that are in it, not so much the evil and the wickedness. The children of God don't always just go after that. If you go after things down here, that takes your heart away.
Away from what's really important. The treasures up there was right important the last part of the 15th verse in this connection.
Where it speaks about the love of the Father.
You think we need to meditate on this point rather than because it's in the major that we are in the enjoyment of the love of the Father, that the love of the world is not going to have any place. And I think that is right been brought out in what was said about Adam and Eve in the 1St place. It was a doubt that was sowed in his mind as to the goodness of the heart.
That caused her to fall for these the lust of the flesh.
The three was good to eat of, and the other temptations as well. And it was that which prevented too. We could say prevented, but it was that which characterized the Lord Jesus living ever.
The enjoyment of the love of the Father, unbroken fellowship with his Father, that unbroken stream of the enjoyment of the love of of his Father that made those temptations from the devil so useless, so totally useless. And so if we are enjoying the love of the Father, his brethren, the love of the world is not going to have.
The fashion, that's the big word, isn't it? And the retail industry.
What is fashionable that's what passing away for those in our faith and the Son of God, the world in his flopper passing away, but he that does the will of God fight it forever, the Lord Jesus Christ and answering the enemy repeatedly.
As it's going out quoted the word of God, man shall not live by bread only, but of every word that proceeds out of God's mouth. So if we have the word of fighting in US, the world that has been said has no attraction.
And it passes away, but in doing the will of God, nobody.
And do any more than the will of God the Lord Jesus Christ, when he was going up to Jerusalem, that his face is a Flint to go.
Who much so does Americans disused him so that a man who is pursuing the will of God knows that he is going to doing that with God with having to do obedience. The word of God cannot be deferred or turn aside. World passes away and.
Seek a place true in the religious world. It's very easy for the heart to do that, and the enemy can set that attraction before us. Remember when the Lord Jesus was going to go up to Jerusalem? His brethren said, If thou do these things, show thyself to the world.
But there's no man that doeth anything in secret but himself desireth to be known openly.
00:25:03
There wasn't one motive that governs the heart of the natural man that governed the heart of the Lord Jesus. He did everything. He didn't even speak a word without his Father telling him what to say. The tone of his voice was always perfect. And I believe it's important because you can hardly pick up a book in the religious world about us that doesn't give some exaltation to the man who wrote it at the beginning.
How it is that the whole character of Christianity to do such a thing? If the truth of God, brethren, doesn't humble us, we haven't learned it in the right way. That's why it says the man thinketh, and he knoweth anything. He knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it.
How could we learn the truth of God and the glorious person of Christ and what he has done for us without being humbled, but to get exalted because we can write a good book or something and we so we won a place in the religious world. If one man said I wanted to be a great man in the world before I was saved, but afterwards I wanted to be a great man in the Church of God and I had to learn that both were wrong.
And I believe it's very important for us.
Is gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus that we should walk humbly valuing the precious truth that has been committed to us, but having right principles to govern our lives. Otherwise the enemy can creep in and pride in our hearts. Knowledge or something like this of how beautiful it is here. Either do it. The will of God applied us forever. That's the only thing in your life and mine that is going to abide that.
According to the will of God, and that was in perfection in the Lord Jesus, in his pathway here, the one that Jesus thought to magnify, to glorify was the Father. Wasn't himself 118 times to get the Father mentioned in John's Gospel and he says prophetically in the 5th chapter.
I am coming my father's name, and you receive me none.
They didn't want that father's name.
Then he says prophetically, if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Now that's the Antichrist we have in our chapter here, and we're getting close to that time. We're already in the last time in this chapter, in this epistle, but we're going to the last days of the last time when this great man, he might even be alive today, this Antichrist.
Will rise up, speaking great things, magnifying himself.
What's going to happen?
Nationally, but you are going to receive him.
Well, that's the character of the world.
And if you want to be great in the world, you have to say big things about yourself. But.
Jesus is the one to follow and as he.
Magnified the Father, not Himself. So we are set here, the magnifying strength and the more we magnify Christ, the more we will be subjected down here in this world. Just a thought for the young people and perhaps children or others who may get the wrong impression, our brother Hendrick said. There is that aspect of the world that God loved every Sinner in it, and there is the aspect of the world that this planet.
We look at it that way, we shouldn't be callous or indifferent to that aspect.
It's the creative wonder that we should not overlook and feel that we shouldn't enjoy.
Christ did it all, the Son of God created it all, and the heavens, I declare the heavens declare his glory and the permanent handiwork. And I was thinking that aspect of it we're not trying to say is not wonderful and glorious and we should always stand in awe of it. Sin and Satan has not been able to ruin it all.
And I marvel as I travel to see it. I just want to mention one little thing. It's Deuteronomy 33, the blessing to Joseph. And when he said these things, and I believe it's what we should take into account, this is not the aspect of the world in that sense we're talking about verse 14. He says the precious fruit of the sun and the precious things put forth by the moon, and the chief things of the ancient mountains.
The precious things of the lasting hills, and the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof. And as I mentioned this, there is a wonderful testimony, as Psalm 19 brings in, of our Savior in His creative wonder. The world is not sense, brethren. Let us stand in awe of it and enjoy it. That is not the world we're Speaking of.
00:30:21
We're Speaking of the world that Satan has taken over by sin.
And it's the dollar diabolical influence that pervades this whole scene. Now in a commercial sense, in the social sense and in every sense, it attracts a place what the world as Christ created is the Son of God created. It is wonderful. There's another verse that says those that use the world as not abusing it or the fashion of this world passes away.
For not possessing it as our own.
So we're very glad of this room that's so pleasant to sit in, of these lights that light the room. We use them. But if we get taken up with this, it just becomes a central thought in our lives. By then it's all spoiled. But we're very thankful that God has given to man the ability.
To use certain things that tend to use by the believers so that we can pick up the things of this world and use them for. To be careful that we don't abuse them, but abusing them. We're thankful. So if we have, as you said, the whole created scene, the intelligence God has given man, which we can use without setting our hearts upon it, but how wonderful it is that we know the one who is going to set everything right in another day.
For all the creation will be.
Properly used, think of the time when every man will sit down under his own vine and fig tree and enjoy all the provision that God has made in a way that God intended. Brother sent me yesterday.
About the three spoilers.
Of our fellowship.
Three M's. I want to pass it on to you.
Money, our mansions and our marriages. I was just commenting to him and he made this comment to me. I was commenting to him that I had the privilege of attending a Christian marriage on the way back from Canada and it really delighted my heart. It was simplicity.
No fanfare, nothing put on, just.
Two precious souls, husband and wife, uniting together.
Letting themselves to one another, pledging themselves in faithfulness to each other.
Without all the frills that so often attach to the ceremony.
Presently have gotten just like the world.
Just like the world in some of these things.
Since we sing as pilgrims will give us pilgrims ways.
May God help us to hold lightly for the things here.
Can only live.
In a room at a time.
And let's keep simple young persons just a practical word.
When you get married.
Order your life so that the husband's salary.
Will take care of the mortgage and the food and everything else, and the wife can stay home and attempt to the children where she belongs.
One of the greatest snares of the enemy is that both have to work in order to keep up the huge payments that they have committed themselves to because they have bought what they can't afford.
God give us that wisdom, that contentedness with starting out very, very small and as the Lord provides to move on, don't overload yourself. Don't try to keep up with the Joneses. Don't get into the current of the world's thoughts. Don't love it. But keep simple and you'll be happy.
Pay him into that. Another thought. Scripture says we are to be charged with the cares of this world but not overcharged. In what you're Speaking of is those that are becoming overcharged.
And the serious problem is.
In In please ask these five, he says He that loveth silver. Verse 10 is not satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundant with the increase. This is also vanity. When goods and creeps, they are increased that eat them, and what good is there to the owners thereof, save the beholding of them with their eyes?
00:35:15
The problem is.
When they want things that are beyond their means, that take the double income, but they never go back to where they should be. In the beginning, they are increased with the increase of good. And then Solomon goes on to say riches kept for the owners. They're up to their hurt and it really does hurt the family and the couple and all. So I agree with that. It's a solemn problem.
It is a problem affecting almost all. Well, the word of God says having food and clothing. Let us be there with content.
That first time but.
Men abused what was given to them.
Of Adam and Eve in the garden.
They had everything there wasn't. Money helped the world with about what was there. All of it was given to them.
The trees belong to them.
But they made a wrong use of those trees to hide from God. And how many of us are hiding from God behind big trees of our own making?
What we have a desire for, we have a desire to get, we have. And behold, So I think that example, the first one I have in the Bible, would bear out what we're having here this afternoon. That's how often the one for different things hide from our view 1000 blessings. And that is we're always reaching out.
My brother mentioned this afternoon we're reaching out to what has been forbidden, thinking that we must have it, but unless God has given it to us.
Why it's only going to be a hindrance and a snare you do read in first Timothy chapter 6 charge them that are rich in this world not to be high minded, but to be ready to distribute willing to communicate and we thank God for those whom God has saved who have had plenty and have sought to use what God gave them and precious books that we have the result of that these men had means so that they.
Have these books printed and saw that they're in our hands so we can be thankful. God does sometimes trust people with riches and He doesn't tell them necessarily to give it all away, but to use it for Him. I remember there was a young person who was saved and had a fair amount of means, and she thought she'd like to give the whole thing to the Lord. And she spoke to one of the brothers and the brothers said well.
If you give it all to the brethren, you will make them the responsible stewards for what you have. You're the responsible steward now that you're saved, and you can use what you have as his steward. And she did, and she's been a very useful person and needed what God had given to her too, in her pathway. So we need wisdom from the Lord. The important thing rather than is to be good stewards, both of the manifold grace of God.
Of the spiritual things that are given to us, and also of the material things, there have been more hindrance to the Christian testimony by an misuse of material things and perhaps any other thing. And I believe that's why it says in the 16th chapter of Luke, it says that if we're not faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches and those who have?
Sought to communicate the true riches, the gospel, but in their personal lives have been unfaithful with the unrighteousness.
Have spoiled their testimony. And so I believe that there's a warning to us to be careful with what God has given to us and to use it. We don't have to give it all away, but to use it faithfully as God has given it to us. Well, I think there's a perfect balance in the word of God as to everything in our Christian life. And we're very thankful for those who perhaps have a large home and are using that large home for the Lord.
And are able to gather in the Saints and be a real encouragement, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Pass on a statement. I think he was Jim Elliot that made it. He is no fool that.
Gives up what he cannot keep.
00:40:00
To gain what he cannot lose. We can't keep these things.
We can't keep them.
And if we use them for ourselves?
We're misusing them.
Everything spent needlessly on myself is a waste.
They said about the Lord Jesus, Judas said, and the others joined him when.
Mary poured upon the Lord Jesus that costly ointment. For what purpose is this waste?
We never waste when we spend our time, our energies, our money.
On the Lord's things we never waste, when we spend them on ourselves, that's a waste. But the way the carnal man reasons, just the opposite, isn't it Just the opposite? So may we have him before us? It's interesting when our brother is saying tennis is all about this latter part being addressed to the babes in the family of God, and yet it says in the 20th verse, you have an unction from the Holy One and we know all things.
And then again in the 27th verse, but the anointing which he have received of him.
Abideth in you, and you need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and his truth, and is no lie.
Even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him. He's been talking about the spirit of the world and the spirit of Antichrist.
And I believe a simple believer will often detect what is wrong just by that. You'll see that this thing is wrong because it's used for the exaltation of man. And it sometimes made the comment that you can make a simple test of any doctrine presented. I asked him just one question. Does this line of teaching does it doesn't exist man, or does it exalt Christ?
The simple believer who sees that truth or it tells us in John 16 when the spirit of truth is come, he'll lead you into all truth.
He shall glorify me, for He shall receive of mine. There might be someone here that's confused about the truth of the security of the believer, but you don't need to know all Scripture to answer that. Because if you see that this system of teaching is really for the exaltation of man, that the work of Christ is not sufficient, but man has to do something to add to that finished work, or he couldn't be fit for heaven.
Well, there may be a simple believer and a whole lot of verses you may not be able to answer, but you say this can't be right.
Because this is giving glory to man. That's the spirit of Antichrist. The whole idea of the exaltation of man is the Antichrist. And so the simple believer who realizes that the truth of God always exalts the Lord Jesus will be set free from error. Whereas the man that has a great mind and tries to reason, they get into some problems and confusion, perhaps trying to.
Explain some obscure verse, but he could test it very simply.
Is this line of teaching exalting man or Christ even water baptism?
If water baptism is necessary for the salvation of the soul, the work of Christ is not enough, because you have to have somebody baptize you, so some man has to enter the picture to make you fit for heaven. That isn't the truth of God. So the simple believer is preserved by just knowing that if it's the spirit of Antichrist, if it's that exaltation of man.
There's something wrong. The Spirit exalts Christ. He shall glorify me.
For he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
Nails Fastened In
Address—C. Hendricks
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Turn with me to Ecclesiastes 12, please.
Ecclesiastes 12, the last chapter, the preacher sought to find out acceptable words.
And that which was written was upright.
Even words of truth.
The words of the wise.
Are as goods.
And as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from 1 shepherd.
Mr. Darby renders that 11Th verse.
The words of the wiser as golds.
And the collections of them as nails fastened in.
I just wanted to make a comment and two.
On that verse we've had as our brother has just been bringing before us.
Many words of the wise.
And if you as it was his case, and it's the case with each one of us.
When we first began coming to conference meetings such as this, there was much that we didn't grasp.
We didn't take in.
But we've heard words of the wise. We've heard the word of God.
And as you collect these wise words, they're like nails.
Fasten.
By the masters of assemblies or the collections of them as nails fastened in something that you can you can hang on, something that you can hold to.
The words of the wiser is goats. They stir to action.
And I trust that the ministry of the word that we've had before us in these days of conference.
Will steer us to action.
We should not go out.
The same as we came in.
It should never be that way when the word of God is presented to us.
You don't have to have its effect in our lives.
And if we got as we came in, if we say, well, it was a lovely conference.
Happy days, it was nice to have been there.
But there's no lasting effect in our lives, no change.
No correction of our ways, no goading to.
To walk in the path of truth.
And something is.
Something's missing.
Words of the wives are its goads, collections of them nails fashioned in. We may just have collected a few gems.
At this conference, much of it may have been, as our brother has been telling us, over our heads.
But we collected something.
We were stirred in some areas of our lives.
And as we collect these precious truths of God, they're like nails fastened in something that you can.
Hang on something that is permanent and abiding and stable in our lives.
That's the word of God.
The Golding effect of the words of the wise to stir us to walk.
Differently.
Walk in the path.
Of the truth.
I just want to read a verse or two from Jeremiah 6.
We hear, we certainly have the words of the wise.
In fact, it's the Word of God.
It's the Lord speaking verse 16.
Thus saith the Lord.
Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths.
We're living in a day of change. The word of God says we should not meddle with them that are given to change.
Ask for the old paths.
Where is the good way?
And walk therein.
And you shall find rest unto your souls.
I wish the verse ended there.
That it goes on to say, but they said we will not walk therein.
You cannot be under the sound of the word of God. None of us can. And the least to the oldest.
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Without responding to it, without having it having some effect in our lives.
These are either going to be a change for the better.
For the worst, we don't stand still.
And the things of God, you're either going to grow.
In the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
Or there's going to be a retrograde movement in our pathway?
Ruth rejected bringeth night.
This is the This is the way Christendom is going.
So if you're going to go in the direction of the truth of God, you're going to have to oppose the current of things.
Going to have to take a stand.
We're going to have to collect.
These precious things from God hold them fast.
I think of the word to the Philadelphian overcomer. Hold fast what thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
These precious things.
That we have heard, that we have then privileged to sit under the sound of the truth and the precious truth of God ought to collect these words of the wise and.
Hold them fast.
And to be content.
With the old pass.
Not be constantly.
Trying to search for something new.
God has given us.
Precious true.
We love it. There is no company on the face of the earth, and I'm not saying this with any pride.
It's a truth. It's a fact.
That has such a legacy of truth, God's truth.
As we.
Such precious ministry that has been left to us.
Written Ministry, Oral Ministry have been privileged to sit under the sound of it.
These days of confidence.
Your past, the old truths of God, the word of God does not change.
And it never grows old.
Or to abide in that we had that in first John, abide in that which was from the beginning, to abide in it, to remain in it, to stand permanent.
And to enjoy it.
Are you in a meeting?
That is weak and feeble.
Do you often get discouraged?
Well, if you're in the word yourself.
You can bring into that meeting.
Something that will be vibrant whether you're a brother or a sister. You may be a sister who never opens her mouth.
But I believe that the tone of an assembly is often set by the sisters.
Will never say anything but their very presence there.
Their godliness.
Their devotedness, their desire to have the Lord before us.
Their prayers mingled.
In a silent way.
With the brothers, what a difference, what a difference that makes.
In an assembly.
So whether you have an audible part or not makes no difference. Your presence is needed there.
Needed there in the way of being a contributor in a positive way.
For the good of the assembly.
And if you have collected these words of the wise, if the words of the wise have voted, you want to.
Through action if you've been one that's been missing meetings.
Or just a bread breaker.
If the one effect that this conference had in your life was that you would make a purpose commitment, I will not miss a meeting, but I can be at there are sometimes.
Legitimate reasons where due to sickness or other things we can't be there but.
When you can be there to be there.
And to make it positive contribution.
For the help of the Assembly, brethren, we need everyone of us.
In these last dark days of the clenching.
We've had 1000 here, but this thousand will go back in just to the twos and threes.
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Maybe the 20s or 30s.
Fairly good sized meeting nowadays.
Well, May God help us.
To encourage one another to belong together in the past of faith.
When the Lord comes.
Who sang at the outset of this meeting about the Lord's coming?
Shall we see thy face?
Hear thy heavenly voice, beloved, just about there.
Maybe ere we leave this conference, we'll be ushered into the glory.
Be where he is.
Or what a prospect.
How sad that any of us should be lagging behind.
Not giving our all of Him. He was given his all for us.
John 2&2
Sobriety & Good Works