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So to take up Colossians chapter one.
Colossians Chapter One, if someone would read it for us.
Chapter One Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God and Timotheus our brother For the Saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at philosophy, grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the Saints for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. For have you heard before in the word of his truth, of the gospel which has come unto you as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit that does also in you. Since the day you heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth, as he also learned of the Pampers, our dear fellow servant, who is a who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit 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 its will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
But you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all, phasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to its glorious power, under all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints and light, who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.
And whom we have redemption through His blood.
Even the forgiveness of sins through the image of the invisible God.
The first born of every creature, for by him are all things created that are in heaven.
That are in earth visible and invisible, whether they be thrown their dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things are created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
And here the head of the body, the Church, who are the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it plays the follow that in him should all fullness dwell, and have him made peace with the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him, I say, whether there be things on earth or things in heaven. And you there were sometimes alienated enemies in your mind by wicked work. Yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death.
To present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His life, if you continue in the faith grounded and settled.
And be now moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, and which is preached to every preacher which is under heaven.
Where have I called and made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and Philip? That which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is a church, whereby I made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God. Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now has made manifest to his Saints.
The woman God will make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles.
Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. For unto I also labor, striving according to his work, It is working which worketh in me mightily.
In every assembly there was some particular danger, and it seemed in the Colossians that there was a danger of not holding the head.
And turning to man's philosophy and all those things that are brought in in the wisdom of man.
Instead of following the instructions that we have here, we see Christ is the head of the body, the Church. All the blessing comes down from him. And because of this we have in this chapter a very glorious and blessed opening up, out, opening up to our souls of the glory of that person who he is. Perhaps even more than any other portion of the Scripture, we have the glory of the person of Christ brought before us.
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And when we think of this life, it touches our hearts and at birth stands out in this chapter.
That in all things he might have the preeminence, and that's so important in Christendom. Very often it's man and what man has done. But God's purpose in the church is to glorify his Son. But I just mentioned this because I think it's very precious to see the theme that the Spirit of God brings before us in each one of the Epistles, and it opens here in a special way with the glory of the person of Christ who might make a mention of a of a comparison between the.
Epistles.
To the Romans, Epistle to the Romans and Ephesians in this Colossians.
Believe we can say that Romans is a wilderness epistle. It views us as those who have been redeemed, those who have been brought to God and are still viewed as being in this world and this wilderness scene, but being here, far gone.
And Ephesians brings before us the place that we have in the heavenlies in Christ, as those who are, might say, taken out of this world entirely, and are in the heavenly places in Christ.
Colossians is a position, you might say, somewhat in between. It's not exactly a wilderness epistle, and yet we're not in the heavenlies, but we are those who have been.
Risen with Christ, and we have Christ as our life, Christ as our object. And I would like to connect it with the history of the children of Israel.
We know that when they were redeemed out of Egypt and brought through the Red Sea into the wilderness.
God could say that He bore them on eagle's wings and brought them unto himself. That's really what we have in Roman those who have been brought to God, and here for God, so the children of Israel.
Argued there in the wilderness. That's a picture and type of the believer in this.
Wilderness scene, but then.
They came to the River Jordan at the end of that wilderness journey.
And they crossed over the Jordan, but they did not yet immediately possess the land of Canaan. But they crossed over the river now in a type, I believe, that would bring us to Colossians, that is, those who are risen with Christ. We don't have the side of being seated in the heavenlies in Christ that would be typified when the people of God or the children of Israel.
Took possession of the land.
Canaan taking possession of the land, I believe would be a picture of entering into the.
Heavenly that we have in Ephesians, so we have in Colossians.
You might say we've crossed the River Jordan and that we arisen with Christ. Christ is our life, but there are obstacles in the way, if you remember when the children of Israel crossed the Jordan.
There was obstacles. One thing. There was the city of Jericho that stood right in the way.
And of their progress and I believe it, one of the ways in which we can view this vessel to the Colossians is that the Apostle Paul is, is bringing out the obstacles you might say that would be in the pathway of the believer to going on and entering into the land the obstacles that would would hinder. And so I believe as our brother said he's, he is an impetus upon Christ and his.
His headship, because that's really the key to the progress. In other words, we crossed the Jordan. But we need to make progress, go on and possess the land. And if we're going to do so, we have to.
Recognize that really holding the head, having Christ in our affection as the one who is in whom we draw all from whom we draw all of our.
Direction and all of our wisdom and all of our understanding. Everything that we need. He supplies everything. And we come to that. Of course, later on in this vessel in the first chapter is more setting forth of the personal glories of the Lord Jesus. And then later we see what He is in regard to the Saints as the head. But I believe it all has in view of our making progress. We're seeing it having crossed the Jordan now.
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Not only those redeemed out of Egypt and having crossed the Red Sea, but those who have.
Have accepted and entered into the fact that we have. We have died out of this scene with Christ, and we own our having died with Christ. And Christ on high is our life.
But I just had this for the analogy. I believe it to the very point where Joshua comes and he meets that one with the drawn sword in his hand, and he's told to take off his shoes from off his feet? He asked.
Art thou for us or for our adversaries? And the reply is made, But as captain of the Lord's post, am I now come, And I like to think of Colossians as being that very point circumcision had taken place.
And now they're about to enter into the conflict. How could they have possibly overcome in this conflict? It was only as they recognized that the captain of the Lords Host was there. It wasn't going to be by the might of their armies, as they proved when they came against AI. It wasn't going to be by any wisdom of their own how they failed when they listened to those Gibeonites. But if they had only acknowledged always that the Lord was the captain of the Host, then they would have happily possessed the land.
And that I believe is the point that we're brought to in the Epistle to the Colossians across the Jordan, as you say.
Circumcision, figuring, death and the end of the flash before God. And now are we willing to recognize this one as the captain of the Lords host? That is, the Lord Jesus himself is glorious person and brought before us Or are we going to follow our own wisdom in the things of God? You know we shouldn't follow it in natural things, but it's important for us to realize that we are not to follow human wisdom even in the things of God.
I just mentioned that I believe it's connection for the analogy that you brought up as to the children of Israel as you might say too that as we pick up this first chapter it would have the effects of putting our shoes from all of our feet. But it's not as we as we survey this the greatness of this person as you say the one who is the captain of the of the Lord's host and I believe that's a.
Very helpful. And so we want to see in it that the Lord here would be impressing.
Upon us the grace of this one, who is able to lead his own in victory.
We say that his presence among them was sufficient to guarantee their victory in any circumstance. But holding us become a thine house, O Lord, forever, there had to be that holiness of Fox.
If he was to remain in the mid.
Every time they just followed verse and Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse. One I think is going to encourage our heart in connection with these things. This is what the Apostle Paul has to say to Timothy in a time of apostasy, in a time when Ben changed the philosophy fantasy.
And law keepers and rituals. But as I say he has to do Timothy thou therefore, my son be strong in the grace that is to be found in Christ Jesus, all below the people of God. We have a sole House of a day since the person of the Lord Jesus, and we can throw and throw and all over that we needed as exhaustion. And it will keep us on all the danger that we have in the factory in connection with philosophy, ritual, and the things that men has created in connection with Christendom.
Speaking of the wisdom of this world in divine things and the philosophy.
Which is a danger at all times and it's a danger for us today.
Good to lead verse three of the second chapter, where the Apostle Paul speaks of the mystery of God, in which I hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.
We love that we don't need any more than the mystery that is now revealed.
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Since redemption accomplished and the Spirit of God has been sent down.
And God has given us all that we need in His precious word. We do not see to turn to the wisdom of this world. As a matter of fact, if we do, we will spoil the work of God, He sings, Do not work together, the Spirit of God and the wisdom of this world. I believe we find a illustration of that in the Old Testament and the Philistines.
Lock the wells by fusing Earth. You know it's very instructive in Venice 26.
And the wisdom of this world and divine things will stop the flow of last things. You know when I say he tended very much on the floor of the water in order to.
Have that which was needed for his flock and beneath the water of the word of God, and whenever we praying the wisdom of this world in divine things, that will have the same effect as what the Philistines did with the wealth, and they plucked the flow of water.
Let us beware and pretend to lean towards that, because we are all people who try to solve matters in our own way. We tend to find everything else before we really turn to the Lord, where alone through wisdom and guidance, is found.
We all lack business change .5.
J15.
Given all men liberally read it, Not that without.
For the sake of those who are younger here, we might mention that as believers, we are seen in the three different positions where our brother mentioned. When we speak of being in Egypt, it's a picture of our being here in this world. Here we are in the city of Des Moines. We're in this world, and this world is under judgment. And if it wasn't for the blood of Christ that has sheltered us, we'd be under that judgment too. And so the children of Israel were there in Egypt.
Slaves in the land of Egypt. But God provided that shelter from the judgment and also provided assurance, and he also provided the feast in their homes, the Passover lamb. They could enjoy that. And while here in this world, in a world system that is opposed to God by you and I know that it's under judgment, the Lord Jesus said, now is the judgment of this world, but we know that we are not going to come under that judgment. We've been sheltered by the blood.
And we can enjoy this and feed upon Christ in this way.
But then there's the other aspect. After they left the land of Egypt, then they went through a wilderness. And we find now, after we're saved, the world takes on a different character. It doesn't have anything here that really satisfies the new man that God has given to us. And so in the wilderness, the children of Israel discovered their own weakness. And that's why it says in Deuteronomy, to humbly to prove thee, to show thee what was in my heart.
And in the aspect of the wilderness we're going through this world, there's nothing for the Newman, there's nothing that really satisfies that divine life God has given to us. But we have to discover, and we do discover by all these trials, how weak we are in ourselves, how unable to meet all the circumstances of life. And so there was the priesthood set up, there was the Tabernacle, there was all the provision, the manna.
And the water that flowed from the stricken rock, everything was provided for their needs. And if any of us are passing through these kind of trials here and the world does seem like a wilderness to us, we have all these resources. The man who came day by day the water flowed from the stricken rock. When they were attacked by the Amalekites, Moses went up on the top of the hill and held up his hands. And when they availed themselves of that, there was victory for them.
There is abundant provision, and we can be thankful that there is that for every need. But then there's the other part. Here we sit in these meetings. We're not so much thinking of the world under judgment. We're not perhaps so much occupied with our personal weaknesses and trials.
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But the Spirit of God here would occupy us with what our fortune is in Christ. And that is here are the children of Israel. Now they have passed through the Jordan the river of death. They see themselves in this new position. The whole land, so glorious, is before them. Oh, but there are hindrances to the enjoyment of that. Are they going to recognize the Lord as the one who could lead their souls into the enjoyment of it? And so, you know, it tells us when they entered the land of Canaan.
Samantha ceased, and they fed upon the old horn of the land. And why did the manna cease? Don't we still need that help for the wilderness? Well, here in the meeting today, the Spirit of God wouldn't so much occupy us with that side of things in this chapter, but rather lift our hearts above all those things to be occupied with what the Lord Jesus seems to us and all that we have in Him, Just like a person who is in a very, very unpleasant situation.
But just the next day, he sees it's all going to be cleared up and everything is going to be wonderful and glorious. So he lives above the circumstances that he's in because he's thinking of what's coming tomorrow. And that's where God would have us to be occupied with Christ, the one who ministers to our souls of this glorious land that is ours to enter in and enjoy and possess. Well, I just mentioned this because perhaps sometimes it's not fully understood what it means. We're in this Egypt world.
The world is a system all about us and that it has a new character and that is the wilderness.
But then there's a third phase, and that is that we can enjoy what is ours now in Christ, and speak by spiritual energy to possess to that which belongs to us, so that we go away from these meetings. The world hasn't changed. The trials may still exist, but our hearts are lifted above them in occupation with Christ. Like to add to a brother that that young person should realize that these different.
Position to mention are not necessarily the result of growth that is a young believer can be across the Jordan as well as one who has gone on with the Lord many years. Sometimes the thought and the minds of the young person are that well I'm just a young person and I I can't enter into what's on the other side Jordan and they settle down in Egypt. Well you mentioned we're in Egypt as to our bodies but.
Orally, we don't belong to it. We don't want to be like that young man that.
David met at Six Flag and he spoke of himself as being an Amalekite and a young man of Egypt. The young people don't want to be a young person to Egypt, even though we're there. But I would encourage young people to lay hold of the fact that if there is an exercise belonging to the Lord, if there is an exercise, and to make progress in the things of God.
But you can enter in by the spirit of God to what he has for his people across Jordan. You don't have to settle down into Egypt or even in the wilderness, so to speak. In one sense, you might say we're in these positions all at one time. And it's not a matter of truth. It's what I wanted to emphasize, that even a young believer can say yes as to my body, as to my physical circumstances. I am in this world and this world is a wilderness to me, but also I'm a cross story.
I have crossed Jordan Christ as being dead with Christ, praised with him. I'm across Jordan. And so if I want to make progress in that land into which I've been brought, because you see, we don't belong to this world anymore. And if we want to make progress in that, in that land in which we've been brought, where our blessings are, we need to take heed to this and be exercised. I was thinking of that in regards to the way the believers are addressed here in verse 2.
He says to the Saints and faithful brethren in Christ.
Well, I don't believe he's picking out a person down there in philosophy and calling faith Brethren. He's really referring to all of us. He views them as Saints and also as faithful brethren. That is, they were those who had an exercise. It wasn't so much. They're not like those in the corner in Corinth. There was a world in this. There was a condition there that he says, I can't open up to you the mystery. He just mentions it in First Corinthians chapter 2.
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But he said, I'm not able to open up all of these wonderful things, by Christ, to you, because they were in such a worldly state. They needed to be corrected as to that. But I don't think that was the state in Colossians there. There was an exercise to go on in the truth. They had, they had to judge the the world and it's, I'd say the carnal world, secular world. But there was a danger of their beings seduced by.
The finer things existed in this world, philosophy, religion, and things of that nature. They were they. They had to see that these things have to be set aside as well as the faith things of the world. I remember when Saul was sent by God to to destroy the Amalekites. Do I take to be a type of a man in the flesh on the state of power? But the flesh is is under Satan, energized by Satan.
Well.
He he destroyed the base element, but he spared Aegon a gag in the best sheep and so forth. He was he spared that which appeared to be very fair. But the order was of course destroy the whole thing, and I believe in Colossi there was an exercise to go on in the truth. So he going to help them to go on as springing before them the things that might be a hindrance to.
An exercise soul that would be repulsed that the outright wickedness.
Immorality and so forth in this world that was going on in current immorality, but we don't have that side of things here. It's for the fact that they're they're hindrances on the finer side, you might say how the world and man in the flesh that they needed to be constructed by.
Talk to brother the other day and he coming.
That in our assembly here very little ministry and separation and then separation is mentioned from the world.
It is generally used as to the base things of this world, but not religion, the camp and things like that. Beloved, we have to remember that the world is religious and that Satan who is the Prince of this world.
Politically, it's also the God of this world, religiousness. And when we are saved and we are brought out of it by God's grace, as we see in the children of Israel being left out of Egypt, that is to be delivered from the world in all its aspects, not only from the penalty of sin, but also from that wicket system over which Satan is God and friends. And I'm afraid.
That there is far too much beloved leaning towards the camp and listening to ministry, the radio, even television.
Which is really trying to find, as a source for our spiritual sustenance, things that are not.
In full accordance with the word of God, I believe. Bear with me, beloved, I don't want to be told, but.
I believe that the thought would have us realize that that side of things is as dangerous for us as the base things of this world because it robbed the Lord of this place and it really interferes with the work of the Spirit of God.
It neutralizes the truth of God.
Hebrew chapter 1213 and verse 12 and 13 things. That was very simple, isn't it?
Hebrew chapter 13 and verse 12 Saying, Wherefore Jesus the precious Savior, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, tougher without the gates. And our blessed is to know every one of us. The moment that we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, He has put us through, set us apart for himself through his blood that he gave on the cross. And so the next person said, let us go for therefore unto him.
Without the camp, what can't be that? As the religious camp, isn't it? We have to go forward. But isn't it blessed that every one of those that all Jesus by giving his precious blood?
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Not only we have been cleansed, justified, appeared with God, but He has set us apart for himself, so we belong to Him and settled apart.
Brothers.
The Colossians given to us because that side of things had come in.
I'm sure young people especially might wonder what do they mean about this word ritualism. What What does that signify?
I'd like to turn to a few verses.
In Second Corinthians Second Chronicles Chapter 9.
Oh no, the story too. So well, and I have not intend to read all of the story of the Queen of Sheba when she came to see Solomon.
I'll go down to verse 5, but first mentioning that the Queen already had got an answer to all her questions. Her curiosity was satisfied. She found that Solomon, one who had answered everything she wanted to know.
Then she saw her sitting of the sermons, the cup bears, and all those beautiful arraignment arrangements that were made there, and they no doubt had a marvelous place in the setup. But then we get down to verse 5.
And said to the king, it was through report, which I heard in my own land of thine acts and of thy wisdom.
Albeit I believe not their words, until I came in, mine eyes had seen it. Behold, the 1/2 of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me.
Now I want us to notice that one little word used the next sentence is for thou exceeded the fame that I heard. Florida has spoken to my heart. Thou bring him at first all the pastor. The former part of the chapter brings him beautiful arrangements.
Let's turn to Colossians again for a verse chapter 2.
Verse five, it says, For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joy, and beholding your order.
That's what penis keep us off first. All that order.
It should stop there and never got acquainted with the person.
Of a man that stopped, he would have stayed with what we would call Richland. I wonder if that is not a good explanation for what Richard is, because the Colossians were in danger and had perhaps gone a long way towards that in the end of the second chapter. Because we see this order, but it is not motivated by the affection of the heart towards the person.
And it goes then into all kinds of abuses of it, and we have in the end of the second chapter.
Including in things that they know not in the Angel worship and all that is for all that kind of order ends up in. And that's what Christmas for us. It's filled with up errors and settings and beautiful things and cathedrals and what have we all that goes with it. And the person that he was the center of it all when the green says.
Oh, it is the fame that I heard. So that's what we're introduced to in this first chapter, the Lord Jesus Christ.
I think that's her heart deals with the knowledge and the enjoyment in a person.
For us how much more?
Are we saying to the Lord Jesus thou exceed us all the fame that you ever have heard? This would take care of richness. The pastor could commend them for the order He failed, and there is order in the assembly in the arrangement.
Order in this room this morning. It's part of wonderful, but we can get together. But if we lose sight of the one who is the center of it all, the Lord Jesus missed it all Burden, Richard.
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Amen to that.
We all need this exhortation, don't we, Grace, be unto you and peace.
From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, we must never lose in our souls the sense of grace. We didn't deserve anything but judgment. And ever since we have been saved, everything that has come to us is on the ground of pure grace. And I feel more and more brethren, how very important that is. I don't believe a Sinner ever gets peace with God until he comes to the realization of grace. You've got to come to the end of himself.
As long as he's looking for anything in himself at all, whether it's works or feeling or anything of that sort.
Why he'll never have peace? Because he's looking for something in the wrong direction. But when we look away from ourselves entirely.
And see that every good thing that comes to us is entirely undeserved, and comes founded upon what Christ has done upon the cross.
Then we have peace with God. Then we can say, I know I'm saved because it doesn't depend on anything in me but on what Christ has done. But this same principle, brethren, applies to everything in our whole Christian life. We're talking even about things that we do, order, and so on. If all the other things were right, if it wasn't with a sense of the grace of God in our souls, by there be nothing to it, it would only be an outward thing.
There is that which flows from the sense of this in our souls, and we didn't deserve any blessing that we have received since we are saved.
All those things come to us entirely undeserved, and I apply this even to the circumstances of life.
Many times when some adverse thing happens in our life, we can take up the world's phraseology and say.
Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this? And really, as Christians, when we do that, we're off the ground of grace. Whether it's the temporal things of life, whether it's the blessing of our families, whether it's the joy in the assembly, we need to always remember that we stand before God on that round of grace. We didn't deserve anything. I say this to parents. It's a very blessed thing to realize this. Look to God for the salvation of your children.
Counted upon counting upon His sovereign grace to do it, you make it depend on yourself as a parent. He'll always be worried and never feel satisfied, certainly because none of us are perfect parents. But when we cast ourselves upon His grace and look to him to work in the hearts of our children, then we have laid the foundation, so to speak, we can say, while God delights to bless. Remember that woman who came. She claimed that she had some ground.
He said, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy upon me. She took her place as though she had a claim upon the Lord, and she didn't, because she was not of the nation of Israel. And so the Lord paid no attention. And even when he spoke to her, he said, it's not me to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. But when she said truth, Lord, and took her true place, then the Lord said, O woman's greatest thy faith, be it under thee.
Even as thou will now, this doesn't in any way lessen our energies. It increases our energies. We're going to be bound, we're bound to get discouraged if we're thinking that have I done enough? But if we're resting upon His grace, and the heart is filled with a sense of that, then there's a freedom in what we do, whether it's in caring for the service of the Lord, helping our breaking to bring up our children. It. There will be a peace and a liberty in connection with it, in our souls.
As we count upon the Lord to do what we can do, and I believe this is so important, that's why Paul says in the Epistle to the Hebrews, it's a good thing that the heart established in grace, not with meats which have not profited them, which are occupied therein, that is, occupied with their own doings, whether it's ritual or whatever, occupied with their own doing. We're never going to have the enjoyment of that peace or there's peace with God.
Salvation and the peace of God and that we have here in Colossians chapter 3 in the 15th verse. And let the peace of God, and I believe it's properly the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to the which ye are called in one body. And be thankful that that peace rules in the heart when the Lord Jesus is given his rightful place when we're looking to him and not depend on anything in ourselves.
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Oh, what liberty there is in the soul. Well, as it says here, God the Father is the source, the Lord Jesus Christ is the channel by which this blessing flaws. But let us never forget this. We have we tend to get like the world and look in and think, well, I did this and I tried and I think I was a good Christian and all this kind of thing. And we just get discouraged along those lines at all, and we count upon him.
His heart is full of grace, and there's blessing that falls when we count upon him.
Who's thinking to it along those lines, that period this is given to those who are Saints, isn't it? That is this exhortation. And you know when we read the word of God we read the epistles and we we have to confess that God sets before us a very high standard of living and.
There is no allowance for flesh and the thing God looks for fruit for himself and for his glory. And I'm sure that every one of us in reading the word of God in various times, it felt I could never attain to these things. I was thinking of grace along that line. It's true we can never attain to them. But God can work. God works. That's great.
The man in Romans 7 was trying to attain to them, but when he finally saw he had a right, he had a right attitude, he had a right spirit. His mind was in the right direction. He had a real exercise mind. But he didn't really have a true apprehension of grace. That anything that is ever going to be for God in you or me as a believer is a work of His grace. It's all of His grace. And can we can if we are humble and dependent and cast upon the Lord.
He can operate and work in us to produce that which is for his glory. We cannot produce it. A man in Romans 7 was trying to produce it himself. He had the right, He was on the right right lines as far as his his outlook and attitude. He had the right Spirit, but he didn't have a right apprehension of grace. When we come to chapter 8, we see that what the Law could not do, because he was weak through the flesh. God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled.
In US, not by us, but in US and I just recently in reading and.
And Revelation 19, it was impressed upon me there at the marriage of the Lamb. And the bride is arrayed in that fine linen, clean and white, and that's said to be the righteousnesses of the Saints, not our righteous standing in Christ, but the things that the Saints did, that were righteous, that were according to the mind of God. That was that was for his pleasure and for his glory. There she's arrayed in all of that.
But it was said it was given to her to be arrayed. See, it was given to her. That's grace. God worked by his grace, and God works by his grace in the hearts of his people to produce that which is for his glory. We can produce it. It's all on his part. So it's not only grace that met us in our need as lost and guilty sinners, but it's grace operating all the way through. And God can.
Work if we are submissive.
2324.
We we have the remedy here, we'll appropriate it.
1St Thessalonians 523.
And the very God of peace sanctify you holy.
And if I pray, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body.
Deep reserve, fluent unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hope we say that's our big order. The 1St 24 is a solution to help. Faith is he that calleth you who also will do it. Our brother Sage Brown used to say that word do.
00:45:13
And the Greek is generated.
Sitting on the spectrum, so I'll make it for you who also will generate God is faithful, He's called us, and he can bring it to pass according to his desire and pleasure. In Philippians chapter one we have something familiar to encourage our heart. Isn't he? Philippians chapter one and verse six says, being confident of this very thing that he which had began a good waking you.
Will fill from it until the day of Jesus Christ. This is an encouragement. Well, the only thing that the Lord wants for us is to have an exercise in Christianity, In Christ we have all the blessed they belong to us. And when we have an exhortation in the Scripture as to the thing that we need to be exercised and do, it is not that we're going to find the capacity in ourselves to do it. But we have already possessed it in Christ, and the only thing we got to do is to do it from Him.
I'd like to ask a question containing diversity 3 and 4.
Would we not learn that?
View of those verses that the assembly at Colossi was not the direct result of Paul's labor, but rather it was a work of God.
By others.
That he heard about and thank God for. Is that correct President? And isn't it lovely when when one person can rejoice in the works of others?
I think that's a lovely spirit to cultivate. And we would want to take an interest in the works that God is doing with others, rather than to have to think that everything has to be hammered on our own anvil. And if we don't do it, it certainly must not be very good. But we see a lovely spirit in the in the apostle here that could thank God for the work that God had done by somebody else.
What do you think about that Chapter 2 verse One really proves that he has not labored there or that there were many who didn't know of his face.
But Epifra said labor there and he's called a not only a fellow servant, but a faithful minister or faithful servant of Christ, faithful man. And no doubt that's why the so could could recognize and he knew that this this work was a genuine work, but it was it was the the work of a man and those who were.
Are faithful and we generally find that the character of work, or you might say work, takes character from the from the person or the instrument that is used and and sometimes there might be something that is really.
Of itself a good work, but the one who has been an instrument of doing that work was not a faithful man, and you find then that.
Unfaithful elements there are then attached to that. You find that all about us in Christendom, that God uses this for that one.
But the you might say the deficiencies of the instrument is often.
You might say imparted to the work, but I believe those are here that were involved in this work were faithful men.
Who was neither one who prayed that they might stand in all the perfect and all the will of God had a real heart for them that they might be.
Might be those who would be going on with the Lord.
Chapter 4 verse 12 is better verses found.
Yes, that's the first I had in mind.
That was a very blessed kind of Labor, wasn't it? Laboring in prayer and hold how we needed to pay for one another, believe of beloved people of God.
00:50:02
We see the order in Ephesians where the gifts are given. We have the Evangelist and the Pastor and the Teacher, and if you go back to the 11Th chapter of Acts, you find that.
It's very nice to see it Acts Chapter 11.
19th verse Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, traveled as far as Venus in Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrini, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake under the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
And the hand of the Lord was upon with them, and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
And tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem.
And they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God.
Was glad and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. It came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians First in Antioch, in Ephesians chapter four we are told that.
He ascended. Christ, has given apostles and prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
Now the apostles and prophets were those who laid the foundation of Christianity.
And we're told in the end of the Second of Ephesians are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
God has given us through his word, that which gives to us the very foundation of our Christianity, and that's through the apostles and prophets of the New Testament that the foundation was laid, Paul said in First Corinthians 3. As a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation but another buildeth thereupon. But now the foundation has been laid, there is an act of work carried on.
And that is, there's the proclamation of the gospel. But every gospel preacher ought to have a desire that those who are saved would be established and that they would first of all be encouraged to go on in the path of faith, and secondly taught the mind of the Lord as to the path of faith. And we find that beautifully in Acts Chapter 11 here, that these servants who went out, they were preaching the gospel. Some people got saved at Antioch.
The assembly at Jerusalem heard about this, and they knew that these souls were just flounder and be carried about with every wind of doctrine if some help wasn't given to them. And so Barnabas comes down. He's not particularly a gifted teacher, but he has a very warm heart.
And it says he was a Goodman and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And it says he exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. We need that kind of ministry that encourages young believers because it's very easy to get discouraged. And so the second part, Barnabas comes down. But Barnabas apparently didn't feel too capable of instructing them in the things of God. And so he goes up and gets Saul and brings him down.
And it says they assembled for a whole year and taught the people. And we have the establishment there of that large assembly in Antioch. Perhaps we could say the beginning of the Gentile work, but we see God's order because God always shows his order in the beginning of things. And I believe it's very important anyone who preaches the gospel. That may be his limitations, but he shouldn't leave the work without some help.
And so they need to be encouraged. And it may be another servant who does that. And two, when he has done that work, he may say, well, I wasn't able to instruct them as well as I would like. There are other brothers who can do that. And so Barnabas recognize this.
And so God uses those different gifts. And then of course, as Ephesians 4 shows us, it isn't limited to that. They're all with joints and bands. Everyone has a part so that we all have some part in helping and encouraging. But God has an order for his work, and Paul felt this in connection with those at Colossus.
00:55:20
The work was begun. He hadn't even seen it, but he had a burden on his heart as the apostle of the Gentiles.
That they might be established, that they might because he was a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and Verity says in another place. And he writes this epistle, of course, led by the Spirit of God. But the principle is there. He desired that the prayer of Epiphys would be answered, and that they would stand perfectly and complete in all the will of God. But how could that be, if they were never instructed from the Word? So I believe there is this is good for us to remember in connection with God's assembly.
I noticed the brethren that in verse four and five we befathered.
The three ingredients that they are so essential in our pathway, they have faith, they have love and they have hope.
Faith in verse four says, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and then love for all the Saints, and then the hope which he was laid before.
That's the three ingredient that are so essential in our Christian life. Is it not correct to say, brethren, that we all have our limitations and our deficiencies?
And if we realize that if we seek to do any work for the Lord, we realize that it is His work, and that we can cry to Him that he bring in those who can supply the deficiencies and the limitations that we realize in ourselves.
So that the law does use and I'm impressed so much that he used weak and failing instruments. And it's amazing that too is his grace.
That the Lord is in practice the truth of Scripture and allow the Spirit to bring in others who can supply what we cannot do. The work can prosper.
That's why man's wisdom sets up a one man ministry. And maybe the man might be very gifted in one particular thing, but the head of the body has given different gifts and each one has a particular function to fulfill. As you say, everyone has limitations. There's no one. It's possible one might have more than one gift, I believe, but I don't believe anyone is complete in himself. And even in the epistles we see that the lion of ministry given by Peter, the line of ministry given by John and by James are different from that given by Paul.
But all equally needed, and all under the inspiration of the Spirit of God.
The second temperature for Epistle and verse 10.
And ye are complete.
In him with the head of all power.
Dear brother in the Congo, Allah Maja Kelly, who was converted.
Even possessed witch doctor.
And he used to read this 10th person week for joy, but now he's complete in Christ. You don't have to add anything to that as it says in your complete over a precious, precious privilege. Complete in Him with the head of all principles in power. He could preach the gospel in three languages very separately. We should travel together.
Perhaps now he's been mowed down by a communist machine gun, but nevertheless he was a great blessing for the state.
While he was there in their midst.
This line of things that we're talking about I think is very wholesome.
For us to have before us this morning that.
If someone visits our assembly.
We would want to receive them.
In view of the fact that they might be able to contribute something to us in our assemblies.
That we were not able to supply ourselves.
And so that makes it a real encouraging and warm matter of receiving visitors who come to us with the word of God rather than say oh brother, so and so I I can't like lay hold of what he says or so and so he's not too deep in the scriptures and so on. We can have all kinds of negative feelings, but if we look at it from the standpoint that.
01:00:22
Has been brought before us this morning by This is a member of the body of Christ, and the Lord can use him to supply that which we lack. And brother, this is wonderful, and I think it's so wholesome for us to consider it. And I think in our reading meeting we have this morning, isn't it wonderful that there's liberty of the spirit of God to use more than one brother to speak to us this morning?
I think it would be very monotonous to come to this meeting and hear just one brother talk all the time. I think we would all get bored in in spite of the fact that he might be a very, very gifted man and all so much of the word of God. We would all get bored if one man spoke all the time. And so that's why we all appreciate a little pause now and then that the Lord might be able to use someone else.
To give us a word that he has on his heart that we all might profit.
And that has really been the exercise of the brethren here in Des Moines in relation to these general meetings, that there might be liberty of the Spirit of God.
To use various funds to minister the precious truth to us, and that none may feel afraid of speaking up when God has given them something to say, even an ordained farmer.
And you know, below the people of regarding connection with his epistle.
I think as we mentioned already, but a wonderful that is that even every time the Apostle Paul in his writing has something to correct in connection with the Saints, he always brings the preciousness of the Lord Jesus and that's what he's going to bring. To change and deliverance as we are occupying with a person of the Lord Jesus is preciousness. That's what he's going to bring delivered.
Might he make a thought? Give a thought on Second Timothy 2, verse two, connection with what we've had before us.
Second Timothy 22 And the things that thou hast heard of me, among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. Now this epistle was the last that Paul wrote, and it's his last words, and it applies to the day in which we're living. We're not living in Pentecostal days of power, We're living in days of great weakness.
And departure, and turning away their ears from the truth. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and will turn away their ears from the truth what is needed today more, far, far more than gifted than his faithful men. And so Timothy was to commit what he had heard from the apostle.
To faithful men, for those that would stand for the truth. And that reminds me of that day which is soon to dawn for each of us.
When the Lord Jesus will say to us, well done, thou good and faithful servant, and how important that is to be faithful, to be true to the truth that God has committed to us, It's a day of great weakness and departure, turning away but old to be faithful to the truth that God has given us, to say no to the flesh, and to have that wisdom that only Christ can give us.
As we had him before us. And to realize that having him, we have everything. We have everything in him. As our brother was saying earlier, if we missed that, we've missed the whole point, haven't we? Because in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. But what is really needed today, more than gifted men, is faithful men.
It does add there who shall be able to teach others also, and I believe to the end God will have those who will be able to help His people. Some of us who have grown a little older have seen how God has raised up in the earlier times, those who have instructed us. And I believe God will never fail His church. It's a very blessed thing to lay hold of the truth in our souls. But I believe there are those whom God has fitted to be able to teach others also.
01:05:27
And we ought to be thankful for what provision God has made, because it all is because Christ is head of the body, loves the members, and delights in our blessing, and how we thank God for all the precious ministry that's available. But that book room just outside every one of us could not have written those wonderful truths down as some have who have gone before. So it's the head of the body who provides for the needs of the body.
When it says ye are complete in him, every believer is complete in him as to his standing before God.
And as to what we have in Christ, nothing could be added to that. But our brother was speaking about. Each one of us have something from the Lord, but we have limitations also, and I believe it's well for us to see this and so we can get help. And I've seen brothers who have neglected the written ministry, who have really lost in their souls because they ascended Christ, fitted and raised up these men. And if we don't avail ourselves.
By we're not availing ourselves of the gracious provision that he has made.
I just mentioned because I believe there's a proper balance in everything. There's no limit for any of us laying hold of the truth or being able to help our brethren about. There are those for which we thank God, especially in the past, who God has used, and I believe you'll faithfully provide for His own to the end.
So the Lord said to the disciples, pray that the Lord would raise up laborers and thrust them forth into his harvest.
We have a very precious verse in Rude chapter 2 in connection with the things that we have in connection with the written ministry. Here we find that Boaz in chapter 2 and verse 8 to say and to root it thou not my daughter could not to glean in another field.
Neither go from ends, but abide here fast by the maidens. And I believe here we have in moral sense we have that we don't need to go to the camp for ministry. We have pressures, precious ministry, leftovers from those that they have going before us among the gather Saints. And here we find that, oh, I say to rude not to go in any other place to glean, but to stay there.
To the place that he was here was clean. And then he says he had neither go from this. But I buy fast for by my baton and it's a wonderful life again, I say we have such a precious ministry written to us, left to us among the other Saints, that we don't need to go to the camp cleaning another field. We have plenty of a precious ministry among those that they have going before but the left and right and without.
Is there a precious thought in what our brothers flew in from acts there?
There's something very remarkable I hadn't thought of before, but as he was reading that Barnabas went saw and when he had powder.
Whether Saul disappeared from the scene after his first encounter with, where he was given a faithful word in Damascus.
Well, it is thought that Paul had his time in the desert, like Moses swung, until the Lord called such.
Well, the Lord didn't come to Paul, apparently, with the revelation.
All are falling, yet it's time for the rule of you to step out.
The Lord used to marvelous. Here he's mentioned that Barnabas perhaps didn't have a particular gift. He was a good man, and he was in the mind of the Lord, and he took time off for this much blessing. But he left there, and he went to seek salt.
The Saul needed a nudge. He needed an encouragement.
I feel that oneself often fail of this very point. We could be a help to another to encourage.
01:10:05
Don't want the effort to make the effort perhaps to seek out someone and be a help.
Whatever momentous moment that was when Barnabas came back with Saul Paul, then the assembled for a whole year in Antioch.
So if farmers hadn't done that, what would have happened, we may ask, you know.
Well, aren't there a lot of opportunities that we pass by pass up. We could be a help to 1 to encourage him though. It's a left. He's got a good some searching and finding them, but there are these opportunities the Lord gives.
It's impressed me too, that each member of the Body of Christ has some gift, and I think sometimes, especially younger folks in the different little assemblies around. Perhaps there's not much evidence of gift in the assembly, but let's remember that the Lord has given everyone some gift to use for each one.
Of the other fellow members of the body of Christ.
In the three places that the gifts are mentioned in the New Testament, perhaps there's others, but thinking of Romans 12, you might just notice it there what it says about it.
At the end of verse 3, Romans 12.
We'll read all verse 3. For I say, through the grace of God, through the grace given unto Me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according. As God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith, he's dealt to every man the measure of faith. And then it continues on in verses 4:00 and 5:00.
About the gifts that have been given by God in the body of Christ.
Then in First Corinthians 12.
And verse 7.
It's speaking here of the manifestation of the Spirit, that it's in connection with the body of Christ and the gifts that are given in the body. Verse 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man, every man, to profit with all. And then in Ephesians chapter 4 has been mentioned already.
Just read the verse in verse 7.
But unto everyone of us.
Is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Dear brother, And sometimes we see some of our older brethren being called home, and we feel it. It's right that we should feel it, but we should not spend our time lamenting this. We should look freshly to the Lord.
And each one being exercised in our place, the Lord has given you something and He has given you something. If you are a believer and a member of the body of Christ, He has given you something. And that something is to be used for the good of all the other fellow members of the body of Christ. It's not just to sit and wait for others to take the lead in the assembly, it is to sit in the assembly.
Their eyes on the Lord Jesus and be exercised. The Lord wants to use this to be ready for His use.
We have a similar thought in Ephesians 4, verse 15 and 16.
But speaking the truth in love may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier, according to the effect of working in the measure of every part.
Of the body under edifying of itself in love.
Would that give us the thought of each one has a part to perform?
01:15:10
Brothers as well as sisters.
There's a part for the sisters and a very useful and needful part. It may not be in public ministry, but a very effective part. As we can see in the Scripture, the name of Priscilla and name of Phoebe are mentioned very honorably in the Word of God.
Nice to see that in verse.
For since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which he had to all the Saints, and when there's true faith in the Lord Jesus, it will produce love to all the Saints. It isn't to just a few or just the selected company.
Or those who are in some inner circle, but it's love to all the Saints and if it's true faith in the Lord Jesus and we've come to him.
As those who were all together bankrupt and undone, guilty and vile, and been brought into blessing by sovereign grace alone, then that produces that love to all the Saints. How precious that is. And important that it isn't just those that I like and those that are in accordance with my natural inclinations, but it's love to all the Saints.
How we fail in this I speak to my own heart.
To manifest that love to all the Saints, not just those that I like, but to all the Saints. And this is what faith in the Lord Jesus produces.