Conference: 1974
Table of Contents
The Meal Offering
Address—A. Roach
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Can remember the walkthrough between which we live. A homework could be said that he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from centers, and he is now a higher than the heavens. That man was the man quite Jesus.
Who came into this world from the glory. He is not only man, but he is the eternal God, giving life and breath to all things. And that blessed one became a man in order that he might die for you and the man now We needed one to die for us.
Who had no sin in him and no sins of his own, for which he had to make sure he had to be wholly harmless and undefiled. That was considered. We needed a sacrifice that would meet the holy claims of God. Now we consider it last week things the burnt offering. We saw the Lord Jesus in that character of offering himself without spot to God. We saw that blood was shed. We saw that death came in. We saw that there was atonement made, and we saw that God took delight in every part of our sacrifice.
And put upon award which is upon a fire which is upon. And that sacrifice brought in a total of success. Now tonight we want to consider that sacrifice which brings the forest more particularly Christ in manhood. You'll find there is no at homeless of sin. In the second chapter Christ is tested by the fires of death, but it is testing in manhood to bring out his whole emotions to God above.
Now in your meatball and the bind off, when we saw that the person who offered it laid his hands on the head of the sacrifice, and all value of the sacrifice was transferred to the opera. The offer was accepted before God on the grounds of the acceptability of the sacrifice. He was received on that ground and that alone There was all that we, as believers in the Lord Jesus fight, haven't accepted before God on the grounds of what life is and what Christ has done.
On the cross. But now in the meat offering we don't have any laying on of hands. Why is that? Because the light of height holy and perfect. And it was in my transport from you and me that life which He lived here is part of perfection. We do not lay our hands upon the knee often and have the value of the life of Christ transferred to us. That would be the righteousness of Christ, a legal righteousness. He fulfilled the law when he was healing on earth.
I get all, but the point is that the life of Christ cannot save your soul or mine, and the meat often bears it up. There's no atonement in the chaplain. There's no transfer of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ to the office.
Upon it. Yes, we can feed upon the life of Christ after we get saved, as we know as our Savior, we can go through the gospel and rejoice as we see the wonderful things that come out in this blessed life. Heavy loss. But that is not what saved the soul. It's His death on the cross that saves the soul.
Now we'd like to consider in this session of Leviticus, the various things that apply to the person of the Lord Jesus. I'm going to take this off, not verse by verse, in that order, but I think it'll be easier for us to get hold of the teaching year, the truth of it, and we take it up like this.
We'll consider first the ingredients of the meat offering, what was put into it and what was left out of it, what had to go in and what had to be left out. And we will also then consider the use of the oil, or the oil is used in various ways, each one reflecting something different in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ as we are free from the New Testament. And 3rd we'll notice the manner, manner, various manners in which to meet Auckland was offered.
And I believe that we have those three things before us. We'll get something out of this chapter. Evidence of America, verse by verse, which in itself is all right. Now. Notice in verse one when any will offer a meat offer. Notice that the meat offering was not from culture. Neither was the first offering. Neither wants a few cars. No one had to bring no sacrifices. They had to bring a sin off. We get to that. We'll see more for me about that.
They but they could bring a voluntary sacrifice. And so firstly, sacrifices are sweet savers under the Lord, sweet save under the Lord. You don't get that as a sin offer. That was not a sweet savor offering that represents Christ forsaken of God. But here we have a sweet saver and a television penny will bring a meat off or not. Other words, meet here. We have to confuse that with the meat we buy at the butcher shop. That's flesh.
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The word meat is often used in Tripura. In a general sense you would go to a bakery by meat according to local records, be meat, anything to eat the word meat with a general term and and the new look that's going to be apostle specified pledge to make to make the difference me happy hearing me.
When I had station and a few low so the word media does not mean a piece of flesh from an animal. That simply means that was a food offering. It is more strictly translated to the meal offering MPKL music. So that's what it was made of. This translation here to move the offering and again.
To see if any man of any what any will offer a me off and under the Lord. He's cold. What is offering must be click get hold of that thing. We cannot decide to come to God and then decide in our own how to come in our own way how to man at the office and say, well he says I'm I'm going to come and go out of my own way. God is right just he'll take care of everything. Yes, God is rising and he landed hell. It becomes a God in his own way. Even a person who wants to come to God must come and God's way. And if we want to offer something to God as Christians, we want to do it according to the word of God.
So it was told here the first thing is often shall be a fine flower. That's the basic ingredients of the meals. Now I convey at least two thoughts, and we want to dwell on this. Fine flour indicates two things, purity and evenness. Purity and evenness. The Lord Jesus Christ.
And that's what it's yours.
Let's kind of look. We're going to require lots of loop, but let's go for the moment for one verse. Now look one.
Verse 35.
Luke 135 To see the purity of the Lord nature, the Lord's nature with 10 Lords, we're going to use this voice again later, I thought. But at the moment let's notice this word in connection with a fine flower. Verse 35.
And the Angel answered and said it to her. The Holy Ghost will come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall over shadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. What holy thing was born of a Virgin Mary? Christ, Humanity, his thing is, he couldn't be born. He was God.
Millions and millions of years that we measured by earth before Mary was born. Mary could not be the mother of God. You have to live before him. But he was the mother of Christ. Perfect, sinless humanity. And that's what this voice tells us. It says that holy things which will be born of thee. Nobody was ever born into this world. Only other than time. No one.
Fast. Able.
Joseph They were all born with an evil, sensible nature. But a crisis says here we read that holy thing. Let's get hold of that Christ is holy.
But that's not anything reduced into an ordinary manner. Christ not only didn't sin, but Christ couldn't stand, and the temptation in the wilderness and his whole life proved it. The temptation in the wilderness where taking temptance for 40 days and 40 nights and hurled every Bob that he took at the Son of God, only to be turned back and be treated by the word of God. There was no infiltration. There was no penetration into the soul and heart of the Lord Jesus Christ.
With perfect James says we're going aside of our own lunch and ice, there was nothing in Christ detention. There was nothing in him to respond to evil. That holy thing is to be born of being shall be called a Son of God. He never ceased to be the Son of God, even though he came Son of man. So the fine flower indicates first of all his holy sinless nation. Now Peter, let's kind of break Peter. We want Scripture.
Peter tells us and this is after the death and resurrection of Christ. First Peter chapter 2.
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And verse 22 of the second chapter, first Peter, chapter 2, verse 22, thinking of Christ. And verse 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. He did no sins and he didn't do any deceitfulness. Guile was deceased. Sometimes we tend deceitfully and try to cover up, but neither of these forms of sin lost price and we're not going to kind of do it. But there's a reason given in the 53rd of Isaiah why Christ was with the rich and his death.
It tells you that because he has done no violence, neither was he found in his mouth.
The Lord drew him. What are the shown to you and me? But the Lord Jesus, that we want to emphasize this over and over again, had a wholly sinless nature that could not stand well. The second thought.
Is evenness more nerd? The Lord in his life here below was never ruffled by circumstances. Moses was ruffled by circumstances. Moses lost his temper with the children of Israel. There are many men in the scriptures who have some outstanding virtue or outstanding power, and it was in that very thing that they failed. Christ is Christ. Everything was even. We're not. It's another line of things but in the 30th of excellence.
Equal amount of ingredients in that.
Holy spices that with an equal amount, because everything was equal in the person of Christ. Moses was the meekest man of all the earth, but that's when he failed in his maintenance. Hampton was the strongest man.
Solomon was the wisest and he failed in his winter. Joel was the most patient man, and he failed the patient in the Lord Jesus Christ. There was no featured up over who, and also another overplayed another. There was a perfectness in his whole life.
And well, let's turn to these. There are so many scriptures in this, why don't turn to the 18th of John a moment?
When his name is taken to the garden.
In the seventh verse of 18th of John.
Then ask them again home. Speak to you, you may said Jesus, a maverick. Jesus answered. I have told you that I am being. If therefore, you seek me, let me go their way. There's No Fear. He's not ruffled. He's not disturbed. Why? Because he's walking in the path of pleasing to the pleading to the Father. He pleading the Father. And when we find the Lord asleep and behind the part of the ship.
The disciples are all the third. They have to listen that fine flower in them. They're excited character, not that we have the Lords army arises. He's not disturbing to the Father's hands. He's dependent upon the Father because he knew all was well. He was in the bottom hand and it was just the wind and the waves and things in the divine power. While we're Speaking of now is what was in place in his humanity.
Security and even though I would have noticed.
How this model was used in relation? Well, first of all, let us notice the other ingredients before we go on to that in the.
In the 11Th verse it says no need off which he's going to bring under the law shall be made with letter.
No me Dolphins draw to the Lord what to be bacon with lemon, What is leather? Leather is malice and wickedness. Lemon is evil doctrine. The Lord warned the disciples of the leaven of the tribes and Pharisees and the Herodians. And that eleven was evil doctrine. Now all the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ was pure, all the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Was from God himself. And they wondered that the gracious word that proceeded out of his mouth. There was no 11 in anything the Lord Jesus Christ ever said.
No wickedness, no evil in what he said. And there was no evil in what he did. The 11 was to be exploded. What is Moses like this? He's a remarkable thing. You young people here is divine inspiration right before us. What did Moses know about leaving out the weather? He was told to write this, and he wrote it gently, as God gave him. And tonight, by the power of the Holy Ghost come down from heaven, you and I can understand what the meaning is. And he didn't. Oh, how wonderful this is. 11 was excluded.
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And the Lord Jesus Christ, as we said last night, could stand before his enemy and say to every one of them, which did you convince of me a sin? Which of you convinced me of sin? Not one could lay anything to his jar. Even when he was taken and sent to the cross. It was all false charges. Everything was false. There wasn't any proactivation made against him at all. All He was the Holy One. Well, now there was something else that was left out.
In the 11Th Word for you shall learn no Evan, nor any honey, and any offering of the Lord made by fire. Honey was to be left out. Why? Why without the honey? Because I found honey eat so much, is a good disease. Honey is natural sweetness. Now the Lord is truly man. The Scripture speaks of his body, of his soul, and of his spirit.
Not taking the Holy Spirit. Now the Lord Jesus had a human body, a human soul, a human spirit all apart from sin. Now he had an actual affection, but he never allowed natural affection to stand in the way of certain his Father. He said to Mary, would be not that I would see about my father's business the absence of a honey. And then he says to her in another place woman.
What have I to do with these? My owl is not yet come, he did not allow.
Mary's affections or his affections for his mother in any way to influence this pathway in this world. Now let's turn to the ancient loop for scripture connection with that the 8th of Luke.
On the 1940.
Then came to him his mother and his brother. I could not come at him for the press, and was told him by 30, Which says, Thy mother and thy brethren stand with us, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it notice that honey would have had the Lord penicillized from the path he was walking in his mother.
And it's gradually calm. They wanted they wanted to come out with another gospel they say beside themselves, and they wanted them to come out. But the Lord calmly said to them the only relationship that I acknowledge is a spiritual one, not an earthly. 1. And so here it says, for those that hear the word of God and do it, they're related to me. So the Lord Jesus never allows that to come in. Now we know that we will be ready. We can read in the Deuteronomy about the children of Levi how they wouldn't recognize father or mother of brethren when it came to the Lord's glory. For the Lord Jesus didn't either. But nevertheless, as the perfect man, he goes down and he becomes subject to that his humanity was perfect and.
12 We read about him and loop count the cool and he goes down.
And he was something under his hair. Oh, how precious that is the perfection of his humanity. So we see that as the honey had no place in the bright office, nor the left. Now we can down to the plastic, Bird says. And every oblation of I need offerings of our season for God, please help ourselves with the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lighting from my meat office.
With all my offerings.
That so many mistaken thoughts about Christ that are rampant in the world. Why? The reason why there are these mistaken thoughts is that Scripture is not referred to. Scripture is not rare, and so crisis misrepresented as being all love, all great. He never refused anybody. He never used any sharp words of anybody who needed them. That's not what scripture shows.
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We're told and Colossians, let your conversation be a great.
That Christians reason with Saul. What is Saul? Saul is the presiding principle of righteousness. So that was preserved. Now God is not a God of all love. God is not only love his life and God will deal with sin now the Lord Jesus Christ.
Did not lack the soul, and he applied it when it was needed.
Moss Gospel, Chapter 4.
This is the instant I referred to before about being in the ship in the 38th verse of March 4 and he was in behind the part of the ship asleep on a pillow and they awake him and plants and massacre repairs.
And he enrolled in a Yoko wind and said, under the sea he's fulfilled and the wind sees. And it was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith there's a fall and another place? He says. Have you forgotten when I sent the 5000 and the 4000? Are you without understanding? Also the Lord Jesus conversation was a great season, was false, and he could upgrade the Pharisees and apply the principles of fall to them.
All. He called them hypocrites.
And Vipers, how do they escape the damnation of hell? And they could be in this Moses seat and proclaim God's word, the Old Testament. But they didn't do it. For Jesus was not flying to that and don't see in this person. Lord Jesus, not only was there holy UN and grace, but there was a tall deserving element. So then the meat offering has the fine flour.
It has no evidence, no honey, but it must have the soul. Now we want to trace. I think this is the most interesting, the various ways in which the oil is applied to the sacrifices and also then how these sacrifices were offered. And this will give us a closer contact again with Luke gospel. But I believe in Luke's gospel we have the meat. Author. John's Gospel gives us the burnt offering, the voluntary sacrifice of Christ, but Luke gives us Christ in manhood.
And it's set up that way by the Holy Spirit and we'll give you a different human incident under divine inspiration, which the other gospel do not and.
For example, the Lord in the in the boy under the mountain.
When he raises the son of the widow of Maine, he restarted towards his mother.
No, it would go without saying, but look brings in these human expressions under divine inspiration. So it looks we have a lot of the perfect man. And so we're going to refer to that. Let's know the price of all the three ways in which the oil was applied.
We'll take first four.
And now bring an olation of a meat off, and bacon in the oven. It shall be unleavened. Take the fine flour, mingle with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. And if I operation Z amid often bacon in a pan, it shall be a fine flour, unleavened, mingled with oil. Thou shall pot it in pieces, and pour oil. There are so. Now we have 3 actions of the oil, the mingling of the oil.
We are not dealing with oil and the pouring out of the oil. Now we want to see each one of those three in the breaking price in the gospel of rule. Now we're going to go back to Luke Chapter one, the first we looked at before.
Look one.
And 35.
And the Angel answered and said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest show all the shadow thee Therefore also that holy things that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
It was a difficult a man must come into the world. He must come into the world sinless. How is this going to be brought about? By the origins word. The Persian verse is first mentioned in the first chapter of Genesis, when the law said to the serpent, the seed of the woman shall bruise thy head and also bruise his heel. Why does he say the seed of the woman in Scripture when you read the genealogies?
00:25:12
It's managed.
Man David to get Solomon, Solomon got abide in advisor to get ASA and so on. The genealogy was placed through men. It's the seed of man. But when it comes to the Son of God coming into this world, he's not to see the man, he comes the son of man in fact. But he asks the one born into this world is the seed of the woman. He has no earthly father. And so this is confirmed in later years when Isaiah in the 7th chapter he said behold.
A virgin shall conceive and their son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel and the New Testament and purpose, that for us it means God with us. So there had to be the virgin birth. Christ have to be born into this world without, without an earthly father.
And So what happened? That fine flower, the holy nature that he has, we have the intimately of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will come upon thee and the power of the harness will over shadow thee if the Holy Ghost that brings in this new life as it was, this new seed, this new vessel, just no food. And so we see how God overcame the difficulty he must have, He must be in manhood to die. But it cannot be a sinful man.
Until the virgin birth. And it's a remarkable thing, You can trace this out, that in the Gospel of Luke in the third capital, where you get the Lord, genealogy is really of Mary, and you trace it back, you'll find it comes up to a man by the name of Nathan.
And his father's name is Jason, King David the king. So that Mary was a defendant of David, not through Solomon but through Nathan. But in the in the Gospel of Matthew, you have Joseph heliology, who is twice both of us. And they have a genealogy doesn't go through nation. It comes from David to Solomon. Why the two genealogies? I think this is wonderful. In Matthew he's established as a true king.
And that, and look, is a true manhood. In manhood, the Lord Jesus was actually a lineal descendant of David without sin. He was actually the son of Mary and his mother. Since you never called jealous of his father, some of these supposed new kind of translations have to pick that up. They take his parents. That is what Sister said.
Mary was his mother and he parted of heart nature, but he partook of it, you know, holy way. And so we have to find power middle of oil, the Holy Ghost, producing the birth of Christ, producing the conception of God. So we seek God. God honors, brings his Son into the world in that wonderful way.
Now it all puts that in on captive anointed with oil. Don't go to the third chapter of Luke to get the anointing.
The world was about 30 years old. We're going to leave about half year.
And the third of loop.
And verse 21 Now all the people with that guy who came the path of Jesus also being baptized and saying the heaven was open, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dog upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which says, Thou art my beloved Son. From thee I am well pleased. And Jesus is supposed to Kennedy about 30 years of age. Notice that the law was about 30 years ago.
And once we were lost in the blood of Christ and faith, send the Holy Ghost look up as a bowling us. But Christ is the Holy One, and there was nothing to hinder or to barn the immediate presence of the Holy Ghost in that perfect man. Never was there a more perfect combination on earth for holiness than with the Holy Blood of God in blood. By the Holy Ghost hold our place in Ruth and go to acts and acts.
At work 38.
38.
Now all are going to Jesus of Nazareth, which the Holy Ghost him with power to win about doing good and healing all of the oppressed of the devil. For God is with him. God anointed the Lord Jesus Christ. Think of it. The law of Jesus Christ and manhood gets the same annoying thing that you and I get after we're saved and brought by the Holy Ghost. He knows him hath gone. The Father feels the perfection of us here. He was justified in the Spirit. That's one of the meanings of that justified in the Spirit because the Spirit pointed out the sinless ones by taking up a divulge.
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Well, the first thing in our chat but still hold blue. The first thing in the sixth verse was the four oil. Now we have the mingling of the oil freaking bird. We have the anointing with the price to see the Holy Spirit. Now we have that with the speaker of a greater power. It says core oil and all. Now go down to the 4th counter blue.
Verse one says he just seems full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Then we see the Lord now walking according to the power of the Spirit. There was nothing in him that hindered the work of the Spirit. But now notice verse 14 and Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit in the knowledge, Oh is the Spirit. For as it was he was born that was filled with the Spirit and this was an unbraid spirit. This is one person the Holy Ghost has never grieved in.
The apostle writes to you and me in the fourth of the season, he said to us.
Grieve not the Holy Spirit of common whereby you feel under the day of redemption where we can grieve the Holy Spirit we can't breathe away. Thank God for that. Once we receive the Holy Spirit, He abides with us forever to get He abides with us in continuity. But we can grieve him if we don't walk pleading to the Lord until the Lord Jesus that we have these three things. The Virgin birth. That's the meaning of the oil.
That's the anointing of the oil and then?
What in the power of unjust theory comes in the power of the Spirit, The Spirit? Of course the Spirit is not given them and measure to him. Oh, what a wonderful question person we're considering. But now we want to know that.
The ways in which the meat often was presented. There are various ways in which it was presented, and with no first and first floor of our chapter in Leviticus.
And his opinion operation of a meat offering.
In the oven is worth 5. That's in a pan, and in verse seven it's in a frying pan. Here we have three different modes of presentation.
And every other. All that suggests to us, I believe, that would suggest to us the hidden sufferings of Christ as he walked here in manhood. Not the something, there's no something in his homeland that sacrifice, but the oven in the oven he will be unstained.
Yet there would be the intensity of the heat. You know the Lord Jesus suffered in many ways. You and I haven't been saved. We're very selfish and we look through the scriptures, we find that something that Christ, by the way it's got to be suffering in his homeland, but that isn't all suffering. The Lord Jesus passed through, who suffered for righteousness sake. He suffered as being rejected by his own nation. He suffered an anticipation. In the garden. There's all kinds of sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The main one, of course, was when he suffered an atonement, when he was made sin for us on the cross. But that is all this stuff. And so we find in his lifetime, let's say the song 102 for an example of some of those hidden stuff. Don't forget the topics of Christ and the songs more than doing the gospel.
We're going to be advanced in the hospital. It takes time 112.
And what's that?
Like a Pelican of the ruling, I'm like an owl of the desert. I watch an Amazon.
These are what Christopher and manhood If you lost a Pelican of the wilderness north of the Dead Sea, there was a less wilderness area, a barren area, no life there for the Pelicans. He was one in the midst of death all around the Lord Jesus, and he was white.
Light in the light of man. What something that entails inwardly as he walked, the only living person, as it were in this scene, the mix of death and darkness and misery that man is brought in. And I am an old man. The Lord was coming by man. We know that they came out of curiosity to see some of the miracles, but the Lord fell these things. He was human apart from sin.
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And itself the things that we feel along the road along the way. That's why he can simplify for us now in the world and someone find him that's that's unattractive as unattractive to the world is narrow along on the outside in the Lord of Jesus you can fly 2 battles for a father but you bought 2 farmers where she got an excellent thrown in. You bought 2 styles for one farming or you bought 5 salads for two farms. You got an extra money. You bought two. Yeah that's how Tuesday was. And so the Lord is what that he is the one who is little value of man.
We may feel because of our Christian testimony that we're a little married of man just said nothing about it. Let's realize what Christmas though. And so we get an example of organizational something to the Lord Jesus that were not miserable to man that would give us something in the oven. There are many others. You can place it out yourself in the gospel. But now in the first word if I ovation the amid all taking their hands.
Now this, this is more open. This is more open suffering.
Let's turn to the 4th. Let's go back to Lucy and our Our Gospel Tonight Group 4.
Verse 28.
And all of the synagogue filled with rafts and rolled up and thrust him out of the city, and LED him under the brown hills.
Where on this city was built. So they might pass them down at law. But he's happened to the medicine with his wife. Here is open suffering. Here is the Lord suffering in the pan of the world and meat offering in the pan his open supplement. And you know we can also go to the cross and see some of that. When they came to take the log Jesus in the garden, he said, this is your hour and the power of darkness. And we see those soldiers mistreated like a savior. You see his own people saying this.
You see them mocking them. Even if it's on the car, you see those things.
All the transfers moccasins that concentrate on the layout of these little.
So we have then the next form of suffering in the seventh word if I was racing to an e-mail authorization in the prime power.
Here it's more intense. There were more intense stuff into the Lord.
Would give the example of it. This is your hour and the power of doctrine, that is the Lord Jesus is taken there in the garden, and it's the power of places that.
That's why the Lord plays the cup. He will not accept the cup, the Father's cup, yet he will not accept the cup of safety. I believe that Satan brought all the power he could suppress death and terrorism upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan had the power of that, couldn't say had the power to kill, but he had the power of death. He used it as a weapon of terror in the book of Job which called the King of Terror. And in the garage the Satan got all the power he could.
When you left them in the wilderness, because he left them for a season, he can't back in the garden and pressed all out upon the blackness. They did all the notice. He doesn't do it all the frying hands, often the pans, whatever the type of coverage, we're going to get death in a moment, but not death in sacrifice, the sin. I want to emphasize that you do not get atonement in the meat offering. You do not get salvation through the perfect life of Christ.
Full devotion to the Father in giving himself our Brother. Reading the 12Th of Hebrews today.
He adored the call, surprisingly saying I have sat down at the right hand of God. Now that's during the course of the 12 of Hebrews is not enduring suffering for atonement. It all happened at the same time. But the law is set out of our example in the South of Hebrews, and he cannot be our example in atonement, but only he could atone percent. So we see them that there is that side of things where the Lord Jesus.
00:40:03
Went down to death as a perfect, devoted one to the Father.
And that's now also a meat offering of my first group.
Unto the Lord thus also for the offering of thy first group green here a corn dry by the fire, even corn getting out of four years, now that this corn is green.
The Lord in the 102nd column says.
I am cut off in the midst of my day. So I was in the pile of manhood, humanly speaking, because I'm cut off in the midst of my days when he's come to glorify the Father three years. And then Lucy says to those women that drive because of these things he's done in the green tree, what will be done in the drive. Christ was a green tree. He was the one that provided that freshness.
And we rested the dog. He was a green tree, and he was cut off on the midst of his day. And so we see here he three years of corn that cut out in the midst of that danger of the war and then dried by the fire, this perfect man you're reading about.
After that.
Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, or not robbing the people of God.
With no reputation he was made no licenses man to the bottom of the third, and it made no licenses matter. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, he on the death of the cross. That's what we have in the need on it's price and it's crown of ocean.
A father's lawyer in manhood. There's never been a man that was so devoted. It's all the father here on earth as the presence of Trump. And so we see that the ears of the green ears are dry by the fire. The Lord who was suffering live now. Definitely closing one thing in the 16th floor.
Pleased to learn the memorial office father of beaten corn, hair arm and part of the oil there off with all the presents there off.
No, that the corn and the oil that we spoke of, the meat offerings that only part of it.
Is all but all I can say Well, I believe it's really getting too small. Our side of things and God's side of things. Suppose it is a take out of a handful of white cereal on the same side, and they might have different, different graphs. Some might grab more than another.
But whether it was a small hand or a log hand, whatever the apprehension and enjoyment of the price there was, because that that was offered up to God, all the private things went up. You and I might have a very feeble expression of Thanksgiving, but if it presents price that God the Father he sees all the preciousness of Christ in it. I remember the first time I heard a brother just came at the Lord's table in broken English up in Woodbridge years ago.
He stood there at this large table, at the table rather than anything, and you can feel the warmth out. He couldn't get up there and use the tablet. Because I did go to jail, I was able to use one of the presidents. No, he had just a humble.
Vocabulary that was in the sight of God. And so no matter how feasible we have to intervene, if we value Christ, then God will get all the time now, Justin told me. I want to ask this one question. We fight a lot about fights tonight.
We've heard about his beauty, his attractiveness, what it means to God. Not a question, is what does he need to do?
Why am I living myself? If Christ is my Savior, then He's worthy of my whole heart of devotion. With every detail of my life. All May God grant and will follow and walk in that path that he's so perfectly.
The Burnt Offering
Address—A. Roach
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First half of the book.
After one.
Then it is Captain One and Work one.
And the Lord calls on Moses, and spake unto him out of the cabinet of the congregation. Thing see, But do the children of Israel say unto that if any man of you will bring an offering under the Lord, he shall bring your offenders even of the herd and of the flock, if it's offering me a burnt sacrifice of the herd.
Let him offer a man without crush.
He can offer his own voluntary will at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, and he shall put his hands upon the head of the bright office. And the Charlie accepted for him to make his own them for him, and he should kill what they want before the Lord. And the priest, Aaron's son, suffering the blood and sprinkle of blood round about on the altar, that is by the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation.
And he showed play the bridal and cut it into his face, and the sons of a pair of the priest.
Shall put fire on the office, and lay the wood in order upon the office of fire, and the priest bare and silence, were laid apart.
The head and the fat the enquiry on the wood that is on the fire, that is on the oil, for the liquid in his way shall be washed and watered, and the feet so far and all on the off the immersed sacrifice.
And often made by fire of a sweet flavor under the water, and it is often feared the flock mainly of the sheep or other goat. For one sack of place he shall bring in a male without flourish he should kill it on the side, and he falls it Northwood before the Lord. And the priest Karen's son shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the office. He should cut it into his teeth.
He said his fast and the police delayed them in water on the woods.
Is on a fire which is upon the wall. But he can walk the inwards of the lake with water, and the fish will bring it all right upon the wall. Do they find sacrifice and often make my fires. We save them under the Lord, and it's a great sacrifice. For his offering to the Lord. He is fouled. Then he shall bring his turtles up for a young pigeon, and the priest shall bring it under the altar. Bring off his head, and find him on the office.
And the blood thereof shall be run out at the side of the law. He should put away the crop with his best, and cancer, beside the ball, with underneath the bar, by the place in the act.
Facial breathing with the wings of offer shall not survive in the sun, and the police shall find it upon the author, upon the wood that is upon the fire. It is a bright sacrifice, and often made by fire, obviously.
It's all perfect to meet meetings tonight and Lord willing tomorrow evening and the following Saturday in law today to take up the offering as they have presented to us.
In the book, alphabetical, these offerings are brought with meaning, but I believe that every one of us who loves the Lord Jesus Christ, the more we enter into that part in the offer, the more we will appreciate the working price of all. The more we will enjoy the Lord's Day morning meeting as we think of the various ways in which Christ sacrifice is presented.
Because Hebrews can give thoughts the different types of sacrifice in one verse I like to read that speak truth and.
Verse 8.
Sacrifices offerings and by offerings and offerings with friends. But what's not? Neither has plenty of them. But you're offered by the law. Notice there's sacrifice and offering. Not those price. Two would remind us to look safely go on to a soft drink and a knee off the front door, President said here. That's what we just read about. And then all things suspended. These are the four main types of offering the first offerings.
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The meat offering, the peace offering and the thin off. Now the justice offering is sort of a fit, but it's similar in characters to spin off. Now what we say right off me, I like to clear up what might be a difficulty in the mind to be young. I used to go to meeting the early days but he'd rather talk about the frank off The price thought came into my mind. The first thought came into my mind What they all put on the fire. Well, you have talked with them.
But the reason this first one is called the first offering is because of the burning all night that land with the orphan at night was right all night.
And the whole animal would break up. We're going to notice 50 feet back, so we get ahold of a picture. In the bright offering, the whole animal is controlled with the exception of the skin and shows for the freak. In the meat offering, all of it is offered there we have Christ and manhood, and in the peace offering, only certain parts of the animal burned on the altar, and the rest are eaten by the man who offers it, by a friend and vital priest who offers it.
At the communion sacrifice and then the Fed offering, there are different sides of sin offering.
And in the sin offering only certain parts in the animal are burned on the altar, and the bodies are taken outside and right outside the pan. This is just to make the general remark now on the ending offering. In the current offering we have that would speak the price offering himself voluntarily.
Now when it comes to the break off, no Islam has a brainwash. There was no all laid down. I'll bring up my office. If a man sinned, then they will rule. They had to bring a sacrifice and he was told exactly what sacrifice to bring. Now if a man's heart was so touched that he wanted to bring a voluntary sacrifice, the first offering, he couldn't bring anything he wanted either. The Lord is him. What he can bring in his heart is so sad as to bring a sacrifice.
I mentioned that to show that God will always maintain his own position. If you and I want to approach God, we have no right to lay down how we can approach God.
If we come on the gallows of worship as believers, God's word gives us the ground in which to approach. And so here, if a man wanted to offer his offering, I say again, he didn't have to. He didn't have to get the office. But if he did, God tells him what he must bring. I want to call attention to a very important fact.
That when this these offerings were given, the Lord has just taken up his opposed in the midst of Israel. And verse one of our chapters, the Law speaks to Moses out of the Tabernacle. That is God has a people now in whose history as well as He's going to instruct them, He's going to bring the board of His type, the glories of Christ and His work. And so He speaks to them out of the Tabernacle or it's a wonderful thing to hear the Lord and the Lord's orders out of His dwellings.
He's in that he's in their center and he's going to construct them. I want to make this statement. You can check it out for yourself. I believe that all the other instances where the offering are lifted, the sin often comes first.
In the cleansing of the letter, the 13th and 14th chapters of this book, the first government does not come. First the offerings come before in the order in which you and I apprehend them when you and I will stay. We didn't say thank God, Christ all himself voluntarily for the glory of God. We said thank God. Christopher's so far then we almost have been off. But when God prevents Christ in the offline, God begins with himself.
Just with my God again, tell houses about building the Tabernacle. Where did he begin? He begins with the R He begins. When I would speak to himself of Christ and his glory, you and I would have put us around the other way we would have put the pin off and 1St. But God says no. I'm going to give you my aspect of it. I'm going to show you what I take in at the worst of the sacrifice of trust. Now the point offering then is the voluntary sacrifice. And before we look at this interesting details of it Monday night's history model.
I don't believe any sacrifices and Genesis or any other that break off there was without the law. Sin is not killed when there is no law.
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Now in the law came then his daughter will simply take up the sin offering. When they broke that law and committed circumstance then it was a whole bunch of sacrifice to bring that didn't exist as able to say God that said Abel bring his ten offering. Abel came with a voluntary offerings. He came with a foreign offering with a back there offering.
Now let's go back to Canada.
9 Just to see about Genesis 8 you see the kind of sacrifice Noah off and I'd like to have this prayer in our soul and see how God works in the Genesis 8 verse planet.
And Noah filled with an Albert under the Lord, and thought of every plain beast and of every plain fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Now in Genesis 22 God says to Abraham take Isaac, and only started all to him as a first offering. And then when the ram is caught by his horns in the thicket, Abraham offers a vast offer, and Joel, when he thinks of his children, possibly sinning.
He doesn't offer same offerings. He's the officer burned offering. The law was not yet given. The law didn't charge home sin in such a way that the sin offering would come out of the topic character. So all these sacrifices and Genesis work pretty well. Great offerings that went up to the Lord and it said the Lord smelled of Greece Veda when Noah offered that sacrifice when he came out of the ark, God recognized in that type and pictures of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. No one went around the word of the odds.
Superstition would have done that. No, I'm building all the Lord and he offered that sacrifice. Now here we have the details of the fighter office, the Holocaust, which is also called, and I like to say this often is called a tree State officer. The thin offering is not a call to sleep savor offer. But the thin offering is called most coding and it never says that about the Franklin. We'll see the DWP of the court and showing them if we sink into the word of God.
The same often it says it is most holy. Why? Because it was in the spin off and it's right in the face of standing for you and me on the cross. But he was most holy.
Probably you say that about the break off and the voluntary sacrifice, but now we see them. First two speak under the children of Israel.
Are we all killer Israel here tonight? That's an important if we want to look at the one of the children of Israel. Are we all children of Israel every tonight? Are we all children of Abraham? Are we all believers in the Lord from his heart? God assistance will redeem people here. He's thinking to his own people out and you're not one of the children of history and this is being one by being saved tonight.
I'm not saying actually you'll be able to land in Israel with five of us, any five there, but you'll be one of God people. So God is speaking to his people and a God speak to his people. Who would be going to tell them about he's going to tell him about driving. If you came here tonight to hear anything other than Christ, you're going to be disappointed. He has nothing else at all. God is nothing to give us now other than Christ, and God is nothing to give us any kindness other than Christ. Christ fills the thoughts of God all the way through and.
Come here. He speaks to the children of Israel. If any man of you bring it off the Lord.
You shall bring your offering of a cattle, even of the herds and of the block. No, that he doesn't say he can bring the fruit to the ground. That's what pain did pain start to give a friend of the fruit to the ground. But God, he set forth to kind of bite off when he wants. It's a it's a fight offering. Then there'll be blood in the sacrifice. There's blood in the sacrifice. I would say without getting your blood there's no remission. We cannot do away with the blood. And so long as we save in the first glue to the ground.
He says Ring and you your heart is so better bring your sacrifice. I want you to bring the cattle or herds and the flop and it is offering be a bird sacrifice of the hers. Let him offer a male without limits. We mentioned before that the French author is strike voluntary sacrifice, strike offering himself to God. I want to prove this in the New Testament.
I might appoint this hour, but the first offering is connected.
With the Gospel of John In the Gospel of John the brother and I will speak together evening and the Gospel of John. A lot of Jesus says the cup which my father has given me. Shall I not rent it? That's in John's doctor. The other three gospel was worth a little differently thought. Is it be possible let this cup Addison? But the John's gospel was published by Barr has given me, shall I not think it how much kind of 10th of John to get subscriptions?
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That shows up the monetary character of try sacrifice.
I am moving from verse 15 as the Father and all of May even fill in our lives off. And I lay down my life for the truth. And other people have this cold them all kind of frame. I should hear my voice. There will be one fold and one together.
Therefore but my father loved me because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man take it from me, but I lay it down on myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received. I have two thoughts there in John he has Christ giving his life for the chief that was powered by moral sin offering. That's it. But then we have twice getting himself to the glory of the Father, he says, Therefore let my father love me.
Over. I thought the father always loved tires, but he loved him through all these kind of people. Yes, he did.
But with Price voluntarily offered himself to the glory of God, he gave God the Father a new reason or a new motive. Allowing him, therefore that my Father loves me and actually the right offering is not one thing I would ever say. If not one soul was ever brought from darkness to light, That's the hell you know. Heights of error yet draw the bottom is glorified in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God's property brought in the same tenant, but in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and the voluntarily giving himself no man taking the property away now of myself, he did that for the glory of the bottle. There was none on earth whoever so in that position, and gave herself for the glory of God in that way.
Now that's what it says about this sacrifice. It's a male and it's without planet. A male or without planet. It was kissing. The male is used to indicate natural energy, energy and strength. And without flammage shows there was no more, no more outside. Go to sleep later on the jumping inside either. Christ was a friend with a fire. The Lord Jesus was the only man who could stand up in presence of an enemy and say.
Which could you if this could be instead?
I couldn't stand here and say that. But my friend, what did you convince of me as there? Why, they was annoying, too glad to convince him of this. Why he was a male without lemon. There was all the energy of grace and love shown forth in that pleasant stages here below. And so he said quickly, you can visit me as a man and the thief on the cross. This man has done nothing amiss, no weather, no evil.
There was never any sins.
Ten was never in here, 10 was never on here, but on the cross I was here and to put it on, there was never anything in there, nothing he ever did and that was the quality of draw. And so that's that's brought before now says of his own voluntary will our little fields with other translation that really should be offered for his acceptance.
The person who offered this is offering this animal that has accepted, that is, he's accepted consequences himself just disabled with respect because of his sacrifice. So he is a man of opposition.
Animal the opposite for his own acceptance. Now it remains doctrinely true to Christopher himself voluntarily, but schemes in the translation doesn't affect that one bit. That is not totally true. But now we want to be accepted and all. What a wonderful reason to be accepted in heaven.
These ones that were accepted into the beloved accepted in the beloved.
God feed us in Christ, accepted in all preciousness and blessedness of what fighting is. There was one out of the door, and he shall put his hand upon that head of the break off. Now place the Iranian means intensification. It's associating ourselves with what I put my hands on and the fight seems to be.
00:20:04
And go out into the Lord work there, and the Lord people come on their hands up. They were identified with the priest tools. There we go, along with their efforts in Christ. And so they lay their hands up. Now in the offering, laying on a hand in transport. Here is an animal without lamech, a male that's accepted on the dog. So the offer leaves the hands on the edge of a victim that is acceptable to God, and the offer is identified.
Committed with the sacrifice. So it's not accept the sacrifice. He's accepted the person who brought accepted in the middle of it. And I added all of the acceptableness of Christ as part of you and me. God cannot look at you and me this. I don't believe that any other way that we looked at his own. This is the first offering when we come to the spin off and reverse itself. You lay the hands on the on the sit off and you'll send the transfer to the animals. But in the brand offers the value of the animals. The value of sacrifice is transferred to the offer is for His acceptance.
The dog couldn't accept your dog. He had to accept us in Christ. So it says he has it shall be accepted for him to make a Coleman for him. Now the question of Pin Bear is not the prime point in the fight office. It is clear that there had to be 10 in question or there would be no need for a sacrifice. So it's only brought in because when Christ offered himself as a friend offering.
Then he was told him that maybe it's home and satisfying God claims let's try to season 5 for New Testament first.
B25.
And verse 2.
And walk in love as Christ also has lost us and have given himself for us. And offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling statement. So Christ has often himself He gives himself as a sacrifice and offering to God or do some faith. So the regulars of Christ in that voluntary sacrifice in which he put away our sins, He made her, He made her told them that that all goes up to God and all the phrases and we have accepted him that we love him.
It says it does to make a tone of the him. Now we have death for him the first five, and he shall kill the fuller before the Lord. And the priest and his son will bring the blood and principle of blood drive out of harmony. Walter, that is by the northern half Anacolitic congregation. No, there's two things. Death and like that. Notice that it's the blood of the dead animal.
That is brought into the ceremony here it's not what the animal while he's living. It's the blood from a dead animal And this is a wondrous thought there in the 19th of John when they came to the Lord Jesus he was dead already for the soul through the fear after died and forthwith came there out mark and water and as this on the album a hole the last two times a very obstacle follow a conference in the Montreal conference, he said That was that flow to my thing his eyes has put away my sin. That's the blood.
That what I had all about you to get the crisis and all about you. All of these are taking a God, and it's the only blood that could succeed God. There's No 2% loss in this height. You have the death of the animal and the use of the blood. While it's one sacrifice. Yet he had a set forth in his heart, the word of God, different things forth in his heart and we wish to take note of that. So the flood is then taken and it went around about on the office and now we have a very interesting thing in 6 words.
We shall play right off like it doesn't say that about the next offering or the other two. In this captain doesn't say that about the other sacrifices. But in the sacrifice and the burnt offerings, the scan, the outward covering of the animal is removed. What does that prove? That there's no spot within. We've seen, there's no blemish without. Now we learn there's no spot within this victim is cure. This victim is acceptable, but there's more than that.
I'd like to turn it over at this moment of the year, the.
00:25:04
To see what happens to the camp, this is very important.
Verse eight, Chapter 7 and the priest that offered two man's great offer even the priest go after himself.
In the right office which he had offered, what is the scan, Is Christ satisfaction in his own work, his highest rejoicing in that sacrifice, in which, more than any other, he is set forth, and giving himself up to God the Father?
Let's not bring him to the gospel thought where it doesn't belong. The skin is not a coupling with a priest. The priest is already standing before God as a priest. He needs no covering. It is an Adam in the garden. This skin is a memorial to sacrifice, not something to cover the priests with. The priests already has his garment. He's already accepted in the presence of God. But the skin was a perpetual memorial of that might work with the Lord. Take satisfaction in his work. Let's go over to Hebrews 7. A moment to show the crisis of priests as well as the sacrifice.
You won't get that thought. He knew 7 and verse 27.
When you thought, Bailey is so high priest to offer us sacrifice for his own men and for the people, for this he gave one coming off and up himself hold our place in Jesus united sort of another passage. Notice that twice offered himself, now twice as we were on earth in connection with the Tabernacle or the temple, rather, he was not being free, but at the cross he was a priest, so at the cross he offered himself.
He was a sacrifice and he was a priest and now he's a high priest for heaven on earth. He wouldn't be a free connected with the ritual of Jerusalem. But the cross he was a free he was a sacrifice. He was the he was everything. And the value of the blood that he said there carried right into the holiest of all all our precious blessings thought. Now we go over to the to the 10th of Hebrews. You'll see our place as a memorial. I just get one script and there are many others.
First step 7.
10.
Are low like half in the volume of the populace written of things to do thyroid God upon when he said sacrifice and offering by the offering and all people didn't have what it's not going to have pleasant area which are offered by the law and that he lo I come to do thy will. O God he take it away the first. This is a joy of Christ in that sacrifice.
17 I have finished the work that thou gave me to do. Christ took the light. Infinity light. I want to make this comment. We see it again, right? I want to make this comment. We see it again when we come to the same office. What happened to the skin in the spin off? It was burned without the camp along with the animals. What happened to the skin in the brake office? The police took it as a perceptual memorial. What is the satisfaction of Christ in his own work? The other is that sins of iniquity.
Well, I remember no more. The skin of the sin offering was not given to the free. It was burned to the body of those beasts that were burned outside the camp. Coming up with our things of iniquities, will we remember no more. Who wrote this law? Moses. He was only the man that we was a parent. The Holy Ghost gave Moses these many things that taught me about and human rights and the spirit of the coming of Christ know more about what this means than their. Moses knew. He didn't know what all these things. He was writing these things for you and me.
And now we can look at them. Notice then that the offering was played and come into his Jesus.
Now, what's the price of you to get?
While we're all one, we're depressed. The other soul the salvation and mine. It's one word, yet it has to explain it. It has its pieces. It has its part. They have a lot of people come across with mistaken. The car was part of the sacrifice God made away from it.
And then?
Strike, die by 10. That's another part of sacrifice. Or one sacrifice. Without the carry of blood there's no remission, so the blood flow from the side. Notice three parts or pieces of the work, but it's all one word. We look at it as one solid work. But a who are we to satisfy the fact that daughter shown it to us in his words? In different parts we devoured like the word of God reveals to us. And so here this sacrifice is cut into His pieces and every part.
00:30:15
Pressure from the side of God Dawn, as it's bullying into the work of the now. It says that the now we have the sacrifice that the firing in verse seven sons would have. The priest shall put a fire on the altar and lay the wooded corner on the fire.
And the priest, Aaron's son, To laying apart the end of the fact they've ordered from the woods that is on a fire which is upon the wall. Notice the head is meant. The head is the place of intelligence. The head is the feet of intelligence. Like to say I do always won't sing which means my father, the Lord Jesus was in the full intelligence of what he did and he knew the Father's will.
He knew what would please the Father and that's what he walked in. Never did the Lord ever have to be tracked words. He walked in full intelligence of the mind of God. When he stood before the high priest, he didn't have to recall his words. When the Apostle Paul could be going to High Street, he did. He said I would not, that he was a high priest. Lord is written. I cannot speak to the people of the ruler of my people by people. For the Lord Jesus walked into full intelligence and what was calling in the mind of God.
It's Lazarus. It's six. The last day, 2 days of the same flight. Why? Because John is going to be glorified by resurrection instead of by arresting his disease is going to die and God will get waited, Lord. Now we wouldn't have thought of that since I did. We walked in the full intelligence of what was recorded in the mind of God. And then when it came to the sacrifice, he knew what was satisfied. God's heart. He knew the sacrifice that was fulfilled. God's holy plain. And so notice that the head is made.
Health and part of an animal. And then it says the fact that now the fact is the excellent body.
I knew one of the veterinarians and I had went somewhere in the ministry of the leading brother among us named William Kelly. That's the fat and the animal would show up. Whether the animal was diseased, the fat would show what the conviction of the animal was. Why, why I proved this out for myself. So let this out with you. The reason I said he was, he had better thoughts with an animal in a bowl and he was going through and looking over his salmon.
I asked him about that. He said that's exactly true. He said if there's any disease, we'll see it in the kidney, then in the back. These are the plots of the animal who showed up. And so it's interesting that is the sacrifices, even when you come to the spin off and it's Tiffany's and the facts on the office, it's the excellent popping animal. And so we leave the 11Th of degrees that by faith April on the God more excellent sacrifice than him. The Excellency of the sacrifice, not only is Christian only one.
Who can answer the Justice's claim? But he was the only one in the power of a single life.
A horse that can lay that light down for the glory of God. And so we see what an excellent sacrifice that was. But he was the definite fight on the cross was being sacrificed. It was all being sacrificed. So it says here the fact and this is laid in order from the Lord. It is on the fire which is upon the author. That's repeated. God has an order. God has was not rushed into preparing the sacrifice of redemption.
God wasn't quite so surprised. Everything is done, ordered, everything is set forth the moment Adam sends all at the remedy, the seed of the woman.
Losing the second head and his own heads in doing that so we see that God God thought of you and me ran back to me. Trinity here everything 7 or now. In the ninth verse we had another thought. What is inward? And his leg so walking was.
The first time tells us about the Lords inward in his law that he's meditating day and night. What is that silver olive height from morning around the clock? The word of God, He says in one place. But by reason my commandments are no more than my teachers.
00:35:00
He had the word of God as the fortune of his soul, his inward, and that he could stay in another place by rains and struck me in the night and pull that up. It's in one of our patients before God gave an instruction in the night season. He is the one who listens, the voice of the Father as a learner, and so as a result the law of Jesus, meditators who live war active.
Totally and completely in the power of the Word of God.
You and I know all of the word of God and reaction. I'm sure we're ready to admit that the Lord Jesus Christ never knew more than the action of He could send me photos. He thought together that which I had said on to you. The word that ever left his mouth left. Those left and left.
That was not. That was not true. Oh, I'll practice that. We see man the inward will walk. That would make us the animal ceremonially clean. But it says his leg. What about the Lord walk? Let's say Tom 17. He is quoted. Let's try to pom 17. Let's get the script to ourselves.
Hope you all find these places we ought to be committed with the words 717.
And 1/4.
Concerning the works of man by the word of Violet, I have kept me from the past of the destroyer of the palace, Man by the word, by the word of my list.
In the world, Satan was a lot to step out of the past. He he didn't want the law to have him washed legs in the world. He wanted that those two little ways to step out of the path. And so the devil put a threefold temptation before the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus. Every time we're welcoming you with it, the Lord of Jesus says it is written book of obedience, the book of numerator. It is written man to all live by breadwinner over my every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God.
What was wrong? If I have power to do it, to make stones into bread and eat about a hungry, what's wrong with that? If I do it, the devil's advise is wrong. Not only that, suppose I'm here to war, absolutely, and dependence about what the Father gives and he doesn't give me those stones for bread and I don't make them. I painted myself out of a path of obedience. And that's the very thing the devil tried to pick the Lord Jesus when he misquoted apartheid from the top 591.
He says he took angels charge over the the national key things and he needs out in all wide ways he needs that out. They took easy life at any time out there they put against themselves The cattle was doing that. Today he'll be a quote enough scripture and leave out what he doesn't want in order to get the wrong portal. But the Lord Jesus says it is written again and gave him another voice, another word to neutralize the Lord of the Lord by God. He gave me 6 years of subscription and currently man that in the final offering, the inward Malays the Washington border to show the purity of the law of thought and inward motive.
Outward action never what they were for that cross the line of the Lord Jesus Christ that wanted an important to the mind of God. Where did that first human media fellow believe it?
One form or another.
Jesus has a Father both sentence and the priest shall find all on the office to be a first sacrifice.
And all in the in the ninth verse that we just read the word performed there. Let's go over to the sixth chance. Come on.
Chapter The Victory Bird.
And he shall take of it his handful of the flower, of the meat offering, and of the oil, and all the package man which is upon a meteor, and shall burn it upon the fault, or a sweet baby.
Now before he burned in the 15th, 1St and 6th chapter, where it has to do with the burning of incense is the same word for farms in the nice voice of our chapter. And it's not used to any other offering. When it speaks of burning the sin offerings. When it speaks of burning the other offerings, it doesn't use the same word.
You have a word that applies only to two things. To the first offering and to the sweet spelling. Intense. In other words, the burn and the nice person are captive. Same word is burning the incident. It's the three pictures of pride. And that word burn does not apply to spin off the sin offering is not a sleep state office. You know it's not accurate shift in here. We lose some of the accuracy by by our English words. But still we have a translation that helps us. But we're using it Mr. Darby. And so we find it's a barn. He brings out the fragments of that word. Christ often himself without boxes off.
00:40:38
There's a lot of holes in goat and the trickling sanctified to the cleansing of the flag.
How much more should the butterfly trail spirit offered himself without spot to God find the French. So Christ is far from various sacrifice, he often himself. And so we see then that it shall burn on the altar to be a very sacrifice and often made by fire of a sweet straighter unto the Lord. How often this point I believe we have God's aspect of God's side.
We're not going to look at our side. Let's call it windows down. How it shibbles up. We don't know what next. In the first sacrifice was the IT was a lot down. It was a lot down that was lost and God can take it all forward.
Oh, that's very awkward. Now you and I can only take it in a measure, so I'd like to suggest this thought and meditation. But the next aspect to go on achievement brings in our apprehension of it and the birds and our worship, our our weakest people. Our worship is in comparison to what God sees in the work of Christ. Now in the next step, fortune, we have a sheet taken first hand. They're quite sacrifice and noticing that 11Th place, he should kill it on the side of the altar.
Stated about the first one that's made him up northward in the first sacrifice.
What does it bring in the north? The north side of the altar, The north system of ram judgment, Jeremiah. Judgment coming out of the Moor, the north side. We all would seek a judgment. So we come into the apprehension of the bread offering. We always have to bring in a fact that Christ died while sins. But there was judgment there, that he fought that judgment right right below. We should see that. But I'm only bringing out the show. I'll, I'll apprehend you. There's so much less than the apprehension of God, and not only that.
This, the first sacrifice, is inflamed. The skin isn't taken from this right off. It's all obstruction after that. Because we don't enter into us in the personal trial where there's not the fullness of apprehension is what we see in front. Thank God. That's what we can say in my savage, my Lord, he's the one who's isolated based on we can say that.
What We come sure, so let me wait. It's taken and cutting his pieces and treated generally the same as the first sacrifice. Then it says at the end of the 13th, 1St.
Has often made by fire.
Let's not be discouraged that we don't enter into the home. Whatever we have entered into, let's rejoice in. And God says sacrifice a sweet saver unto the Lord or make them out. For our reaction is if we present Christ, if it's Christ that we enjoy, if it's Christ we presented worship God.
For the settlement. Oh, here's our worship.
The crop. The crop is that part of the of the bird with the undigested food stuff could get me further. The crop is where the undigested heart stops. And there's so much that we lay. We may lay hold in our heads because of the truth of God and we felt our justice. We don't let it get down into our heart and down into our peace. So we walk better in the past the more gets down into our feet. I believe it's less of this crime.
Realize who we are, that we are nothing. The apostle Paul knows something about that. He says there are three scriptures we're all familiar with. He says I'm the least of the apostles. He says in Ephesians I think 3 the least of all things.
And then first, Timothy 150, just on the chief of center, He was getting rid of the cops. He was getting rid of that undigested material, anything that made anything of all he didn't want. So unless he had a call before him tomorrow, he could rejoice in Christ. And the more he had a price before, the less there would be a goal.
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Why is it we get offended easily?
But the cross did it. We have a little troop settle down. Brother William used to say we can only show ourselves if we were fully occupied with Christ would be selfless. And we thought someone offended us. We wouldn't go under the club. We go to my army and played with our life that was so great. But when we get there we have the crop and when it comes to to our worship.
We have that, We have a crop. That's in the way. There's nothing more.
Better how we show. I would show. Suppose I take part the meeting, so I make an outward show. Of course I think I've got a recommendation. I have to take a quick about a meeting.
Our job now that shouldn't hold us back and exercise before the Lord. I mean all the United States. And if I'm wrong, I'd like to be corrected. Happily, I don't believe we ever, any of them, take part in worship or service, any activity for the Lord that there isn't something of shelter.
But we're not. To let that hinder us, we have to say well as a little. Without him, I better stop and not do it. Why? Because the Lord Jesus as the high priest, he bears the iniquity of the holy thing.
And add holiness to the Lord of the fighters to bear the iniquity of the holy thing, andiquity of the holy things, Yes. What does that mean? All the mistakes and wrong things of Israel are the priests who don't might do in relation to the things of the Lord. And so the Lord gives you to preach the gospel, or He gives you to get up and get fangs as a priest.
Don't be don't be disappointed that this isn't a secret. Thought that he did a good job. But time out aside this time out of side that's Dell. That's the fabric, the feather. So we don't have to stay back and go to the top of the batter with it. Go on anyway cell phone come in. But as long as we don't open. As long as we say that's self, that's the old man. I don't have to listen to that I've often put it this way to screw it in the face.
You listen this and Robbie's tail. You know this is a point. That's a bad smell. Few seconds.
The trouble at the extent of perfection from the flesh and when self comes up.
Memory with trouble with the disappointed. We don't know why child will be with us all the way so it doesn't rule out it doesn't go enough. It's in the place of death and so we find it's a feather anything an outward show now, wherever they can notice this is special 1640. People pluck away and drop with a feathers and can decide to evolve on the east part.
East up the West part or what you want on the West part.
The east part was that side of the altar that was away in Jehovah. Here's the reason all and back this way is the Tabernacle in the holy place where the Lord 12 The police takes the better than the crops. Drop them on this side, so to speak. Jehovah doesn't see it if you hold it in the way. Jehovah obliterates Jehovah's vision, shall we? So to speak. He doesn't see the prop of the President. It's on the east part of the office. What he does to the is the altar and has sacrificed and it reminds me of right.
And so when we get things, or whatever service we may be let into itself, propped up, season deposit, we're going to cry. We get into a selfish course. That's another thing. But I'm thinking now of the general order of things. And so he puts it on the East part, but a place of the action.
All the glory of the flesh, layers of place reactions, so all the ashes speak about the justice that has been brought out upon Brighton that worked in these many the actors show that that work is done, and that's where we humble ourselves at the call.
Now says he shall plead this verse 17 with the ways thereof, but shall not divide it as Thunder.
He is approaching less the character of right offering, but he does not allow him to cut the Thunder. It's not divided all the way through. It's just this far away because it's got one sacrifice, that one sacrifice of another, Lord Jesus Christ, in the way in which we apprehended in the in the first case, God is the whole animal, the whole world.
And here we are in the February, and so it's our apprehension what we say here and but nevertheless the priests of Friday the 1St, 17 upon the altar on the wood that is upon the fire, just as it says about the IT is a great sacrifice and offering made by fire.
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All of an encouragement that is to us to worship our prayers. We only have that in the bridge, offering a couple of facts. First, it was a voluntary sacrifice. It was not demanded.
Second, of the person, one of the authorisms. He then had to follow what God laid down as to what he used to bring.
And that sacrifice.
Was accepted with a whole arrow who fired and went up to God.
Only his skin was reserved for the priest. And I'm so glad as I think of the Lord Jesus Christ are high in the Florida. Have you looked up on that skin as he, as he looks back to the cross as that which where he voluntarily gave himself. I repeat again and I believe and it's good to repeat these things. He doesn't want the mother scared of the spin off. He wasn't on the skin of a Fergal. It's a joy and pleasure that he himself.
Don't work. Shouldn't he? Should he rejoice in it? The priest of Israel was the priest of Israel saying that again, Ioffer that very offering. Hundreds of them. I want those right offering. He would take greater life. You want to offer up the dog and follow those greatest joy.
All the time is He will not be your joy in life to be the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fabulous and the value of fullness of that mighty work will be alone.
There will be another meeting offering tomorrow evening at 7:30 and next Saturday and more today N Willis.
Shall we sing on the 57?
Number 57.
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Play.
Peace Offering
Address—A. Roach
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.
The 3rd chapter of Leviticus and beginning with first one.
And of his oblation be a sacrifice of peace, offering if the authorate of the herd, whether it be a male or female.
He shall offer it without blemish before the war, and he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation.
And Aaron sons, the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about, and he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering and offering made by the fire unto the Lord, the fact that covered the Endless, and all the fat that is upon the Endless, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them which is by the flank, and the call of our delivery with the kidney, it shall be taken away.
An Aaron sun shall burn it on the altars upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire. It is an offering made by fire of a sweet saver under the Lord, and it is offering for sacrifice of peace, offering unto the Lord, Seize the flock. Male, female. He shall offer it without blemish. If he offer a land for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord.
Takes the layers, hands upon the head of his offering and kill it before the Tabernacle of the congregation.
The errand sun shall sprinkle the blood there are roundabout upon the altar, and he shall offer how the sacrifice of the peace offering and offering made by fire under the Lord, the fact there are, and the whole rock. It shall be taken off hard by the backbone, and the fact that cover the inwards and all the factors upon that is upon the end, and the two kidneys and the facet is upon them, which is by the flank, and the call upon the liver.
With the kidneys it shall he take away, and the priest shall grind it upon the altar. It is the food of the offering made by fire under the Lord, and this is offering the adults. Then he shall offer it before the Lord, and he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill us before the Tabernacle of the congregation. And the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle applaud thereof upon the altar round about.
And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire under the law, the fact that covers the end.
And the two kidneys, and the fact that is upon them, which is by the plank and the call above the liver. With the kidney it shall be take away, and the priest shall burn them upon the author. It is the food offering made by fire, or at least savor. All the fat is the Lord. It shall be a perpetual statue for your generation, throughout all your dwellings, that you need easily the fat smoke large.
Malcolm verses in the 7th chapter of the same book, Chapter 7 and verse 11.
And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace. Offer, which he shall offer unto the Lord. If he offer it for Thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of Thanksgiving on 11 cake mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil of fine flour fries. Besides the cake he shall offer for his offering leavened bread.
For the sacrifice of Thanksgiving of his office.
We shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering under the Lord. And it shall be the priest that sprinkle up the blood of the peace officer, And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering for Thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered. He shall not leave any other until the morning. But if the sacrifice that is, often be a vow or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offered his sacrifice.
And on the Morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten, but the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be frank with fire. And if any of the flash of the sacrifice of a seesaw please be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offer of it, and shall be an abomination. And the soul of eaters of it shall perhaps iniquity. And the flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten.
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Shall be broke with fire, and As for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. But the soul that eateth of the flesh, of the sacrifice of peace, offering that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. How to now the verse 29.
Speak under the children of Israel, saying he did all for the sacrifice of sacrifice of his peace offering unto the Lord.
Shall bring his oblation unto the Lord of the sacrifice of his peace offer his own hands. Shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the breath It shall we bring that the breast may be weighed for a wave offering before the Lord. And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar, but the breath shall be errands, and his son and the right shoulder shall be given under the priest for an heave awkwardly.
Sacrifices of your people he among the sons of Aaron that offers the blood off, the peace off, and the fact she'll have the right shoulder for his heart for the wave rest and the heave shoulders have I taken of the children of Israel from awful sacrifices of the peace off, and have given them unto air in the freezer, his son by a statue forever.
From along with Silver in the back of the third chapter.
Now, at the outset I want to say, first of all what the peace offering is not before we bring out what it is in a positive way, that word peace that may give a little confused thought to us.
And we might suppose that this sacrifice means that Christ made peace by the blood of His cross, or that this is a sacrifice that was offered for sin so that we can have peace with God. That is not the thought in the peace offline.
The first offering gives us atonement and the sin offering gives us atonement. The peace offering gives us the ground of communion between God's people.
And the Lord Himself. It is, in short, then, a communion sacrifice. It is a Thanksgiving sacrifice. It is a sacrifice of prosperity. As someone has said. It is not the thought of Christ making peace by the blood of His cross. There is a connection with atonement. We're going to see not in that offering, but the offering with which it is connected in this very chapter. Now let us suppose the moment that we could go way back into the past, these kind of things. We want to get the background of this sacrifice if we can visualize way back in the past and distant ages when there was nobody in existence but God himself.
No other persons to have communion with God alone, the absolute one. And then God decided to create angels, and he created an Angel. Angel with the seven strains hardening under the voice of his Word, doing what he commands them. Those angels could never enter into God's thought. God wanted to have about himself a people who could share in common with Him that in which his own heart delighted in, and he wanted those people to be in relation to himself.
Now angels are never seen in relation to God as the believer is. They are called sons of God because they came directly from his hand. They are the switches of his hand. But Dog wanted to have a company round himself like minded and in the full conformity to his sons, so that all together God himself, the Son of God himself and all the people could rejoice together on one common ground.
And God devised the plan. God devised that plan. In that coming day, we're all going to be there, and that Queen of Glory with Christ the center of our whole scene. And so God has set before us an object, and we want to notice in the peace offerings.
So the main point here, first of all, we'll notice some of the differences and comparisons with the other sacrifices. The people offering a similar to the find offering and the meat offering in that it was voluntary.
And also it is a sweet favor offering. If it had anything to do with sin, it would not be a sweet saver offering. In that way the freight offering had something to do with sins indirectly and that it was the tone that was made, but it was Christ voluntarily giving himself up now that the peace offering.
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Different from the point offering in this respect, that the whole point offering was burned on the altar, except the skin. In the peace offering we have only taken parts of the animal burned. And in that way the peace offering compares with the sin offering, the same part that a friend on the altar of the sin offering a brain on the altar in the peace offer. But there's this difference. The bodies of those animals that whose blood was carried into the sanctuary could stand. Those bodies were burned without the camps.
But we don't have the body of the peace helping blind without the pain. What we see here, there's an absolute close connection interlocking between these sacrifices. There are differences in, there are comparisons. And so we see then that in this offering there's a it's a sacrifice, it's a voluntary offering, a voluntary sacrifice. And I'm going to make this statement and it'll be proven by the scriptures as we go along. In the peace offering, God has his part. The priestly family have their part.
Therefore then, the man who offers it has his fortune, and his friends who with him they all partake. Jehovah delights in that sacrifice, and the poor friend that he may bring with him, they all delight and rejoice in that same sacrifice. They have one common object, one common subject, but their souls enjoyment. And so we're going to see here how this comes out in verse one.
Notice he's given. They're given a latitude they can offer either a male or a female.
Now in the point offering it had to be a male, and in the sin offering with I believe one possibly exception.
It had to be a male that was spoke of energy and strength. But here in the peace offering where it's more are coming before the law that's giving thanks and in worship and in praise. God allows this latitude here and Tony says that he can bring the herd whether it be male or female.
Offer it without blemish before the Lord. In everyone of these sacrifices the sinlessness of Christ is set, for in him is no sin who did no sin, neither was Giles found in his mouth. There was no blemish on the Lord Jesus Christ. There was nothing that men could see outwardly, and there was nothing that God could see inwardly that was sent. He was offered a lamb or the herd without lemons. Let us remember that there were some who tried to teach a doctrine that Christ could have sinned but didn't.
The word of God chills that Christ was holy, and being holy he couldn't stand. And the temptation in the wilderness frozen, Satan could find no entrance, no place for those arrows to get in. There was no answer. There was nothing there But what was holy and repelled? Evil. Now the sacrifices taken here and in verse two we have identification with it. He lays his hand upon the head of his offering.
There's identification with a sacrifice.
In the front offering, it was the value of a sacrifice transferred to the offer. The offer accepted in all the wholeness and blessedness of what Christ is and what Christ has done. He is this identification too. But now it's identification in connection with communion, with communion. What do we mean by communion? Communion is having common thoughts, common enjoyment, one object, and the same thought about that object.
I remember some years ago we went to visit a man we had never seen before to have my son with me. My son was an engineer and it turned out this man was an engineer. We didn't know that ahead of time. But as soon as they had knowing that each other was an engineer, they had common language, Common Core, Common Object. Of course they had another common object. They both knew Christ. But I'm just giving that as an example. Communion means not taking the Lord's Supper. I might be out of communion and take the Lord's Supper. I may come to the Lord's table in a bad state of soul.
And I'm not enjoying sharing God's thoughts at all. I'm out of communion. Taking the Lord stuff is not communion. We ought to take it in communion. We ought to be in communion with John when we do it. It's communion only in the sense that it's that. It's it's connected with the body of Christ. But I'm thinking now of the communion is that which.
The enjoyment in our own soul of what Christ is before God. And so here he lays his hand on the head of the sacrifice. And then notice what is offered here in the third verse, the middle of the verse, the fact that covers the Inwood, and all the fact that is upon the endwood.
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And then the other part of the mansion and the 1St 5 Aaron's son shall burn it on the altar upon the front sacrifice.
Notice now the first sacrifice is brought in. But that's the sort of fight off when we've already considered that the fight offering was that would satisfy God. It was by giving himself holy voluntarily and God glorified in it. Now on the author that remains in that first sacrifice, the embers are there, it's burning, and it's on top of that that the peace offering is offering. Now I believe there's a very instructive thought here.
You and I cannot worship.
We cannot enjoy communion with one another or with the Lord if we're uncertain about our acceptance before dawn. We need to know that we've been accepted before God on the grounds of the burnt sacrifice, that God is satisfied with Jesus, and we ought to be satisfied as well. No person can worship.
For the days, who doesn't know that he has peace with God. He's got to be worried about his sin. So notice that the peace offering has as its foundation the first sacrifice that would speak to Christ giving himself. And notice that that is upon the wood that was on the fire. It is an offering made by fire of a sweet savior unto the Lord. Now you'll notice that the first offering, the meat offering, and the peace offering all said to be a tweet save under the Lord.
The thin offering was 1 little exception. I wouldn't kind of it. Now is not said to be a sweet favor offer because there is price made sense. That's why Christ is forsaken in Matthew but he's not forsaken in John. You've got the sin offering and the one gospel and you got the French offering in the other. In one he's forsaken, the other he is not. And so we see that there is a difference in that and it says here that it's a sweet saver, a sweet savor unto the Lord.
All what God has found in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, God of God, heart of satisfied that Christ offering is gone up. As a sweet favor let me point out another thing. There are two sacrifices which is said to be most holy. Only the meat offering and the thin offering are said to be most holy. My point is not because these are lost internal marks of divine inspiration. Moses could never have invented these stories about the about the the sacrifices. Why is the peace of the meat off we call most holy? Because it sets forth Christ and manhood.
And it's Christ and manhood that the enemy would attack. We've already mentioned that they would say he could sin. They would try to bring something in that was not holy. Why is the sin offering most holy? Because when Christ was made sin on the cross, he was not on the holy at that very moment when he bore my sins in his own body on the tree. Then he walked through all these Tennessee and all this pathway here below in manhood. Christ was holy when made sin, it didn't. It wasn't necessary to say that the Frank often was most holy. It wasn't necessary to say that the peace often was most holy.
That's quite obvious for God in his wonderful desire to guard the person of his son, even takes care of it in the offering. Is he man? He's holy. Was he made sin on the cross? He's both holy. Oh, how wonderful the word of God is now there to find that. Then we'll go over. Now we're not going to take each verse, but I want to call attention to the ninth verse at the moment.
He shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offer made by fire under the Lord.
The fact there are but in the whole run now that whole, the whole rump. It should read here the whole fat hail. It was a special part of the sheet which was not noticed in the first sacrifice. In the first sacrifice of the herd there was no special morsel called the whole fat tail. And I understand Oakland, Syria this is a special more for people enjoy. They like that they cook it a special way and it's given the person's very often that they want to honor and so the Lord claims that.
That becomes his fool. God doesn't want the worst. He wants the best, and he's entitled the best. So he calls upon them to take the whole fat tail, and the fat to cover the inwards, and all the fat of it upon the inwards. And the two kidneys, And the fact that the pond them, which is by the flanks and the coal above the leather and with the kidney, literally take away, and the priest shall burn it upon the altar. It is the food.
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Now we get food on the offering made by fire under the Lord. What a fool are satisfied.
It satisfies something that satisfies and refreshes. Now we have the Lord part. This is Jehovah finding the food in that sacrifice of peace offer. It isn't a question of him being satisfied about sin to fight off. We already took care of that. It's a question now. God finding the light in Christ our side of master. Let's get Scripture. Let's turn to the third chapter. 2 passages of Matthew. Third chapter of Matthew.
And our 16th.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lol, the heavens were opened up to him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him, and lower voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Tom in whom I am well pleased. Here we find God the Father rejoicing infinitely in the person of God the Son. And this is at the beginning of our Lord's ministry.
Now look forward to the 17th chapter of the same book.
And we're flying.
This is an amount of Transfiguration, while yesterday behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud which said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him hold the place of Matthew, because we're going over to Romans presently. But here we find that the Father is having his food and delight in the person of his Son. But here we have Christ in life, now we have Christ, that is Saptism. We have Christ at the Transfiguration.
Now let's go over to Romans 6 as the first that's easily Kim Noble when we read it Romans 6.
And we'll see that the life that God the Father had not only in the life of Christ, but in his death, everything that he did in the 6th of Romans.
And the 4th earth. I'll read the whole word. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death. And that life is Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father. Even so we also should walk in newness of life. I call attention to the expression here that Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father. What does that mean? Oh, I believe one main part of conveyed.
God the Father has such infinite delight in the death of Christ, and He's offering Himself on the cross.
And his obedience unto death.
His counting across the shame of small things, God the Father took such interest in life that his own glory called for the resurrection of the one who did it. He was raised today by the glory of the Father, not by the power of the Father. We get that elsewhere, but the glory of the Father that tells us this, that God's own glory would lie tarnish in the dust as it was if he had not raised him the dead, the one that so fully glorified him.
This is the food of the peace offering. This is that which God the Father feeds upon. He feeds upon Christ in every detail. Now, a lot of you and I got the feed upon, right? Right? No. Some people get tired of Christ. Brother Bags told us of an incident years ago. And Brother Armet was living. Brother Armet was a brother I just missed. I never got to know him, but he was speaking on the Tabernacle and one place a lot of people were coming in here.
And someone afterwards definitely hired him to speak on the Tabernacle. He said, why? He makes everything Christ. And that time and I got everything is Christ. So what do you expect in the word of God? What do you and I come to meeting for? To hear some new things like the Athenians? Or do we come to rejoice in Christ?
It's not as we have appetite for Christ that will enjoy the things of God publicly as well as individually, so he And then we have the food. Coming back to our chapter in the medicine, we have the food and the offering made by fire under the Lord. Now this is the Lord feeding upon Christ.
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Now we go down to the 16th word. We have the expression again. The priest shall find them upon the altar. It is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet favor.
All the fact is the Lord all the fact he was noticing the other night in connection with the burnt offerings, that the fact would that speak of the excellent part of the animal, the part by which they could tell it was not disease. But there's another thought expressed here too. The fact was written before us. The inward energy of the world, that which moves, that which motivates. What is it that moves and motivates you and me? What is it that motivates the man of the world, An unsafe person.
John first epistle of John Belgique sent his lawlessness. That's how it should read. Man does his own will. We we did our own will and Peter speak to that The past time passed to vice are showing the will of the Gentiles. We get our own will. We wanted this and we wanted that. We're going to go here. We're going to go there. So now what happened? We belong to Christ. Now what is our motive? Now let us see what it is in Christ. Here we see that this map was the energy.
On the end was, well, what kind of Hebrews 10. Let's see how the perfect man brought what how his will was subjected to the will of the Father.
Hebrews 10 and verse 7.
Over 5 yards wherefore when he cometh into the world, he says, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body is not prepared me in front offerings and sacrifices to send. Now it's had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do.
Thy will, O God, whose will did the Lord Jesus accomplish?
Here we have the inward energy that lost the Lord Jesus. His inward reigns. Everything that governed him was to do the will of the Father. And so we find that we turned over to John six while we did John Six. We get another bird brings this out.
John 6.
And verse 38.
Well, I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will.
Of him presently, that never was a man in this scene.
That walked in that carriage Man is always asserting his own will, and in Isaiah 14 devil the place himself. Five times I will ascend. I will set my throne above the star of the dark. I will sit beside my mouth, and all of a suddenly five times he ***** will I will. But the Lord Jesus who was in the form of God, thought of that robbery to be equal of God, He made himself of no reputation, and he became a man that was obedient.
When it says obedient of the death, that doesn't mean he became obedient enough to die. It means that his whole pathway from the Manger to the cross with one path of obedience. What was the Father's will he was doing? Oh, that's where we failed. We would always want we want to do our own relieving expression. We we come to a meeting, we hit the ministry and it strikes our conscience. We say, well, I'm not well. He's not going to tell me what to do. What is that? That's the flesh in you and you and me.
That's the will the Lord Jesus. Never, Jesus, never.
Put forward his own will. He walked in perfect obedience to the Father. Now we're called upon in first John two to walk. Even if he walked, the Christian ought to be selfless. He ought to be walking in that path of pleasing the Father, and so the law of Jesus. Here the fact belong only to God. Now that's another verse. In Psalm 4 we might notice Psalm 40.
Which I believe is quoted Beirut, but part of it is given. Notice that Psalm 40 and verse 7.
Then said I, Lo, I come, and divided by the book that is written of me, I delight to do thy will. Oh my God, Yay, by law is within my heart, My law is within my heart.
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And so this is the one who meditated in God's law day and night. How can we go on without a will?
Reading the word of God and obeying, If God's law is within written in our hearts, if the law is within our heart will will be put into a proper place. All the energy of the inward being belong to God and God is jealous of that until he says here in the in that 16th verse all the facts is the Lord and then verse 17.
Be a perpetual statute for your generation throughout for your dwellings that meet me. The fat, no blood. They were not to eat blood. Now blood brings in life. That's another thought. Life belongs to God. Life belongs to God, not the man. And so the blood was for the Lord. And so it's told in Genesis, Who shall shed a man's blood by man shall his blood be shed for an image of God. May be man, Dog will hold man accountable for the blood that he sheds.
But as to Israel and the sacrifices, they will not eat the fat, no, the blood or the way. We're on the ground with the blessing of the blood. We've been brought in on the grounds of that blood which is off of the God upon the cross, and we've been cleansed and brought to the place where we can now enjoy the peak golfing. Now let's go to the 7th chapter he goes, that develops now more fully the details of the peace offer.
The circumstances under which he was offered and then we'll see how this connects to the New Testament. In the 7th captain we have the law with the sacrifice of peace offering and verse 12 it says that we offer it for Thanksgiving.
Then he shall offer what the sacrifices of Thanksgiving, unleavened cakes made it with oil. Notice that there are different ways in which the the peace offering can be offered. They can be offered as a Thanksgiving. Now, this is usually what characterizes us first as young believers, with which it's saved. We thank God, we're full of thanks, that our sins are together. We're thankful to what he has done for us. But you know that doesn't have the same solid foundation We need to go on, you know, when you first save.
It's something like a bubbling fountain, a bubbling green. But that bubbling screen cannot turn the the water mill. It's the deep, quiet, slowly flowing stream that turns that water wheel and regenerates power. And so it is when they first say that the grace overly homeless Thanksgiving what's good. God takes us away from the land of the Philistines, that we shouldn't see war at first. He wouldn't want us to see war at 1St until we get till we're seasoned the best. And so Thanksgiving has this place.
And so it says Here notices the way it's presented. He offers unleavened cakes mingled with oil. Unleavened waste is anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil of fine flour. That is, we have out which speaks of Christ. He offered Christ in connection with this with a sacrifice. What can you and I present to God in worship? Double God accept by Him? Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually confessing His name. When we come into the presence of God the worship, it's Christ that we present.
We confess his name. We own what he is, who he is, what he is done. And so that's first unleavened case. But now notice in the 13th verse, besides the case he shall offer for his offering leavened bread for the sacrifice of Thanksgiving of his seats off. There was in the depth in the Thanksgiving office. And connected with it is the fact that that you and I have 11 in us. We are not trying to do it, but it's a 23rd chapter. Here we have a new meat offering. Too low. They can look leather.
But the lemon is bacon.
11 is there, but it shouldn't work. It shouldn't operate. And God finds that in the church. God finds that in you and me. That corresponds to 11, says no 11 and any sacrifice that speaks of Christ. But there is 11 here in the Thanksgiving offering. Because it's a feverless of our Thanksgiving, we come short. God accepts it. How precious that is. We may come in the feedless way, but God leads our hearts, and he knows that we're enjoying Christ. Now the next step.
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Sacrifice is brings in more spiritual power. You'll notice that in this in the 15th verse, the flesh and the sacrifice of the sea, salting for Thanksgiving, shall be eaten the same day that it is offered. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.
That is, there isn't enough energy or figure. It's just a question of Thanksgiving. Praise all and save. Let's say I I know that much and I give thanks. That's wonderful. But there is not enough power to carry over. So that sacrifice has to be eaten the very day it's given. It cannot be carried over. You and I cannot live tomorrow. I've always enjoyed the price today. We need to have Christ every day when it comes to Thanksgiving. Now God does. Give strength and grace, and we'll see in my followers.
And the next sacrifice, verse 16. But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow or a voluntary offering?
It's got to be eaten the same day that they offer the sacrifice, and on the Morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten. Now when it's a vow, it brings in the thought of greater biggest spiritually. It isn't just a question of Thanksgiving, but it's more of an appreciation of what price is. And so there's a full enjoyment of this, and it's allowed to be eaten not only on the day that it's offered, but the power of it carries along and he's allowed to eat at the next step.
But at the third day, he couldn't do so. You cannot separate the enjoyment of price from price themselves. You can't put too many days between until it's a good thing to enjoy Christ every day, to have a fresh portion for our soul from the word of God. And the peace offering connects us with that sacrifice which God finds his delight in. We're going to see presently that the man has fought in it. His friends have part, and the priestly family has part and Christ has part.
Here it says in the 60s words of the sacrifice of his offering the avow. And this says, if he should be eaten on the same day that he offered the sacrifice, and on the Morrow also. But the remainder of the flash is a sacrifice, on the third day shall be frank with fire. And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his sea softly be eaten at all on the Thursday, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offer this it shall be an abomination.
And the soul of Jesus Iniquity. Let's not try to go on now with the joys that God gave us in our soul in time past. We can look back with rejoicing to see how God has led us. God wants us to be up to date in the enjoyment of time, up to date in the enjoyment of Christ. He wants this enjoyment to go on every day a fresh thing. We eat new, we eat new food every day. We don't say, well I ate a good meal 3 weeks ago and bought them. Now we eat every day.
And so here it is that we need to feed upon Christ. And that's the point here. It would not be accepted on the third day. Now in the in the 19th verse, before we go on to see the special provisions made to the priest, notice that 19th verse says the flesh that touches any unclean things shall not be eaten. It shall be brought with fire. And As for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. Ah, that take things in those who can eat the sacrifice.
Now they couldn't eat the break offering because the brain offering, a whole sacrifice, went up on the alcohol. They couldn't meet the thin offerings, the main one. We'll see when we come to that. There's a difference. They couldn't meet the maintenance offerings because those bodies of the beast were carried outside the camp. There were certain spin offerings that the priest, the priest could eat some of, but when it comes to the to the peace offering, they're all sharing in it. Jehovah had that whole fat tail. He had the fat and and the blood. He had his portion now.
The sacrifice of the man who sacrificed them and his friends all let's be clean. You know that thing is an important thought we're going to see presently. You know in Corinthians when it comes about to the Lord's table, it says let a man show examine himself and so let him eat. God will have us come to the Lord's table judge. But I'm anticipating a bit. I notice there's over the Deuteronomy 12. I think we get an example of how the how the peace offering was eaten. There were other offenses mentioned that but I believe this is included in it in the 12Th chapter of Deuteronomy.
And 4017?
Thou mayest not eat within thy age the tide of thy corn, for thy wine, or thy oil, or the first things that I heard, or thy flocks, nor any of thy vows which thou bow, nor any for nor thy free will offer for him offering of thy hands. But thou must eat them before the Lord thy God, in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose. Thou my son and my daughter, and my manservant, and my maid servant, and the Levite that is within my gate.
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And now it will rejoice before the Lord thy God of all to thou put us on hands on, so we find that this peace offering could be shared with the relatives and the Levites and and the servants. And it was to the easiness of place where the Lord had chosen to put his name. That's a such an important thing to notice, that where the Lord has put his name, that was the place it was to be eaten, not within their gate. You can't.
We cannot get away from the collective position that we God has brought up. They can eat ordinary food in there within their gates. So they couldn't eat this sacrifice which spoke of collective communion. They couldn't eat that within their gate. They had to be at the place where the Lord has placed His name now going on in our chapter, the in the 6th rather the 7th chapter and the.
I want to comment a bit on the what we have about the priest down in the 30th, 31St verse.
His own hand shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire. The fat of the breath hit shall he bring that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord, and the priest shall burn the fat upon the author, but the breath shall be Aaron and sun. Notice again how shifted differentiate the the breath. The wave breath was for the priestly family, but who got the right shoulder down a moment?
For 33 he among the sons of Aaron, and offers the blood of the peace offering.
And the fact shall have the right shoulder for his part. That's right. So now we see Jehovah's and his part, the author and his friends that have their part. Now the priestly family comes in whenever you have Aaron and his son. It's representative of us now as a priestly family. And what do the priestly family have? The breath. Oh, how wonderful that is. All the affections of Christ, all the love from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We can say the Son of God.
Who love me and gave himself for me. The Apostle Paul didn't make that plural there. In that case he said The Son of God who loved me All dear fellow believers, how much are you and I feeding upon that wave breath. The waves breath was connected to with resurrection.
Waves before the Lord. The apostle John knew something about this. The apostle John speak to themselves as that disciple whom Jesus loved, and there was that last feast through them by how he laid his head on Jesus bosom. John was no stranger in the Lord's presence. John didn't consider it presumption to draw near the Christ, and so he loves these. Find a disciple whom he loves. And Paul was not one brick behind him, because Paul says the Father of God will love me.
John, you're not alone. You may have seen Christ here on earth, and you laid your head on his rules, but He loves me too. He died for me. He gave himself for me. And so how good it is to enjoy the breath. How much of that are you? And I enjoy, if we enjoy the love of Christ, that we enjoy the the the thought that God finds infinite delight in Christ. And we come to the Lord day morning meeting with all these precious thoughts on our hearts. How little.
And you are enjoyment of that speech that we're going to look at presently, which is connected with this sacrifice.
And so the priestly family gets the affection. Now we might add one on the thought. You know, we must not forget that the father of the show, John 1627, says the Father himself loveth you, The Father himself loveth you. We have to think of the love of Christ more, because that love is shown outwardly. He gave himself for us. We have the love of the Father. So I believe in the in the breastfeed, the main thought is all of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That part that beat for you and me on, I am the glory that love has never seen. Having loved his own with you in the world, He loved them unto the automobile. He loved them to the end. The Lord Jesus has never stopped loving his own.
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Are you alive? Feeding on the breath? It belongs to us. We're the police family. Enjoy the affections of Christ. If you and I woke up every morning with that thought, Christ loves me All the love of Christ is forming. All of difference it would make in many of our thoughts and ways. Well, now let us see about the right shoulder. Our time is passing beyond. And I want to consider these New Testament aspects in the 32nd verse, The right shoulders.
Ciao.
He's given up with a priest for an evil offering of the sacrifices of your peace offering. He among the sons of Aaron that offer supplies of the peace, authority, and the fact.
Shall have the right shoulders for his part.
Who is it that offers the blood? Who is it that offered the fast? Right now Christ has his fortune. Jehovah's had his. The priestly family, the man and his friends have had theirs. But Christ has his fortune. All our wonderful air on the 53rd of Isaiah, we all know it well. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied if the skin and the brain offline represents Christ satisfaction with that mighty work that he gets voluntarily for the glory of the Father. It's the right shoulder brings in.
His joy in having with himself those he has redeemed the right shoulder would bring in power. Do you know the right hand of power? We get that expression in Matthew 26, the right hand. And Scripture is the hand of power. But by right hand she'll teach these terrible things. That's in the day of wrath.
So that the right shoulder speaks of all the strength and the power and the glory that's coming to Christ and what he's going to share, he's going to share with us. Now in Matthew 26, let's turn to it. There's another word that many scriptures that we can notice, but just notice Matthew 26.
And verse 29.
It's interesting and all of the verse 28 he speaks of shedding his, shedding his flags.
We have in our chapter heated off of the blood, and every 29 he says, I will not drink henceforth of this truth of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom. Has Christ lost the Kingdom because he's rejected? No, the right shoulder is here. All the strength of that coming day belongs to him already, he tells us in Matthew the last chapter. All power in heaven and the earth are given unto me.
Oh, what a wonderful portion Christ has. Now we might turn to Ephesians 1 Mother in the New Testament. Perhaps this will be the last one to refer the one that subject. But it's such a wonderful thought that Christ has been exalted. Notice that the breast is called the ways bread. It was ways before the Lord, but the shoulder was fall to his shoulder because it was exalted and held up Speaking of Christ and glory in that sense as the waving speech of resurrection.
The word he brings in the thought of it lifting up or exhausting. So now we're going to have an aspect of it in Ephesians One, verse 20, verse 19.
The exceeding greatness of His power to us with who believes according to the working of His mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised Him from the dead, and sent him at his own right, and in heavenly places, are above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named.
Not only in this world, but also in that which is the common, and have put all things under his feet.
And gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the foals of him, the Philip, all and all. The right shoulder belongs to him. And we're going to share all these things in that coming day. Now, the peace offering corresponds in the New Testament, I believe, to the Lord's Supper. Now we don't have death in the Lord's Supper in the sense we have it in the peace offering. But we do have death in the Lord's suffer in another way. Now let's turn. I know our time is about up and I trust you. Let me have a few more minutes to apply this.
1St Corinthians 10 Whether the reference made to the peace often really.
But the 1St Corinthians 10.
Verse 15 I think as the wise men judge me what I say, the couple blessing which we bless, This is not the communion of the blood of Christ. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ. So we, being many, are one bread and one body, but we are all partakers of that one bread, All Israel, after the flash or not, they would eat of the sacrifices, acres of the altars.
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The 18th verse clearly refers to the peace offer the children of Israel ate when they ate at the sacrifice they were particularly also they were identified with the author now in the remembrance of the Lord.
Can the Lord suffer? We have death in that we remember Christ and death. We do not have actual death, but we have the remembrance of it and that memorial.
Rest followedly upon the bright offering upon the fire that is upon the altar. When we come on Thursday morning to remember the Lord Jesus, our hearts are carried back to that work that you did on the cross. And we know that all is well. We know that God is glorified, we know that we are accepted, and one of the results, praise and worship goes up. We didn't have time to turn to it. But when Solomon dedicated the temple, when he prayed, why, I came down from heaven and consumed the fright offering. And as soon as the fright offering was consumed, all the people of Israel fell down and worshiped.
The worship was connected with the consumption of the bright offering on the altar. And so the peace opening flows from the bride offering says worship says the presentation of Christ. And so notice here there's communion in verse 16. The couple blessing which we blast. It is not the communion of the blood of Christ, the blood of the competent first. We've often been reminded of this. It's mentioned first in the 10th chapter because that's not the supper there. When it comes to the supper, the bread comes first.
That's the next step when it comes to the Lord's table. What gives me right to be at the Lord's table? And so the couple sent him first. And when it says the communion of the blood of Christ, I believe it swings before the common ground of flexing are with every believer fan in virtue of the precious love of Christ. You can't find a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ anywhere on the earth who doesn't have the same blessing you have through the blood. His sins are forgiven.
He's been reconciled with God. He's been brought in here. He shelters, He's got a good conscience before dawn. The blood is the common ground of blessing for every believer. And throw a set here, these couple blessing, which we bless. When we drink of that cup on large day mornings, we're expressing unity.
We might think the unity is only connected with a low the unities connected with a car, with all the major drinks. By 1 Spirit, Paul tells us to meet the 12Th chapter First Corinthians. When we drink of that cup, we're drinking in common with all who are on the ground of blackened. They may not be there, they may not be a different orders of men, but the communion of a lot of pride cannot be broken. And so we go on. The next thing is, the bread which we break isn't not the communion of the Body of Christ.
Now when we break that bread.
Verse 17 Who we, being many are one bread or one wolf that should read in one body, but we are all partakers of that one loaf. But we all partake of that one loaf and that one roll is not a sectarian role. When we sit down here on Laws day morning is gathered to the Lords name. That loaf on the table does not represent the gathered things at all. It doesn't represent those who are gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It represents all believers.
It's one loaf, one body, and you can't exclude anybody from that low. I have brother. Hey, how I think he's dressed it very nicely. One time he was in Smith Ball and he met the Anglican minister. I think the Anglican minister was a saved man. And Mr. Hayhoe said, you know, I'm sorry I saw you with the breaking of bread this morning. He says I wasn't there. Oh, yes, you want. Mr. Hale said you were in the one loaf we had on the table. So that one loaf on the table represents every believer in China.
Every believer of Indonesia, every believer in Canada, every believer from the North Pole of the South Pole, every believer is Far East and West as you can go. Every believer on earth is in that one role, if it's anything else, is the sectarian law. And so the bread which we break is it not the communion body of sight. Now when we break that low, we're identified with the table with which is connected. Now there are some who have left the Lord's table and a set of other tables.
And while they go through the remembrance of the Lord in that way, having left the ground, having gone aside on the ground of some doctrine, or refusing to bow the assembly decision or whatever, The thing is, what is their local representative? It represents A schismatic position. It represents a state of things and state of departure. But here we have in Torrance, before there any divisions are split, we have this role. It's the one low, and it represents the whole body of Christ. Now, in the 11Th chapter, we can't dwell any longer on this. I see him over a bit.
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But we can't stop without noticing the actual remembrance itself in the 11Th chapter.
Verse 23 For I have received the Lord that was called for. I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he break it, says, take, eat. This is my body which is for you. The way it's broken really doesn't belong now that which is for you. This do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cough.
When he had stopped saying, This cop is the New Testament in my blood. This do he is off to be drinking in remembrance of maze this bread and drink his coffee and show the Lord's death till he come. Now one other thought there in the end of the in the.
29th First, he that needed and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not determining the Lord's body. I'm reading that verse to get the expression of the Lord's body. Now the Lord's body in the 11Th chapter is not the same as the body in the 10th chapter. The body in the 10th chapter is the Church.
The body in the 11Th chapters of holy sinless body that was nailed to cross. And that's what we determined the Lords body. And when we partake of the loaf into the cup we discerned the Lords body that was hung for us on the cross before the breaking of the laws. We see the church, we see the the unity there. But after the bread is broken we see we just turn the Lord's body. We don't call it we came to eat to satisfy our hunger. We wouldn't be determining the Lord's father.
We can even drink to satisfy our hunger. That would not be to keep the Lord supple. And that's what the Corinthians were failing in. They were supposed to be keeping the Lord Supper, but they weren't. They were keeping their own supper. So it's the solemn things. Now we know that. Two things here.
Is often. If you eat the spread verse 26 and drink this cup, and you show the Lord's death till he comes, there is no other wedding in which to remember the Lord. You might come and sit here.
And enjoy the worship, enjoy what is said and done, and rejoice in it all. But if you haven't partaken of the Logan of the Cup, you haven't remembered the Lord You thought of him. You remember them in that sense, but you haven't remembered them in the appointed way. So I believe that this is all connected with the peace officer, our peace offering.
Has nothing to do with an actual sacrifice of sin. That's what Rome was made. They thought to make it a sacrifice of family, and they nullified the whole joyful effect of it.
#224.
224 That we never might forget what Christ is suffering.
The Sin Offering Lev 4:1
Address—A. Roach
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
You want to look tonight at the Fin offering and there's a number of scriptures on the sin offering that we will start by reading a portion in the 4th chapter of Leviticus and then make references as as we may need the 4th chapter of Leviticus. You probably read most chapter to get the full substance before us, but maybe new to some Leviticus 4 and verse one.
And the Lord state of the Moses saying, he comes to the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance.
Against any of the commandments of the Lord, concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them. If the priest that is anointed to sin according to the sin of the people, then let him bring what he came which he hath. And the young boy without Lambeth unto the Lord for 10 off him, and he shall bring the full up unto the draw of the Tabernacle of the congregation.
Before the Lord, and shall lay his hand upon the bullet head, and kill the bullets before the Lord.
And the priest that is anointed shall take it of both blood, and bring it to the Tabernacle of the congregation. And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the veil of the sanctuary.
And the priest will put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the law which is in the Tabernacle of a congregation, and shall pour all the blood of the foremost at the bottom of the Aldous of the fine often, which is at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall take off from it all the fact of the bullet will be sent off the fact that cover the end words, and all the fact that his economy inwards, and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them.
Which is by the flame, and fall above the liver. With the kidney it shall be taken away, as it was taken off from the force of the sacrifice of peace offers, and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the current offer the skin of the bullet for all his flesh.
With his head, with his leg and his inwards, and his dark, even the whole Bullock shall he carry forth without the camp onto a clean place where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt. And it's a whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance and the thing he hid from the eyes of the assembly. And they have gone somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord.
Concerning things which should not be done and are guilty when the sin which they ascend against, it is known.
And the congregation shall offer a young Bullock for the sin and bring him before the Tabernacle of the congregation. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the Bullock before the Lord. And the Bullock shall be killed before the Lord. And verses 16 to 21 repeat what we had in the offering of the priest. So we'll pass that to the moment, verse 22, when a ruler has sinned.
And done somewhat to ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done and is guilty. Or if his sin, where any of sin comes to his knowledge, he shall bring his offering a kid of the ghost a male without lunch.
And he shall lay his hands upon the head of the goat, and killeth in the place where they kill the bright offering before the law. It is a thin offering. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burned off, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the oil. And he shall grind all his fat upon the office, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace often.
And the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sins, and it shall be forgiven him, and if any one of the common people's sins, through ignorance, while he do it somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord.
Writing things which ought not to be done and be guilty. Or if the sin which he hath sin come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering a kid of the ghost a female without blemish, for his sin which he has sinned. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin off, and slay the sin offering in the place of the bird offering. And the priest shall take the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horn of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood there are at the bottom of the order.
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And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offering. And the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweep saver under the Lord. And the priest will make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. We stop at this point.
Thin is a dreadful thing. Sin put Adam outside the garden and long before that sin cast Satan out of his high place in heaven. Sin is really rebellion against God. We lead in in Romans that by one man.
Sin came into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men in that all have sinned. In Romans 3 is summed up, and there we got all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and we go to Romans 6. The wages of sin is that there's nothing good about sin at all. Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
So the question tonight is, has God made a way of escape from our guilt? Is there any way that our sins can be put away from his sight in a way that God can be fully satisfied now? Thus far we have considered pre offerings.
We've seen the brand offerings, the middle offering, and the peace offering. All three sweet savour offerings to find the offering. Christ offering himself voluntarily and making atonement. His atonement connected with it in the peace in the middle, offering it with Christ perfect humanity, His obedience even unto death. And in the peace offering, which was founded on the burnt offering burned on the top of it, we saw that it's the communion of God's people together without one object of boredom.
But in the sin offering now I want to call attention to the way this chapter opens. It says, the Lord stake unto Moses saying, Now you don't get that before.
This and except back in the first chapter. In the first chapter, the Lord stake unto Moses saying, and so that the frames are offering, the meat offering and the peace offering all form one. They form one section of a sweet favor sacrifices. Now God is going to introduce a new thing. He's going to introduce the sin offering, which is not a sweet saver offering. It is most holy, but it's not a sweet saver offer.
And so it says, the Lord saying unto Moses saying. And then you don't get that again, I believe, until you get to the fifth chapter, where a new section starts. The word of God is orderly.
Scriptures by divine inspiration and God has seen to It is a remarkable thing in the Bible. In the Old Testament God has arranged.
History, Actual fact. God has arranged building instructions. He's arranged instructions about ceremonies. He's arranged prophecies and given us just what He wants us to know of them so that we come to the New Testament and get the fullness of life. We can go back to the Old Testament and enjoy what God had before us all way back there. God has always had Christ before us, and so God couldn't hold back. Shall we say He gives us Christ all the way through in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus.
So on. God has Christ before him and this soul. Tonight. If you haven't got Christ before you, you you're you're in a lost condition. If Christ isn't your savior, you're on your way to a lost eternity. Christ is the object of every believer. Christ is the center of heavenly praise.
Now here we have them sin to be dealt with. And let me just add a little story before we go on.
The joke of Kent who was the father of King Victoria, I think he died around 18/21. He was dying. The family doctor came to him and tried to encourage him on this flimsy ground, pointing out to him what a wonderful position he had in life.
But the Duke of Kent was smarter than the Doctor at that point, he said. Doctor.
I must be saved as a Sinner, not as a Prince.
Being a Prince made no difference, even the Law Center in himself. And so he said, I need to be saved as a Sinner, not as a Prince. So tonight we want to see this wonderful sacrifice, this picture in the Old Testament of what Christ has done for you and me. And let us remember that these pictures, these types always fall short in some way. They cannot be picked at all fullness the value of the work of Christ and let us God ourselves against another thing. Let us never establish A doctrine or a teaching.
00:10:28
On Assembled, let us line the doctrine and teaching from the old, from the New Testament, and then search the Old Testament and see where it sits in. Some have gone way off on evil doctrines by trying to take a type and forcing it to some physical meaning in the New Testament. We need the teaching of the New Testament, or you and I wouldn't understand support the Leviticus at all. We wouldn't understand it any more than Moses understood it in his fullness. So let us notice here the first thing that the Lord speaks of is.
Then in verse two, if a soul shall sin, grow ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do many things to do against any of them. Notice this is negative sin. This is sin against an express commandment of the Lord. He doesn't speak of sins of omission as people do, didn't say these are sins because of what they didn't do.
The positive thing and and here there were some who in their ignorance not word. Ignorance is important here tonight. Ignorance does not set you and me free from the penalty of our guilt. Ignorance brings in another precious thought, though. A wide reaching thought that Christ, when he died on the cross for our sins, he took into account all of them. He didn't miss one of them. You and I would miss something by ignorance, Someone was asked.
I believe it was a little girl. Have you laid your sins on Jesus? And she said no.
They said no, you haven't. He said no. God laid them off. God laid my sins on Jesus. And I'm so glad of that because if God has told me to lay my things on the Lord Jesus Christ because he sends of ignorance, I wouldn't know what to confess. I wouldn't know what to put on him. But it says in Isaiah 53 all we like sheep of John Australia. We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. The Lord the one who knows us through and through, who knows our downstanding and our uprising, who knows our thought are far off. He's the one that took the sins of believers, every believer here tonight can say.
My sins laid on Jesus. They were laid upon him. And that's the language of faith. And Isaiah 53 or we like chief of gone astray is the language of faith. It's those who know that and confess that they went astray all we like. He could have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and a lot of laid on him. The iniquity of us all. All believers, all those who come to Christ all tonight come in at the 1St all and go out at the second. The last, all, the 1St all puts you in the place of the Senate. The last all puts you in the place of redemption.
Oh, how good it is to see that. Well, now is here at the Sin of Ignorance number. There are four sin offerings in this chapter, but only three in characters. The first two deal with Israel as a nation, being cut off from communion with God if the priest sins.
That cut them off. If the nation sins, that cut them off. And the last two we have the sin of a ruler and the sin of one of the common people. Notice that God takes you into account sin. Whether your greatest small. It doesn't make any difference if you have a priest in Israel, a high priest in Israel, or one of the common people who's going to stand before the great white throne, The dead small and great. The dead small and great. Who did Christ die for sin is small and great.
The good and bad go out on the highway to bring in the good and bad. Bring out everything you can find. Bring them in. So tonight a Christ is a savior for the great as well as the small. Now here, the first one that's brought before us in verse three is the priest of Israel, the priest that is anointed to sin according to the sin of the people, or so as to make the people Sinner. Now you can remember that the high priest was the connecting link between the people of Israel and God in the sanctuary.
That priest could go into the first part of that Tabernacle and offer in fact daily. He could set the bread on the table, he could light those lands. And he was a connecting link between Israel and Jehovah. Once a year he plotted the veil and got behind it only once a year and then on the special ceremony.
So we're not talking about that tonight. We're thinking about the fact that when the free sins, the priest sins, it cut off all the people. And so we see that the sacrifice we come to, the sacrifice of the people. It's the same as that for the priest. The Lord has followed the details. Quantum will be the brain.
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Did he have a choice? Now we know that the difference between this offering and the first three.
In the first three offering, if any man brings sacrifice, there was number command to bring a bright offering. There was number command to bring a meat offering. There was no command to bring a peace offering. But if someone was exercised to bring them, then God laid down what they had to bring. As I mentioned the other evening, we've got to follow God thought, even where we're exercised as to what to bring. But when it was a question of a sin offering, there was no choice. He didn't say if he will bring us in the offering. He doesn't say that. He doesn't say it will be a male or a female or a fee of a herd of the flock.
It tells us here what he must bring.
In the middle of the third verse, then let him bring for his sin, which he ascends a young Bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering. Dear, hear it tonight. Have you ever realized that God has set down him in his word, the only sacrifice, the sins by which you can be saved? You and I have no right to set up the kind of sacrifice for sin. The Lord Jesus Christ was sent here.
To give his life.
We're all in. And he died in that he died. He died for all.
And we know that because he died for all all because all were dead, that God has a failure tonight. And you and I have got to come in his way. There are no two ways about it. God has marked out the only savior. Now the priest couldn't reason to say, but Lord, I want to bring this, or I want to bring this. I want to bring two boys or I want to bring this on that to his instructions. He's what God says about it. The police has nothing to say. All he had to do was act upon what God said, had he sinned all right. And God tells him how to take care of it. And have you sinned. God tells you how to take care of it. He says the blood of Jesus Christ.
His Son cleanseth us from all sins. There's no other remedy for sin. So here then he takes the young Bullock without lambing unto the Lord. For a thin off he sinned against the Lord, and so the sin offering is under the Lord. Verse four, He shall bring the Lord unto the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, and to lay his hand upon the bullet's head, and tell the Bullock before the Lord. Now in the first offering we saw this, that the offer when he laid his hands on the head of the current, offering all the values and the efficacy and the sweetness and preciousness.
Of a burnt offering was transferred to the OfferUp and he was accepted in that character. But in the sin offering it's a different story. It's the sin of the opera who lays his hands on the head of that animal is his sin that is transferred to the head of the victim, his hands laid upon that sacrifice, and it's a personal identification with a sacrifice for sin. Have you ever laid your hands?
On the head of the center. What do I mean by that? Have you ever taken price at your own personal Savior? Have you laid your hands on the head of that victim? Have you said Christ died for my sins? He's my savior, just as Doctor Gray put it, so lovely. And at him he was lost. Jesus that found me happy. My taste. I now am a Sinner, saved my grace. He was saved by the grace of God, saved by the blood of Christ, and is now in the glory rejoicing.
Now he's taken and the blood. Now in verse five, notice after the death we had the death of the animal in the fourth word, kill the Bullock before the Lord, your sin and mind a man of death. So death comes in. But then there's something else in the fifth word, and the priest that has annoys it shall take of the fullest blood and bring it to the Tabernacle of the congregation.
We have in Scripture all together as one mighty work of atonement, Christ forsaken of God, Christ death on the cross, and Christ shedding of His blood after he dies. These all form one solid work of atonement. They cannot be separated. Yet God and His wisdom has shown us to show them to us in their hearts. And so in the even in the pipes we get that we saw that in the burnt offering. But here we have the death of the animal and it's the blood from that dead animal that is sprinkled. It's the blood from the side of a dead Christ that is put away your sins and minds. He made peace by the blood of His Cross. What blood? The only blood that Scripture tells us on we stand on invent any other Scripture tells us that forthwith came there out flood and water. And so we see in this height the blood comes next and what is done with it.
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He says it says he sprinkles and bursts thick seven times before the Lord before the veil of the sanctuary. The veil was as far as the high priest could go except on the Day of Atonement. Only on the Day of Atonement he got behind the veil, but he only could walk to the veil. And in front of that veil there was an altar made of gold, made of wood covered with gold. It was the author of insanity, and the priest was to go now before that veil in the very presence of the Lord.
Sprinkle of blood not one but seven times. Why seven times? Because the blood of Jesus Christ is such a perfect and complete work before God that accepts you and me down in God's very pleasant in that same perfection. Oh, how wonderful is the seven is the number of perfections. So the blood is sprinkled 7 times before the Lord. The Lord's eye is upon us. It's a question of whether he satisfied, not whether I am.
What else does it say? Verse 7. The priest shall put some of the blood upon the horn of the altars of sweet incense before the Lord which is in the Tabernacle of the congregation. Notice the first thing is that he puts the blood upon the horns of the orchard of freedom. You'll notice when we read that he does not do that with the flood from the offering of the ruler or the common people. He only does it with a priest sacrifice and the people sacrifice.
Why? Because that thing that cut off communion had cut off approach, and that also where he burned the incense every morning, and I believe every evening. That also was an author of approach. No sacrifice is often on it. They were forbidden, strictly, strictly forbidden, in the 30th of Exodus, to offer any sacrifice on the altar of incense. That was only the place of worship. The brazen awful was the place of sacrifice.
And so communion and connect you with the Lord. Having been interrupted, the blood had to be put upon the horn of that altar. Oh, how wonderful it is to see that the work of Christ not only stays us, but it takes us into the sanctuary, sets us down in perfection before God, and brings us into the place of worship. Have you ever offered incense? Well, I don't mean to get down the store and buy some of that incense that they sell. Have you and I have a foreign incentive to the Lord?
We don't use physical incense. Infants is praise. It's presenting the worthiness of Christ, that incense and the 30th of Exodus we were taking that that would be a wonderful substance to take up. It slings out the the perfection of Christ. As we mentioned the other evening, that incense had even amounts in it. There were equal proportions.
There's an evenness in Christ. There was never any failure in Christ. He didn't fail or something that he excelled in. Like Moses and Solomon and and Samson, those men will fail when they're very things they excelled in. There was absolute perfection.
So when you and I get down on our knees and offer praise to God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, it's acceptable to God. Think of the millions and millions of people on the earth. And yet if you kneel down in your room at home, or you give thanks in the meeting room, God sees it and hears it up there on his throne, That incense goes up into the presence of God, and he smells a sweet savour. It's Christ you're presenting. You're rejoicing in Christ. Your heart overflows with Christ, and so God.
Values that because Christ is a satisfying fortune of his heart too.
And so we see that the sin offering brings us into the place of worship. How good that is to enter into that and rejoice in it. Now it goes on to say, tell us about the heart of the animal that is to be well others, that we might mention at the end of the seventh verse, and shall pour all the blood of the Bullock at the bottom of the altar, of the bright offering, which is at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation. Now we're dealing with a different altar.
As you enter the Tabernacle from the east through that beautiful gate of four colors.
You are faced with an altar that was made of a cache of wood covered over with brass.
The attachment reminding us of Christ in manhood, and the brass telling us that he was the only man, the only one who could bear the judgment of God and come through it. The brass sustained the heat, sustained the fire that was on that altar, and saw that altar. The brazen altar was the place of sacrifice, and it was there.
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So it's there that we have the picture of the cross.
God said to Israel, The life of the flash is in the block, and I have given it to you upon the altar.
Forward is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. So that phrase and also even though Moses didn't know it, that was the type of the cross that was the type of what the Lord Jesus Christ is going to suffer years later when he would come into the scene.
And I am the cross and be subjected to the wrath and judgment of a holy God. Against this I want to point out in this sin offering.
I've got another guy. I don't believe we should assume that the sin off thing has to do with sin in our nature. The sin offering and the trespass offering in principle are the same kind of offering. And if we were taking up the fastest offering we could see that how that in the 5th chapter, the 1St 13 versus blends the two together. There is a difference, but that's not our subject tonight. But we want to make clear, I don't believe we can say the stress. This offering is Christ dying for what we've done and the sin offering is Christ dying for our nature. That is not the point in the passage.
Because you'll notice it says in the.
In the in this very chapter it shall be forgiven him.
Except in the case of the priest, it says in the case of the ruler, for example, in the end of the 26th race, it shall be forgiven him. God has never forgiven sin. That's I am our evil nature. He is condemned sin in the flesh. He has forgiven our sins. And so the sin offering has to do with sin. I have no doubt it would bring before Christ made sin, God made him to be sin for us who knew no sins, so we might be made to righteousness of God in him.
What does it mean that Christ has made sense? He stood in the plate of wrath and condemnation to your sins and minds. That's where he stood in that very chapter where that verse is found. He speaks of Christ being in the world, not including their practices, not imputing their prestigious why He was going to the cross, the bathroom. He was going to the cross that he made sin. Christ wasn't made your nature in mind, Bobby. The thought that that awful, loathsome nature of ours could have ever found its way in the bosom of the Son of God, even on the cross.
Our Richard sins, yes, they were on him, but our wretched nature was never part of them. He wasn't made sin in that sense.
Became what we are by nature. He was made sin and that he in that he stood fully accountable for all your guilt and mind their fellow believer keep all the wrath, the judgment of a sin, hating God. And now God says with a righteousness of God in him never in ships are we the righteousness of Christ.
It's the righteousness of God. We know this and observe. We observed on the meat offering that there's no laying on of hands in the meat offering because the life of Christ and all of perfection we are not identified with. If we've known Christ after the flesh henceforth knowing him no more. So there's no identification with the life of Christ. The life of Christ couldn't save your soul and mine because that would only condemn us. It's the death of Christ. So we lay our hands on the brain offering, we lay our hands on the peace offering. We lay our hands on the sin offering. So here then.
We have Christ made sin and at the altar. Now after the altar, the blood is sworn out of the altar and at cemeteries all the blood, all the blood, the blood of Christ was shed at the cross and all salvations work was done there. There's no such thing as disassociating the blood from the cross. So there were some people that I'm I feel sorry for them. I don't look down on them. I I feel for their souls.
Week after week they go to what's supposed to be an unbloody sank, an unbloody sanctified for the sins of the living and death, and yet that our bloody sacrifice is supposed to have in it. The body throws blood because any of Christ just separating the blood from the cross. The blood was caught out of the awful of Calvary. You can't pour it out now, 1900 years later, it's already been done. The mighty wasn't a Calvary. All the blood was poured out of the breaking office.
Now, if you're going to tell us the excellent thoughts of these animals.
On each part of identified in verse 10 to the peace authority.
As it was taken off on the forest of the sacrifice of peace offer, and the priest shall bring them upon the altar of the first operating, the police taking part in the animal that we considered in the police offering the whole animal in the first offering the burned on the offer, except the skin in the.
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He's offering these excellent hospital burns. The animal was roasted somewhere because they ate it later. But in the sin offering, while the same excellent parts are offered as in the cruise offering, receding the body is taken care of an entirely different way. So we get them these excellent parts and notice whether it is fun upon the altar of the front author, not how God associates the notice that with a peace often was burned on top of the burned offers.
Looking how to turn off and it's constantly connected here with a bite often. Oh how wonderful that is in the bind. Offering it's price offering in South voluntarily in the 10 offerings the son of man must be lifted up. It's the need of a savior. It's our need. In the one case it's God glory in the other and they both meet at the car. I know it's a moment to reverse in the 6th cabinet.
The 6th chapter of this 4th and the middle of verse 25.
In the place where the blank often was killed, tell the pin often be killed before the Lord it is most holy. And notice that the front offering and the sin offering is held in the same place. What about telling that? Tell them that the work of Christ as the fire is often in the sin, often with all one work on the crawl up, you see it all fulfilling that one work on the crawl, the thin offering, the Festus offering.
And the birds are all there, the perfection of his man, which is out too, father.
Laying out the sins of their God, you see the profession of Christ in every way at the cross. But notice what it's done now with the skin of the bullet. If we saw that the skin of the fine offering was reserved for the priest, it was a perpetual memorial of that mighty work that was done in the offering of that sacrifice, as I believe CSJ and he has put it, It was the satisfaction of height in his own words. The satisfaction of Christ in his own work is his skin. Christ has a skin He had He had ever had the remembrance of that blessed.
Work that he did on the cross he he looked at ships each other evening. So we don't want to repeat that, but notice what happened to the skin of the of the political spin off and the skin verse 11 of the bullet.
And all the flesh with his head, with his leg, his handward and his tongue, even the whole full of silly county, for without the camp under a fleeting place.
Where the assets are poured out and burned him on the Woodward fire, where the answers are brought out, shall he be burnt.
Now we find that the body, the body of this animal, is taken outside the camp. Now we are not over the law to know what that means, The first thing that we do tell them.
That the bodies of those beasts whose blood is carried into the sanctuary for fear.
Are born without the can. Therefore Jesus also that he might testify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Therefore let us go forth unto him so forth. That is, there were two types of sin offering in principle the sin offerings that we're dealing with as to the priest, and that says to the people, the blood was carried into the sanctuary and put upon his golden office, but the blood on the other sacrifices for the ruler.
And the common people will not carry them to the sanctuary. But those where the flood was carried in were of a special character to get the same thing again on the Day of Atonement. And I believe in principal Loretta, so that there's a special difference between Los Angeles where the blood was carried in. Now let's go to the 6th chapter and see the spirit of God makes a big difference there.
6 past injuries and notice first the general principle in verse 25.
Rather, in verse 26 the priests are offering it for sin to eat it in the holy place. So let's be easy in the court of the Tabernacle of the congregation.
Now we're 30, and no sin offer without any of the blood is brought into the Tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile with all in the holy place shall be eaten. It shall be first in the fire. The priest will absolutely forbid you to eat of anything offering, whereas the blood was carried into the sanctuary for sin, because there here we have in tight Christ is taken.
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Into that you or I cannot enter into the other men. For the Lord Jesus Christ to suffer without the gate what it meant for him to cry out. Eli Eli Lamaska back tonight. We can't eat that spin offering. The only sin offering we can pot take off is about brother sin. And that's what we get in the other sacrifices the police to take one of those the ruler or the common people. And even if he's been offering, he can enter into the failure of his brother and take it to himself make it his own and be humbled about it. He could do that, but he couldn't either. That sacrifice with both of Christ abandoned of God is it where I'm across He couldn't enter into that.
I mean, I can wait. We stand at the outskirts on powerfully. We've adorned good. Yes, we can go that far. So who knows what Christians what believer on earth ever knew what it meant for Christ to be mistaken? He's alone in that. And so no priest can either that sacrifice where the blood was carried into the sanctuary and the body burned without the camp. There are two types of pen offering in that respect, one that was forbidden to be eaten and one that was commanded to be eaten. And so you and I have this failure or not, they're not. Bradley needs to send off and with us let them take off failure and make it their own and get down before the Lord. It's not reprimand, not go around saying wrong things about you, but coming here humbly and saying here. Brother, I love you so much.
Cleo, what's been done? I believe it's my own fault. I want to help you. That's easy. That's one example of eating a spin off in the Holy Place. All may not be all those characterizes as we go on.
And so it shows. It shows the end of the whole. Now, another thing about the skin, The skin of the particle offering was a remembrance.
Perpetual remembrance of the value of the work of Christ to Himself.
But now on the skin of the sin off when you're signed up. I like to think of it in connection with that voice in Hebrew that sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. There's no remembrance of the sacrifice of skin is lined up thought it is what is constantly remind you and me the Lord Jesus Christ a million years from now on the glory. He's not going to say, look it was for your sins I died. He's not going to remind us of of the sin offering and our hearts. I believe it will be so full of the burnt offerings at that time.
We'll know full well he did put our things away, but sites will never again remind us of our sins. May I repeat a story that many here have read and known? King George, the third of previous story, now had a stable boy and he liked a stable boy. This stable boy was caught by the stable master stealing oath. So the stable master thought the best thing would be to discharge the boy, get rid of him, which he did. When the king came to the stables, he missed the boy looked around and she wears whatever the boy's name was.
Well, they said, Your Highness, we caught him feeling. Also we discharged. He said, you don't find that boy, bring him back. And so he brought the the boy back. I thought that boy didn't know what was going to happen. He was afraid, I believe that some guy punishment would fall upon him. But the king in the presence of the fatal master and the others, he said, I forgive you this, he says. And I want you to be restored to your job again, he says. And don't let anybody ever bring up that question of the oath, because they do tell me.
He was so completely forgiven.
The King wouldn't hear of the sin ever being brought up again. I think they have a better example in shifting to the prodigal says, I'm going to say make me as an hired servant. Suppose God made it. The Father made him a higher servant. It would be a perpetual testimony to his sin and failure. The Father wouldn't have that in the Father's house. He doesn't want him there in that condition. He wants him there perfectly clear. And so the skin burned up tells us that our sins are gone. They'll never be brought into remembrance. God himself will never raise the question.
Tell us, go on to the next instant. Here we have the whole congregation of Israel sentence and the sacrifice of exactly the same as the priest. Now we always told the reason if the priest sinned or the people sinned, they were both equally. They equally brought them out of cutting off of chameleons for the whole nation. There was no no one to do in, no one to come out. And so the sacrifice is the same. But I'd like to point out here we've been connecting these awfully with the gossip.
And we noticed the find offering brings in the voluntary character that we have in John's Gospel. And the meat offering is purely the manhood of fight which consults in such a lovely way in the Gospel of Luke, the peace offering. I like to connect with the Epiphone because it's a complexity of Christian communion and enjoyment. But now we have the spin off and which gospel does that connect with? Well, let us notice what the sin is first in verse 13.
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Shift a whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance.
Notice this is national sense. It's a nation center now and what gospel do we have the national sin of Israel brought out? So clearly we can do all this chapter by chapter in Matthew, but I'm only, I'm only going to refer to 1 pass. Let's go to the 27th chapter of math. We're going to see that it's in Matthew that the national sin is committed.
And the 27th of of Matthew.
And Word 25.
Then answered all the people and said his love.
He got up and on our children. It's a whole congregation of Israel sins.
Here is the national sin of Israel. They so thoroughly rejected their Messiah that they were willing to assume the guilt of his blood upon themselves and upon their children. Now their blood did come upon them. Jerusalem was sacked there in in in the year 70 AD, and all our children will have a chance to. I believe in the great Tribulation. God hasn't forgotten me, but Israel has sinned nationally now. There is no provision in the press that's offering for national sins.
There is provision in the sin offering financial sins. So that's my reason. I don't know what other presidents may have reason for in this connection, but I believe that the Gospel of Matthew preeminently gives us the sinoff, certainly crisis forsaken there. I know he's forsaken in March, which I believe is the justice offer. You have to be taking your price and Matthew and Mark to turn off from the justice office. He's not forsaken in loop. He's the person right to the man there.
And it's not forsaken. In John, the Father is with him. He and the Father was going on together. So we see then how beautifully these offerings connect with the gospel and with the Epistles in the New Testament. Let's see, in the 15th verse of our chapter, the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the Bullock before the Lord, and the Bullock shall be killed before the Lord. In the other case, there was a priest delayed his hands. Now it's the elders of Israel, because it's a nation. It's their guilt.
And so they lay the hands upon the head of that bullet. But we know that the day coming God is going to restore Israel, He's going to bring them back. It's going to be a great day of mourning. Zechariah gives us the details, and it's all through the work of Christ that will bring them back. But here we see how God took care of his own glory and how the blood. We have the same thing here with the blood. In 1880, she'll put some of the blood upon the horns.
Of the all the which was before the Lord, that is in the Tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the brain which is at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation.
So we have these two bleeding offering. The time is passing. Let's go on now to the ruler and you'll notice the difference between the ruler and one of the common people.
It says when a ruler has sinned, verse 22 done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God. Notice the difference there? It doesn't say that was a was the common people of law of his God doesn't even say that with a priest. That's to be understood. But the ruler is in the position of responsibility. The Lord is God. Here is a man in the position of responsibility. Now he sends he's apartment to have a bad effect on a wider area than that one of the common people, since we know how that has been in the history of the Lord's people.
When the enemy gets snares and then traps to lead us, what happens? More people are damaged and defiled by that leader being carried away. Then if it was some person who wasn't known so well, all the breaks and divisions among Saints, great leaders, of course they've gone out. They've led the way until God holds leaders responsible. Also in the position to leave that they go according to his word. Now this ruler here a rule of thin against the Lord his God notice. It's an interesting thing there.
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And he he's told what to bring.
He has no choice. He brings a male without lemon.
On 2030 first he brings a male without lemon and it was a peace offering. He was the choice of a male or female, but no choice in the sin offering. God must be satisfied if we can only get hold of that, that God's way of his way. God's way is the only way. We cannot introduce any kind of an approach to God to what he gives. And so God tells the ruler the ruler might have soul. I'm, I'm wealthy. I can bring a floor like I don't need to bring Canada to go. That's the small and significant sacrifice I can bring. A bullet dog tells him what to bring.
And God tells you how to cough, he says, The Lord Jesus says, come unto me, all ye that labor and a heavy laden, and I will give you rest. What we need to know is that we're sinners, that we're lost before God. We're just thinking a few moments ago about the Duke of Kent. It makes me think of an American statesman who took pretty much the same ground, Daniel Webster, a famous artist, an American statesman of many, many years ago. He was vacationing in New Hampshire, and his niece noticed how often he went to the little place there where they preached.
A little building, a little church building. And she said to him, why is it you go so often here to hear this man, whereas in Washington where you can get that assignment, you don't seem to show any interest. Well, Daniel Webster answered his needs. Something like this, pretty much like the Duke of a Can, he said. In Washington, they tweaked to Daniel West of the Statesman. He said that this man preaches a Daniel Webster the Fed and tells him of Jesus of Nazareth. There's a difference. We need to know that we're sinners.
These men, these two men I single out, were great in the earth, great men in history. But they were willing to take their place of sinners. That's the only way they get saved. And so here's a ruler who sins, and he brings the offering. And verse 24 he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the offering before the Lord. It is a 10 offer known as a sin. Often the first offering has gone to mixed all together.
The work of Christ and whatever aspects we look at it, God rejoices in it and point points it out to us.
And then we have the burning of the fat, and there's nothing said about the body of the animal, but we know that this would be a sacrifice that the police could eat out no instructions given here. Now on verse 27 it says in any one of the common people sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord which ought not to be done and be guilty, or if it's sin which he asked them, come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering and hit of the goat.
A female without lammage for his men, which he is managed notice he can bring, a sea man says in the rule of hazard in the mail. But this man, one of the common people, God doesn't hold. This person is responsible as a as a ruler, you know, the more we have of the truth of God, the more responsible we are now. That shouldn't cause a fear. It should cause us to look to the Lord for grace, to act on every bit of the truth we know.
But the more we know, the more responsible we are. He that knew his masses well and did it not shall be beaten with many strikes. There's the principle in the word. And so we find that the Lord and the sin offering made a difference there. Here is one of the common people, not the ruler, and he can bring a different type animal that was speaking less of energy and lesser responsibility before the Lord. And in verse 29 he should lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering in the place of the first offering.
And on verse 31 he shall take away all the fat there are as the fat is taken away from all the sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall bring it upon the altar for a sweet save love of the Lord. And the priest shall make him at home to him, and it shall be forgiven him.
Notice it shall be forgiven him.
Go on an assurance, that is, can we know our sins together? In Galatians chapter one, it says that Christ gave himself for all of sin according to the will of God.
In the first chapter of Ephesians, he tells those Ephesians and only have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin. What kind of people were the Ephesians who had the forgiveness of sins? They have been rescued from idolatry. They have not only worshipped idols, but they dabbled in communication with Satan. The Book of the Book of Ice screens that out. That's why they had the big bonfire with all those forks. That's interesting because nobody told them to burn those books, but they got so filled with Christ they couldn't have God's book and the Devil's book in the same house.
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Well, there were a big bonfire. 50,000 pieces of silver, wise. It was a tremendous fire burning up all those books. Why, They have forgiveness of sins. They didn't need to try to tell the future. They know the future. Why is it people in the world get down to five and $0.10 off and buy it or wherever they can buy them. Your daily horoscope. Why do they even? I've even seen phonograph records somewhere advertised to tell the future under the stars and all those sort of things. I want my future above the stars and I doubt it in the word of God.
Seated in heavenly places in Christ, I know my future, and there isn't a believer in this room who doesn't know his future. He says with Christ and glory sin together throughout the Christ, and so we see that at this sacrifice.
The the thin off the clothing. I just want to go back to the 6th chapter for an expression there.
In the end of the 29th voice and Speaking of the well, listen all being in the 25th March think of the Aaron and to his son saying This is the law of the sinoffer. In the place where the point often was killed till the sin often be killed before the Lord, it is most holy.
Now hold our place and go back to the second chapter and verse 3.
And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his son. It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire. Now the the sin offering was not a sweet Saber offering, but it was most holy. Isn't it remarkable that the sacrifice that speaks of Christ made sin?
Sizes that it was more holy and the sacrifice that teaches Christ and manhood. The second chapter insists that it's most holy. Why don't we have that for the the offering? Why doesn't it say that for the sacrifice of peace offering?
Why is it limited to those tools? I'll tell you why. Because God wrote this book and not man. Man wouldn't have had the foresight to put that in there. That is God telling about Christ ahead of time in these pictures and the sacrifices. God carefully, even in the type he gods, the person of Christ. He was sinless in his nature. That's the second chapter. He was absolutely stimulus on the cross.
He never had sinned in him, and the only time He had sinned on him is when the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all, He that tells us in the second chapter of his first successor to Christ, before our sins in his own body on the street. But when part 4 All sins in his own body on the street, He was never more holy than at that very moment when He bore all 10 in his own body on the tree.
I like to always connect the truth of the police truth with the fact that this book is divinely inspired. I just close and tell a little story about a man I read about who he came over from the other The old country set up some business in in this country and Cross City was an honest man and well liked, but he didn't have any interest in the things of God.
He wanted to deal with the Bible.
Father died and left him. My father was a Christian. Father died. Left in the great big Bible. And he said to his wife, my dad was full of what are you giving me this thing for? I suppose it cost $10 when it was new, but I can't get much for it now. Yeah, I know what I'll do with it. When you took it down to a store and laid it on the counter, he's going to tear the pages out and wrap merchandise. When he did this for a while, 10 years call pages on his Bible wrapped up merchandise. One day a farmer came into the country to get some nutmeg.
And he saw that the page gone output on the on the scale and stopped. And he's just a moment, he says he was calling that page out of a book that practice to me that God bless his book, give me the nutmeg around me table. So he stuck them into his pocket and went on his way so the storm and he just folded it up and stuck in his pocket and that night when he was at home. So I wonder what what they find in that book maybe there's something in it.
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Tell me what it says. Here, of course holds us to page out and the whole thing is the 12Th council of Daniel Crawford. Daniel, I want to be learned that he learned that he sees that there are some who want to await the everlasting life and come to everlasting contempt. And he finds that there's some who are going to stand in their lot at the end of their days. And he says, my at the end of my day, just a grave. And the spirit of God spoke to him and he realized it was God's book.
And what we do to remember way of salvation? No, He read the scriptures and he got saved through the precious blood of Christ. What we do then? He went on vote another Bible. If any go to the morning is Eucalyptus. Put them both on the table and in his living room. The mutilated Bible and the Bible right side by side. And it always reminded him of the grace of God. And having opened his eyes in his heart by 12:00 tonight, Dear friend, this is all your unsaved right, is the only spin off that he be your fortune tonight.
So pin number 68.
Christ is the Savior of Sinner.
I thank God everybody here tonight is in trade. A second reply. Christ is a savior for me. Long hours change and send documents. Now, by His grace, I am free. And I might say like the other him. Rather, he's in the glory now, too. Yeah, they've been reunited up there. They might not have known each other on earth, but they're in the Gloria. Leave him to leave. They're scriptural. There's life and power behind these words. So maybe we've seen them in that same way.
Where He Is
Address—J. Brereton
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Like to look this afternoon at the 1St chapter of Matthew. Matthew chapter one. And we'll begin reading at verse 21. And she shall bring forth the Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
For he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying.
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son.
And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted, is God with us.
Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.
And knew her not till she had brought forth her first born Son. And he called his name Jesus. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem.
Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews, for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the King had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together.
He demanded of them where Christ should be born.
And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea. For thus it is written by the prophet.
And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, art not the least among the Princess of Judah.
For out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel.
Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise man, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search diligently for the young child.
And when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also.
When they had heard the King, they departed, and lo, the star which they saw in the East went before them.
Till it came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother.
And fell down and worshiped him.
And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts.
Gold and frankincense and myrrh.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod.
They departed into their own country another way.
I'm sure, dear young people, that this portion is well known.
Most, if not all of us here this afternoon.
The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That miraculous event.
That introduced into this world God become a man.
And the person of the Lord Jesus.
What I have particularly before me this afternoon is for us to see.
The exercises that these wise men went through.
We find that where we began reading, the Lord Jesus had been introduced.
Joseph.
Had given him that name of Jesus as he had been told when?
She had brought forth her first born son, He, that is Joseph, called his name.
Jesus and dear young people, this is a most precious truth, that the Lord Jesus has come into this world. The one who was born to save his people from their sins has come. He has come and he has gone to Calvary's cross. He has died, risen from the dead.
Gone back to glory, coming again for those who are His own, and coming back to judge this world in righteousness.
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This is true. And beloved young people, as far as you are concerned, whether you believe it or not, it is still true.
But we find in connection with these wise men, that's something happened in their lives. We find that where we begin in the second chapter, it says now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold their king, wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
Saying where is he that is born?
King of the Jews.
For we have seen his star in the East and are come.
To worship him.
There have been numbers of suggestions as to where these wise men came from.
All the word of God tells us is that they came from the East.
How God communicated to them the meaning of the star, we're not told.
How God communicated to them that that particular star.
Was a special star. We're not told either how they knew that that star signified that the King of the Jews had been born.
We don't know that either, but what we do know is that these wise men had revealed to them.
By the star, a light from heaven coming into their lives revealed to them that the Lord Jesus Christ had been born. Where is he that is born King?
Of the Jews. It started them on a journey.
These wise men started on a journey that they might one day find themselves in the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth. Here now, beloved young people, I trust that each and every one of you knows the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.
If you do.
The light from heaven, God by His Spirit, has shone into your heart and into your soul and revealed to you individually who the Lord Jesus Christ is. This is the miracle of God's grace. Why is it? Why is it that you as a child of God this afternoon?
Are not following the pursuits of many in this city.
And in this country today, all beloved young people, it's because God, by his grace.
Has shown the light of His grace into your heart and revealed to you the Lord Jesus Christ, revealed him to you as the Savior of sinners, revealed Him to you as the one who is your Savior. Now could I just take a moment to speak to any here this afternoon who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ?
As your savior, you know this star signifies to us, I believe.
Particularly in that which I have before me this afternoon that.
By the Spirit of God that reveals to us who the Lord Jesus is.
Well, we find that there may be here this afternoon those who do not know the Lord Jesus.
Who are skilled in nature's darkness. It was a scene of darkness.
That was undoubtedly night time when the star appeared, when that star revealed by God's grace that Jesus was born. Beloved young people, this is indeed a night scene. This is a Dark World in which we live. And if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are part of that darkness, part of that darkness. The fact that you.
Christian family The fact that you belong to a family that comes to meeting regularly, that you attend meetings regularly.
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Doesn't change the fact that outside of Christ you are in darkness. You're part of a Dark World that is heading on towards judgment. But if God by His grace has shown the light of His word by His Spirit into your heart and reveal the Lord Jesus Christ to you as the Savior of sinners.
Then beloved young people has it also.
Put into your heart that very earnest desire to be.
Where the Lord Jesus is to be in His presence.
Here on Earth.
We find that these wise men started out on a journey.
And again, we're not told how long this journey was. We don't know exactly where they came from for sure.
And so it is that this afternoon there are many of us here that have come long journeys not simply to get here to these meetings, but by God's grace to find ourselves today gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of us started out in some of the false systems of men. Some of us started out.
A long way away from the truth, but God by his grace.
Has put a desire into the hearts of his own to be.
In the very presence of the Lord Jesus here on earth, beloved young people, May God deepen that exercise in your heart.
To covet, to earnestly desire to know what that is to be. In His presence here we find that these young, these wise men started out now on a journey.
But they didn't have the star. They didn't have the star. And why was that? Well, I suggest to you, if you notice where we come now, to the third verse, when Herod the King.
Sorry, the first verse. Behold, there came wise man from the east.
To Jerusalem.
Now, beloved young people, what was it that brought the wise men to Jerusalem?
I suggest to you that what it was was the human reasoning.
That would suggest that the place where the king of the Jews would be found.
Would surely be at the capital city of Jerusalem. It would surely be where the existing king was reigning. If there was to be another king, surely that would logically be the place where the King of the Jews would be.
But, dearly beloved young people, we cannot, we dare not rely on human reasoning in the things of God. We cannot if we would know.
The mind of God for our pathway, it must be by the word of God.
Opened up to us by the Spirit of God.
These wise men started on their journey, but contrary to the many popular books that are sold today, the star did not bring them to Jerusalem. They lost the star. They'd seen the star in the East.
But they came to Jerusalem on their own.
And when they got to Jerusalem and inquired where the king of the Jews was?
We find that while all it did was create.
Trouble. A tumult there. Herod was troubled, says in the third verse. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled.
And all Jerusalem with him.
Dear young people, there are many of us here, a number here that know what this kind of exercise is, that is to follow the path of human reasoning.
A desire to be with the Lord Jesus is to be in His presence.
But not going to the word of God for that pathway, but instead relying on human reasoning.
And finding that the position that we're brought into very often simply causes trouble, trouble for us, very often trouble for others to perhaps disturb the state of things, as it did undoubtedly at Jerusalem.
But it had no lasting benefit. It had no lasting benefit even though there was a stirring up.
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At Jerusalem.
The wise men, wise men had up to this point.
Followed that line of reasoning which nature LED them to follow. And beloved young people, if you and I are going to follow that kind of instruction back, which we learned from our own reasoning, it is only going to lead into a false path and to trouble and difficulty.
We find in the fourth verse it says, And when he, that is Herod, had gathered all the chief priests and the scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea.
In Bethlehem of Judea. Now where did that answer come from? All beloved young people. That came from the word of God.
Nowhere else but from the Word of God. The fact that there was the chief priests and the scribes who delivered the answer changed nothing.
The answer to their question lay in the Word of God. Where is the king of the Jews in look in the Word of God.
And they said unto him, And Bethlehem of Judea. For thus it is written by the prophet, And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, art not the least among the prophets, Princess of Judah, or out of thee shall come a governor.
That shall rule my people, Israel.
These wise men now had an answer.
The answer was from the Word of God.
But we see two other classes of people here.
Inherit and its most remarkable you haven't noticed it before.
When the wise man.
Came saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews?
Herod seemingly never questioned.
That such a person had been born.
His answer, his question to the chief priests and the scribes was not, Is such a person going to be born? But his question was, he demanded of them, where Christ should be born. You find in this world today, dear young people, many, many.
Many people who will tell you yes, they believe and there was a person here called Jesus.
There was a babe born in Bethlehem's Manger. There was a person that came into this world.
But all they have in their hearts for him is hatred. They reject him entirely as God's eternal Son. They reject any thought of following Him. But they believe in the existence of such a person, that such a person was here we see this inherited Herod had a hatred for Christ.
But he didn't doubt that he had been born.
We find 2 in the chief priests and the scribes, another class of people.
We find in them those who know what the word of God says.
But have no desire.
To be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. No desire something else.
Attracts their hearts away. Something else. Perhaps they're not the Lords at all, but even such a thing can be amongst those who are the Lords. Dear young people, they belong to Christ, but no exercise as to being in His presence. Your honor, I went to visit a dear sister.
Several years ago, thousands of miles away from here.
And that dear sister, she's now home with the Lord.
And she told me that she had been a Christian for over 25 years.
And for 23 of those years.
She had never known that it was possible here on Earth.
To be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord gave her two precious years gathered to His name, meeting around Himself, enjoying His presence at the Lord's Table. And then the Lord took her home.
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Well, we find the wise men. They have an answer now, but there are the Herods.
And there are the chief priests and the scribes, beloved young people.
There may be some here that have no love for Christ at all, but can I suggest to dear young people that there may be those here who know what the word of God says?
But have very little, if any desire. Very little desire.
To be gathered to his precious name and that beloved young people, I suggest to you, is a real tragedy.
What a tragedy to think of these chief priests and scribes being able to stay down there at Jerusalem.
And say it, said Bethlehem. It's at Bethlehem.
No motion on their part at all to go to Bethlehem. You know, I'm not sure exactly, but I believe it was about.
12 miles.
From Jerusalem, Tibetan, 12 miles, but they wouldn't go 12 miles.
To be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What about the wise man? Well, we find the seventh verse. It says then Herod, when he had privately called the wise man, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
We run into this kind of people a number of times.
Who want to talk about technical questions, if I could call it that about the Lord Jesus Christ wanted ask us questions as to I'll call them technical questions.
But the heart is not touched at all. The heart is not reached, no movement.
No movement towards being with the Lord Jesus is.
We find, it says And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship Him also.
You know, beloved young people, today there are many people who are professing.
A worship for the Lord Jesus, whose hearts are no more touched than Herod's were.
No more touch than his ones, they profess to know the Lord Jesus.
Seek to worship him and there's no hard response towards him at all, just the hatred.
Of the darkness of nature.
Well, can I say to your heart and mind?
I pray to God that we might not be like these chief priests and scribes.
Who know the word of God? Who know what God has to say?
But won't take a step.
To be in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
Just a few weeks ago, my wife and I were traveling back east.
And we stopped at the gas station.
I gave a young man there at the gas station a track and another young man who was standing there spoke up right away and said are you a Christian? And I said yes to the Lords. Goodness, I am.
And he said right away, oh, what church do you go to?
So I told him, well, I said, you know, we don't belong to any church as far as this world is concerned. We're simply Christians who meet together in the name of the Lord Jesus.
He said, oh, oh, why? He said, well I belong to such and such a church, and he told me the name of the church in the town.
I guess he didn't like the answer that I had given him.
So while I was inside the service station, he started talking to my wife.
And he asked her the same question. He said, What church do you belong to?
Well my wife said, why? She said we just meet together according to Matthew 18 and verse 20. Oh, he said so do we, so do we.
And I came back just at that moment. And you know, dear young people, I don't mean this to be funny. And I trust you won't think of it that way.
But that dear young man, when he said that, my wife, I think she looked kind of astonished, and she said to what? I thought I heard you tell my husband that you belonged to such and such a church.
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And his answer was, oh, that's true, that's true. But we just meet that way for income tax purposes.
That was why for income tax purpose, he had a church and a name.
The name of Christ wasn't enough, he had set aside, even though he claimed.
To be acting according to the word of God, even though he claimed to know what the word of God said.
But in his case, for income tax purposes, they would set aside the word of God. Dear young people, can I speak to you directly now?
You belong to Christ. I'm speaking particularly this afternoon to those who know the Lord Jesus as their Savior.
Are you like these wise men?
Who earnestly desire. You'll notice perhaps a little indication of just how earnestly in a moment.
But how earnestly they desire to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here on earth, and I pray to God that that's your earnest desire to and that the Lord will keep that desire burning brightly in my own soul.
To be here in this world, until the Lord Jesus takes us home, gathered to the precious name.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, they had. Now the wise men had their answer from the Word of God. It was at Bethlehem, 12 miles away.
Tells us.
In the ninth verse, when they had heard the king, they departed.
And lo the star, Lo the star which they saw in the East.
Went before them.
Beloved young people, now we find once again we find them acting according to the word of God.
Acting upon what the word of God said, not Jerusalem.
Bethlehem.
And acting upon the authority of the Word of God, they set out, and I suppose, at least it seems to my own soul that these dear wise men started out at night time again on a 12 mile journey. They weren't going to wait one moment, but they started out for Bethlehem and there was the light from heaven, the Spirit of God, ready to point the way to lead them.
Acting in accordance with the Word of God.
To the place. To the place says when they.
Heard the king, they departed, and lo, the star which they saw in the East went before them till it came.
And stood over where the young child was.
The light from heaven, the Spirit of God.
Acting by the word of God brought them.
To where the young child was brought them to the very presence.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear young people, I pray to God I do, and I know it's the earnest desire of many here.
That if the Lord has not brought you along this journey yet, that the Lord will deepen that exercise.
That will give you.
Consider no alternative.
But to follow the wisdom of the word of God.
As revealed by the Spirit of God.
To bring you to where the young child was the star.
The star and the word.
Together brought them to Bethlehem.
But you know, dear young people, Bethlehem was a town. It was a town. And the star, it tells us, stood over where the young child was.
Have you ever looked up at the sky at night, particularly on a very starry night? Looked up at the sky and tried to decide which star was directly over your head?
It's a very difficult thing to do.
But the wise men they were brought to the very place.
The very place where the young child was.
But I would draw your attention to something else, dear young people. It tells us that the star came and stood till it came and stood over where the young child was.
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It does not say And this has been a voice to one's own soul. It does not say.
That it came and stood over the place.
It came over and stood where over where the young child.
Why? I'd like to just comment on this for a moment if you'll bear with me.
And and give you to see a little bit of one's own exercise in connection with this truth.
God has in his word marked out.
Faithfully. Clearly.
The truth of the one body of Christ, and of the responsibility and the privilege.
Of those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior to meet together.
As members of the body of Christ, God has marked out a place for us, for His people, where we can meet together, gathered by the Spirit of God.
To the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But, beloved brethren, may I say to you and to my own soul.
When we see that precious truth.
The Spirit of God, acting by the Word of God, leading us to the place.
There the Spirit of God does not occupy us with the place.
But he occupies us with the person.
They stood over where the young child was.
Just recently.
A young sister.
That I have spoken to some months ago.
I was very distressed about her.
And many months ago, she said to me, she said I don't believe.
I don't believe that the Lord Jesus.
Can only be in one place is the center to which the Lord's people are gathered.
But she said I will never, never leave the meeting.
Never leave the meeting.
Six months later at dear sister is gone gone.
Once it had become simply a meeting.
You know, in Judea there were many towns.
Many towns, and I have no doubt there were many towns that were far more beautiful than Bethany.
But the Spirit of God, that light from heaven, that star.
Directed by the Spirit of God, acting on the Word of God revealed where the young child was.
And beloved young people.
To be gathered to the place is not enough.
We must see by God's wondrous grace that the Lord Jesus.
Is there?
Where two or three are gathered together unto my name.
There am I.
There am I.
In the midst of them.
Well, may the Spirit of God make it very precious to you, dear young people, to be gathered to the names of the Lord Jesus Christ at the place that the Lord has marked out in His Word.
But above all else.
Seeing by God's grace that there.
You are in the presence.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced.
With exceeding great joy.
The star that which had been missing for so long, when they followed human reasoning, now the Spirit of God pictured to our own hearts in this star, lighting up the way by God's word for them, brought joy to their hearts. They rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Notice the next verse and when they were come into the house.
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Brought to the very, very house, and there.
The star marking it out there is the place. Come into the house. What did they see?
Why? It says when they were come into the house they saw the young child.
They saw the young child. Here was what they had started out to seek. Here was the one.
That they had started on this long journey to reach.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
And they were there in the very presence of the Lord Jesus.
Beloved young people, do you know what that means?
Do you know what it means? Tomorrow morning, many of us here, if the Lord tarries, we'll have that privilege of sitting down here in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ gathered here, because the Spirit of God, by the word of God, has brought us to see that is where He is.
And we are there because he is there, not because of the town.
Not because of the house, but because of the person the Lord Jesus is there.
When they were coming to the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down.
And worshiped him. Worshipped him all my dear young people.
We find that they had started out again on that journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Again, apparently in the night the star appeared.
Brought them there to that place and there in the presence.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There they worshiped him, worshiped him.
Or couldn't they have worshipped him back there in the land of the East? Did they have to go on this long journey?
I have heard true children of God say that I don't have to go anywhere. I can worship God in my own home.
I can worship the Lord Jesus wherever I am. The wise men could have said that too.
But they wouldn't have known the precious privilege that was theirs that day.
Falling down.
Before the Lord Jesus Christ.
And worshiping him.
In his presence. In his presence.
The order that we have here.
First of all, God reveals to us who His Son is.
Then, after all human reasoning has been set aside, and we act the authority and instruction of the Word of God, the Spirit of God brings us to the place.
Where the Lord Jesus is in the midst. Dear young people, have you come to that place?
Have you come to that place? Is the Lord Jesus important enough?
In your life.
But even though it's a Dark World.
What you desire above all else.
Is to be in the presence.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth and there in His presence.
To worship him.
Well, then you notice the latter part of the 11Th verse.
And when they had opened their treasures.
They presented unto him gifts.
Gold and frankincense and myrrh.
I believe it was mentioned yesterday in our meetings something of the.
Thought in connection with these gifts and I have no doubt that what was mentioned yesterday was true.
Pictured in these gifts.
Undoubtedly revealed.
By the Spirit of God.
As to what gifts they should give.
We have pictured before us that which would perhaps speak in the gold of the divinity of Christ.
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In the frankincense of the mystery of his person, and of the sweet fragrance of that person to the heart of God.
And perhaps in the myrrh we have that which brings before us his suffering.
Even unto death.
But it has been an exercise to one's own soul, dear young people, to see these gifts.
Presented in the context of the outline that we're following this afternoon. And for them to be an exercise to one's own soul.
We find the wise man, and Please remember the order that is brought before us. First, the revelation of who He is. Secondly, the setting aside of all human reasoning. Thirdly, the acting upon the authority of the Word of God that would give us to come and be found where He is in His presence, worshipping Him.
And then?
Then offering to him gifts.
You notice what it says and when they had opened their treasures.
They presented unto him gifts.
Gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Dear young people, you have.
Many, many things.
To offer to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Many, many things.
To present to him, to lay at his feet.
You notice again has struck one's own soul in the 11Th verse, it says, and fell down and worshipped him.
It doesn't say anything about rising again.
Fell down and worshiped him and presented to him their gifts.
Well, what has been a voice to one's own soul? And I mentioned this just as an application of this verse.
Because as I've already said, I believe the Spirit of God is bringing before us in a particular way in these gifts, that which has to do with the person of Christ.
But it has been, and I trust it will be for you too. And exercise, dear young people, as to the gifts.
That we are prepared to lay at the Lord's feet.
The first one is gold. The first one.
Beloved young people.
Are you and I prepared?
To lay all our material possessions at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
All how this searches one's own heart. You know the word of God is A2 edged sword and we can't speak from it without realizing it cuts both ways.
These ones open their treasures.
Their treasures and presented unto him gifts gold.
The reason I say this, dear young people.
There is a danger for us and I hope I can say this without offending anyone.
But there is a danger for us feeling that what we have is our own.
And what we don't need?
What is superfluous to our requirements as we interpret them? We'll give those to the Lord.
But what they presented to the Lord was their treasures.
And they laid them at his feet. Dear young people, you're starting out in life, and the Lord Jesus, if he tarries, may give you to see you yourself grow up. And if you set your heart on things in this world, they are only going to disappoint you.
But if you take all that the Lord commits to your care and lay them at his feet.
How much you'll leap in your own soul. Both here.
And for all eternity.
In the 8th chapter of Mark.
We have the account given to us of the time when the Lord Jesus said to his disciples.
How many loaves have ye?
And they said seven.
So he commanded them to have the people sit down, and he gave them from the seven loaves, and they distributed to the people.
And I believe 5000 people were saved were fed, 5000 people were fed.
And then the Lord gave back his disciples 7 baskets. For every loaf they got a basket full.
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And in the meantime, 5000 people were found.
Beloved young people made you and I, and I say it particularly to my own heart. May we be prepared to lay.
All that we have, as far as this world's goods are concerned, at the feet.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then we find the frankincense, and again this has been something that has searched one's own heart.
Beloved young people, I'm going to speak very frankly with you now this for the next few moments.
And I trust you'll bear with me.
What this word frankincense has conveyed to one's own soul in the context that we have this afternoon is that which would speak of what is particularly, particularly attractive to oneself.
That which I find a sweet savor to myself.
And am I prepared to lay that?
At the feet of the Lord Jesus to take what is a treasure.
And put it there.
Can I be more specific?
Dear young men that belong to Christ, is there some girl that you find very attractive?
Someone that appeals to you very much.
Are you prepared?
To submit her to the feet of the Lord Jesus.
To put her there, that the Lord Jesus might be the one.
To decide if she is to be for you or not.
Those of you who are young sisters here, are there things perhaps?
Some of the young men who appeal to you, are you prepared to submit that?
To the Lord Jesus and allow him to decide to lay it at his feet.
Perhaps young men and young sisters here, there are things that you find very appealing.
A job, Some position.
Will you lay that at his feet?
It's a treasure, you say. That's what they submitted to the feet of the Lord Jesus.
There, at his feet, they presented it to him.
Perhaps your heart is set upon an education. Perhaps your heart is set upon something, some education here. And you say this is very important to me.
All beloved young people, will you lay that at his feet?
And let him be the one to decide.
To present it to him as one of your treasures and leave it with him.
How it searches one's own heart to realize this. It may be family.
It may be my wife, my children, so many things that are personally so important that have such a fragrance.
For myself.
Are we prepared to lay those at the feet of the Lord? Jesus treasures to us, but give them to Him?
We find lastly of all, there was the myrrh.
I understand that this word myrrh, and again I'm giving you my own exercise in this matter, and we find this murder, this word murder connects itself.
With what? The address given in the second chapter of Revelation to the Church at Smyrna.
I understand it's the same root word.
Smyrna and Myrrh.
And we find there in the address to Smyrna. Let's look at it for just a moment in Revelation Chapter 2.
And verse 8.
And unto the Angel of the Church at Smyrna Wright. These things set the 1St and the last, which was dead, and is alive. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich. And I know the blasphemy of them, which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.
Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, and ye may be taught that you may be tried.
And ye shall have tribulation 10 days.
Be thou faithful unto death.
And I will give thee a crown of light.
The love of young people, you have another treasure.
And that treasure is your life.
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And the Lord wants that.
He wants that it's a treasure, very a valuable treasure, but the word of God says he that would keep his life from losing.
We hang on to our life as our own possession. We're going to lose it. It's going to be all burned up that the judgment seat of Christ.
But if we give it to him.
All beloved young people, if you're submitted to Him, be thou faithful unto death. Take your whole life and give it to Him.
And I say your whole life.
Beloved young people, it's a treasure.
But the Lord wants it. The Lord wants that treasure. Will you give it to him?
Commit your life to Him. He wants to use it for His glory.
If we take our life and say, well, I'm going to use my life.
For myself, and I'll give the Lord the last few years, I'll give the Lord the last few weeks, the last few moments of my life. Beloved young people, we're going to be the losers.
Would you bear with me, dear young people, if I make one other comment? I trust I have the fellowship of my older brethren when I say this to.
And I say this particularly to the young men here.
Dear young men, you belong to Christ.
The Lord claims all that you have for Himself. He wants your life.
And if the Lord.
Would lay it upon your heart.
To be of service to him, to serve the Lord.
Beloved young people, beloved young men, will you bear with me when I say this? Don't wait till you're old, men. Don't wait till you're old. Don't wait till your life is mostly used up. Don't wait until practically all the years are gone, and then give the Lord the rest. May the Lord give you and I the grace to give him from our treasures, the goal and the frankincense and the myth.
Our time is gone. I would like to just draw your attention to one other verse back there in Matthew chapter one.
I'm sorry, Matthew, Chapter 2.
And the 12Th verse.
And being warned of God.
If you read Mr. Darby's translation, you'll find that is translated being divinely instructed.
That is that. It's that really suggests the thought that they had looked to the Lord for wisdom.
And the Lord told them what to do, and what He told them to do was being divinely instructed.
In a dream that they should not return to Herod.
They departed into their own country another way. Beloved young people, may you and I leave these meetings.
Another way, not going back to the old way if we have been following the way of Herod.
If we've been finding ourselves seeking the company of those who have no love for Christ.
If we've been following the path of human reasoning, that would take us toward Jerusalem.
May God give us to see that His instruction for us through the Word by the Spirit is to return another way to follow the pathway of obedience to His precious Word.
To our own country.
Naked and Opened
Address—A.C. 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.
Will you turn with me tonight, please, to the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, Second Corinthians, chapter 4?
Verse 5.
We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.
And ourselves, your servants, for Jesus sake, for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness.
Half shined in our heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.
In the face of Jesus Christ.
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.
I tremble to read a verse like this and face the challenge of speaking from it.
For it's a verse that I know I have never taken in and comprehended. And yet you know as you read it, I know as I read it, that there's a beauty in it. There's a depth of wonder in it that none of us can fully comprehend. My bill of it's gloriously, it's wondrously true. And the soul of the apostle who wrote it will surely stirred to its depths as he wrote it.
God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness.
Do you realize, do I realize that this is the God with whom you and I have to do?
God, who commanded the light.
To shine out of darkness. Is it not a remarkable thing that the Word of God begins and ends with light and darkness being separated?
In the very beginning of the Word of God.
God looks down upon a scene that is clothed in darkness.
And with the power that was his, God said, let there be light, and there was light.
Oh, the remarkable beauty of the Word of God. Everything else in that first chapter of Genesis is spoken of as either being made, or formed or created, except light. And God, in all the triumph of his being, says.
Let there be light and there was light. You know, I really believe that the scientists would have made a great point of it.
If the word created for, formed or made had been used in connection with the existence of light.
But God says let there be, and there was that there's no room for argument. Of course the atheist will reject it, I know. But I trust I'm speaking tonight to those who look upon this book and accept it as the word of God. And it's a marvelous and a beautiful thing to see that at the very beginning of recorded history.
God said, let there be light.
And there was life, and God separated the light from the darkness. And we turn over all those intervening pages of history, and we find at the very end that there is that eternal separation of light from darkness. Did you know that? Every one of us.
Every one of us, Every boy.
Every young person, everyone in this company, everyone of Adam's race is going to spend eternity.
And endless eternity.
Either in the glorious light of God's own hope.
Or in outer darkness.
What about it, my friend?
Outer darkness. Is there anything very interesting, very attractive about that? Is there anything to be mocked at at the sound of outer darkness?
For eternity, God's Word begins with the separation of light from darkness.
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And God's Word ends with the separation of light from darkness forever.
And I say again as I look into your faces, that you and I, everyone of us.
Will spend eternity. Eternity.
In darkness.
Or in light, Thank God I know my destiny. Thank God. Although at one time.
I was on the broad Rd. that led downward downward to darkness.
And to the lake of fire I stand here tonight, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, on my way home to meet the One who loved me, who died to redeem me, who waits to welcome me to those courts of light and gladness.
God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness.
Has shine in our hearts? Well, how glad we are to read such words as these. Shine in our hearts. When the light of God shone into this heart of mine, do you know what was discovered there? God tells us what's in this heart. God tells us that as in water, face answereth to face.
So the heart of man to man.
God tells us that there is.
No difference.
For all have sinned. God tells us all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Now This to me is very solemn, my friend, For it means that although you may have been invited to come here and sit in a gospel meeting for one hour, and then return home again.
And hope that that's all there is to it. I wish to remind you that you are going to have to.
Meet God, you must and you will.
Meet God. The day is appointed and cannot be avoided when you will meet the very God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. And I wish to say that I believe that it's very kind, very loving of God's part to tell you to tell me ahead of time what the light of His eye has seen.
Your heart and mind long before that day when we stand before Him. Oh, what a tragedy to stand in that day, and to discover for the first time that a record has been kept of our lives. You and I ought to know it already by the language of the Word of God. I say that there is.
In God's keeping, an unabridged record of every human life.
That's a solemn thing to think about. I remember one time I was standing in the Supreme Court up in Canada.
I was called upon to testify in connection with an accident case.
And the man whose veracity was being investigated was standing there, and the judge was listening to what he was saying, was listening to those who were testifying. And once in a while the judge would pick up his pen and write something down in a book. And I was standing beside him, and I glanced over and saw that he had there a blank.
Book.
And in it, I suppose he was writing down his judgment of this case that was being considered.
Writing down what he felt to be truth.
Not error in connection with the witnesses who were testifying. And as I glanced over and saw those blank pages, I thought, what need would there be of any investigation of any trial if the whole truth of the matter were written out for that judge's eye to read? Now, friend, do you realize, do I realize that God has seen?
God has heard and God has recorded.
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Every event in your life, everything you have ever said, everything I have ever done.
Every thought we have ever entertained, he's known it, He has recorded it, He has looked at that record and has told us in all faithfulness all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. You must meet, and you will meet.
The God who knows all about you.
How wondrous is the message God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our heart? What for?
To give the light of a knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
This verse has been particularly precious to me since an event over 20 years ago when I was preaching the Gospel in Dixon Village, Saint Vincent.
The door by which folks enter and leave is just off to your left hand side as you're standing preaching the gospel.
The gospel meeting there is extremely informal. There seems to be a great deal of coming and going.
There are no windows to keep out of what's going on outside, and there are always folks there looking in the windows and you don't find yourself greatly disturbed by the activities going on. And there were two young men came in during the course of the meeting and went away to the back and sat down. Before the meeting was over they both arose and came up and one of them turned and went out the door. I thought the other one was going to do the same, but he didn't.
It doesn't happen very often, but the second one, Fred.
He walked right up to the front, he knelt down, he bowed his head, and the tears began to flow. Fred came from about the wickedest home in that wicked village.
And before long, Fred rose from his knees, turned around, and before all presents.
Brightly, gladly, thankfully confess the Lord Jesus Christ as His Savior, and thank God for the cleansing power of the precious blood of Christ. While we were glad to hear such a confession as that, when the meeting was over, we rejoiced together. There was another meeting the next night, and Fred wasn't there, I felt.
Disappointed I had expected to see him, I looked in vain.
But you know when the meeting was all over and justice about the last one had gone, I saw someone come running down the Village Rd. It was Fred, he said. Brother, I like the sound of that from Fred, he said Brother. I had to work tonight. I'm sorry, and I couldn't get away, but I just had a moment and I had to run down the road to tell you what I discovered today.
And I said, what is it, Fred?
He said, oh brother, look at this. And he opened his Bible to 2nd Corinthians 4. Brother, 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.
Forever, isn't that beautifully said? And he turned and ran back to work. This verse has been precious to me from that day to this. I know I can't grasp the wonder of it. I know I don't see the fullness of it. But all, beloved friend, as I look at you this night.
And I think of the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. I wonder if you've ever seen it for yourself?
Have you ever seen the Savior?
God's beloved Son.
Who in love to you and in love to me?
Left that wondrous home in the glory. Came to this world knowing what would befall him here. Yes, he did. He knew when he left that home what would befall him here. We read in the 9th chapter of Luke's gospel that he set his face steadfastly.
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Steadfastly to go to Jerusalem, that face where, in the light of the glory of God, was displayed in a moral way.
Who are set as a Flint to go to Jerusalem.
That's where he was going to face the trial, the mockery, discouraging. That's where he was going to be rejected and condemned. From that city. He was going to be LED forth to be crucified, and he knew it. Why then, did he set his face so steadfastly to go to Jerusalem?
The will of the Father who had sent him, and immeasurable love.
To you and to me. Have you ever thanked him for that? When did you last thank him, my friend?
For such love to you, when did you last thank Him for the precious blood that flowed from his pierced side, by which I trust your many sins have been eternally blotted out.
Will you permit me, please, for the benefit of the boys and girls who are here?
To repeat a story that I heard from my Sunday School teacher over 50 years ago. Her name was Miss Ogilvy and I hope I may trust my memory to pass on to you this story she told us. And I'm afraid I asked her to repeat the story more than once in class. She told us I'm a man and his servant.
Who were traveling by sled and a team of forces.
In a northern country, Siberia, Ivy League through the dark woods on a winter night.
And they were approaching the safety of their homes when they heard behind them along the trail. That which is enough to make anyone cringe, the sound of howling wolves. I believe there are two brothers here who spent a winter or two with me who remember what the sound of howling wolves is like, even when you hear it from the shelter of your own.
Resting place.
Well, they knew what this meant, and they looked back down the trail and they saw a tremendous pack of wolves coming after them, and the wolves could run faster than the team of forces. And presently those wolves were so near that they realized they were not going to make the safety of their home. The one man pulled off his jacket and threw it out.
This delayed them, just for a few brief moments.
Presently they were on them again. The 2nd man pulled off his jacket and threw it out. They leaped on the jacket and tore it to shreds, but it didn't delay them very long. Presently they were up again.
And a servant looked ahead and saw the safety of the house, but knew they couldn't make it.
He turned to his master.
Wave goodbye and jumped out.
The master made it safely.
But he didn't sleep very well that night. The next morning, in daylight, he went back to the spot it wasn't hard to find. And on that spot he erected a little monument. Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friend.
I never forgot that story, and I know what it was intended to speak of. As Miss Ogilvy told it to us, there was a servant who had sufficient love to his kind master that he would sacrifice his life in order that his master's life might be spared. What would you think of that master if he went home and went to sleep and paid no more heed to the memory of the One?
Who had given his life that he might be spared? You'd think him a hard, hard man for sure, would you not?
Would you not?
My beloved friend, the God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, looked at the record of my sinful life there. It was before his eyes all the stains of sin recorded there, and he looked at his own beloved son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He looked at me guilty. That's only part of the story.
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Guilty.
Enmity, rebellion, all this was in that part of mine and in the heart of every man of Adam's race. For the heart of the natural man is enmity against God is one thing to be guilty, but it's another thing to be an enemy that I was both and God, I say, looked at that record.
Looked at that rebellious heart. Looked at his own beloved son.
And made a choice. Oh, may I say it with all reference. He chose to send his beloved son.
To display the heart of love before the eyes of man. He chose to send His beloved son to take my place, to bear my sins, to suffer for my guilt, to shed His blood for my redemption.
What would you think of Maine if I never thanked him? What would you think of me if I turned my back on him? Do you think he would still love me?
That's just what I did.
In spite of hearing all that.
And hearing it from the lips of those who knew the truth of it and displayed the beauty of it before my very eyes. So great was the rebellion of this heart of mine that I never even got down on my knees to thank Him. But all, my friend, I tell you, I thank God tonight as I stand here for the day that did come.
When these knees of mine were bowed, this heart of mine was opened to receive God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as my Savior. And I know this night, on the authority of God's precious living Word, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us.
Do you belong in that verse? Isn't it grand? Isn't it wonderful to be able to lay your hand upon your heart and say yes?
I belong also in that wonderful verse. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanse us.
US. Oh, if we could just all rise as one and say yes.
US, would you also be able to rise? Would you say yes, thank God, my sins also have been blotted out by the precious blood of Christ? Or would you have to remain where you are and say it's not yet true of me, not yet true of me?
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 a faith of Jesus Christ. Now, as the Lord, Jesus went forth among men, displaying God's wondrous, matchless heart of love before those among whom He moved.
What do we find? We find that they didn't want him.
We find that they would not receive him. We find that they turn their backs upon him. They picked up stones to cast at him, so that he, the Son of God, had to hide himself. We see them lead him to the brow of the hill where on their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong, for from his face there had Shawn that which revealed.
Presence among them, and they didn't want it.
They didn't appreciate the sight of it, my friend. Suppose we turn to Matthew's Gospel.
And see there the enmity of the heart of man toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew chapter 26.
Verse 67.
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Don't you find it hard?
Hard even to read this first aloud.
Then.
Did they spit?
In his face.
Then did they spit?
And his face.
The face wherein their heads shone forth. The light of God's glory among men.
That flaccid 1.
Who wept over Jerusalem?
God blessed one, from whose lives there float tears at the grave of Lazarus.
And blessed one who hath picked up little children, put his hands upon them, and blessed them, didn't they look up in his face? I'm sure they did. Did they feel at home there in the arms of the Lord Jesus? I'm sure they did. That face upon which the blind man looked, for his eyes were open.
He followed Jesus, now he comes to the end of his earthly journey.
And so great is the hatred of the natural heart, that they look into the face where in their shore the light of the glory of God.
And they spit in his face, so I'm not just simply reading of something that happened a long time ago.
I'm reading the revelation of the human heart, my heart. For we are again reminded that as in water, faith answereth to faith, so the heart of man to man. And I cannot point my finger back over the century and exclaim in horror at those who did such a thing. I must simply lay my hand upon my heart and say.
No difference, No difference. Oh, I thank God that by his matchless grace.
The light has shrunk into this part of mine, and now I sing in the face of Jesus a beauty that has captivated my poor soul. I see in him my Savior, the one who went to the cross of Calvary to redeem me.
Do you know if we were to turn over to Mark's gospel, we'd see yet another terrible shame peeped upon the Lord Jesus?
Mark's Gospel, chapter 14.
Verse 65.
And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, into buffet him, and to say unto him prophesying. And the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.
Here is the very one who had revealed God's loving heart in Word and deed. Here is the very One from whose countenance there was displayed before men the light of the glory of God, and he stands there.
While they blindfold him.
And slapped him in the face and mocked him with the question, Who is he that buffeted thee? Did he know? Could he identify the guilty man, though blindfolded? You know very well he could, but there's no mention made as to who it was. These names are hidden, beloved. The name of him who pierced the side of Jesus is unknown.
I wonder.
Are we going to meet some of these in the glory?
I wouldn't be surprised. Such is the heart of God, such is the love of Christ, that he could say, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. And so he looks at you this evening, he looks at the boys, at the girls, at the young people, at those who are older, and he says.
Whosoever he stretches out his loving arms.
He looks with heaven and love upon each and everyone of you, beloved, with a personal knowledge of you and a personal individual love towards you, and begs of you to receive from Him that which He delights to offer. I wish to make this as plain as I can.
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For sometimes I hear presented a messages so God we're requesting of us that we surrender ourselves to him.
Surrender our life to Him. Give him our heart.
I know what's meant by these terms, but is this what we read in God's Word? Let us slowly consider the beauty of John 316 for God.
Song left the world that he gave.
His only begotten Son.
That whosoever for God.
All of the world that he gave his only begotten Son.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Now who is it in that verse that does the loving?
And the giving.
God and God alone. For God so loved the world that he gave. And what did he give?
His only begotten son, that God fart, God loves.
And in what condition were you and I when he loved us? That verse is not found in Genesis at the beginning of man's history. That verse is found after 4000 years of men guilty and rebellious history. The Lord Jesus stands among men. The heart of man has been revealed apart from the crucifixion as yet, and we read for God.
So loved the world that he gave.
He gave His only begotten Son. We divide the verse there, and then we come to the latter half, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. What is God requiring from you? What is He asking you to surrender or to give to Him? He does the giving, beloved. He did the loving. He did the giving He.
The offerings He doesn't fleeting and I you as needy, lost and guilty dinners are called upon because of our need to receive from His outstretched arms that wondrous gift of eternal pardon, The wondrous gift of eternal life.
And the assurance?
That you and I who trust in him, you and I who accept Him as our Savior, shall never perish.
Or how marvelous, how simple, and how precious is the language of the gospel, of the greatest gospel, the God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, having shined in our hearts.
A sign in our heart.
The light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the faith of Jesus Christ. That light has been here among men. That light has been hated, has been rejected. They spit in the very face that displayed it. They buffeted, they blindfolded the very eye that shone upon men with such infinite love.
My friend, this is not the end of the story.
Truly crucified Him.
Through he bowed his head in death.
Through his dead body was taken from the cross and laid there in the silence of the tomb. But that is not the end of the story. God raised him from the dead, the Savior who had been sent by a God of light and love. And it is poor Dark World is risen from among the dead. He's up there at God's right hand in the glory.
And this is a solemn thing, or a very wonderful thing.
You are going to meet him. I am going to meet him. You are going to see his face.
I am going to see his face.
How does that sound to you? I'm going to see his face. You're going to see his face. Is that a joy or is that a?
00:35:01
A prospect of dread. I assure you, my friend, there is absolutely no way of avoiding this appointment. I have no desire to avoid it. I'm looking forward to it, together with most who are gathered here in this room this evening. We're going to see it last, the face of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Oh, what a prospect. Turn, please, to Revelation.
Sometimes when we come to these truths of such import, we find they're brought to our attention in so few words.
So simple and so precise. Revelation 22.
And verse 4.
And they shall see.
Phase Three.
They shall see his face. Don't you love to read those words? No, I admit to a great deal of interest.
In waiting around at an airport sometime.
Sometimes we're delayed of necessity, but it's always very interesting to me.
To watch the departures and the arrivals, particularly the gladness of the arrival. There's so much sweeter than the sadness of departure. And I'll see folks there that perhaps have been waiting for quite a while.
The door of the plane will open and you'll see the tip toe of expectation while I watch the passengers as they come out the door. I don't know who these folks are, but I like to watch the faces of those who are awaiting their loved ones. And I look into a face that's so anxious and you can tell. You can tell. All of a sudden there's a gladness of recognition.
The frantic waving, Oh, I see the joy. And then perhaps too long separated.
Are in one anothers arms even though I'm standing at a distance. I almost feel an intruder on such a scene, but as I look upon it I realize.
But I'm going to be welcome home. Personally, individually. Am I wrong to say that I don't believe so?
You know, having been absent from home a good deal and for a rather long period of time, I can well recall the eagerness of those last few miles as I approached home. And I want to tell you something.
I've never yet just walked in the front door and said hello family.
It's true, I love my family, but I have an individual personal love for each one in that family and an individual personal welcome for each one as we are reunited.
They love it, it's true. I'm going to see the face of him who loved me would allow stronger than death.
You know he's going to be glad to see me.
He's going to welcome me home, He's going to look into my face and I'm going to look into his and we're going to rejoice together forever. That's what I'm looking forward to. That's what many another here is looking forward to. We're going to look into the face of him who loved us with a lot stronger than death. We've gotten down on our knees again and again to thank him here. We've lifted up our.
Songs of gladness and praise to thank him here. But do you know, dear brother? Do you know dear sister?
Before long you're going to be able to look into His face and thank Him personally for loving you, for dying for you. Isn't that worth waiting for? And I'm sure we don't have long to wait. They shall see His face and never need to lose sight of it again. Never. Oh what an eternity. Awake those who are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
I look around and that's what is going on in his poor world today and my heart is saddened.
By the frantic search for something that can temporarily give a little thrill, a little kick, or whatever it is they might call it. And if they don't get what they want, you see what happens. But here we meet by the grace of God, with the Word of God and before us, and we know the cleansing value of the precious blood of Christ. We know the authority of the living Word of God.
00:40:09
Our sins are gone forever, washed away by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We know we're on our way to see the one who loved us and died for us.
But we know also.
At the Unbeliever, we'll see his face.
That's a solemn thing, do you know? Even as the judgments begin, before they reach their severity, long before we find that there are those who, in Revelation Chapter 6, let it be known, the fear of their Revelation 6.
Verse 15.
And will you please notice this list and the kings of the Earth?
And the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondsman and every freeman, you're included in that list.
If you don't know the Lord as your Savior, you know very well in reading this list you were found among those enumerated here. What happened? Hit themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of Him.
That sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the land.
Today when you speak to folks about the Lord Jesus. Today when you offer a tract here and there.
You find such ridicule, such mockery, such bravado, they will tell you in mockery, you know what I'm going to say in that day. I wouldn't dare repeat what they suggest they're going to say in that day when, as we tell them, they're going to stand before golf. Oh, the mockery, the bravado, the blasphemy of that which we have heard from the lips of the rejectors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But when the time comes, and here it has not yet come, the judgments are beginning to fall. They realize who is responsible and they try to hide themselves and literally call on the rocks and mountains to fall upon them and cover them and hide them from one, from the face of him.
That's citizens upon the throne.
Beloved friends, I tell you everyone, you're going to see His face in a coming day either the face of Him who with joy will welcome you home as one received by His precious blood for the faith of Him.
Who is responsible for the glory of God to fast judgments on every rejector of the offered pardon?
For I wish to make it plain tonight that if you leave this place without knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are refusing the Lord Jesus through and you are refusing the pardon which God offers at the cost of the life blood of His own Son.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Or let us be very, very plain about this.
I admit that sometimes when the gospel is over.
I feel so burdened.
Lest in the challenge of looking into your faces, I have not made the gospel plain and simple and clear.
I want to just speak now as plainly as I possibly can.
When the Lord Jesus hung upon the cross of Calvary, after having revealed a Father's heart of love, after having displayed before men that which was His delight.
The sun at 12:00 noon refused to shine upon that scene.
There was darkness over the whole land from 12:00 noon as we reconcile until 3:00 in the afternoon. And during those three hours, God took all those sins of mine.
00:45:12
All of them. I could not recall them, I could not confess them, but God, who knew them, laid them on him.
The guilt.
The pain, the shame of those sins lay upon God's Son.
Who knew no sin?
Made sense for me, and the strokes of the judgment of God that ought to have fallen upon me and upon you.
Fell upon that beloved one, the thin Bearer, upon the cross of Calvary.
Stroke after stroke of divine judgment that ought to have fallen upon me fell instead upon that substitute, Jesus, my Savior, my substitute.
It cannot be measured. It cannot be fathomed. All I know is that in three hours, as we reconcile the wrath of God, I deserve for eternity.
Was compressed and poured out upon Jesus my Savior. Nor I alone. All the redeemed can unite to stay the same. But when those three hours were ended, the Lord Jesus cried in glorious triumph.
Hear the words of five. It is finished. The last stroke of judgment had fallen upon him.
It is finished.
He bowed his head. He yielded up his life.
A soldier with a spear pierced his side and death and forthwith says God's word close their house, blood and water. He who sought fair record, his record is true. He who sought penned these words by inspiration. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleansed us from all sins.
Where are my sins? They're gone, They're blotted out. They're washed, they're cleanse, they're remembered no more. Is it any wonder that I long for the moment when I'll see his face and thank him for that mighty work of redemption? Now could we turn, please, to Revelation chapter?
20.
And verse 11.
And I saw a great white throne, and him had sat on it. From whose face?
From whose faith the earth and the heavens fled away, and it was found no place for them.
The earth has fled away.
The throne with Jesus upon him.
Is there before his faith the earth and the heavens?
Fled away and it was found no place for them, and I saw the dead, small and great.
Sand before gone.
That they're still called death, even though they're standing here before God.
Isn't this remarkable? They've been brought forth, they stand there, but God's word declares them dead.
Stand before God. And the books were opened, and another book was opened, which was called the Book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their words. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life?
Was cast into place, repeated cast into the Lake of fire.
There are those who would dare to claim and use this book to substantiate their claims. There's no such thing as hell, no such thing as eternal punishment, and they'll use this book to supposedly prove their point. You know very well, my friend, from what we have read tonight.
00:50:17
That although the light of the glory of God shone in the face of Jesus Christ. That although that faith and the light that shone from it was so rejected and so hated that they literally spit in his face.
And God saw them doing it.
That God offers pardon, a full, free, complete, eternal pardon to whosoever will. But God solemnly, solemnly warns that every eye shall see him. That in this coming awful movement, beloved friends.
The moment of the threshold of a lost eternity.
Every rejector of the Lord Jesus Christ will stand, each in his herd and look into the face of him who sits upon that throne, each in his turn.
Haste about it.
Time has nothing to do with it.
One by one, in turn, they look into the face of Jesus Christ.
For a son, a Christian parents.
To look into that faith, but a flood of memories.
That's the one that Mother told me about.
That's the one that fathers spoke about.
Sitting on that throne, the face of Jesus.
The judge but the open books before him.
They allowed the word of God says it so plainly that I don't believe that I'm dramatizing to tell you this.
That if you slip into eternity without knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you'll remember when this moment comes what you heard tonight.
The look into the face of Jesus Christ and to carry with you.
For eternity, endless eternity in outer darkness.
The last memory.
A memory of the faith of Jesus Christ, the last faith, and then outer darkness, whatever.
The last voice, the voice of Jesus Christ, and then.
Outer darkness, weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth, forever and ever. Is it any wonder that these gospel meetings are times of deep solemnity? For I look this night into the faces of boys and girls and young people who have heard the Gospel over and over again.
You knew before ever you came to this meeting tonight that God so loved the world.
That he gave his only begotten Son. You knew that Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus. You knew that they spit in his face. You knew too, that He was coming again.
A friend is. It's a personal message for you.
And right now, at the close of this meeting, I wish to remind you solemnly that you stand and I stand in either one or the other of two conditions in the sight of God.
Others may not know the truth of your condition. You may have deceived your parents, you may have deceived others. But I ask you solemnly to answer this question. Do you stand this night cleanse, forgiven, and on the road homeward to the glory? Or do you stand this night lost and guilty, but on the broad Rd. that leads down to that awful destiny of which we have been speaking?
I've spoken tonight upon the authority of this book, the Word of God.
And I know that I'll have to give an account for it. But I remind you too, my friend, that you will give an account of your answers to the pleading love of God displayed by Jesus Christ here for God, soul of the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. That's God's side of it, and now your side.
00:55:08
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish.
But have everlasting.
Formation of Church in Paul's Epistles
Address—P.L. Johnson
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.
The Season 3.
In verse one for this call I call the printer of Jesus Christ that you Gentiles, if you have heard of the dispensation the greatest job that you've given me humor.
How did my revelation He made known unto me the mystery? And I wrote forward to her about what you read. You may understand my knowledge, and this is my future ages was not laid no one under the sons of men, as it is now revealed under your holy apostles of Parkinson's period.
That the good dog could be below errors in the same body, had to take it to his promising time by the Gospel For all I would make a minister according to the gift of the rape of God-given unto me by your sexual working of His power underneath, who had left in the least of all things which they given.
And I could speak among the 10,000 Church Elizabeth class.
And let all men see but in the fellowship of ministry.
But from the beginning of the world as beginning God, he created all the things by Jesus Christ to the intent that now under the principality, power and heavenly place, it might be known through about the church, the manifolds with the McDonald's.
Man is walking home.
Philadelphia caster wound.
Verse 24.
Who now regarding my husband for you and Philip Sabbath behind the reflections of Christ in my flesh and body faith, which is the church where all I am living 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 informated in generations and now the great manifest.
To this thing.
I believe the birth is not so much to go into what you have here in the season is blocking the through witnesses, the subject and the visible effects that we do have in the Ministry of Service to be comfortable fall.
The acidity of the assembly here in this world, in a practical way. Now perhaps I'll tell you why I have an exercise to pick this up. I found I did think it's a rather academic subject, but it didn't really.
I think that.
The position that we seek to occupy, the testimony that we seek to bear in these days of the Lord Jesus.
With the demand that we have some understanding.
Of how the church has been formed, not only formed spiritually by the descent of the Holy Spirit with their Pentagon to also form in a practical way about the ministry of the apostle Paul for there is so much confusion that the enemy brings in taking to.
While the testimony of the law in general, we will find in the Word of God that not only is it God's fault that the dollar should go out for the salvation of precious food.
Let me have it down South for Chapter 11.
One of the results of the desert Christ was that he should gather together in one the children of God and standard girl and in the 5th chapter of John when he speaks about the sheep and we like to put that version of I am the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd give his tears life.
For the heat, so he doesn't stop there. He goes on to speak without other people that I have, but you're not a disclosure. They're behind us also breathe and there will be one flop and 17. If we had to go in heart, not only the giving of his life for the sheep that we might be praying, but that there might be farms here on earth. Applause gathered around the one second. We never want to forget that in the present.
The testimony of the assembly is the testimony of the law at the present time, just like in the Old Testament, you know, supposed from the Israelites had said, well, I'm going to bear testimony to the law.
I believe that the important thing is to maintain the truth of the 10 commandments in the law that I don't care anything about the truth of the catalano the offering and all of that to God set up there in regard to his work is conservative I'm just going to confine myself and depends on them well he would not have been in accord with the testimony of God that he would have lived and.
00:05:23
Testimony for the testimony of God in the Old Testament was not only the law, the 10 commandments, but it included the whole order that God set up in regards to His word of conservative connection with the Tabernacle, later transferred to the temple.
And so much and so great that the importance of it that we find that Moses in the mid writings in society, how that they were deceived that they were to bring their offerings to that place with with the Lord refused to place his name.
And tell you why you're all over the old instrument. The testimony of God in that day was associated with the nation of Israel and not only the law given to them, but the the very times that they had been constituted the people of God with a certain order of things given to them. So today's question only of the Lord.
Is I say now look at the gospel, include the gospel, but it is a testimony that God has set up in this world, in this world, in the God.
To the Church of the Lord. E the Church of God is called in the economy.
And so I headed to my heart to see that which is has been set up in this world as the testimony of the Lord. And as I say, we need to have some understanding of this because the effort of the enemy is to obscure and to confuse it. And it's getting increasingly focused. I don't know whether or not you have much contact with them around here.
But as I travel around the country, I find that there is a.
A growing.
Movement in regard to the, the speaking in tongues and a return to some of these, these more sensational things that were found in the early chapters of Lives and so forth. And there is a part of a thought of going back to the meeting office or something like that. And there's a lot of issues in regard to it.
So I think we need to see.
When did assembly was established in a spiritual way? But also an important of the subject is this that we see that the assembly was established through the ministry of the Apostle Paul. And what do I mean by that? I mean that we cannot.
Bypass or we cannot ignore the Ministry of Fall in regard to what the tribute is testimony and it's harder and it functions.
Constitution, whatever it is in regards to the Church.
The founding the ministry of the Apostle Paul.
And it didn't want to occur with the authenticator.
In other words, there was a period of time in there in which the Church of here on earth, but it had not been properly formed in a practical way. Now, maybe I need to explain what I'm saying about this. You remember there's a sort of an analogy.
Between this and the history and the experience of Israel, the big establishment of the people of God, you remember the the nation was redeemed out of Egypt.
Motivated across the leader, now, through the Red Sea and into the wilderness.
And it was only after they were in the world of it.
That God be the law and the order of the Tabernacle, so forth to mountain Automotive to deliver the people.
It was only after they had been brought through the Red Sea and out in the wilderness that God actually took up all of the light and directions that was the government them as their people. Now in a similar way, I believe the the church was armed by the Spirit of God and their typical, but there's a little period of time there. The early chapters of ice.
That the Church existed without having the light and directions from God. That the government and that would give it its full standing before himself.
In testimony here in this world. And so we have to.
00:10:04
Date the the beginning of the church as far as it's being formed in a practical way with the calling and ministry of the apostle Paul. Now that's why I read in the seasons and causes what he said that he was given to him specifically to let known the truth of the Mystics and he kept his place in philosophy by Morocco poured out a remarkable statement in making verse 25.
Because where else I have made a minister referring to the word church at the end of verse 24.
According to the dispensation of God.
Which is given to me for you.
The distance nation is gone, which is given to me for you to fulfill our complete the word of God. I don't know whether you got the thought about that taking the dead. She was given the pause to complete the word of God. That means that until Paul was called of God converted the call of God and given the revelation.
The Word of God, that was the dozen, the Saints, the people of God in this presentation had not yet been completed or fulfilled. It's in the ministry of the apostle Paul that we have the completing or the fulfilling of God's Word for his people in his present dispensation. And it doesn't mean that Paul was the last writer of sisters. We know, of course, that there are those who look later.
You and John they will later, but neither Jews are. John gives us the principles of the church that governs the present dissertation or order that God is set up as his testimony in his present world and the ministry of the apostle Paul that gives us the completing of the fulfillment of the word of God as to his revelation that discovered the faith as farming the Church of the assembly.
In this world, not Peter, not John, not Jew or Mark or any of the writers, Luke, any other language, the New Testament, it is given to the apostle Paul and give it to him the complete or fulfilled the word of God. Now what is the importance of this?
I believe the importance of it is that we cannot go back to the early captive device.
And they cannot, as it were, go back to those chapters for a guide as to the arbit of the Church of Assembly, we go back to the ministry of the Apostle Paul.
Now there's your body through the Book of Life, chapter 2. So I would like to just pray in the Book of Life the way the church is established and bond.
I want to call the bird. First of all, we take it up here and ask the first thing to catch the quest.
If all by word of spirit, are we all baptized into one body?
Well, that one spirit or the old baptized can be one body, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
That it forms the body of class here in this world, home of their Pentagon.
And I remind everyone in the room whenever you hear anyone speak of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they do not associate.
Well identified it with the quality of the church is gone and the death of God they're inherited. The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not refer to any individual experience.
And you can take it to the courses for yourself and face it out. And you will find that every time. The Vatican of the Holy Spirit.
Is found in The Magician. It refers to what took place on the dead kindergarten.
Our magic is an extension of it in Acts 10 in connected with the Gentiles as we proceed.
But the baptism of the Holy Spirit never refers to an individual experience. For by 1 Spirit where we all baptize.
Where we all baptized into one body, and I think there you can see in the Book of Adam, if that occurs on the day of Pentecost recorded in the second chapter of the book of Isaac. Now what we have spoken up in regard to the Holy Spirit.
00:15:17
As to our personal experience, if you want to use it that way, regarding the Holy Spirit, it is that we're healed with the Holy Spirit. Now that's the truth individually with the field of Spirit of God ages 113. But after that you heard the word of truth, the domestic of your salvation. You were sealed with a Holy Spirit thumb.
Now the Holy Spirit coming and into the heart of every believer, when you believe the gospel is flipping out of the ceiling of the Spirit and the acknowledging of the Spirit.
The arrogance of the city, but that is never referred to as the scientism of the Holy Spirit.
It never referred to as the fascism of the Holy Spirit.
13 and 12 is referring to is in the fear that's long on the death Pentagon and when one believes the gospel and receives the Spirit of God, he he has heart, then in that body with response about the baptism of the Holy Spirit in their Pentagon.
He becomes a father as a believer in class, in love with school. But the baptism of the Spirit notices in the chapter 2. I'm just going to read the first of two that will have it taking place historically, verse one. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one employee in one place. And suddenly there came a sound in heaven as a rushing mighty wind.
And it filled all the houses in closing thumb like to the five and it's not believed in them. And they were all sitting with the Holy Ghost and the Holy school. They were all still with the Holy Spirit.
Now turn back to the first cast.
First of all, these are the words of in regards to this is in regards to the Lord Jesus being with his disciples after his resurrection and being assembled together with them cemented them that they should not depart from Jerusalem.
But wait for the promise of fire which there is. You have heard of me, but down through a baptized of water. But you should be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days, if you notice. There he said he shall be better with a Holy Ghost.
So this shows that the baptism of the Holy Spirit with future, it had not yet occurred. And he said it's going to occur. You're going to be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days from now.
Now the word creditor.
In chapter 2 and verse one.
The day of Pentagon was 50 days after the resurrection of Lord Jesus.
Disney and in chapter one and verse three we read that he was seeing of them in the middle of the verse 40 days.
And it was at the end of those 40 days that he said he should be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Not many days contented because he would only be 10 days living.
You can see from this that the Lord needs.
In Speaking of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he is referring to what is going to take place just 10 days later on the day 7 results.
Advantage of the Holy Spirit is definitely connected here with what took place on the death metal from the Holy Spirit came down from heaven. You see, when we received the Spirit of God and believing the God, it's not a fair guy for him to the spirit of God from heaven.
The Lord Jesus believes here in his ministry, especially to have a John God look at the 14 and it's at the 16 he speaks about his going back to heaven and if when he goes back to heaven that another comforter will be sent. He says in fact the 14 that that's the.
Something we can't of the father and his name. They later only said I was in.
Now that's the Holy Spirit being sent from heaven coming down into this world, which takes place on the damn Pentecost. And that is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit because it's formed into one body, the believers on the Lord Jesus Christ who were there at that time. So that when you and I receive the Spirit, when we believe the gospel, it wasn't the first outpouring of the spiritual heaven.
00:20:21
It was not a bad reason of the Holy Spirit, but we individually defend the Spirit as the people, as the earth, as the anointing result and the color of their own who who makes much of the passes in the spirit of being and and individual experience and of course connected with it is speaking in tongues.
Well, now we want to do it from the day of Pentecost. The Speaking of tongues is associated with it.
They expected other times we revision as the Spirit gave them utterance, but they're speaking in tongues of course.
Long as a son to that unbelieving nature of Israel. So here they have any thoughts. You know there was you gathered.
From the dispersion there were those that came all the way from the world. Here at the Durbin at this time he left the pinnacle. There were viewers gathered from many nations where they had been scattered in God's judgment. And God would give a witness and a testimony to those of you that this little company of 120 disciples of the Lord Jesus were those who were to receive the gift of a spirit from God.
And the neighbors was the outside of England and so the times were given in order to to set forth the fact that this company has received a powerful dog, the spirit of God, which the nation did not get and that's what people said in the second chapter last when he gets up and and preaches to that great Lord to do.
You remember when they heard them speaking with these tongues?
It would be a man, for instance, from from Arabia, one from Frazier, one from Parcio, one from Eel. These different countries and whatever country they came from, they serve someone speaking the wonderful works of God in their own time.
They were not just gathering, you know, they were not just saying unintelligible things. These believers, ******** and the spirit without pulling the spirit for my hide, were actually speaking the language that all these Jews knew from the countries in which they've been standing. And they were here and in their own language, the wonderful works of God. God gave this time of Son in order to show that those of you who have.
No idea. We're outside of the blessing of God and God blessing was found now among that little company of 120.
As I say, that's what Peter explained to. He tells them an answer to their query. What is the meaning of this? Are these been drunk? They did well, Peter Santos says no, they're not drunk. He's quite happening here.
Is there had been an outpouring of the Spirit of God according to the prophecy of Dole and he quote from Gerald property, which is Jews were familiar with because Joe and Congress died that I was pull out of my computer for all plants.
Your hyphen side of God pouring out from heaven the gift of His Spirit.
And Peter says now what has happened is this. The Spirit of God has been poured out now, but not only Jews, that is majestical Lord Jesus.
It's been, for example, those of us who have believed on the Lord peace.
And we are the people of God now. And then, of course, finally they say when they were sick in their heart they say, men and brethren, what can reduce? And he tells them what they could do. They would repent of having rejected the Lord Jesus. They were to take their stand with the Lord Jesus. If that's it. And they would be, they then would receive the gift of the Spirit like this, like this company.
So there's a reason for the town is being found here, you see, there's a reason for the government and there is no reason to repeat this as far as abuse is concerned here.
There was this time. Turn over to Chapter 10.
And what God has accomplished by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, all the wonderful truths, and regardless, so that they're formed in a practical way, so that after His ministry is given to them, they know who they are.
00:25:05
They know what their function is, they know how to assemble. They know what their testimony is. They know what their destiny is. They know that it's all these things from Israel that they're not used, that they're not associated with Judaism, that they're not they're not to keep up the temple words, that they're not to to keep up all of Israel.
That they're not even an earthly company, but they're a heavenly company and their destiny is the glory of the Lord. And that there's a function as members of the body of Christ coming together over the first year of the week to break bread. And if they can come together for education and waiting on the Spirit of God to lead in the direction and defer to what is needed for their education.
Consolation and comfort and education.
Whatever the fear of God would give you see all of these things are to be thrown out through this man who is called this all of her.
Now he's converted and I want you to know it.
When he is converted Chapter 9 verse six and he trembling and astonished that Lord, what will thou have me to do? And you know that that that's quite a question to ask.
Because the Lord has a lot for him to do. The Lord had a great work for his friend.
As we went to thinking, it was through the apostle Paul that the word of God was to be completed. Think of the great work that the Lord didn't tell him here what he was going to do. The Lord said unto him, Arise and go into the city, and it will be told me what happens to now? When are you telling me to go into the city? You know why? Because there was a company of disciples in that city.
There was a company in the cycle in that city.
Man's soul was not going to start something new. Lord, what will now have you to do? And the Lord says, now you go into the city and it will be true of you what to do to cause the Lord was working on the other hand too, and he speaks to a disciple indefinite, and you tell them honestly that about fault, and he fell down and eyes that he has.
Brought in Mandarin stuff and so he prepared an amount to receive.
And now what I'm making is this, as you see here, that the company was already there, the church was already formed all it didn't start something new, not a New Testament in that sense. He went down, he went into the city, and he was joined to the company that was there.
Believe that he was willing to take it, and then later on he goes to dream, and when he's there, he's introduced by Barnabas and he's received there. And he was his decisive form. The apostle Paul did not start something new. You know what this means to me? I believe it's a principle of God that God never raises up a testimony independent of a testimony that he's already formed.
He had a list.
The practical wave is that important. We came across something like this some years ago. And then where? It's my pleasure to be gathered with a few things of the Lords name. There were those who had left a particular denomination and found near us.
A little meeting and they were meeting together after they were through.
And.
They came into contact with one of you at the site in the campus.
And they wanted us to recognize them as a gathering and.
If they desire to be in fellowship with themselves.
The assembly there is definitely community in the function and there was a difficulty in their mind because they said well why can't we just have our own meeting up here and just recognize very comfortable we have here. God has already started the testimony. There are already those things gathered to the Lord's name and you desire to be gathered to the Lord's name outside the camp in a parking assistance of men.
Responsibility is to identify yourself with those all in together to the Lord's name. He already has a question outside the camp and the responsibility would be for want to take his place. So where could have said the fall. Now all you go out and and I'll tell you what to do.
00:30:08
No, all had to be identified with the testimony already said. Paul did not start something new. But what he, what he was going to do is to bring to this that had already been formed in a company on earth, he was going to bring to them the wonderful life of God.
The whole Council of all.
With a wonderful provision on God's part in converting this man and having in mind to use this man for their pleasure. But this man had to come in and go into the city when the disciples were be found among them and to be fooled. What he must do? He had to come in in a very low place. He had to come in as if he didn't know anything. He said there will be told me what family he had to come in as a learner.
He had to come in to become and then brought to music. He could not come in any other way. Well, we've always cut some back turn again to the level test in the 11Th chapter. We have what I would like to what what I would call the extending of the stage.
For the cause of the apostles to his ministry to fulfill the word of God. We find him converted in Chapter 9, but he's not really commissioned.
For the work that God had for him. Until we come to chapter 13.
There's a period of time in there which he has to learn.
It's only when they come to catch the 13 that the Holy Spirit says separate me, Barnabas and Soul for the work for us who have called in.
But before that we have the stage set where for the Commission, the call of a solid conscious to be the great apostle of the Gentiles, the great minister to serve of the church which will fill the word of God. And this is found in verse 19 and what followed?
That is in the formation of the assembly at any office, and be a part of the vision here in the fact that we have farmed for the first time a gathering of the Lord's people who are purely Gentiles.
Simply formed locally of kin house prior to this.
Will be assemblies were found in Judea.
And even though they're domestic were few like that man. He was a few studied he was from among the Jews as he did background, but in the the 1917 verse of Chapter 11, there were those who went for any of thinking the word of God and there were those from among the Greeks.
Believe verse 21 in the hands of the Lords of Lithium, and a great number believe in his turn.
And then we read that when the Church of Jerusalem heard, and then they said Barnabas up there, and when he came to any office, all the work was gone and thanked God.
And he voted in the purpose of heart, they concede the law, and then he went down to harvest, which is a form of salt. So all I remember had been converted prior to this. He's been converted on the way to the Masters, and he's been received by the Saints in the Master. And then he gets going down to Jerusalem. And it did the Saints of Jerusalem.
And the body was in Jerusalem. You know that the Jews tried to fear.
They heard it converted and he went back to his hometown of college.
Now then, a Gentile assembly is formed in any office.
And Barbara flew down to Marshall and find soul, and you bring the soul in verse 26. When you found him, he brought him under any office. And it came to pass that a whole year and notice these words, they assembled themselves with the church.
I I emphasize this because I believe this is the is the sort of transition between the Jewish aspects of the church and the early chapter device, and the aspect of the church is going to be brought out through the ministry of the Apostle Paul.
00:35:00
Believe here that they assembled themselves with the assembly.
And the kids.
When you see the form of God is it's not only us that the church should exist as a spiritual entity. You know what I mean by that? That is, if we should be actually joined together by the Spirit of God, which is, which is true. We've all received the Spirit. So the church exists as the body of Christ and love of the Spirit. But God thought it is that the church should assemble.
Should actually come together.
You know, today there are those that believe in the truth of the one party. They believe that all one body are weak and that all believers constitute the body, that they're not very concerned about ascendance.
And holy morning and assembled himself.
Showing that God's fault is that the that the church could not only exist as the offenders, but it should assemble as the assembly. They should actually come together and function when you say what they do when they come together.
So we know in Acts 20 on the first day of the week.
We know they came together the first book. We know the first thing is 14 that they came together to end the decision.
There were no good school that the Prophet speaks through you.
We know that they came together the same place.
They came together in place. I was praying with the Spirit. I would pray with the understanding.
And here we read it. Can you get the music? They talk much people they exercise their gifts, Barnacle exercise, the gifts that are given empathy to people assemble. So you see, God's thought is that the assembly should assemble. But how is it to assemble? That's what the mental body.
We see through the ministry of fall, Howard, and with your functionality ascent.
Well, now in chapter 13 we have all of that food by the Holy Spirit.
I called you a few moments ago in verse two as they ministered to the Lord and fancied the Holy Ghost said separate thee Barnabas and Saul for the work where I dress all of them. Now here Paul is commissioned by the Holy Spirit for a worker that work is the farmation of the church.
In the practical way of his ministry, but we know that from his school.
When the apostle goes out and preaches the gospel, wherever souls were saved they were gathered, and when they were gathered they were instructed as to how they were to function.
They were instructed received into the official he repeatedly, at least four times in the epistle of the Christian he speaks about as I teach them all attendance.
That the apostle who is something the Saints in the various gatherings in general knowledge at the highway which is performed, how they were to function, how they were together, what was to be the ardor of the medium social.
As an industry.
And incidentally, it's in the 13th chapter that he called Paul and her son.
He called all the food, but he called Paul for the first time in verse 9. Then Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost. And another thing up until this occurred, we already had it, said Barbara and Salt. Barbara went down the seat, Salt separating the Barnabas and Salt.
But after this.
We have Paul Lincoln Church 1St 13 votes now with Paul and his company loose in paper. This is a bar that's been called, but it's been Paul and his company because he is commissioned now as the apostle of the Democratic. He's convicted now as the servant of the truth, and his hand is given that dissentation of God to conclude and fulfill the result to bring.
To maturity.
The Word of God can have gone to the trip on the attendance and this is what it's taking place. Now look at that from chapter 13 until we come to chapter 20, and I'm not going to go into detail, but I won't read your birthday, chapter 20. But when it comes to chapter 20, we have the combination of the Tennessee park.
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As the apostle of the Church and the apostle of the Denver.
Verse 27.
I didn't think that he could say this to the elders and the church department now, for I have not shown to declare unto you all the council of God. Can you get more than that?
Can you get more than the whole family of God when you say that completely into a building the word of God? If if the apostle Paul has declared through the Saints now the whole family of God, wouldn't you say that everything that God will furnish the church?
In this world has been 30. But you couldn't say that before he had declared a whole council of God. You couldn't say everything had been furnished before this. Now it can be said that God has furnished the church with everything it needs.
For the whole time there's still these through distinct I have not shown to serve you before the whole life is done. The word of God is completed and fulfilled, but up until all ministry could not be said. The whole counsel of God was declared actually at 7 Acts 9 at 10. It's only found in Acts 25 after the apostle has completed none of his ministry, his service.
He's gone out of the league journeys.
So in this age is assembly gathered and given the destruction as receiving revelation from God. Well, that's where we stand today, Lord, in the light of the Holy Council of God. Everything has been thrown out and we're going to walk in the light of the Holy Council body regarding the church.
I know that today I really failure that still we have the whole council of God. There's not going to be a fresh revelation. There's not going to be any any adjustment and fresh or adaptations to the time in which we hear the whole council of John is here. That's where we're going to walk in and the light is that even at this day of history that we don't want to go back to a period.
Before the full life was just kind of having things after that.
We know that now that the full life is given, there's no need for the time. The sign here were a part of interim. They were connected there with that, with that interval between the formation of the church and the near Pentecost and the full formative ministry of the apostle. Paul once said that the fluid is in here with the Holy Council involved and the church set up through the ministry of Impossible Hall, the scientists.
A third of their usefulness, and has never been before they they found malfunction in the assembly. Besides, they found no function in the assembly in the full line of home. They form their function in regard to a testimony to the duty, wherever it comes, of our friend.
Not that they're believed to defend their belief not and that's the final question to the Jews. You see that in deeper the truth God bearing them with the social time and wonders and various gifts of the Holy Spirit. God bore with it to those views that follow the Lord Jesus in regard to the unbelieving nation of Israel. But now that they are full of light of all the ministry of different.
Those scientists are altogether output. They have no reason. They have no function.
They have no clue and God will not be.
I'm going to tell you what I told I never kind of done, but if you if you will turn yourself sometimes the 2nd testimonial is 2. You will see that there is one who's going to come with signs and wonders.
God is not going to give signs and wonders today because the full, full council of God has come out, but there is one coming to find the one. So we want to be careful about any, anything that even ends in the direction.
Of those times.
No longer is standing all how to reveal.
The Present Day
Address—J. Brereton
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.
Like to turn tonight to Revelation Chapter 3?
We have had a great deal today about the door.
We've had before us the Lord Jesus entering in by the door.
Into the sheepfold, and we have seen the Lord Jesus presented to us in our afternoon meeting as the door. He aimed self, saying, I am the door by me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.
While here in Revelation chapter 3 and beginning with verse 14.
We read about another door, a door that I'd like to speak a little bit about tonight.
And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans right these things set the Amen, the faithful and true witness.
The beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou work 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 native. I counsel thee to buy 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.
Here, and anoint thine eyes with I sat, that thou mayest see as many as I love, I rebuke and chase it. 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 suck 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 I'm sat down with my Father in history. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said unto the truth we find, as I'm sure many of us here are familiar with.
In fact, we in this second and third chapters of Revelation.
We have a prophetic outline given by God of the history of that which calls itself Christendom, the professing church, from the time of the days of the apostles until the Lord Jesus comes.
And what we have read about tonight is the last one of these churches, the Church of the Laodicean. And we find here that God is describing to us, my friends, the day in which you and I live.
This is the last turn. This is the last description God has to give us before the Lord Jesus comes. If we were to turn over to the first verse of the next chapter, we would find it tells us about a door open in heaven. The children of God, those who know the Lord Jesus Christ, are looked at in the 4th chapter as being in heaven.
The Lord Jesus has come by the time we come to the 4th chapter.
But.
Here and these few verses, God is describing the day in which we met, and He starts off by bringing before us the Lord Jesus in a very special way. You notice it says unto the Angel of the Church of the Lausanne. These things set the all men the faithful.
And true.
Witness all, my friends, how we need a faithful and a true witness in a day like today. We are living right on the brink of the Lords return, right at the moment when the invitation of God's grace is going to be withdrawn.
00:05:18
This may well be the last gospel meeting not only for you, but for anyone.
In this world, and in this world tonight, there are so many kinds of voices. The doorbell rings at home, and along comes a witness that wants to tell us of some strange way to be saved. We hear voices in booklets, voices over the radio, voices in every walk of life.
And they all is the word of God says are not without signification.
They've all got a message.
But my friends, what you need tonight is a faithful and a true witness. Someone that will tell you the truth whether you like it or whether you don't. Someone who will.
Tell you what the state of your soul is tonight. And that faithful and true witness is the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the one whom God brings before us here.
At a time when the world is full of unfaithful witnesses, when the world is full of liars all seeking to propagate their own line of things, the faithful and true witness tells us of the day.
In which we live and tells us my friend faithfully of the condition of your heart if you're without Christ. Tonight we find it speaks of here. The Lord Jesus has the beginning of the creation of God. Oh, I tell you, there are liars going around knocking on doors every day of the week.
Who will tell you a lie about this verse too? They will tell you a lie about the very verse.
That speaks about the faithful and true witness. The Lord Jesus had no beginning. The Lord Jesus Christ was never created.
But he was the one whom God had before him in creating all things, and as we had this afternoon, the Lord Jesus, as the one who died and rose from the dead, is the one who God has.
As the head of new creation of that new thing established through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, the faithful and true witness seeks to speak to your heart tonight.
All my friends, when you listen, you notice how it says unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, right? These things set the Amen, the faithful and true witness. All my friends, would to God that you would receive all that is said tonight, everything that is said, that is in accordance.
With the Word of God as a message from the faithful and the true witness. Not for me.
Not from me, but from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who loves your precious soul loves you, my friends, with the love, The love that I not only cannot imitate, but a lot that I cannot even understand.
A love that passes knowledge. It's incomprehensible to me, the love that God has for the poor, guilty, lost Sinner that stands tonight in rebellion against him.
Right here, he says. The faithful and true witness.
The beginning of the creation of God. And now the faithful and true witness speaks and he says, I know thy works. I know thy works, my friends, He knows everything about you, He knows everything about me. And the faithful and true witness, the Lord Jesus Christ would start off by saying, I know thy works.
Oh, I thought of this verse many times. I'm sure many have here.
I've heard men stand up and tell about all the wonderful things that they have done. God says the Lord Jesus Christ, as I know thy works, I know all about you. And the word of God tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. This same precious book tells us that all our works of righteousness, all the things that we take pride in.
00:10:21
Are before Goddess, filthy rags. They have no merit, they have no work, they have no value. If you don't have Christ as your savior, he doesn't need you to tell him.
About your works He knows all about, and he knows that there's nothing but safe. Oh, you say, how can you say the high goal? The Word of God tells us that even the plowing of the wicked is safe, my friends, without Christ.
Please mark it, believe it. It's the truth of God. Without Christ, there is nothing that you can do that finds it brings any pleasure to God. Not that you can do if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. You might say, well, I belong to a great big church. I belong to a great big organization. We do this, we do that. We have just spent all this money.
Watching, I know your works, I know all about.
And then he says, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, neither cold nor hot. Dear friends, that's the day in which we live, and day of lifeless.
Empty.
Cold professional. You go up to a man, say, are you a Christian? He says. Oh yes, I'm a Christian, I'm a Christian, he said. What makes you a Christian? Well, my mother was a Christian.
I remember so well, if I could mention one specific thing I remember so well, years ago I was talking to a lady who was a Roman Catholic at the office where I worked. And this lady, during the course of our conversation, she said to me, she said, do you believe in transubstantiation?
And I said, no, I do not believe in transubstantiation. It is not in the word golf. Transubstantiation for some of the younger ones perhaps, is the is the teaching or the idea that the wafer that the is eaten in the Catholic Church actually becomes the literal body and blood of the Lord Jesus. I said, no, I don't believe in that. It's not in the word of God.
And this lady turned to another young lady, a college graduate.
Sitting there beside us listening and she said to her, she said, do you believe in transubstantiation? This young lady belonged to a very well known popular church in the world today. And she said, and I'll never forget it. She was about 25 years of age. And she said, I don't know, I'll have to go home and ask my mother.
She came back the next day in the office and just as bold as brass.
She sat down and she said, no, I don't believe in transatlantic. And I asked her why. I said why, why, Why don't you believe in it? Well, she said, I asked my mother, and my mother said, no, we don't believe it. That was all it meant to her, my friend, all it meant a lifeless profession. Her name was unregistered.
And that later of Christian and she was on her way to hell, on her way to have lost. She didn't know the more Jesus Christ her Savior. She never listened to the faithful and true witness. She listened to her mother and her mother said you believe this and you don't believe that. So she said I believe this and I don't believe that.
All there was truth, neither cold nor hot. She wasn't standing up and saying there's no God. I belong to a church. I'm a respectable member of society. I subscribe to the general rules that govern society. I belong.
Christianity, But she was on her way to hell. Dear friends, do you realize that Word of God here is speaking about those who profess?
Christianity. They profess to be Christians. They profess to be part of this church. The church delayed the seals, and yet there's nothing there but an empty, lifeless thing.
00:15:02
All the Lord Jesus here says, I wish that you were either cold or hot. How he haste that empty, lifeless thing. I think of some here this evening, children of Christian parents, dear Francis, two of you is the Lord Jesus saying to you, I wish that you were cold or hot. I wish that you were something.
Something have you decided, my friends?
Have you decided for Christ?
Oh, what a poor, poor substitute it is to say. Well, I belong to a Christian family. I talked to a young lady just a little while ago, about 20 years of age, and I said to her, I said, are you saved?
And her answer was my father is a minister. That was her answer. My father is a minister. When I asked her if she was saved different, what difference did it make whether her father was a minister? I didn't ask for a pedigree. I asked whether she was saved or not. And she will run to Christ.
And the only answer was my father is a minister. Dear friend, what a poor, poor answer that is. An answer of a soul that's lost.
Here we have the Lord Jesus telling us, I would that you were either cold or higher. I know light works, that thou art neither cold or hot. I would that thou work cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot.
I will spew thee out of my mouth, all my friends, what is ahead for this lifeless, empty thing called Christmas? This whole shadow, this great big facade? You know the Lord Jesus spoke about the grain of mustard seed, the grain of mustard seed that became a great big tree in the earth.
That's what Kristen knows. We come a great big tree.
The Lord Jesus says he's going to spew it out of his mind. An empty, lifeless thing. Where do you stand? Are you part of it? Are you part of this empty lifeless thing, either cold or hot? Are you part of this thing that's going to be spewed out of the Lords mouth? What a tragedy. What a tragedy my friend.
To be part of something that the Lord Jesus has already told us.
He's going to meet this. All this no taste, nothing that the Lord finds tasteful in it at all. Just an empty thing. There are those in this room tonight that have heard the gospel many times and yet as far as I know, have never said from the heart.
Those very simple words, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is my seat.
Never said, never took the name of the Lord Jesus Christ on their lips reverently. And yet you stand here tonight, your mother's saying your father is saying they're not going to be spewed out of the Lords mouth. Mark it by friends, not one.
Not one true child of God will ever be spewed under the Lords matter. Not one. But this empty, empty thing, this saying, saying I'm a Christian, this pretense, this falsehood.
This covenant of lies, this pretense.
That so characterizes this whole scene of Christmas in which we Live Today, dear friends, This is its doom. This is where it's going to end, fueled out of the March Mountain.
The Lord Jesus has counseled. He has some advice. He has something, the faithful and true witness that He wants to counsel you about. What is it? Notice what it says.
Because thou sayest I am rich.
And increase the goods and have need of nothing.
Because thou sayest.
I am rich and increased of goods and of need of none.
Just recently I heard about it.
00:20:00
Man who was preaching in his church, preaching the gospel faithfully in his church on a Lords Day morning. This happened just about six months ago now.
And as he was preaching the gospel faithfully in his church on Wednesday morning, a woman got up in the audience and stood up and said, we don't need you here if you want to preach like that.
You go to where the sinners are. We don't need that kind of message. And in two weeks, he had left town. He was fired. He was gone.
I am rich and increase the goods and of need of nothing. I've got my church, I've got my religion, I've got my life. I'm satisfied. That's what they're saying here. Protects a cover.
Oh my friends, what a sad thing. What a pitiful thing for the soul to say. I am rich and increase the good and in need of nothing. That's how the person sees himself.
And then the Lord tells us how he sees, and Noah's not.
That thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. Is it possible that we're talking about the same people?
One is how the man sees himself.
The other is how the faithful and true witnesses.
Dear friends, you may feel very satisfied with yourself.
Or you may feel that there isn't any real need. Or you could be said. Or you may be indifferent, indifferent to the voice of the faithful and true witness. But it doesn't change what he sees. It doesn't change.
What the faithful and true witnesses report Your poor. Without Christ, you're poor. You've got nothing.
Nothing. What shall I give in exchange for his soul? But you have to offer what are you going to put before holy God in exchange for your soul?
Though in the 14th chapter, I believe it is, if I remember rightly of the book of Genesis, we have what to be is a very striking comment by the King of Sorrows. You read it sometimes like you'll find there the King of Sodom, a picture, I have no doubt, of Satan himself.
And he says to Abraham, concerning the people that have been living in Sodom, he says, Give me the souls, and take the goods for thyself.
Give me the souls, Give me the wives. Give me the souls and take the goods for myself. Oh, that's what Satan's offer is today. Do you want goods? I'll give them to you. You want the world? You can have it.
All he wants is your soul. Just your soul, just your life, just you. That's all he wants, just you. The Lord Jesus says you're poor. You have nothing to offer to God for your soul. What shall a man give?
An exchange.
Myself. Then it says you're poor.
That thou art wretched and miserable and poor.
And blind. Why wretched and miserable. Is that true? Well, you say you don't know all the fun I'm having. You don't know how full my life is. All my friends don't deceive me. Don't even try. You certainly can't deceive God. The life without Christ is an empty life, my friend. It's an empty. We were just commenting this morning, some of us, when we looked outside and saw the damp, raining weather.
We thought how many people there are in the world today.
Whose day has been ruined today because it rained so?
Sent their pleasure, their happiness depended on the sunshine, and when the sun didn't shine, their day was north. For many of us, the day was hardly ruined. Oh, what a day for many of us we've had. But for the poor Sinner without Christ says that the sun doesn't shine.
00:25:09
I remember one person, they were actually talking about Edie.
They said when they couldn't eat what they wanted to, they were miserable.
My friend, what a fragile thing. What a beautiful, poor, fragile thing. Man hangs his hopes on his hopes for happiness, his hopes for pleasure.
The word of God says you are measuring wretched.
Poor blind, blind. There's nothing wrong with my eyesight. All my friends. What about this friend who says I'm rich and increase the goods and the need of nothing? That's how we saw himself. But he was blind to his real condition. He was lying to how lost he was. He was blind to what the Lord Jesus saw.
To what the faithful and true witness saw, He was flying. He saw no loveliness in Christ. He saw no value to the precious blood of Christ. All my friends, I'm sure many of us here have had the same experience, but have you ever spoken to someone about this soul and you just can't help feeling in your own heart why?
Can't they see? It's so simple and it's so precious.
And it's so real, and the time is so short, and yet they turn away. They turn away, they listen, and then they turn away and go on their way as if you've been talking to them about the weather. My friends liveness blind and on their way to them, blind and not realizing.
Just how miserable and wretched they are.
And then last it says naked I am rich and increased of goods. God says poor and naked, naked, fully exposed.
Before a holy and a righteous God. All my friends, what about you, profession? Do you remember how it tells us about Adam and Eve? How they sold things together and made themselves even what they covered? They'd certainly gone to a lot of trouble.
They made aprons for themselves, but when the Lord God appeared in the garden, they said we were naked and we hid ourselves. What happened to that which they had spent time to produce for themselves?
It didn't cover, it left them exposed before. Only in the righteous God. Dear friends, if you're without Christ, you are naked. No cover, no shelter, no cover, no hiding place lost and fully exposed.
All things are naked and open unto the eyes, if with whom we have to do.
Well, this is the condition that God describes of the Sinner without process. And what about all the profession?
What about all the profession? You know, if we were to turn over to the 20th chapter of Revelation, we find there the dead, small and great, standing before the soul, the great white soul, the day of judgement, and there's not a word spoken.
Nothing to stand on.
Having on earth to fled away, time has ceased to be. Where in eternity, in eternity, at the entrance, at the beginning of eternity, everything by which we measure time is gone. That happens in the earth, and man stands there exposed before the Lord Jesus Christ who sits upon the throne.
And he has no defense. Not one word, not one word. Naked.
Poor, nothing to offer, Naked, wretched, blind, all my friends. He stands there just waiting.
To hear the senators.
00:30:03
And yet he offers not one word in his own defense. Why? Why is it?
What about all the conversation? What about all the arguments that we hear today? What about all the people I've actually heard people say? When I meet God, I'll tell him. I'll tell him.
You'll tell him nothing. You'll tell him nothing, my friend. You'll just listen.
You'll just hear if you die in their place, if you wait until the day of God's grace ends.
At the coming of the Lord Jesus, you will tell God nothing, you will just hear, and what you will hear is depart from me.
He curseth into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil.
Now the Lord, the faithful and true witness, has some counsel.
I counseled him.
To buy gold.
Tried in the fire, all my friends, last night we were talking about the verse in the 55th chapter of Isaiah. Hold everyone that thirsted, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat. Buy wine and milk without money.
And without press. Here's something else that's offered without money, without price. And he counsels you to buy it.
Go try it in the fire, all my friends. What you need, what you need, what my soul needed.
Was her righteousness that the eye of God could look upon and be satisfied?
Gold is the picture of that righteousness, that divine righteousness, that perfect righteousness that is offered to you as a gift.
With your fire, without money, without price, the cost has already been paid.
He counsels you to buy it. Do you have it? Oh dear friend, would you answer the faithful and true witness honestly?
Do you have the goal? Try in the fire. Do you have the Lord Jesus Christ as your righteousness? All the word of God says that the Lord Jesus is made unto us, wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Where is my righteousness?
Christ is my righteousness.
What's by covering Christ is my covering is yours. Have you bought the gold tried in the fire that which has been tested and finds that it stands all the searching judgment going.
Isn't it marvelous to think, my friends, you and I that belong to Christ? Isn't it marvelous to think that all the light, all the majesty of God's throne, all the discernment of his holy eyes?
Can only discern the perfection of the righteousness that is yours and mine, and we belong to Christ. God himself can only see how perfect their righteousness is.
And we have the Christ. I counsel. Are you ready to receive counsel?
So I'm not prepared to receive counsel from you. Well, I don't blame you for that one bit, but what it does from the faith of a true witness, He's the one who's speaking here, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he's the one who's saying I counsel me to buy.
Of me go try to fight.
And that thou mayest be rich.
All the man always said I am rich. God says you are poor, but you can be rich, you can be rich.
Remember how it reads in Second Corinthians, how it says though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor?
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That gave to his poverty might be rich. All dear friends, thank God I can say I'm rich tonight.
So many of us in this room can say, I'm rich tonight. I have Christ as my savior. But what about you all? You know, we sometimes speak about the rule being divided between the saved and the lost. Or God tells us here, this room is divided between the rich and the poor. That's how it's divided the rich and the poor.
Or you're rich. No in between. You belong to the Prince.
Since I counsel thee to buy of me gold, trying to fire that thou mayest be rich.
And.
White Raven, that thou mayst include.
The word of God says you're naked, naked without Christ. But flow didn't white rain, white rain to be dressed in that which speaks of the spotless purity of the believers standing before God.
I think this is what he counsels you to buy. Is it yours?
Are you naked?
Are you dressed clothed in white rain?
Precious, precious thing that is to realize that it all comes.
And receiving the Lord Jesus Christ is your seat.
But you know tonight where you stand.
Empty profession that is going to be spewed under the Lord's mouth. Poor.
Lie in the middle or rich.
Safe in Christ, rich with a righteousness that God's eye sees and approves. White Raven, the domestic that shows how spotless the standing of the believers before God.
And that thy shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with I said that thou mayest see all dear friends, we just spent half an hour before the Lord downstairs. Pray that someone in this room tonight.
Would receive God's Isaac. Let's see.
See the Lord Jesus for the first time as their own precious seed. See the precious blood of Christ for the first time as that which is washed their syndrome. See the Lord Jesus Christ for the first time.
That's the sea.
When God has put up, you know, there was the blind man, and he, all he could say was, behold, I was blind. So now, dear friends, can you say that I was when God said they're blind, I was once blind.
Are you still going or have you received God's eyes?
Have you bought?
From the only one who hasn't said.
Isaac, anoint your eyes, that you might see.
It doesn't seem possible, does it?
There could be those who have heard the Gospel 500 times and still do not see Jesus as they see. I could tell you about a man who came to the gospel meeting, I believe I could say regularly.
Very seldom missed.
For over 50 years.
And let's find proceedings.
50 years of listening to the glossy.
And.
Accepted Christ as a sea, and in order for God to save that man, and I say it without any exaggeration, God took him within a hairline of death. A hairline death.
He actually heard the doctor say as he lay in bed. He heard the doctor standing beside his bed and saying he'll be dead by 1.
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And he received the Lord Jesus Christ as a sin.
God brings that man up and gave him about two or three years to let others know that God had brought him that place to eternity.
Brought back, he said. Dear friends, God love your soul. He wants you to be saved. He's counseling you with the faithful and true witness is counseling you.
Receive Him as your savior. Open your.
Eyes that you might see.
Lord Jesus Christ, as the one who paid your debt and.
Kelvin, I counsel.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chase. Be zealous therefore.
Oh, God loves your soul. The Lord Jesus loves your soul, and he cries upon you to repent, to repent.
We don't hear about that very much today, I believe Sometimes when I say it to my own heart, sometimes we neglect it in the dust.
But God calls upon you to repent, my friends, to own before God that you're on a course that leads to hell and turn around.
Oh to God that you're lost.
That you're soaring? That you realize that your sins have been an insult to God?
And turn from them and turn to Christ.
Now it tells us in the next week, behold, I stand at the door and not here. We have the faithful and true witness again, standing before the heart door, standing before the door. And he says I'm not, I'm standing, I stand.
At the door.
And not how many times has he noted your heart?
Once, twice, many times.
He stood there outside. What a picture, what a picture. It is a present of my friends, this loveless, empty thing that will be spewed out of the Lord's mouth. The Lord Jesus is seen as actually standing outside of it.
Is he standing outside of your heart?
Would be standing outside of your life? Is he standing outside of everything that you hold to be valuable?
And seeking an entrance there, all my friends. I remember I mentioned it many times in the gospel, but I remember one time visiting a young man in the hospital.
And when I spoke to that young man, he was about 15 or 16 at the time.
I asked him what was the plan and all I tell you it was just like Niagara Falls had been left loose. I sat there and listened for 15 minutes while he told me about his plans, about what he was going to do with his life, of how things were going to fall right in a row like this for you. He had it all planned out.
He had had a slight detour because he was in the hospital with a broken light.
But he had his whole life planned for him.
And when it was all finished, I asked him this one question. I asked him. I said, what part does the Lord Jesus have in all that life that he left?
And he had no hands.
To put it bluntly, my friends, there was no room, no room for the Lord Jesus in his life at all.
Thank God that young man today is a different young man altogether. He now seeks to please the Lord. He has changed, given up all those elaborate plans.
Accepted Christ save gathering going on happily, and Christ is now a large part of his life.
Here it was the Lord Jesus standing outside of his heart store and knocking.
I thank God tonight he's opened the door and let him be in the political team.
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Christ, have any place in your life?
Does he have any place at all in your life? He stands there and he knocks and he wakes. You know what? Ethan says. I stand the door and knock if any man.
Hear my voice, hear my voice. Or he knocks. But how does he knock? How does he not? He knocks, my friends, by speaking to us?
To his word he's knocking or necessity a hear my voice doesn't say be a hereby knock says again here my voice many, many hear my voice, because the way he knows is by speaking to a Swedish precious woman.
Word of thought, His voice we heard today, my sheep.
Hear my voice here, it says, if any man hear my voice.
I will come in if any man hear my voice.
And open the door. I will come into him and will suffer.
Will you open the door?
Will you open the door or why not? Are you going to wait till tomorrow?
Are you going to wait till next week or next month?
My friends.
One minute.
One minute.
Too late will be the same as 1000 years.
He stands before the heart of the city tonight, and he knocks, and with his voice he pleads for a place in your heart, in your life.
He wants him. He wants you to receive him.
As the one we die. As the one, my friends, who died for you on the cross because he loved you so much, As the one who paid your debt, were you accepted? As the one who paid your debt, He received any mind, and all your debt of sin was paid.
Why didn't tell? And he stands, and he knocks, and he calls. And if you're hoping, open the door, he comes in. No heart to wretched, no heart to black with sin. No heart too far away, no heart too full of sin.
But that he will come in.
You're coming and give you to know the enjoyment of his company in your life. Know him.
As yours you notice the verse goes on to say to him that overcome will I breath to sit with me in my thought all the Lord Jesus has gone back to glory and he has sat down in his Father's throne. Now he says to those who overcome.
The false, the empty, the light was, the naked, the blind, the poor, the wretched, the miserable are spewed out of his mouth.
But those who have opened the door, they sit down with him.
In history, dear friends, are you going to be there? Are you going to be there with?
Here's the future that lies before so many of us here tonight. We're going to be with Christ.
Sitting down with him in his story and in the meantime?
When we have opened the doors, we have the privilege of the enjoyment of the sweetest and most precious communion with the Lord Jesus while we wait.
The last words say, Let he that Hathen you.
Lesson here what the Spirit said unto the church. The faithful and true witness says the Word. The Spirit of God now brings them before your heart within your conscience tonight, my friend.
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And he says.
Let him heal. If you have an Eve, I pray God that he will hear what the Spirit has been bringing before your heart.
The Gates
Address—J. Brereton
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 would like to turn, beloved brethren, tonight to the book of Nehemiah.
First of all, the 1St chapter, Nehemiah chapter one and the second verse.
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah, and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped.
Which were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem.
And they said unto me.
The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province.
Are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down.
And the gates thereof are burned with fire.
Now I could turn over to the second chapter.
And the 17th verse.
Says Nehemiah, now speaking to the leaders of the Jews at Jerusalem. Then said he unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste.
As the gates thereof are burned with fire, come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem.
That we be no more a reproach.
Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good upon me.
As also the King's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build.
So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
Then but when Sambalat the horror night, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that he do? Will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them.
The God of heaven, He will prosper us, therefore we his servants will arise and build. But ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.
What I have before me, beloved brethren, tonight is to look in the third chapter at what we're told about.
Of the gates of Jerusalem.
We find that Nehemiah made inquiry while he was in Babylon concerning the welfare of his brethren in Jerusalem, and was told, the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
And then when he comes with permission from the king.
To Jerusalem, he finds that this is indeed the case.
That there was much weakness.
That there was indeed reproach, that things had been allowed.
To come in.
And that which should have signified their separation.
From the nations around them had been allowed to fall into ruin.
But when Nehemiah speaks to them of the goodness of God, it encourages them to build.
And to me, beloved brethren, it's very striking that it tells us then in the 18th verse of the second chapter. Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good upon me.
And also the King's words that he had spoken unto me.
And they said, Let us rise up and build. Beloved brethren, sometimes we may feel.
That if we as it were, wield enough chastisement, you can scourge the Saints of God into building the wall.
But what is going to draw out our hearts to maintain that which is separate from the world is going to be the enjoyment in our souls of the goodness of God, that which is ours to know and to enjoy.
In Christ.
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And as Nehemiah speaks to them.
Of the good hand of God upon them their encouraged, and they say, Let us rise up and build.
Now there were those who were unbelievers, not part of the nation at all.
Who outwardly pretended to seek to have some part in the building of the wall of separation?
But Nehemiah gives them to understand that they have no place, no portion, not being of the people of God. They could do nothing as far as building that which would signify the separation of the people of God from the world.
But when we come to the third chapter, we find that the people actually begin to repair the wall.
And to repair and build the gates.
We could spend.
I'm sure perhaps some have done here hours just meditating on this beautiful chapter. There is all sorts of instruction in it for us.
But in view of our limited time tonight, it was my purpose to look simply at the gates. Perhaps we could say the gates.
Were the places in the wall where there was the most danger of the defiling influence coming in of the enemy gaining admittance, and we find that as these gates are listed for us.
I believe God gives us a moral order for us to see that if we are going to go on, beloved brethren, in separation from this poor world that's on its way to judgment, we're going to have to give heed to each one of the gates that's in the wall.
Now, rather than read the whole chapter, it was my purpose to simply read each verse as it dealt with a gate and talk about it for a few moments.
So if you notice the first verse of the third chapter.
Then Ely Asib, the high priest, rose up with his brethren, the priests, and they builded the sheep gate. They sanctified it and set up the doors of it even unto the Tower of Mia. They sanctified it unto the Tower of Hannah Neil.
Our beloved bread. And this is where it all starts.
If there is going to be any separation from the world at all, we have to first of all get back to the very fundamental and that is the sheep gate. You just keep your finger in this one place throughout the evening. And as we turn to other scriptures for we'll refer back to it, you'll turn with me to the 10th chapter of John.
The 10th chapter of John and the seven firsts. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. And we find, beloved brethren, that we have to start any consideration.
Of separation from this world has to start here with Christ.
As the door by which anyone comes into that which is to be maintained in separation from the world. If there's anyone here tonight that is not the Lord, you have to start here before there can be any question of separation. And that is to seek Christ as the door of the sheep, as the one by which we enter first of all.
Through Christ the door, the sheep are his own.
They have come through the door, they have entered by the door into the sheep bowl. All beloved brethren, those of us that belong to Christ tonight, we know what it is through oneness, grace to have to do with this first gate and to see here that in Christ, in Him, we have access.
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By faith into that position before God.
Our standing secure for all eternity.
But from this point on, we have that which would speak to us of our practical separation that is consistent with us having entered in through the sheet gate.
You notice then, the third verse.
But the fish gate did the sons of Hazmat build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof.
The locks thereof and the bars thereof. Now if you would turn with me to Matthew's Gospel.
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 4.
And verse 18.
And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, For they were fishers. And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Our brethren, we have this.
Next gate, the fish gate as a reminder.
Of how careful we have to be as far as doing our fishing in a way that is for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, there's a great deal of indiscriminate fishing being done in the world today.
Very little care is being exercised as to whether the fish are good or bad as long as there is any kind of profession.
They're accepted as a good fish, as one, as it were, that's accepted through the fish gate. But where the cares and exercise and the fish gate guarded carefully, water brought in are not good fish, but bad fish. What are brought in are those who simply make a profession.
But all it serves to do is to introduce into that which.
Is to be maintained in separation from the world, to be kept inside the wall.
What is brought in is that, beloved brethren, that simply defiles how much there is a missing Christendom today. And brethren, if we are not careful, very careful, in guarding the fish gate, it can come in amongst the gathered Saints. I don't even suggest that it hasn't already.
That there have not been occasions when there have been those who identified themselves.
With those gathered to the Lord's name where the fishing was bad, and it when such occasions arise as they do, it should warn us, beloved brethren, to pay attention to this gate, and to be on our guard very carefully that what is received.
Are good fish those who have truly been born again? It's a privilege to be a fisherman.
But all, beloved brethren, let us be careful. The Fish Gate needs close attention. And as the day goes on when profession becomes less and less of a real thing, and lukewarmness increases more and more on every hand, it's going to be all the more important that we have pay attention to the Fish Gate.
Now, if you'll go down to the sixth verse.
It says, moreover, the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Pasia, and Michelle the son of Bezodia. They laid the beans thereof and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof and the bars thereof. Now if you would just turn with me over to Jeremiah for a moment, I believe it's chapter 6.
Yes, Jeremiah, chapter 6.
And verse 16.
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Thus saith the Lord.
Stand ye in the ways, and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way? And walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said we will not walk therein.
You know, brethren, again.
We live in the day-to-day when there is so much emphasis on things that are new. New ideas, new concepts, new ways of doing things. Some of us were talking just recently of the danger, the very real danger.
For particularly, perhaps for young men who are in Business Today, because they are.
Hourly and daily in their lives involved.
In our whole system of things, that is all predicated on new ideas.
If you're doing something today the same way as it was done 10 years ago, you'll have men in your company telling you there's it's got to be outdated. There's new ideas being developed all the time. But when it comes to the things of God, what we need, beloved brethren, if we're going to maintain our separation from the world, what we need are the old eyes.
We need to pay attention to the old gate. We find here that it's the old gate that is next repair. And all, beloved brethren, God has in His wondrous grace given us to know, given us a great deposit of truth, but the separation from the world.
Our separation unto Christ is going to be in the old path. It's not going to be in something new.
I remember how struck I was some years ago in meditating on the account that's given us in, I believe it's the second chapter of Second Kings where we have the young man, one of the sons of the prophets, who goes out into the field and gathers a wild gourd. And what does he do? He comes in and he puts it into the pot. But that isn't what the word of God says. It doesn't say that he brought the wild gourd in and.
Into the pot, what it says he brought the wild Brewer in and shredded it into the pot, Shredded it a little bit, a little bit, a little bit. But what was the result? The result was that perhaps when you looked in the pot, you couldn't even see it. It's been shredded there. But now the sons of the Prophet said there's poison in the pot, there's death in the pot.
Rather than it was introduced a little bit at a time.
Well, what are you and I called upon to do? All the brethren, I suggest to you and I suggest to my own heart, that what we're called upon to do is look to the old gate, Look for the old path, the paths, beloved brethren, where God has had His Saints walk now for many, many years, and walking away. That was for His glory marked out for them in the Word of God.
Here's another gate that requires our closest attention today.
The old gate, the old paths for us.
Well then, if you'll go on to the 13th verse, it tells us.
The Valley Gate repaired Hanan and the inhabitants of Zenoa. They built it and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and 1000 cubits on the wall unto the Dung Gate. But the Dung Gate repaired Malchia, the son of Ray Cab, the ruler of part of Beth, has serum. He built it and set up the doors.
Of the locks thereof and the bars thereof. To me, it's very striking.
How we see here the close identification that we have between the Valley Gate and the Dung Gate. Now if you again keep this place and turn over with me to Philippians chapter 3, Philippians chapter 3, and the fourth verse, though I might also have confidence in the flesh.
If any other man thinketh that, he hath, whereof he might trust in the flesh.
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I more circumcised the 8th day.
Of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews.
As touching the law of Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless. But what things were gained to me? Those I counted loss for Christ? Yeah, doubtless. And I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
My Lord, now let us stop there for justice a moment. We find, beloved brethren, the next gate that they were called upon.
To repair was the Valley Gate, the gate that opened up into the low part of the city.
And you know, beloved brethren, this is one of the very.
Current ways. Can I put it that way? The current ways in which Satan is seeking to entice the Saints of God, and particularly perhaps the younger ones, but the Saints of God?
Into association with the world. The Apostle Paul knew what it was to have regard to the valley gate. He had everything that he could take pride in. He had that lofty position where he could speak to himself as a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He had a position of respect and renown. He had a position as a learned man.
Having sat at the feet of Gamaliel. But there comes a time in his life when all that he had, all that he had, he gave it up, He gave it up, He gave it up for Christ. He says, yay, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
All, beloved brethren, how much danger there is?
Us as Saints of God.
In ignoring the Valley Gate, we would like to have to do as it were with the exalted gate, the high position, the place of renown. It may be fame, it may be money, it may be position, it may be a fine home, it can be any number of things. But, beloved brethren, it's a way in which the world gets in.
And my practical separation from the world collapses. It collapses the gate, the valley gate becomes ignored. And the result is lost in my soul and the bringing in amongst the Saints of God through me, through my life individually and through me collectively amongst the Saints of God.
That which brethren is going to rob them.
Of their practical separation unto Christ, all that we might remember.
How the Lord Jesus himself said, when he was here, he said the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. That is, He came to be a servant. He says the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. We find that the Lord Jesus had to say, show me a penny. And all, beloved brethren, that's the pattern that God has marked out for us.
I'm sure we all realize, certainly the speaker does in some measure at least, how far short we come of following the pattern.
That has been laid out for us. But practical separation from this poor world.
And its course of things and its thinking depends upon us paying attention.
To the Valley gate, to recognize, beloved brethren, that that which exalts the flesh and gives it a high place.
Has no place in the things of God. But then we find that when he speaks the valley gate, he says it runs on to the dungate. You notice how it says back in our chapter on the wall unto the dungate. Now if you notice back in Philippians chapter 3 after Paul has said, yeah, doubtless and I count all things but loss.
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For the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and to count them but done that I may win Christ. Why is this? Well, I can only suggest what it has been as a voice to one's own soul. But it's one thing, brethren, to give up things for Christ. It's one thing, as it were, to have something that our heart is set upon, and give it up for Christ.
That's the valley gate. To have perhaps some place of, of distinction and give it up for Christ, That's the valley gate. But all, brethren, we need to go on to the dung game. That is, as the apostle Paul says, he not only gave it up for Christ, but he says I count it, but don't I count it? But don't have I in any measure given up anything for Christ and then spent the rest of my life feeling sorry for myself.
Perhaps given up something in the way of perhaps a home, Oregon, a job or something, and then spend the rest of my life saying, well, I did it for the Lord, but oh, how I miss it. Well, brethren, perhaps in that measure we've had to do with the Valley Gate, but perhaps we haven't gone on to the Dung Gate. We haven't gone on to counting it. But done that, I might win Christ.
To have the Lord Jesus before my soul in such a way.
That these things that my heart once counted valuable, now not only are given up for Christ, but have no value whatsoever.
I remember years ago, I may have told this story here before, and if I have, I hope my brother will pardon me, but I remember years ago, back in Toronto, we used to have a real problem when we ran our Sunday school picnics. We used to have the races. They still do, I might say, have the races for the children.
But we had one very real problem, and that problem was with the real youngsters, the ones that were three and four years of age.
Because we would plan a race for them and we'd get them well back, and then we'd have a rope at the other end and we'd tell the children to run to the other end for their prize. But they would start to run. And then the next thing you knew, one of them would see their mother, or one of them would see their father, or one of them would see something that they wanted off on the side. And instead of running straight, they ran off to the side and they cut across each other and tripped each other and so on.
Well.
We were a little bit concerned about this. We didn't know how to solve this problem until someone suggested that the way to solve the problem was to buy a quantity of those, what we call in Canada, at least, those great big suckers. We bought a couple of dozen of them, the great big suckers about this size with a long stick on them. And what we did is we stuck them in the ground and then we lined up all the children, perhaps 50 or 60 feet back, and we pointed each one.
Soccer and we said OK now run for the soccer and you know we found our problem was solved. Now what they had was an object before them. Now they weren't distracted with what was around. They had an object before them and that's what they ran to and what was around them now had no value. The only thing their heart was set on was that sucker in front of them all. Beloved brethren, God has put an object before our hearts too and this is what Paul is speaking about that I.
Win Christ there he is the prize at the end of the race and I'm running and you and I, brethren, are in that race running, running that we might receive the prize and gain Christ at the end of the race. But all we can get so easily distracted with our eyes get off him. If our eyes get on the things around us, we can get distracted. But if I have learned.
The truth of the dungate to count them, but dung, that I might win Christ.
Then I'm going to run the race with patience, but with my eye upon the goal.
Running towards that prize that my soul values Christ as the end of the race. Well brethren, may the Lord give us the grace give me the grace to pay attention to the Dung Gate to not only recognize the valley gate which would have us to take that low place before God and to be content to let the things that this world.
Its aspirations and its high goals passes by, but to count them. But done that I might win.
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Christ. Well then, if you'll go on to the 15th verse.
It says, But the gate of the fountain repaired Shaolin the son of Call Jose, the ruler of part of Misfa. He built it and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloa by the King's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.
Brethren, we find here a very precious geek.
The Fountain Gate. Now if you again keep this place and turn over with me to.
Jeremiah the 2nd chapter. Jeremiah chapter 2 and verse 13.
For my people have committed two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out. Cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no one.
I believe, brethren, we have pictured to us here something.
Of the fountain gate. You know it isn't enough if we're going to be.
In any measure kept separate from this poor world, it isn't enough that we simply recognize the Valley Gate and the Dung Gate, if we can put it that way. That's the negative side, to recognize that those things are but done. But what I need is the Fountain Gate.
I need God as the one who satisfies my whole souls longing. You know, it seems to me in Jeremiah that there is something of a lament on the part of the Lord there when he says they have committed these two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn them out. Cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
And beloved brethren, if you see me going to this poor world for some kind of nourishment for my soul, you can be sure that I have forsaken the fountain of living waters. Just think, God has Himself undertaken to satisfy my soul. God has undertaken to satisfy my soul by giving me as the.
For my heart, the very same one that filled his heart, the Lord Jesus Christ. And here in God I found a fountain that which feeds and sustains and nourishes my soul in God, in God. You know, in Romans Chapter 11 it I'm sorry, in Romans chapter 5 and verse 11.
It ends up that section of the book of Romans by saying.
And not only so, but we joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. All beloved brethren, that's knowing God as the fountain of living waters to joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Some of our circumstances may change, but God doesn't. Some of the things around us might indeed tend to discourage us, but the.
Of Living Waters is still there. Perhaps our friends disappointed, or perhaps, brethren, our brethren disappoint us. Perhaps our brethren do that which would normally discourage us. Or perhaps what is more likely, I do something that is going to discourage my brethren. And you know, brethren, if I could put it this way, there is a very real danger for us feeling.
That if only my circumstances were different, I could really be happy.
Or perhaps we feel, if only my circumstances were different, I could really walk to please the Lord. Then, if I was only in a slightly different position, a slightly different environment, if only my parents understood me better, or if only the brethren understood me better, or if only there were more. Kindness shows that we can come up with a long list of reasons and excuses. But all beloved brethren.
Our joy.
And our separation from the world are not a condition of our circumstances.
But that which is sustaining my heart, you know, I sometimes think of matter of fact. I often think of the verse in the Epistle of John where it says if any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. President, I can't enjoy the world and enjoy the love of the Father at the same time. I can't, I can't. One displaces the other and the result is that as the world finds any place.
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What have I done? I've forsaken the fountain of living waters. I have ignored a vital gate that is going to enable me to go on for the Lord here. The fountain gate, that which will feed my soul as I have the privilege of joying in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, now if you'll go on with me to the 26th verse.
It says, moreover, the Netherlands dwelt in Opal unto the place over against the Watergate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out. Now what do we have here? We have the Watergate. Well now if you'll turn with me to Ephesians chapter 5 for a moment.
Ephesians chapter 5.
And verse 25.
Even husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church.
And gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Brethren, here we have that which I believe speaks to us of the Word of God.
If we are going to go on in any measure separate from this world around us, if we're going to maintain the wall of separation through God's grace, we are going to have to pay attention to the Watergate, you know.
You'll turn over with me right here in Nehemiah for a moment to the 8th chapter, I believe it is.
Yes, the 8th chapter.
And the first verse. And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the Watergate. And they spake unto Ezra the scribe, to bring the book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding upon the first day of the 7th month.
And he read therein before the street that was before the Watergate.
From the morning until midday, before the men and the women.
And those that could understand, and the ears of all the people, were attentive unto the book of the law.
And now if you'll go on to the fifth verse.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Here we have pictured to us, beloved brethren, that which I suggest to you is signified by the water deep.
Here was the word of God being read before the Watergate, and what did they do or tells us if you read the fourth verse? I spared myself the problem of reading the fourth verse with all those names in it. But if you read it, you'll find that there was a vast array of dignitaries there on the platform with Ezra.
But the people didn't stand up for all the dignitaries. It was when the book of the Law was open.
That all the people stood up. They were attentive.
To what was read to them out of the book of the Law. And beloved brethren, if we are going to be preserved.
In any measure from this poor world around us, here's another gate that we are required to pay attention to. That which is signified in the Watergate, the washing of water by the Word, the reading of the Word of God with an attempt of year, and the reverence for what God has to say to us.
I'm not suggesting that every time we read the word of God we should stand up.
Suggest to my brethren, and particularly to myself, that whenever I read the Word of God, or the Word of God is read to me, the attitude of my heart should be to stand up as God speaks to me, as to recognize that what is being brought before my soul is the very precious instruction of God Himself for my pathway here.
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It struck me in meditating on this chapter how these two gates are presented.
Adjacent to one another, the fountain gate and the Watergate. You know when the apostle Paul in the 20th chapter of Acts.
Was leaving the Ephesian elders and he told them that they would not see his face again.
What did he say? He said, I commend you to God, the fountain gate, and the word of His grace.
The Watergate. There's what we need, beloved brethren. That's what's going to fill my heart with joy and thankfulness and keep me.
In in spirit, separate from the world, is my drinking at the fountain of living waters, joying in God himself.
Having the Lord Jesus as the object before my soul and the precious word of God.
As the food and as the instruction for my pathway here.
Well, now, if you'll go on with me to the 28th verse from above the horse gate, repair the priest, everyone over against his house. Now this to me is very striking, and I don't pretend to try to be dogmatic as to what all these gates signify, just what my own soul has enjoyed. But I have been struck with the peculiar words that are used here in connection with the horse gate. It says.
From above the horse gate repaired the priests, everyone over against his house. Would you turn with me for a moment now to the 19th chapter of Revelation.
The 19th chapter of Revelation and the 11Th verse.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a White Horse.
And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. And his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword.
That withered he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he credits the wine, praise Press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of King, and Lord of Lords. Well, brethren, to my own soul, this is what is suggested to me when I read that the next gate was from above.
The horse gate we find here.
Such an path that is brought before one's soul is.
Got this whole world around us is already condemned to judgment.
It has already been established that the Lord Jesus is to come out of heaven upon a White Horse.
And that the armies of heaven upon white horses will be with him when he comes to judge the world in righteousness, when he comes, brethren, to set down everything that opposes him, when he comes to judge the living nations, and to condemn the whole system.
That man has set up in opposition to God. There is going to be.
The Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, his armies with him on the white horses.
When he comes to judge the world now, God tells me this is the way it is going to be.
The sentence is passed. All we're waiting for is the day of execution. But all, beloved brethren, I am I then going to have intercourse with this poor world? Am I going to be joined in with this poor world and all its systems, all that it seeks to use to entice the Saints of God away from their path of practical separation?
Rather than if I pay attention and I speak to my own soul if I have before me the horse gate.
They are from above the horse gate. That which is this, the sentence for this poor world, It's going to separate me again in spirit from this poor world. I remember our dear brother Harry Hayhoe years ago. Sure some of the older brethren here will remember him saying it one night He said to us, and I believe, if I remember rightly, was right here in the city of Detroit at the conference here when he said, brethren, if you knew.
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That tomorrow morning.
City of Detroit was going to be destroyed. How much would you give for a house in Detroit tonight? Not very much. Not very much. No, beloved brethren, what little value it would have. Well, this is the horse game, and it will detach me, even heart and spirit from this poor world if I see that it's all under judgment. Just waiting for the horsemen to come riding out of heaven to execute judgment upon the world.
But then we find, brethren, that there are two more gates.
Left to consider, and to me they're very precious. In the 29th verse it says.
After them repaired Zadok the son of Emmer, over against his house. After him repaired also Shamaya the son of Shekinaya, the keeper of the Eastgate. The Eastgate. Now if you'll just keep this place again and turn over with me to Matthew's gospel.
Chapter 2.
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 2.
And verse one.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, and the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
And now, if you'll turn over again to Revelation chapter 22.
Revelation chapter 22.
And verse 16.
I, Jesus have sent mine Angel, to testify unto you these things in the churches.
I am the root and the offspring of David and the Bright and Morning Star President. We find there's an Eastgate, another gate to have our attention drawn to, and we find in Matthew there chapter 2, it says we have seen his star in the East and are come to worship him. All beloved brethren, is that true? Is that true of my heart?
That I can say, thankfully and joyfully, that I have seen his star in the East.
That I have before me that precious truth of the bright and morning star.
Knowing in Malachi chapter four we read about the Son of righteousness.
Who will arise with healing in his wings? We have that picture to us there.
Where the Lord Jesus will arise in blessing to Israel as the Son of righteousness.
But you and I are not looking for the Sun of Righteousness to arise with healing in his wings. What we have before our soul is the bright and morning star. You know in Peter second Peter chapter one, it speaks about the prophetic word made sure, and then it says of which we.
I'm not going to quote it right. You don't have to turn to it unless you want to, but it's in first second Peter chapter one and it says.
In verse 19 we have also a more sure word of prophecy. Where unto ye do well? That ye take heed is unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your heart. Now what we have printed to us there is that we have the word of prophecy, and we do well to take heed to the word of prophecy. It's a light that shines in the dark place. But there's something better rather than.
There's something better, and that is to have the Day Star arise in our hearts, to have the Lord Jesus as the bright and Morning star.
To have the Eastgate rather than and all that it signifies before us, the one who of whom it was said we have seen his star in the East. All beloved brethren, these wise men journeyed a long way. It started them off on a course because they had seen his star. It made them Pilgrim. Yes, it did. It made them Pilgrim.
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Because they had seen his star.
In the East or would to God that my heart saw that star more clearly, let the bright and morning star shone more brightly in my own heart and soul, that I might be more of a Pilgrim, more separate from this world as a result of paying more attention to the Eastgate. And now, lastly, our time is just about gone. You notice the 31St verse.
After him repaired Malchia the Goldsmith Sun onto the place of the Netherlands.
And of the merchants over against the gate myth cab and to the going up of the corner and between the going up of the corner onto the sheet gate prepared the Goldsmiths and the merchants. We've now come the full course gone around all the wall had to do with every gate back to the sheep gate except for one. And that's what's spoken of in the 31St verse, the gate miscast.
Now if you have.
A means of looking up the word myth CAD, you will find that the significance of this word is a place of meeting and all beloved brethren, to me that's so precious. But after all, this vast array of truth is brought before us in all these gates. Lastly, he would tell us that in keeping with our separation from this poor world.
There is a place of meeting. There is a place, beloved brethren, where we can go on with the Lord.
Whereas it tells us in Two Timothy chapter 2 we can follow righteousness.
Hey, peace with those that call upon the Lord. Out of a pure heart there is a place of meeting, and I believe with all my heart that God is going to preserve a place of meeting where we can meet in separation from this poor world gathered simply unto Christ.
Until the time comes when the Lord Jesus calls us home. But all the desire for my own soul and for my beloved brethren is that we might be kept. God is going to maintain the place, but all may we seek grace from himself to be kept there at the place of meeting where there gathered around himself at the gate. Myth Ken, we can there.
Enjoying the Lord's presence.
They kept apart from this cool world and all that has to offer.
The Power of God Supplies the Light for His Testimony
Address—P.L. Johnson
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.
Return to the Prophet Zechariah.
Zechariah chapter 4.
And the Angel that talked with me came again and went to me as a man that is awakened out of his sleep.
And said unto me, What seeth thou? And I said, I have looked. And behold a Candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps which are upon the top thereof.
And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl and the other upon the left side thereof.
So I answered in spake to the Angel that talked with me, saying, What are these? My Lord? Did The Angel that talked with me answered, and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then he answered, And speaking to me, saying, This is the word of the Lord undesirable, saying not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Through art thou, O great mountain.
Before the rub of old I shall become a plain, and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying, grace, grace unto it. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of the rubble have laid the foundation of this house.
His hand shall also finish it, and I shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto you.
For who hath despised the day of small things?
For they should rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven. They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the Candlestick, and upon the left side there are? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches, which threw the golden pipes, empty the golden oil out of themselves?
And he answered to me, and said, No, thou not what these be. And I said, no, my Lord.
Then said he, these are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
We've been taking up Zechariah in connection with the Ministry of Encouragement.
Can help for the feeble remnant returned to Jerusalem, building once again the House of God in the place.
Of God's appointment, the divine center.
And here in this 4th chapter we have brought before us.
Principally, I believe, the leading thought in this 4th 4th chapter. We have brought before us the vessel of testimony.
And the power that God supplies.
To furnish.
The light for this testimony?
Might say that the key to it is in verse six, the end of the verse, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.
Saith the Lord of Hosts.
That the work was not human.
And the testimony was not man, and so therefore the power.
In which the work was to be carried on, and the testimony was to be carried out was to be designed by the Spirit of God and not by human.
Power or human strength is the leading thought. But now you'll notice in the beginning of the chapter in verse one.
The Angel waked Zechariah as a man that is wakened out of his fleet. Now that's I have no doubt, but what these circumstances are full of meaning. I don't say that we're able always to attach a meaning to every one of the circumstances. Maybe someone has more light on it than I have. But I do believe that everything in the Word of God is important. There are no superfluous words.
And sometimes we.
We can learn something from the Lord by taking an account of a little circumstance like this. He was as a man that was wakened out of his sleep. So this would speak to us that the vision that Zechariah is going to have here is in connection with a time of awakening or revival. In fact, the very word revival has that connotation.
A time of awakening. Speaking of the a revival, I believe that has taken place.
In the history of the Church, we had something before us last evening in regard to this how when God returned to Jerusalem with mercy, we saw that in the Book of Revelation, chapter two and three, that in the course of the Church's history, when we come to the Thyatira period of Thyatira, when the Church is falling into idolatry.
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Perhaps Speaking of the the Middle Ages, why the the Spirit of God?
Speak of a remnant, and it's in connection with that remnant that a revival or awakening was affected for the Lord's people and truth was recovered that had been lost and Saints were once again put in possession of the precious truth and ministry that was given originally through the apostles and especially through the ministry of Paul. This reminds me verse one of what we have in chapter 25 of Matthew.
We'll turn to that. We'll just read it rather than refer to it. Perhaps there might be some who are not familiar with what we're speaking about.
Matthew 25.
While we do not have the church as such here in Matthew 25, we do have what refers to the present age, or the present time in the course, you might say, of the Christian testimony in connection with the Kingdom of heaven.
And speaking about the 10 virgins that are brought before us.
And in verse one we see that their original calling was that they were to go forth and meet the bridegroom.
And they had a lamp of profession. And so they were to go forth to meet the bridegroom that speaks to, you might say, of the their original calling. And we know that the, you might say the leading feature.
Or the the feature that underlies the whole truth of Christianity is that God is calling out of this world a people for his name and for heavenly glory, calling them out to to meet the Bridegroom, as it were, the one who's going to come and receive them unto himself and take them.
To be with Himself, to share that heavenly glory with Him. But we read in verse five that while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
It speaks of the all of those connected and associated with the Christian testimony slumbered in flesh. But in verse six, at midnight there was a crime aid. Behold the bridegroom.
The word coming cometh is omitted in a better reading, for it's really the thought of the bridegroom himself is once again become the the hope and the object brought before those connected with the Christian testimony. And at midnight there was a crime able. This is a awakening out of sleep. Behold the bridegroom now notice go, ye ought to meet him.
That's what was said in verse one. They were went forth to meet the bridegroom.
So it is an awakening or a revival and a return back to God's original fault. The thought of this awakening and revival is that as we had last evening, God has returned to his original fall and we we see that this takes place in the churches history in the message to Philadelphia in Revelation 3.
There we have a return to the original thought of God in regard to the assembly of the Church and the affections of Christ and what the Church is to Christ.
Return to the original thought. Behold the bridegroom go you out to meet them. So we might say that in Jeremiah or in Zechariah here where we have he's awakened out of fleet. We can see that this vision is connected with a day of revival and awakening. So it would apply to us today as those who.
Are in a testimony or associated with a testimony that is connected with a revival or awakening?
What I do believe that when the spirit of God.
Work through men of God in the early part of last century to restore again to the Church of God in a practical way.
The truth, the you might say the full aid of Christianity as given originally through the apostles and especially Pauls ministry. Why that would correspond to the to the epic or period in the Church of history of Philadelphia. And there is a testimony identified with that. Well, I believe here we have the thought that there has been an awakening and a revival and so there is a testimony in connection with it.
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But now notice verse 10 in Zechariah 4.
Not only is it a day of a revival and awakening, but it says, Who hath despised the day of small things?
For it was a day of small things. This is another thing that characterizes what we have in Chapter 4, this vision and the testimony in such a day that it is a day of it's a testimony and a day of revival or awakening, and it is the testimony of the Lord in the day of small things.
Now this is this is striking because you know, in the history of the testimony of God set up in this world, it began in great power.
And now, towards the end of that period of history, it's characterized by a day of small things.
In the habit of man thinking, I don't say that it's necessarily always true, but in man's way of thinking.
Things begin little and then they get better and bigger and bigger and improved.
I mean, that's if you examine the philosophy of man, you will find that's always his thought. He never thinks of things deteriorating. He always thinks in terms of things improving and things do not get smaller in his in his calculations, but things always get bigger, as I say, better. So that's his fault. It isn't always so because sometimes what man considers to be progress is really retrogression.
But nonetheless, in his thought is the progress. It's always getting better.
But we find that it's been true with all testimony or any testimony. Every testimony committed demands responsibilities.
Has has ended up, as it were, in connection with a remnant and small thing.
Then he says, Who hath despised the day of small things? Now that question would be very pertinent today for it to be to be identified with something that is small is not, is not attractive to one who is accustomed to thinking according to the mind of man.
For instance, just to be very frank and practical.
Why in in my hometown, and this happened to be when I was still in the building business on on a Monday morning after a so-called Easter Sunday as it's referred to when I appeared on the job. Why one of the salesman for one of the suppliers that supplied me came on the job and he knew, of course that I was a Christian and I had spoken to him before about the Lord.
Or at least in his mind, I guess he would say I was very religious and so he wanted to start the conversation along religious lines.
So he said to me, did you have a great service in your church yesterday? That was his first, first word, he said.
And then he wanted to know, did we have a large turn out?
What is he in his mind that was that was what he would expect on Easter Sunday. You know, when everyone turns out and there is an elaborate service, you see a day of small things. Well, when I spoke to him of the few gathered to the large name, and that we had to remember to the Lord as we do every Lord's day, and that it was another first day of the week to us. Well.
It sort of took the wind out of the conversation and he wanted to change it to other things. Of course it was no attraction. A small thing of that nature was no attraction.
But if I could have spoken about a large service and explain the described to him the finery of the service and the large turn out, we would have probably had quite a conversation along those lines. But it's a day of small things and the tendency is to despise such a thing. We'll now turn back to the Revelation, Chapter 3.
Or we will probably be turning to this more than once. Well, we find that there is a correspondence between.
The time of the Remnant in Zechariah's day and what we have in Revelation.
3.
I'm referring again to the Church of Philadelphia. I want to read it rather than just quote it in Revelation 3.
Birthday. I know thy work. Behold, I have set before thee unopened door, and no man can shut it. For thou hast a little strength, other words to be translated. Power. Thou hast a little power. That's what characterized them. But you know there is no assembly of all of the seven brought before.
The soul rejoices the heart of the Lord.
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And is so set forth in such a commendable way as this assembly.
At Philadelphia. And yet what characterized them was that they had a little strength. It was nothing grand there. There was nothing imposing. There was nothing that they could ride out in a in papers and pamphlets and circulate around in order to to amaze people with their great success or anything of the sort.
No, but they had, they were characterized by a little power, a little power. It was a, it's characterized by a day of small things. But also I would have put out this, while it says little power, which would indicate a day of small things, the word strength or power should be noted. That is, they had to, we might say they had quality there even if they didn't have quantity.
And you know, I believe that's something to think about.
So those gathered is a large name we want. We don't want to be occupied with quantities, that is numbers.
After all, what is mere numbers? There's nothing wrong with being little. There's nothing wrong with being small, but God looks for quality. That is, it may be only a few, but the few there should be of a quality that would immediate approval. And I believe the thought that it we have here a little string. He doesn't just say there's a few of you. He doesn't say now there's just a little company there.
Because you can have a little company.
Oh, but what's the state? What's the spiritual state of that little company? That isn't the point. The point is, it's true they were small and little, but they had power. And the power they had, of course, was not human power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit. Turned back to the book, the Acts of the Apostles. I think it's chapter 4.
And we'll contrast and yet a little comparison to chapter 4 of Acts and verse 33. Philadelphia had power. It was little power, but it was power.
And I believe we'll see here.
The true thought of a remnant I mentioned the first evening we were together on this subject. The thought of a remnant is that it's a part of the original.
And it bears the features of the original, it's just a smaller portion of it.
And we see that, I believe with Philadelphia that what they had.
Was the same thing that was there in the early church. It was just a smaller portion of speech in a smaller way, verse 33 says. And with great power.
Now, the reason I translated the word in Revelation 3A little power, and I'm not just changing your arbitrarily. You can check it out in the new translation or any interlinear Greek and you'll find that the word translated power here is the same word in the Greek is the word translated strength. In Revelation 3, it's the same word.
And with great power. So in other words, what Philadelphia had was the same thing. They had the same power, but it wasn't great power. Now, it was little power because it was a day of small things. But the quality was the same because they were going on in the power of the Spirit of God. Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit. You see, the power that was there was the Spirit of God, the same power.
That gave the apostles witness to the resurrection here and with great power.
And what was the source of this great power? The Spirit of God.
The source of this great power that the apostles that enable the apostles to give witness of the resurrection was the Holy Spirit. And so the quality was there. But it's a day of small things, and I have felt that this should be an exercise on the part of those gathered to the Lord's name. Not so much. Not that anyone would just glory in smallness or numbers, and not that one would.
Say, oh, well, we don't want to have two or three hundred. We don't want to have two or three thousand or anything of the sort. That isn't the point.
But the point is that we would not be occupied with numbers or quantity, but the quality.
That is, that there might be with those who are there gathered to the Lord's name, that there might be.
Spirituality that there might be the power of the Spirit of God. And you know, it's sometimes I get the feeling when we talk about spirituality and the power of the spirit that someone gets the impression that spirituality is a sort of a nebulous high sounding thing that is elusive. And, and what does it mean that someone is holier than thou and super pious and all of those expressions will hear them sometimes.
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But you know, what about a word like in Galatians?
If any man be overtaken in the fault ye with your spiritual restoration. I said that your brother one time I said, Suppose someone were to say that in your meeting ye that are spiritual, would there be any who would be exercised? Either the spiritual or the apostle certainly expected that there would be those that are spiritual.
It is not a matter of pride. We would desire to be spiritual. I believe is one who is endeavoring to to be led and guided by the Spirit of God. He is not. He is not seeking to walk. Now, spiritual doesn't mean perfect. You know, sometimes we get the impression you speak about spirituality and they say, oh, he thinks he's perfect. If you're spiritual, admit, never make a mistake.
Never at any time say something out of line.
All I didn't did, but what it means is this, that if one does act in the flesh.
I believe where there is spirituality, it is it is felt and it is detected and it is judged. That's the thought of the spiritual. It is that there is a spirit of of self judgment, not perfection. We're not going to find that. If the apostle had meant that there would be no one to go restore a brother overtaking in the fall for their none perfect.
And without fault. But either the spiritual, I believe, is those who are seeking to be governed by the Spirit of God and they're, they're going on in a spirit of self judgment. So that when, when the fleshly falls and waves prop up, there is an exercise to judge them and to set them aside. Well, I, I think we should be exercised about whether or not there is spirituality and whether things are done in a spiritual way taken up.
In that regard, that would be a little power, I believe, but it's not going to be manifested, this power in a great way. And another thing sometimes in the thought of the power of the Spirit in the minds of some professing Christian is when you speak about the power of the Spirit, you know what they think about. They think of for how great multitudes of souls being brought in, you know. Oh no.
You get a day of small things and so the power of the Spirit of God may not be manifested that, but you know it takes power to go against the current of this world. And the and the the little power that might be manifest among the Saints gathered, the Lord's name might be exhibited in a way of giving them the strength and the courage to to just be able to go against the current.
You say, well, why do you want to go against the current? Well, all you have to do is examine the current.
About it and you and you know why you want to go against them? Because the currents are all contrary to the mind of God. One reads the word of God and I'm impressed more and more as I read the Bible.
That, to put it plainly, how in a sense impractical the Bible is. If you want to get along in this world, you, you read the scriptures, you read them habitually and then you go out and you work and then your contact and you find people don't think like you find in the Bible. They don't, they don't act that way. They don't, they don't want to act that way. They don't want to go in the way that you find here.
Well, you see, that's that's the current. And so the believer has to go against the current and it does take power.
But if the power is the Spirit of God now it will be great power. But it can be a little power, and that's the quality I'm speaking about.
The quality that the Lord looked for is that power of the Spirit of God to do things according to the mind of the Spirit, and in the power of the Spirit will turn back then to Zechariah.
I want to take a look here at this.
Vision that he had.
Now the Candlestick are the lampstand, this golden lampstand in verse 2.
He looks and he sees a lamp stand of gold.
And there was a bowl upon the top of it. This bowl, of course, was a The object of the bowl was to be a vessel that would contain the oil.
That was supplied by the olive trees.
And.
We're circulated to the lamp by means of the pipes, but we read here that there was a lamp stand, olive gold, with a bowl up on the top of it, and then there were seven lamps. That was to the lamp, of course, is that which gives a light.
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And seven pipes to the 7 lands.
Which are on the top thereof, and then two olive trees by it. And we see in verse 12 That these two olive trees.
Supplied the oil.
Through the golden pipes supplying the oil through the lamps. Well, no doubt it went through the.
To the bowl first as a as a receptacle or a vessel that care that that held the oil.
And then from there to the to the lamp, that it might shine out. Well, what does this bring before?
Turn back again to Revelation, this time chapter one.
In Revelation One we have what I believe would interpret this lampstand of gold to it.
Verse 12.
John said. I turned to see the voice that speak with me, and being turned, I saw 7 golden candlesticks or lampstands. Now in verse 20 of the chapter, the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars of the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches.
The.
So we see that the thought of a lamp stand is connected with the assembly. Now, of course, here in Revelation one there seven in our in our chapter in Zechariah, there was only one lampstand which I believe speaks of the testimony of the Lord in connection with his house set up here in this world to be the pillar and support of the truth. Now the reason I believe there's seven in Revelation.
One rather than one lampstand.
Is the fact that the way in which the truth of the assembly is carried out in a practical way as to our responsibility in regard to it is in a local way? In other words, there is no such thing as the the universal church on earth. There is one Church.
The House of God in First Timothy, I believe, is the church universal, the Church of the living God, the House of God, the Church of the living God, the pillar in support of the truth. That's the church looked at as the universal church. The one church on earth set up by God is his house here on earth in public testimony to be the pillar and support of the truth. But the way this, the way this truth is carried out responsibly is in a local way, in local assembly. The church universal does not act.
There is no such thing as an ecumenical council. That is the Church Universal functioning and acting as a universal church. Now it does. It is true that the church owners act, but it acts through local assembly. That is, when a local assembly acts, it acts for the whole church on earth. But the Church Universal doesn't come together.
We find that principle, I believe, in the ordering of the camp of Israel, typically.
When in the second chapter of the Book of Numbers when we see that each man was to pitch by his own standards and according to his own tribe.
That each tribe had a designated place and each man was to pitch by his own standard. But all of these tribes were given a place round about the Tabernacle. That is, they were all set up in relation to the central thought of the Tabernacle. But each man was to be in his own standards. And so it is with those who are believers on the Lord Jesus, a part of the one universal church. Each one is to have a local connection. You see the church.
In a local way, it functions as a local assembly, and that's why when we have the ardor and in which the church is to function set forth in Scripture, it's written to a local assembly. That is, Paul writes to the Church of God, which is in common.
We do not have in the Epistle to the Ephesians the local.
We do not have the ardor and function of the church in the epistle to the Ephesians, for there it is more the church in its universal character. They have we have the one church on earth in its universal character. But the truth of what the church is, the one church on earth is to be carried out in a in a local way in the local gatherings. And that's what we have in the first Epistle of the Corinthians and the Church of God with you that Khan.
The fact that there are 7 churches here, the seven lampstands Speaking of seven churches does not mean that all of these assemblies were independent of one another. It means that responsibility.
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In the church belongs to each one of us in a local way. Each one has his own local connection and his own local responsibilities. And yet that is not.
A disassociated from the fact that all local gatherings are really or a part of that one church which is on earth.
But I referred to this, I didn't want to get off on a digression of that. I referred to chapter one chiefly to connect the fall of a golden lampstand with the thought of the assembly. And back in Zechariah, it's one, and it brings before us the truth of the Church. And I believe this means that God fought for the remnant in a day of revival and awakening, and in a day of small things. His thought is.
The testimony, the church is his testimony set up here in this world.
And we're going to go on with it, despite the fact that it is a day of ruin and failure. We know that there are those.
That they say because of the scattering and because of the divisions and because of all of the circumstances that exist, Well, they're, they, they give us the fault of the church or the assembly as set forth in Scripture. But we want to remember this, that the church is God's vessel of testimony, that here in this world as his vessel of testimony through the whole.
Whole of this this period in which we live, and until the church is taken out.
Turn to 1St Corinthians 12.
I think we have there in First Corinthians 12.
And verse 12, what corresponds to what I was Speaking of as the church being the vessel of testimony for God?
No one individual as an individual fulfills the thought of God as the vessel of testimony. Not that an individual is is not a witness, but God thought is and always has been from the very beginning of this age.
A collective witness and testimony.
Verse 12 far as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so also is the church. No, it doesn't say this.
Now we know it's talking about the church, but it says so also is the Christ. Now it's remarkable. Why does it say so also is the Christ?
Why doesn't it say so? Also is the church?
Because the Christ, as it should be, the word be, is found in the original, so also is the Christ. It brings before us the thoughts. The Christ, the Anointed, is the, you might say, the vessel of God's testimony. The Lord Jesus was that when he was here.
He was he was in himself, you might say, the the vessel of God's testimony. And now he's taken out of this world and there has been farmed here on earth the body of Christ, the mystical body, if you want to use that word, spiritual body, of course not his literal body. And it now as it were, replaces Christ just as he was.
The the witness of God. Now then, as we read in Revelation One, he was that faithful witness.
Now then, so also is the Christ that's referring to the church, the anointed vessel of God, to be for God's testimony here in this world. And notice it isn't an individual.
It's the one body.
Has many members and they're all one body, so that the thought here is not that we are individually.
To be witnesses for Christ. But he has set up here the Christ his anointed, which is the church, the assembly for by 1 Spirit, where we all baptize into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free. And very often we quote this verse and stop there, but notice it says, and have been all made to drink.
Into one spirit.
Well, I believe that's a very practical word. We've been all made to drink.
Into one Spirit, by the one Spirit we were made members of the one body.
But not only that, we've been all made to drink into one spirit. Well, you know.
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No doubt that is the Holy Spirit. This is what forms the basis for the exhortation of Paul when he says endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And why could he exhort us to keep the unity of the Spirit? Because we've all been made to drink into one spirit. God has not given me a different spirit from you.
I have a different personality.
As an individual, I have certain traits that you don't have, but we all have received the same spirit.
I haven't received a different spirit from you. We've all been made to drink into one spirit. Sometimes the thought of of giving up collective testimony is well, you know, you can never make people agree. I hear this so often. You can never make people agree. Everyone has different thoughts and that's quite true. But God hasn't given me a different spirit than you. We've all been made to drink into one spirit. This is the this is the practical side of the truth of the one body. He's not only.
Armed us into one body, but He's given us all the same spirit, the same spirit, identical, no difference. And so we can keep the unity of the spirit because we all have the same spirit, but we cannot keep the unity of the Spirit. If we're not walking according to the Spirit, then that's when our various personalities, that's when our various traits come in and rub against one another and grate against one another.
And so that's why it's necessary that there should be.
Humility and loneliness, long-suffering and forbearing with one another because we don't always walk according to the Spirit. But still there should be the exercise endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. For we have all that is, there is the capability of it.
I remember JB Stoney as a remark he made one time and I thought it was very good, he says. We find in Scripture that.
The Christians capabilities are equal to his responsibilities, and that's true. We will find that whatever our responsibilities are, there is the capability for it. Oh, not in the flesh is true, but in the Spirit. And that's the teaching of Zechariah four, That is, that everything is in the power of the Spirit of God. And that's what we find here. There will never be any practical unity among the Saints of God if there is not.
Of being governed by the Spirit of God.
If it's if it's every man doing that which is right in his own eyes, If it's each one bringing his thoughts and you know this is the way.
Fraternities in this world, this is the way they operate their efforts to come to a a unity is a thought of a unanimity of thought is that each one, maybe they have a little meeting together and each one gives his thoughts. They pull their thoughts and there's a pro and con. There's a given taste. And then the result of all this is they arrived at some sort of a formula.
Some sort of a course of action that's agreeable to all. Well, this is not the way the Church of God operates. This is really where each one subject to that one spirit in which we've all been made to dream. It isn't a pooling of ideas. It isn't a matter of pro and con and finding some formula that we can all agree on and then go along on that line. Know it's by the Spirit of God. We've been all made to drink into one spirit. This is that wonderful vessel of testimony. And in Zechariah 4, it's in connection with the day of.
Awakening a day of small things, one might have said, Well, this is possible. This would have been possible back in the days of the apostles.
No, it's possible today because the Spirit of God.
Remained with us. The Spirit of God is here. And so in Philadelphia they had a little power and it was associated with the Spirit. Turn back again now to Zechariah.
Our chapter in Zechariah chapter 4.
And you'll notice I've already anticipated in a way.
About the power of the Spirit being behind the testimony. But notice in verse two again this lampstand.
As we see, it represents the Church as the best of testimony. It was all of gold.
A golden scripture is typical of that which is divine.
And we were signed in Revelation chapter 12 That the Lord Jesus was in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. They were golden.
Reminding us that the Assembly or the Church is a divine institution, it's not a human one.
It is not a human organization, but it's a divine institution still. And the assembly and going on with the thought of the assembly, we're going on with that which is divine. And the lamps would no doubt bring before us the, the, the shining out of the testimony.
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And the pipe is that which supplies the oil, and the oil being the Spirit of God. And so we can we can see that here we have the the vessel of testimony and the way this testimony is carried out and, and shining out and giving light as God intend in this Dark World, the light of himself, the divine thing, and it's give out in light.
These lights and it's supplied through the pipe.
Well, this reminds me. You turn back again to this time to Ephesians.
Now the portion in Ephesians chapter 4.
We might say that in the second chapter.
In verse 11, through the end of the chapter, through the rest of the chapter, we have the formation.
Of this vessel of testimony, the Church.
Dear and Gentile forming the one Newman.
House of God.
And so forth. In chapter four we have the the way it functioned, or you might say the shining out of the light.
And in connection with that, we read in verse 7 unto everyone of us, if given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ unto everyone of us.
Unto everyone of us.
Not just some of it here.
There has been a gift according to the giving of Christ, something given. This isn't salvation.
This means that everyone sat in the body as a member of the body has a function.
This is taken up in verse 16.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier.
According to the effect we're working the measure of every part make an increase of the body under the edifying of itself in love. So we see that every every one of us has been set in the body as a joint of supply.
By that which every joint supply, a joint of supply. You remember now in Zechariah 4, there were the pipes that supplied the oil that made the light burn. And so the testimony of the Lord is maintained by the Saints supplying and the power of the Spirit, that light and testimony here in this world.
The whole body, every joint supplies something and I would say this, that we are all supplying something.
And I trust we're supplying that which really is furthers the testimony in causing the the light to shine, causing the light to shine more brightly, rather than supplying or anything that might hinder it.
That in verse 11 we have some special gifts in chapter 4 and he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.
Well, this of course would also be involved in the in the supply and in making the light shine. And these gifts are for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. That is it. They're given an order like the evangelist. The evangelist, you might say, are the ones who who bring in those joints of supply.
And the preaching of the Gospel. So we see here that the fault of God is saving souls.
Is not merely or only that they might be ransomed from hell and from judgment, but that they might be brought into this testimony that you might be a joint of supply too, and to be brought into this testimony. That's the thought of the evangelist. And when they're brought in the pastor, the teachers care for them, feed them and look after them and maintain them in such a state that they're able to to function as joints of supply and to supply what?
Is beneficial to the testimony that causes the light to shine.
Well.
We see that the assembly is the vessel of testimony shining for God here in this world, and the Saints farming that assembly are looked at his joints of supply. And God has given special gifts, not only to farm them, to bring them in, but to maintain them and to keep them as it were.
In a in a proper condition, so that the flow of oil might continue even in a day of ruin and failure, these things continue. You know, these special gifts in Ephesians 4 are not like the furnishings of the Spirit in in the first chapter of First Corinthians in First Corinthians 12, some of those furnishings of the Spirit are not fitting for a day of ruin and failure, and so they do not continue. But in Ephesians 4, the evangelist pastor.
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Continues even in the day of ruin and failure, a day of small things, a day of revival and awakening to keep the pipe, a supply of the joints of supply of the pipes in good order.
Well.
The the major thought, as I said in the beginning here in this chapter.
Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit. That's the Lord of hosts. And then it says, Who art thou, old great mountain before the rubble? Thou shall become a plain well. This speaks about the power to overcome obstacles and.
This mountain, of course, would be would be brought before us as an obstacle.
And there were obstacles in the way of rebuilding the temple.
But he says before the rubble thou shall become a plain well. Perhaps the rubble would be indicated in verse 14.
About chapter Zechariah, these are the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth, and I believe this refers to Derubable and Joshua the High Priest.
And the word anointed ones here literally is sons of oil. And so it would bring before us that derubable here is set before us is one.
Who is undertaking the work of God?
In a day of awakening, a day of small things, he's undertaking the work of God. The mountains have to be, as it were, removed the obstacles in order to continue this building of the temple, the House of God and the rubble would be one who is as a sum of oil, doing this work in the power of the Spirit of God and according to the Spirit of God.
I want to read in Second Corinthians chapter 10 a very important principle for us in connection with the service of the law.
Because I think the thought of a mountain being reduced to a plane.
Which speak of service?
Conflict.
And we want to see in Two Corinthians 12, it's not by might nor by power, by any human method or means.
But by the Spirit of God. Now the apostle Paul says in verse 2, But I beseech you, that I may not be bold.
2nd Corinthians 10 I'm reading may not be bold when I'm present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh, for though we walk in the flesh, that is in the body.
We're still in the body, he says. We do not war, and those that word war after the flesh. This has to do with church.
This is not so much the thought of worship, and sometimes we are inclined to think that when it comes to the worship of God, like it's a breaking of bread. Well, yes, everything there should be by the Spirit. We don't want to bring in human instruments of music and so forth there. Well, that's all by the Spirit of God. So when it comes to search, well, we want to take up a different principle.
But the apostle says, no, we don't roar after the flesh either. We don't. We don't worship after according to the flesh, but we don't work according to the flesh.
For the weapons or the literally the arms of our warfare, the means see, the arms of warfare are the means that one.
Use it or the instruments of war, the means he uses to wage war. That's the arms of warfare.
So this would have reference to the mean.
That we're to use in in that you might say the conflict of the truth, the gospel, even going out. The means that we're employees is are not carnal. That is they're not fleshly. They're not according to flesh, but they're mighty according to God. It should be. That is, they may not be mighty according to man. That is, man would look at it, He said, oh, that's a very poor means. You'll never get any work done for God that way.
Because according to man, in order to get things accomplished, you have to have you've got to organize and you've got to really do things according to a salesmanship fashion. But he says there might be according to God, according to God's reckonings, as it were. It's it's powerful because it's not according to flesh to the pulling down a stronghold, casting down imaginations are the thoughts of man and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringeth into Capt.
Every thought to the obedience of the Christ. Well, the apostle is saying here.
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That he does not employ.
Fleshly means.
In his Christian warfare, no, he's going to, he's not going to employ fleshly means, but he employs that which is mighty according to God. It's according to the Spirit. And this is a real test. It's a real test. The real question, the real test in Christian service is not is this effective? That's not the real test. The real test is, is it according to the Spirit of God?
Is it compatible with the Spirit of God? Is this what the Spirit of God would lead us to do?
And to employ and to use, as we find what he has set forth in his practice, words, if not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord. And this in a day of scattering.
I think that sometimes we're inclined to believe that in a day of scattering and weakness and small things we have to employ.
Different methods than was employed in the day when everything was going on. Well, Oh no, it's still by the Spirit. That's what Zechariah 4 would teach. A day of a revival and awakening and small things. It's still by my Spirit. That's the Lord. The same principle, the same testimony that lampstand.
All of gold. And by the Spirit it's the same witness, the same testimony, and the same power. And so he would encourage them to go on and build that temple. And even if they would go on in the power of the Spirit, well, these mountains would be reduced to a plane.
Well, this, I believe, would be instructive and helpful and encouraging for us in a day of ruining failure because we do have the the availability of the Spirit that is the Spirit of God is still with us. That's one of the things we have in Haggai. My spirit remaineth.
With you, as well as the words that He's covenanted, as it were, with us, the Word in the Spirit of God, in his presence.
But we do have the availability of the Spirit of God to count upon him in his power to.
Maintain some quality that would be for the Lord's pleasure and glory, and also in His service and witness and in His testimony.
Testimony of the Lord in Day of Small Things
Address—P.L. Johnson
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It's turned to the prophet Zechariah.
Zechariah chapter 4 and the Angel that talked with me came again.
And wait to me as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.
And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked. And behold a Candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps which are upon the top thereof.
And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl and the other upon the left side thereof.
So I answered and speak to the Angel that talked with me, saying, What are these my Lord?
That the Angel that talked with me answered, and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then he answered and spoken to me, saying, This is the word of the Lord undesirable, saying, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Who art thou, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel thou shall become a plain, and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying grace, grace unto it.
Moreover, the word of the Lord came into me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house.
His hands shall also finish it, And thou shalt know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me unto you, for who hath despised the day of small things?
For they should rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven. They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the Candlestick?
And upon the left side thereof. And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches, which through the golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
And he answered to me and said, Knowest thou not what thee be? And I said, No, my Lord Then said he, These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. We've been taking up Zechariah in connection with the ministry of encouragement and help. For the feeble remnant returned to Jerusalem, building once again the House of God in the place.
Of God's appointment, the divine center.
And here in this 4th chapter we have brought before us.
Principally, I believe the leading thought in this 4th chapter. We have brought before us the vessel of testimony.
And the power that God supplies.
To furnish.
The light for this?
We might say that the key to it is in verse six, the end of the verse, not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.
Saith the Lord of Hosts.
That the work was not human.
And the testimony was not man's, and so therefore the power.
In which the work was to be carried on, and the testimony was to be carried out was to be divine by the Spirit of God, and not by human.
Power or human strength is the leading thought. But now you'll notice in the beginning of the chapter in verse one.
The Angel waked Zechariah as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. Now that I have no doubt but what these circumstances are full of meaning. I don't say that we're able always to attach a meaning to every one of the circumstances. Maybe someone has more light on it than I have, but I do believe that.
Everything in the Word of God is important. There are no superfluous words.
And sometimes we we can learn something from the Lord by taking an account of a little circumstance like this. He was as a man that was wakened out of his sleep. So this would speak to us that the vision that Zechariah is going to have here is in connection with a time of awakening or revival. In fact, the very word revival has that connotation.
A time of awakening. Speaking of the revival, I believe that has taken place.
In the history of the Church, we had something before us last evening in regard to this how, when God returned to Jerusalem with mercies. We saw that in the Book of Revelation, chapter two and three, that in the course of the Church's history, when we come to the Thyatira period of Thyatira, when the Church had fallen into idolatry.
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Perhaps Speaking of the the Middle Ages.
Why? The Spirit of God speaks of a remnant, and it's in connection with that remnant that a revival or a awakening.
Was affected for the Lord's people and truth was recovered that had been lost and Saints were once again put in possession of the precious truth and ministry that was given originally through the apostles and especially through the ministry of Paul. This reminds me verse one of what we have in chapter 25 of Matthew. We'll turn to that. We'll just read it rather than refer to it perhaps.
There might be some who are not familiar with what we're speaking about.
Matthew 25.
While we do not have the church as such here in Matthew 25, we do have what refers to the present age or the present time in the course, you might say, of the Christian testimony in connection with the Kingdom of heaven. I'm speaking about the 10 virgins that are brought before us.
And in verse one we see that their original calling was that they were to go forth and meet the bridegroom.
And they had a lamp of profession.
And so they were to go forth to meet the bridegroom that speaks, you might say, of the.
Their original calling and we know that the you might say the leading feature.
Or the the feature that underlies the whole truth of Christianity is that God is calling out of this world a people for his name and for heavenly glory, calling them out to to meet the Bridegroom, as it were, the one who's going to come and receive them unto himself and take them to be with Himself.
To share that heavenly glory with Him. But we read in verse five that while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
It speaks of the all of those connected and associated with the Christian testimony slumbered in slept, but in verse six at midnight there was a crime aid. Behold the bridegroom.
When the word coming cometh is omitted in the better readings, for it's really the thought of the Bridegroom himself, it once again become the the hope and the object brought before those connected with the Christian testimony. And at midnight there was a crime aid. Well, this is a awakening out of sleep. Behold the bridegroom Now notice go ye out to meet him.
That's what was said in verse one. They were went forth to meet the bridegroom.
So it is an awakening or a revival and a return back to God's original thought.
The thought of this awakening in revival is that, as we had last evening, God has returned to His original thought.
And we see that this takes place in the church's history in.
The message to Philadelphia in Revelation Three. There we have a return to the original thought of God in regard to the assembly of the Church and the affections of Christ and what the Church is to Christ.
The return to the original fall. Behold the bridegroom go you out to meet them.
So we might say that in Jeremiah or in Zechariah here where we have he's awakened out of sleep. We can see that this vision is connected with a day of revival and awakening. So it would apply to us today as those who.
Are in a testimony or associated with a testimony that is connected with a revival or awakening?
For I do believe that when the spirit of God.
Work through men of God in the early part of last century to restore again to the Church of God in a practical way.
The truth you might see the full aid of Christianity as given.
Originally through the apostles and especially Paul's ministry. Why?
That would correspond to the to the epic or period in the church's history of Philadelphia. And there is a testimony identified with that. Well, I believe here we have the thought that there has been an awakening and a revival. And so there is a testimony in connection with it. But now notice verse 10 in Zechariah 4. Not only is it a day of a revival.
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And awakening. But it says, Who hath despised the day of small things?
For it was a day of small things. This is another thing that characterizes what we have in Chapter 4, this vision and the testimony in such a day that it is a day of it's a testimony and a day of revival or awakening, and it is the testimony of the Lord in the day of small things.
Now this is this is striking because you know, in the history of the testimony of God set up in this world, it began in great power.
And now, toward the end of that period of history, it's characterized by a day of small things.
In the habit of man's thinking, I don't say that it's necessarily always true. But in man's way of thinking, things begin little, and then they get better and bigger and bigger and improve.
I mean, that's if you examine the philosophy of man, you'll find that's always his thought. He never thinks of things deteriorating. He always thinks in terms of things improving and things do not get smaller in his in his calculations, but things always get bigger, as I say, better. Well, that's his thought. It isn't always so because sometimes what man considers to be progress is really retrogression.
But nonetheless, in his thought, it's progress, it's always getting better, but we find that.
It's been true with all testimony or any testimony. Every testimony committed to man's responsibility has.
Has ended up, as it were, in connection with a remnant and small things.
But, he says, Who hath despised the day of small things? Now that question would be very pertinent today for it to be to be identified with something that is small is not, is not attractive to one who is accustomed to thinking according to the mind of man.
For instance, just to be very frank and practical.
Why in my hometown, and this happened to be when I was still in the building business on on Monday morning after a so-called Easter Sunday as it's referred to when I appeared on the job, Why one of the salesman for one of the suppliers that supplied me came on the job and he knew, of course, that I was a Christian and I had spoken.
Before about the Lord, or at least in his mind, I guess he would say I was very religious and so he wanted to start the conversation along religious lines. So he said to me, did you have a great service in your church yesterday? That was his first, first word he said.
And then he wanted to know, did we have a large turn out?
What you see in his mind, that was, that was what he would expect on Easter Sunday, you know, when everyone turns out and there is an elaborate service, you see a day of small things. Well, when I spoke to him of the few gathered to the Lord's name, and that we had the remembrance of the Lord as we do every Lord's Day, and that it was another first day of the week to us, well.
It sort of took the wind out of the conversation and he wanted to change it to other things, of course.
For it was number attraction. A small thing of that nature was number attraction. But if I could have spoken about a large service and explained described to him the finery of the service and the large turn out, we would have probably had quite a conversation along those lines. But is today of small things and the tendency is to despise such a thing. We'll now turn back to the.
Revelation chapter 3.
For we will probably be turning to this more than once, for we find that there is a correspondence between.
The time of the Remnant in Zechariah's day and what we have in Revelation.
3.
I'm referring again to the Church at Philadelphia. I want to read it rather than just quote it.
In Revelation 3.
Verse eight. I know thy works. Behold, I have set before the unopened door, and no man can shut it. For thou hast a little strength, or the word should be translated power. Thou hast a little power. That's what characterized them. But you know there is no assembly of all of the seven brought before us.
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Beth Soul rejoices the heart of the Lord Jesus and is so.
Set forth in such a commendable way as this assembly at Philadelphia. And yet what characterized them was that they had a little strength. There was nothing grand there. There was nothing imposing. There was nothing that they could ride out in a in papers and pamphlets and circulate around in order to to amaze people with their great success, or anything of the sort.
No, but they had. They were characterized by a little.
Power, a little power. It was a, it's characterized by a day of small things. But also I want to point out this, while it says little power, which would indicate a day of small things, the word strength or power should be noted. That is, they had to, we might be there even if they didn't have quantity. And you know, I believe that's something to think about.
That those gathered to the Lord's name.
We want, we don't want to be occupied with quantity, that is numbers. For after all, what is mere numbers? There's nothing wrong with being little. There's nothing wrong with being small, but God looks for quality. That is, it may be only a few, but the few there should be of of equality that would meet his approval. And I believe the thought that it's we have here a little strength. He doesn't just say there's a few.
He doesn't say. Now there's just a little company there.
Because you could have a little company.
Oh, but what? What's the state? What's the spiritual state of that little company? That isn't the point. The point is, it's true they were small and little, but they had power. And the power they had, of course, was not human power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit. Turned back to the book, The Acts of the Apostles. I think it's chapter 4.
And we'll contrast and yet a little comparison to chapter 4 of Acts and verse 33.
Philadelphia had power. It was little power, but it was power.
And I believe we'll see here.
The true thought of a remnant. I mentioned the 1St.
Evening we were together on this subject. The thought of a remnant is that it's a part of the original.
And it bears the features of the original, it's just a smaller portion of it.
And we see this, I believe, with Philadelphia that what they had.
Was the same thing that was there in the early church. It was just a smaller portion, so to speak, in a smaller way, verse 33 says. And with great power.
Now, the reason I translated the word in in Revelation 3A, little power and and I'm not just changing it arbitrarily. You can check it out in the new translation or any interlinear Greek and you'll find that the word translated power here is the same word in the Greek is the word translated strength. In Revelation 3, it's the same word.
And with great power. So in other words, what Philadelphia had was the same thing. They had the same power, but it wasn't great power. Now it was little power because it was a day of small things. But the quality was the same because they were going on in the power of the Spirit of God. Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit. You see, the power that was there was the Spirit of God the same.
Power that gave the apostles witness to the resurrection here.
And with great power. And what was the source of this great power? The Spirit of God.
The source of this great power that the apostles that enabled the apostles to give witness of the resurrection was the Holy Spirit. And so the quality was there. But it's a day of small things, and I have felt that this should be an exercise on the part of those gathered to the Lord's name. Not so much. Not that anyone would just glory in smallness or numbers.
And not that one would say, Oh well, we don't want to have two or three hundred. We don't want to have two or three thousand or anything of the sort. That isn't the point.
But the point is that we would not be occupied with numbers or quantity, but the quality. That is, that there might be with those who are there gathered to the Lord's name, that there might be spirituality, that there might be the power of the Spirit of God. And you know, it's sometimes I get the feeling when we talk about spirituality and the power of the Spirit that someone gets the impression that spirituality.
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Sort of a nebulous high sounding thing that is elusive and and what does it mean that someone is holier than thou and super pious and all of those expressions will hear them sometimes. But you know what about a word like in Galatians, if any man be overtaken in the fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one. I said that your brother one time I said, suppose someone were to say that in your meeting.
Ye that are spiritual, would there be any who would?
The exercise ye that are spiritual or the apostle certainly expected that there would be those that are spiritual.
It is not a matter of pride. We would desire to be spiritual. I believe is one who is endeavoring to to be led and guided by the Spirit of God. He is not he is not seeking to walk. Spiritual doesn't mean perfect. You know, sometimes we get the impression you speak about spirituality and they say, oh, he thinks he's perfect. If you're spiritual, admit, never make a mistake.
Never at any time say something out of line.
All that isn't it, but what it means is this, that if one does act in the flesh, I believe where there is spirituality, it is it is felt and it is detected and it is judged. That's the thought of the spiritual. It is that there is a spirit of of self judgment, not perfection. We're not going to find that. If the apostle had meant that there would be no one to go restore a brother overtaking in the fall for their none perfect and without.
But either the spiritual I believe is those who are seeking to be governed by the Spirit of God and they're, they're going on in a spirit of a spirit of self judgment. So that when, when the fleshly thoughts and ways crop up, there is an exercise to judge them and to set them aside. Well, I, I think we should be exercised about whether or not there is spirituality.
And whether things are done in a spiritual way.
Taken up in that regard, that would be a little power, I believe, because it's not going to be manifested, this power in a great way. And another thing sometimes in the thought of the power of the Spirit in the minds of some professing Christians is when you speak about the power of the Spirit, you know, what they think about. They think of perhaps great multitudes of souls being brought in, you know.
Oh no.
You see, it's a day of small things, and so the power of the Spirit of God may not be manifest in that, but you know.
It takes power to go against the current of this world and the.
And the little power that might be manifest among the Saints gathered to the Lord's name might be exhibited in a way of giving them the.
Strength and the courage to just be able to go against the current.
You say, well, why do you want to go against the current? Well, all you have to do is examine the currents that are all about us and you. And you know why you want to go against them? Because the currents are all contrary to the mind of God. One reads the word of God and I'm impressed more and more as I read the Bible.
That, to put it plainly, how in a sense impractical the Bible is. If you want to get along in this world, you, you read the scriptures, you read them habitually and then you go out and you work and in your contacts and you find people don't think like you find in the Bible. They don't, they don't act that way. They don't, they don't want to act that way. They don't want to go in the way that you find here.
Well, you see, that's that's the current. And so the believer has to go against the current and it does take power.
But if the power is the Spirit of God, now it won't be great power, but it can be a little power. And that's the quality I'm speaking about. The quality that the Lord looks for is that power of the Spirit of God to to do things according to the mind of the Spirit. And in the power of the Spirit will turn back then to Zechariah. What I want to take a look here at this.
Vision that he had.
Of the Candlestick or the lampstand. This golden lampstand in verse 2.
He looks and he sees a lampstand of gold.
And there was a bowl upon the top of it. This bowl, of course, was the objects of the bowl was.
00:25:03
To be a vessel that would contain the oil.
That was supplied by the olive trees.
And.
We're circulated to the lamps.
By means of the pipes. But we read here that there was a lampstand all of gold with a bowl up on the top of it, and then there were seven lamps. That was to the lamps, of course, is that which gives the light.
And seven pipes to the seven lamps.
Which upon the top thereof, and then two olive trees by it. And we see in verse 12 That these two olive trees.
Supplied the oil.
Through the golden pipes supplying the oil to the lamps. Well, no doubt it went to the.
To the bow, first as a as a receptacle or a vessel that care that that held the oil, and then from there to the to the lamps that it might shine out. Well, what does this bring before us?
Turn back again to Revelation, this time chapter one.
In Revelation One we have what I believe would interpret this lampstand of gold to us.
Verse 12, John says. I turn to see the voice that speak with me.
And being turned I saw 7 golden candlesticks.
Our lamp stands.
Now in verse 20 of this chapter, the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars of the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches. So we see that the thought of a lampstand is connected with the the assembly. Now, of course, here in Revelation One, there's seven in our in our chapter in.
There was only one lampstand which I believe speaks of the testimony of the Lord in connection with.
His house set up here in this world to be the pillar and support of the truth. Now the reason I believe there's seven in Revelation One rather than one lampstand, is the fact that the the way in which the truth of the assembly is carried out in a practical way as to our responsibility in regard to it is in a local way. In other words, there is no such thing as the.
The universal church on earth. There is one church.
The House of God in First Timothy, I believe, is the Church universal, the Church of the living God.
The House of God, the Church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. That's the church looked at as the universal church. That one church on earth set up by God is his house here on earth in public testimony to be the pillar and support of the truth. But the way this, the way this truth is carried out responsibly is in a local way, in local assemblies. The church universal does not act. There's no such thing as an ecumenical council.
That is the church universal functioning.
And acting as a universal church. Now it does. It is true that the church on earth acts, but it acts through local assemblies. That is, when a local assembly acts, it acts for the whole church on earth. But the church universal doesn't come together. We find that principle, I believe in the ordering of the camp of Israel. Typically when in the second chapter of the Book of Numbers, when we see that each man was.
By his own standard and according to his own tribe.
As each tribe had a designated place and each man was to pitch.
By his own standard. But all of these tribes were given a place round about the Tabernacle. That is, they were all set up in relation to the central thought of the Tabernacle. But each man was to be in his own standard. And so it is with those who are believers on the Lord Jesus. A part of the one universal church. Each one is to have a local connection. You see, the church functions in a local way. It functions as a local assembly. And that's.
When we have the ardor and in which the church is to function set forth in Scripture, it's written to a local assembly. That is, Paul writes to the Church of God, which is in Corinth.
We do not have in the Epistle to the Ephesians, the local, we do not have the ardor and function of the church and the Epistle to the Ephesians, for there it's more the church in its universal character. They have, we have the one church on earth in its universal character, but the truth of what the church is, the one church on earth is to be carried out in a in a local way in the local gatherings. And that's what we have in the First Epistle of the Corinthians to the church.
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God, which is at Corinth.
The fact that there are 7 churches here, the seven lampstands Speaking of seven churches does not mean.
That all of these assemblies were independent of one another, it means that responsibility.
In the church belongs to each one of us in a local way. Each one has his own local connection and his own local responsibility. And yet that is not.
A disassociated from the fact that all local gatherings are really are a part of that one church which is on earth.
But I referred to this, I didn't want to get off on a digression of that. I referred to chapter one chiefly to connect the fall of a golden lampstand with the thought of the assembly. And back in Zechariah. It's one, and it brings before us the truth of the Church. And I believe this means that God's fault for the remnant in a day of revival and awakening, and in a day of small things, His thought is.
The testimony, the church is his testimony set up here in this world.
And we're going to go on with it, despite the fact that it is a day of ruin and failure. We know that there are those.
That they say because of the scattering and because of the divisions and because of all of the circumstances that exist, well there they they give up the fault of the church or the assembly as set forth in Scripture. But we want to remember this, that the church is God's vessel of testimony set here in this world as his vessel of testimony through the whole.
Of this this period in which we live, and until the church is taken out.
Turn to 1St Corinthians 12. I think we have there in One Corinthians 12.
And verse 12, what corresponds to what I would speak Speaking of as.
The church being the vessel of testimony for God, no one individual as an individual fulfills the thought of God as the vessel of testimony. Not that an individual is is not a witness, but God's thought is and always has been from the very beginning of this age, a collective witness and testimony.
Verse 12 Far as the body is one.
And has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body. So also is the church. No, it doesn't say that. Now we know it's talking about the church, but it says so also is the Christ. Now it's remarkable. Why does it say so also is the Christ?
Why doesn't it say so? Also is the church?
Because the Christ, as it should be, the word Thee is found in the original, so also is the Christ. It brings before us the thought. The Christ, the anointed is the, you might say, the vessel of God's testimony. The Lord Jesus was that when he was here. He was, He was in Himself, you might say.
The the vessel of God's testimony, and now he's taken out of this world.
And there has been farmed here on earth the body of Christ, the mystical body, if you want to use that word, spiritual body, of course not His literal body. And it now, as it were, replaces Christ. Just as he was the the witness of God Now then as we read in Revelation One, he was that faithful witness. Now then, so also is the Christ that's referring to the Church, the anointed vessel of God.
To be for God's testimony here in this world. And notice it isn't an individual.
It's the one body.
Has many members and they're all one body, so that the thought here is not that we are individually to be witnesses for Christ, but he has set up here the Christ his anointed, which is the church, the assembly for by 1 Spirit, where we all baptized into one body.
Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free. And very often we quote this verse and stop there.
00:35:07
But notice it says and have been all made to drink into one spirit. Well, I I believe that's a very practical word. We've been all made to drink into one spirit by the one spirit. We were, we were made members of the one body.
But not only that, we've been all made to drink into one spirit. Well, you know.
No doubt that is the Holy Spirit. This is what forms the basis for the exhortation of Paul when he says endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And why could he exhort us to keep the unity of the Spirit? Because we've all been made to drink into one spirit. God has not given me a different spirit from you.
I have a different personality.
As an individual, I have certain traits that you don't have, but we all have received the same spirit. I haven't received a different spirit from you. We've all been made to drink into one spirit. Sometimes the thought of of giving up collective testimony is, well, you know, you can never make people agree. I hear this so often. You can never make people agree. Everyone has different thoughts, and that's quite true.
But God has given me a different spirit.
Than you, we've all been made to drink into one spirit. This is the this is the practical side of the truth of the one body. He's not only formed us into one body, but he's given us all the same spirit.
The same spirit, identical, no difference. And so we can keep the unity of the spirit because we all have the same spirit, but we cannot keep the unity of the Spirit. If we're not walking according to the Spirit, then that's when our various personalities, that's when our various traits come in and rub against one another and grate against one another. And so that's why it's necessary that there should be.
Humility and loneliness, long-suffering and forbearing with one another because we don't always walk according to the Spirit.
But still there should be the exercise endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, for we have all that is, there is the capability of it.
I remember JB Stoney as a remark he made one time and I thought it was very good, he says. We find in Scripture that.
The Christians capabilities are equal to his responsibilities and that's true. We will find that whatever our responsibilities are, there is the capability for it all. Not in the flesh it's true, but in the Spirit. And that's the teaching of Zechariah 4 that that everything is in the power of the Spirit of God. And that's what we find here. There will never be any practical unity among the Saints of God if there is not a being governed by the Spirit of God.
If it's if it's every man doing that which is right in his own eyes, If it each one bringing his thoughts and you know this is the way.
Fraternities in this world that this is the way they operate their efforts to come to the unity is a sort of a a unanimity of thought is that each one, maybe they have a little meeting together and each one gives his thoughts, they pool their thoughts and there's a pro and con. There's a give and take.
And then the result of all this is they arrive at some sort of a formula, some sort of a course of action that's agreeable to all. Well, this is not the way the Church of God operates. This is the way it is where each one subject to that one spirit in which we've all been made to drink. It isn't a pooling of ideas. It isn't a matter of pro and con and finding some formula that we can all agree on and then go along on that lines.
No, it's by the Spirit of God. We've been all made to drink into one spirit. This is that wonderful vessel of testimony.
And in Zechariah 4, it's in connection with the day of revival awakening, a day of small things. One might have said, well, this is possible. This would have been possible back in the days of the apostles.
No, it's possible today because the Spirit of God.
Remains with us. The Spirit of God is here. And so in Philadelphia they had a little power and it was associated with the Spirit. Turn back again now to Zechariah, our chapter in Zechariah chapter 4 and you'll notice I've already anticipated in a way.
About the power of the Spirit being behind the testimony. But notice in verse two again this lampstand.
As we see, represents the Church as the vessel of testimony. It was all of gold.
00:40:02
A golden scripture is typical of that which is divine, and we would find in Revelation chapter one two that the Lord Jesus was in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. They were golden.
Reminding us that the Assembly or the Church is a divine institution, it's not a human one.
It is not a human organization, but it's a divine institution still. And the assembly and going on with the thought of the assembly, we're going on with that which is divine. And the lamps would no doubt bring before us the, the, the shining out of the testimony.
And the pipes is that which supplies the oil, and the oil being the Spirit of God. And so we can we can see that here we have the the vessel of testimony and the way this testimony is carried out and, and shining out and giving light as God intend in this Dark World, the light of himself.
It's a divine thing and it's give out in lights, these lights, and it's supplied through the pipes.
Well, this reminds me. You turn back again to this time to Ephesians.
Of a portion in Ephesians chapter four, we might say that in the second chapter.
In verse 11, through the end of the chapter, through the rest of the chapter, we have the formation.
Of this vessel of testimony, the Church.
Of Jew and Gentile forming the one Newman.
House of God.
And so forth. In chapter four we have the the way it functioned, or you might say the shining out of the light.
And in connection with that we read in verse 7, Unto everyone of us. It's given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ unto everyone of us.
Unto every one of us, not just some of us here.
There has been a gift according to the giving of Christ, something given. This isn't salvation. This means that everyone sat in the body as a member of the body has a function.
This is taken up in verse 16.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier.
According to the effect we're working the measure of every part make it increase to the body under the edifying of itself in love. So we see that every every one of us has been set in the body as a joint of supply.
By that which every joint supplies a joint of supply. You remember now in Zechariah 4 there were the pipes that supplied the oil that made the light burn.
And so the testimony of the Lord is maintained by the Saints, supplying in the power of the Spirit that light and testimony here in this world. The whole body, every joint, supplies something.
And I would say this, that we're all supplying something.
And I trust we're supplying that which really is furthers the testimony in causing the the light to shine, causing the light to shine more brightly, rather than supplying or anything that might hinder it.
But in verse 11, we have some special gifts in chapter 4, and he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.
Well, this of course would also be involved in the in the supply and in making the light shine. And these gifts are for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. That is, it's they're given in order, like the evangelist. The evangelist, you might say, are the ones who who bring in those joints of supply.
And the preaching of the gospel. So we see here that the fault of God in saving souls.
Is not merely or only that they might be ransomed from hell and from judgment, but that they might be brought into this testimony, that there might be a joint of supply too, and to be brought into this testimony. That's the thought of the evangelist. And when they're bought, brought in the pastor, the teachers care for them, feed them and look after them and maintain them in such a state that they're able to to function as joints of supply and to supply what is.
Beneficial to the testimony that causes the light to shine.
00:45:00
Well.
We see that the assembly is the vessel of testimony shining for God here in this world, and the Saints farming that assembly are looked at as joints of supply. And God has given special gifts, not only to farm them to bring them in, but to maintain them and to keep them, as it were, in a in a proper condition, so that the flow of oil might continue.
Even in a day of ruin and failure, these things continue. You know these special gifts in Ephesians 4 are not like the furnishings of the Spirit in in the.
12Th chapter of 1 Corinthians In one Corinthians 12 some of those furnishings of the Spirit.
Are not fitting for a day of ruin and failure, and so they do not continue. But in Ephesians 4, the evangelists, pastor and teacher continues even in a day of ruin and failure, a day of small things, a day of revival and awakening, to keep the pipes of supply or the joints of supply of the pipes in good order.
Well, the the major thought, as I said in the beginning here in this chapter.
Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
And then it says, Who art thou, O great mountain, before Zerubbabel, thou shall become a plain.
This speaks about the power to overcome obstacles and.
This mountain, of course, would be would be brought before us as an obstacle.
And there were obstacles in the way of rebuilding the temple.
But he says before Zerubbabel, thou shall become a plain. Well. Perhaps Zerubbabel would be indicated in verse fourteen of our chapter. Zechariah. These are the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth. And I believe this refers to Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest.
And the word anointed ones here literally is sons of oil.
So it would bring before us that Zerubbabel here is set before us as one who is undertaking the work of God.
In a day of awakening, a day of small things, he's undertaking the work of God. The mountains have to be.
As it were removed the obstacles in order to continue this building of the temple, the House of God.
And the rubble would be one who is as a sum of oil, doing this work in the power of the Spirit of God and according to the Spirit of God.
I want to read in Second Corinthians chapter 10 a very important principle for us.
In connection with the service of the Lord.
Because I think the thought of a mountain being reduced to a plane.
Which speak of service?
Conflict and we want to see in 2nd Corinthians 12. It's not by might nor by power, by any human method or means, but by the Spirit of God. Now the apostle Paul says in verse 2, But I beseech you that I may not be bold. 2nd Corinthians 10 I'm reading may not be bold when I'm present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
For though we walked in the flesh, that is in the body.
We're still in the body, he says. We do not war. And what's that Word war after the flesh. This has to do with service.
This is not so much the thought of worship, and sometimes we are inclined to think.
That when it comes to the worship of God, like at the breaking of bread, well, yes, everything there should be by the Spirit. We don't want to bring in human instruments of music and so forth there. Well, that's all by the Spirit of God. But when it comes to service, well, we want to take up a different principle. But the apostle says, no, we don't war after the flesh either. We don't, we don't worship after according to the flesh, but we don't war according to the flesh for the weapons.
Literally the arms of our warfare, the means. See, the arms of warfare are the means that one.
Uses are the instruments of war. The means he uses to wage war, that's the arms of warfare. So this would have reference to the means.
That we're to use in, you might say the conflict of the truth, the Gospel evening going out. The means that we're employee says are not carnal. That is, they're not fleshly. They're not according to the flesh, but they're mighty according to God. It should be. That is, they may not be mighty according to man. That is it. Man would look at it, he'd say, oh, that's a very poor means. You'll never get any work done for God that way.
00:50:08
Because according to man, in order to get things accomplished, you have to have.
You've got to organize and you've got to really do things according to a salesmanship fashion. But he says they're mighty according to God, according to God's reckonings, as it were. It's it's powerful because it's not according to flesh to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations are the thoughts of man and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringeth into captivity.
Every thought to the obedience.
Christ, well, the apostle is saying here that he does not employ.
Fleshly means.
In his Christian warfare, no, he's going to, he's not going to employ fleshly means, but he employs that which is mighty according to God. It's according to the Spirit. And this is a real test. It's a real test. The real question, the real test in Christian service is not, is this effective? That's not the real test. The real test is, is it according to the Spirit of God? Is it compatible with the Spirit of God? Is this what the Spirit of God?
Lead us to do.
Give me My Price
Address—P.L. Johnson
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I want to turn to the Prophet Zechariah Chapter 11. Zechariah Chapter 11. I trust this doesn't fill anyone with apprehension reading from the Prophet Zechariah as if we were going to get involved in some prophetic subject, but I want to refer to a couple of verses there that might be used of the Lord I trust to.
Produce an exercise.
In the heart of each and everyone, and again.
As we mentioned in our prayer to the Lord, our burden being especially for those young in the faith.
Chapter 11. It might even be attached with some if you can find the book.
Zechariah 11 and verse 12 And I said unto them.
If you think good, give me my price.
And if not for Bear?
So they weighed for my price 30 pieces of.
And the Lord said unto me, Cast it into the Potter, a goodly price.
That I was prized at of them.
And I took the 30 pieces of silver and cast them to the Potter in the house.
Of the Lord.
Now turn back to.
Genesis chapter 37. I'm going to read these passages before we speak on them.
In Genesis 37, a couple of verses there verse 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What prophet is it, if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood come?
Let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him.
For He is our brother, and our flesh and his brethren were content.
Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews 12 and verse 15.
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God.
Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled, lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Ethan, who for one Marshall of meat sold his birthright for you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected.
Where he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
And back in the Old Testament again in First Kings.
Chapter 21.
First Kings, chapter 21.
Verse one.
And it came to pass after these things, that neighbor.
The Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace.
They had King of Samaria, and they have spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near into my house, and I will give before it a better vineyard than it.
Are If it seemed good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it and money.
Lab off said until he had the Lord forbidden me that I should give the inheritance of my father's.
Unto thee.
Now in Luke's Gospel, chapter 4.
The Gospel of Luke.
Chapter 4.
And verse one.
And Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Being 40 days tempted to the devil, and in those days he did eat nothing and when they were ended he afterward.
Hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone, that he be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them, for that is delivered unto me.
Whomsoever I will, I give it, if thou therefore will worship me.
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All shall be thine, Jesus answered and said unto him, Yet be behind me, Satan.
For it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hints.
Lord is written, he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee.
And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against the stone.
And Jesus answering, said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Well, these passages that we have read.
I trust that the Lord might use them to bring before us what?
Is the exercise upon my heart, especially in regard to the younger ones in our midst meeting, being designated, especially as addressed to young Christians?
I think of.
Paul, Second epistle to Timothy.
Which is, to me, so appropriate for the day in which we live.
And more so in connection with the young believers who have an exercise.
In regard to the testimony of the Lord, we know, of course, that in the company that is gathered here this afternoon.
I rather imagine that among the young people so-called.
There's quite a mixture.
There might be some in our midst.
Though they have heard the gospel many times and they are aware of the facts of the gospel.
And they know the way of salvation, yet they are still on the road to destruction.
We believe perhaps this is true when a gathering of this size and this number of young persons.
It is very likely that there are those who are still in their sins.
And indeed, one would just caution again.
That word of caution that is needed to such a soul that.
To believe or did not believe and go on as you are means one will die in their sins.
And be judged Father sins.
I didn't really have it upon my heart as we have scheduled a gospel meeting this evening to go into the thought of the gospel.
So I'd like to refer to perhaps another group of young people that are our midst.
That is, those who have very little, if any exercise as to their walk and wave, And I'm not speaking harshly. Sad to say, we find that they are those who seem to be content to be an outward association with the Lord's people, but without a real exercise as to their own.
Place at the Lord's Table.
And not only being there at the Lord's table, but being there in a way suitable to the Lord and to the testimony, and being there in such a way that they contribute to the testimony.
And not any way of being a hindrance.
And I trust that if there are any in our midst in that state this afternoon, that you might be exercised through the word.
That you too might be a part of the testimony.
And seeking to maintain and continue the testimony until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then no doubt there are those young believers in our midst who have a genuine exercise.
To go on in the truth according to the word of God, and for the honor of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And to contribute to the testimony. And as I say, I think of Paul's writing to Timothy.
As a young man of that we might say that type in Sark with a real exercise, and he says to Timothy that good thing that was committed under the key by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us, that good thing that was committed under the And so I have especially before me those in our midst this afternoon.
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Who have been blessed.
With truth, not only the gospel, but the truth of the assembly.
The truth of separation, that which honors the Lord Jesus Christ.
The truth of that which belongs to the people of God as they pass through this scene.
As pilgrims and strangers.
And as Paul would say to Timothy, that good thing committed under the teeth.
We want to maintain it. And then he also says, Continue thou in the things that thou hast learned, and has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them. So we were thinking of the continuance of the testimony. Now I believe that as the days approach, and it might be only hours, we know.
Before the Lord Jesus comes to take his own out of this scene.
The pressure of the enemy will become more and more.
Greater and greater in regard to the maintenance and continuance.
Of the testimony of the Lord.
You know, we read in Revelation. I just I know that strictly speaking and interpreted Lee, it refers to something else, but he speaks about Satan there when he's cast out of heaven and says knowing that he has for the short time.
And perhaps Satan might feel that he has only a sharp time to completely obliterate the testimony through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that was revived graciously by God in the last century.
Testimony that was found in the Word recorded in the word, when the apostle gave the whole council of God, and when he gave the light of God that was to govern the assembly.
As during its pilgrimage in this scene, that testimony that was allowed to let and to go Into Darkness, and which God has graciously revived and restored. Perhaps Satan realizing he has only a short while there will be.
Great pressure to give up this truth are to alter it in some way.
Various efforts.
And that was why I was exercised to read what we read in Zechariah 11, there the Prophet.
In a symbolic way, no doubt he it's prophetically Speaking of concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and the fact that he was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, that he was valued only with 30 pieces of silver by Judas representing that nation that saw no value in him. And the prophet, you remember, says give me my price.
In other words, he's saying, as it were, Will you set a price upon me?
Will you sell me out for a price? He said. If not for bear.
But that was the challenge. Will you sell me out with a price? And I would say beloved young people.
That this should be our exercise. Would we sell out?
To the world or to the enemy? For a prize? Is there something that can be offered?
That would induce us to no longer seek to maintain or to continue the testimony.
Well, that's the real challenge. Give me my price and what price would you set upon the Lord Jesus and the precious truth that has been made available to us? And it may be that many of us have entered into very little of it. But I would say this, that however small the portion that you as an individual believer have entered into the truth.
You want to buy the truth and sell it now. We don't want to relinquish even that little bit.
That you have entered into not even a little bit those who have entered into more.
Perhaps have more that they might be able to to sell out, but whether it's little or more.
We want to be exercised that we would not place a price opponent. We would recognize the pricelessness of knowing the Lord Jesus, not only a Savior, but knowing him in the various ways he's revealed in Scripture and the things that he reveals to us, as we shall see, as we touch on a few examples in regard to what we might speak of as selling out to the enemy.
Now I read in Luke.
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Concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, because we have Him.
Here as the perfect model for us, the perfect model for you and me.
In the wilderness. But that's where the Lord Jesus is found in Luke 4. He's in the wilderness.
And the wilderness is the place of Satan's power, and that's where you and I are, beloved young people. We are in the wilderness. That's what this world has become to you and me since we have believed on the Lord Jesus. And this wilderness is the scene of Satan's power, and it's a scene of testing. And we will never get out of the place of testing until we're taken out of this world entirely.
Sometimes young believers feel that the testings that they're called upon to go through and their teens are greater than any other time in the Christian life. And when they get a little older, the testings will not be so severe. And then when they get into the next stage, they feel well as a young mother or father, the testings.
Are are greater than they were than the younger, but when they get older they'll get less.
The beloved As long as we're in the wilderness, it's the scene of testing. The scene of testing because.
It's the place of Satan's power, and there will always be the challenge. Give me my price.
And is it where we can sell out at any stage along the way?
But I would say to the dear young people.
Do not sell out that which God has graciously brought to you and your youth.
In your childhood.
From a child having known the Holy Scriptures.
The things that you have learned that you know are the truth of God, not only I say in regard to salvation, but in regard to the Christians walk and testimony.
The place outside the camp, gathering together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and all of these precious things.
They'll always be testing for us in regard to them. Well, now, the Lord Jesus was tested here in three ways in Luke's gospel.
And the effort of the enemy was to get him, if he could, to give up.
That which he had undertaken as man here in this scene.
And you remember the 1St test was this, If thou be the Son of God, command these stones to be made bread.
The first task to give up the place that he had taken.
Was a temptation to satisfy his own personal needs, self gratification. And you know, beloved young people, we can sell out the truth.
If that which satisfies our own personal needs self gratification.
Is the primary object in life.
Satan will be sure to put things in our pathways that will take us out from among the the large people or get us occupied in such a way that we'll not have time to read and to pray and all of that. If self gratification, the meeting of our own personal well needs or ambitions is number one, the Lord Jesus says man shall not live by it by bread alone, but by every.
Word of God.
Every word of God He doesn't say just by the truth, but every word of God.
We know, of course, that the Word of God is the Scripture.
But it's called the Word of God because it is that which forms the practical link.
Between our souls and God now every believer has a living link with God as a child of God.
We all have the life of Christ, but as a believer in a practical way.
That link cannot be realized and enjoyed.
Unless there is the feeding on the Word of God, it's only the Word of God that brings us into contact with God.
I might read the writings of this world whether it be current event.
Of whether it be history, whether it be any other pursuit that man has. And it does not bring my soul.
Into contact with the living God. But when I read this book, it brings me into contact with God. It's God's voice speaking to me.
And there is a living link, a practical link between my soul and God, he says. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. He would not.
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Neglect, you might say, or he would not avoid that which formed a practical link with gone. Now you remember the 2nd temptation.
In offering him, the kingdoms of this world was in order that the Lord Jesus might bow down and worship him.
That his allegiance might be to Satan rather than God. Or we know the perfection of the Lord Jesus as we have prophetically in the 16th Psalm. I have set the Lord always before me. He would have no other gods before him. He would have no other object.
Even if having another object might have brought honor and might have brought gain, as far as humanly speaking was concerned.
You know, in Isaiah we read of the Jews and that day they'll have to say, oh, Lord, our Lord, other Lords have had dominion over us. Yes, they sold out to other Lords than the Lord.
And they got under the dominion of other Lords.
Well, the Lord Jesus would not be brought under the dominion of anyone save His God, upon whom he was cast from his mother's belly. No, he valued. He valued having God is the object before His soul. As a man passing through this scene, He valued God so much that He would not take anything that was offered that would bring Him under the power of another.
The Apostle Paul says all things are lawful unto me.
But I'll not be brought under the power of any. There is such a thing, you know, of being brought under the power of things that would rob us.
Of having God is our object, and God is our joy, and God is our delight.
You know, beloved young people, in being saved, it's not only that we're on our way to the glory, with our sins forgiven.
And judgment, death and judgment behind us. But in Peter we're told that we've been brought to God, we've been brought to God. And in Roman five, we joy in God.
Well, you can. You can sell that out that joy in God, and you can sell out the practical.
Blessing that comes in being brought to God by being brought under the power.
Of the things of this world are things that are not according to the mind of God. Our Lord is a perfect example.
Then finally, the third temptation, when he takes him upon the pinnacle of the temple.
And tell them to cast himself down. He quotes from a song, and I'll read it. He shall give his angels charge over these to keep thee.
But we know that if we were to turn to Psalm 91 and read what was written in the word of God.
Satan omitted 3 little words that are found there.
And that is in all thy ways forward.
Satan did not use those words. He was trying to get the Lord Jesus out of the place of dependence, out of the pathway that he had taken up.
As a dependent man here in this world, there was a pathway marked out for the Lord Jesus.
Given to him of God, and Satan wanted to get him out of that pathway.
So there are three temptations here in regard to personal gratification.
In regard to one having another object than God and then also to get one out of the path.
Of dependence and obedience and the Lord is ever is our perfect model and example. He says take my yoke upon you and learn from me literally. He's the model from whom we ought to learn. But I'd like to turn to those passages that we read and briefly.
Point out three examples that we read in regard to these three things which the Lord Himself stood perfectly.
And we see two ways in which we might fail, and another as an example of faithfulness for us.
Turn first of all to Genesis 37, where we read concerning Judah.
And some very solemn words in regard to Joseph, verse 27.
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Imagine Joseph, or rather Judah saying this.
Come.
And let us sell him.
You know, just the reading of those words. Come, let us sell him.
Obviously, Judah did not value Joseph.
He had set a very low value upon Joseph. Come, let us sell him. He was willing to sell Joseph Allen.
And no doubt Joseph here is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But the time of our Lord Jesus Christ in a special way.
We know Joseph was loved of his father.
And his father made him a coat of many colors.
And Joseph was sent to seek his brethren.
And later on.
In connection with the Pharaoh king of Egypt.
He became the one who was called a revealer of secrets, and I would like to apply this to the person of the Lord Jesus in this way.
Now I know this, that every young person who is saved a believer on the Lord Jesus.
As far as the salvation of your soul is concerned, is as secure as the most devout and godly brother or sister in this room or who has ever lived.
My sheep hear my voice, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Then he goes on to say, Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. There is never a question raised in the word of God as to the salvation of the soul, that trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and His sufferings on the cross of Calvary for salvation.
And what I'm going to say and what I'm referring to has no reference at all.
As to the salvation of your soul, we're speaking now as.
In regard to the testimony and maintaining and continuing the testimony in the face of the enemies pressure in these closing days just before the Lord come. So it's entirely possible that while our salvation is secure, our testimony may not be.
Now here we find one who had such little value of Joseph that he could say, come and let us sell him.
One might say I would never sell out the Lord Jesus.
I would never sell him out. I'm sure that's true. As a believer, you'd never sell him out. As the Savior. You're never give him up. No true believer will ever give up the Lord Jesus. I believe it can be said that in the heart of every child of God is found love for the Lord Jesus.
Now there may be many things on top of that, so to speak, in the heart that that obscures the visibility of it so that it's not seen. But there is love in the bottom of the heart of every child of God, young as well as old, irrespective of his walk. But there may be many things piled on top, as I say. So then in a practical way.
One can sell out his own enjoyment and appreciation of the Lord Jesus.
That's why the Apostle Paul writes to the Colossians. Let no man beguile you.
Let no man spoil you, for they couldn't be lost. He wasn't afraid they were going to lose their salvation and go to hell after all.
No, he says. But you might be spoiled, you might be beguiled, so that you are not enjoying the one in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, so that you're not enjoying that mystery of God, even Christ, in whom he had all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
And you know, I thought of this in regard of Joseph here, Joseph in type brings before us the Lord Jesus as that one who is loved of the Father. And you know, it's a wonderful thing as we read in the Word of God, as was mentioned in the reading this morning about one who was reading in the Gospels because he wanted to have fresh in his soul and in his heart this wonderful person.
Loved of the Father, the code of many colors, the various glories that attached to that blessed person.
As well as the fact that He was the one who came in grace to seek his brethren.
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And not only that, but we know the Lord Jesus is the revealer of secrets. He says many things I have to say unto you, and you cannot bear them now, but when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. So all that has been revealed throughout the epistles is really the Lord Jesus by His Spirit, revealing the secrets of the heart of God and His own heart to us. I say, beloved young people.
You know there is found in this precious book.
Enough to occupy us in meditation and in study and admiration for a lifetime.
And I'm sure that the oldest brother in the room, who has read the Scriptures more than any of us over the years, can say that he has in no way even come close to exhausting the wonderful stars of treasures of wisdom and knowledge, the things that are revealed, and the various glories of the Lord Jesus. Do we value this?
Do we value this? Are there other things that we value instead? Well, we can sell out all of these wonderful things by coming.
By like Judah here selling out Joseph, now I'd like to turn over to Hebrews 12.
Where we have Esau brought before us.
And Esau was one who sold out.
Verse 16.
The end of the verse. Who for one Marshall of meat sold.
His birthright sold his birthright.
Now we know that Esau was blessed of Isaac.
But he lost the birthright.
And I have no doubt that what Esau did desire blessing from Isaac.
It wasn't just blessing that Esau.
Despised. It wasn't blessing that he despised. What he despised specifically is called the birthright. Well, the birthright of course, of course is connected with blessing.
But you can have blessing without having the birthright, which he so did. He was blessed, but he never had the birthright.
He despised it, so we don't want to make these two things equal the birthright and blessing.
It's possible for one desire to desire a blessing from God and to be blessed of God, but not desire the birthright. What is the distinction? I believe, beloved young people, is this. The birthright, as I say, is not only blessing, but it connects one with the blesser personally. The birthright brings one into that line of Abraham and Isaac. So we read in the Old Testament of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
Not Esau.
It would have been, well, I say would have been. We know, of course, that God's purpose was that the elder should serve the younger. But as far as Esau responsibility was concerned.
Having the birthright, it would have been Abraham Isaac Esau. No, no.
He saw despised at birthright and so he's not brought into that line that would connect him.
With the Father's Abraham and Isaac, although he desired a blessing.
And I thought sometimes, you know, young people, there's one thing to to desire blessing. You want to go to heaven.
You want to be the Lord?
You don't want to go to hell, you don't want to be left in your sins and God is perhaps met you and saved you and blessed you. But do you really want to be connected with the blesser? Do you want to be connected with the person of the Lord Jesus himself? Here in this scene? You want to be identified with God as one of His children in a public way. Or would you rather just have the blessings without the blessing?
That was Esau.
He wanted the blessing, but he didn't want to be connected with the blessing. I think of another example.
The elder brother in Luke 15.
You remember there when the elder brother hears.
The music and the dancing, the making merry and the father's house. And when he inquired and found out what it was he didn't want to go in, his father came out to him and spoke to him. And the elder son says, father, he says, I've served thee all of these years, and I've never gone astray, and thou never gave us me a kid that I might make merry with my friends.
You notice he did not say that I might make merry with thee.
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He had no desire to make Mary with the Father, he said with my friends, he wanted the fatted calf. He wanted what the Father had to offer. But he says that I might make merry with my friends. He didn't want it on the terms and in connection with the Father. And the Father's house, well, that's where the blessing is, and that's where the blesser is.
And he saw, I believe, would be one who despised the birthright while seeking the blessing or wanting a blessing.
He didn't want it in connection with the Blesser and in, you might say, under the terms.
In which that birthright would be found. Like the elder brother, he wanted the fatted cows, but not in the father's house.
Not in connection.
With the way in which the Father has provided the fatty care. And I feel sometimes that this is one of the efforts that is going on in Christendom, even among fundamentalists and evangelicals. That while there might be the presenting of blessings in connection with the gospel gets divorced, as it were, from the connections in which it's supposed to be found. Because even the gospel is associated with the truth of the assembly.
And the believers walk and separation from the world. You can't really divide these things. They all go together.
God has provided blessing in the gospel for souls, and not only that, but they might be brought to the knowledge of the truth.
The gathering together of the children of God scattered abroad, and it's all in connection with what the Father is set up here, the habitation of God through the Spirit and and many other truths.
And we don't want to divorce the blessings from the blesser and beloved young people. We don't want to be one like Esau, to be content to have the blessing of salvation. That is as far as knowing that our sins are forgiven and on our way to the glory and yet not desire to be.
In practical connection with the Blesser himself, God, here in this scene and with his people and in his pathway. And that brings us to the other one we read in second first Kings 21.
First Kings 21.
You remember the Lord Jesus is our model.
Would not sell out for personal gratification. That's like Esau.
Esau, as it were, was willing to sell out that which gave him.
The living link.
With its forefathers.
Brought him in, would bring him into the line of the promises of God. He was willing to sell it out for personal gratification.
For one Marshall of meat, the Lord Jesus would not do that.
And just as we have seen, the Lord Jesus would not come under the power of Satan and lose. God is the object before his soul. Well, Judah would be the antithesis of that in selling out.
Joseph as one upon whom he said very little, if any value.
But you remember the third temptation of the Lord Jesus? Was that an effort of the enemy?
To get him out of the pathway.
The Scriptures had said in all thy ways he would be kept. That was the promise.
The pathway that God had set out for him and Satan wanted to get him out of that pathway. Well now in First Kings 21 we have, I believe, a lovely example of one who follows.
The model, the Lord Jesus, and he refuses to sell out to the enemy.
Notice verse 2.
Ahab comes to him comes to neighbor. Neighbor had a vineyard which was an inheritance.
It was an inheritance.
It wasn't something that that Naboth had originated.
And you know, those of us here in the room this afternoon are not those who were used of God to restore the truth.
Of the assembly, the truth of Christianity to recover it and restore it to the people of God. That happened many years ago.
In that sense, we are not the originator.
But we are those who have, in a sense, inherited it.
It has come down to us and God is graciously preserved it and as young persons this afternoon.
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I am speaking primarily to those who have been raised in connection with the truth.
And you know the truth. You have been in contact with it, perhaps from infancy.
What an inheritance. What an inheritance. Somewhat like Naboth here, who had this vineyard has an inheritance from his father. Now Ahab came to him. Ahab wanted that inheritance.
And perhaps they have here which speak of the pressures of this world which has Satan behind it.
Seeking to to seize upon that inheritance that you have as a young person, as a young believer in connection with the truth.
But now notice the subtlety of this man Ahab. He didn't first of all say, now I buy it from you. Because no doubt he knew that Nimoff valued that inheritance, and the very thought of selling it out would have been important. So he's very careful in the verse two. Notice this Abe Ahab, speak unto Naboth, saying, Give me thine inheritance, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house, and I will give thee for it a better.
Vineyard.
I'll give you for it a better vineyard.
He says now I have something that is better than what you have.
Believe we find this sometimes round about us beloved young people of those who.
Would insinuate, if they do not say in so many words, we have that which is better.
Than what you have. Look what we're doing.
I am sad to say sometimes it enters into the mind of some. Well, maybe it is better.
Maybe it is better, it looks better, it sounds better, maybe it is better.
Or what a temptation this is to sell out when something is is presented that appears to be.
But Naboth knew that he had received this inheritance properly.
From the Lord. No doubt he came down through his forefathers, but he received it from the Lord.
Says to Timothy, Continue thou on the things that thou has learned and has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned it. You say, I learned it from my Sunday school teacher, from my father and mother. Well, we want to learn it from the Lord. The Lord might use various ones to have brought the truth to us. But if we have received it from the Lord, like Naboff, we know that there is not a better vineyard. If it's the truth of God, there is not a better vineyard. It may look so.
It may be that there are other things roundabouts that have a better appearance.
That appear to be more successful, but it isn't the inheritance according to the mind of God, is it according to the word of God.
Is it that which God has restored graciously in His goodness to us?
Well, this man neighbor would not give up his vineyard.
He says I won't sell it, I will not exchange it. He refused either either offer that was made either to sell it or to exchange it.
And while sometimes we might say we would not sell the truth, you know, beloved young people, we want to be careful about exchanging it, too.
I don't like to make personal references.
But in my own case, I was not raised among those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
And I received as a young man among what we refer to as systems. And there was much light there where I was too. And there was blessing and all of that. And sometimes there is the tendency, I believe, on the part of those who were, who were, who have been raised among the gathered Saints, to think that perhaps there is more light there, there is more blessing there.
That there are other vineyards that look so much better.
But it isn't necessarily so, because I believe there are those in this room who were raised in the truth.
And who have never known what it is to be with systems. And they perhaps value the inheritance more than I do. You don't have to have to go out and be in other vineyards to really value this vineyard. If one receives it as from the Lord, if one enters into it as being that which God is given in His precious word according to the truth, one can value it without having to go out and sample other vineyards. If you have the truth, you know it's the truth.
00:45:06
Is an answer like neighbors they have I'll not give up my vineyard. You won't argue with him and say I'm going to compare it and say well now your vineyard is not better because of this and that. No, I'm not going to give up my vineyard. Beloved young people, if we have been, have been taught, have gone what little we know.
I'm not speaking now about one who perhaps entered into great truth, but what little you know to be the truth of God.
By maintaining and holding and walk in the light of it and if there's pressure that come.
They come from the outside and say come with us, look what a nice vineyard we have. Look how successful we are.
Look what we have to offer. Examine it according to the Word of God in the.
You might see examine it according to the vineyard, the inheritance that you have received of the truth from the Word of God.
And then may we take a stand like this man. They ball and say no. Well, we know that it cost this man his life. Wicked woman Jezebel had him put to death. It cost him his life. But he was faithful and he maintained it and he continued it. He followed the model of the Lord Jesus. In contrast to an Esau who sold out his birthright, in contrast to a Judah who would sell out.
His brother Joseph, because he saw no value in him.
He followed the model of the Lord Jesus Christ, so may there be the continuance as well as the maintenance.
Of the truth, as the pressures increase and the word comes to us, Give me my price, and it's not for bear. May we full bear to set a price upon the precious truth in the Lord who has blessed us.