Conference: 1977
Table of Contents
Oil
Address—A.C. Hayhoe
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General Meetings, Ottawa, April 1977, addressed by Albert Hajo.
We Sing together hymn #278.
Savior, we long to follow thee.
Daily thy cross to bear and count all else, whatever it be.
Unworthy of our care, we are not now our own, but Thine the purchase of Thy blood, and made by grace and love divine the sons and heirs of God. This is not just simply a hymn.
These are very, very serious words can only rightly be sung by those who know the Lord Jesus as Savior, the purchase of His blood. But more than that, beloved, I feel that all of us must sing it as a prayer. And as we do sing it as a prayer, May God search our hearts and make the reality of it.
Real to Everyone 278.
Surgery long.
What number I have decided I'm grabbing?
Heart.
Blah blah blah blah blah blah.
I.
Will you turn with me, please, to look at Luke's Gospel?
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Chapter 10.
Luke, Chapter 10.
Verse 33.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.
And when he saw him, he had compassion on him.
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an end.
And took care of him.
I take it that everyone here is quite familiar with the story in which this little account is found, the story of a young man whose journey began at Jerusalem. I call him a young man. The scripture doesn't specify.
But his journey began at Jerusalem, and his intended destiny was.
Jericho.
I believe that there are many young people this afternoon.
Who are present here?
Who have had the privilege of a Christian home and upbringing. I know this is not true of you all.
But it was true of Maine, and I thank God for it with all my heart.
But I see this man surrounded by.
The influences of religion in Jerusalem.
But I see him looking down that road towards Jericho, the city that had a double connotation, the city of the curse and also the city of palm trees, and I have no doubt that that looked so much more attractive to him than where he lives. He turned his back and started down the road.
From Jerusalem, and he was on the road that led downward to Jericho.
Tragedy, as men would call it, overtook him, and he is found, as this little story opens, where we read he found lying naked, wounded, half dead in the ditch. Already two had taken a look at him, the priest and the Levite, and they had passed by on the other side. But now there comes along this Samaritan, and when he saw that man lying there in that pitiable condition.
He had compassion on him, He went to him, he bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine. And I would like to just open this talk this afternoon by particularly appealing to anyone who is here who has heard the precious word of God.
Again and again you have heard the tender and OFT repeated pleadings of the gospel God loves manifested in the giving of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And though I wonder if there is anyone here who has turned your back on this, because there is something that seems to you to be so much more attractive.
Pleasant, charming, and you've been seeking for it. You know very well you have not attained to it. Somewhere down the road, you hope you will eventually find that which will truly satisfy.
But I want to tell you on the authority of the word of God. But I want to tell you as I look back over the years and the experiences of those years.
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That.
Only true satisfaction and joy and gladness can be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot, you never can find joy and gladness and satisfaction.
Anywhere else?
Now the Lord Jesus pictured here in this Samaritan came along and saw this man in his condition, naked, half dead, went to him. And all this is what I love and this is what I wish to speak about. He went right to him and.
Bound up those wounds pouring in.
Oil.
And why all the bounty, the generosity of that expression?
Pouring in oil and wine.
All the love of young people, you who know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you'll look back with gladness to that time when he picked you up, when he blotted out those many sins and you know they're all gone.
You're glad of that. You're glad that your destiny is no longer that hell which causes that fear and dread. You're glad that your destiny is up Yonder in the glory. You're glad that the Lord Jesus loves you enough to take your place to bear the judgment of God for you to shed his precious blood, to cleanse you, to blot out your sins. You're glad of all this. But when I see the Samaritan go to this wounded man and.
Pour in.
The oil and the wine.
It should cause my heart to overflow, because dear young Believer, he wants you and he wants me, while yet we're waiting for the sound of his voice to call us home. He wants us to have.
A happy life.
He wants us to have an abundant entrance. He wants us to have a full reward. Have you ever met Christians that were happier than you?
We hang our heads even when we ask the question, don't we?
Their young believer Are you happy this afternoon? What brings real happiness?
Some folks here can remember an OFT repeated statement. Happiness is a state of soul, not a question of circumstances. Forgive the repeating of that statement yet again, but it's true. Happiness is a state of soul, not a question of circumstances. And the happiness of the believers depends on the endurement of a person, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And that enjoyment depends upon the Holy Spirit of God that dwells within.
Now, does the Lord Jesus love that happy brother more than he loves you? Immediately you know the answer and you know it well. He loves everyone in this room with an equal measure of loss.
Does that brother who is so happy have a greater measure of a spirit than you than I? You know yet again, that the answer is no. He giveth not the spirit by measures.
Now, beloved young people, I say again your happiness.
My happiness is a state of soul, and is our happy privilege in occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ. And I believe the hindrance to this beloved is not any lack of his love toward you, any lack of the Spirit of God.
Imparted to you, but perhaps in these ways of ours.
Carelessness has crept in and, as we were reminded already in these meetings.
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The Spirit of God, instead of being free to minister Christ to our hearts, to gladden our hearts with the joy of His love and of His presence, instead is hindered in this by our own careless ways. Turn with me, please, To Romans, Chapter 5.
Romans chapter 5 and verse.
5.
And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God.
Is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Is this reserved for a certain select few? No, my dear young brother, my beloved young sister. This is your portion, your privilege and mine, the love of God, that unchanging, eternal love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. And when I see that Samaritan go right down to the very place and condition of that wounded man.
And not only bind up those wounds, but pour in the oil and the wine. I see the purpose of the Lord Jesus for me and for you. Because he loved you. He left his home in the glory and went to Calvary to redeem you. But don't think for one moment that it was mere pity, simply compassion.
That felt sorry at the prospect of your destiny. Oh, it was something deeper than that. He picked you up because he loved you. And you and I know full well that there's a day coming, and I believe it to be very near in hand, when we're going to look into his face and see reflected there his own joy in welcoming you home. Are you and I going to be happy in that day? You know we are.
What's going to make us happy in that day for all the beauties and music of heaven? Ah, you and I know full well that that which will fill our hearts with endless.
Joy and delight will be the company, the presence of love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now He loves you so much that He wants your company right now.
He wants you to enjoy the wonder of his love, and he longs for some response of love in this heart of mine and in yours, my beloved young brother and sister to him whose love to you is unchanging.
Will you turn with me now, please to Matthew Matthew, Chapter 25.
Verse One then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened unto 10 virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them.
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the bridegroom carried. They all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a crime made Behold the bridegroom, comma go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamp.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamb are gone out.
We won't read any further.
But my thought in turning to this passage is that not only was that oil be sold abundantly by the Samaritan to the poor wounded man in the dips on the road to Jericho.
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And this was granted to you, and this was granted to me by the grace of God the very day.
In which we met that Savior, in which He met us in all our need and blotted out our sins for eternity. The Holy Spirit of God was given to us the love of God, now free to be shared abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. But now I believe we see this same oil brought before us.
As that which should bring about a testimony.
Should shine as a light in a darkening world.
You know, I feel.
As I look around this company and thank God with all my heart, what a beloved young people that I see here this day.
I don't know whether you realize how my soul is stirred to look up and down these roles.
And feet of faces are these beloved young people with open Bibles in your hands this day. But you know, I look up and down the road too, and I see.
Vacant chairs. I'm reminded of those who walked the path before us and they're gone. We'll not see them again until we reach the end of the journey.
The laughs they carried with them.
There's not theirs to carry anymore.
Doesn't that do something to us?
Doesn't that stir and challenge our hearts?
A little bit, you know, I thought of this when.
We were down in the mountains of southern Mexico.
Now those ear souls would start out from their far distant homes to attend the meeting.
And nightfall would come and they didn't stop because it was night time.
They'd take a piece of pitch pine about this long. They'd like that pitch pawn, and believe me, it doesn't give very much light in daytime, but it's a very helpful thing on a dark night on a twisting and dangerous mountain trail. And they'd hold this piece of pitch pine with just a little flickering flame at the top. And I'll let go through the hours of the night and what happened?
The plane would burn down, sound down.
Till it was just about ready to go out. And they'd get another one and they'd like it.
And that was the end of this one. Will it go with yet another light to carry on through the dark hours of the night?
I say again as I look up and down these roads.
I thank God with all my heart. Yes, I do.
For both the young brothers.
And the young sisters that are sitting here this day with that precious open Bible.
Just a week ago today.
I stood by the bedside.
But I held the hand of the dear old sister that we'd known and loved for many years.
She had known the Lord for almost 80 years, almost 80 years.
Past 90 and she was just about to leave us and enter that glorious home. Her glowing light that she carried among us for many years was about to be laid down.
But I held that hand while she.
Gently through that last breath.
And I knew she was home.
Safely home.
But I tell you.
As I let go that hand.
It stirred me very deeply.
I felt a challenge and beloved young people. I hope you feel this today.
The failure who loves you, who died to redeem you, who has caused His very Holy Spirit to dwell within you, has given to you and given to Me.
00:25:10
Alaska bear in a very, very Dark World.
You remember the story of Gideons man long ago, who in the night held an earthen baffle, a picture, and in that picture a light.
It didn't do much good, did it? If you had an earthen picture and you put a light in it, it wouldn't shine around very brightly, would it? The only direction from which that light could be seen was straight above.
And I I.
I think of this your young believer, when I realized what has been entrusted to you and me.
He who has redeemed us at such infinite cost, He who has caused us to be indwelt by the very Spirit of God, He knows He looks down from heaven this afternoon upon this company, and he knows those who have that life within them, having been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. But is this light of mine, and is that light of yours shining in this dark place?
What had to happen in order that the light?
In the earth and vessels of Gideon's men might shine forth. That earthen vessel had to be broken down, broken down, beloved young brothers, beloved young sisters, and you and I want to be a testimony for our Lord Jesus Christ in this darkening world, and even among our own beloved brothers and sisters, Don't think for one moment that we can retain an image.
That will give us.
Honor and recognition and let the light shine at the same time.
Do we not see this in the beloved Apostle Paul, who I judge, was a man of great respect among his fellow Pharisees? But there came a day, and we see it displayed in his life, when that earthen vessel was broken, when the light that God had implanted there Shawn forth so so brightly could we turn, please, to 2nd Corinthians?
2 Corinthians.
Chapter 3 and verse 3.
Verse two would give the connection much better. Ye are our epistles, written in our hearts, known and read of all men, for as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered, ministered by us.
Written not within, but with the Spirit of the living God.
Marking tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
We won't take time to read in the 4th chapter and the wonderful picture there of the reflection of the glory of our Lord Jesus displayed in the lives of his own, but here is a beautiful and searching talent to our heart.
Epistle of Christ.
Written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God.
Of whom are these words true? To whom are these words addressed? You, dear brother. You, dear sister, belong right here.
Facing these challenging words.
You and I know that the darkness is increasing all around us. You and I know but a very wonderful grace of God, that we have indeed been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. We know with glad hearts that we're on our way home to the glory. But are you and I willing to remember that while we journey homeward, there has been given to us this same oil with the intention in the heart of God?
The purpose in the heart of the Lord Jesus, that you and I might be epistles, to be read by those who know little or nothing of this precious book. The Word of God, as the Word of God is denied access where once it was so often read.
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What an added challenge this is to everyone of us. But if they won't open this precious book, at least they can look at you. Isn't that something to think about? Isn't that something to bow our heads about? They can look at you and see, written there and displayed there by the power of the spirit of God, that which will be a light in its dark, Dark World.
Now it's one thing to let that light of yours shine in the presence of the ungodly, to go off to school, and let them know the back of this, that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
But I wonder sometimes if it's even a little more difficult to let that light shine as it ought to shine, even among the Lords own people.
Stand true and faithful to the precious Word of God, and to find that not everyone appreciates.
The light, the full blaze of the light of the Word of God, even though they be real believers.
But I do want to say this, that as you go out and face the pressures, the temptations, the darkness.
Of this evil world. And I know when I say this, that you look at me and see those Gray hairs and say to yourself, he doesn't know what it's all about.
And you're pretty well correct in assuming that too. You are faced with that.
Which I was never faced with.
When you forget, just a little personal word.
Brought up in a Christian home, I had heard many stories and read stories too, of young men.
Going out from the same background that was mine.
Facing an education that was a challenge to them and coming home to mock their parents and ridicule the God whom they loved.
Now I knew the Lord Jesus as my savior.
And I knew that I was his for eternity.
But I was terrified. I was terrified as I left my home over 40 years ago.
To go off to the University of Toronto.
I didn't sleep.
Like before.
And as I walked down College Street for the one and only time.
Never happened again. A beloved, unfaithful brother in the meeting, as men would say, happened to come along in his car and saw me.
He offered to drive me to school.
All the way there.
He warns me.
Albert, be faithful and start today.
I had some tracks in my pocket with every intention to do this, but the Lord sent that dear brother along just in the nick of time. I'm going to tell you the whole story. I went in, I registered, I met the Dean, I met the staff, I met the students, and I walked out with every track still in my pocket.
And I stood out there on the street and I thought if now or never.
Lord, help me. Just imagine. I hope there's no one here such a coward of that, who would find it difficult to speak well of someone who loved me with a love stronger than death. I admit it.
I went back in, took the tracks out of my pocket before I went in and I walked in. I went straight to the Dean and then to the staff and then to the students.
I walked out and bowed my head and justice simply thank God with all my heart and you know, I found.
You will find the same. They didn't want my company very much from there on.
Their conversation, their plans, their activities.
I was a bit of an outcast from those things, and I thank God with all my heart. Forgive me please, for a personal little illustration, but all I think of that lamp that has been put in your hands, beloved brother, beloved sister, the supply of the spirit of God, the oil to let it shine.
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Let that earth and vessel be broken down. May you and I be willing to be nothing.
In order with the glory of that light might shine out in this darkening world.
You turn with me please to the 23rd Psalm.
Hello.
And I'm sure you'll realize that as I read, I'm taking a bit of liberty of application Psalm 23, verse 5.
Thou prepare at the table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup run over.
Thou anointest my head with oil.
There's so much today that appeals to the intellect, to the reasoning, to the thoughts of man, and you beloved young people are continually exposed to it. Now remember that the one who loved you, who died to redeem you, has bound up those wounds, has poured in the oil and the wine. Remember that he has given to you.
The wonderful, the glorious opportunity of being a witness for him, of allowing that light to shine by the oil of the spirit of God in a darkening world. May it also be true of every one of us and their high need to be reminded of this, that our head might be anointed with oil.
Usually you think of someone a very great honor.
And important, who would have his or her head anointed with oil?
But do you know there stands before you this afternoon by the grace of God?
A fallen, sinful son of Adam, picked up and redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, and who anointed my head.
Thou anointed my head with oil. Now if I might take the liberty of applying this in the same way in which we have looked at the other two scriptures, let us just suggest that the Spirit of God taking the pages of this most precious book.
My God, and govern the very thoughts of your mind and my own.
Could you turn with me, please, to 2nd Corinthians?
Chapter 10.
And verse 5.
Casting down imaginations or reasonings and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought.
To the obedience of Christ.
The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. There are those in this world who are looked up to as being very wise, and we're supposed to listen to their wisdom.
Thou anointest my head with oil. Oh, but it's a delight to be in the company of a young brother or sister whose head is truly anointed with this precious oil, whose reasonings are.
Cast out whose thoughts are brought into captivity, does that sound like ******* of some kind? No, indeed, to have these thoughts of ours, by the very wonderful grace of God, brought into subjection to the light and wisdom of the Word of God and all. I say this how needful it is that you, beloved young people, read and meditate upon this wondrous volume, the living Word of God.
Have you read it?
I won't ask you to raise your Bible, but I wonder what would happen if I asked this question.
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Raise your Bible if you've read it from cover to cover.
I'll just wait a moment to let you think about it.
I remember a young man asking me one day.
12 years of age he was.
About Ready to start high school?
He said, is there any particular book of the Bible that you would recommend that I might particularly read saying I'm going to start high school? Quite a challenging question. Well, have you read the book of Proverbs all through? Yeah, I've read it all through. I made a few more suggestions and each one I suggested, well yes, I've read it. And finally under continued questioning, the answer was well.
I don't mean what to read for the first time, I've read it all through, but I just thought there was something that might be specially helpful since I'm just starting high school.
Read it all through 12 years of age.
Don't raise your Bible, but just think about it.
Thou anointest my head with oil. There's light, there's wisdom, there's guidance, there's joy. There's all that you need and all that I need as a young man, as a father, as a grandfather, whatever it may be. There's light and wisdom in this precious book there. A lot of young people read it and allow the spirit of God to anoint your head with the wisdom of it. That those thoughts of yours and these thoughts of mine that would tend.
Also often tend.
To be influenced by public opinion. What's left of public opinion today? Pitifully little. If anything, public opinion is not trending downward. It's on an absolute avalanche downward. And if we are not governed by the light and wisdom of the Word of God, will not be able to discern good from evil. Oh, when I read this verse, wow, I'm going to smile head with all beloved young people.
You know that there is light and wisdom in this book, and you know, too, that God has given it to you and given it to me.
In order that this wisdom might be followed out step by step, day by day, until we reach home, for what purpose? In order to deprive you of that which otherwise would bring?
Farm and delight no, but in order that you might have the joy of the Lord in your soul from day-to-day.
One more passage, please. Would you turn with me?
To Deuteronomy.
Chapter 33.
And verse 24.
And of Asher, he said, Let Asher be blessed with children, let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot.
In oil. Let him dip his foot in oil.
Oh, let's just recount the wonderful provision of God.
The time he picked you up and redeemed you, and bound up those thin wounds, he poured in with an abundance that cannot be measured. The oil and the wine neither measure nor restraint, poured it in abundantly the oil and the wine, And then there's given to you a lamp of testimony and the towns to let it shine for him. Let our lamps be trimmed.
And growing brightly, even though it may mean, and indeed it will mean, that self must be kept out of sight in a place of death, in order that the light might shine in this darkening world. And then the head anointed with oil, is order that the very thoughts and purposes of our hearts might be in accordance with this precious book as made known to us by the.
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Spirit of God that delights.
To do that very thing. And now we find the foot dipped in oil. The foot dipped in oil. All the our footsteps might leave behind us the imprint.
Of one.
Who have this precious book as a lamp to his feet and a light to his path? Where were these feet of mine be found if they were truly dipped in oil? If I realized that I was leaving behind me step by step that which can be seen by others, let alone seen by the eye of God, who loves me with an eternal love, they love young people, wouldn't that guide you?
Wouldn't that guide me if I realized that here was the challenge, here, the responsibility of remembering?
That you bear about with you, as you were reminded yesterday.
A divine guest wherever you go.
A person of the Godhead actually dwelling within you, It's true, the Holy Spirit of God that divine guest dwells within you. And as I read of this Asher whose feet were dipped in oil, I trusted every one of us may bow our heads this afternoon.
And ask that these four things might be more true of us. The apostle Paul Footsteps, I believe, left behind him as he journeyed the imprint of one whose feet were dipped in oil. And where did they lead him?
The paths of honor and recognition, though indeed they led him from one situation to another, that we would not covet in and out of prison until it last. His footsteps lead him to that prison in Rome.
No, I think I should tell you this.
Some years ago my wife and I were in Rome and we haunted up the area of the old Roman forum and courthouse, and from that courthouse there was a cobblestone path.
That had been there for so many centuries, LED down to the Coliseum, where so many had given up their lives to the Lord.
I stood on that path that led from the Roman Forum.
And I looked down a full stones. I looked down at my own feet.
I could hardly speak.
I stood there for some time.
I said to my wife.
Would you do me, please, a strange favor? Take a picture of my feet.
On these stones.
Yes, she did. She aimed the camera downward, took a picture of my feet.
On those stones. And you know very well what happened when the roll of pictures came back, they didn't print that one.
Just the negative. Somebody didn't know how to take a proper picture, so I went back and I said I want a copy of this picture. Again, it came back just the negative. Who would want a picture of a pair of feet on an old stone walk? At last I had a copy made.
Once in a while I take a look at it.
Hope, beloved young people.
Whole footsteps let him outside that Roman prison.
And there he took his last footstep on earth.
Feet that were dipped in oil.
Is he going to regret the experiences when we see him in glory?
Have you ever met? Have you ever met a brother or a sister?
Who knew something about the abounding wonder of the pouring in, of that oil, The oil in the lamp to shine for him, The oil on the head to control our thoughts, the oil on the feet to guide our footsteps, to look back upon such a rich provision and said, you know, this is so restricting, this is so miserable, this is so narrow. I covered. I envy this one or that one. No, indeed. You never have and you never will.
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May God grant you beloved brothers and sisters, and I end by saying what I said at the beginning, that it fills my heart and heart of many another with real thankfulness to the Lord, real gladness of heart, as I look around here and see you here with your happy face and your open Bible. But I know that when these meetings are over, you're going to go out and face the same dark, rotten world that you left a bit behind when you came in here. May God grant.
What you heard in the ministry through these last days may be a shelter and a blessing to your soul and to mine. Shall we pray?
Ground of Gathering Part 1
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.
Last evening we endeavored to trace through the pages of the Old Testament something of a wondrous desire of the heart of God for the company of His people. Oh, I hope something of this stirred within our hearts as we share that hour together.
Never, never to forget that this desire originated in the heart of God and that His purposes will not be frustrated. No matter how sadly we have failed, no matter how vigorously the enemy has tried to rob him of the fulfillment of that purpose, yet the purpose remains, and it will be fulfilled.
And as we came toward the end of the Old Testament, we found a little remnant if we not having returned from captivity.
Having built the House of the Lord and having had their hearts encouraged by the wonderful words of Haggai the prophet, that threefold resource which was intended to gladden their hearts and give them courage, and then they're pointing onwards to the promise.
That the latter glory would be greater than the former.
If we had turned to the very last book of the Old Testament, we would have found there that Jehovah looked down upon that very company and found that there had crept in among them a coldness and indifference, a carelessness, and beloved brothers and sisters, as we read the word of God tonight.
Let's bow our heads and admit that this is true.
And I can only lay my hand upon my heart. He loves me, He loves you. But forgetfulness of His love has crept into our poor hearts. We notice in the opening words of the very last book of the Old Testament.
The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you.
Set the Lord. Those words are particularly dear to my heart because I remember long ago searching that word love in the Old Testament.
I discovered I know you have enjoyed the same, but it's mentioned for the very first time in connection with Abraham.
With these words, take now thy son, thy only son Isaac, who thou lovest and offer him up for burnt off. The preeminence of love in all of the Bible is the love in the heart of that father toward his only Son, whom he's about to lay on the altar of sacrifice.
Or how beautifully it points to that preeminent love of all, the love in the heart of God toward His own beloved Son. And yet He sent that Son to Calvary for you and me. And the second mention of loving all the Bible is a lot of that very same son.
Having been received back again from the dead in pictures, and he takes to himself a bride, Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her, for how beautiful is the picture. The second mention of love in all the Bible is the sun having been laid on the altar of sacrifice. Having been received back again takes a bribe, and you love that bride.
Oh, there we find the love that so stirs our hearts.
A lot is not part of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who loved his pride and gave himself that he might enjoy her affections and her love for all eternity. And I remember as I traced it, I thought to myself, I wonder where I will find the last mention of love in the Old Testament. Well, I was too pessimistic to think about Malachi. I thought, I know I won't find it there because Israel had by that time.
So far dishonored the Lord, so far departed from his ways. So I won't find mention of love there. But where will I find it? Well, I better start at Malachi and I'll go back and see where I find it first. And I started at Malachi and I just choked up as I read that. The very last message to the very last prophet. Go and tell them.
I still love them. And what do they say? Wherein hast thou loved us? That was their response.
All beloved, when I come to the end of the Old Testament and I see that love so coldly rejected, I think I would naturally say to myself, what I'm going to do, Is God going to give up? Is he going to say, if I can't get any better response than this, I'm not going to display my love any further? Turn to Matthew love.
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Matthew One, verse 23.
Be fully 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.
Isn't that wonderful God with us after all those centuries of man's cold ignoring of God's love, turning away bail Ashtaroth idols of all kinds, and he pleads with them, with one prophet after another.
And it seems to be of no avail. And at last God comes down in the person of his well beloved side, and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ we see those words fulfilled. Emmanuel, God with us. Why did He do this?
You know the answer. It was that love that would not be turned aside, that love that still yearn over 4 fallen sons of Adam. If he comes personally, he comes, and there in Bethlehem lies God, manifest in the flesh, here to display before men the wonder of that love, not only to tell it out, but to display it.
Deeds of kindness and miracles of love. And truly, that heart was displayed before men, displayed in a wonder of love that thrills us as we read again and again through the Oscars.
Will you turn off me please to Matthew 6?
Matthew 16.
Or in outlining in the New Testament the desire and the purpose of the heart of God to enjoy the company of His people. I believe we'll find it focused particularly in this wonderful provision that was so dear to His heart that you and I, by the grace of God and joy, that is the truth of the church.
The wonder of the Lord Jesus.
In the midst of his people here in Matthew, he says in verse 18 and chapter 16 And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church at the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Aren't those wonderful words?
Upon this rock I will build. My church at the gates of hell shall not prevail. Against it I will build. He does not say I have built, nor does he say I am building. But he points ahead to that which is future, that which had not yet begun. He says I will build what?
My church. Now we may go into this a little more fully as we go through the pages of the New Testament.
But here we notice when it's mentioned for the very first time, what does he call it?
My church? Isn't that something very, very wonderful? Whose church is this?
Who is the builder who claims it as his own Emmanuel, God with us, whose name was chosen before ever he was conceived in the world? Jesus.
Oh, feel Well, it is a joy in my heart to look at you tonight and realize that each and everyone of you, sheltered by the precious blood of Christ, constitutes a living stone in this church, so dear to His heart that as we shall find presently, He gave Himself for it. Oh, I tell you, that's a wonderful.
Precious reality. It is not just simply a point of doctrine to be read and then forgotten.
I was visiting some time back.
With a very dear brother in Christ.
I'm glad to say that every time we treat it was brother and Angel Brother Warren. He was a minister of a sizable church in our town. He really loved the Lord very dear. A born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And one day I was visiting with him in his thoughts adjoining the church.
And as we were chatting, he said to me, by the way, that little he hesitated. That little church that you go to on George St. What church is that anyway? And I said, Brother Ward, you and I belong to the same church. I belong to the same church you do. He looked quite taken aback. And then he all of a sudden smiled.
Oh, I know what you mean. I said, Brother Ward, What do I mean? He said, well, you probably referred to that church that is spoken of in the Bible that cuts across the bounds of all denominations. I said to him, Brother Ward, is there any other?
Now he's just kind of squirmed around it and changed the subject.
May I ask that question tonight? I will build my church. Are you part of that church? Of course you are. You are a living stone in that church if you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. And I simply ask the question, is there any other? It's true that the imagination of the hand of man has changed and has to the precious beautiful.
Left which we find in the Word of God. I am a living stone in the Church of God, and so is every other redeemed believer on the face of the earth. From every kindred and tongue, and people and nation, those stones are being gathered together to be formed into an inhabitation of God through the Spirit. And here before ever it began the Lord Jesus with delight.
Mentions I will build.
My church, well, some people of course reading this say well.
Doesn't this rock refer to Saint Peter? And of course, reading this verse, we might have casual reading think, well, it could, you know it could. But suppose we turn to a couple of witnesses, that we turn to 1St Corinthians.
First Corinthians chapter 3, verse 11.
What other foundation can no man lay? Then that is lay which is Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of this church, which is spoken of in the Word of God as my Church, the words of the Lord Jesus.
None other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
This is the testimony of the Apostle Paul, who was caught up to the 3rd heaven in order that he might receive that glorious revelation, that you and I might know the manager of this church so dear to the heart of the lower field. If we were to turn over also the first Peter chapter 2, we would find the testimony of the very one to whom these words were addressed in Matthew 16.
First, Peter.
Chapter 2.
First quarter to whom coming as under a living stone disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. He also has lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture. Behold, I lay inside a chief cornerstone elect.
And he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded Under you, therefore, which believe, He is precious, but none of them which be disobedient. The stone which the builders disallow, the same is made the head of the corner. To whom does Peter point as the chief cornerstone? To whom does Paul point as the foundation? None other than the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, what a grand thing it is to know that the desire of the heart of God, of the Lord Jesus Christ is fulfilled in the forming of this which He speaks of in Matthew 16. I will build my church. I'm going to mention something now, and I may repeat it more than once before the evening is over. This can be.
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To you and me.
Either a theory or a very precious reality.
Now that dear man that I was speaking to.
Knew full well the things that I'm telling you. He knew that if he inspired, tells us Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. And he wouldn't waste time trying to argue that that referred to the Church of which he was an ordained minister. Oh no. He quickly recognized and freely admitted that this referred to as sort of.
Theoretical Church.
That crossed the boundaries of all denominations. All my heart is stagnant, beloved, when I see that around me continually. This is only a theory. This need have no present claim over you or me. It's only a theory. Let's make our own arrangements. All the love of the heart of God is great when we speak that way.
The heart of the Lord Jesus is saddened when men speak this way.
I address myself to the husbands who are present tonight.
And I'm going to ask you a strange question. Do you know where your marriage certificate is?
I won't ask you answer, but I wonder how many husbands here know where your marriage certificate is and when did you last look at it?
We probably don't know where it is and you wonder when you last looked at it. Well, I'll ask you this is it to you. A piece of paper with a few words and a few signatures, and that's all it can be put out of sight and forgotten. It need have no blame upon you. It's only a piece of paper with a few names. It's only a theory. It really doesn't have any claim on you. Or does it?
So you say. Indeed it does.
It has brought us into a relationship that has meant a great deal and means more and more all the time. Am I speaking the truth? You husbands know that I speak the truth, and I know, I know that your heart will be very, very green if your wife treated it merely as a piece of paper, as a theory that had no claim ever upon her.
Oh, how sad of you or I would be if such were the case.
We have up there in the glory the one who was. He was yet here said, I will build my church, and as we go on with the subject, we will find how costly, how dear, how precious it was to heal. Why so precious? All because it afforded him with joy and privilege of being in the midst of His own. It unfortunately joy of looking forward to the moment when He will have united to Himself in the glory.
That church for which he gave himself. How dare I or anyone else treat this as a theory that needs have no claim whatever upon me. There are two ways in which my wife publicly proclaims her relationship to me. One is he wears a ring whereby anyone will recognize a married lady. But that ring wouldn't tell anyone to whom she belongs, it would identify her as.
The married lady thank you enough to sort of ask her her name.
What? She hesitate, which he fumble and say, well, it's kind of a queer name.
Or would she gladly say my name is Missus Hackel, that's all she needs to say. And you would promptly say, oh, I now know the name also of your husband, the one who loved you and chose you to be his wife.
What a privilege. What a privilege, I say.
To be gathered to the main and around the personal high, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A despised privilege. Yes, I know it is because it doesn't honor man at all. It only honors him who loved us and went to Calvary to redeem us.
But don't you really walk through him? Now? How would I feel?
My wife hesitated a moment and said, well I, I'm Mrs. Smith 1St and I'm Mrs. Halo second. I would be very disappointed. Or even if she put it the other way around and said, well I Missus Hale 1St and Mrs. Smith second. I heard people talk that way when perhaps they realize the action that I would like to hear them give. They say, well I'm a Christian first and a so and so 2nd and they will identify one of these names that men delight to honor.
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That really honor our Lord Jesus. Oh, what else can we say but to say I belong to the one who loved me, who died to redeem me, and I am gathered to his precious name alone. Let's turn just briefly to Matthew 18, verse 20.
This verse was gone into a happy detail back to the meetings in Regina, but I would like to read it after 18 verse 24 where two or three are gathered together in my name.
There and I in the midst of them. Isn't that most delightful? Two or three? Why doesn't the Scripture say two or more?
Have you ever heard of that before? It says two or three as much as to say that it is that the light of the heart of the Lord Jesus to be her. Even two or three are gathered together. More than three is something most delightful to see. But he didn't say two or more, as though it would be natural and expected that there would be great crowds right down to the minimum #2.
Oh no, he says. Two or three.
And leaves it at that. But I want to tell you that I know you've experienced it too, that when you sit down to remember the Lord Jesus and there are but literally two or three, you feed yourself disappointed. Do you feel as though you're missing something? I think everyone here who has had that experience will just say there's something so special. There's something so precious and wonderful about being where 2.
Are gathered around the first under the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ to feel that he wants his delight in being there all what a joy. I want to add this thought, brethren, because it's so dear to my heart. If your heart feels gladdened.
Privilege of being where He is given it. If your heart is stirred with joy because you know that He has gathered around himself, remember that His joy far exceeds your own. You remember those words in Hebrews chapter 2. In the midst of the church, will I say praise under Thee Now I read that often and thought of it. Oh, what a privilege to be around the Lord Jesus and to sing.
Raises In the midst of the church, will I sing praise under thee? But that's not what it's really saying. If you leave the context, you'll find that it's the Lord Jesus Christ himself who is speaking there. Not me, not Paul. In the midst of a congregation, the church will I, the Lord Jesus, sing praise unto thee, my God, my Father.
His doing, yes. His singing, yes. What brings about that joy, that song? The joy of being surrounded by his own. It's such a joy to his heart that he, the Lord Jesus, sings for very gladness of heart in the midst of the church. Will I, the Lord Jesus, sing praise unto me, as you know, dear brother, dear sister, that you bring joy to his heart.
You remember when the Queen of Sheba came to visit King Solomon, she stood in admiration at the privilege of those who were there before him, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, the meat of his table, his cup bearers. Let's pause there for a moment. His.
Cut there.
The Queen of Sheba watched them with admiration, and her admiration is recorded in a word of God. Why are the cup bearers singled out? Because it was their privilege to present to King Solomon that which was a picture of joy.
That which was intended to gladden the heart of so great a man as Solomon, the king. Oh, and the queen of Sheba saw this. She looked upon him and said, happy, are these by him? Oh, a privilege to be a cup bearer to King Solomon, to present to him that picture of joy. Now, dear brother, I'm going to make this personal, dear sister.
This can be your privilege. Can you? Can I be a cup bearer?
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To the King of Kings, yes I can. Can I bring to him that which will gladden his heart? Yes I can. Do you know that as you leave your hope and come to share in the joy and privilege of being gathered around himself?
That in itself brings joy to him.
Just to see you here, gladden his heart with joy.
May I use an illustration? My father never spoke very much about the recording days, but I remember he did tell us that years ago in Toronto when he was visiting Irene, who became his wife and my mother. I think about two evenings a week he used to share the joy of walking from his home, which was quite a long way over to her home.
It was no other way of getting there in those days but.
And he did tell us that one night as he opened the door to go out, there was a howling Blizzard flow. Yes, they had blizzards in Toronto as well as in Saskatchewan. So what did he do? Oh, I think I'll stay home tonight. No, he didn't. And he pulled his hat down tighter, had a scarf around his neck, put his hands deeply down in his pockets and took off the visit. Irene.
And when he got there, he said I knocked at the door and I reopened the door and she took one look at me and said.
Harry, I didn't think you'd come to see me on a night like this, he said some. That was about the happiest evening we ever spent together. He didn't give me any more detail than that, but I think you know what he meant.
All she thought is Harry would come to spend an evening with me through a Blizzard like that. I know he must love me and remember this dear brother and sister, remember of a prayer meeting.
On five a leading night.
He loved your company. Yes, he does. You know, my father said one time he met my brother who had not come to Beans for a long time. And when my father went to visit him, he said, look, I can enjoy the Word just as much at home as I can in the meeting. My father said. Not all of it, brothers. Yes, I can, brother Hagel. I can enjoy my Bible just as much at home as I can in the meeting. Not all of it, brother. Yes, I can enjoy all of it right here at home, father.
Brother, can you sit at home and enjoy that verse, not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together? His head went down. He had to admit that he couldn't stay home and enjoy that. And I want to say this, did you want to be a cup bearer for the King of Kings?
What a privilege, what a privilege 7 days in the week. I will admit you can enjoy the wonder of His company, you can give Him the joy of your company, but there is something special about being where He is in the midst. If you were to think back to Calgary, we find those very words used what we might have on either side, one or two manufacturers and Jesus.
In the midst of the Spirit of God chose that word in order. I believe that it might stand out in our memory. And I look back and you look back to Calvary and you're saying I was one of those.
Who would ascribe to the Lord Jesus that very treatment? My heart is no better. My heart is no different. I was numbered among those who would see Him in the midst of this world's manufacture and approve of it. But then we turn and look in the future, and we think of Revelation 5, where we read of the worshipping host of heaven. And what do we find in the midst? A Lamb. And it had been slain. Now I ask you.
What would you think of me if I look back to Calvary?
And I said, I'm so glad that he took my place in the midst of those manufacturers and there died for me. And I'm so glad that in the coming day when he's in the midst of the worshipping host of Adam, that I'll be there tumbled among them. But I don't know that I'm very greatly interested in being here. He is in the midst here on the way home. Or wouldn't that be a strange attitude?
And then when I turn to John chapter 20 and I see him with the cross on his back.
And he has been tried before, Pilot. And the Scripture says He bearing his cross, went forth out of a place called Golgotha. And you read that, and I know your soul says, I'm glad He went forth for me. And then he turns around, and he says, Let us go forth therefore unto him again. What would you think of me if I said, Oh, I'm so glad that He went forth for me, if he.
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So I would have been lost forever. I don't know that I want to go for him. For him. There's reproach involved. To bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone brings reproach. I know it does. Precious privilege. That's what it is, precious privilege. You'll never be able to make up for it. When you reach home, you remember Mary took a pound of ointment and poured it upon the Lord Jesus. And what is said about that boy? It was very.
It could have been sold for 300 pence, one year's wages.
And the perfume of that white country filled the house, and stirred the soul of Jesus, as he experienced the tenderness of that love. But do you remember after it was too late, till I put it that way, Nicodemus came along with 100 pounds, 100 lbs. What does the Scripture say about it? Nothing.
No mention of how costly nor how beautiful was the odor of those perfumes. He was dead. Mary brought it while he was yet alive. Nicodemus brought 100 times as much after he was dead. Beloved brothers and sisters, to know the wonder of his love who died, that he might be redeemed, is so precious. And we're going to see his face in a coming day, and our hearts are going to overflow in gladness.
But are we going to be able to look down the little sign that was entrusted to us here?
And have him say, I remember the the kindness of volume, the love of our espousal. For now it is after me in the wilderness. I'm quoting from Jeremiah 2 verse two. Oh, what a day that will be when you and I see the Lord Jesus.
And he remembers, and tells us that he remembers any little responsible part to the tenderness of his love, and to the privilege of his own most faithful providing. Could we turn please to Ephesians chapter 5?
Verse 25.
Husbands loved your wives, even as Christ also loved the church. Here it is again in the singular, the church and gave himself for it. Isn't that wonderful language? I remember years ago in Montreal, our brother James Mark Hill spoke about this verse. I think paused when he came to those words.
Gave himself, he said. I believe that means his whole being.
Went into that giving well, if you remember, brother, they are killed. You will remember that there was an illustration with every point rather in elaborate illustration. And he pictured a man reading his newspaper. And his boy came along and said that may I borrow your pen? So without looking up he continued to read and he handed his pen over to his boy. And then a little while later he wanted to make a note about something he was reading and.
With my pen.
He had given it to his son, but the giving was so casual that it scarcely registered. He soon forgot it. He said he wouldn't say that his whole being went into the act of giving that pen. But when I leave. Christ also loved the church and died for it. That would be true, but it's not what it said. Shed his blood for it. That would be true, but that's not what it says.
Gave himself precious word. I'll never fathom the death of it.
Gave himself for it.
Oh, but my heart is saddened when I think of those who live there. All this and theory dare to suggest that it need to have no claim upon us. Their love of bread and the truth of the Church is in some little measure dear to my heart. It's not a barren doctrine that we discuss and turn to a lot of scriptures to explain. It's a wonderful, precious reality of nearness, of love, of relationships and.
Unspeakable privilege.
Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. And then it's just relegated to the background, while men have asked their own ideas, their own theories, their own arrangements. If you don't like this one, try that one. If you don't enjoy that one, try another one. Whereas the Word of God presents to us.
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In all the simplicity and wonder of his own loving heart that what he has provided, and I repeat, in order that he might have the door of a company of his own.
He wants to be in the midst and He has made provisions for this to closely turn them back to First Corinthians chapter 10. And you know the short time is not possible to go through this very wonderful truth very thoroughly. But I know that practically all here are well aware of the background of what we refer to 1St Corinthians 10 verse 16.
Let's have a blessing which we bless. It is not the communion of the blood of Christ.
The bread which we break, and it's not the communion on the body of Christ.
Now perhaps it's a little surprising when we read this, the part of the cup is mentioned before the bread, and that's not the order in which we remember the Lord. Why is the cup mentioned? 1St? I believe in Doctor family reading about the Lord's Table and your privilege to be there.
What is the status of your village or mine to be there, the practice lifestyle by virtue of that shed blood and if that's location to my needy soul, I am redeemed and I am a member of the body of Christ and so is every other believer and my privilege to be at the Lord's table is one thing.
Am I a member of the voice of Christ?
Thank God I asked, and thank God you also are a member of that body. You have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in your favor. Are you then entitled to be there at the table of the Lord and lead you off? There is no other requirement but to be a member of a body press, and this comes about by accepting the Lord being of Christ as Jesus.
Now I believe that we leave elsewhere in Scripture that there are those things that would hinder and member of the volume fight from being there where he has his rightful place. You remember that in Israel every circumfined Israelite was foolish to partake of.
A Passover.
But there were a pain that caused a fire that required cleansing and those occasions where not to be treated. Likely you remember that that Israelites became defiled by anything that God called the firemen. He was not allowed because he had to go through the protesters and he might say that I'm an Israelite.
And I'm fighting today.
These older voices are no longer heard among us. You can think of many a brother who stood right here and opened up the word of God to us. They'll never be here again. They're gone, and there are among you here at Cravenette. Rejoin those who have stood for the truth over the years. And if the Lord leaves us here a little longer, they'll be gone too. But all my dear brothers, ancestors, particularly those who are yet younger, I feel absolutely.
I look at you, I'm looking at the generation that will still be here. They hear that shout. Wouldn't you like to be gathered around the person under the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ when that show comes?
Now in First Corinthians 11.
We find the actual Lord's Supper and the order of it, the breaking and the partaking of that look in remembrance of the very body of the Lord Jesus Christ given His death for us, and the partaking of that cup in remembrance of His precious blood that was shed, that we might be redeemed. You know, only once in the Bible do we find any mention of the Lord's Day.
One mention of the Lord's Table.
One mention of the Lord's Supper, the Sabbath day is repeated. I don't know how many times the Lords day, but once the Lords Table, but once the Lords Supper but once of these things are very precious to you, I hope. But they're only mentioned. Why? Why are they only mentioned once? Oh, I believe that to the the bonds of true love.
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Every request has the power of a command.
Every request just once mentioned has the power of a command.
A strange illustration but I remember some years ago I was living in a Glendale, CA. That so happens that our China where came from a factory in Glendale was given to my wife for a shower before we were married and we still have.
But she had broken a teacup as he wrote to me when I was out there in Glendale and said, my dear, if you have opportunity and are anywhere near the factory, see if you can get for me a replacement tea cup. And what would you think of me if I'd written back and said, is that a request or a comment?
She would have wondered what had happened to her husband if I asked her a question like that. I went straight to that factory the day after I got the letter and I got two production sausage and brought them home. And you know when I opened my Bible and I find one mention of the Lords day, I say what a privilege, one mention of the Lords table, I say thank God for that privilege to one mention of the Lord's Supper, shouldn't I say?
Thank God for that privilege too. He doesn't need to repeat it. He can't on our lives.
I'd like, just in a little time that remains, to ask you please, to turn to the 20th chapter of Acts, for I believe we have there a lovely little picture of the testimony from the time of Pentecost, when the church was founded.
Until the moment that we're called home.
We certainly haven't had the time to start Acts chapter 2 and go through the truth of the Church and its establishments. Others have done this, I know, and you're well acquainted with it, but I believe in Acts 20. We have an interesting picture beginning at verse 7.
And up on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached under them, ready to depart on the moral, and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Beautiful being fallen into a deep sleep. And as Paul was long preaching, he sat down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
And Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. Now permit me briefly to try to outline what I think I see in this little account. I see a picture beginning with.
A company of people well separated.
From all that was going on down there in this world, they were up there in the third lot that speaks of death and resurrection between US and all that pertains to this world, their religious world, the social world, the political world, all that's going down on down here. They were thoroughly separated from up there in the third law.
They were listening to the ministry of the Apostle Paul and they were breaking bread. Three things characterized them. Separation.
Valuing calls, particular ministry and breaking bread. And that's a happy picture. If we look our way back to that which we see in the days of the apostles, this was the picture. They were a separated company.
They value the particular ministry known as Paul's ministry, and they shared together the happy privilege of breaking bread. But what happened? Well, I was alerted in reading this by the words ready to depart on the Morrow. I thought, that's strange. Why does it say of any of us ready to depart on the moral? Why not today?
Why tomorrow?
Well, it occurred to me that this was a little miniature picture of the history of the testimony. For the Spirit of God knew a way back in that early testimony that they would not be going home that day. The Spirit of God knew that there would be a dark midnight, which we call the Dark ages. The Spirit of God knew that there would be a restoration again of the very truth and privilege that had originally been entrusted, and then we would be called home.
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Notice what happens here. Midnight comes. There is a deaf ear to the ministry of the apostle Paul. There is an interruption to the breaking of bread. There is a fall right back down to the level that has been left by faith. And now we see midnight darkness and a lifeless form back down there and the level of the world. And I believe in that. We see what's commonly called the dark apes.
It puzzled me when it said taken up there.
Paul says his life is yet in him, which was I used to puzzle over. But I believe again, as you and I think of and read about the dark ages, we would be very much inclined to say license dead. But the deserting eye of the Lord could look down and say, I can see light there. And you and I know that all through those dark ages, even though it didn't sign out in a public testimony, there was indeed life there. But then what happened?
Aren't we glad that the midnight was not the end of the story? Aren't we glad to see that original picture resumed again and accompanied back up there in that third law? All dear brethren, when we read about it, let it search our hearts. Is that where we are?
Are we willing to be separated from this poor world without its boasting and its achievement and its arrangements contrary or added to the Word of God? We belong in separation from all this. And so here we see this restored privilege. The company up there once again with an open ear and heart for the ministry and trusted to the apostle Paul. The breaking of bread mentioned again.
And this place of separation.
And what does it say anything now about tomorrow? No, just a break of day. The break of day. And they love that. That's where we are. We look back to Pentecost and we see the history fade in the darkness and we see by the grace of God, a restoration of those privileges. And here we stand. What are we waiting for? The break of day, The break of day. All heart and joy awaits us. You love it if you had crime, those flights of stairs and appeared among.
Room and said, what denomination is this? They would have looked at you in astonishment and you know that they would have said why we are believers gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And that wonderful privilege, that desire the heart of the Lord Jesus expressed in so many ways and verses in the New Testament, passed by His sovereign and Maxwell grace been restored in this very year, 1977. Fine, the privilege still granted to us of being around on the person.
And gathered under the name of our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. All beloved brothers and sisters.
Let it not simply be a form to us, let it never be, but a theory. Let it be a precious reality that grows sweeter and sweeter as the years roll by, as the break of day draws near. I just got a quote from Ephesians 4, for you know it so well there is.
One body, isn't that how wonderful truth. There are so many dear believers.
Equally dear to my heart of the Lord Jesus Christ, who do not share in the privilege of being gathered the name of the Lord Jesus. There they are here, here Yonder, varying various names, upholding and building up the systems that men have established. Are they living stones in the church? Yes, they are. Are they members of that one body? Yes they are. There is one body. But that very same chapter says to us.
Endeavoring to keep.
The unity of a spirit in the bond of peace. Now as I close, I want to use an illustration that might help us because this is a challenge to us, beloved. I think perhaps we have seen something of the truth of it in a word of God. Let the challenge of it then search our hearts. What does it mean? Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace?
You have heard this illustration. It takes a bit of imagination, I know that. Here it is.
Suppose a husband and wife have ten sons, and those ten sons always play together, plan together, work together in unbroken harmony. They never disagree, they never argue, they always get along perfectly together as your imagination. After this. And one day the father goes to the back door of his ten sons are out there in the garden, and he calls them and he.
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Son, please come in here to father. Now listen carefully. Three of those songs slowly turn and start toward the door.
And the other seven get quite disturbed and they say where are you going?
Where are your real brothers? You don't love us very much. We wouldn't walk out on us like this. We've always done everything together and now you three are going to walk out on us and break up this unity. What are the neighbors going to say? You know how they've noticed that we were always together and now you three are going to turn your backs on if you just don't love us or you wouldn't do that. Tell me now.
Would you recommend that those three should turn and say, you're right, you are our brother, we love you very much. We've enjoyed this unity. We're going to stay right here with you so that we can still all be together. Would you recommend that? I know very well you say immediately, no, that would be disobedient. What then can I do? I'll tell you what they can do. They can turn to their seven brothers and say, indeed we do.
We belong to the same family you do. You are our real brother. But we're going to obey the call of our Father. Won't you obey it too? And then we can still all be together. We intend to obey Father, won't you obey him too? And then we'll still all be together. This is endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
How do I keep it? By opening up this precious word, By bowing before it's light and its guidance.
The unity of the Spirit, that which the Spirit of God brings to us from the pages of this book that are adding to it without taking from it.
I turned my back on that because it separates me from dear brothers and sisters in crops. I dare not, I cannot. I trust I never will. I trust I'll turn to those brothers and sisters in Christ whom I love, whom he loved, who are members to get a renewal meet of the same body and say, let's all obey the call of this precious word. Let's all find ourselves gathered around the same person under the same precious name. Then we'll.
Seven, if they don't want to, if they don't accept it, what shall we do, beloved? Can't we just bow our heads and thank God for the wonder of His love And so desired our company even now that He has made this provision? And it's going to be realized what we read in Revelation 21. In closing, let's turn to it. It's too good to miss Revelation 21.
Verse 3.
This is the conclusion.
You remember where it began. Exodus 25 Let them make me a Tabernacle, that I may dwell among them. Let them make the a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. And then come century of failure, coldness, forgetfulness, disobedience.
How's it going to happen? Here it is.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, as God himself shall be with them and be their God, and lies ahead, beloved.
He's not going to be frustrated. He's going to enjoy the wonder of his beloved people. You and I are going to enjoy the wonder of it too. But I just ask you this question.
When we stand together in the presence of the Lord Jesus and see the gladness of His heart reflected in his countenance, the joy of having us around here are you, Am I going to have the memory up there in the glory? This is the one.
Around whom I was gathered in the place of his reproach. This is the name I bore when it was the name of reproach. In the world of castimony. His name shall be in their forehead up there. I wouldn't want him to have to take some other name off in order to put his name on, Would you? What name would you like to bear alone?
Oh beloved, as I see the desire of God's heart in the Old Testament.
Again, the mule in the person of his beloved Son, desiring the joy of being surrounded by his people, as I see the provision for it in the Old Testament. And again, in a closer, sweeter, costlier way, in the new. My heart is overclothed with the joy of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I pray, dear brothers and sisters, that this joy, this privilege, may never become simply accustomed or accrued to anyone.
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So that it may ever be as glad to be a light of our oxygen.
Where Art Thou
Address—A.C. Hayhoe
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I'd like you to turn with me please tonight to the third chapter of Genesis and the ninth verse. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him.
Where art thou? Where art thou? Usually this verse is applied in the Gospel, and I feel responsible to present a word of warning and of entreaty in the Gospel at the beginning of this meeting.
For here we have the voice of God addressed to man long ago, when man had sinned and tried to hide his nakedness from the presence of God, and to hide himself behind the trees of the garden. But let us remember this, God's Word solemnly declares.
All things.
Are naked and open under the eyes of him with whom we have to do. That means that absolutely every one of us in this company, whether we mock or ridicule, whether we refuse to believe or whether we neglect, every one of us will meet.
God and meet the God who knows all about us.
And has faithfully told us long before that day, when we shall meet him, that all things are naked, and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. And I hope, my friend, as you hear these words, where art thou, that you will answer them right now in the sight of God.
Are you sheltered by the precious blood of Christ?
Are your sins blotted out? The eye of God now looks down upon you and me by wondrous grace, and sees us redeemed, cleanse from all that guilt, and on our way home to the glory. But I believe there's something else in this question, and it really touches my heart.
With something that stirs very, very deeply. It seems to me as though the Lord so delighted in the company, the communion, the fellowship of his creature, that when he comes down on this occasion to walk with him in the cool of the day, Adam is nowhere to be found. And it seems to me that there's a tender outreach of love in these words.
That I've just seen but lately.
In fact, just today, as I looked at this verse today and as it came up again at the supper table, I believe I see in it a tender yearning in the heart of God. Adam, where art thou? As though I came home expecting to find my loved one there, and the place was empty. Would there be accusation in that cry?
Art thou, would there not be something of a yearning, a longing, a desire for the company, the fellowship that had meant so much to me? I believe I see that in these words the Lord God in the cool of the day, comes to this garden, where I doubt not, he had enjoyed fellowship with Adam and Eve. And he cries out Adam.
Where art thou? To me it means Adam.
I want your company, Adam. I miss you.
All beloved brother and sister in Christ, there's something so precious to my soul about the fact that God wants my company. He wants.
Your company and He has paid the fullest price possible in order that He might have that yearning desire his heart realized for eternity. But I'm not telling you anything new when I say that God doesn't want to have to wait until He has you home to enjoy your company. He wants your company.
Now, day by day.
Did you give him that pleasure today? Did I give him that pleasure? Oh, I know you and I naturally think about the pleasure that we receive in the sweet company of the Lord Jesus. But remember this, the love, the yearning, the desire, the seeking, it all originated in His heart and has been made known to us in this wonderful book.
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I believe all that we see in Scripture concerning anything that might come from our hearts.
Is but a response to that which originated in his Oh, I think of that when I read those words in the 27th Psalm. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. But step by step, as I slowly go through that verse, I see.
That every one of those steps originated in the heart of God.
Who did the seeking? Did I seek Him? Who did the yearning, the desiring? Did he or did I? Oh, it all originates. Fill of it in His heart. And it's going to be realized. Here we are at Genesis chapter 3. Suppose we turn to Revelation chapter 21.
Verse 3 where we have a glorious picture of the wonder of that which shall exist for eternity.
Revelation 21 verse three and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying.
Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people and God Himself.
Shall be with them and be their God. This question.
Where art thou betrays, I believe, a yearning and a longing in the heart of God that is going to be gloriously realized in a coming day.
Would you turn with me, please to the 25th chapter of Exodus? Exodus 25 verse one. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, verse eight. Let them make me a sanctuary that I.
May dwell among them.
All this is beautiful to my soul. Here for the first time, the Lord speaks of a desire to dwell with His people. I believe He visited and communed with Adam and Eve in the garden.
I believe he visited and enjoyed the hospitality of Abram and Sarah at their tent, but now he speaks of a desire to dwell with his people.
For the first time he looks down upon a redeemed company and expresses this desire to dwell among them. How well did he know them? Did he know that which would be seen in their journey? Did he know about the murmuring and the complaining and the rebellion of their hearts? Yes, indeed he did. But he loved them, and he wanted.
Dwell among them. You know you have to love someone a great deal to want to dwell with them. A visit from time to time might be very pleasant with some folks, but to want to dwell with them indicates a very real depth of love.
And it's a delight to my soul. And I say it again, I trust with reverence He had in mind bringing them across the sands of the desert and establishing them in that land that flowed with milk and honey. And he promised them that when they arrived at that land, he would choose a place to put his name. There he would dwell with them. But all I say once again with the eagerness of love.
He would not wait until that day. He wanted their company along the way.
Oh, dear brother, dear sister, he wants your company and mine, and wants it with such earnest yearning that he went to the cross in order that you and I might be with him in Yonder glory, to the delight of his own heart. But once more, I say, and oh, let us remember it. He wants our company from day-to-day along the journey homeward, and you know as well as I do that the happiest Christians you've ever met in your life.
Are not those who necessarily have the biggest bank account, but those who know the most about the company of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do I speak the truth? You know I do. Those who know the most of the company of the Lord Jesus Christ are the happiest Christians, young or old, that I've ever met in my life. And I've met quite a few. I've met them in varied circumstances, adversity.
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Bereavement, poverty and plenty. And I say again, that which brings joy and gladness that really abides is the company of the Lord Jesus. Let's go on with verse 10 of this same chapter. And they shall make an ark of Shittim wood. 2 cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold within. And.
Shalt thou overlay it, and shall make upon it a crown of gold roundabout.
And I shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof. And two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of **** and wood, and overlay them with gold. And I shall put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be born with them. The stays shall be in the rings of the ark, they shall not be taken from it. And thou shalt put into the ark.
That testimony which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold. 2 cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a Cuban and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make 2 Cherubim of gold of beaten work. Shalt thou make them in the two ends of the mercy seat, and make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end. Even of the mercy seat shall he make the cherubim on the two ends thereof.
And the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings.
And their faces shall look one to another toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark. And in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee. And I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark, of the testimony of all things which I will give.
Commandment unto the children of Israel.
I read these verses because I believe it's most important for us to see.
That the company of the Lord Jesus, the company of the God of Israel, was not that which was lightly enjoyed. God immediately gave specific, detailed, careful instruction as to what was necessary in order that He might have the joy of dwelling in the midst of that people whom He loved so dearly.
We won't take time to turn to many another Scripture, but you remember that Moses was called up to the top of that mountain that smoked and burned with fire, and there upon the top of that mountain he received from the Lord those commandments and ordinances which he was responsible to entrust to Israel. You remember too, that when he came down from that mountain.
Israel was already.
Breaking the very commandments that the finger of God had written upon those two tables of stone, what could Moses do if he were to carry those two tables of stone into the midst of the camp? I believe the presence of God.
Would have been such that guilty Israel would have been smitten before the presence of Jehovah. Moses casts then upon the ground, and they are broken to pieces.
What can God do? If I had never read the story before, it would certainly be a dilemma. What can God do? Will he reduce the severity of these commandments? Will he reduce their number to 9:00 or 8:00 or 7:00?
Perhaps man might be able to keep them if they were not so severe, if they were not so many of them. But God's holiness is not going to be adjusted to man's guilt. And here is the wonderful, the glorious answer to this.
Surprising question. The commandments of the Lord remain unalterable, but they are to be placed in this arc. This wooden box covered completely with gold and covered over with a lid spoken of here as the Mercy seat. And on either end of that covering lid, there where these cherubim.
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Which looked downward upon, but God's word declares to be the mercy seat. Isn't that a lovely? Isn't that a precious word? The mercy seat? There beneath that mercy seat, where those two tables of stone, they had not been reduced in their severity nor in their number. God is determined that he will indeed dwell in the midst of his people, guilty though they were, but he has.
Found a way, He has provided a means whereby, maintaining His Holiness, his righteousness, he is able to dwell in their midst in this most beautiful picture of our Lord Jesus Christ. I'd like you to turn with me, please for a moment to the Epistle to the Hebrews. Hebrews.
Chapter.
9 Hebrews, Chapter 9.
First one. Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a Tabernacle made the first, wherein was the Candlestick and the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the Tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden sensor and.
The Ark of the Covenant.
Overlaid roundabout with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.
Three things were in this arc.
The tables of the Covenant, that holy and solemn and unreduced series of commandments.
That God gave to his servant Moses. But in there with those two tables of stone was a golden pot of Manor and Aaron's rod that budded. There were rings on either side of that ark, and staves through those rings so that this arc could be carried on the shoulders of the priests.
In all their journeys through the wilderness.
Until at last they reached that land of promise. All that. It is a delight to my soul to picture this in a limited little measure, in which I can see the wonder and the beauty of it. I see the Person of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in all the holiness and wonder and perfection of who He is and beloved. Let no one ever tarnish that.
Marvelous image. It grieves. It saddens my heart from time to time.
To hear of those who would dare to suggest that Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Could have sinned but didn't.
Perhaps you've heard that. Let me warn you solemnly and faithfully, beloved, that the Lord Jesus Christ, your Savior, my Savior, is none other than God, the Son in whom is no sin.
There was no possibility of sin in that holy, blessed, precious Son of God. I say this because I know that such teachings are becoming more and more prevalent and are heard too from the lips of those who are supposedly sound in the Gospel.
An advertisement came round to our home just before I left on this trip, advertising a series of 24 lectures in our town. The titles of those lectures seemed so very, very interesting, and I feel quite sure that many questions in our town would be swept away by their interest in the topics that were to be discussed.
But I laid my hands on the literature of those who were presenting this message.
And I found these words.
The nature possessed by our Savior Jesus Christ is that which is described in Romans chapter 3.
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I almost dread to repeat it to you, beloved friend. Isn't it a marvelous thing that in this arc, made of wood covered with gold, the perfect blending of the humanity and the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, there within it where those two tables of stone?
A marvelous picture of the holy and wondrous Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lest some here may not have heard the illustration that I heard in the days of my boyhood concerning the significance of the temptation in the wilderness, I would like to repeat that illustration. For I remember one time talking with a young fellow who seemed to love the Lord so much. But he said, of course the Lord could have sinned, and he didn't.
Oh, I said Clifford. No, no, the Lord Jesus was God the Son.
Why do you say he could have sinned? Well, Albert, if he couldn't have sinned, I see no point, no purpose whatever in the temptation. The temptation indicates a possibility of failure and of sin. Thank God he didn't. But surely you admit he could have. And I used the illustration that many of us have heard repeatedly. Suppose I see someone here wearing a ring.
And he mentioned something about his fine gold ring, and I say I don't believe it. That's only brass.
No, no, he insists. That's real gold. No, I don't believe it. It's only brass. How are we going to settle this? Well, I don't know anything about how metals are tested, but come with me and use our imagination. We go to a jewelry store. You take off that ring and you tell the jeweler about this discussion. The jeweler says, well, I'll show you whether it's gold or whether it's brass.
Or a little bit of both, and he immerses this ring in a vial of acid, leaves it there for a period of time, brings it out again, and says pure gold, in no way tarnished, in no way tainted by the test that demonstrates pure gold.
If I were honest, I'd turn to you and say you were right. What was the purpose of that test? Was there any possibility that your ring might have been damaged or tarnished by that test? None. Whatever. It demonstrates the truth of the claim that you made for it. Pure gold. Adam came into this world. Sad to say, he promptly fell under the test to which he was subjected. But the Lord Jesus, the last Adam.
The eternal Son of the living God comes into this world, is presented to man, and is subjected to that test which proved Him to be.
Pure gold, all that God claimed for him and all that he claimed for himself. I'm very thankful to say that having used this illustration. Clifford's eyes lit up with gladness. And he said, oh, I'll never say that again, for I wouldn't want to say anything that would lower the beauty of my precious savior. Oh, friend, when I see this ark, when I look within it and see those commandments there, when I see that pure gold that.
Blending of the gold and of the wood, I see a marvelous picture, but it's only a picture of the person of God's beloved Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But also in that ark I see a golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded.
And this accompanied the children of Israel all through their wilderness journey. Oh, what wonderful provision is ours. Not only the wonder of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ in all his worthy deity, but the golden pot of Manor, that wondrous and faithful promise that.
All the way through our journey homeward.
The faithful, unchanging grace of God will be with us. We'll meet our need every step of the journey until we reach home. Ah, as those children of Israel went across the sands of the desert, day by day that heavenly manner was ministered to them until at last they stepped into the Promised Land. And so is golden pot of Manor.
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A memorial of the faithfulness of God's changeless grace accompanied them.
Day by day in that ark. And from whence does all this grace flow for you and for me? Is it not also from the heart of Him whose faithful presence delights to be with us along the way? Oh, how good it is from day-to-day to magnify the grace of God that accompanies us until at last we reach home.
You remember those precious words in the 23rd Psalm. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. We won't need that grace of God when we reach home, but we surely need it day by day as we journey home, don't we?
You know, I remember back home in Ottawa.
There was a dear brother whose name was RJ Watson.
And he was straight from Ireland and you could tell it every time he had something to say.
He was telling us about that precious verse and what it meant to him, he said. You know, years ago when I was a boy in Ireland, I used to love to go out and watch those rare occasions when the Squire rode past with his beautiful coach and team.
There up in front of that coach where the I guess you'd call them the horsemen who handled the team.
And there in that beautiful coach sat the Squire, and there on a platform behind him, where 2 foot men who stood one-on-one side and 1:00 on the other, keeping their eye on the Squire and on everything around them, that all might go well. And he said, you know, as a boy I just admired the pleasant situation of that Squire.
So well cared for. And then he said, one day as I was reading the 23rd Psalm, and I came to that verse, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.
All the days of my life, all, he thought, I have two faithful footmen too, and at the end of every day I can look behind and say they followed me again today. Goodness and mercy, not just once in a while, but all the days of my life.
All beloved brothers and sisters, you and I have ended some of our days with tears.
Our bereavement, our sorrow of one kind in another.
Did that wonderful mercy, grace, goodness fail us that day? Ah, no, perhaps already you and I have looked back to some of those tears that we have shed and thanked God for them with all our heart. But now not only did this golden pot of manner go with them in this arc, but also there was Aaron's wrongs.
That budget, now I'm sure there are various ways of looking at that rod, but I believe one way would be for it was given at the time of the rebellion of Cora Dathan and Byram. One way would be a reminder of the government of God, and you and I will experience both.
All the way home. Perhaps we're rather thankful for the grace of God.
And perhaps we rather resent the government of God. Should we? Dearly beloved, what is the government of God? It is because you are his child and because He loves you, and because He wants you to be happy here and an abundant entrance and a full reward that he. And there were times.
When in rebellion.
I doubted my father's love, and I resented my father's discipline.
But I just want to pass on here little thought that I hope may be a help to all of us. In the 15th chapter of Romans I read these words.
I also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. That's the last statement in the verse, not the first one. What was the first one?
Full of goodness.
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Filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
Just let me pass this on, beloved brothers and sisters, as that which I believe can be so helpful in family discipline and in assembly admonition too, for the verse begins with full of goodness.
I hope you don't mind these personal references, but I'll tell you this that when my father punished me very very severely so that I had to go off to my room and sit there alone, if I could even sit down, for he was pretty severe in his punishment.
I would try to work up a real case of resentment against my dad. He didn't love me at all. He took great pleasure in administering that punishment, but I wasn't there very long till the memory of his love, his kindness, his goodness.
Would melt it all away.
And I'd come out submissive.
Knowing that my father loved me.
Fathers and mothers, remember this. Dear brothers and sisters in the assembly, remember this where there is the liberty and the opportunity to show that love, show it abundantly, so that its admonition is called for. It's made, we trust, be accepted. So I see in His ark that which speaks of the holy and wondrous person of our Lord Jesus Christ. I see that which reminds me of His grace.
Faithful mercies toward me all along the way. And then I see that Rob all beloved. Let us thank him for that. Rob. Let us remember that there is a hand and heart of love and faithfulness.
Behind every occasion when the rod is ever felt upon us. If I were to see two boys out in the streets arguing and the argument gets fierce and it turns into a real scrap with some bad words used, and one of the boys is my own son and the other is the neighbor boy, what do I do? Go out and scold the neighbor boy and chase him home?
I hope not. I hope I would go out and lay hold of my own son. A neighbor boy is not my affair, but my son is. Will bring him in.
And chastise him for what I saw out there in the street, beloved friend, Because you and I are. And we're thankful for it. We're his.
Were his by choice, were his by adoption, were his by birth, were his for eternity. And because he loves us so much.
That rod will accompany us all the way home.
But notice, please, if we turn over for a moment to I believe it's First King, First Kings chapter 8 and verse six. And the priest brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, and the Oracle of the house to the Most Holy Place, even under the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, And the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And.
They drew out the staves at the ends of the staves, were seen out in the Holy place before the Oracle, and they were not being without. And there they are unto this day.
There was nothing in the ark, say the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horrid, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.
Here we find the Ark has arrived at its resting place.
The two stays are drawn out and they are placed in a particular location so that those days could be seen. And they are there until this day. Oh, when I read this description, I am reminded of that glorious day that awaits us, beloved brothers and sisters, when we are safely home at last.
The staves are drawn out, the wilderness wandering is ended, but those days are placed where they can be seen. And I have no doubt that you and I in the glory will have a glad memory of our journey home. The glad.
Recounting of His faithfulness, His care, His presence, His mercy toward us all along the journey, all. When Israel recounts this in the Psalms, we read a pause after every statement with these precious words. For His mercy endureth forever. Oh, what a day that will be, when from the glory we look back to His goodness.
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His faithfulness, His the manner, and the rob. But they will no longer be needed up there. There will be no more need of the grace of God up Yonder in the glory. There will be no more need of the rod of government up there in the glory. And so when that ark is set down in His final resting place in the temple, there was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stove.
That which speaks of that unchanging, perfect holiness of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who is the same yesterday and today will remain the same forever. I say what a precious memory it will be in the glory that you and I will be able to look back and recount in a fuller way than we can ever recount along the way, the perfection of his faithful journeying with us all the way through the sands of the desert.
Perhaps we should turn back for a moment to the Book of Leviticus.
To see that this mercy seat, where the Lord promised to meet and commune with His people, was stained with blood. Leviticus chapter 16.
And verse.
14.
And he shall take of the blood of the Bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward. And before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger 7 times.
We won't go into this in any more detail, but I'm sure you and I realize that in order for the Lord to dwell in the midst of His people and confess as they were with infirmity and with iniquity, there must be the stain of blood there on and before the mercy seat, And in order that you and I might be able to draw near and enjoy the sweetness of fellowship.
One who loves to have our company. There must be, and there has been that shedding, that sprinkling of the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that as the eye of God looks down this very evening upon those who are gathered together, He looks.
At your heart as he looks at mine, and if the precious blood of Christ.
In all its wondrous power has been applied by faith, that part of yours and this heart of mine have been cleansed forever from the stains of sin that once were there. But I paused once again to ask you, every one of you, For I see boys and girls here tonight, and I know that much that has been said is not very easy to understand.
But this I hope you will understand that the Lord Jesus loves you so much.
That He died on the cross. He shed his precious blood. And you and I are invited to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, to know that that precious blood that was shed there upon the cross was shed for you as well As for me. And as I look at that ark and realize that in that arc there are those two tables of stone, and I see that ark completely covered.
By that blood sprinkled mercy seat I look up and with all my heart I thank God for the yearning love of His heart that so desired my company, that He would go to such depth in order that I might be privileged. Yeah, invited to draw near you remember in the days of Moses.
At that burning Bush, he was told, put off my shoes from off my feet.
Draw not my hitter for the place where on our standards is holy ground.
But you and I are privileged to draw near. Is the ground any less holy than it was in the days of Moses? Indeed, it's no less holy. Why then, can you and I draw near? All, beloved, the blood has been shed, it has been sprinkled, and by God's matchless grace, you and I are now fitted, invited to draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith.
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When we turn, please, to the book of Joshua.
Chapter 6.
And verse 4.
And seven priests shall bear before the ark 7 trumpets of Ram Horn, and the 7th day ye shall compass the city 7 times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. Just a very brief look at this, but it's a beautiful picture to me.
Hear this same arc with its covering the blood stained mercy seat and all of it I believe covered over with a cloth of blue, was carried around that guilty doomed city of Jericho once a day for six days and then on the last day seven times that city was encompassed by.
This arc and its blood stained mercy seat, this covering of blue as though to suggest.
The origin of this matchless display of grace came from up Yonder, from the very heart of God. And I believe all I believe with all my heart, dear Saints of God, that we're in the very last moments of His long-suffering, lingering grace. And I thank God for every effort that is being made to surround this poor, doomed world with the message of God.
Matchless love and grace with the story of a blood sprinkled mercy seat with the tail of a grace that came from heaven's glory down here to meet us in all our needs.
And I would say to my own heart, as I would say to everyone here.
Hyundai knew that tomorrow was a day that we were going to be called home.
What would we do?
Would we just have no heart for those who are still in this doomed Jericho in which we live? This poor heart of mine is so indifferent to the loss that are all around me. And when I see the doomed city of Jericho and I believe, and I see it all around me today, and I see the ark of the Lord, the blood sprinkled mercy seat, the symbol of heavens.
Wondrous offer to man surround that doom city 7 times on the last day. It stirs my heart that this message that I see beginning with his cry, Adam, where art thou tells me of a heart of love that yearn.
To bless man, to seek him out wherever he may be hiding, but for to point the accusing finger at him and bring to mind his guilt. All because God loves. Because God desires a company and a fellowship of man that you and I know that it must.
Must be based upon the unchangeable holiness of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and upon the blood sprinkled mercy seat. Could we turn please to yet another scripture in Second Samuel, Second Samuel chapter 6? As you realize, I'm just reading a verse or two here and there and I would suggest that you might wish to go home and read in a little more.
Setting of these verses. But time doesn't permit this evening. Second Samuel 6, verse three. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the House of Abinadab that was in Gibeah, and other and Ohio. The sons of Abinadab Dre the new cart. And they brought it out of the House of Abinadab, which was in Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God. And Ohio went before the ark, and David and all the House of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments.
Made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornice, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nacon, freshing for other, put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against other. And God smoked him there for his error, and there he died by the ark of God.
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Why did that story permit me? Please speak a word that burdens my heart Sometimes there were very, very careful instructions given.
As for the honor that was due to this arc, perhaps the Israelites didn't realize why, but you do. You realize as you read about this arc and its wonderful content and a blood sprinkled mercy seat that covered it over that we have here a marvelous display of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And all almighty work of redemption that has caused that blood stained mercy seat to be available.
Or whosoever will.
But there was carelessness in the way in which this ark was handled. There was an imitation here of the manner of the Philistines, who didn't know any better. God had given them careful instructions concerning the honor that was due to this sacred arc. It was to be born upon the shoulders of the priests, to be exalted above them.
Not to be set upon a cart, and the names of those who accompanied and drove that ark given to us.
Beloved, just let me speak a word of caution. I believe we live in a day when there is an increasing attempt to imitate.
That which I feel has been introduced by the Philistines. Do you understand my expression? Is there not a singular honor, beloved, that is due to our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ? What difference does it make whether the ark is carried on those shoulders lifted above all those who surrounded it?
The names of those who bore it are not known to us.
What difference does it make whether it's handled that way or placed with every good intention on a new cart driven and conducted by men whose names are given to us? They went before the Ark. There is a little bit too much preeminence here given to man, and there is an unintentional, I repeat that and unintentional dishonor to the Ark.
Because they had seen the Philistines do it that way. God was grieved about it. God spoke to them about it. And thank God David recognized the significance of that rebuke. And we find the ark being carried where it truly belonged, upon the shoulders of those faithful priests. Oh, beloved, once again, as I briefly recount this evening.
The wonder and the significance of this art and of its content and that our souls.
Lay hold of this lesson, that this is a yearning desire of God Himself. This was not the thought of the Israelites. It was not very quest that God would please dwell among them and on their terms. It was God's desire, It was God's request, It was God's provision and all. How honored they were, as we look back upon it, to carry there through the sands of the wilderness that which exalted Jehovah.
Which spoke of the preciousness and the significance and the worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ and the value of His finished work of His precious blood.
All honor will be His in that day. Your voice and mine, by matchless grace, will resound throughout the endless ages of eternity in praising and in thanking the One whom God belies to honor. But we're not going home yet. We're still going through the sands of the desert.
And he disappointed in us. No, beloved, He loves us. He wants your company. All of it that you will grant to him. He wants my company.
Let us remember that the company of the Lord Jesus brings with it that marvelous, endless, matchless grace.
And also the rod of his government. And let us remember that there is an honor that is due to him.
And do all that is attached to him, until at last we reach home.
Could I ask you please to turn to one more verse? A very solemn verse, I believe.
In Revelation Chapter 11.
Revelation Chapter 11, verse 19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark, the ark of his testament, and there were lightnings and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. Why all this? Here is the ark, the last mention of it that I know of in the word of God.
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But notice no mercy seat.
No Mercy seat. The Ark, Yes, but without a mercy seat. If that mercy seat were listed and removed from the Ark, what would be seen within those two tables of stone? The men of Vashemish listed that mercy seat to take a look within, and many of them were smitten. Death.
Oh my friend, there is a day coming when the blood stains Mercy seat will no longer be available.
The holy Person of the Lord Jesus Christ will be exalted in that day, and you and I, made fit to be there by virtue of that precious blood, will rejoice to be there, worthy to be there, by matchless grace and because of the work of Calvary. And when this temple of God is opened in heaven, when the ark of God is seen there without its covering mercy seat, what do we hear and what do we?
Thunderings, lightning, earthquakes, great hail, There is a day coming, and it's very near in hand when the mercy seat will no longer be available. And that holy and unchanging one will act according to his true character, injustice and righteousness and holiness upon his poor world that has spurned the provision of the mercy seat.
The Ark of His Covenant without the Mercy seat.
Friend, where will you be in that day? The mercy seat. The blood stained mercy seat is available tonight and the invitation to you is offered to come and avail yourself of that which cost God, the giving of His own Son, which cost the Lord Jesus the shedding of His own precious blood. But perhaps.
Perhaps before tomorrow morning, this Mercy seat will no longer be available. The Ark.
A table of stone, that which speaks of the unchanging character of our Lord Jesus Christ will abide forever. But woe to this world when the mercy seat is no longer available. Let's just go back over it then. First yearning cry of the heart of God, Adam.
Where ourselves would you like to put your name in there? I feel happy to put my name in there. My name. As though the Lord actually looked down at me and said, I want your company. I want your company. Oh, I thank God for the day when I stepped out from behind that tree and stood there at all my guilt.
And founded Lovely found that the blood of Christ was shed for me. But I wondered if He has said those same words to me from time to time, because I have turned aside to go my own way, because I have not granted to Him. Shall I dare to say it the privilege of my company? Just think of it.
Isn't that a wonderful thing to say, to spend a day without the enjoyment of a company of the Lord Jesus? How does he feel about it? How does he feel about it? He would say to you, Where are you? He loves you, He wants your company. And as I trace it through the word of God, as I see him, look down upon rebellious Israel and say, Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
Abraham
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Today we were speaking about Abraham and I'd like to go on, look a little more at what God has given to us in connection with Abraham, shall we Read in the 13th chapter, beginning at the fifth verse. We will read more later, but just this part of the chapter, Genesis 13, verse five. And Lord also, which went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents.
Was not able to bear them that they might dwell together, for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abrams cattle and the herdsmen of Lots cattle, and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwell then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen, for we be brethren.
Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If thou will take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
Even like under the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan. And Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves, the one from the other. And Abraham dwelled in the land of Canaan, And Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. And the Lord said unto Abram, After that Lot was separated from him.
Lift up now, thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art.
Northward and southward, and eastward and westward, for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall I seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it, and in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee. Then Abraham removed his tent, and came and dwelled in the plain of Mamra, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.
Well, we noticed yesterday about God calling Abraham from the Ur of the Chaldeans.
How at first he only came part way about then how God worked in his heart, and we saw how that after his father had died, he then left Heron and came all the way into the land that God had purposed for them. It shows us, as we remarked, how God sometimes has to use trials in order to stir up in our hearts more response to His claims, so that we might be more yielded to Him.
But then later on when there was a famine in the land, how Abraham, discouraged by the famine, went down into Egypt and there we know how that there was departure. He didn't have his tent, that is, he lost his Pilgrim character. He didn't have his altar because he had not the same approach into the presence of God.
But he did prosper down there. He denied his proper relationship to his wife.
He didn't acknowledge that she was really his wife. He didn't deny any relationship. But as we noticed, he denied the relationship that he he was really as she was really his wife. And so you know what an important thing it is for us to realize that we are a heavenly people. We're a spouse. The church is the bride of Christ. And Paul said, I have espoused you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Sometimes we can say, yes, I know I belong to the Lord, I'm one of his children. But are we walking in this world as those who recognize that our home is up there, that we are to form part of the glorious bride of Christ associated with him up there in another day?
Well, Abram denied this and bought down there in the land of Egypt. He became very wealthy.
He seemed to prosper and get along very well, and so that when he decided to leave the land of Egypt and go back into Canaan, why he had, as it tells us, he had men, servants and maidservants, and she she ***** and camels. And it tells us in the second verse of this 13th chapter he was very rich in cattle.
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In silver and in gold.
So it is sometimes when we get away from the Lord, we may prosper materially, but to prosper materially is not always the best thing for us. Sometimes it can be a great hindrance to our souls because those things get hold of us. And the Bible says the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
And it's so easy for us, perhaps unaware to ourselves.
To set our hearts on things down here, and it tells us, set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Well, we noticed too how Abraham was restored and he came back out of Egypt. He came to the very point where he had left.
That place where he had his tent and his altar at the beginning. And so we could say that it is very beautiful to see that he truly was restored. We also see that Lot came along with him. A lot seemed to be one who locked in the faith of others and not in his own personal faith. And you know every one of us who professed to know the Lord is our Savior and perhaps who profess to walk in the truth.
Are going to be tested sooner or later as to whether we really have our eyes on the Lord.
Or whether we are just doing it, perhaps because of friends or relatives, some influence that has been brought to bear upon us. And with Lot, it appears that the influence of Abraham had a great effect upon him. But no matter how much we may be helped by some other, who is walking by faith, and we can help others when we're walking by faith.
Let us remember that each one of us must give account of himself.
God and you and I need to be personally before the Lord. Are we reading His Word for ourselves? Are we in prayer before Him? Are we holding personal communion with Him? Are we in the path where we are because we believe it's the path of obedience to the Lord? Or is it just because it's a nice group of people or our friends and relatives are there? Sooner or later we're going to be tested.
Well, so the testing came in Lot's life.
It tells us here that they had come back and were now both of them so very wealthy. And here it tells us the land wouldn't bear them so they could dwell together. And there was a strife, a jealousy arose between them. Isn't this often true?
Very often we can trace our departure away from the Lord to something that came in some kind of strife, some kind of jealousy, some kind of feeling, and that started it. And then how something else happens and here we find Abraham and Lot become separated one from another. All how we need to watch those things.
That so naturally rise in our hearts.
It tells us in Peter, laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and evil speakings, there's so many things that can grow like weeds in our hearts. And if we allow them and if we don't judge them, they may not seem very great at first, but they always lead to other things. The breakup of the first family in the world was through jealousy. We know that it was because.
Cain was jealous. He was jealous because God had accepted Abel and he had rejected him and it made him very angry. His countenance fell. So angry he was that he actually slew his brother. All how true it is, as the Bible says, and jealousy is cruel as the grave. Well, here was this strife, but it's nice to see here the spirit that Abraham showed.
Abraham was the one that felt this most.
We don't read about Lot being too much disturbed over the strife.
He wasn't walking near enough to the Lord to be concerned for if you notice in the end of the seventh verse it says and the Canaanite and the parasite dwell then in the land. In the 12Th chapter and the sixth verse, the end of the verse it says in the Canaanite was then in the land. It is when Abram came into the land first.
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There were enemies in the land, but Abraham went on in faith. He pitched his tent, he built his altar, and he went on counting upon God, even although there were enemies in the land. And the enemy is always busy to hinder our spiritual progress. But why does it tell us that when this strife came about, it says the Canaanite and the Perazite dwell then in the land?
All because the world looks on and sees this sort of thing.
How sad it is when the world has to witness that these things exist among those who profess to know the Lord. It tells us, you know. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you have love one to another. But where was the evidence of it?
When they saw these two men who professed to be men of faith and they couldn't even dwell together, they couldn't go on in the path of faith together. Well, I believe God mentions this and there seemed to be more attention paid in the fact that it tells us that not only the Canaanite but also the Perazite and dwell then in the land.
Abram was exercised, he was concerned about it, and he said to.
Lot, let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen, for we be brethren.
Isn't this very gracious on the part of Abram? Because in reality, Abram was Lot's uncle.
He was the older one and he could have said to lot, well now I'm going to have first choice because I'm the older one and he might have easily taken a position like that because we're told to respect age. And he could have easily said, well, I, I'm the older one and so I'm going to have the first choice. But isn't it nice to see here that I believe we could say that?
Abraham committed his cause to the Lord.
He just knew that the Lord was going to take care of him. Like the Scripture says, commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and he shall bring it to pass. And I believe that when he took this gracious attitude, he was sure that God would take care of his interests.
God would protect him, and He most certainly did. He doesn't fail a trusting heart. He tells us trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. So he didn't say, well I think I know which is the best part of the land to dwell in. I'm going to choose it. No, he just left the whole matter in the Lord's hands and he said lot. You can take first choice.
And he said, if you go one way, I'll go the other.
And so he gave Lot the opportunity. But what did Lot do? Well, Lot, as we have noticed before, was not really walking in personal faith. And we also mentioned on Lords Day, and I call attention to it again, that Abram, even loyal man of such wonderful faith.
When he had failed and gone down into Egypt because of the famine.
He had given Lot a taste of some things that hindered Lot in his later life. And if I get away from the Lord, I may have an effect, a very adverse effect on some other Christian, and I might get restored. But perhaps the harm I've done to someone else will not be corrected.
And this is a very sad thing. This often takes place because none of us liveth to himself, and none of us dieth to himself. So poor Lot had got his first taste of those things that he was going after through his Uncle Abraham taking him down into Egypt. And so it tells us that when he lifted up his eyes and looked on the land of the valley of.
Plain of Jordan, I should say, down towards Sodom and Gomorrah. He said that just looks like Zoar down in Egypt. When had he seen Zor down in Egypt? When Abram took him down and there was the effect that he had. We know of another case in the New Testament and we remember how Barnabas was the uncle of John Mark and we find how that when Barnabas wanted.
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John Mark and he wasn't spiritually up to it. It caused a contention and a Barnabas, the uncle of John Mark took John Mark along with him. And we know that there were some lost time in John Marks life too. Thank God John Mark was afterwards restored because God is gracious.
But these things I'm sure blessings for us from which we can all learn.
So he decided to go down and it tells us they separated themselves, the one from the other. It's a sad thing when God's people, as I say, cannot walk together. But the scripture also says how can two walk together except they be agreed. There needs to be a mutual agreement to follow the Lord.
To live for him.
And there wasn't this mutual agreement with these two. Abram now restored desires to go on for the Lord, but Lot didn't. And so there wasn't that happy unity of heart. It's a it's a nice thing to see when there is, like in the early disciples, it says the multitude of the disciples were of one heart and one soul.
They were united in their desire to give the Lord His rightful place.
They prayed together, they served the Lord together, and they had fellowship together.
And continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, but here.
We see a coldness of heart coming in. We see strife coming in. We see them.
Separating one from another and poor lot going down towards Sodom. I want you to notice he didn't go to Sodom all at once. He started that in that direction. It tells us in the.
11 Verse. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent towards Sodom. That little expression he dwelled in the cities of the plain seemed to show that there was not stability in his Christian or in his pathway.
Why you can't dwell in more than one city at a time. And instead he dwelled in the cities of the plain. He was sort of unsettled in his path.
And he was going, as we see, in the wrong direction. He was heading towards Sodom. But you know, we don't really.
Just all of a sudden do something that is disastrous in our lives, There's usually something that leads up to it. Just like there was with Peter. It tells us that he was asleep when the Lord told him to watch. It tells us that he was boasting.
When he should be asking the Lord for help, it tells us that he was following a far off. It tells us that he was warming himself by the world's fire. And all these were just steps leading up to what finally happened when in the company of the world, he denied his Lord. But it didn't all happen at once. Departure doesn't come into our lives suddenly if we.
Get self confident if we allow strife in our hearts.
If we're looking away from the land that God has given and looking in the wrong direction and setting our hearts on.
Wrong things, our feet will soon follow, and one thing will lead to another. And this was the course of lot. I say he didn't get to Sodom all at once, but he finally got there, because that was the direction he was traveling. And so it tells us what kind of people were there. The 13th verse. But the man of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord.
Exceedingly.
God was greatly displeased with those wicked cities, and later on, as we know, He rained fire and brimstone upon them. Then I might just mention, in this day of the breakdown of morals, in this day when we see a marriage almost beginning to disappear, this is a solemn warning from God. Now that was the sin that was.
Being carried out there in Sodom and Gomorrah.
The idea of morality and marriage was gradually disappearing. God speaks of the days of Noah and says they ate and they drank and they planted, they build it, they married and were given in marriage. That's the way he speaks about the days of Noah. But when he talks about the time of lot, he says they ate and they drank, they planted, they build it, but it doesn't say they married and gave in marriage.
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The marriage ceremony and the marriage sanctity was really disappearing. Now this is a solemn warning, and it tells us in June that God showed just what he thought about that sort of thing by bringing down the awful judgment of what is called eternal fire upon those cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Let us be warned about the moral laxity of the days in which we live.
God has set certain standards of morals in His Word, and it's not for us to look lightly upon them. It's not for us to join hands with the new morality, as it's called, of our present day. God hasn't lowered His standards just because men have. Well, this was the direction in which Lot was traveling. Was He a real believer? Yes.
If you read in Peter it says that righteous man.
Dwelling among them vexed his righteous soul from day-to-day.
With their unlawful deeds, he was a true believer. He even remonstrated with the people and told him not to do so wickedly. But he dwelled among them. He, he seemed to, shall I say, be quite content to make that his dwelling place, a place for his family, a place for his interests. And as we know later on, he lost everything.
In Sodom he had a saved soul but a lost life.
Well, now they were separated and I'm sure that Abraham must have felt this because Abraham must have thought a good deal of Lot and he was the one who had come with him from her of the Chaldees. And they had been companions in their measure in the pathway of faith for some time. And I'm sure that Abram must have felt this. Any true hearted Christian can't help but feel it when.
He separated from other real Christians.
If it doesn't bother you to be separated from other real Christians, there's something wrong, because it tells us we're taught of God to love one another. We may not always be able to walk together because we have to be obedient, and Abraham couldn't walk with Lot in his disobedient path, but he did feel it, and we'll see afterwards how very kind he was and what nice thoughts he had.
Toward a lot, even though he couldn't go along with him.
This was all very beautiful and showed the reality of his faith.
So on the 14th verse. And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward and southward, and eastward and westward, for all the land which thou seest. To thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. You know, God knows in our lives the times when there's special discouragement.
He knows the time when perhaps some friend has perhaps deserted us or has left the path so that we can't walk together. The Lord knows about those situations. And isn't it lovely here that just at this time when Lot is separated from him, the Lord appears to Abraham and encourages his heart? For the Bible tells us that God is the God of all encouragement.
And so he comes here at this point to encourage the heart of Abram and says, as it were, Abram.
I know if you look around you're going to be disappointed because you've lost lot and he was your companion. A body said look up, look up. He said lift up now thine eyes and he said look from the place where thou art, because you might say, well, I can't really look up to the Lord until there's been a change in some things in my life or something. Oh, isn't it very beautiful to see that the.
From the place where thou art, in other words, right now.
If there are any of us here who are discouraged or something has come to make you feel cast down and sad.
Why look up and realize how richly you really have been blessed in Christ?
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How richly Abraham had been blessed he was to look in every direction N SE and West, and as far as he could see everything belonged to him and to his seed after him. And how richly have we been blessed? Well, we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, and we have been, we have been blessed with the unsearchable.
Of Christ and so Abram here at this point was encouraged by.
How much was really to be his, and to his seed after him. And the Lord told him also that he would make his seat as the dust of the earth, and that is, he could count upon God to undertake for him and for his cause. Well, this must have been a real encouragement, and makes me think of the little hymn that says.
In season the sustaining word Thou gives to our hearts to know.
And very often, in some time when we feel specially cast down, the Lord.
Bring something in His word to cheer our hearts.
It tells us in the 16th Psalm the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places. Yeah, I have a goodly heritage and that Psalm is prophetic of the Lord Jesus and we couldn't say that his pathway in this world was a pleasant pathway as far as circumstances were concerned, because he was despised and rejected of man.
Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief. So why does it say the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places?
The Feet
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.
Many years ago in the city of Toronto.
There was.
A praying mother who looked down on a site that gladdened her heart and has gladdened the heart of many a father and a mother and grandparents too.
That is the sight of her little boy. Very little boy.
Lying there, waving his arms and his legs like a little miniature windmill, this makes a mother's heart very happy. You know what that mother did?
She reached out.
And took those two little baby feet.
In one of her own loving hands. And she prayed.
She prayed about the little feet that she was holding in her hand.
She didn't pray that those feet might be found in the halls of the Learned.
She didn't pray that those feet might stand on the pedestals of fame and honor.
But she prayed.
That those little feet.
Might walk in the path of the truth of this book.
And might at last stand in the course of glory.
I recommend that prayer to the fathers and mothers who are here, and to the grandparents too. Oh, that there might be that desire. And that prayer for the feet of our little one, for the feet of the young people, that they may not walk in the path that turn aside from the light and wisdom.
Of this precious book. I didn't know anything about that prayer.
Till my mother told me about it years later.
And I thank God.
For those prayers.
And I want to speak to you this afternoon.
About a few passages in the Word of God that referred to our feet.
It's a very practical subject. It's something and everyone of us must faith. First of all, I'd like you to turn, please, to the 15th chapter of Luke.
The 15th chapter of Luke.
The 20th 1St And he arose and came to his Father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the sun said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven.
And in thy sight, and there are no more worthy to be called thy son. But.
Father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe and put it on him.
And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
This is our first picture. Here is a young man.
Those wayward feet had taken him far from the sphere of his Father's blessing.
Those feet had become defiled in the lands of sin and disobedience, and now, by the grace of God, those feet are retracing the journey back to the presence of the One whose love and care He had left so long before. And I believe you and I can picture him standing there in all his rags with his naked.
Defiled feet.
And as he bowed his head in the presence of his Father to make this confession, his eyes would fall upon those naked and defiled feet. And though how he must have trembled and wondered what the reaction would be, as he said, Father, I have sinned. I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight.
And dear young people, I want to begin this address this afternoon.
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By asking you if you have come to this point, have you ever stood in the presence of the God who knows all about you and yet loves you with an immeasurable love and realize as you stood there before Him?
That your feet were naked and disobedient and defiled its truth.
I was brought up under a praying father and mother, for which I thank God.
Brought up in a Christian home with influences for which I now thank God with all my heart. But there came a day when I had to stand in the presence of the One who knew me through and through and realized that I stood there with naked, wayward defiled feet.
That all foul, wondrous was the answer in the loving heart of his father.
Bring forth the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Don't want to enter into that part of it at the moment, but just simply to ask you, beloved friend.
No matter whether you were brought up in a Christian home or not, you know very well that those feet of yours, as well as the speed of mine, are either.
Acceptable now in the sight of the One who knows all about us and sent his Son the Lord Jesus to die, that we might be redeemed. Or else, in spite of what others may think or say, you stand with naked and defiled feet this very moment.
In the sight of God.
I know we read the story of the prodigal son.
But I know we refer to him as sort of in a class by himself and perhaps shrink a little bit.
From some of the dreadful things that he may have been guilty of. But I'm going to ask you to turn now, please, to the 7th chapter of Acts, and we'll find there another pair of feet even more guilty, and yet not so greatly despised as the feet of the prodigal son. The 7th chapter of the.
Act.
And the 55th verse. But Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice.
And stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city.
And stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes.
At a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
I don't suppose Saul's feet were naked. They may have been very carefully sandled that day.
May not have been in the least defiled, but you know very well that the feet of Saul were more guilty than the feet of the prodigal Son. He speaks of himself and records by inspiration. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
The feet of this young man saw of Parsons, religious though he was, respectable though he was, had caused him to walk in paths of direct opposition to the wonder of God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And here we are introduced to this man who later is known as the Apostle Paul.
Saul of Tarsus stands there and at his guilty feet.
Are laid the garment of those who are filled with hatred at that which they have just heard from the lips of Stephen, and in order that they might carry out their dreadful deeds with, I suppose, greater severity, they lay down their garments at the feet of.
Saul of Tarsus. We may hear more about these same feat later on.
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But again, I want to begin this address to the young people by reminding you that whether those speak of yours have been defiled outwardly by that which others might score, or whether they are as clean and respectable as the feet of solid tarsus, yet either one or the other was most certainly true of you and of.
Or how I thank God that by His matchless and wondrous grace, these feet of mine are no longer defiled by sin, are no longer opposed to the One who loved me and died for me. There came a day when I, in His presence, realized that I was lost.
That I was guilty. I owned it.
Before him.
I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, thanked Him for the precious blood that flowed from that wounded side of Calvary, and I know the value of that glorious first, the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sins. This is not a gospel meeting.
I want to address my remarks particularly.
To those here who are young, who know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, your journeying homeward to the day, the glorious endless day where we're going to spend the joys of eternity in His company. But I know that as I look out over a company like this.
There are doubtless young people here with an open Bible in your hand right now, and you cannot truthfully say that.
You have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. I'd like you to turn now, please, to Luke's gospel.
Chapter 24.
And verse 39.
Luke chapter 24, verse 39.
Behold my hands and my feet.
That it is I myself.
Oh, what a contrast, what a glorious, delightful contrast we have here. No longer that he files feet of a prodigal, no longer the proud but disobedient and guilty feet of such as Saul of horses, but this time, beloved, none other than the feet of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who on this resurrection occasion would say to his own.
Behold my hands and my feet.
That it is I myself. Oh beloved, these are the feet that began that journey at Bethlehem, that journeyed up and down the length and breadth of that land, revealing the Father's heart of matchless love and tender grace. Have you ever taken a.
Map of the land of Palestine and traced on it through the scriptures.
The journeys of the Lord Jesus. I recommend that you try doing that.
And if you don't leave it here or two on that map before you're finished, I'll be surprised.
Will you remember that it was none other than God the Son, the Creator of all things, who lay as a babe in that Manger in Bethlehem?
It was none other than God the Son, the Creator of all things, who journeyed those weary miles. Weary miles, I say, from one end of that land to the other. Try it someday. Take that map and trace his footsteps and know as you trace them, that they are leading him to Calvary.
And there at Calvary, they took those feet.
That had problems, those weary miles in revealing the Father's heart of love, and nailed those feet to that cross.
Or how it must have stirred the hearts of the disciples on this occasion, when he showed them his piercing hands and his pierced feet, and said, It is I myself.
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Oh, how I thank God that this afternoon you and I, who know the Lord Jesus Christ and our Savior, can think of those tender, faithful hands and those feet that walked up and down the length of this land of Palestine that eventually were nailed to the cross.
And realize that the wondrous love of God was displayed in all this. We know as He hung there upon that cross that the Scripture records.
From his ribbon side there flowed that precious blood which John notes, and concerning which he says, The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us.
From all sin. But again, I say, as I look back, that those defiled, wayward prodigal feet, as I look back to those refined, respectable, but very guilty feet of Saul of Tarsus, I'm glad to be able to turn to the 24th of Luke and point to the feet of none others.
And the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior, and I hope you can stay with a glad heart mind.
Savior who I remember, it just occurs to me as I use that expression, quite a few years ago in Saskatchewan, after the meetings were over in Regina, a few of us went to an Indian encampment and there along the side of the river where these Indian wigwam, and as we approached the first wigwam there was.
An Indian outside.
And he looked at us very solemnly.
And I went up to him and I said, Sir, we would just like to visit up and down this area this afternoon to tell you some good news, good news about the Lord Jesus Christ.
He did, but I hope you could do. He reached up and took off his hat, put out his hand and said He's my savior. Isn't that grand? As I point this afternoon to the one who held out his hand and showed them his feet, I want to tell you this afternoon, by the grace of God, I can say He is.
My Savior.
Dear boys and girls, dear young people, let's begin with the glad assurance of being able to say everyone of us. It's true of me too. He is my savior.
Now I'd like to ask you to turn back, please, to Leviticus, Leviticus chapter 14.
Leviticus chapter 14 and verse 2.
This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought unto the priest. Verse 14. And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed.
And upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. And the priest shall take some of the log of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand. And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle the oil with his finger 7 times before the Lord.
And the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall a priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed.
And upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering.
Isn't this remarkable? Isn't this interesting? And isn't it also very, very, very searching and talented? Here was an Israelite who had been a leper, and the day of his cleansing had come. And I'm a cleansed leper too. Did you know that?
Yes, by the grace of God, I am a cleansed leopard.
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Stain of guilt is gone, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
But on this particular day, you notice something very unusual took place. The priest dipped his finger in blood and put some of that blood on the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the great toe of the right foot.
Oh, how precious, how wondrous is the reality of the power of the precious blood of Christ.
All that you and I listened to as we journey through the desert homeward.
Should be that which would be suited to an ear anointed by this blood, which speaks of none other than a precious blood of Christ.
Oh, beloved young people.
Let us be careful what we listen to. Our brother, in speaking to you this morning, reminded you of the breaking of a childhood friendship because he heard something from the lips of that acquaintance which were not suited to the ears of one who loved the Lord Jesus.
Beloved young people, may you ever remember, and may I ever remember, that it took the precious blood of Christ and it took the agony of Calvary to redeem your soul.
And may we remember that these ears of ours as we pass through this guilty and defiled world.
Ought not to be open to that.
Which would not be suited to the precious blood of Christ, the thumb of the right hand.
What would this hand of mine do?
If I saw the stain of his blood upon my thumb, O how careful I would be what I did if I could see the stain of that blood upon my thumb. Here was a man who had been a leper. The day of his cleansing arrived, and a stain of blood is put upon the thumb of his right hand.
Beloved young people, let us be careful what we hear.
Let us be careful what we do. We are not our own. We are redeemed. At what cost? The precious blood of Christ. And that blood stain also was upon the great toe of the right foot.
Where would you go? Where would I go if I were always conscious?
Of that blood stained there upon the great toe of my right foot, would it not carefully control where I was free to go?
Please don't think.
As I stand here and speak this way.
That these feet of mine.
Have never turned aside in paths of waywardness self will disobedience.
If it were not for His faithfulness, I would not be here today.
He is faithful, but in spite of all the failures, the waywardness, the wandering, the disobedience, I know it's true just the same. And you know it's true.
Blood upon the ear, blood upon the thumb, and blood upon the toe of the right foot. Oh, how carefully guarded our footsteps would be, and the claim of Him whose name had been placed upon me.
Beloved young people, that blood upon the ear, that blood upon the thumb, that blood upon the toe, how it should control where we go, what we do, what we listen to.
And then on top of that blood there was the touch of oil, which I doubt not would speak to us of the Holy Spirit of God.
Could an ear anointed with that oil turn aside to listen to that which would cause us to err from the paths of truth?
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Could a hand anointed with that oil be turned aside to those things which would grieve the heart of Him who loved us with an eternal love? Could this foot of mine, stained with blood and anointed with oil, be found in pairs that would not be suited to His presence?
I believe, dear young people, as we look at this picture.
Of the leper cleansed of this disease with his ear, his thumb, and his toe marked with blood and anointed with oil. That there should be a very precious and a very searching lesson for every one of us. I want to pause a moment to say this, but I have no doubt.
As you hear such words in your youth, you think, Oh well.
That's all right for a Gray headed grandfather to stand there and talk like that. He's past the days of his youth long ago. But just think of what we would miss. The pleasures and the friendship that would be missed if we paid heed to the significance of a blood stained ear and thumb and toe.
And an all anointed ears and thumbs and toes.
I can stand here to tell you but a very wonderful grace of God that although I am no longer numbered among the young people, I look back to 50 years.
Since I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, and I want to tell you this plainly and truthfully and clearly, He is more than a savior.
He is more than a failure. He's one who can fill your heart, your life, your ears with joy and gladness. There are those here much older than I, and I just know this and I know it full well. I'm almost tempted to put it to the test.
But if I pointed to one of those.
Excuse me, one of those really old brothers here and said, do I speak the truth? Is he able to satisfy? They'd be on their feet in a moment to say Amen, brother. It's true. You know, we have some real old folks in the meeting back home where I come from. And when I say old, I mean they're bordering on the 95 to 100. And I consider it a very real and wondrous privilege to go and visit these dear old folks.
Their long journey is just about over and you know, they're just absolutely rejoicing. They'll sit there and look back and tell you of the goodness of the Lord and the joy of the Lord and the faithfulness of the Lord over the many long years.
I'm going to tell you one event.
That was told me by the lips of a dear sister whose funeral I just took a very short time ago. She was in her 90s when the Lord called her home. She told me that when she was a girl. There were eight of them in the family, and I knew every one of them. They're just two left now.
The one is in her 100th year, still as bright and happy as ever, eight children in the home, Father and mother gathered, bringing up eight young people, and the father came home from meeting one time, very greatly disturbed about something in the assembly that really troubled him.
And she said to me, I still remember father saying, I just am not going back to that meeting again. I can't. I believe there's something there that I just can't go back.
And we're going to stay home. So father and mother of eight children all stayed home. And they didn't live very far from the meeting room either. And she said, you know, one day I was looking out the window and my father was plowing in the field, and all of a sudden he stopped the horse and plow.
Took off his hat and stood there for a little while, and then he came back in the house.
And he said, the Lord has just given me a verse, and it's this. This man hath done nothing to miss, he said. That's the one to whom I'm gathered.
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We're going back to meeting.
And he went back to meeting, and all eight of them were gathered the name of the Lord Jesus. The two who yet remain in great age are gathered and rejoicing. And if you want your spirit uplifted, you go to visit either one of them, and you'll find that they rejoice in the anointed ear and thumb and toe.
Oh, beloved young people were not going to be left here for that kind of a great age. I feel thoroughly convinced of that.
But in the little part of the journey that they had remained to us, may we remember that He has given us this instruction because He loves you dearly, and He wants you to have a happy pathway and an abundant entrance and a full reward. And anything to the contrary is the voice of the enemy Himself, who whispered in the ear of ease so long ago.
When you and I read in the Word of God that which would be pleasing to Him, remember it's put there because He dearly loves you and He wants you to have, I repeat it, a happy pathway.
An abundant entrance and a full reward. I think some of you may remember my father saying rather often.
You'll never meet a man that walked with God all his days.
And then looked back on his life and said I wish I hadn't done it.
Oh no, I've seen too many of them that look back upon a life walked in the presence of God and in the light of this precious book. And their joy just overflows. And the rest of us get a little taste of that overflowing when we visit with them. They love a young people. When I look to the prodigals defiled feet, when I look at Saul of Tarsus and his respectable but very guilty feet.
Then when I see the pierced feet of the Lord Jesus who wet the Calvary that we might be redeemed, I see myself in Leviticus chapter 14. A leper cleans that my ear has been stained with blood, my thumb and my toe have been stained with blood and anointed with oil. Whether I walk according to the truth of it is another matter.
That is a challenge to my soul as I stand here and remind you, dear young people.
That he paid that price for you because he loved you so much.
Would you turn with me, please, to John's Gospel?
Chapter 13.
Verse One Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come, that He should be part of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Verse 5 After that he poured the water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel, wherewith He was girded.
Verse 13.
He called me master of the Lord, and he say, well, for so I am. If I then your Lord and master have lost your feet, he also ought to wash one anothers feet.
Wash one another, even though we have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, even though we are indwelt by the Spirit of God, even though we know that our Pilgrim journey is going to end in the course of glory and in the endless love of Him who waits to welcome us there. Yet along the way, we do need this, don't we? We need to have a seat of ours washed.
Rather frequently, too, do we not?
And here the Lord graciously, lovingly, faithfully washes the feet of his disciples, and having done so, he says, ye.
Should do as I have done unto you. He also ought to wash one another's feet.
And you know, I've had this done to me.
I didn't always appreciate it at the time.
I think I can truly say that sometimes I did. I knew very well that.
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There was the need for it, and I almost expected some faithful brother or sister to open up the word of God and point out to me that carelessness, that failure that they had seen.
And I thank God for such. I thank God that in the days of my youth, there were those who were also young people who faithfully washed my feet.
Who pointed out to me because they loved me and cared for my soul.
Those things which they felt would lead me in wrong path.
And I'm glad they did. There was one dear old brother in Ottawa.
His name was RJ Watson. He's been with the Lord now for a long time.
And he was a good hand, that Washington.
The feet of the young people.
He seemed to have a deep love for all of us. Sometimes it showed in rather unexpected and unusual ways, but we knew he loved us. We knew he cared. You consider this, I know, rather a strange thing.
But when I was a boy, it was considered quite the star to have a large piece of handkerchief showing out from your pocket here. And those of us who were very worldly had a handkerchief showing here, and those who were not didn't dare do such a thing. Well, I, I want to say this.
Because I love Brother Watson and his faithfulness.
He saw me come into meeting with a very evident white handkerchief sticking out of my pocket. And though he came up to me after meeting and he gave me as warm a handshake as he'd ever given me, he put out his right hand and gripped my hand and said, Albert, I'm so glad to see you. And at the same time.
He pushed the handkerchief down. Don't you think that that was a faithful, loving way?
To wash the feet of this young man right here. I'm glad of a brother like that. I I don't tell it to you, Cynthia. Something strange and unusual. I give it to you as a little example of one of the many times that that same brother wasn't afraid to come up to me, though he knew. Excuse me saying this. Although he knew my father and mother very, very thoroughly, yet he wasn't afraid to come up.
To me.
And point out to me that which he felt was a dangerous trend that he observed.
Beloved, here we have the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who got down at the feet of His own with water in the basement and washed their feet.
Of beloved young people. In some of these addresses, perhaps you feel that there is an attempt being made to wash your feet, to preserve you from those defilements that are so easily picked up along the way. And this is exactly what we're trying to do this afternoon.
We're trying with God's help, to bring to your attention the fact that though your feet were wayward and guilty and defied, yet God loved you. The Lord Jesus died for you. This precious blood was cleansed at your feet. Flight of blast be found in the courts of glory. But He loves you far too much to allow you to waste your life here in the bypass of disobedience.
It's such a sad thing to see someone at the end of their day.
Brought the feet of the Lord Jesus.
Discover.
That years and years have been wasted in those sinful bypass of disobedience. This very afternoon here in Des Moines, let us look at our open Bible and realize that here we have the water of the Word of God. And as we read it and find it, search our hearts, our ways, our very feet. Let it search our feet.
If it speaks to our conscience, let it speak to our conscience, Let it be with us, as the Lord here applied it to the feet of His beloved disciple, that which will direct our footsteps according to the light of this most precious Book.
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How they turn back with me please, to the 12Th of Exodus.
Verse 11.
And thus shall he eat it.
Will your loins gird it, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand, and you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lords Passover. Here they were in the land of Egypt, eating the Passover. The blood had been sprinkled on the lentil and on the two side posts.
And they were about to leave to undertake this long journey across to the land that flowed with milk and honey. And they were told to have their loins girded, their shoes on their feet, and their staff in their hands. A beloved young people. Just let me make a little application here. Do you remember when that sinful, disobedient prodigal came back to the Father?
Looked down at his defiled feet and said, Father, I have sinned.
You remember what happened? Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
And all the welcome and honor and dignity of a son, not a servant. He was now privileged to enter into that home and enjoy the love of his father.
Presence of that home and the banquet, they're prepared. Shoes on his feet. And as you and I start out toward that glorious, assured destiny, what a good thing it is to have these same shoes on our feet. I believe, dear young brother, dear young sister, if you and I began each day reminded of the fact that I am a son of God.
Choice by adoption by birth.
Oh, what an effect it would have upon the footsteps of each and every day.
I remember one time having an argument with my father. I heard him say that every form of pride was wrong and was to be condemned.
Well, I said Father, I said this in private. Father, I feel that after all, self respect is only another form of pride, and it certainly is all right to have some self respect. No, son, it's not. Why do you say that? Well, I said Father, if I didn't have any self respect, I wouldn't care whether my clothes were pressed or my shoes.
Signed, he said. Son, you're wrong if you started out each day.
Remembering that you are a son of God that would take care of all those matters without introducing one atom of pride, even under the guise of self respect in your heart. Was he right? Yes, He spoke the truth. I've got shoes on my feet and He provided them for me. I'm a son.
How did I become a son? He chose me, he adopted me and I have been born into that family.
Citizens with the Saints and of the household of God. If I have those shoes on my feet as I start out toward that glorious destiny, or how it would preserve me from the defilement along the way, the Israelites were to start on this long journey with shoes on their feet, separated.
Separated from the very earth.
Along which their footsteps took them. And I delight to see a separated believer separated to the Lord Jesus Christ. Does that make you cringe a little bit? Do you feel that the word separation involves some kind of legal restraint? You know, I've been to quite a number of weddings and nearly always this proposal is made at a wedding.
Do you promise that forsaking all other you will cleave to him only so long as he boasts to live? Does that sound like separation? I believe it does. It sounds like lifelong separation. Do you notice anyone cringe? Do you notice anyone hesitate to answer that proposal? I never have. I've always heard a very glad I do. And why ever would anyone say I do to a question like that one word?
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That one word is love, the love of young people. Let us start out, I say. Let us, you and me, start out each day with the joy of remembering I am his by choice, by adoption, by birth, and at the cost of his own most precious blood. Let those shoes be on our feet below it, and walk through the sands of the desert. Homeward will be kept from much of the defilement along the way.
Our time is really slipping by, but could we turn to another?
In Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 52.
Isaiah chapter 52 and verse 7.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bring us good tidings, that publish a piece.
I have seen these beautiful feet.
And.
They're really beautiful.
I remember, and I think perhaps my brother Philip over there is remembering the same thing, that when we got to the village of La Cumbre, after rather a wearisome journey from Oakland, that one of the dear brothers who had made that long journey and his bare feet sat down, picked 1 foot up over his knee.
And got hold of a an old razor blade. Where he got the razor blade I don't know because.
They're very uncommon commodity back there, and he started to work on the bottom of his feet. He dig a little X and pull out a thorn, and then he cut another little X and he'd pull out another sharp Pebble or thorn. He'd walked all those miles without wincing, but when the journey was over, he dug in there with that razor blade without wincing, pulling out what he had picked up along the way.
If it had been proper to do so.
I would have taken a picture of those beautiful feet. Weren't they beautiful, Phillip?
How beautiful upon the mountains here, I doubt not. They are spoken of the feet of none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who walked up and down that land, as we have remarked. But, beloved young people, what about these beautiful feet?
Is it enough just to be kept from the outward defilements of the way and feel sure that you're going to be in heaven when the time here has ended? Wouldn't you like to know something of these beautiful feet?
In the neighborhood where you live.
At school where you're learning, in the shop where you work, you can have beautiful feet.
Bring the glad tidings of the grace of God, the wondrous love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
And beloved friend, beloved young brother and sister, you have beautiful feet in the sight of God. I say again, I've seen these beautiful feet upon the mountains.
And it humbles me to see them, and it humbles me to think that as I stand here in the comfort of this place, that those dear brothers and so many more whom I have never seen, and excuse me, I shouldn't say brothers, only those dear brothers and sisters with their beautiful feet.
Or even now, going back and forward through the mountains of far away places.
Telling the glad tidings, the gospel of peace, the peace accomplished at Calvary. Oh beloved, as I read of these beautiful feet.
Look at the feet that are here.
I look at my own and I know that we don't have many more footsteps to take here and we can't replace one of them. Not one can ever be retraced and every footstep is being recorded. Oh, when I go back to where we started, the poor guilty prodigal with his defiled feet. And then I come to this point that I see these beautiful feet bringing the glad tidings of peace.
I think what a wonderful God we have who has assured us in His precious words that we're going to stand among that redeemed company in the glory to praise Him forever and ever that He redeemed us. But our lives are going to be reviewed, too. It will be reviewed, and you and I will discover in that day whether we remembered the blood stains, the oil anointed.
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Ear and hand and feet.
Whether we walk through this journey remembering day by day that we are sons of God by matchless grace and walked in all the reality and beauty and dignity of this and in separation from the world that cast them out and crucified him and here that take those beautiful feet that he calls beautiful.
And spread the wondrous story of his love.
Let's just remember this too.
Let's turn to Psalm 119, a verse you know so well. Psalm 119, verse 105.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet.
And a light unto my path.
Dear young people, I encourage you with all my heart. I encourage you, as you have often been encouraged before, to read this precious book, to read it and read it and become saturated with it. Meditate upon it so that it may direct your footsteps and preserve yours and mine from those bypass of disobedience.
From those things which would not be for the honor and glorious hymns.
Who has made his purposes known in this wondrous book? Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. And may I go back again to the beginning, and say to the dear parents and the dear grandparents.
As you see those little baby feet.
As you see him or her, take the first steps.
Get down on your knees and pray.
Not just on those two occasions.
But don't pray that those feet may be renowned in this world.
The prey that they may be stained with blood, anointed with oil.
Well shot and on the way to glory.
Lessons from Gideon's Life
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.
When you turn with me, please to the 6th chapter of Judges, Chapter 6.
And I thought we might consider together this afternoon a few of the significant events in the early management life of a man named Gideon.
Judges chapter 6, verse one.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
Verse 6.
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites.
And the children of Israel.
Cried unto the Lord.
Now you remember long ago.
When God had gathered his beloved people into the land that he had promised them, and Solomon built that most magnificent, beautiful, costly temple, and he stood there before that temple facing the great host of Israel, and he prayed to the Lord. A remarkable and very instructive prayer.
He thanked God for the privilege of having built that temple. He looked up to heaven and said, Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain me. How much less this house.
I have builders. But then, as he continued in his prayer, wise man that he was, he foresaw.
Adversity that might befall God's beloved people. Now that was wisdom on Solomon's Park. Well, you might say, but if they were God's people, if God loved them, if it was within his power to shelter them from every enemy and from every adversity, why did Solomon pray like that?
Because Solomon realized that God could not go on with God could not condone.
Carelessness in their way, and that if they turned in heart and ways from following the Lord, it would be.
Right and proper for the Lord in faithfulness, in love and discipline, to bring upon the people so very dear to Him certain adversity. And Solomon lists them. Do you remember something of that list if there be in the land blasting mildew Caterpillar, and he goes over quite a list of things, some small, some great.
And says if any of these things be fallen, he goes all the way from caterpillars.
Right up to the armies of the enemy that might come and invade the land and distress them, or even carry them away into captivity.
Solomon foresaw the possibility of these things coming upon God's people. And what remedy did Solomon foresee for such difficulties? Well, he says, if any man in Israel, or if all Israel, knowing every man that plagued his own heart.
Would just lift up his hands and pray toward his house. Put God in heaven here and grant them repentance and deliver them from these adversities. Now beloved, I'm just going to try to make application of this. God loves you. You know he does. He has demonstrated that love in a way that could not be more full and wondrous. He's given the Lord Jesus.
To take your place and mine. To shed his precious blood, that you and I might be redeemed at such an infinite cost. Does God love you in deed?
He does. Why then does God allow in your life or mine?
Problems, adversity, difficulties well able to shelter you from them. If you were a father and you loved your children, would you not shelter them from illness, from accident, from adversity? Yes, you would. But I'm a father and I have actually taken my children and laid the rod of discipline upon them because I don't love them. No, because I do love them and because I see in that that which needs to be.
Severely corrected, and my memory takes me back to my own boyhood when the hand of my father brought down upon me again and again. Discipline, but I know I also sorely needed. I thank God, but I live to thank Him for the very discipline that caused me to rebel. I thank God for that. I thank my father to his face.
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For His faithfulness and discipline toward me.
A son whom he loved, but a wayward son. Not when I read a verse like this.
The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. The Lord saw this and He delivered them into the hands of Midian. 7 years. That's a long time. Let us then remember this it in our own personal life, family life, assembly life. Beloved, when difficulties arise, let's not try to find a way out from under the difficulty. Let's not find some way to drive it away, but rather to realize that it was allowed.
In faithfulness.
By him who loves you with an eternal love. What happened when the Midianites came? The enemies of Israel invaded the land. They impoverished the Israelites impoverished them so that it was exceedingly difficult for the Israelites even to have enough food to sustain themselves. When the Philistines troubled Israel, they usually do the sword and put them to death, but the Midianites impoverished them.
Have you felt, have I felt the danger of this being impoverished? Have you and I felt that the food for our souls which we are entitled to enjoy from the pages of this precious book?
Is not ministered to us, perhaps as we would wish it might be. Have the Midianites so invaded. Our timetable, shall we say?
That we don't take the time to feed upon the precious nourishment of the word of God. I feel that it's pretty evident in Islam that somehow or other our timetables have become so complicated, so crowded, that we just don't have the time, it seems the read and to meditate upon the precious word of God. We can still find the time to eat 3 meals a day and if we miss one, we feel a difference if.
Who were in trouble. So I suggest that we might well be on guard, beloved young people, particularly against anything that would rob us of the precious and wondrous privilege of reading and meditating upon God's food, this precious book. Let's go down then to verse 11, and we'll find ourselves introduced to Gideon.
And there came an Angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak, which was in Oprah.
That pertained on the Joash. The Abbey is right. And his son Gideon. Fresh wheat by the wine press to hide it from the Midianites. Haha, here's something very good for us. Here was one man. In spite of the invasion of the enemy, in spite of the fact that the enemy would impoverish Israel. Gideon.
Found the hiding place where he might threshold this grain.
To meet the needs of His body. Where did he find his hiding place? By the wine press. I believe the wine press might well speak to us perhaps of two things, the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and also the joy that is the rightful portion of the believer, The Winepress.
Here close to the winepress.
Gideon found a hiding place where he might thresh out.
That which could be used for strengthening himself in a difficult day. Oh dear young believer, as you and I see around us, that's sad departure from the truth, that failure to recognize the wondrous provision of the Word of God. May your soul and mine find and avail ourselves of this God-given hiding place. What a hiding place.
Thy hand by the winepress, enjoying the sweetness and the joy of him who went to Calvary there to pass through all that agony for you and me. What a shelter, what a hiding place, and what a joy our souls can share as we keep close to that precious hallowed spot.
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There, Gideon, Threshed wheat. I'm going to recommend that you and I do the same.
He thrashed this week. You've seen this done. Perhaps nowadays everything is mechanized, but it's a diligent labor to thresh what had been harvested takes a great deal of time and energy, But I believe as we read the Word of God, we usually find that we don't understand it very well.
Am I the only one that has to make that confession chapter after chapter and we don't really know what it means?
But I believe to thresh that which we have gleaned from the Word of God, to meditate upon it with a desire to walk in the light of it, to be sustained by the nourishment of it. God can take those passages and cause them to become meaningful to us. Now I will say this, I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Savior when I was but a youth.
And I've read this book over and over again.
And there are so many things in it that I don't understand, and I don't suppose I ever will really understand them until I reach home. But I will say this, that as the need arises, I find that chapters, scriptures, stories that I have read perhaps long ago, come to my memory with a very significant application, a very special meaning for the occasion. I'm going to encourage you, dear young people.
All my heart that you diligently and carefully read the Word of God, whether you understand it or not read it. It can be stored there in your memory and brought back to the nourishment and guidance of your soul and of your footsteps and Gideon, who gather this week rested by the wine press.
I again encourage you to keep close to the Lord Jesus in the enjoyment back which He suffered for you in the enjoyment of the love and.
Joy, that is your rightful portion in him, there to thresh out that which you may have gleaned from the word of God. Now let's see what took place there. Verse 12. The Angel of the Lord appeared on the him and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. Oh, what a surprise this must have been to Gideon.
Here they were oppressed by the Midianites. Here he was hiding, just think of this, hiding so that the Midianites couldn't see where he was threshing out this grain that he might nourish himself. And an Angel appears and says, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. No wonder he's astonished by this. And notice his response in verse 13. Gideon said, I may have, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us.
Why then is all this befallen off? I'm sure you know this right away.
But the Angel said, the Lord is with thee, singular Gideon, the Lord is with thee. Gideon said, if the Lord be with us immediately.
Gideon doesn't take this as something that is going to be for his own personal good and perhaps deliverance, but he associates himself with God's people, Israel. And I want to encourage you, dear young people, to do the same. It's such a wonderful thing personally.
Individually to know the Lord Jesus as your own personal savior. A wonderful thing to be able to take the word of God for the need of your own soul personally, individually and feed upon it and find joy from his message. But the moment Gideon, isolated as he was by that wine press, here's the message from the Angel. The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of power.
He might have gotten quite popped up about this. Oh, I guess I'm.
Head and shoulders above the rest of the Israelites, he immediately associates himself with all the rest of his beloved oppressed people. Dear young people, let me encourage you in this tool. You know the Lord is your Savior. You are entitled to the joy and the gladness that you can minister to your own heart. And remember this too, You're a living stone in the Church of God. You're a member of the body of Christ.
You're part of a family that includes each and every one of the redeemed.
And it's a very, very precious thing to me, as I enjoy the wonder of His love to me, to realize that I am not alone in this. But I look around upon the Lords people, and I say we're brothers and sisters in Christ for time and for eternity. And that which concerns that which, shall I say, even distresses the people of God.
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Should be something that would really be of concern to me.
Is it not rather sadly true that as long as my personal and perhaps my family circumstances are pleasing and acceptable to me, I can go along with a smile on my face, regardless of the sorrows and distresses and griefs of others? That with Gideon it was not so?
He felt the burden and the distress of God's people, and he associated himself with them. Beloved young brothers and sisters, it's not only a grand thing to know that here and there in this great city of Vancouver, there are those who are your brothers and sisters in Christ, living stones together with you in the church which is His body.
But that there is presented to us in the word of God a wonderful God-given way.
Of giving expression to this truth. I don't just lookout and realize, well, there are many other believers in Vancouver. But this very day, in this very room, this morning, we were given the privilege of expressing the wonder of that truth, the glad joy of that oneness.
I have used this illustration before and I know you will bear with me.
I would like to ask the married men here, where is your marriage certificate?
I see some strange bewildered smiles on the looks of these married men. I have to admit, I don't know. Do you? I doubt if many of the married men here could tell you where that marriage certificate is. Your wife could probably tell you. But I don't know where ours is. And I know this, that if it were produced, your wife said here it is.
Oh yes, I remember. And you read it off and you see the signatures and the date and you say, Oh well, but it's only a piece of paper. It's only a theory. It really doesn't mean anything. It doesn't.
Just a document with some names signed to it. Not so when you look at that, there's a glad feeling comes over you. You thank God for that which it represents. It's a piece of paper, yes, with words and signatures, yes. But it represents a bond of love and relationship that has been very clear and real and precious to you. And I thank God I say the same. Now, I will say that it saddens me.
To find that God's precious word has presented a oneness, a unity spoken of in the Word of God as the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the Church of God. Are these words just simply picturing to us some strange theory?
That need not have any present application to us all, beloved. There is a reality to that oneness. There is a reality to it. My wife wears a ring that publicly identifies her as a married lady, but if you wanted to know to whom she's married, ask her her name.
You think she'd hang her head with embarrassment and say, well, you know, that's very difficult to answer and hesitate. No, I believe she would promptly identify herself by the name that was given to her 35 years ago. And if someone says to me in this Christian land, I see you're a Christian, what do you belong to? Now I know very well what they expect to hear, but the only answer I can give them is I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gathered to his precious name. Let me try to make this very significant and pointed. If you and I were to travel together to Japan and we asked 50 people over there, what are you, you know what would happen? With real pride they would say I am a Buddhist. 1 after the other they would tell you this. No hesitation, no embarrassment, no stammering. I am a Buddhist.
Come along with me to India and ask 50 people there what are you?
Again, one after the other, with real fraud, I am a Hindu. No embarrassment, no hesitation. Come along a little farther to Iran if you wish. And you say again, and what are you? And now with greater pride still, and I mean this, they would say, I am a Mohammedan. And you can see the pride on their face when they say it fifty in a row. And they tell you I am a Muhammad. So you come over here to Canada and.
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Where are you? Shall I go any farther, or shall I leave it to your imagination to know what the answer would be? Here is a land where Bibles are found on every hand, in a land where we know about the Savior, whose precious name God delights to honor about every name. And we hear the name Buddhist, Hindu, Muhammad. If you come over here and you ask those who bear.
The wonder of being forgiven by the precious Name, precious blood of Christ. And what are you? And the answers cause you to hang your heads. They love it. It is a joy to be able to say with gladness of heart.
I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I've gathered to His precious name. Here, beloved, is a way in which the Scripture has presented to us. We will not go into it this afternoon.
Privilege of giving expression to the unity, the oneness that was so dear to the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ that He gave Himself that it might be a reality.
Just let me give you one final illustration. We'll move on. In our story. I was visiting in the office of one of the ministers in the town where I live, back in Ontario. Very, very dear child of God he was.
When we met on the street, we always greeted one another. Brother, how are you? And his greeting and his handshake was just a delight to me. He really loved the Lord. And one day when I was chatting with him about the things of the Lord in his office adjoining his church.
He said to me, the brother Hank, Oh this. He hardly knew how to express it. This little church you belong to down there on George St. What is it anyway?
And I said further, Ward, you and I belong to the same church. I belong to the same church you do. He looked so astonished, and then I saw a look come over his face. Oh, I know what you mean. I said, Brother Ward, what do I mean? He said, well, you mean that church that is spoken of in Scripture? Christ also loved the church, that church that cuts across the boundaries of all denominations.
And I said Brother Ward is there.
Any other now I ask you that question is there any other I'm a living stone in that truth so are you so was brother ward but he wanted he wanted a name that would be much more readily accepted in Christmas than the despised and unwanted name of the Lord Jesus Christ so when I hear Gideon say if the Lord be with us I delight?
What I take to be a young man who eagerly, gladly identifies himself with these the people of God.
Now let's go on a little farther, please, and we'll find that although Gideon hesitated and didn't feel that he was worthy of this honor that was being presented to him, and he said, how can this be in the poorest of my father's house? But the answer in every case is go in this time I have not. I sent thee. And verse 16, surely.
I will be with thee.
Oh, isn't this all we need, you and I who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, and we realize the darkness that is around us, the danger, the enemy on every hand. Can we not hear the Lord say to us, I will be with thee, I will be with thee, Beloved young brother, beloved young sister, don't ever set foot outside the door of your home without getting into the presence of the Lord and claiming the wonder.
His presence and.
If it is your thought.
Go somewhere where you couldn't take the presence of the Lord with you and you'd better withdraw your foot. You'd better not go.
I remember one time when I was a young fellow.
I had a mind of my own.
And I had a plan for the evening that didn't sit well with my conscience.
And I tried to carry out just what I'm telling you. I wanted to go, but I felt so uncomfortable. I felt, could I take the Lord with me, with the Lord approve of this? You know, I had up in my bedroom, not a daily calendar where you pull off the pages, but it was a little box with a glass window in the front. Someone had given me this. And in that box, behind that glass window, there was a scroll. And you just turned the scroll.
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And each time you gave it a turn, a fresh verse appeared behind that window.
I thought before I go out, I'm going up to that little box, I'm going to turn that scroll and see what the next verse is and I hope it will say go your way or something like this.
So I went up to the little glass box and I turned the scroll and they're in big black letters where the word stop, turn back. I've come to the end of the scroll and I was supposed to turn it the other way. It wasn't diverse out of the Bible, but it was certainly a voice from the Lord. Stop, turn back. You know, dear young people, don't think for one moment that I stand here because I have wisely and faithfully taken the right steps.
I've made the mistakes, I've made the blunders and he's been faithful.
He's restored my soul and he loves to do it for you. But don't you take those steps of self will that would lead you away?
From the company and approval of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So let's go down to verse 19 and we see that Gideon, having heard of this wondrous promise, says when I would like to bring out a present to this Angel who had brought this news to him. I think there's a lesson for us to learn in this. It may seem a little bit unusual, but let's read it. Gideon went in verse 19 and made ready a kid an unleavened cakes of an leaf of flour. The flesh he put in a basket and he put the broth in a.
And brought it out unto him unto the oak, and presented it. And the Angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
I think there's a lesson for us here. Gideon knew the law of the Lord and he knew enough to prepare flesh and unleavened cakes. He were to read of the instructions. You'd realize that both these things were scripturally acceptable to Jehovah. They spoke of the person of Christ yet to come. And so get in prepares this flesh. He prepares these unleavened cakes.
Flash, there was this delicious broth. Too bad to waste that nice bra. I'm going to add this broth to my offering. I'm sure it will just make the offering that much more pleasant, that much more acceptable. And so he brings three things out to the Angel flesh. Unleavened cakes and a pot of broth.
And the Angel looks at those three things, and what does he say? Take the flesh and the unleavened case, both of which speak of Christ, and lay them upon this wrong, and pour out the broth.
Pour out the broth, Gideon, you should have known that. You know very well that in none of the instructions given of Jehovah there was any mention of offering broth. Gideon had every good intention. I'm sure he expected to add to the value of that which he presented by bringing along something of his own thought and adding it. The Angel said pour it out. It was not acceptable.
It wasn't to be presented.
I don't very much of Gideon ever tried to offer broth again, but I will say this, that you and I see this all around us. Do we know? I will say, beloved brothers and sisters, that it did gladden my heart to be able to sit here in this meeting room this morning and see on that table a loaf and a cup and a sea sitting around that table.
Believers gathered around the person under the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What was added? Nothing, I trust, beloved, nothing but that which was according to the Word of God. If man's imagination, though with every good intention, would seek to add something to this, it's not acceptable to him. And we see a great deal of it around us, don't we? The imagination in the hand of man, perhaps the good intention has added to that until.
It scarcely recognizable. Oh, when I see the flesh and the unleavened case laid upon that rock. What a simple picture it was.
And when I see upon the table the loaf of the cup, and believers gathered there to remember the Lord, it gladdens my heart.
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Permit me to digress a bit.
But my wife and I not long ago.
Journey back into the mountains of Mexico, to the little village of Oakland, a long way back into the interior. And there, in that little village, way back in the mountains, we sat down on Lords Day morning. I suppose there were.
Perhaps a little less than 300.
And.
In the middle of the company that sat down was a table. An exceedingly primitive table, I will admit to the natural eye. And on that table there was a loaf.
And a cup sitting around that table, a company of deer, Miss Tech Indians who not long before have been in the absolute pitiful darkness of paganism. Why were they thus gathered in that remote village of way back there in the mountains?
This book, this book, Bill Evan, let's just be very, very plain about it.
They began to read this book. They discovered in it their guilt before God, God's wonderful love.
The value of the precious blood of Christ to cleanse away the stains of guilt of those stains were many.
And they discovered what it was to look up and realize my guilt is gone and cleansed by the precious blood of Christ. I now know the Lord Jesus as my Savior. And in one little Hut after another this joy was realized. But I'll tell you what they did not do. They did not do what sadly enough is done in Christendom around us. They did not close their Bibles at that point and say, now I know the Lord is my Savior, how shall I serve him? How shall I?
How do other people do it? What name do they take? How do they go about worshipping the Lord? No, this book has shown them what meant so much to their hearts. And they knew that this same book could guide them into that which would direct to acceptable service and worship. And they read on and read on and discovered the joy and privilege of being gathered around the person under the precious name of the Lord Jesus. And I can assure you as.
There that it was difficult to restrain the tears that stirred within me as I saw those deer brothers and sisters.
Gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And it was gleaned from the pages of this precious book. As I looked at those emblems, as I witnessed the remembrance of the Lord, I can truly say there was no broth added to it. It was just this simplicity of the presentation of Christ in all His worthiness and beauty.
On that happy Lord's Day morning in Boca Clan Mexico. And it was a joy here this morning too, in Vancouver, BC.
Now let's go on a bit, please, and we'll go down to verse 25.
And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullet, even the second Bullock.
Of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father had.
And cut down the Grove that is fired, and build an all front of the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock in the ordered place. And take the second bullet, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Grove, which thou shalt cut down. I suggest this must have taken great courage on the part of Gideon. This was certainly not an easy thing for him to do. This would really bring forth anger from those who had chosen to turn their backs on the gall of Israel.
And instead the worship failed. But notice the Lord said this to him. It wasn't just an idea of Gideon. Now what was he to do? He was to take his father's bullet. Now I don't know of any other place in Scripture where a specific bullet is identified to you.
Even a second Bullock of seven years? Isn't that rather unusual? Why would a specific bullet be selected here? Why would Gideon be told take the second bullet of seven years? A 7 year old bullet? Second bullet?
I would like to suggest that it would speak to us.
Because deliverance is about to be brought to Israel from their enemies. That that deliverance could never, never be brought about apart from the offering of a sacrifice which spoke of none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no deliverance that can be found from the first man, Adam. The 2nd man, the Lord from heaven, is the only one through whom deliverance can come. The Word of God speaks.
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And specifically about this, the 1St man Adam would like, by some idea or some scheme of his own, to bring about his own deliverance from the burdens and griefs and sorrows that are all around him. That it can't be and it never will be. No deliverance can be found in the first man Adam. Deliverance must and deliverance will come and has already, by the grace of God, come to me from him who.
Scripture as the second man, the Lord from heaven, 7 years which would speak of that which is absolutely perfect in the sight of God. And so here this sacrifice which speaks of none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, the 2nd man, the Lord from heaven, the one who alone was perfect in the eye of God, is offered up upon this altar. And this must be, and this is.
The beginning and the basis.
From which deliverance flows. Oh, just let me pause here and ask each and everyone, do you know the deliverance that comes through the Lord Jesus Christ, God's beloved Son, that perfect sacrifice, who was nailed to the cross and there bowed his head and received our sin and the judgment those sins deserve?
There's deliverance for you, which you cannot bring about by your own efforts.
Nor can you turn to any other source and find deliverance only through Him whose precious blood was shed, whose life was offered up, who bore our sins in His own body on a tree. I thank God that deliverance and the peace that comes as the result of it is mine, not because of anything that I have done, but because this sacrifice, God's beloved Son, was offered up.
For me.
Now we're going to go down very quickly because our time is slipping away.
Suppose we go down to verse 36. I'm going to recommend that you take these two chapters, six and seven, and read them thoroughly at home, and I know you'll glean a great deal more for your soul. Gideon still feels pretty uneasy about this responsibility that has been entrusted to him, and he wants to receive a sign from the Lord that will confirm the fact that he really is the one chosen to be.
Deliver to Israel from the Midianites.
Verse 37 Well verse 36 and Gideon said unto God, if thou will save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. God was pretty patient to listen to words like that, don't you think so If as thou hast said, when God says something, I better not turn back and say, if you're going to keep your promise. Oh, how becoming it is for us to take golf at his word, to trust him and.
Means what he says. It hurts me so much when I hear people say I'm trying to believe. I wish I could believe. I've heard this again and again after a gospel meeting. Someone will say I wish I could believe.
That sounds so strange to me. I wish I could believe. Suppose you told me that you were born in Vancouver, BC and I said I wish I could believe you.
Suppose you said that you lived for a while in Kelowna. If you wish, and I say, I hope you're telling the truth, you wouldn't carry on much of a conversation with me. You'd say I'm not going to bother talking to him if he can't believe me in a couple of simple facts like that. Now I read the word of God, and I'd better not look up and say if he'll keep his promises, if he'll do what he says. I wish I could believe we see it here in plain English.
And we realize.
We realize that it's much more honoring to look up and say God has said it, I believe it. And yet God in his very wonderful patience bears with his dusty as he did here with Gideon. So in verse 37, Gideon said, behold, I will put a piece of wool in the floor, and if it will be on the fleece only, and it be dry, and all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou will save Israel by mine hand.
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As thou hast said.
And it was so, for he rose up early on the Morrow and thrust the fleece together and ring the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. Now at last he satisfied. No, he's not. No, you know that just might have been a natural phenomenon. I'm going to test the Lord again, this time in reverse. So verse 39 Gideon said unto God, Let thought not thine anger be hot against him, and I will speak. But this once, let me prove I.
This once with the fleece, let it now be dry only. Upon the fleece and upon all the ground. Let there be you. And God did so that night, for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. Take heart, dear young believer, take heart. There's a patient God up there that knows the trembling that is in your heart and mind, and that is so gracious, so long-suffering, so faithful.
Take heart, dear young believer, He'll never, never turn his ear from you if you look up filled with trembling and fear, when we know very well we shouldn't be. But he looks down and he knows all about the trembling and the fear and the uncertainty, but he does love to have us turn to Him. Furthermore, I believe we see in this double picture of the fleece yet another happy illustration of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For there, first of all, is that fleece?
Full of that precious, refreshing dew, and all around is that barren, dry land. But that fleece is run together, and what do we see next? All the ground around is covered with beauty. The fleece has been run out, and the ground all around is refreshed by the dew that God delights to send down.
When I see the Lord Jesus come down from the glory, that one in whom was all the refreshment that the heart of God had for poor, sad, troubled men, and I see.
The emptiness that's all around. And I see the refreshment that is found in the Lord Jesus, that all that suffering he had to go through in order that you and I might experience that refreshment. How we thank God for it. Have you tasted the sweetness, the refreshment that comes from him who went to Calvary and suffered there? I feel very, very badly really. And I feel guilty too, when I think of so many around us who know nothing of this wondrous refreshment. My.
And I were traveling together in a train in England some time ago. Trains, they're not the same as they are here. They're compartments in those trains in which about six people are seated. And we were sitting opposite one another, and the train stopped and a young fellow got in. I don't want to say anything I shouldn't, but.
He was dressed in such a way as would make anybody take a second look. Just what do you call it, way out or something like that? He had to keep shaking his head to see where he was going. You know what I mean by that? And he sat down beside my wife, and she looked at him and looked at me. And I thought, poor fellow, he's just thrown convention to the wind. He's probably trying to live according to the dictates of his.
What shall we do? What responsibility do we have here? So we mutually decide without words that we would just talk about the Lord Jesus. And we began to talk to one another about the Lord Jesus. And I can see still a look on his face. He leaned forward, his eyes widened, and he said, pardon me, pardon me. Can I ask you some questions? I think you have a very thing I'm looking for.
I think that when I read this.
Dry, open. So he said, I went to their ministers. I'm going to tell you his words. He said it was just a job to him. He had no answer. He said, right now I'm studying Buddhism in the hope that I can find it there, but I haven't found it. And I said, young man, let me tell you that it is indeed to be found in a person. Not in a creed, not in a philosophy, but in a person.
Who loved you and died, that you might be redeemed as we unfolded the truth of God's precious Word.
Wonder of the person of God's beloved Son, this very fleece that was ringed out in order that this young man might receive refreshment. Oh, the look on his face, we can see it yet. He was just drinking in the very refreshment that can be found in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord. This is true in Vancouver. It's true where I live. And you and I who have partaken of this wondrous refreshment, What a challenge, what a privilege to show and to tell.
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The wonder of the joy and the delight that we have found in Him who went to Calvary, there to be wrung out in order that there might be a sweet refreshment to those who otherwise would be in such barrenness and searching an empty. Now it's after seven, and we'll go over this rather quickly.
Verse 2.
We better begin at first one. There's Jared Bale, who is Gideon. All the people that were with him rose up early and pitched beside the well of Harrod, so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them by the hill of Mora in the valley. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with the earth too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel bump themselves against me, saying, Mine on hand has saved me. Now therefore go to proclaim any ears of the people saying.
Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early for Mom Gillian.
And the return of the people. 20 and 2000 And they remained. 10,000 And the Lord said, And again, the people are yet too many, Bring them down under the water, and I will try them for thee there. And it shall be that of whom I send to thee. This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee. And of whomsoever I sail to thee, this shall not go. With thee the same shall not go. Let's stop here for a moment.
Gideon apparently starts out with 32,000 men. It sounds like quite a host.
When you read of the mighty innumerable hosts of Midian, you realize that 32,000 men was not a very great arm. But God knew the natural tendency of this heart of mine and that part of yours to in some way take credit to ourselves for that which is entirely due to Him and to Him alone.
He knows how to bounce down.
To make us realize that anything that is wrong. Beloved young people, let me.
Let me point this out safely. Anything that is wrong is wrought by him through you, by him through you, and that you and I have nothing to glory in, nothing to boast of, but the thankful privilege of being used by Him from whom all power must come.
Gideon saw 22,000 people turn and go home.
And he's left with 10,000. Well, that's not very many, is it? 10,000 people. And yet the Lord knew the danger of Gideon's heart that he would boast if a victory was won with Gideon his captain, and 10,000 to follow him. So how does he make this final distinction?
Verse four Bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there.
Now I'm going to make a point of it. Bring them now to the water.
I believe it will speak to us of this precious book, the Word of God. The waters are the word of God that we read about so often. There's going to be a test there and it's going to involve the water of the Word of God. And the Lord says to Gideon, bring them down to the water. There is something that puts self in its rightful, proper place when we read the Word of God.
Dear brother, dear sisters, you will and by who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Are we looking for great things? Are we looking for that which will give us the name and the reputation? Let us hear these words, bring them down to the water, to bow down completely before the light and wisdom and authority of a precious word of God. So 10,000 Israelites.
Are brought down to the water and they're subjected to a very unusual to pick the water up in their hands in this matter for those whom the Lord chose 300 of them, those who got right down on their knees and put their mouth right down to the water. 9700 of them, these two companies.
We're set apart, and when Gideon saw this happening, he didn't know which company was going to be his.
300 over here, 9700 over there with all them brave men, not afraid of the battle. I I'd rather expect that Gideon saw this happening. He thought, I hope that's the company. The Lord is going to say that I can go out with 9700. I know he won't tell me to go and.
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Associate myself with this 300, but when it was the separation had taken place, the Lord said, Idiot, there's your company. 300 men started out with 32,000 and now we've got 300.
300 men. But he had the promise of the Lord with him. And again I say to your young believers, seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not, seek them not do I do. I don't belong here. I want to be part of something big and important that people can point to and say, see that fine building, See those hundreds of people coming out.
Oh brilliant. When I see this little company, they have been brought down, down to the water and their test has taken place.
And God has set apart 300 and he says to Gideon, there's your company. I don't pretend to know exactly why this remarkable test was given to them. I believe we might say this, that a man who drinks his water this way.
Would necessarily be a man with clean hands, and that's something to think about. A man who had the file hand wouldn't pick up his water in his way to drink it.
Nor would a man who was aware of the presence of the enemy and the danger that that presence indicated. That man would be always on the alert. He wouldn't be off guard long enough even to put his face down to the water, that he might relax and refresh himself there. It indicated those who were alert and aware of the presence of the enemy. They were men who were conscious of the danger that surrounded them and although they felt the need.
Word, and the refreshment that comes from it. They were not to be found off guard, not for a moment.
Furthermore, it might even indicate a lay hold of the truth.
Of the word of God that they would refresh themselves in this manner be that of dismay. God set apart this company. Gideon is associated with them. And in the last moments that remain, I'm going to ask you please to go down to verse 16 of this same 7th chapter.
And he divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hands, with empty pictures and lamps.
And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, that sounds.
To the outside of the camp.
It shall be as I do, so shall he do. When I blow in the trumpet, I know men are with me. Then blow ye the trumpets also on every side. All the cabins say so. Newly set the watch, and they blew with blew the trumpets and break the pictures that were in their hands.
Entry companies will affect. They can break the pictures and held the lamps in their left hand and the Trump's in their right hands to blow us all. They cry the sword of the Lord and the Gideon. And they stood every man in his place round about the cabin. There he's again. And all the hosts ran and cried and fled. We must take the time to finish the chapter, but I want to leave this final picture with you. They love it, brothers and sisters, and in particularly beloved young people.
This is a very significant lesson. Here is an enemy that threatens to overrun and have done with Israel completely and God chooses up 300 men who have been subject to the test of going down to the water and there's a test for you. There's a test for me, the authority, the claims, the direction, the wisdom of the word of God. Am I willing to bow through it?
It may cause me to be found in a very small company.
It may cause me to see over Yonder many who are fellow Israelites with me, very dear to me, brave and balancing they are. But if I am going to bow to the text of the Word of God, I may find myself in a very small company, getting his man dead. But where do we find them? We find them standing.
Outside the calf, three times we find it repeated in the glorious triumph at the end of this story.
Three times we find mention that these men who had stood the test of going down to the water, and there associated with pity and their leader, they are found, every man in his place standing outside that camp. Now let's picture this. Here is a great post, a mighty innumerable enemy through 300 men.
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The trumpet in one hand and earthen vessel in the other, and a little light put in that earthen vessel and they're just standing there. There they are outside the camp, but all of them seem to be looking in the same direction.
They're watching Gideon to receive their directions from him. He go up to one of the men tapping on the shoulder and say, look here, what are you doing? Well, I'm, I'm standing here. Well, why are you standing here? You want to do anything good, Get down in the camp and start what you were supposed to be doing. No, this is where I belong, outside the camp. Well, what is it you're looking at? I'm watching videos. Our direction comes from him.
When Gideon moves, he'll tell us what to do.
And there they stood, every man in his place round about the camp.
Let's think about this earth and vessel, shall we for a moment.
And a light within the vessel. Now we read in Corinthians, by the pen of the apostle Paul, we have this treasure in earthen vessels.
But the Excellency of the glory may be of God and not us, this earthen vessel, I believe.
Means yourself. You and I are earthen vessels, and within that earthen vessel God has placed a light that He wants to shine for him. And in the darkness that is all around us, well now if you put a light inside an earthen vessel, the only place from which that light could even be seen.
Would be from directly above. The one who put it there could look down and see it, but it wouldn't shine out around. Not at all. What has to happen? That earthen vessel has to be broken down in order that the light might shine out. But on the road to Damascus, God placed a glowing light inside an unusual earthen vessel known as Fall of Tartus.
A fine vessel it was too, a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a man of great reputation, and he valued that reputation.
Others looked up to him. Now is that light going to shine out? Not unless the earthen vessel is broken down. And as you read Paul's references to himself, I think you see that earthen vessel disappearing. One born out of due time. The chief of sinners. Less than the least of all things. Not need to be called an apostle. Who is this? This is the apostle, always.
He wasn't just speaking in terms of mock humility. This was real. This was the earthen vessel broken down.
That the light might shine out. Dear young people, dear brothers and sisters, I believe that this is what God would be like to do with every one of us. And may I say this, that if we do not voluntarily, if we do not voluntarily break down that earthen vessel because we lost the light of our blessed Lord to shine out, He knows how to break it down for us.
Sometimes he uses our brothers and our sisters who in faithfulness to help the breaking down of that vessel. It's not a very pleasant process. We like to have a reputation of our own. What does it do to you when somebody says, Oh my, that you're a faithful brother? I don't know how we get along with us.
Whether do you want somebody shakes her head and says, oh, what a wonderful gospel message. Does that have to break down the earth and vessel? But I'm afraid it just helps to build up the earth and vessel. But in order that the light might shine out, let us be willing to be nothing but the light that he has put there may shine for him. There's a prophet of testimony. There's a light to shine for our Lord Jesus, but they love it. Let us remember. And may we just take one last look at verse 21.
Thank God, as you and I see in it our place, a wonderful privilege and responsibility to every man in his place outside the camp. A strange position, a strange attitude for the natural mantle of the farm. But all what unspeakable privilege to realize about the grace of God when you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, that life was put within.
He wants it to shine out, and in the process of the shining out of that light, there must be the breaking down, the doing away with.
Anything, anything, anything that would give you or me any recognition, any honor, any reputation. Who was it that made himself of no reputation? Who was it? The Lord Jesus? Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Do I want a reputation of the creature?
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And it only raised the question and allow God to search my heart as to the answers. You want a reputation as a violent track distributor.
Faithful brother in the assembly, any reputation that you or I seek after will only hinder the shining out of the Word of God. May I, with all my heart, encourage you to use that that God has entrusted to you, if He has entrusted to you.
A responsibility in the preaching of the gospel, preaching with all your heart according to the ability that God has given you. If He has put before you the privilege of being a faithful brother in an assembly, fulfill that responsibility to the glory of God. He's given you the courage and the opportunity to distribute tracks or whatever.
Do it to the glory of God, don't hold back from it and remember this. But if the light is going to shine, it must shine out from a broken vessel. And God knows how to break down the vessel. If we're not willing to break it down of our own accord and remember to build out of all, Let us remember that this story ends.
And this victory glowed with a wonder because of those just 300 of them who stood, every man in his place.
Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to stand in the place that God has appointed you in this precious book? You know where that is. It's outside the camp with your eye upon the Lord Jesus Christ, waiting for the sound of the trumpet. From the sound of the trumpet comes. Then there will be victory.
Come
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Like to look this afternoon at a few scriptures in connection with the word come not so much in connection with the invitation to the law as to the invitation that the Lord gives that we might walk through this world and in his company and as a testimony for him. We all know the joy of having a friend who wants our company, and it's a pleasure to be in their company. Well, isn't it wonderful that the Lord Jesus.
Not only died to deliver our souls from hell and coming judgment, but he's not going to be satisfied with anything less than our company for all eternity. It will be his joy to have us there in the Father's house, just as we have been reading in the 15th chapter of Luke of the Father's joy and receiving home, the prodigal. And you know, it tells us there they began to be married, but it never says the merriment ended.
And so God would have us to enjoy something of this here about there's a more wonderful day coming when we will enjoy his company and he will enjoy ours for all eternity. A little Him puts it like this. He and I and that bright glory 1 deep joy shall share mind to be forever with Him His that I am there.
All what love this is and only trust the Lord will use these scriptures to encourage us.
It has been said that every heart desires two things very specially, and that is understanding and love. Isn't it wonderful that we have that in the Lord? Understanding and love? To know someone who understands you, who can enter into your feelings, is wonderful. But if they knew all about you, or they knew all about me, perhaps they might not feel just exactly the same.
But oh, isn't it wonderful.
That there is a person who knows all about us, pulls us through and through. There's not a thing, not even the motives of our hearts that he does not know and yet loves us with an unchanging love, a love that goes on to the end. Well, let us turn first of all to Matthew Chapter 11. Matthew Chapter 11.
And the 25th verse At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank the old Father Lord of heaven and earth, because Allah hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hath revealed them unto babe. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father neither knoweth any man.
Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him.
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest under your soul, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Well, the Lord Jesus was the rejected 1 here, but we find that He took everything as from His Father's hands. And at this time, when He had to speak of these cities where His mighty works were done, who had rejected Him? You and I might have felt very cast down and sad, but isn't it blessed to hear the Lord Jesus speaking in this way, looking up to His Father? Luke's gospel tells us he rejoiced in spirit.
How could he rejoice in spirit at such a time as this? Well, because he took all things from his father. And it says here he said, even soul, father for soul, it seemed good in thy sight, and, you know, in the disappointments and trials of life.
The only thing that will give us peace at such times is to be able to say the same thing.
To be able to recognize that God is our Father and that whatever has been allowed has been allowed because He saw it was for our good and for our blessing. It doesn't require a special intelligence. Or it says here these things were hid from the wise and prudent. Because the more wise we are, the more tendency there often is to question the ways of God to try and reason things out.
How about isn't it lovely when there is that submission to His mind and will, when we can just receive it in this way? Oh, what peace floods our soul. I'm sure all of us have experienced in some little measure, but would to God it were always so that we not only would accept it in, shall I say, submission about accepted as our Father's will and that He thought it was good.
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For all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. And then he goes on to tell us how this can be. He says, all things are delivered unto me of my Father. Now the Lord Jesus hasn't yet taken the place of a headship over everything.
In the way of power as that is, as tells us in Hebrews 2, we see not yet all things put under Him.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor as faith looks up and sees him there, knows he's in that place of power. And so we are willing to accept things because it's possible for him to change any situation if it's his will.
It tells us that he's head over all things to the church, which is his body.
It tells us, too, that angels and authorities and powers are made subject unto him.
When He gathered with His own in that place in the last chapter of Matthew, a mountain where He had appointed to them, there were some who had doubts. How did the Lord answer their doubts? Why, He said He said, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. And isn't that the answer to every doubt that is in your mind and mine? In other words, if it were God's will?
He could and would change things about if He allows it to be otherwise. Faith can say Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Those two on the road to Emmaus were depressed and sad. And why? Well, it tells us that they thought that the Lord was the one who would redeem Israel, and they expected Him to do it at that time.
And isn't that the root of a lot of our problems?
That we know the Lord has power, but we don't want his time. We want our time.
So they thought he would do it in their time and it was a disappointment to find that he was going to do it in his time.
He's going to redeem Israel, but in his time. And so here we find the Lord Jesus. He accepts all from his Father. Satan had offered him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them if he would fall down and worship him. And sometimes we may think we'll gain certain things by sidestepping the path of obedience. We may think there are certain benefits to be had.
But the Lord would not accept it from Satan.
He waited the Father's time, and how long has he waited? Has he received the kingdoms of this world yet?
No, it's almost 2000 years. A long time to wait, isn't it? But he's waiting the father's time, when the father will say son, the hour is come when he will say ask of me and I will give you the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. So face knows how that there's one who is in control of everything.
Even though he may not as yet openly manifest his power.
At peace, I say, it gives to know that all is under His hand, under His control, and then to defined, as He says here, no man knows the Son but the Father. Neither knoweth any man. The Father saved the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. The first part of this verse shows us that we are never to try to understand the mystery.
Person of Christ, no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. And so, as we sang in the little hymn with which we closed this morning, how wondrous the glories that meet in Jesus. And from His face shine. His love is eternal and sweet. His human tis also divine. We can never comprehend the divine mystery of His Person.
But it tells us here that the Sun has revealed the Father isn't that of most blessed thing.
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So that when you and I get home to glory, we're going to be in the presence of one who has been.
Fully revealed. I've enjoyed the thought that when we get there, a thought will come into our minds at once. Why, this is home. I'm no stranger here. Oh, what a marvelous thing. God has been revealed. He has been made known. And as we trace the pathway of our precious Savior, we see Him standing still at the cry of a blind man.
We see him weeping at the grave of Lazarus.
We see Him sitting at the well talking to a poor woman whom His disciples couldn't understand. He would have any interest in such a person. But that is the heart of God revealed. Oh, doesn't this touch your heart and mind? This is the one whom we can call Father. This is the one with whom we're going to spend eternity. And the precious Savior here in this world was walking in the consciousness of His Father's love.
His Father's presence, and so He would have this to be known by His disciples. And then after telling this in the 28th verse, here we have this little word. Come, come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. All if this is true of this One who once walked this world, now He is giving a very personal word.
Just like you enjoy something and you have a friend you love and you say come and enjoy it with me.
And the friend comes and enters into and enjoys what you yourself are enjoying. It's shared together. Isn't this most blessed? The Lord Jesus saying, Come unto me, all ye that labor under heavy laden. Of course we know that there are many who are laboring and heavy laden in their sins. And the Lord Jesus went to Calvary's cross and settled the question of sin.
Saw that there would be no barriers to the telling out of God's heart to sinners like you and they yes, he's so glorified God about the question of sin that God could come out in all that was in his heart. That's why the veil was rent not only so that we could go in, blessed as that is, but that God could come out and that he could.
Make noon all it was in the heart of the Father.
That's why the Lord Jesus said.
I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightened until it be accomplished?
The Lord was restricted in all that He would seek to declare and manifest until the question of sin was settled. And when it was settled at the cross, immediately the veil of the temple was renting twain from the top to the bottom, as though God were saying, now I can come out, now you can go in. All the barriers have been removed. And so he calls on everyone, come unto me. Is there one here that's not saved the.
Says, Come unto me, do you feel the burden of your sin if you're not saved? I hope you do. You will someday if you don't feel it now. Those in a lost eternity will surely feel what it is that has separated them from God for all eternity. But isn't it blessed to feel it now, to know that the question of sin was so settled, and that he says, Come unto me, all either labor under heavy laden, and I will give you.
To have rest of conscience to know that not a charge can be laid against you, because all were laid against Christ.
And he settled it to God's glory. And then he goes a little farther. He says, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me.
For I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your soul. I believe we could speak of the rest in the 28th verse of being the rest of conscience that we receive in salvation, but in the 29th verse its rest unto our souls. Now that is, the soul is the seed of the appetite and emotions and desires.
And the yoke is for two, you know.
When oxen are yoked together, here are the two oxen, and there there's a yolk placed over them, and there they are connected to one another. And this is what I had particularly on my heart, of how the Lord would have you and I to go through this life with that yoke upon us. Now that is feeling that He is with us, that we are walking in His company. And so he said, take my yoke upon you.
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Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. What is a meek person? Well, I believe a meek person is one who doesn't resent it when he's put in the low place. You know, it's comparatively easy for us to say I'm nothing, I'm a poor failure, I make many mistakes. This perhaps we have all confessed at times, but we don't like it very well.
When someone else says, oh, he's nothing, pay no attention to him, he's just a big failure. All this test how much there's reality with us. Well, as the Lord Jesus went through this world, oh what, what indignation, what, what indignation, what empathy, what?
Despising was his portion as he went through this world, and yet we find him even before Pilate.
It says he answered not a word. And oh, how blessed it is the Lord says this to us. Don't we run into a lot of trouble by the resentment that stirs up in our own heart about things? Oh, how often someone has done us wrong, someone has done us harm and we see I just can't get over it. And what is it? It's ourselves that needed the correction because we didn't accept it as from the Lord.
And so the Lord Jesus said, I am meek and lowly in heart. He not only took the low place through this world, but when men as it were pressed him down, He in loneliness abowed to all of his Father allowed. And that precious Savior go often was misunderstood, falsely accused, and yet we see nothing hindered that blessed.
Pathway of love and service command.
They took up stones to cast at him and as he passed by he saw a man that was blind from his birth and he stopped to heal him. He arrived, say well they don't want us, we better get out. But how different would that blessed one? He was always seeking the good and the blessing of others.
Well, He not only invites us to find rest of conscience, but rest for our soul. Oh, I desire this for my own heart, rest for our souls. I believe it's found as we walk in the company of the meek and lowly Jesus, that precious One who walked through this world, who accepted all as from His Father's hand.
And then he says my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Perhaps, I hear someone say, but that's not easy to do that. Well, I'll say this. It's far harder to go through life with an unforgiving spirit. It's far harder to go through life with feelings of bitterness toward others. That's a far harder path.
As unto seek grace from the Lord, to forgive. Oh what peace it gives in the soul.
When we're able to accept that which He sees fit to place us on us in our pathway here. So here we find the Lord Jesus inviting to come to Him and receive salvation and find rest for our souls as we walk through life in this way in His company, seeking to manifest the life of Jesus in our bodies. Well may He give us this exercise, beloved, may He.
To desire this saw that there would be more of this seen in us. I'm sure it would be the cure for so many of our problems in our homes and in our assemblies. Meek and lowly in heart, take my yoke upon you and learn of me all that precious Savior and all what what joy there is. Just think of the difficulty that came into the early church. Here were some that were complaining because they were neglected.
Daily ministration and the disciples, I believe, were walking in meekness and lolliness of hearts. And so when some of them complained, they said will you choose out seven and the way you distribute it will satisfy us. Well, no wonder the difficulty was settled in a moment. That was meekness, that was loneliness, wasn't it? They said you can just look after the distribution and we'll be satisfied with it and the result was the.
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Things spread out from Jerusalem. Many were added to the Lord. So instead of them saying, well, we'll, we'll go halfway and you go halfway and then they would never have been happy, would they? But oh, what lovely. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Oh, may the Lord give us to see the blessedness of this for our own souls. I'd like to turn over to.
A portion and a somewhat figurative way in Genesis chapter 45 Genesis chapter 45, verse four and Joseph said unto his brethren, come near to me, I pray you and they came near and he said I am Joseph your brother, whom he sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieve nor angry with yourselves that she sold me hit her for God did send me before you to.
Of life for these two years hath the famine been in the land, and yet there are five years in the which there shall neither be earring nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So, no, it was not you that sent me hit her, but God. And he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout.
Land of Egypt.
Haste you and get go up to my father and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me Lord of all Egypt. Come down unto me. And Terry not well we could read more of this, but what I was particularly thinking of was those words. Come near to me, I pray you, we've been reading.
In Matthew 11 Come unto me, all either labor, and are heavy laden.
And now we have come near to me, I pray you. And then as we read on that we see Joseph not only wanted them to experience that momentary nearness on that occasion, but he also wanted them to come and live right where he was. He wanted them to dwell in Goshen. That was the place where Joseph dwelt. So he wanted them to be near him all the time.
And what I particularly had in mind in this passage was.
The privilege that we have of being in the company of the Lord Jesus as we walk through this world and looked at in two different ways, individually and collectively, that's very blessed. There is a way that we can enjoy His presence individually at all times because the Lord Jesus said in the 28th of Matthew.
Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
He also tells us in Hebrews it says, I will never leave thee.
Nor forsake thee. And so this I would desire for my own soul.
And I trust each one of us desire this, and that is to enjoy the company of the Lord Jesus all through our pathway here. There's nothing more blessed than to walk through life in the enjoyment of His company. Our brother mentioned to us yesterday how the Lord was on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was the Lord.
We also find in the 24th chapter of Luke.
Jesus threw near, but their eyes were holding that they did not know Him.
And the Lord has promised not to leave us nor forsake us, but very often we are not conscious of His presence, and we walk as though we were walking through life alone. But He is telling us that He's not going to forsake us. And what He wants us to enjoy is the sense of His company. Oh, how wonderful it was for the disciples when they realized whose company it was He was made.
To them, what a moment that was when he revealed himself to them.
And I say to each one here, and may this be the greatest desire of our heart to have the sin at all times, whether it's in our work, whether it's in our play, whether it's in any part of our lives that we would just live and act as though the Lord, our very best friend is with us all the time.
I've sometimes said the test of true love is that you don't tire of a person's company.
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You really love a person, you don't get tired of their company if you don't fully love them. And then there are times you can enjoy their company and there are times we just wish they'd get away, but not so where there's real love. And you know the Lord Jesus is never going to tire of your company or mine.
Not even for all eternity. And he wants us to sense this and to enjoy it ourselves. And Joseph realized it was a barrier between him and his brethren. And he had to break down that barrier. He had to bring them to realize what it was that made them uncomfortable in his company, in his presence. And I say to each one of us here, if there's something that's been allowed in your life or mine that has hindered the enjoyments of.
Enjoyment of the Lord's presence and company. Let's have it out with him. It isn't worthwhile to go on and allow that thing to remain a barrier. Because I want to tell you he's missing something as well as you. He died, I say to have your company and mine, and He's missing something because he wants us to enjoy his company and He wants to enjoy ours.
And so there was a barrier. Joseph, brethren, had something to acknowledge. And if there's anything that you and I have that we should acknowledge, let's own it to him. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Oh, don't go on with something in your life that you know is a barrier. It's not worth it.
Just robbing God as well as yourself.
Or when they had acknowledged their guilt and when they were brought down to repentance. Now the barrier is gone. And Joseph said, come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And did he keep on talking about their failures? Did he say all that you've done and so on? No. Isn't it lovely? He looked at the other side of it now. When they had owned what had taken place, he said.
Don't be angry with yourselves, he said. God sat me down here.
To preserve your lives by a great deliverance. And isn't it very blessed that when we have come and own things to the Lord, that then the barrier is gone, and in spite of all our failures, that it's possible for us to enjoy the sweetness of His love and of His company, and find, as a little Him says, still sweet. Tis to discover if clouds have dimmed my sight when past.
Eternal lover towards me as heir thou art bright. Oh, I think it's so lovely to hear Joseph saying to his brothers here, don't be angry with yourselves. And perhaps you and I might be filled with remorse as we think of what our lives have been and how little we have answered to his love. But he said now it's all been owned. He said now we're perfectly free. We can enjoy.
One another's company, and as we read on in the chapter, Joseph made the advances.
He went and threw his arms around them and kissed them just like the father did the returning prodigal. And then he told, told them, he said it's going to continue five years more of famine. And you know, brethren, we're not expecting things to get better in this world. We're not expecting things to improve even in the Church of God.
But we do know that no matter what lies ahead.
There is one who says if you keep close to me.
You'll be well fed and you'll be safe. That's what he told them. He said come down to Goshen and he said I'll make you my charge, I'll take care of you and I'll protect you. But he said if you don't stay close to me, you and your households will come to poverty. And it's possible for a Christian to come to poverty, poverty of soul, even although we're so rich in Christ.
So he warned them about the difficulties that were ahead.
And I often say it's very lovely to see how realistic the Scripture is. God shows us just what we can expect. There are days of famine ahead, but here was the assurance given by Joseph and that as long as they were close to him, they would be provided for. Then I just want to make a little mention of enjoying his presence collectively.
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In the 28th chapter of Matthew.
There was a mountain where Jesus appointed. There was a special place that the disciples had to have the energy to seek out, to go to, and when they went there, it says that they went to that place and Jesus was there and when they saw him, they worshipped him. I believe we could think of that as being the enjoyment of his present collectively.
And we all know, and we hang our heads in shame as we think of the failure of the Church of God collectively and our part in it too. But isn't it an encouragement to us to know and that there will be a collective testimony until the Lord comes?
That He has asked us to remember Him until he comes. And I believe from this that we can be sure. And that if He's asked us to do this, that He has a place away in which we can do it in a way that's honoring to Him and in obedience to Him.
May we value this privilege too. It's very blessed to enjoy His presence individually, but it's also very blessed to enjoy His presence collectively. I believe the enemy is at work to try to spoil our personal communion with the Lord, and I believe he's at work to try and break down any collective testimony to being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
It requires the energy of faith to go on.
To walk in that path that he has marked out. So perhaps we could say that we have this brought before us. Come near to me, I pray you. And there is the individual side of it in our own lives. And then there is a collective side of it that we have this privilege that we had even this morning of gathering around the Lord as it was read to us.
Or were two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
And I just want to say to some who may have come here, and perhaps you have never enjoyed this in your soul, you say I'm saved, but I have to hunt around for the place I'd like to go. Oh, May God give you the sea. That there is that which God is established, there is that which God owns. And if you and I have our eyes upon the Lord and are seeking his mind and will through His word, I believe He'll show us.
It's not a question of us choosing the people or group. It's a question of being guided by the Spirit of God through the Word in order that we might enjoy this privilege. And oh, what a privilege it is until He comes. And now let us turn to another passage. That's in Psalm 34, Psalm 34, and the 11Th verse.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good?
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Well, here in this chapter, perhaps we could think of this invitation. This little word. Come again in the 11Th verse.
How are we going to learn the fear of the Lord?
It through his word and know how important it is that we should read his word. I believe it's very easy for us in this day with so much to do such busy lives as many of us lead to neglect the reading of God's word. And so when situations arise in life, we don't know what the Scripture says. We haven't acquainted ourselves with God's mind as revealed.
Word and as I have often said in talking to the young people, read the Bible through.
Many Christians just read the New Testament, read the Bible through. You'll find the Old Testament gives you much wonderful instruction. You'll find, as I have sometimes said, there are pictures there of every kind of situation that we can get into. And then we find how people acted in those situations and what happened, whether it was wisely or unwisely.
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Because.
God has this for us, not only the instruction but the pictures for us. When difficulties arise in my life, I usually try to think of some person who was put in a similar situation somewhere in the Bible. And I find that there are places in almost every situation you can think about where someone was put in a very similar situation and then there's instruction for us.
About how do act for God is not only interested in the salvation of our souls.
He's not only interested in the privilege that we have of being gathered to his name and walking in his company, this is most blessed, but he is interested in every detail of our lives. It says here, what man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good, and that is, he's interested in your natural happiness.
Your friends, your home.
All those things that are connected with our everyday life. He's interested in the job that you have. He's interested in the place that you live. And if you and I would only take time to listen to the instructions of his word, that we wouldn't be, as our brother said yesterday, like Peter, who decided that he liked to go fishing and so he just did it and brought others with him. But here he says, come.
Hearken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord, and then He tells us about.
Desiring life alone us many days.
He tells us about keeping our tongues from evil on our lips from speaking guile to depart from evil and do good. Oh, this is what we need in a practical way in our lives. Every Christian doesn't have a happy life. I've often said to the young people, all Christians don't see good days. Some Christians, even the law, they're on their way to heaven. They're gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
But they don't see good days.
Perhaps they do a lot of talking and make a lot of trouble for themselves. They don't keep their lips, they don't do good. They're not exercise to show kindness to others. Life centers around self. Or they don't seek peace. Wherever they go, they stir up trouble. Well, you know, we can't see the good things that God intended for us if we don't follow the instructions of His words. So here we find.
That God is interested in these things.
He want us, wants us to know what it is to find rest for our souls to walk in His company.
He also teaches us how we should act with one another. Of course, I the scripture makes it very clear that we don't condone evil at the expense of the at the at the expense of holiness. We can't say well, we have to have peace at any price. He says first in his 14th verse, depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. He doesn't just say to seek peace and leave out the departing from evil.
We recognize that we have to be faithful, but I'm speaking about the things that we seek to go on with and then we can look up to the Lord and command our pathway to Him. There is the the joy of such a path. I've enjoyed that expression about the Lord Jesus. It says he went about doing good. He went about doing good as he saw people in need.
What characterized his life? He saw them, he tried, and he did as seek their blessing and their good. So here we have following the instruction of God's Word for our pathway. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. How may each one of us then walk in the fear of the Lord, Be more afraid of doing something that displeases the Lord.
And displeasing a friend. Sometimes you have to displease a friend.
To please the Lord, to please the Lord. And so here it tells us, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. This is very important. It says in another place, be thou in the fear of the Lord all day long. That's a good thing for us. In days when the rights of Christ are being set aside, let us remember to walk in his fear. It's the beginning of wisdom. And then there's another passage in the 60.
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The here the 66th chapter Psalm, Psalm 66 and verse 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
Well, I was just thinking of this verse in connection with our testimony for the Lord.
He says come.
And here all ye that fear, God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul.
And very often we can not that we want to make a great deal of any experience that we have gone through, but how often things that God has passed us through can be a blessing to others. Paul said that the Lord comforted him and his troubles that he might be able to comfort others who were in trouble. And so very often as the Lord passes us through things.
And then when we find others in a similar situation, we can go to them and say, well, I understand.
I've been in that place. The Lord helped me through that difficulty. He'll do the same for you. And what that that means a great deal that we can tell others. Perhaps there's been some experience in your life that's been hard to understand because we don't always understand. Life is full of hard questions. The Queen of Sheba had a life full of hard questions. She was wealthy, but that wasn't the answer to.
Question and she didn't get the answer until she saw Solomon and then it says he told her all that she all her questions he answered all that was that was in her heart and she was perfectly satisfied and there's another day when we're going to get the answer to all our hard questions. But sometimes I believe that the Lord passes us through things here and then he fits us. Perhaps I.
I speak a little of myself and I look back and see things in my life that the Lord passed me through that I couldn't understand at the time. But I can see it was part of His way of fitting me for things that He wanted me to do that I couldn't have done as well if I hadn't passed through those things. And then I could, through experience, speak of what the Lord had done for my soul. I see young people going through.
The very same conflicts and the very same feelings that I had.
Because I have a very reasoning mind, and I could see the conflicts that they go through, and I think the Lord passed me through those things. And He may be passing you through something. And there's a big question mark. Why doesn't He Take Me Out of it? Why doesn't He relieve me? But maybe He's helping you. So someday you're going to tell another person what the Lord did for your soul, what He meant to you in that situation. That was so hard.
And as Paul spoke of it, and even our precious Savior, as has often been said, He came down from heaven and went to Calvary. He could have accomplished that work without those 33 1/2 years. Why did He go through those lonely, sad years in His blessed pathway? All it tells us in Hebrews that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest.
That he was in all points tempted like as we are, then apart. So if you're lonely, you think of how the Lord Jesus was lonely. If you're misunderstood, you think of the time when the disciples misunderstood the Lord, and when all the disciples forsook him and fled.
And you can just think of all the situations that you meet, and then you look and say, well, the Lord went through these. Oh, may the Lord give us grace and to not only profit for our own souls, but that these things could become a blessing to others. There is such a thing in this way of sharing these things with others and being a help to one another. And many of us have proved this as we have.
Learned through the experiences of others. So let us not rebel on what He sees fit to pass us through.
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I say again, the precious Savior in his pathway passed through every form and kind of suffering that a righteous man could endure apart from sin, and so he's a merciful and faithful high priest. So this is lovely here, isn't it? Coming here, all ye that fear God? And I will declare what God, what he has done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
Isn't this most blessed? And it's such an encouragement to us all to hear others, not in a boasting way, but telling how God taught them certain things in His school and they declared what He had done. So too, even in regard to our testimony to the unsaved, how often the Lord fits us for the work that He has for us to do.
How? By what He passes us through, perhaps even in our unsaved days, we have learned the rebellion of our own hearts.
And then seen his patient grace that enables us to present the message.
Faithfully to others through here. This verse about coming here seems to suggest rather that we can be made a blessing to others as we have gone through these things ourselves. Now I'd like to turn to Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4. And we speak of this very thing here that we're talking about.
Verse 14 seeing them that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.
Let us hold fast our profession, for we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Well, we spoken briefly about the Lord Jesus as our great High Priest.
But it's particularly the 16th verse. Let us come boldly onto the throne of grace. Isn't this the most blessed expression? Let us come boldly. You know, if we have a friend and we burden them with some of our troubles, we may feel all I've said too much. They don't want to listen to all my problems. They must be weary of having me talk to them about all the problems. But here is one.
And he is infinite in love and in holiness. He says, you can never weary me.
Because he said I care. And he says just come with absolute confidence to the throne of grace. Why is it called a throne of grace? Oh, you see, I've been unfaithful. I don't even deserve for him to help me. I've just been so unfaithful. He says that it's not a throne to get what you deserve. It's a throne of grace. It's where he meets us in grace. We didn't deserve anything but judgment and he meets us in grace.
Says he never wearies to have us come. He never slumbers or sleeps. Our tale of sorrow is never such that his ear will refuse to listen and say, you've told me enough. Oh no, what a blessed Savior. I've enjoyed that verse of late. Pour out your heart before him. And this is what he wants us to do. And I just love that little word bully. Let us come boldly.
Because.
One who is perfectly fitted to fulfill that place because as I said before, he walked through the Path Center park when we asked a friend. The friends advice may be somewhat slanted. Sometimes we give others advice that are affected by our own mistakes and failures. But the advice that he gives will never be affected by failures because he never did fail. He never could fail.
He was perfect and so he understands the situation perfectly, but he can't give us wrong advice. He can't sympathize with us in anything that's wrong, but he fully enters into our infirmities and he feels sometimes we read little booklets and so on that almost make us think we should be without feelings about things. But that isn't the way the Bible talks. It tells us the Lord Jesus.
Speaking prophetic, prophetically said reproach hath broken my heart. I am full of heaviness. I look for some to take pity. And there was none. And for comforters and I find none. I found none. Did he feel things? Indeed, as a perfect man He felt them. There was never any resentment to His Father's will. It was always Even so Father, for so it seemed good in my sight but he.
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Things and to say to people that they shouldn't feel things isn't the way the Lord Jesus walks in his pathway, but in that path he entered into what we passed through. He became a merciful and faithful high priest. He's just exactly the one that we need. And you know, this is to me most wonderful because when you talk to somebody that's been in the same place as you.
You feel, well, they can understand. But here was one that was infinitely Holly, who in condescending grace, took that place.
So that he could be a merciful and faithful High priest. So what an invitation this is. Let us come boldly under the throne of grace, that we may find, obtain mercy and find grace to help. Another translation puts that I believe timely help just at the time we need it. Not ahead of time, not behind time.
Samuel couldn't wait. He couldn't. I mean, Saul couldn't wait.
Until Samuel came, so he forced himself. And sometimes we think the help should come a little bit sooner than it does, but it's timely help. It's time we help. And as the Lord knows us exactly when that right time is to reach out his arm like he did to Peter. I don't know how far he let him go down, but I know he didn't let him go under the way. He reached out and he caught him and he lifted him up and so he.
The timely help, what a blessed Savior we have. Well, let's turn to another passage in Revelation chapter 4 and verse one. After this I looked and behold, a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said come up, hit her and I will show these things which must be hereafter.
And just turn over to the last chapter of Revelation, 22nd chapter and the 20th verse. He which testifies these things sayeth. Surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Well, here we find, shall I say, that come call, that we're waiting for it pictured to us, I believe in the first chat in the first verse of this 4th of Revelation. I believe this is a little intimation of the Lords coming. The third chapter ends with the Church still on earth.
And the 4th chapter begins with the Church raptured the glory. So this is the one that we're waiting for. He has invited us to come to Him, and He gives rest, rest of conscience, rest of heart. He's invited us to come near to Him and enjoy His presence here in the time of famine, individually and collectively. He's invited us to come and learn the fear of the Lord through His Word. He's invited us to.
Share with others some of those experiences that we have proved in our lives lives of his grace. He's invited us to come to the throne of grace, but isn't it lovely? Someday we're going to hear this word come and what is it come up, hit her. It's all going to be over. We're going to be ushered into his blessed presence and there will see him in this chapter set this before us. It's so lovely in this chapter as soon as he got.
What we see he saw the throne and he says he saw a rainbow round about the throng insight like unto an emerald. I think this is a lovely picture. As soon as he got there, why did he see the rainbow? Well, you know the rainbow is a picture of God's promises. Oh, you said I thought the rainbow was all colors. Why was it green? Why was it in flight like under an emerald? Well, I believe rather than that just means that.
That that God's promises are always fresh in his mind.
Green is the color of freshness, isn't it? In the winter time we we see the green disappear, but we love to see it come again. And so doesn't it tell us this? We make promises to people and we forget them. We make promises to people and sometimes we can't fulfill them. But as soon as John got to have him, he saw all the redeemed around the throne, and there was the one as though it were.
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I haven't forgotten any of my promises.
I haven't forgotten many of them. And he hasn't, brethren. And he's going to call us home and we're going to prove this. We're going to see.
That the way he led us was the right way. We're going to say like Israel in the Psalms, it tells us that they will say he led them forth by the right way, that he might bring them to a city of habitation. And so sometimes here it doesn't seem like the right way. They could have gone to from Egypt to Canaan and I believe 11 days and it took 40 years.
If it took me 40 years to go a journey that I could have made 11 days, sure missed the way. However, did you take so long? But when they get up there and when we get there, we're going to say it was the right way. Why was it the right way? Well, he knew just what we needed. He knew the lessons that we needed. He knew the experiences that we needed. So we're soon going to hear that voice that says come up, hit her. We're soon going to.
That one in the center of the throne, we're soon going to see that rainbow and now that he hasn't forgotten many of his promises and we're going to do just like they did. They cast their crowns at his feet. But now he likes to hear us say Even so come Lord Jesus, he likes to keep that hope burning brightly in our soul. He's more patient than we are. So he's waited to this day. But when we.
Hear that shout and are called up there. What a moment it will be. May He keep us in the attitude here that is saying at all times this is not our rest. Even so, come Lord Jesus. So we ask the Lord bless.
Three Pictures of Man
Address—C.E. Lunden
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We'll start reading that the 12Th verse, Luke 5, verse 12 and it came to pass when he was in a certain city, behold, a man full of leprosy, who seeing Jesus fell on his face and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
And he charged him to tell no man, but go and show thyself to the priest, an offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
But so much the more when there are fame abroad of him.
And great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed of him by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed.
And he came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees, doctors of the lost, sitting by which were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea, Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
And he brought, and behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy, and they saw it means to bring him in to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst.
Before Jesus.
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven me. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who's this which speaketh blasphemy?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?
But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, the answering said unto them.
What reason ye in your hearts, whether it is easier to say thy sins be forgiven?
Or to say or rise up and walk, but that she may know that the Son of Man hath power upon earth to forgive sins.
He sat under the sick of the palsy. I say unto thee, Arise and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed to make glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today.
And after these things, he went forth and saw a public, unnamed Levi.
Setting at the receipt of custom. And he said unto him, Follow me.
And he left all rose up and followed him.
Levi made him a great feast in his own house, and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with Republicans and sinners? And Jesus answering, said unto them, They that are whole need not a position, but they that are sick.
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
36 birds.
And he speak also parable unto them. No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old. If otherwise, then both the new makers are rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agree of not with the old.
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles, else the new wine will burst the bottles and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved, no man also having drunk old ones.
Straightway desireth new, for he saith the old is better.
John's Gospel, the 1St chapter That the 4th. 3rd chapter. Sorry, we read the third verse. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Fifth verse. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, verily, I say unto thee.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. We have in this passage in Luke.
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3 pictures.
Of man.
And they all apply to each one of us.
In the first instance we have a man who was unclean.
He needs cleansing. The next we have a man who's absolutely helpless, and in the third instance we have a man.
Who is just there, ready to be called? And he answers. Isn't that lovely? Just ready to be called and answered.
Now, dear friends, tonight I wonder.
If there's anyone in this room who doesn't know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, If they realize that they're unclean in the presence of a holy God.
Supposing you were introduced to heaven tonight.
And the doors opened. Would you go in?
Are you ready for those courts as we were singing of light? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Because there's no other way of entrance than that precious blood of Christ.
No.
Man must be cleansed. He's unclean. That's what leprosy is, a picture of what a foul disease it is.
When they take men and they separate them from society, and they take them way off on an island somewhere, there they are alone in their misery. And if I'm saved in their wretchedness, what's the difference? 01 might be miserable in physical circumstances, but they're wretched if they're out of communion with God.
Wretchedness comes from doing your own will.
And it separates you from God for all eternity.
But you know, in the Old Testament we find a leper.
Who was all covered with leprosy. He was to go to the priest.
What was he to go to priest about? What would the priest want a man that was covered in the leprosy for?
Ah, according to the holy word of God, he was to pronounce him clean.
Strange, isn't it?
That a man that was all covered with leprosy, when he was brought to the priest, he was bound to call him clean. Why? Because of things were written before time were written for our learning. What is this?
The Lord Jesus wants you to come to Him tonight and to acknowledge that you're a guilty, lost Sinner.
And if you come to Him and receive Him as your own personal savior, you will be clean.
And justice fit for those courts of light as that thief on the cross who went to be with Jesus that very day.
No other preparation needed, and there's no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved. And that precious name?
Of Jesus.
No wonder the Bride and the Song of Solomon says Thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. It's not only the name, but it's Port Florence. All the love of that name is poured forth in this room Tonight is the Savior of sinners. Are you going to receive that precious name of Jesus? Because God has exalted him and given him a name which is above every name.
And there's a day coming when every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess.
That Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Now I ask you tonight, have you confessed that precious name of Jesus as your own?
Are you washed in that precious blood that he shed at Calvary's cross when he made atonement?
And when he took away all the guilt of those who would receive him as their savior.
And what does he say here?
A man full of leprosy, who is seeing Jesus, fell on his face and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
I'm not going to try to evaluate the motives of this man's heart other than this. He had a need and he came to Jesus. That's all. He had a need and he came to Jesus.
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There might have been reasonings there that I don't know anything about, but he had a need and he came to Jesus.
And that's simply the gospel. Do you have a need tonight? Have you received Jesus your Savior?
You're unclean. Yes, you are. You know very well that you wouldn't want to stand in the presence of God.
As you are.
You know very well, dear friend, if you're unsaved, and that's the purpose of this meeting.
The Gospel, the glad tidings.
Would you? Would you stand in the presence of God as you are?
You know Job, when he went into the presence of God, he said I'm vile.
What about Isaiah? I'm a man of unclean lips.
What would you say as you entered the presence of God? And you will enter the presence of God?
And tonight he can be your Savior, the Lord Jesus can, but there's a day coming when the one who now.
Is offered to you, dear one, as a savior. It will be your judge.
Because in the 17th chapter of Acts, God is appointed a day when He will judge this world in righteousness by that man whom he is ordained, and he's given witness to all men that he's raised him from the dead.
Do you think Pilot would be happy to hear that the Lord Jesus is going to be was raised for the dead?
I'm sure he wouldn't.
Do you think you're less guilty than Pilate if you reject Jesus?
It's just what your own heart is like to reject the Son of God who died that you might live.
And so here's a man, if thou will, thou canst make me clean. He knew he could make him clean, and he just wondered if he would.
And he will, He will.
Come unto me, all you'd labour, and are heavy laden, and I'll give you rest.
Though their sins be a scarlet, the children quote to us in Sunday school.
As you'll be white as snow.
I'm sure you've heard these things so often.
And every time you hear them, there's one more count against you of rejecting the Savior, and they're just a little more hardening the heart to receive Jesus as your own personal Savior.
And he put forth his hand and touched him. All beloved friends tonight, just picture the Son of God from heaven coming down, taking a body, walking over and touching a defiled leper.
You know, when a man had leprosy, especially of the head, he was to he was to be put out of the city.
And he was to walk around the city, and as he went he would put his hand over his mouth. When he met someone, he would cry. Unclean, unclean.
Another picture.
What the sinners should do in the presence of God. And you know when a man had leprosy, he was a castaway. He had none of the privileges of the people of God in the land he was outside.
What a picture.
What a solemn thing it is, dear friends, to be a leper in the presence of God, a castaway defiled with no hope.
But Jesus.
Just Jesus, that's all.
Is that enough for you, Jesus? He touched him, saying I will be.
Thou clean.
No one asked your dear friends tonight, is there anyone else that could touch you and say be?
Thou clean, you know there was a time when.
Naaman was sent to the.
King.
And of Israel and to be cleansed, he said to my God, am I God to cleanse a leper? This man is raising some trouble for me. I can't cleanse a leper.
00:15:14
No, he couldn't either, but there was a prophet that could, and he has a picture of the Lord Jesus who can cleanse the leper, the defiled man.
Now I said be thou clean and immediately the leprosy departed from him. Now is it going to be so with you here tonight immediately and it will be so. Faith recognized it. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, blame in thine heart that God had raised him from the dead.
Thou shalt be saved. You believe that? Whence immediately?
And it can be so with you tonight.
Now a testimony to the priest that Moses commanded in the 16. First we have another picture. It's a picture just like this room tonight.
With people from every part of the country.
Gathered together different walks of life, a large company only these were mostly.
Pharisees and Doctors of the Law.
And what does it say about them?
The power of the Lord was present to heal them. Period. That's all.
Period.
Do we hear of any cleansing here? No, there was number need.
Because we read in the latter part of this chapter.
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Are you a Sinner tonight?
As you stand in the presence of the Holy God, are you a Sinner tonight?
You are on his sight, how about yours?
In order to be saved, you will have to take God's side against yourself and own what you are in His presence.
In no other way.
Now we have a man who is afflicted with palsy.
It's not defilement now.
That's just one picture of what man is.
But now here's a man who was bound and with his sin, you know, the story is told once of a blacksmith.
Who in the olden days before there was the electric welding?
Or gas welding they used to Weld in the forge it put the metal in the in the forge and and heat it to till the the metal began to sparkle white hot and then they did with the anvil and welded together.
And this man was so good at it that.
They had to make the change for the present.
That one day he found himself in the prison and he couldn't get out. He'd made the chains that bound him in the prison and they were so strong he couldn't break them.
Now that's a picture of a Sinner who is bound in the cords of his sins.
And dear one, it's been said that this book will keep you from sinning.
But it says someone has said also that sin will keep you from this book, and isn't it true?
And if you're going on In Sin tonight, I dare say you're not reading this book.
Because this is the only book that will tell you deep down in your soul that you're not right with God.
And be sure your sin will find you out.
Be sure of that. This man is bound. He has no liberty.
The Lord interprets it differently from the Pharisees.
Because the issues of the Kingdom of God are moral, not just physical.
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This man is bound in sins. Now, you know, redemption doesn't only buy us back, but it sets us free. And that's what this man needs. He needs to be set free. There's no question here of defilement. We have that in the first picture. But here we have the question of palsy.
Until the Lord raises the question of sins.
Now we find those who are interested in this man, and I'm sure there have been some interested here who have brought others to these meetings so they can hear the gospel of the grace of God. It's just like these men who brought this man in a stretcher in the crowds were in the doorway and so they couldn't get in.
Curiosity seekers.
But there's no hindrance. You know where there's faith.
No hindrance. And up on the roof they go, and they tear the roof open, and they let this man down in the midst before Jesus.
Oh how precious this picture is, bringing one precious soul into the midst before Jesus. Have you ever tried it?
Have you ever had that happy privilege bringing one precious soul?
Into the midst before Jesus.
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. Well, that wasn't what he was brought, therefore was it?
Oh yes, it was.
He didn't know it made the friends didn't know it either.
But he found it out and he got A2 full blessing.
He had all his sins forgiven him.
Beside that he rose up and walked, and he just carried his bed. And that's the result of the gospel, the grace of God that takes us above the circumstances of this life.
Immediately he rose up before them and took up that Ronnie laid and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
Well, dear friend, if you've never glorified God before, when your soul is saved, you will.
Do you know what it will mean to you? It will mean from death to life.
That's what Romans 5 and 24 tells us. Verily, verily, I say unto you.
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent Me half everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is fast from death unto life, that's what it will mean to you.
Oh, how precious. Think of that woman who reaches through the crowd just to touch the garment of Jesus.
Immediately turn who touched me? All the disciples said what a question with this great crowd thronging me. He said Who touched me? And immediately she realized that he knew it was the Lord. Jesus not only healed her, but he was interested in her. Yes he was.
He was interested in her. He was interested in the one who touched him.
And he completes the story as he tells her that her faith saved her. It was a precious blood of Christ though.
There's no salvation than the other, but there must be faith that goes along with it.
You know what the apostle, as he went through this world, preached. Oh, he preached many things, and we have these lovely records of his ministry, but he says that he had not.
Failed, that is. His purpose was to preach repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
That's the basis of all the blessing, and there's no use of reading the book of Ephesians or Colossians.
As your portion, dear friends, until you have received Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior.
No, that's the basis, the foundation. There must be repentance.
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You remember in the 21St chapter of Matthew, a certain man had two sons.
And he said the first son go work today in my vineyard. He said I will not.
Now that's the natural man and his answer to God.
But he repented and went, oh, thank God. He repented and went. Thank God that he's given any of us to repent and go.
But there was another son, too, and he said, son, go work today in my vineyard. He said I'll go, Sir, but he never went.
Now which of them, the Lord said, did the will of his master?
The first.
Even the Pharisees owned that the publicans and harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you.
Why?
Because they repented.
They repented.
There's no salvation without repentance. But repentance is not salvation, dear friends. Salvation is Christ.
Receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior, trusting in that shed blood at Calvary's cross.
The one who hung there on that cross, those three hours of darkness, bearing all of our sins and woe.
Putting it all away forever, so that you and I might enter without spot or stain in those courts of glory. Have you received Him as your Savior? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Well, the Pharisees have a lot to say, but what good is it? They just reason.
And, you know, they're religious people. Remember this.
If you're a child of God and get out of communion, you're liable to take the place of the Pharisee and speak against the people of God and the work of Christ.
That's the danger.
All was the danger.
Lord Asylum thing it is to be in a religious position like the Pharisees whom everyone looked up to as leaders in the religious world.
And still not to have Christ as their Savior. Christ is the touchstone.
There's no other. There's no other name, there's no other center, no other person but Jesus. That's all.
Reason as you will.
Make it simple, Christ.
Is the Savior of sinners.
And now we have another man.
Who's this? He's the one who wrote the Gospel of Matthew.
And he's just sitting there doing his ordinary work.
And the Lord Jesus says follow me.
Up he gets, He leaves the leaves everything to follow Jesus. Is it worth it?
Is it worth it?
You know, Speaking of this paralytic that we've just mentioned.
I was standing on the corner in Peoria, IL waiting for someone.
And I saw a person.
They are a young man in a wheelchair. I didn't notice there was a nurse standing behind him over against the pillar.
And not having a tract, I just went over and I thought I would speak to him about his soul.
And so the first thing I mentioned, he answered like that with something from scripture just like that.
It's a good thing I didn't give him a track because he couldn't have used it. I'll tell you.
That we talked a little bit.
We I found him just rejoicing in Christ as his Savior.
And yet he was. He didn't have long for this life.
Paralyzed, couldn't move, had to be moved about and carried. But he was rejoicing in Christ his Savior. He'd had all his bands united, if you know what I mean.
00:30:02
As far as his soul was concerned.
When I was about to leave him, he said, Sir, he says, I suppose you didn't notice that I was blind.
Think of it.
Here's a man, he had nothing, nothing but Jesus. And what do you have tonight?
What do you have?
I know there are those here who know the story of Albert and Gresham.
Oregon then abet all of his life.
And someone offered him some money one day and he said I don't need it. I have Jesus and I have my bed and that's all I need. Think of it.
Jesus, how much does He mean to your soul tonight?
Well, I know he meant something to this man that we're reading about.
Because he left all and followed him. And if he means anything to you, you'll do the same.
Yes you will.
What else does he do? What else does he do to prove that Jesus means something to him? He fills his house with sinners who are interested in salvation so that Jesus can sit at the table with them.
And they can feast together.
Oh, I'd like to be in there. Oh, what a feast.
To have Jesus sitting at the table with sinners, that's the way it'll be in heaven, and he won't be sinners then.
Washed in that precious blood.
Now, in the other Gospels it says that Levi made him a feast. Here it says he made him a great feast. Why does it say that in this Gospel? Because it's the rejected Son of Man, I suppose. And everything in Luke is great. You know, over 30 times we get the word great in Luke because it's the greater glory.
The glory of the Son of Man is the greater glory, so everything here is great. And you know in that coming day when the Son of Man reigns, everything will be great.
But down here for the Center, everything is great. Who receives him as their savior?
Question is why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? Why?
Jesus answering, said unto them, They that are all need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Think it over.
Why did Jesus come into this world? Because everyone was.
Had no needs. No, it's because you have a need in your soul that can never be remedied.
Without Christ.
You know there's a day coming, we're told in the book of Amos, I believe.
Well, they're going to go from one end of the earth to the other looking for the word of God, and they won't find it. You don't believe that, do you? But God said it, and it'll be true.
The truth is literally far in the streets and you don't know what it will be tomorrow.
There are nations on the earth today that where men would give hundreds of dollars to be able to get a copy of the precious word of God. You hold it in your hands and you haven't even taken Christ as your Savior, have you?
Have you?
Why not?
The old now is accepted time. Now is the day of salvation.
Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
There's no hope of tomorrow down here, but there is up there. If you put all your hopes down here for tomorrow, you may lose out, dear friends.
You may lose out.
There was a young man years ago who was crippled.
And his cousin, a big, strapping football player, came to see him.
And the crippled boy gave him the gospel.
He laughed in his face and fell over death. This happened in Canada.
00:35:08
Strapping strong, healthy football player What happened?
Why, dear friends?
He that often being reproved and hardeneth his heart.
God's judgment will be upon him.
Oh, what a solemn thing it is to hear the word of God over and over again and reject it and not receive it.
But now we're going to notice these verses, the 36th verse moral principles here.
And expect also terrible unto them.
Now apparel is a a dark saying.
It's calculated to fasten on the conscience and never leave it.
No man put us a piece of a new garment upon an old. The women know that.
You have an old.
Rotten piece of cloth and put a good strong piece on it and the first tug, why it will pull the rotten to pieces. That's the principle here. They they're not compatible at all.
If otherwise, then both the new make of the round and a piece that was taken out of the new agree if not with the old. Now you can reply this to the law if you like, but I'm not going to apply it that way tonight. I'm just going to picture this man before God.
His character.
You know, dear friends, your character in Adam isn't very good.
You're lost, you belong to a ruined race, and you're under guilt.
You need a new one.
And if you take Jesus Christ as your savior, you will have a new character. That's the 8th chapter of of Romans.
If any man have not the spirit of Christ or character of Christ, he's not of him.
Is not of him.
But if you take Jesus Christ as your savior tonight, you will have a new character before God.
It'll be Christ.
Now you can't take that new character. You can't just get a little bit of Christianity, you know, and apply it to the old nature in Adam.
No, you'll have to be born again.
There has to be an entirely new man.
You can't put the new on the old.
There has to be something entirely new, and that's of God. And what else?
An old man put us new wine into old bottles. Now these bottles were made of skin. They would take a a goat or a sheep, A lamb possibly.
And they would tie.
The after the carcass was taken out of the skin and they would tie the legs off and so on, and they would use it like a bottle to make wine in. That's what was called a bottle.
And it lasted just one year until the line was the wine was prepared for that season.
Now he says no man put his new wine into old bottles. You don't take and put new wine into last year's bottles. It won't work.
Get a point?
The old bottle won't hold a new wine, in other words.
The old bottles just for one year. The new wine is for eternity. Don't try to put it in the old bottle, get a new bottle.
Get a new bottle.
Now notice.
New wine must be put into new bottles and both are preserved.
No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new for he Seth the oldest better.
Is that what you're saying tonight? The old is better, Is it? Have you tried the new?
You know the old is going to go when you leave this world. It's going.
00:40:03
What about the new?
And if you have in Christ, you don't have the new, but what will you have? The blackness of darkness forever.
No one hates to speak of that.
Separation, eternal separation from the one who made you for every joy.
If you want it.
Because in his presence there are pleasures forevermore. Do you want it? You can have it tonight.
All believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in that precious blood that was shed at Calvary's cross.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
Have you been cleansed as we have been singing tonight?
And now I want you to turn to John with me, the third chapter.
We find in the end of the second chapter there were certain that the Lord would not commit Himself to because He knew what was in man. He knew the heart of man.
And that next chapter, as we've been taught, should start. But there was. But here's another man, Nicodemus.
He's a different man. Something has happened. The Spirit of God has been working with this man. Unless the Spirit of God works in your soul and never be any blessing.
Something has happened to this man. He comes to Jesus by night.
He's not a safe man, Not yet.
No, but he came to Jesus by night.
Something has happened in his soul that led him to come to Jesus.
Dear friend, tonight you may not know anything about the gospel, you may have just heard one word, but come to Jesus tonight.
He's your only hope. Don't come because you know all about it. Come because you need Jesus. Come like the leper came.
Come like.
Those other pictures we have in Scripture, those who came to Jesus, the woman who touched his garment and all because of their need. What did she know about it? She knew He could heal her. That's all that she knew. He did come to Jesus.
That's where you want to come to.
And so he asked the Lord a question.
He says.
He talks about the miracle now God was with him.
He was a teacher, he recognized all this.
But the Lord just brushes it all side. And he said, verily, verily, truly, truly, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. And dear friend, unless you're born again there, you just won't even be able to see.
Those things that we belong to, the eternal destiny of your soul and blessing, you'll never even see it.
Because man that understandeth not is like the beasts that perish.
They will never see. They'll never know.
You must be born again.
You must be born again.
Now in the next fifth verse, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
And what is it that characterizes the Kingdom of God and Luke's gospel particularly righteousness. Do you have it?
Peace for your conscience.
Joy in the Holy Ghost, you have these things. They're not visible.
No, but that's the character of the Kingdom of God. Do you have these things?
Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Well, dear friends.
You'll never see it, and you'll never enter it except by water in the Spirit. And what's the water?
Why is this precious word of God?
And it's the Spirit of God that's pleading with your precious soul tonight.
To take Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Are you going to do it?
00:45:02
Now turn with me to John 2.
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there, and both Jesus was called in the disciples to the marriage. When they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said unto him, They have no wine. Jesus said unto her, Woman, what? What have I to do with thee? Mine hours not yet come.
His mother Seth unto the servants. Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. I never sat there. 6 water pots.
Of skin. Oh no stone. Notice it carefully. Stone permanent.
After the matter of the purifying of the Jews.
Containing 2.
Or three Perkins apiece.
I worked in the pottery once, and I watched the Potter on the wheel as he formed these vessels. They weren't all the same. They were supposed to be nearly the same, but they weren't all the same. Some contained more liquid than others.
According as the Potter himself wanted them to be.
The way he wanted to make them.
Their other artists, you know, and they make them after their skill.
Containing two or three firkins apiece.
A permanent stone vessel, no longer a skin vessel.
That lasts one year.
Now here's a here's a vessel that's permanent that contains two or three firkins apiece.
And here's the water now that goes into the vessel notice.
Jesus said to them, fill the water pots with water.
And they fill them up to the brim, and he set them to them, Draw out, and bear unto the governor of the feast, and they bear it. When the ruler of the feast had faced the water, it was made wine, and knew not whence it was.
But the servants withdrew the water, knew the governor of the feast, called the bridegroom, and said unto him Every man at the beginning to set forth good wine.
When men have well drunk than that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now.
Now we find that the servants have the secret They knew. They knew the source because they were close to their master.
Oh how beautiful a picture we have.
And dear friends, where did we start tonight?
We started with a leper that was defiled.
We we end up with water pots.
With new wine, what more can you ask? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior?
Have you?
I believe God has given your soul tonight a true picture of what you are in his presence. You're defiled. You're helpless.
You're in need. You're a Sinner because Levi was a Sinner, you know?
That's the point there. He was a Sinner.
And you're a Sinner.
And without the blood of Christ, you'll always be under that guilt all eternity.
That the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sins.
Oh how good have a permanent water pot fashioned by himself.
Filled with that.
Which he can turn into wine.
Just a word to the parents, are you filling those little water pots each day?
My father knew nothing about the truth of separation, but we had the word of God every morning and every evening.
In our home, are you filling those water pots with water?
You can't turn them to wine.
He can.
And faith will count on God to do it. Oh dear friends, tonight have you Christ as your Savior.
00:50:03
Are you trusting in that precious blood?
Do so tonight.
Fruit to Perfection
Gospel—C.E. Lunden
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.
In #4 Christ is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior for me.
Long I was chained in sins darkness, Now by his grace I'm free.
Christ.
Turn to the Gospel of Luke chapter 8, verse four of chapter 8, Gospel of Luke. And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable.
A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden under. It was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it, and some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up it withered away because it lacked moisture.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
Another fell on good ground and sprang up and bear fruit in hundredfold.
Verse 11. Now the parable is this. The seed is the word of God.
Those by the wayside are they that hear, then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
00:05:13
They on the rock are they which when they hear, receive the word with joy. These have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
And that which fell among thorns are they, which one they have heard go forth, and are choked with cares.
And riches and pleasures of this life. And bring no fruit to perfection.
But that on the good ground are they which in an honest.
And good heart.
Having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.
Now we have in this chapter that the word of God, the seed, is the word of God.
The word of God.
Likened to the seed is that which gives life.
And that's all we have to present to you, dear friends. Tonight is the word of God.
Because it's the only way by which you can have eternal life.
He says to us, Verily, verily, I say unto you.
He that heareth my word.
And believeth on him that sent me half everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto light.
We are warned solemnly in the Old Testament that he that despises the word shall be destroyed, but he that regardeth the commandment shall be rewarded.
Now, what we have in this portion that we've read this evening is the way in which the word is received.
Is first received, likened to one who receives the seed.
By the wayside.
It's a natural picture of that country that the Lord uses. It's a country of hills and valleys.
And at the bottom, in the valleys, there were little spots where the grain was grown.
Where the seed was sown, the ground was tilled.
And outside was the wayside.
And along.
Along the side there were thorns and in other places there were stones.
Now the earth in Scripture is often likened to man's heart.
And the heart is what receives the word of God, if there is to be any blessing.
It must pass through the conscience that it must reside in the heart.
And so the question before us tonight is, how will this seed be received by you?
And dear friends, I'm speaking you to you tonight as though you were all unsaved. Because this is a gospel meeting. I know that most here are saved, that the message is for the Sinner.
How are you going to receive the word of God as the seed is sown by the wayside?
The birds of the air come and pluck it up. Those are the wicked spirits.
And though it's sad sometimes when the gospel is preached and after the meeting.
Even some of the Saints of God are used of the enemy to pluck up the seed.
To divert the attention to other things. Little do we realize how solemn the issues of the Gospel and of the Kingdom of God are.
This evening may be the time when souls will pass from death unto light.
May we not in any way interfere with this with any lightness?
What a solemn thing it would be, dear friends.
You have heard the word of God, and the seed in your case be sown by the wayside, and you go out bearing no fruit.
No life there because there's no place for the seed to lodge.
In your heart.
But then the seed also is sown on Stony ground.
00:10:04
Now that's like the flesh, you know, It always resists the word of God.
And even in the Christian, when we hear new truth, oftentimes we resist the word of God until the Spirit of God.
Returns again, as we heard today with Peter three times to remind him that he was God was speaking to him in order that we might receive the Word of God and believe it.
How good it is for this, for the Spirit of God to speak again, because it says in Job 33 that God speaketh 1 shade twice, and man perceiveth it not, and he tells how he speaks in pain and sorrow, sickness on the bed and so on. God speaks in many ways to souls.
But the question is.
Receive the word.
And is sown on Stony ground.
Now it has.
Not much earth and it may spring up.
And there may be a profession.
And by the way, in each of these cases there is a profession because there is a conscience that is exercised the moment the word is heard.
And dear friends, tonight if you never heard the gospel before and you walk out of this room tonight.
Unsaved.
You'll be a different person as to your responsibility towards God.
Because.
You will have made some kind of profession.
Having heard the gospel of the grace of God.
And what is the gospel of the grace of God? Is it not that Jesus died for sinners?
Is it not that He came from those heights of glory down into this world of sin, so that you and I, poor sinners, ruined and undone as we were singing, might have salvation through that precious blood that was shed at Calvary Cross? Is that not the gospel of the grace of God?
That God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. But whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Do you have this life, or do you have a profession of it?
Has the seed fallen in Stony ground, and that flesh of yours resisting the word of God?
Yet outside there's a profession of it, and it's a sprung up.
But as soon as the sun comes up, tribulation and trial Withers away. But still there's a profession.
And you hide yourself in some religious denomination.
So that you can have an eased conscience.
But the seed has fallen on Stony ground and there's no fruit.
You can go on with your religion, but you won't have Christ unless you take him as your own personal savior tonight.
But then the seed is also sown among thorns.
And you can picture the farmer as he spreads the seeds.
Some that goes beyond the field that's been plowed.
And it reaches the thorns.
And as the thorns, as the seed comes up, so do the thorns.
And they choke it. Now what are the thorns? And I would like you to especially notice what it says in this 14 verse.
And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard, notice that.
When they have heard.
Go forth.
Oh, what meaning there is to everyone of these expressions go.
For when they have heard, go forth.
And are choked.
Notice with cares.
With riches and pleasures. Three things. The seed that sown among thorns is choked by cares, riches and pleasures. Now how does that affect you tonight, that scripture?
We're living in a day where there's great prosperity.
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And men are surrounding themselves with cares to such an extent.
That they have no time for the word of God and it's choked and there's no fruit, no life. 21St chapter of Luke and the 34th verse. The Lord is speaking here even to his disciples because Judas was there, you know, and he said and take heed to yourselves.
Lest at anytime your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life.
So that day come upon you unawares, for as a snare shall come on all in the dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Now, dear friends, the Spirit of God tells us in this passage that the snare that will come upon this earth.
At the time.
When Jesus comes will be the cares of this life.
It's put, in other words, in Philippians.
There we are told that men.
Mind earthly things as an object.
Earthly things, and when the true church is called away, all those who are of Christendom, that is, those who have made the profession of Christianity and are left behind.
Will be called Earth dwellers. Earth dwellers. Why they didn't want heaven. Do you want heaven tonight?
You want to stay here.
You're going to stay here if that seed is fallen by the wayside.
On Stony ground are among thorns. You are going to stay here. The cares of this life. Oh, you say, well, we all have cares, but it says being overcharged with the cares of this life. And what does that mean? It means to leave God out.
To leave God out. What else does it say? Choked with cares?
And riches, riches, anything that the heart is set upon here instead of Christ, riches.
Three things. Cares, riches, pleasures. You know, there never was a day unless it was before the flood. I don't know about that.
That there never was a day.
When there was more energy and money spent on pleasure than there is today. And the Spirit of God is warning, it's those who have fallen among the thorns.
And they bear no fruit. And I asked you solemnly tonight, dear friend, of which class are you in? Of these three, or are you in these three classes?
Have you allowed the enemy to come and take that precious seed that gives you eternal life? Take it away.
Fallen by the wayside?
Or has that flesh in you resisted it, that Stony heart so that there's no fruit?
Or have you allowed the thorns to choke?
So there's no fruit, no life, no salvation. But now notice in the next verse, 15th verse. But that on the good ground. Oh, I love this verse.
The very first moment I read this verse.
It just became a part of me, but that on the good ground.
Are they? Are you one of these?
In an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.
We have instruction here, we have fruit here, but it's brought forth with patience and that's the character of the day in which we're living.
You know the enemy is trying to wear the people of God out, but.
We need patience and we need more patience, and it won't be long before the Lord will come and take us home. We need patience, but bring forth fruit with patience. Now this is the work of the Spirit of God in the soul producing fruit. Of course, the thought is eternal life here.
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Giving life to the one who simply believes God's Word.
And so we repeat again the four ways in which the Word of God is soul. It's sown by the wayside.
The birds of the air pluck it up.
As soon as you leave the room, you're occupied with other things.
Instead of getting down before God and confessing Jesus Christ as your own personal savior.
There was a young man who used to come to the meetings. He still does now, but.
He left for a while and he told one of the young people, he said I don't want anymore of that trash.
And he left and he was in the barracks. He was an officer in the in the Air Force.
And he had a companion in this room who was a Baptist, and he read his Bible every night, and he made fun of him reading his Bible.
And finally after a while, this Baptist brother turned to him and he said, have you ever read it? He said no. Well then, what are you making fun of something you have never read for?
Well, he said. Read it to me then.
So he read him the 1St chapter of Romans.
He was convicted on the spot and he said, will you get down with me?
That I might confess Christ as my Savior. And He confessed Christ as his Savior that very night, Tuesday night.
The next large day evening, I happened to be in that particular meeting and I was speaking and this young man walks in.
Nobody knew about it.
And after the meeting was over, to their astonishment, he said, May I say a few words?
And he got up before several young people there, besides the rest.
And he publicly confessed Jesus Christ as his own personal savior and that lovely the Spirit of God working through the word of God. And that's what we have here tonight, the word of the living God. Well, that isn't the end of the story. I believe there are four of the family converted now.
Oh, how precious the Word of God is. How powerful the word of God, living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword.
And so we have the word then, in an honest and a good heart, bringing forth fruit.
Fruit and that to life eternal.
And we ask you tonight, dear friends, in which class are you? Have you received the word of God in good ground?
Now I want to turn you to an Old Testament passage to use it as an illustration for what we're Speaking of.
We'll turn to 2nd Kings, the 5th chapter.
What we're taking up tonight is so well known to everyone that many of you know it by heart perhaps, but we have to remember that there are many younger ones here, some who perhaps have never heard it before, and those who are well taught will have to bear with us tonight, the 5th chapter.
Of second Kings.
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria, and he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.
And the Syrians have gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid. She waited on Damons wife, and she said under her mistress with God, my Lord, were with the Prophet that is in Samaria, for he would recover him of his leprosy.
And one went in and told his Lord, saying thus and thus, saith the Maid, that is not of the land of Israel.
And the king of Syria said, Go to go and see, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed and took with him 10 talents of silver, 6000 pieces of gold.
10 Changes of raiment.
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter has come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent name and my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
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And it came to pass when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he ran his clothes and said.
Am I God to kill and to make alive? This man does send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy.
Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh the quarrel against me.
So Elijah, Elijah the man of God, had heard that the king of Israel read his clothes. But he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? I didn't. Come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
No name and came of his horses.
And with his chariot he stood at the door of the house. Elijah.
And the life to send a message on him saying go and Washington Jordan 7 times nice place that come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
The lemon was wrought and went away and said.
Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call in the name of the Lord his God.
Drop his hand over the place and recover the leopard.
I'm not abandoned farther rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel.
May I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
Any servant.
Came near and spaced unto him, and said, my father.
If the prophet did, they do some great things.
Which thou not have done it how much rather than when he sat under the wall?
And declaring.
Then when he down and gripped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God, and his flesh came again like under the flesh of a little child.
And it's closed.
Well, we have here a very simple story of a leopard.
Telepathy is a picture to us of sin, an incurable disease.
I know the medical world says they have medicines now that can arrest it, but it really is an insurable disease that's in the blood.
And so it's still.
Your friends, you know there's nothing that can wash away yourself.
But the blood of God? Nothing.
900 didn't know that. He didn't know that.
It was only the God of Israel that could take up his case, the leper. Only God sent me electricity.
He could come with his job.
What does it say here?
Just first took within 10 lbs of silver.
6000 pieces of gold.
10 James Arraignment.
All dear friends.
All the gold in the world that for the way one thin.
No man can by any means redeem his brother or bring to God a ransom for him.
The redemption of their soul is precious.
And it's Jesus forever.
It's only the precious blood of Christ. It can put away sin.
As he put away your stand.
As we put away all your sins and guilt.
You know, dear friend, tonight, unless you have Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior, your loss.
And that for all ephemera.
Has it ever come home to your soul what it means to be lost?
Lost. I was lost for a little while when I was fighting forest fires once.
But I I got out of it.
And there may be some here who have been lost, possibly a day or two or several days.
Can you imagine what it would be to be lost?
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To be lost for eternity without Christ and without God.
The Christ who loved your soul so much that he came all the way from heaven down to Calvary's cross and shed his blood, His precious blood that you might be saved.
No, but beside being lost, dear friend, you're condemned.
If you're without sight.
Because of the guilt.
That lays on your soul.
I don't care how young you are, how fair you are to look upon your loss, and you're condemned without Christ.
And you're on your way to hell.
With a never dying soul.
To experience forever the wrath of estimating God, when tonight.
You can allow that seed to fall into the good ground and receive Jesus Christ as your own personal faith. Would you do it tonight?
The old knowledge of the accepted time now.
Is the day of salvation.
When that young man was convicted by Romans chapter one.
He got down on his knees now, and he confessed Christ.
He's been a happy Christian ever since.
Won't you do it tonight?
Now we feel a little made here.
Isn't it strange the means that God uses for the salvation of souls?
I was in the home of a very wealthy family.
And they were inquiring about the gospel after I'd mentioned it.
And.
As I was sitting in their living room.
The lady of the house excused herself for a moment, and she came back with the Bible.
I said where did you get this? She said. You guess.
Her maid had brought it to her.
Thank God for the maids who know Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Yes, thank God.
For the man that stands at his workbench.
And does an honest day's work.
Confessing Jesus Christ even in his occupation.
Because, dear friends, when you get to heaven, it isn't going to be the gospel preachers.
It will be that individual work, day by day, that are going to bring the souls home to Lauren. Oh, I know it's the precious flood of sight, but God uses little maid.
Didn't they use Esther to move 127 provinces of the Kingdom of a Haju era?
Yes, he used his little name.
He uses that he means that he places.
And know how good it would be for you and me as Christians to be in that state of soul at all times, on our job, at our work, wherever we may be at school. Be ready to be used.
And she just gives a simple testimony that there was a God in Israel that could heal leprosy.
Can't you tell someone they're, they're young people tonight that there's a God who can save you to sit there from his sin and to tell that story?
Very simple listen.
In fact, the Sinner doesn't need a complicated story. All he needs is a simple one. She was a captive maid.
Captive made.
She waited on Naamans wife.
Now this man Naman was a great man with his master.
I suppose he was a very outstanding warrior.
A man who had.
No doubt won many great battles for his last.
But you know all the valor, all the ability that nature provides.
Never can take care of that matter of leprosy.
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No, leprosy cannot.
Be healed except by God alone.
And dear friends, no matter what position you may be in this world, no matter what position you may be over others.
You're a Sinner and you're on your way to hell without Christ.
And there's no other name given under heaven among men whereby we might be saved. They're not precious name of Jesus.
Have you taken Jesus as your Savior?
Do it tonight and don't be late.
And don't delay to go out of the room before you take Jesus Christ as your Savior.
New young people who have been brought up in Christian homes.
The face of your father will never save your precious soul.
It takes your own personal faith in Jesus Christ.
Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord.
And believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead thou.
Shall be saved.
No other way than that.
The confession.
Living in the heart.
Bring salvation.
To the soul.
But he was a leper all that ****.
It spoils everything, doesn't it?
It spoils everything.
With all the honors this man had, but he was a leper.
And you know, there are those who go on in their occupations day after day, year after year. They hear the gospel.
Pay no attention to it. They have their mind set on one thing.
That is.
Their business.
Or their pleasure, or whatever it might be.
There was a man who had retired from his business.
And he moved next to a Christian, and the Christian tried to speak to him. He was a brass executive.
And this Christian had worked for the steel company, and they had some things in common.
But he tried to whip this to him once. The salt.
The man walked by on the other side of the street after that.
One day he got cancer of the leg.
And.
This brother could often observe him walking down the street and kicking his leg out to get some relief from that awful, dreadful drawing of that cancer in his leg.
Pretty soon he stopped walking down the street.
And his wife happened by and his brother said to his wife.
How is your husband?
He said he's in bed.
I think he wants to see you.
And so this friend of mine went over to see him, and he took his Bible.
And this man who didn't want anything to do with Christianity?
He said read me out of your book.
And he read him the gospel of the grace of God.
He said. But he said that's wonderful story, but he said it doesn't apply to me.
He said I have never done anything wrong.
I've always paid my bills, I've always carried on my business justly.
I provided for my family for years to come.
And sending my children through college. What can you expect of a man?
He said I have not done anything wrong.
Wisely, my friend said to him, I'm going now.
And I'm making one request.
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When I leave, I want to tell the Lord what you told me. He came back the next day.
And he said, I'm glad to see you, Brother Lyle.
He said why do you call me brother?
Because because I couldn't tell the Lord what you told me to tell Him what I told you. Because he says I know I'm a Sinner through and through.
And I am saved by the precious blood of Christ.
The seed had fallen into good ground and had borne its fruit. Has it with you?
Are you going to wait till you're on a deathbed to receive Christ as your Savior? Are you going to waste those precious years that lie ahead, perhaps in your life?
Wasting it on the flesh.
With no returns whatsoever. Poor investment, isn't it?
Poor investment.
So are you going to take Jesus Christ tonight as your savior?
Trust in that precious blood. Have every spot removed, not one spot remaining.
Because the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses from all sins.
Well, he brings all of this marvelous crappings, gold and silver.
And you know the streets in Syria, they still are. I think many of them are made of cobblestones.
And can't you just picture this whole group of, I suppose, soldiers?
Who Serv.
Wagons loaded with, you know, gold. Heavy rumbling down those stone roads.
It must have made a tremendous racket as they went down.
With all this perfume, what for?
To be healed of leprosy.
And is that just not like the center today? He thinks that he has to do something. He has to do this, and he has to do that, and he has to do the other thing until he gets so confused that he doesn't know what to do.
The blood of Jesus Christ plays us from all sins.
That's all.
Oh, how simple the gospel message.
Want to take it tonight?
All its name and it brought is only a hindrance to him.
And a stumbling block for Gehazi, which we haven't read about. That's all.
But now we come to.
The Kagan, the King says, while this man seeks a quarrel with me, think of the king of Israel, who is supposed to represent God on the earth.
He didn't even know there was a prophet in Israel that could heal of lepership.
But the Prophet hears about it, he said. You send him to me.
And he will learn that there is a God in Israel that can heal leprosy.
Over Naaman comes. He doesn't even open the door to speak to him.
Why ah, dear friends, you and I have to humble ourselves before a holy God.
We have to take our true place and in the 14th chapter of Luke.
If you're bidden to a supper while you take the low plate, don't take the high plate because someone may have to say to you you'll have to take the low plate because you've taken somebody else's seat.
But if you take the low place, then the master of the feast will say, Friend, come up higher.
And he'll honor you.
Those are the ways of God.
Naaman had to come down.
And catch a picture that great general. I suppose he was decked with metal.
I don't know.
And he had all of these servants.
But he had to humble himself in front of all of them.
Humble thyself under the mighty hand of God, and He will exalt you in due time.
You know, dear friend, that you have to do with God, not with man.
You realize that you are a Sinner, lost and on your way to a lost eternity that you have to do with God.
Humble yourself.
00:45:01
Take your true place before God if there should be blessing.
And So what happened?
Elijah sent a message on him saying go wash in Jordan 7 times and my flesh will come again to thee and thou shalt be clean.
There's the gospel message.
In the Old Testament, of course.
Thou shalt be clean. Isn't that what he wanted? To be clean of his leprosy?
The Washington Jordan 7 times.
Oh, we have better rivers at home.
Jordan was a muddy river. You know we have better rivers at home.
Can I watch there and be clean? He went away in a rage.
But again, we find that God uses strange.
Messenger.
Not a little maid this time, but the servant.
Sir, it's interesting to notice the servants in scripture.
We find in the second chapter of John.
That nobody knew where that water came from.
That was turned to wine. Except the serpent they knew.
Why did they know? They were close to the master, That's why they knew.
They knew. The servants knew.
Oh, what a priceless thing it is to be a serpent.
In any little way to be near the master, to know his mind.
And the servants say, My father, they entreat him, They take their true place, but they entreat him.
If the Prophet had, did they do something great thing? Oh yes, he would have done that.
He had already brought gold, I suppose, perhaps half $1,000,000 worth, I don't know.
If they had said to do some great thing, would you not have done it?
Yes, and that's what touched his conscience.
How much rather than when he says to the wash.
And they play.
What?
And what does it mean to wash? What does it mean to be washed in the precious blood of Christ? It simply means to confess Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior. Have you done it?
You children here tonight, have you done it?
I say to you, dear children and young people of Jesus came tonight and he may would you be left behind?
Killed us young people, would you be left behind?
Have you confessed Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior?
Where would you be left behind?
Then when he down.
That great man went down.
And that's the way the blessing down.
Dipped himself seven times. He went in once.
No, he wasn't planned. He went in twice.
He went in three times, he went in four times.
5 * 6 * 7 times.
Obedience to the Word of God.
Is what brings blessing.
You obey the word of God seven times. Spiritual perfection.
The culmination of blessing.
And what happened? Exactly what was told him.
And his flesh came again, like unto the flesh of a little child.
And it was clean. In other words, new birth.
A picture to us of new birth. Entirely new.
Burke oh how good this is.
Obedience to the Word of God brings this result.
Did God say it by the prophet? Yes. Do you believe it? Naman did.
It's a simple word. It's the word believed simply by faith.
Because faith comes by hearing.
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And hearing by the word of God.
And he was clean.
Now turn this me to a scripture in Matthews Gospel, the 7th chapter please.
Verse 13.
Enter ye in at the Strait gate, For wide is the gate, and broad is the way that lead us to destruction. And many there be which squin there at, Because straight is a gate, narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Verse 21 Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
But he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven.
Now, dear friends, what is the will of His Father, which is in heaven?
This question was asked of the Lord on the 6th chapter of John's Gospel. We won't turn to it.
This is the will of God.
That you believe on him whom he has been.
That's the will of God.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
And in thy name have cast out devils, And in thy name done many wonderful works. Notice that.
Wonderful work.
Cast out devils, Judas did.
But where is he today?
Yes, God can give power to men to do these things.
But that doesn't mean their soul has been changed.
There has to be repentance.
A complete change, a complete revolution of the soul.
And then will I profess unto them, I once knew you, but I don't know you anymore. Is that what it says?
That's what people would like it to say. Then they can say you can be saved and lost again.
But it doesn't say that.
But does it say read it carefully?
Then will I profess to you.
Unto them.
I never knew you.
What those who cast out demons?
Those who did wonderful work, Yes. I never knew you.
Casting out demons and doing wonderful works will never save your soul.
What is it that saves the soul? It's the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son.
Shed on Calvary's cross and death.
That's what saves the soul and faith that believes it.
Faithfully.
Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you.
Depart from me.
Ye that work iniquity.
It's a little picture of what's going on today all around us under the name of religion. It's the works of iniquity if it isn't faith in Christ.
And Savior.
You can have all the marks of religion.
But if it isn't, faith in Christ.
It is if it isn't simply trusting and acting according to his precious word. Its works of iniquity.
And iniquity, oftentimes in the New Testament is a picture of religious evil, the worst form of evil that could be.
Because it's directly sinning against God.
And his known word.
And so where are you tonight then, dear friend? Is the seed? Has the seed fallen in good ground? Good. Can bear fruit. 100 bowls.
Or as the seed fallen by the wayside and as you go out the door tonight.
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You'll say, well, that was the truth, all right, but I've got other things. I have other things to do.
I haven't time for it now.
Is that your attitude?
Or as the flesh risen up and say, well, I'm not going to believe that I'm going to.
Make a research first on my own.
What men are doing?
You know more than God, You know more than His word.
You know that word is forever settled in heaven. Nothing else is down here.
You'd better believe it.
Or you're lost.
Lost.
Lost for all eternity.
Banished from the presence of a holy God.
And the blackness of darkness forever.
Gospel
Gospel—G.H. Hayhoe
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John's Gospel chapter 8 and verse 30. And as he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. If he continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed? And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. And then the 36th verse.
If the sun therefore shall make you free.
He shall be free indeed.
I'd like to speak tonight on that little word so well known to us all, a little word KNOW, no, you know, we're living in a world that is so full of uncertainty. And not only this, but the information that we receive is so often untrue, inaccurate. What a wonderful thing it is to have a message from God, a message of assurance and certainty so that we don't have to go on through life.
Not knowing what life is all about. Not knowing where we came from and where we're going to.
There was one great man who said, I've spent all my life trying to find an answer to two questions, where I came from and where I'm going To think of the millions of dollars as people search through all the rocks and rubble of the earth to try and find out where they came from. And then all the religions with which the world abounds, people trying to find out where they're going to.
Dear friends, as God left us in total uncertainty about these things.
Has he not given us any message so that we would know where we came from and know where we're going to? Indeed, he has, Dear friends, He has not left us in uncertainty. Perhaps one of the wisest men that ever lived in this country, Mr. Einstein made this comment at the end of his life. He said I know less than one 100 to 1% about anything.
That's not very much, is it? Less than one 100th of 1% about anything?
Yet I suppose any of us would envy such a gigantic mind as that man had.
And yet now that was what he had to say. And yet I know there are children here in this room tonight.
Who have peace with God, who know where they came from, who know where they're going to have an anchor that keeps the soul and amid all the uncertainty and upheavals of life, as they can say, Christ is mine. There's the one whom perhaps some of us know down in Southern California, Marjorie Fiedler. And she went to the doctor, of course, she has often visited him with her affliction.
But recently, he said.
Marjorie, how is it you are always happy? You are always smiling? The poor girl can't talk very much because of her condition.
I bought in her difficulty to speak, she said. I have the Lord. Oh, dear friends, that's what I want you to have tonight. That's what you need. And it's the only thing that will give an anchor for your soul. It's the only thing that will give you peace in a world that's so full of unrest, so full of uncertainty. And people say on every hand, you don't know what you can believe.
But, dear friends, there is one who has given us a message.
And that is God himself has spoken, it says in the Bible here earth, for the Lord has spoken. And when the Lord Jesus was here, he said, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Now this precious book, this message from God is going to abide. And at the great white throne those who die in their sins and stand before God.
Are going to have to meet God's message to man and be judged according to how they treated that message for it says the Lord Jesus said the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day and at that great white throne it says the books were open.
And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books.
According to their works, you may say I don't care, I'm not interested.
But dear friends, that's only your loss if you say that perhaps when the beginning of the year comes, you get your tax papers. You can throw them in the basket and say I'm not interested in taxes, I don't care. But that's a very easy thing to throw them in the basket. But that's not the end of the matter, and you know it.
00:05:00
You know very well that if you don't care about taxes, the government cares about them and you're responsible to them.
And God has placed you and I in this world. He breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. And man is responsible to God, and you're responsible to God. And no matter how hard you may try or how much you say I don't care, you are going to have to answer to God another day. How wonderful it is though.
And that you can meet this Blessed 1 as your Savior, and then you'll know.
They'll never have to meet him as a judge. If you meet him as your savior, you won't have to meet him as your judge.
And that's why the gospel is presented here tonight. That's why God's message comes to man, because God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And so the Lord Jesus came into this world, the Son of God came down, sent by the Father in love down into this world. And he said, ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free, and you'll never be free.
Friend, until you know the truth, how often you have formed an opinion on something where you didn't have proper knowledge and then you found out you had to change because you didn't know all the facts. But when you take your stand upon this precious book.
Then you have the truth, and the truth sets you free because it's God's truth. And there's one thing that God can't do. The Bible tells us what it is. It says it's impossible for God to lie. Another verse says God that cannot lie promised eternal life before this world began. Oh, isn't it wonderful to have such?
Reliable authority to rest upon the Bible is the only reliable history in the world.
Sometimes when you read a history book in this country and you read a history book telling about the same thing in another country.
You find it's entirely different and yet it's history, but it's presented from a different slant altogether. And you wonder if it's the same event you're reading about. And that's the way man is. But when God gives the facts, he gives them perfectly. He gives them so that you and I will know just what we are in his presence and just what He is. And you know the word repentance and the Bible says God now command.
Man everywhere to repent. You know what the word repentance means? Why it means a change of mind. That's simply what the word means, a change of mind. And naturally we have wrong thoughts about ourselves. And that is the natural heart thinks he's not too bad, that he's not half as bad as God says he is, that he's a little better than many of his neighbors.
A natural heart will always have some kind of self righteousness of its own.
But what happens when we get into the presence of God? Our thoughts are changed. We realize that the great Physician, the one who knows all about our condition, has told us just what we are. And so I say that repentance is a change of mind. And what gives the change of mind? I might think I was perfectly well and in good health. And I go to the doctor. He examines me. He discovers the condition I didn't know anything about.
And he tells me how serious it is.
My mind is changed at once. I thought I was in good health, I tell my friends. Well, I thought I was in good health, but the doctor tells me I have a serious condition. And yet you believe the doctor. He sometimes makes mistakes. But the great physician is looking you and I over tonight, and he tells us in the third chapter of Romans just exactly what he knows about our condition. Not what he thinks about it, but what he knows about it, because he knows just exactly what.
We are in the light of his holy presence and he describes us from head to foot and he says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And so we know the truth. We know what our condition is, but we don't like the doctor to tell us that, you know, but it's it's not so bad if the doctor says, but I have AI have a medicine and this medicine will make you well again in a week.
Why, you say? I'm greatly relieved. Well, dear friends, we not only don't know our own true condition before God.
But you don't know how wonderful a remedy is that God has provided. Man has wrong thoughts about himself, and he has wrong thoughts about God.
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But when he believes the gospel, his mind is completely changed. He finds out that God describes his condition. But wonder of wonders, God loves us. God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So it tells us here in this 36th verse, If the sun therefore shall make you.
You free, He shall be free Indeed, it isn't just some thoughts and ideas that we have, but we know the truth and we know the person. If the Son therefore shall make you free, it's a person who can set you free. And the Lord Jesus came into this world a save sinners. We often sing in little hymn.
Long I was chained in sins darkness.
Now, by His grace, I am free. Who is it that can set us free? Can a man set himself free? No. You decided that you were going to give up sinning and you were going to have perfect Peace of Mind from now on. You might have the finest kind of intentions, but you know very well, now that you find yourself doing things you don't want to do, you find also that you have.
That you have a.
Capacity to sin and you can't stop the things that you want to stop. You need someone to set you free. And the Lord Jesus is the one and the only one who can set you free. Well, that's what we want to announce in the glad tidings of the Gospel tonight.
Let's turn to a verse that tells us about our condition in Romans Chapter 7.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. The 18th verse. For I know that in me that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, for the will is present with me. But how to perform that which is good?
I find not here. We find that God speaks about the law. We know that the law is spiritual.
I call your attention to that little word no, because God gave his holy law.
Yet He tells us in the third chapter of Romans, By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. Why did God give the law? Well, it tells us also in the third of Romans, by the law is the of sin.
Supposing my face were dirty here tonight and I wouldn't believe you when you told me it was dirty.
And so you said. Well, here, Gordon, here's a mirror. Look at yourself and you'll see.
Well, what does the mirror do? Make my face all of a sudden perfectly clean? No, all the mirror does is show what it really is, and it shows it to me. Now God knew what man's condition was. He looked at him and told him just exactly what his condition was. He says in the 17th of Jeremiah, the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can not I, the Lord, search the heart. I try the.
He looks underneath the skin. He looks underneath all the pretense and sham that we put on and how we like to make other people think we're better than we are. He looks underneath it all. And what has he got to say about us? He says our hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. And what did the law do?
Just what that nice mirror did. The better the mirror, the more it showed up the dirt. And God's law was wholly just and good. God's law was spiritual, but I'm carnal. And by the law is the knowledge of sin. It showed what we were. It showed that we couldn't live up to God's requirements because when God gave that law in Mount Sinai.
Before Moses came down with the tables of stone, with God's law, written by the finger of God.
I say, before he came down into the camp, the people were breaking the first commandment, and yet before Moses went up they had said all that the Lord has spoken, we will do and be obedient. They promised they'd do it, but before He came down from the mount they had broken the first commandment.
All, dear friends, you and I are lawbreakers. We're sinners. We're guilty before God.
And you say, but I think I can do better if I really tried. But here it says in the 18th verse, for I know there's that little word again. K&OWI know that in me that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. That is, man's premise is entirely wrong. He says that he's not as bad as God says he is, and that he really can improve.
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But God tells us that in me that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. I don't think that if the doctor discovered a condition that was serious that you would very likely argue with him if you have any kind of confidence in the doctor.
You wouldn't start arguing with him, you would be asking him what he could do to help the condition. And you know, when God shows us what we are, isn't it strange that we start to argue with God and start to tell him that we're not quite as bad as he says we really are, and that we do have some kind of self-righteous robes? And as Job said, my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.
Were something like the Corinthians, and it says they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. Well, we compare ourselves among ourselves. We measure ourselves by ourselves.
Like, there was a place where they wanted to hire a policeman and the requirement was the policeman had to be 6 feet tall. And so Can you imagine a few people here, a few men, and one is 5 foot 11 and the other is 5 foot nine and the other is 5 foot six, and they're arguing who's got the best chance to get the job. Well, you'd say.
None of you have got any chance at all. Don't you know the requirement is 6 feet?
Well, but this man says I'm 5 inches taller than that guy. He's only 5 foot 6 and I'm 5 foot 11. Don't you think I got a better chance? But the requirement is 6 feet. He's one inch short. And all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. They were measuring themselves by themselves, but God's standard was that we have come short of the holiness that God requires and some of us.
Little boy and he wanted to be a policeman and he had a novel idea all of his own. He just measured off 6 feet like this, you know, and then he took a string and measured it and he was rejoicing that he was 6 feet tall because he was measuring by six of his own feet. And that's what some people do. They're just as stupid as that boy. They measure themselves by themselves. They they accept the standard of their own that they have made and dear friends, God's not going to change the.
Because we would like him to. Here is this passage as clear and plain as God can make it. And that the law is spiritual. God's requirement is holy, just, and good. And you say, well, I want to do better. But have you come to the point, my friend, where you have said, I know that I'm sold under sin. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing?
Someone has said that the first step in blessing for the Sinner is unqualified self condemnation. Have you ever condemned yourself? Have you ever taken your true place in repentance before God and said, well what God says about me is true?
I am a Sinner in His holy sight. Well, it's a very blessed thing when you do that, because God has provided the remedy. He has a remedy and there's no uncertainty. The doctor might say, well, we'll try this and it may have probably heard those words from a doctor. We'll try this and it may help you. But God doesn't talk like that. Turn over to the first Epistle of John.
And the third chapter.
First Epistle of John and the third chapter and the fifth verse. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.
Notice these words. He know that He was manifested to take away our sins.
And another verse says the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin. Well, why did the Lord Jesus come into this world? He came to save sinners. He came to accomplish a work of redemption that would glorify God, that would settle the question of sin. He was manifested, that is, he came into this world. What for?
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To take.
Away our sins? Have your sins been taken away? Can you say he came to save me and I have accepted him as my savior? I know I can sing the little song that says you asked me why I'm happy and I'll just tell you why because my sins are gone. Can you say that he has taken away your sins?
Well, that was the purpose for which he came. Did he do the work that he came to do? Yes, on Calvary's cross he was lifted up, and it says in the 53rd of Isaiah, The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Who was it that took up the question of our sins and settled it? It was God himself.
Who took my sins and placed them on my substitute? God required a payment for sin.
Hebrews 2 Says every transgression and disobedience receives a just recompense of reward.
God must punish sin. He never passes over sin. But what has he done to settle the question of my sins? Why He took them, and he placed them upon the Lord Jesus, and then he brought down upon him the judgment, and that my sins deserved.
As it says in that same 53rd of Isaiah, thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. Another verse says who? His own self, they're our sins. It is own body on the tree. Oh, isn't it good to know that when God tells us how bad we are in his holy sight, and that then he like the great physician says, but I've taken.
The whole question I have a remedy for sin, the Lord Jesus.
Did the work and at the end of those three hours of darkness, he cried out those blessed, wonderful words. It is finished. There's nothing left. You hear people say, well, I'm trying to be a Christian. Dear friends, there's no use trying to be a Christian because until you receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you're still dead in your sins. But when you accept him.
You're immediately born into the family of God.
And you can say in the authority of God's Word, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. Oh, how grand it is to know how that the question of sin has been settled. The Lord Jesus bore those sins upon the cross for all those who trust in Him and will trust in Him as their Savior. Have you done it?
You say, well, I know I'm a Sinner.
Can you take the second step and say, well, I know He came to put away my sins. Oh, thank God for everyone in this room who can say, well, I know that too. He came to put away my sins and I know He finished the work that God gave him to do. I know that He has a risen Savior because it says in First Corinthians chapter 15, Christ died for our sins. He was buried and He rose again the third day.
To the Scripture, because I must tell you this, that if your sins weren't laid upon the Lord Jesus, they're still on you and you're going to have to bear them in a lost eternity. Because if, if Jesus wasn't punished for your sins, then you must be punished for them. Oh, how terrible to have to meet God in your sins. There are only two ways to die.
Either die in the Lord, and the Bible says blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.
Or you die in your sins, and the Lord Jesus said that if you die in your sins where I am, you cannot come, you can't be in the Father's house, you can't enter heaven with your sins still upon you. It says of heaven, there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defile us, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book.
Life so you can't enter heaven with your sins upon you. Not even one, not even one lie. One lie would shut you out. But he was manifested to take away our sins. And again, I want you to notice that little word. KNOW it says, and ye know that he was manifested. Do you know that? Do you believe it? Can you say yes, I know that the Son of God loved me.
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And gave himself for me.
Now if you turn over to the fifth chapter of first John, there's something else here in the ninth verse. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. And this is the witness of God, which He has testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar.
Because he believeth not the record that God gave his son.
And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Notice this 13th verse. We have this little word, No. Here again these things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God, that she may know that she have eternal life, and that she may believe on the name.
Son of God, now you know there are some people and they will admit the first two things.
They'll say, yes, I know I'm a Sinner and I know the Lord Jesus came to put away sin, but I wouldn't like to say for sure that I'm saved. I wouldn't like to say for sure that I have eternal life. You know, I don't like to be so presumptuous. I don't like to be so sure.
Well, dear friends, it's not presumption to believe God. If you told me something after this meeting and I said I'm not so presumptuous as to believe you, wouldn't you be kind of insulted? And you would say, why don't you say what you really mean? You don't believe what I say? And dear friends, when you say that it's presumptuous to say you know you have everlasting life.
You're practically saying it's presumption to take God at his word.
It's not presumption to believe God. It's only what we should do. It's only what we should do. He that hath believed his testimony has set to his seal that God is true. I remember many years ago there was a brother preaching the gospel and he told about talking to a young man and this man said, oh, but I just can't believe it.
And his brother said that you can't believe who.
He said I just can't believe it. He said you can't believe. Who always said I hadn't thought of it that way. Well, that's the way it is, friend. If you say you can't believe, you're really saying you can't believe God. And God charged you with something very solemn here. He says he that believeth not God hath made him a liar. God tells you if you don't believe.
What he says about his son.
And about God's way of salvation, that in reality, you're making God a liar. You're practically saying that you can't take God at his word. And yet hundreds of times in your life you have taken some fellow man at his word. You have said, I know it, and you said Joel Smith or somebody told me, and you had enough confidence in your fellow man to believe that it was the truth because you relied on that man's word.
And yet, can it be that you're afraid to take God at his word and say, I know I have eternal life. I know I'm saved, all you say, but I don't always feel saved? Well, dear friends, it's not a question of your feelings. Supposing you own a piece of property and someone comes along and says, I don't believe that you own that piece of property at all. I don't believe that it's yours.
You're only talking that way. Would you start and tell them about your feelings? Would you say, well, you know, I just feel so happy about that piece of property. I'm sure it's mine because I felt so happy about it for a whole month. I'm sure it must be mine. You wouldn't think of talking that way, You would say to him, well.
I've got the papers and I could show them to you. And more than that, it's registered in the titles office. And so if you want to check it, it's it's you can find out. Well, your friends, God has given us his word like the the title leads to the property and then he's told us more. He says rejoice because your names are written in heaven. So there's the registry office and God speaks in this way in the 12Th of.
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He said the Church of the first born, which are written in heaven. Some people talk about having their name on the church roll, but that's not enough to fit you for heaven. But if it's written in heaven, that's something to rejoice about. That's something to be happy about.
And so if there is anyone here and you are perplexed with doubts, I tell you, don't look in for feelings. Feelings change.
You never think of that about the piece of property. Why should you think about it when you have God's own word to assure you that you're a Sinner, that Christ came to save sinners, to put away sin? And then you have his word saying these things. Have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that she may know that she have eternal life?
And then God has done more than that. It tells us here, He that believeth hath the witness.
In himself because when you accept the Lord as your Savior, you know the Holy Spirit of God comes to indwell the body of the believer and he's spoken of in this way. He's the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. I think most of us who've done business with property at all know what earnest money is that when you're going to buy a piece of.
And then the real estate agent will probably say, well, how much will you put down as earnest money? What is that earnest money? Well, that's the pledge that you're going to carry through the deal. And so he usually asks you for perhaps 10% or something, and you have to put down this earnest money. And that's the pledge that you're going to complete what you have begun.
Now God has given an earnest too. God has given an earnest, and I sometimes use this illustration.
Supposing you were going to buy a piece of property and it's worth $25,000 and the real estate agent says, and how much will you put down for earnest money? And you say, well, I'll put down $50,000. Fifty thousand. It's only a $25,000 piece of property. What do you mean? Well, I really want to get that property, so you give them $50,000.
And somebody says the next day, do you think that man's going to carry through the deal? Why is this carry through the deal?
He gave me far more than the property is worth. He'll never back out of that deal. Well, dear friends, what has God-given as the assurance that He's going to complete the work that he began? Where was I? A poor worthless Sinner. I wasn't worth 25,000 But what did God do? He gave the Holy Spirit of God as the earnest. He that believeth hath the witness in himself.
The Spirit of God comes to indwell the body of the believer. Does God want you to be sure?
Does he want you to be uncertain if the man only put down $500? Perhaps he might say, well, he might back out and let the $500 go, but certainly not if you put that much on it. And friend, God has given the witness, the earnest, the Holy Spirit of God. He wants you to know if there's anyone here that's uncertain. Could God have done any more to make you sure?
Could he have? Oh, you save it. Why do I have doubts? Well, that's just because the devil doesn't want you to be happy in your salvation. He doesn't want you to be a rejoicing, happy Christian. But he cannot rob you of salvation. If you have received Christ by them, you belong to him. And so I beseech of you not to think about your feelings. Think of what God has said. And so.
Doubts come. I'm always glad that the Bible doesn't say that we know that we're saved because we don't have any doubts, because that would disqualify quite a few Christians, because sometimes doubts come to real Christians. But isn't it grand that he doesn't say that? He just speaks about the worthiness of his beloved son, the fullness of his work, the testimony that he has given, and then he says.
All that we do is to believe. Oh, how grand it is that he has given.
Such assurance, these things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God.
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That she that she may know and that she have eternal life. Now let's turn back to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and the first verse. For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God and house not made with hands.
Eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house, which is from heaven.
The fifth verse. Now he that hath wrought us for the self, same thing is God, who also have given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body.
And to be present with the Lord. Well, here we find 2 expressions. Here we know in the first verse and in the sixth verse we are always confident.
Here we find something else that we can really have assurance about. Paul knew that the time was going to come when he was going to put off the earthly House of his Tabernacle. He talked about the body in which he lived as the earthly House of this Tabernacle. The real you is not what I can see. It's something a tenant inside that body.
Perhaps death may come and the body will be taken and laid away in the grave.
But the real you will not be there. But Paul said, when the earthly house is dissolved, when it's taken and laid away, isn't it lovely, He said, that we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.
Did Paul think of death as a leap in the dark? You hear people say sometimes, well, we just don't know. Death is just a leap in the dark. Many years ago, Doctor Woolston went to see a man and speak to him about his soul. And he said to Doctor Wilson, he said, well, nobody knows. Death is just a leap in the dark.
And Doctor Wilson said. But wouldn't you like it to be a leap in the light?
Friends, it can be, it can be a leap in the light and I've known many, many dear Christians and to them it wasn't a leap in the dark at all. There was a leap into the light. They knew how that they were going to be with the Lord. But however I I want to say this, that the proper hope of the Christian is not death. And that's why when Paul speaks of it in the beginning of the chapter he talks about.
The earthly house being dissolved.
And then he carries us right on to the coming of the Lord, because he says we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.
And that is the proper hope of the Christian we were saved are looking for the Lord to come at any moment and when he comes these bodies in which we now live will they'll be changed when they made a shot to the moon and they had to make that capsule and those men were put in there and food was put in and and all kinds of things to protect them against the elements to feed them to supply oxygen.
Because.
They had what the Bible calls terrestrial bodies. They had bodies suited to this earth and they couldn't live in. If they had stepped out of those space suits, you know very well they couldn't live because there wouldn't have been oxygen to sustain their bodies, the pressures wouldn't have been right, and so on.
So they had terrestrial bodies. But you know, when the Lord comes, God solves that whole situation, not through a number of scientists working for years. This is what he says, and we shall be changed, caught up in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
Isn't it very wonderful to know that when the Lord comes, that that moment?
Our bodies will be fashioned to Christ, glorious body, and will be caught up and we'll go up with Him. We won't need any capsule or something to go up him. No, to your friends, we'll be like Christ. We'll have bodies of glory fashioned like unto his glorious body. I always marvel at the simple way the Bible speaks. It says there are bodies terrestrial and there are bodies.
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Celestial and it says we shall be changed.
Oh, how wonderful to know such a God. And so we know we have assurance, but he said death may come. We don't look for death, we look for the Lord to come. But if he does, if he doesn't come in our lifetime and we should have to pass through death, then he said we are confident, I say.
And willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Yes, you don't know when this may come. Dear little nephew of ours was called suddenly without I expect a moments warning to leave this world and be immediately in the presence of God. But he knew the Lord as his Savior, and so there was his lifeless body left behind. But he's absent from the body.
And present with the Lord if it had been you, some of you boys and girls, if it had been you.
Would your parents be able to say, well, he knew the Lord, he's absent from the body and present with the Lord. Have you ever told anyone that you're saved? I remember we had a boy back at home in our Sunday school and he was out to the Sunday school, out to the gospel meeting Sunday night just like this. And he went home and that night there was a fire in their home and he was burned to death.
And we got the news at 6:00 in the morning.
Frank had been burned to death, but what made me so sad was I didn't know whether he was saved. He never had confessed the Lord. He came to the Sunday school. He came to the gospel. I hope he was, but wouldn't have been nice if he had told us, if he had said to his Sunday school teacher, I have accepted the Lord Jesus as my Savior.
How glad we would have been to say Frank.
Is with the Lord. I wonder about you. Have you ever confessed the Lord? If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. That boy that I speak of, his name was Phillip. He had confessed the Lord. Have you? And so his dear parents, although they mourn over him, they know that he's with the Lord.
How about you?
Are you sure that you have taken him as your Savior? Have you confessed him? Don't go to bed tonight without confessing him, you say. Well, I have him in my heart, I'm sure. Well, then confess him. Tell your friends, tell your father, tell your mother. I've taken the Lord Jesus as my Savior. So it tells us here that death for the believer is not an uncertainty. We are confident, I say, and willing.
Rather.
To be absent from the body and present with the Lord. He didn't say, well, I'm afraid to die. No, he said, I'm confident. And if the Lord comes, he knew that he had a building of God and house not made with hands. Or Are you ready? Do you know Christ is your Savior?
Take him tonight. If you don't, now is the time. What have you got to lose by receiving Him? Well, you lose your sins. Isn't it good to get rid of your sins? And what do you gain? Oh, salvation, pardon, eternal life, a home in heaven, all this for you in receiving Christ.
Let's turn over to another passage in Romans chapter 8 and.
Verse 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our We know not what we should pray for, as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.
To them who are the called according to His purpose, for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren.
The reason I read this 26th verse is because there's something that it says here we know not.
Now, that is there are many times in our lives that situations arise and we don't know just how we should pray. But that doesn't mean that we don't know we're saved.
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As someone said, never allow the things you don't know to spoil the things you do know.
And there are many things in life that I don't know. If you asked me about many things that happened, I'd have to say, well, I don't know why the Lord allowed that to happen. There are many things that we just don't fully understand in life. There's a verse in the in the book of Job that says, why dost thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters.
You know, God doesn't always have to tell us why he does things. We'll find out another day.
So sometimes we don't know what we should pray for, but that doesn't mean that we don't know that all things work together for good. This is another one of the things that we know as believers. We don't know what we should pray for, but we do know that the Spirit makes intercession for us. We do know that all things work together for good to those that love God.
Now that is when we have received Christ as our Savior.
And then he is the captain of our salvation, is bringing us home to glory. Does he know what he's doing? Does he make any mistakes? Sometimes you I ask people for directions and sometimes the directions aren't always just accurate and it's a little hard to find the way, but.
It's not that way when God undertakes to bring us home to glory.
He knows what he's doing. He never makes a mistake. The Bible says, As for God, his way is perfect. And isn't this lovely here? It says we know that all things work together for good. And you know many dear parents who have seen their child go through some sickness or some trouble.
Over and over again they have quoted this verse. We know that all things work together for good.
Some sorrow comes into their life. What a consolation to know that God is in control of everything, that nothing happens by chance, and we can say we love Him and He loves us and He knows what he's doing.
This gives us confidence for our Christian life. I'm speaking now to those that know the Lord, and I know that through my life, and many Christians I'm sure would be happy to say that's certainly true. I proved it over and over again. The Lord gives you confidence in Him. When the trouble comes, He just stands right beside you and you know that He's working out his own purpose, even perhaps while the tears.
Rundown your cheeks. And that's why, dear friends, I read the next verse.
Because notice what the next verse says. For whom he did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren.
The Lord knows when trials come in our lives, how it's often difficult to see how this could really work for good. And so I read the next verse to show that God has a purpose that He is working out in our lives. I've sometimes used this illustration. Perhaps it helps to bring home the point that I'm Speaking of. Did you ever start to read a storybook and you came to a very sad chapter in the story?
And oh, it's just you didn't see how it could possibly workout. Everything looks so dark and so sad. Perhaps the tears come into your eyes and you couldn't for bear any longer. What did you do? Well, I guess we've all done it. You'll look over to see how the story ended and when you know how the story ends.
And then you go back and you read the sad chapter with confidence, don't you? You've done it, haven't you? Solve I And is that what your life is like? And you say, well, I'm in a sad chapter. I don't see how this can ever work out for good.
God says, I'm going to tell you the end of the story. What is the end of life story for the Christian? We're going to be conformed to the image of his Son and he knew all about it beforehand. He was working out his own purposes. What a Savior. We have all friends. I commend them to you. He's a wonderful Savior to know. He knows about you now, and if you're not saved, He knows all about your sins. The Bible says he set our secret sins.
Light of his countenance. We can hide them from father and mother and friends, but not from God. But the God who knows all is the one who took up the question of sin, the one who settled it for his own glory. The one who wants to be your Savior. The one who wants you to know that you have eternal life. The one who wants you to know that heaven is your home and that you're going to be in that home another day. And he wants you to know that through life.
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He's working things out for good.
Oh, how wonderful that he gives us all these assurances. Oh, you say the world song full of so full of uncertainty. So it is. But the Christian life is full of certainty. The Christian life is all God's assurances. And when there's something that we don't know, like in that 26th verse, and then we trust God about it because the things that we do know can never spoil the wonderful things that we don't know can never spoil the wonderful things.
We do know they are just so wonderful. It fills our hearts with rejoicing. Well, I must turn to another passage before I close, and that's the second of Romans.
The second chapter of Romans.
And the second verse.
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commits such things. And thinkest thou this old man, that judges them to do such things, and do us the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God, or despise us, thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God.
Leadeth thee to repentance.
But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wroth.
And against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds all friends, isn't it remarkable that God changes the word when He talks here about judgment? He doesn't use that beautiful characteristic word of null, but he does say we are sure, we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth.
You know, in the courts of the land, you may not always get justice.
Among your friends, you may sometimes be misjudged when you really were not at fault. Now these things happen constantly in life and that people make mistakes in the judgments they form. But God will make no mistake. He is going to execute righteous judgment about if you go on in your sins, remember.
You're despising the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering that wants to lead you to repentance.
Seeking to lead you tonight to the point where you'll take your place as a Sinner and receive Christ. Are you despising His goodness? He's kept you alive till this day in 1977. Are you going to despise His patience? Are you going to walk out of this room another time unsaved without Christ and say, I don't care? I say to your friend, you're really despising His goodness and His.
Forbearance and his long-suffering. He's left you here to this night that you might be saved. Why don't you accept the Lord Jesus? I say again, what have you got to lose by receiving him? Yes, you would lose something. Thank God for it. I lost my sins. They're gone in the blood of Christ. But I received all that God delights to bestow the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Will you have this blessed Savior tonight?
But you'll receive him and rest upon his word and have these assurances that God wants you to have and walk out of this room and say, thank God, I have Christ, I have peace with God. And then you can say, I, like Marjorie Feeder could say I have the Lord. Oh, it's wonderful, friends. It's not just a feeling, it's a person. Have you got him? He wants to be your Savior tonight.
Receive him this moment.
And peace shall be dying.
The Sheep of the Flock
Address—P.L. Johnson
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Let's turn to John's Gospel, Chapter 9.
I suppose we should read the entire chapter to have the story before us.
And Jesus passed, and as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. The night cometh when no man can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground and made play of the spittle. And he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Salam, which is by interpretation sent. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him, that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is He, others said He is like Him, But he said, I am He Therefore said they unto him, How are thine eyes open?
He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Shalom and wash. And I went and washed, and I received sight.
Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
They broke to the Pharisees Him that aforetime was blind.
And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and due see.
Therefore, said some of the Pharisees, this man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day.
Others said how can a man that is a Sinner do such miracles and there was a division among them.
They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou with him, that he hath opened thine eyes?
He said he is a prophet, but the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, and they asked them, saying, Is this your son who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?
His parents answered to them and said we know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
But by what means he now seeth we know not, or who hath opened his eyes we know not.
He is of age. Ask him, he shall speak for himself.
These words make his parents because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already.
That if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
Therefore, said his parents, he is of age. Ask him.
And again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise.
We know that this man is a Sinner.
He answered and said, whether he be a Sinner or no, I know not one thing. I know that whereas I was blind, now I see.
Then said they to him again, What did he do thee? How open he thine eyes? He answered them, I've told you already, and you did not hear. Wherefore would you hear it again? Will you also be his disciples? Then they reviled him and said, Thou his disciples. But we are Moses disciples.
We know that God spake unto Moses. As for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that you know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God here is not sinners. But if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Since the world began, was not was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind?
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
They answered and said unto him, Thou hast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
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He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou has both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him.
And Jesus said for judgment, I am coming to this world, that they which see not might see.
And that they which see might be made blind, And some of the fairest each which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Jesus said unto them, If you were blind, you should have no sin. But now you say, we see.
Therefore your sin remaineth.
You know the Gospel of John.
Is written for believers? Really.
It's written as we had before last evening.
That we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. It's really written for believers. When I say believers, those who.
Have some knowledge of Christianity and of the Lord Jesus. It's not written.
As it were to the Sinner who knows nothing of these things, but it's really written for.
The believer to read lead him on into the knowledge of the truth of the Person of Christ as the one who brings in everything that is according to God and for God's mind, as well As for blessing for man.
That verse that we read last night, I just want to refer to it again and act in the 20th chapter.
Of John's Gospel.
Verse 30.
You'll notice how it emphasizes these signs that were done in the presence of his disciples.
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples. It's emphasized that it was done in the presence of his disciples. And you will find that on more than one occasion in John's Gospel that when the Lord did perform a miracle, it says then his disciples believed on him.
So you see, it's really written to those who take the ground of being disciples.
And it's written in order to lead one on to the full knowledge of the Son of God, and that showing that everything is connected with the Son of God.
Now for a moment, I'd like to just speak a little way in contrast of the ministry of John and in contrast with perhaps Paul, especially these two.
Now, I'm not going to say that John speaks of the Church as such in his writings. We know that the church, as far as I know, is never named by John in his gospel or his epistles.
He has brings before us the children of God, the family of God.
And yet he does really refer or allude to the Church.
In his writings.
Because He brings before us those who compose the Church, the family of God, the children of God. He brings them before us, as we have here in the ninth and 10th chapters of His gospel, as the flock.
The flock of God. And I believe in Chapter 11 and 12 of His gospel he brings before us the Church as the family of God. And then in the 20th chapter of his gospel, he brings before us the Church as his brethren.
Now, as I say, he doesn't formally speak of the Church as such, and he doesn't give us the order that pertains to the Church.
We find that in Paul's doctrine.
It was given to Paul.
To set forth.
At the order of the Church, it's Paul who has been given the light of the present dispensation.
Which is essentially the dispensation of the church.
But John does bring before us the Church, not in its, you might say, its outward character, or in its character is the house or the body. What he brings before us the Church in its moral character, that is, he brings before us the moral, moral characteristics.
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That characterize those of us who are members of the church.
The flock of God and the family of God, and as his brethren.
In other words, it's the same people John is speaking about, the same persons that Paul speaks about when he speaks of the body of Christ. He's talking about those who belong to the Lord. And as I say, though he doesn't speak up formally as the church, it's the same ones brought before us, but more the moral characteristics.
Now we find, too, that the Church is brought out in the Gospel of Matthew.
I don't think that Mark brings before us anything of the church or Luke especially, but but we find that Matthew does. Matthew brings before us the church.
And it's in connection with the ways of God, with man on the earth.
Showing that the assembly or the church replaces Israel as God's administrative center on the earth.
As in the Old Testament, Israel was the center of all of the divine operations, you might say, on the earth. God, as he worked in this world, worked through that nation. Now that in Matthew's Gospel we see that Israel is set aside because of their rejection of the Lord Jesus and the assembly, the church, which Christ says I will build.
Replaces Israel and becomes the divine center, the center of all operations. And that's really the.
Background of Matthew 18, where we have the place of the assembly as having authority, and then also that wonderful verse of Matthew 1820, for where two or three are gathered together into My name, there am I in the midst of them. It speaks of the assembly as the center of divine administration on the earth.
I do not believe that Matthew 1820 necessarily of itself is speaking from the standpoint of the Lord being in the midst to bless His people, though of course He does. I'm not saying there is no blessing connected with that word and Matthew 1820, but what I do believe is that the Lord might be in the midst of two or three gathered.
Two or three believers gathered to bless them wherever they're gathered or whatever ground they might be gathered on.
If there is a true state of heart and if there is a desire to honor the Lord and they're walking in the light that they have.
Now some may find it difficulty in that, but personally I do believe that the Lord does bless in the midst of those who are not gathered on scriptural ground, where there is, you might say, faithfulness to the life that they have received in the present broken state, not only of the church generally, but even the divided state of those professedly gathered to the name of the Lord.
Christ, I believe it would be wrong to say that the Lord does not bless.
Where they're gathered on unscriptural ground, if there is faithfulness to the life that they have, the Lord does bless their. But Matthew 1820 goes beyond just the fact of the Lord blessing souls through His Word or through ministry or something of that sort. It really delineates and sets out the divine center on earth that God recognizes as having authority.
So only those.
Who would be gathered truly to the name of the Lord Jesus on the ground of the assembly as the Body of Christ?
And not in connection with any divisions could we own that their acts are authoritative and binding. It really has to do with divine administration, that which is owned and recognized as being of God and has authority.
Well, I mentioned that because I think it's well that we see.
That while Paul is the one who gives us chiefly the Church as to its constitution and its order, its destiny, its calling.
And he is the one who sets it up, you might say, by his ministry in order.
It's in Paul's writings, in Paul's ministry, that we find the details of how the church functions.
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Not found in the other writers, John and in Matthew's Gospel we don't have the details as to the function of the church.
We find that chiefly in Corinthians, of course, where we have how the church functions when it comes together.
Well, yet we do find the church brought out as I've been speaking in Matthew's Gospel.
In connection with the ways of God, with man on the earth, administratively, and it's in connection in John's Gospel.
We might say that we have the Church in connection with the with the moral characteristics.
The moral features that characterize the Saints who compose the Church.
Well now with those introductory words, let us look at this 9th chapter that we read, and we must do so. Read chapter nine really in the light of chapter 10.
Because it's in chapter 10 that we have the flock brought before us and the sheep.
Before we touch on Chapter 9, let us just refer to chapter 10 for a moment. Verse.
16.
The Lord had been Speaking of the sheep that belonged to in the sheep food, and how that He comes to that sheepfold, and He leads His sheep out of that.
Sheepfold. He puts them out.
And they follow him. And now in verse 16 he says, other sheep I have, which are not of this fold.
This fold of course, as we know was Israel. The sheep fold was, was the nation Israel and Judaism as the religion connected with it. And the sheep in the sheepfold were those who were the children of God there. You know, in the beginning of John's Gospel chapter one we read that he came into his own and his own received him not. That is, he came to Israel, his own people, and they received him not.
They knew from the prophecies who he was, but they received him not, but as many as received him to them gave he authority it should be to become the children of God, even to them that believe upon his name. Well, they're they're the sheep of Christ. His sheep were brought out into evidence.
You see, before He came, you might say that there was nothing to distinguish the true sheep from the rest of the nation. But when the Lord comes, the true sheep are distinguished because they receive Him.
And he owns them as my sheep. And those of Israel who rejected him, of course, were not his sheep. They were not of his sheep, as he tells them here in the 10th chapter. That's the sheep of this fold of Israel. But here in 16th verse of chapter 10, he says I have other sheep.
I have other sheep.
Now what he's saying here is that there are children of God.
Born of God's Spirit who were outside the nation Israel.
Well, the Jews didn't think about anything like this. And it's such a, it was such a unknown thing that, you know, Peter was astonished when he came to the House of Cornelius and saw the faith of that man.
And when he saw carnitas there, he says now I perceive of a truth that he that in every nation is a worshiper of God. He says is is accepted of God. He recognized that there were truly those outside of Israel in whose heart the Spirit of God had worked and they were born of God and they belong to God. When I what the Lord is saying here that he's going to bring them all together.
The sheep who were his sheep in Israel.
The sheep who were his sheep among the Gentiles. He says I'm going to bring them all together and notice he says there shall be one flock, not one fold, but one flock and one shepherd. It is a different word from the word fold in the beginning of this 16th verse.
And the King James we have the word fold twice in the Greek the first word is properly.
Fold. The last one is properly flocked.
And I'm sure that we understand the difference. As have been often pointed out, you see those who were in the fold, they are kept together.
They're maintained, you might say, in their unity by means of of a external surroundings. A fold is an enclosure, and they were kept together by means of an enclosure. But a flock is kept together by means of the shepherd, by being gathered around himself.
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Well, you can see how this speaks of the Church. Though the Church is not formally spoken of here, yet we know that the one flock is the Church. The Saints of God in the present age all gathered around the one shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church. I refer to this because for two reasons. One, I I wanted to show how that John does speak of the Church.
Though not formally calling it the Church, yet he speaks of those who compose it, and he gives its moral characteristic as being the sheep of Christ, and gathered around the one shepherd. The sheep of Christ will now, in the 10th chapter, or the 9th chapter rather, that we read, we have brought before us the way in which.
One is made to be a sheep of Christ.
In other words, in the 9th chapter we have the work of the Spirit of God, the work of God.
Through the Lord Jesus.
In making 1A sheep of Christ.
And giving him those moral features and characteristics that belong to a sheep of Christ, that really qualifies him to be a part of that one flock.
Where there will be the one Shepherd.
And you will notice the important thing that we have in the 9th chapter of John that we read.
It's not so much here a question or the point of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for us.
But it's the work of God in US. Notice how that's brought out in verse.
3.
This is an answer to the question of the disciples.
Who were thinking of the government of God, the governmental ways of God, under which they as Jews, had been?
And their fathers had been, but we find that the characteristic feature of the Old Testament in God's ways with man in the Old Testament.
Was an exhibition of his ways in government. The nation Israel were under him governmentally, and we know of course that.
The Lord God did say in the Old Testament that He would visit the iniquity upon the Fathers even under the third generation.
In the governmental ways of God, often the children suffered for the sins of the Father.
Well, that was what was in the minds, no doubt of the disciples here, but the answer of the Lord in verse 3 is this.
Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God.
Should be made manifest in Him.
There's two things I want to point out here that we need to note carefully. First of all, it's the works. It's plural and not not singular. It's not the work of God, but the works of God.
And it's not the work of the works of God for him, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. In other words, it's the working of God within.
Producing a moral and spiritual result.
Now you know we we want to keep to two of the two aspects of God's work in relation to the believer in proper balance. We find in the Word of God the work of God for us. That is what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross of Calvary when He suffered for our sins.
And our sins have been put away, we've been justified, and we've been forgiven. And that perfect work has brought us into a perfect standing before God in Christ, so that there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
But there is also the fact of the works of God in us to produce in us a moral and spiritual result. I mean by that, you know, we are not just what we might say, machines. You know you can, you can take an inanimate machine.
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And you can make that machine do anything you want it to do.
You can. You can alter it. You can construct it in such a way that it just responds to whatever you wanted to do according to the way you have made it.
But in our salvation, it's not just something external and outside of us. God actually works in us as well to really produce a moral effect and result. And you'll notice here also the word manifest that the works of God should be made manifest.
And we find in the course of this chapter that this very thing occurs.
We see that there is a work of God in this man and it becomes manifest. There is an actual change in Him.
He sees things that he he says things that he would have never said before.
He believes things that he never believed before. He responded in a way that he never responded before.
Well, you see, these are these are moral things.
These are moral features and characteristics so that the children of God who are brought into the assembly, the Church of God, why they're not there just as, as I say, automats or something of that sort. There are, though, there as those who have actually had a moral effect produced in their souls by the work of God. It's not some psychological effect, but it's a true work of the Spirit of God.
Well, I thought that we might just trace through the history of this man in this chapter to see how this is produced and what they are. We know, of course, his condition was one of blindness.
Now I think the thought of blindness would bring before us the thought that one is not able to see things as he ought. It would speak of the moral condition in which man is found in this world, every one of us.
You see already that this chapter is not dealing so much with our sins.
It's true we're all sinners and we have to have our sins put away, but not only that, but we are morally blinded.
This is the condition of man in the flesh. This is the condition of man apart from the work of God in his soul.
To produce a moral result. He's morally and spiritually blind. I emphasize that I think it's important for us to ever keep this before us.
For, you know, we come into contact with men.
And others in this world who are very clever.
And they might be very intellectual and they might be able to present things very forcibly and in a dynamic way, but unless they are true sheep of Christ, they are morally and spiritually blind.
And if we listen to them and if we take up with their ideas or their philosophies in any way.
We're going to be following blind leaders.
The wonderful thing is that the child of God, the sheep of Christ, the one who's in the flock, those of us who are brought into the Assembly of God by God as he would build it up, all those who have their eyes opened, well, I notice how it's done.
The Lord comes to this man, and we see here his action in verse 6.
That he spat upon the ground and made clear of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man.
Well, I have no doubt but what we have here, symbolic actions of the Lord, as we have frequently in John's Gospel.
John uses a symbolic language and uses various.
Symbolic actions to bring before us moral and spiritual truths.
Well, perhaps here the Lord is the spittle would speak perhaps of the efficacy that is in Himself.
As the Son of God, the vitality that belongs to Himself is the Son of God.
And the clay, or the ground that he used to make the clay from, would speak, perhaps of his humanity.
Well, you'll notice here that this is all in connection with him as the sent one.
Sent one is the one who came down from heaven, as we had before us last evening.
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The Word become flesh, the Son of God come down as a man in manhood, and as such he was sent by God. Well here this is put upon the eyes of the blind man. And of course the that in itself did not produce sight. In fact, one might say that that would only add to the blindness.
Because putting this clay upon the eyes would, even if he was able to see what inhibits sight, and certainly it did not do anything to give the man's sight. So the point is.
That the Lord Jesus though he might be known and apprehended.
After some fashion.
Or at least in a certain degree, but not really apprehended as the scent one of the Father 1 does not really receive sight thereby. And so we find that there are those in the the profession and Christendom, we find that they have a certain apprehension of the Lord Jesus. And when I say certain, I mean by that they do not go on to embrace the truth of his person as the one sent down from above.
But they have.
At least an apprehension of the Lord Jesus to a certain degree. But they're still morally blind. They're not able to judge and to discern things according to the mind of God.
For they have not apprehended the Lord Jesus as the sent one. This is why he says to this man that he should go to the Pool of Siloam.
Which by interpretation is sent and it was only when he goes to that pool and washes.
That he receives his sight, that is, it's when he apprehends it has before his soul the Lord Jesus.
As the one sent from God into this world to accomplish the will of God and to bring that eternal life.
Down from above to our souls.
That he receives his sight.
Well, you know, I was thinking.
That it's really when we see the Lord Jesus in that character of the scent one. Now this involves perhaps more than what we've been accustomed to think.
I feel that receiving or apprehending the Lord Jesus as the sent one of God means.
That the 1St man.
And all of us are descendants of the first man. We are all a part of that class or that category called the 1St man.
The Lord Jesus was sent into this world because the 1St man is unacceptable to God. As God looks down, He said that the end of all flesh. Of course we know these were the very words uttered back in Genesis before the blood at the end of all flesh has come before me. Well, that was really what was in God's thoughts when He sent the Lord Jesus.
As a man, the 2nd man, the last Adam, because the 1St man is holy, inadequate.
We find it summed up in Romans 3. They are together become unprofitable. Well, I wonder if we really apprehended this as believers. Do you apprehend the fact that man in the flesh, man in his own human nature, in his human faults?
And in those ways that are according to nature that he is, as far as God is concerned, unprofitable, unprofitable. And so the Lord Jesus as the sent one displaces and takes the place of the first man in this world. Now that really I believe is the is the theme of the Gospel of John.
Is that all that of man, all that there is of the first man in his religion? Especially because we find the the Jews prominent in the Gospel of John, not not Israelites, but Jews. That's religious man, religious man. And the Lord Jesus as the sent one sets him aside and displaces him entirely.
And you know, we find here in this chapter how that this blind man, this man who was blind and whose eyes are open, is brought to apprehend that, and he's brought to enter into it in a very real and practical way. You see, when the Lord Jesus came into this world, not only did He displace the 1St man, but He stood apart from everything that was of man.
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You know when the Lord was born.
Where He was born, do you not? He was born in a Manger. There was number room for Him at the end. Now I know this has often been pointed out that it's his rejection, that is there was no room for Him in the end. But on the other hand, I believe it was fitting that the Lord Jesus should be born in that Manger as showing that when He comes into this world, He stands apart from all that man values.
You see, men value their standing in this world.
And an inn or a hotel is really sort of, you might say is a the measure of a man standing for we know, of course, if the president comes to a hotel, he doesn't get the the mage room, he gets the chief room. And if a very wealthy man comes, he's able to hire the the best room to the presidential suite if the president isn't there. But of course, if he's there.
If a man is in the presidential suite and the president comes to town, well, that man will have to leave.
And because a greater than he has come along, and is the place in which men standing in this world is measured.
While the Lord was apart from all of it, He was out there in the Manger. And I believe it shows that when the Lord was here and He was all the way through his life, he stood apart from all that the 1St man was pursuing. And the place that the 1St man might have all the other apart from it as the scent 1 not only rejected, but he himself was morally apart.
From all that man valued in this world.
When I will find this blind man ends up in the same place?
Just to anticipate a moment, we find that he was finally cast out.
So that he was outside his home, He was outside his religion, he was out of the synagogue. He didn't have a country, he didn't have a home, he didn't have a religion, he didn't have anything. He was just like the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus was outside of all these things.
Now, I'm not saying now that we're not talking about the aspects of home life. We're talking about now the rejection and being outside of that that belongs to the first man in his world in his ways.
The Lord was apart from it all. And that's really where this man eventually ends up. And you know, an interesting thing is this. The Lord, after he opens the eyes of this blind man, he goes away and he doesn't return and really reveal himself to this blind man or this man who received his sight until he was cast out. You'll notice you remember that in verse.
End of verse 34. They cast him out. Then he says Jesus heard that they had cast him out. Then he comes to him. The Lord Jesus says, as it were. Now he's in moral correspondence with myself. He's just like I am. He's cast up. He's outside of it all. He's really apprehended me as the sent one. He's outside of man's religion. He's outside of man's ways.
And all that man values, he's outside of it all. And now he is a true sheep of mine. He's in the place of a true follower and and he's a candidate, you might say, for this flock that I'm going to farm. And he comes to him. He comes to him. He really takes that place. Well, I think that this is what is involved in the works of God being manifested in one that is that God works in our hearts to deliver us in a practical way from.
Ways of this world, its philosophies, its pursuits, its motives, its objects, its delights. To be outside of it all. Just like he was outside of it all, and just like he is outside of it all. Because that's where he leads his sheep. Outside of all this. That's where this man is found.
But there's a little process that he goes through here. Notice now when his eyes are opened.
After he apprehended, the first thing we might say is that this man is brought into the light. He was in darkness before the first thing he brought into the light.
And as I say, we want to apply this as it should be, a moral light. He's brought into the light morally. He's able now to see things in a light that he had never seen them before.
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And of course, This is why, as Paul says in First Corinthians 2, that.
He that is spiritual judgeth all things, or discerneth all things, and yet he is discerned of no man.
And also John in his epistle chapter 3 says therefore the world.
Knoweth us not because it knew not him.
Well, you see the world does not see things in the light that we see things, we see them in the light of of God. We have the light of light. You know, the Lord said earlier and I think John eight, he that followeth me shall have the light of life. When we have that divine life, that eternal life, there's light in connection, in connection with it. And so we're able to judge things round about. We come across something.
World and we say this does not comport with the life that I have in Christ. It doesn't fit. It doesn't answer to the life that I have. And so I judge it in the light of the life that I have in Christ and I say it doesn't fit. And so I reject it. It's darkness, it isn't light. And so this man, the first thing he's brought into the light, he's brought into the light. And I've often thought what a great mercy of God it is.
That we have the light of life.
Think of the terrible condition that we would be in this very evening. Suppose we, some as older ones, some as young people, suppose in your, in your, in your young life, that you had no more life.
Souls who are still in darkness without Christ, think of the think of the stumblings and the gropings about. Think of how they're tossed to and fro. Think of how they're frightened by this happening or by this. Think of how they're influenced under this movement and influenced under another movement. And they're just tossed to and fro because they're in the they're in that blindness. They're in that darkness. And the child of God has the light. He's been brought into the light and he can look at things and.
Says he says these things are not right, these things are not right, or this is the way I should walk. He has the light of life. Well, this man had light. This man had light. That's the first thing he's brought into the light. Then the next thing he's brought under the authority of the word of God. Notice how that's brought out.
When they came to him and wanted to know how he was, had his eyes open.
And he said to them in verse 11.
A man that is called Jesus, Well he says this man told me to go to the pool of Siloam and wash and I went and washed.
And they said unto him, Were easy. I said it all now.
And not only that, but later on when they questioned him again in verse 17.
They asked him, What do you say about this man, that he hath opened dynamics, and the man says he is a prophet.
Now how did he know he was a prophet? He didn't really know who Jesus was.
From this passage he said he's a prophet.
You know how you knew he was a prophet? Because he knew the effect of the word that Jesus spoke reached right down into his heart and conscience. It was the effect of the Word of God, and he received it as the Word of God. That's what a prophet means. See, a prophet is one who speaks on God's behalf.
A prophet in Scripture is not necessarily one who foretells future events, though.
That would be one part of the office of a prophet, but we find that primarily a prophet in Scripture is one who speaks for God.
And just like the woman in John 4, when the Lord's reached her conscience, she says, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Oh yes, the word of God reached. And she knew it was more than just the words of a man. It was the word of God. That's prophetic speaking. When he said he's a prophet, he was brought under the authority of that word. He recognized that's the word of God. And you know, I'd like to say, young people.
When it comes to this being the word of God.
I really believe that it is futile to try to prove to anyone.
Who asked us to prove that this is the word of God? I really cannot prove it to be the word of God by any external argument or means.
But to me, the proof of it being the Word of God is its effect on the heart and conscience. There is no other book or writing found in this world that affects the heart and conscience like this book that we have in our hands this evening.
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And This is why men hate the book.
There is no other reason if if one is rational, one will have to admit. Now really, if this were just the words of men, what reason would men have to be so strong and desperate to prove it not to be the word of God?
There is no other book that's ever been found in this world that has been the subject of such scrutiny.
In order to disprove it than the Bible, and that's an absolute fact. All one has to do is just look in the history of the thing and you'll find that there's no writings of any man or of any religious group that has been subjected to such scrutiny and such untiring opposition with the sole effort of proving it's not the word of God.
And what amazes me is this.
All of those men.
That have fought the word of God and blasphemed it, and men that have spent years and years. Maybe some are not aware of the fact that especially 150 or so years ago in Germany, they were men. I just mentioned one man, Julius Wellhausen. That man was a Hebrew scholar.
Probably without a peer in his generation.
That man spent a lifetime. He started, I knew something, read something of his life. He started studying Hebrew at the age of seven, and he mastered the language. He studied it. He knew practically every letter and every word of the whole Old Testament. And on the effect of all of this learning was an effort to try to disprove the Old Testament of being the word of God. Think of all of that. Well, where is that man today? He's gone.
And the Bible is still here.
And the Bible is still doing what it did in his day, that is saving souls, enlightening souls, liberating souls, bringing the light of God to soul, still doing the same thing with all of his attacks, with all of his erudition, with all of all of that that he did. And he was not the only one. There were many others. They've all passed off. And the thing, therefore fighting is still here and still working, still reaching hearts, still reaching conscience.
Still speaking to my heart, in your heart. Well, isn't it wonderful? Isn't that proof enough? Just like this man said. Well, I can't tell you about this man, but all what he said, how it reached my heart and look at the effects. My eyes are open. You see, we know the Word of God by its effects, morally and spiritually, the liberation that it brings. Well, so this man was. So the second thing is he's brought under the authority of the Word of God.
And you know, that's where God would bring us into the light.
And then under the authority of the Word of God, not just to know truth, but under the authority of the Word, so that we are governed by it, just like this man was.
Notice too, if you remember in our reading through this chapter, how that he was questioned not once, twice, but three times as to how his eyes were open and the man held his ground all the way through. He said the same thing every time. There was stability, there was steadfastness because he'd been brought into the light. Well, you know, that's a that's a real.
You might say moral result.
That there is produced in our souls that that stability.
That ability to stand one's ground as having been brought into the light and under the authority of the Word of God. Well, I know sometimes that there might be those who want to, who are disposed to argue, and maybe we're not able to answer them, but we know that we're in the light and we have the authority of the Word of God and we stand our ground. We hold our ground.
Even though we might be repeatedly questioned and sought to be stumbled as this man wants.
Not only that, I noticed, as I as I mentioned while ago, that he finally ends up outside. He's cast out.
He's cast out and he has nothing. He's out of his home. He's cast out, as it were, from his country.
And he's out of his religion. But then the Lord comes to him, and what does he say to him in verse 35?
When the Lord finds him, he says to him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
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And he answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
But I noticed here the attitude of this man. First of all, who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Now, in this sense, we can be seekers if we're seeking truth and the light of God with a genuine desire to embrace and to believe and to apprehend that which is presented. Why that's a good state.
But if it's not spiritual law of wanting to know something just as a matter of curiosity or to answer our curious questions, it's another matter. But he says, who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? There was a desire to want to go further in the truth of God and to know more of Christ.
Well, you know, this is this is a real moral effect of being brought into the light and under the authority of the word of God.
Why? It is that we have a desire then to know more of the Lord Jesus, to know more of the revelations of God.
In order that we might embrace them. In order that we might embrace them.
That's the thought here, but it's remarkable. He says to him, dost thou believe on the Son of God? Just thou believe on the Son of God. Again, it's the the truth of the person, the Son of God. What does that bring before us? The Son of God brings before us the one who brings in the one, you might say, who brings in everything that is of God.
In blessing from man and for the glory of God.
Yet we find it all in him. He's the one who brings it all in. This in a way, would tie in somewhat with the with the ministry of Paul. We know that Paul was the one who preached Jesus as the Son of God in the book of Acts.
And he presents the Lord Jesus as the one in whom we have everything, and we don't have to go outside of Him for anything.
Well, I think that's the thought here. He's saying to this man, you've lost your religion, you've lost your home, you've lost your country, but all look at all that I bring in from God, the whole new world for you, a whole new world. Well, it's true. You know, God has a world of blessing. He has a world of light, and he has a world of glory, all in connection with the Son of God, all in connection with his beloved Son. And he says that you've lost.
Everything down here, but you have it all in me, everything now it's all that he brings in from God for men and for the glory of God. Well, that's what we have as being the sheep of Christ brought into this one flock with the one shepherd. It's it's the works of God in US. And so we're brought to believe on the Son of God. That is, we're actually engaged in our hearts and in our conscience and in our desires and in our.
We are engaged in pursuing and enjoying and being in the good and benefit.
Of all that's connected with the Lord Jesus.
Well, that doesn't mean, of course, that we have no nothing to do whatsoever with earning a livelihood and the practical things and the day by day things of this world. But it means that these are no longer an object for our heart. They're no longer the pursuit of our life. They're no longer that which really engages our attention and our affections. But it's what's in it's what's connected with the Son of God, the Lord Jesus and all that has been brought in with him and in this way.
Of practical deliverance.
We might hear of things going on in this world. We take note of them. It's sort of like those, you know, of Gideon's army that left up the water, by the way. They didn't kneel down and and come under the power of it. They partook of the water. They had that little refreshment, but they had their eyes toward the enemy. And it was, as it were, just a drink, by the way, so that we take up anything in this world in that way. It's just a sort of a temporary thing. We take it up in a passing way.
Because our true pursuits and objects is all in connection with the Son of God. I believe that's what's involved here.
In believing on him as the Son of God is being brought into practical connection with Himself.
The center of a whole new world that God has opened up to us now in connection.
With the Lord Jesus Christ, well we read here that he believed and he worshipped him. Well, it's, it's a sort of, as I say, we see here the works of God manifest in this man as a sheep of Christ. It's the works of God in him. This is what God would produce in US. And if there is not hindrance.
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By our wills, that will be produced and we will find ourselves enjoying that light.
We will find ourselves under the authority of the Word of God and thirsting Lord. Tell me about it so that I might believe the desire of going on and learning more, and we'll find ourselves in the enjoyment of that world in connection with the Son of God.
So it is that I'm presenting here what I believe the Scriptures would put before as the normal moral condition that belongs to those of us who are the sheep of Christ.
Two Expeditions of Peter
Address—J. Brereton
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Well dear young people, I would like to look this afternoon at 2 occasions in the word of God. Well known occasions I'm sure to most of us here.
Where the Apostle Peter was a leader on two occasions he led an expedition that consisted of seven men. And I'd like to look at those two occasions this afternoon and see perhaps.
A very marked contrast in the circumstances that gave rise to what Peter and those who were with him did and what flowed from it. The first time is in the 21St chapter of John's Gospel. So perhaps if you would turn there with me, we'll read a few verses. John's Gospel chapter 21. After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias, and on this wise showed he himself.
There were together Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus.
And Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee.
And two other of his disciples.
Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately. And that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said unto them, Children.
Have ye any meat? They answered him No.
And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find they cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he gird his fishers cloak unto him, for he was naked, and it cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were 200 cubits, dragging the net with fishes.
As soon then, as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coal.
And a fish laid thereon, and bred Jesus up unto them. Bring up the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes. And 150 and three, and for all. There were so many, yet was not the net broken. We have here, dear young people, a portion that I'm perhaps many of us have heard before.
There is a dispensational teaching here.
Tight for us to see how blessing is going to flow to the Gentiles in the Millennium.
But I believe, dear young people, that there is for us, for you, and for me, a very precious lesson to learn in a very practical way for our souls now.
Peter we find here.
Becomes, it seems, impatient with waiting, and he decides that he is going fishing.
Now you will recall how the Lord had called Peter from fishing. If you were to turn back to the fifth chapter of Luke's gospel, you would find there how the Lord had called Peter to be a Fisher of men.
Peter decides here that he is going fishing.
And we find that there is no waiting upon the Lord, no looking to the Lord for direction.
Nor seeking the Lord's mind. No praying about it, just a decision.
I'm going fishing. Dear young people, do we ever find ourselves making decisions like that where we decide this is what I'm going to do? I've decided that this is what I'm going to do with my life. I've decided that this is what my line of work is going to be. I have decided that this is where I'm going to live. I have decided this is the course I'm going to proceed on.
Perhaps even I have decided who my partner in life is going to be without there being first turning to the Lord and seeking.
Mine, and without there being dear young people, that submission.
To the word of the Lord, that the Lord would have seen in your life and mind. You know, if there had been a submission here on the part of Peter, the question would never have arisen as to whether he was going fishing or not. He had been called from that to be a Fisher of men. But we also learn here a very valuable lesson also.
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In that what we do effects others.
LED six other men with himself into a course.
Of his choosing. All dear young people, what a blessing, and I truly mean it. What an immense blessing dear young Saints of God can be when their feet are found in the way of right. What a blessing they can be to other young people. What an encouragement they can be. What a help they can be. Because the word of God tells us no man liveth unto himself, and no man dies unto himself.
And you know, dear young people, what you do, the course that you follow.
Effects others. So we find with the Apostle Peter that when he said I'm going fishing.
The response from six other people?
Whereas we also go with thee.
We find it affected Thomas, Nathaniel, James, and John, the sons of Zebedee and two other unknown disciples. They were affected by Peter's decision to walk in the course of his own choosing, without there being a submission, a reference to the word of God, and without there being any waiting upon the Lord in prayer. Well, we find that Peter says, I go fishing. They say unto him, We also go.
With thee they went forth and entered into a ship immediately again. We find here, dear young people, a further lesson for us, I believe. Do you know, very often, very often, the course of self will appears to be made very easy for us, very easy for us. I think of one like Jonah, Jonah who was determined to go to Tarshish, and he found a ship waiting already to take it.
Or couldn't Jonah say, I guess everything is opening up for me? Look at the way everything is opening up. Everything seems to be going so easily.
Well, dear young people, the fact that things go easily is no indication that you have the Lord's mind about your life or that I have the Lord's mind about mine. We find for the apostle Peter and these six that at the beginning everything seemed to go fine. Here was a ship, and they entered into the ship immediately. You know, they probably didn't even have to work very hard. It's quite a contrast, I might say, to the what we find in the next account when Peter LED six men.
On that occasion, they had to walk 40 miles.
But on this occasion they were able to simply get into a ship and start out. But then we find that the word of God tells us that that night they caught nothing. They caught nothing. All beloved young people. What a wasted night. What a wasted night. That which started out without any.
Reference to the Lord that which started out without any consultation.
Of the Word of God. That which started out without prayer, seeking the Lord's mind for their course, ended up in a wasted night. A wasted night, dear brother, that's here. This afternoon has often reminded us that the Word of God shows us that we can have a saved soul, but a lost life.
That is a life that has been spent for self and we find out that it catches nothing.
It becomes a waste, a lost time. The Word of God tells us to redeem the time, but sad to say, when we go in the course of our own choosing, we lose time. We waste time. Time is gone. Dear young people that can never be recovered, I can never call back yesterday.
And change the record. It has been entered into that record that will be manifested that the judgment seat of Christ.
And I cannot change it. I cannot change it. Well, for Peter and those with him, the time came when they spent this whole night and caught nothing.
And then it tells us the fourth verse. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
All beloved young people, how wonderful to realize that the Lord loves you and me too much to let us go on in our course of self will. The Lord is going to come and stand on the shore and he's going to speak to us. But the sad thing is that very often when his voice.
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Speaks to us. We don't recognize that it is Him. We don't recognize that it is He who is seeking to turn us.
Seeking to exercise our consciences, seeking to wake us up to that course of self will that is producing no fruit for God. I think it is so lovely to see how here the Lord Jesus stood on the shore. You know, I, I trust I can say this reverently because what I've enjoyed in my own soul is this. The Lord Jesus could not.
Could not. Speaking reverently, he could not join them in the ship. He could not.
Enter into that course of self will with them.
But speaking reverently, he drew as closely as he could to speak to their conscience.
To speak to their conscience. And he stood on the shore. He stood on the shore. And what he said to them that day, that morning was children.
Have ye any meat? Have ye any meat? Oh, I'm sure we've many of us have enjoyed this before, have meditated on it and profited by it. I trust you know, one thinks of how many things the Lord Jesus could have said to these seven. I often think of how many things the Lord Jesus could say to me.
If he chose to, how many times he would have to speak to my conscience about a course of self will?
About that which was disobedience to his word, about that which allowed the flesh to act, about the course, about the court, about that which was allowed that led to the failure that dishonored him.
Well, the Lord stood on the shore that day, and what He said to these disciples was, children, have you any meat? If I could put it perhaps. In other words, what He was saying to them was, have you found anything in that course of self will to satisfy your heart? Have you found anything in that course that you chose?
Have you found anything that you could there in that court?
Find to satisfy your hunger all beloved young people. How many many dear beloved young Saints of God.
Have decided out of a hunger that they have felt for something to reach out.
In that course of self will for what they thought was good.
Only to find out that there was no meat there. There was nothing to satisfy. You know, Eve tried it. She reached for what was on the tree, but it didn't satisfy her heart. All it did was give her a bad conscience so that she had to hide from God. Oh, what a tragic thing it is. Nothing to satisfy.
Had the any meat and the answer was number no, they had no meat.
They had none.
A wasted night, all beloved young people.
What are you doing with your life? What am I doing with mine? Are we looking to the Lord and asking the Lord to make the choice for us to direct our steps?
Are we asking the Lord to be the one to decide?
What our course is going to be?
Or are we like Peter here saying I'm going this way, I'm going fishing?
Only to have the Lord draw as near as he can to let us hear him say.
There's nothing to satisfy your heart in that course. We find that when he says stood on the shore, the disciples knew not.
That it was Jesus. They didn't recognize who it was.
It's even remarkable.
That they didn't even at first.
Recognize his voice when it says that he stood on the shore. The disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Then Jesus said unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No, still no indication.
That they knew this was the Lord speaking to them, the Lord who was seeking.
To exercise the conscience and to draw them back to the shore.
Where he stood to draw them back to the shore. Where he stood waiting for.
Well, we find the Lord then says, and he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find they cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. You know, we heard a little bit this morning from our brother about grace, and I believe we have here and type a little picture of how grace works, how God overrules in blessing.
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Because Peter could not say that he had the Lord's mind about going fishing.
The Lord had called him from that, but now we see how the Lord in his grace.
Overrule.
And brings blessing out of it. And beloved young people, how many? How many a dear St. of God here this afternoon can bear testimony to the fact that they have failed?
And that there is no excuse for the failure.
But that God has in his infinite grace overruled and brought blessing out of it. God has overruled. But remember, there is never a justification.
A justification for the course of self will, I believe we see that here, brought out in a most remarkable way with Peter.
Because when he finds out.
That there is fish on the other side of the ship, on the right side of the ship.
When the next brings all these fish.
When he hears the voice of the apostle John saying it's the Lord.
And he casts himself into the sea and goes to shore. What does he find?
Dear young people, he finds a fire on which a fish was already placed. Already placed. Now, I have no doubt, as I mentioned at the beginning, that we see here a picture of millennial blessing. But for your heart and mind today I believe there's a very real lesson for us, and that is dear young people.
That the Lord did not need Peter.
Step out in a path of self will and self choosing in order to catch fish. The Lord had a fish already sitting on the coal.
And in spite of what we hear so much of in Christendom today.
We are never justified.
In stepping into the path of our own choosing, independent of the instruction of the Word of God.
Regardless, regardless of what God may do in His grace.
And bringing blessing.
What a tragic thing it is, and I mean it with all my heart. Your young people, it is a tragic thing.
To use the grace of God.
To justify disobedience.
To the word of God.
Not so very long ago, I heard a game.
I heard again of one of our dear young people.
Who had married an unconverted young man, and God in his oneness grace.
After some years in his wondrous grace, save that young man.
Save that young man and beloved young people. When I heard it, I can say truly I heard it with mixed feelings.
Mixed feelings. I found my heart thanking God for His grace.
For His grace in saving that young man. And yet there was a fear that came before my soul.
I fear that there may be those of our dear young people who will look at that instance of the marvelous grace of God.
And use it.
As an example.
To follow to use it to justify.
A course of self will and disobedience to the Word of God.
Well, we find in the case of Peter.
That when he and the other disciples have come to the shore, in the ninth verse, it says, as soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon.
And bread, Jesus saith unto them, Bring up the fish which he hath now caught, now caught. Oh dear young people, what a little word that word now is. And yet we find it comes in here so beautifully, because the Lord was in that one little word, speaking again to the consciences of these seven men you have now.
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Caught when they followed his instructions of casting the net on the right side of the ship.
The ones that they had now caught.
They could bring in beloved young people. Let us gather from this I trust, for your soul and for mine.
Let us gather from this first of all, that what we do effects others.
Secondly, the tragedy.
Of deciding our own court without reference to the word of God and prayer. Thirdly, how in that court we are going to find nothing to satisfy our hearts? Fourthly, how we lose discernment in that court so that we do not even recognize the Lord.
As he seeks to speak to her, firstly the marvelous grace of God that brings the Lord Jesus just as near as He can come to draw our hearts back to Himself.
And lastly, the reminder that we are never justified, Never. Regardless of what God overruled in His grace and blessing. We are never justified in choosing our own course. We are never justified in doing evil that good may come.
Now I'd like to turn to another account where Peter LED six more men.
And it truly is a remarkable contract. But you turn with me to the 10th chapter of Acts, The 10th chapter of Acts.
I'll read first of all the last verse of the 9th chapter. And it came to pass that he, that is, Peter, carried many days in Joppa with one Simon a Tanner. Now the ninth verse of the 10th chapter on the moral. As they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the 6th hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance.
And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet, knitted the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein we're all man in a four footed beast of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him. Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.
And the voice spake unto him again the second time, what God hath cleansed.
That call not thou common. This was done twice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. Now, while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called and asked whether Simon, which was surname Peter, were lodged there.
While Peter fought on the vision, the spirit said unto him, Behold Freeman, seek thee.
Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the man, which were sent him to him from Cornelius, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek, What is the cause wherefore ye come? And they said Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy Angel to send for thee into his house.
And to hear words of the then called he them in, and lodge them. And on the moral Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the moral after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. The 33rd verse. This is Cornelius speaking immediately. Therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come now. Therefore are we all.
Present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth, I perceived, that God is no respecter of persons. The 42nd verse. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
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While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word, and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
And then if you'll just turn to the 11Th chapter for justice, a couple of verses.
Here we have the account of where Peter is giving a report to the brethren at Jerusalem, as to what had happened in the case of Cornelius the seventh verse. And I heard a voice saying Unto me, Arise, Peter, slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord, for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again, From heaven, what God hath cleansed that call not thou common.
And this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
And behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was sent from Caesarea unto me, and the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover, these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. And he showed us how he had seen an Angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.
Who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved? Here, dear young people, we have Simon Peter again.
This is the man who led six men fishing, and now we find he leads six men to Caesarea from Joppa. That was a distance, as I say, of about 40 miles. They found no ship waiting. They had to walk, as far as we can gather from this account, and they made it, if I understand the account correctly, they made it in about one day. Well, we find Peter had been a Joppa and he had been there many days, but there was no desire now on Peter's part, and I think.
So lovely. No desire on Peter's part to go anywhere except where the Lord sends it. And so we find Peter at the 6th hour. I just suggest I perhaps some other brother will tell me afterwards that I haven't understood it right and I would welcome it. But I have enjoyed in my own soul noticing how that Peter in this chapter prays at the 6th hour.
In the third chapter of Acts, we find that the hour of prayer.
Was the 9th hour and perhaps it's a little word to our hearts that there is a time and how we can thank God for it for, can I say corporate prayer for us to come together for prayer. And dear young people, I hope you're present at the prayer meeting. You need it.
And your brethren need your presence there too.
But there is this time of seeking the Lord's mind privately. And so Peter, at the 6th hour we find him up on the rooftop, and the word of God says he went up upon the housetop to pray. About the 6th hour he went up to pray. He had been at Joppa many days.
You know, I remember years ago.
Hearing a story of our dear brother Jackson, who many of us here knew and loved dearly, and it really struck my own heart very much when I heard it. He's with the Lord now, so I can safely tell the story. But that dear brother was visiting in an assembly, and in those days those who served the Lord traveled mainly by train. And the time came when he and his wife went down to the railroad station 1 morning, and that evening some of the brethren went down to the railroad station. They were passing through the station, and they found her brother Jackson and his wife still.
Railroad station. And they asked him why, why was he still there? And his answer was that the Lord still hadn't shown him where to go. And he was waiting on the Lord or the Lord to make it clear to him. Well, here we find Peter in prayer. But you know, dear young people, the Lord answers our prayer, sometimes in very unusual ways and sometimes what the Lord allows as we're looking, as I trust you are today looking to the Lord for direction for your life.
Sometimes the Lord's answers to those prayers are not always what we would like them to be. Sometimes we find as Peter did.
That what the Lord shows him at first has no attraction for the apostle.
But Peter wanted to know the Lord's mind. Peter wanted to know.
He was hungry and he was waiting and he was praying.
And the word of God tells us that he became hungry, and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven open, and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been. A great sheet knitted the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein we're all manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him. Rise, Peter.
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Kill and eat.
All beloved young people.
Sometimes.
Sometimes what the Lord shows us.
Sometimes those circumstances that the Lord brings into our lives.
Are not really what we were anticipating.
You know the Apostle Peter heard a voice.
And in marked contrast to the account in the 21St chapter of John, he had no difficulty in recognizing whose voice it was.
Now, to me it's so most remarkable because in the account that's given here.
The voice is not identified. It doesn't say the Lord said says a boy.
But Peter had no difficulty. Now Peter had no difficulty. Here was one who was in communion.
The dear beloved Apostle Peter. And he recognizes who this voice is. He recognizes who it is that is saying to him who has brought this sheet into his life, who has brought this thing that at first appears so unpalatable.
When Peter looked at that sheet and saw the four footed beasts and the wild beasts and the creeping things and the fowls of the air.
All beloved young people of you found circumstances, things that the Lord has allowed in your life that at first glance don't appear very attractive.
You really wanted to know the Lord's mind for your life, but what the Lord showed you was not really what you were hoping for.
Well, here we find with the Apostle Peter, what he's shown, I believe I could safely say was the very opposite to what he expected.
Even though, even though the Lord had told Peter.
A long time before.
That he would one day have the privilege.
Of administering that second key.
That opened up for the way for the Gentiles to come into blessing.
But this was not what the Lord, not what Peter was expecting, and what he saw gave him at first to reject it, to not so Lord, not so recognition. This is from the Lord, but the first reaction is to reject it. This isn't what Peter really at first wanted.
But the vision was repeated to him.
Three times, and then it was taken away, taken up into heaven. Now, please, dear young people, Mark Peter is a soul in communion. He shrank at first from that which was shown to him. He shrank at first from this which was brought into his life, but he recognized that it was from the war.
He recognized it was from the Lord, and now Peter had the word. He had been in prayer.
Now he had the word of God for his course. He was shown that he was not to call anything that God had cleansed common or unclean. All beloved young people, has the Lord allowed some trial or some difficulty to come into your life, into your personal life, into your family life, or into your assembly life as the Lord allowed it?
Have you seen the Lord's hand in it?
Has there been a submission to the Lord's hand in it? Has there been a recognition that it's the Lord, even though it isn't what you really longed to see, even though there was a shrinking from it, an abhorrence of it, even perhaps, as with Peter at first, get a recognition that it was from the Lord?
And the Lord was the one who was speaking to you, even though no one else knew anything about it. Perhaps you recognized in your soul that it was the Lord speaking to you.
What we find with the Apostle Peter.
That when this is done, and this sheet is taken up again, the next thing we find is that the Spirit speaks up to him. And so we find in the 19th verse, while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men, seek thee. Arise therefore and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.
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Now, dear young people, let's go back for a moment so that in our thoughts to the 21St chapter of John.
Peter.
No prayer, just the course decided for himself. Secondly, no word, no direction from the Lord to go fishing instead.
Direction from the Lord that He had been called from it, but He chose to go anywhere. Thirdly, no leading of the Spirit, no direction, no application of the Word by the Spirit, just self, will, and six others LED with Peter into that course. Now we find that Peter the love of the apostle Peter.
Waiting on the Lord in prayer. Now He has the Word. He has this revelation to him.
From the Lord and he has the Spirit directing him, directing him and saying go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them. Dear young people, do you believe today that the Lord wants to direct your life? I can tell you He does. He wants to use you just as he used Peter. He wants your life to be for his glory, just as Peters was here. He wants your.
He wants you to be used of him to encourage others, as Peter did here.
You know, it's remarkable, but in John chapter 21, the six men said we go to and here in Acts chapter 10, in Acts Chapter 11, in the account given, six men followed Peter and on neither occasion did Peter ever invite them to go, at least not according to the word. They decided that if that was the course for Peter, then they would walk in it too this time.
This time, the apostle Peter had made straight paths for his feet.
And all how it LED those six men. I'm not suggesting for one minute that their eyes should have been on Peter, but the fact remains that his life, his course, his decision that day to submit to the word.
And to be led by the Spirit resulted in six other men too, walking in a path that was for God's glory. So we find with the apostle Peter that he has the Spirit that directs him. And the Spirit of God, using the Word of God, wants to direct your life to young people in mind. And there's only one thing that gets in the way. Just one. I can never.
Beloved young people, I can never.
Blame failure on my part, on somebody else, or what a tragic thing it is. Really. It is a tragic thing when we find ourselves blaming others for failure on our part.
Or can I say to my beloved brethren, and say to my own heart too, we are never justified in blaming our brethren for failure on the part of our children. Let's never blame anyone else. Let's never point the finger, dear young people, at anyone else. Never. Let's say that my child failed.
Because the brethren didn't treat him right or didn't treat her right, we never should point to anyone but ourselves. I've often said to my own children that whatever I see of Christ in them, I can thank God for. Whenever I see failure in them. I know where they got the example for that from. Here we find with the apostle Peter, God uses him and six men go with him.
And they have the word of God for their course, and they have the direction of the Spirit of God for their course.
And Peter has been in prayer.
And the result is that he starts out on a 40 mile walk to Joppa. You know, to me. Again, I'm sure others have enjoyed and meditated on this much more than I have. But to my own soul, it's a most remarkable thing in comparing these two accounts. Because if you look at a map, Caesarea and Joppa are both right on the seacoast. Wouldn't it have been the easiest thing in the world to just step into a ship and let a ship?
All the way down from Caesarea, from Joppa up to Caesarea. But no for the course of self will. At the first Peter found the ship. Everything was smooth sailing for Peter. Here in the course of obedience, he had a 40 mile walk. Dear young people, don't think, don't ever think for one minute that the path of obedience to the Word of God is going to be an easy one.
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But you're going to find blessed company in that path.
You're going to find the company of the Son of God in that path, even though it means a long walk through the wilderness. We find that Peter comes to the House of Cornelius.
And there are many souls waiting, waiting chest to hear the message that Peter had heard. I think it's the most marvelous thing. I've sometimes wondered. We heard a little bit about speculation this morning. I'd like to add a further speculation this afternoon. I've sometimes wondered whether there were 153 people in Cornelius's house that day.
But we find that there was a large company gathered, and they heard from the lips of the apostle Peter the message that they were waiting for all beloved brethren, here was a Fisher of men. Here was a Fisher of men and he caught a lot of fish that day. Scent of the Lord used of the Lord. You know, I love to think of Cornelius. If you notice in the 36th verse of our chapter.
It says the word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all that word. I say, you know, you know, it appears when you read this account as if Peter was telling Cornelius things that he already knew. But there was one thing, one thing at least that Cornelius didn't know. He didn't know that the wonderful message of the gospel was for whosoever. He didn't know that. And so when you come down to the 42nd verse or the 40.
Third verse. To him give all the prophets witness that through His name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. That was the point. Soon as it whosoever Cornelius and a whole room full of people, everyone in the room that day believe, and was saved, was saved.
All beloved young people, what a blessing. How God delighted to use Peter here.
In over ruling, in blessing but one cent of God, who waited upon God to be sent, Who had the word of God for his course, who was shown clearly.
That even though, even though it at first appeared so unpalatable to him, it was the Lord's choosing for Him and what blessing it resulted in. All beloved young people, when I look around at your faces this afternoon, I can't help but feel how God wants to use you for His glory. When I see young men and young women come to these meetings, sit under the Word of God.
It just thrills my soul to think of how you can be used.
Glory of God, how there are those who are waiting to hear.
The precious message of the gospel, those who are waiting to hear the truth of God that the Lord would use you to distribute, to send out, to carry. But all beloved young people, first of all, it starts with waiting on the Lord, waiting on the Lord being before the Lord in prayer for your life. Then secondly, and how this speaks to my own heart.
Comes perhaps what at first seems the hardest part of all.
And that submission?
To the will of God.
Peters It required a three fold vision from glory for him to submit, submit to the will of God and go to the Gentiles and beloved young people. When I think of how we hear from time to time in the lives of our dear young people, how circumstances come in that are sad, that perhaps are a real grief and sorrow at the time.
But always their submission to the will of God.
Is there a recognition that it is the Lord, that it's the Lord, as Peter did? Is there an acceptance of those circumstances from him? Is there a readiness to then be used as the Spirit directs by His Word? And then we find how the blessing flows. You know when Peter gives the account in the 11Th chapter?
We're then told for the first time that there were six men.
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Six men who went with Peter. Six men who had fellowship with the beloved apostle. 6 men who could bear testimony to the truth that had been revealed to them that day. Six men. Six men, dear young people, Peter, walking in the path of obedience.
Had been used of God. Not only that, a whole roomful of people should be saved.
But that also six men should be LED in the path of obedience to. May the Lord bless His word to your heart and mind, dear young people, and encourage us to seek the Lord's mind for our life and to never under any circumstances allow the grace of God to be used in our lives to encourage us to walk in a path.
That is disobedient to the Word of God. Remember, we need prayer, we need the Word.
We need the Spirit of God using the Word to direct our lives and the result will be a tale told and glory that will be for the glory of God.
Ye Are Sanctified
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 to Leviticus.
Chapter 20.
Leviticus, chapter 20.
And verse 22.
You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my judgments, and do them.
Back the land, whether I bring you to dwell therein. Spew you not out.
And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you.
For they committed all these things.
And therefore I abhorred them.
But I have said unto you, He shall inherit their land.
And I will give it under you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people.
Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fouls and clean.
And ye shall not make your souls abominable by beasts, or by foul, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground.
Which I have separated from you as unclean.
And ye shall be holy unto me.
For I, the Lord, I'm holy and have severed you from other people.
That ye should be mine.
Just a few comments, dear young people, in connection with this portion before we turn to that which is particularly upon my heart.
Many of us who are older often heard in these very meetings the comment made.
That the moral ways of God do not change with dispensations.
And we find here in the book of Leviticus.
After.
Very detailed instruction concerning that which was evil.
And the sight of the Lord.
The children of Israel were reminded.
That they had been separated.
The nations around them.
That even though they had been brought into the land.
Where those nations had dwelt.
The language of the scripture in the 23rd verse is Ye shall not walk in the manners.
Of the nation.
Which I cast out before you, for they committed all these things.
Beloved young people.
You and I that belong to Christ.
We live in the midst of a people, of a nation, of a world.
That indeed does practice.
All the things.
That God's word so specifically.
That God's word, so definitely.
Chose to be sin in the sight of God.
Many of these things are spoken of openly.
In our schools today.
Many of them.
Are discussed openly in classes.
We find students in school today being given instruction.
On how to avoid the consequences.
Of sinful practices.
But in every case.
That I have heard of.
The reference is always to escaping.
The consequences?
The diminishing degree of shame.
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In the sight of men.
Without any thought.
As to the fact.
That it is God with whom we have to do.
Israel was reminded beloved young people that they were not to follow the manners of the nation.
They were minded.
In the 24th verse.
I am the Lord your God, which has separated you.
From other people.
I'm speaking now, dear young people, to those who have belonged to Christ.
And you have been separated.
By God.
From the rest of the world.
You are.
One of God's chosen children.
And he?
Gives us here very clearly to see that he is the one who has separated you.
The end of the 26th verse.
After telling them that they were to make a difference.
As far as the unsaved man, the unconverted man is concerned.
There is not much difference, and today there is a diminishing difference between the clean and the unclean.
But God calls upon you and I to make a difference.
Make a difference between the Queen and the unclean.
And then he finally says, And ye shall be holy unto me.
By the Lord am holy.
And have severed you from other people.
That ye should be mine.
Now, beloved young people.
I cannot, and I'm sure you cannot conceive of anything more sweet, more precious.
Than to have the Lord of glory say to you and to me, you are mine.
You online, I have severed you from the nation.
From that land, the people in the land, several of you from those around you, are mine.
Now I would like to turn to the New Testament First Corinthians chapter 6.
And by God's grace, I would like us to see.
That we are not only given to see, marvelous as it is, that we now belong to another.
But there are seven reasons given.
Why?
Beloved young people, why?
You.
That belong to Christ are different.
From those in the world.
First Corinthians chapter 6, and we'll begin reading at the ninth verse.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God?
Be not deceived neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient.
All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Meets for the belly, and the belly for meats. But God shall destroy or bring to nothing both it and them.
Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
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And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
Knowing not that your bodies are the members of Christ.
Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
What know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body?
For two saith, he shall be one flesh.
But he that is joined unto the Lord is 1 spirit.
Flee fornication.
Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God.
In your body.
We find, as was mentioned in the meeting this morning.
That there is a reminder.
To our hearts, to each one of us.
Such were some of you.
And while we may read some of the descriptions that are given here and say, well, that particular word does not apply to me, yet there is a reminder to all our hearts, dear young people.
That it cost God an infinite price in order that all that you and I were guilty of might be put away from before the sight of God.
And we must ever, and I trust we do ever, have in our hearts the reminder.
That there is not one of us that can point to anyone.
Of these things mentioned here.
Or any others that you might care to add to the list.
And say that it is by my own strength, by my own power, by my own diligence.
That I am not guilty today.
There is not one sin listed here. Not one.
That you and I could not be guilty of, but by the grace of God keeping us.
But we do find that in this portion of First Corinthians chapter 6.
God is leading by His Spirit up to a very simple statement.
Glorify God in your body.
The words here and in your spirit.
Which are gods I understand are not in the original.
The subject is the body.
And beloved young people, God has given us seven reasons here that I would like to look at very briefly.
Why your body?
And my body is to be that which is so involved in the glory of God, in glorifying God.
You notice it says.
In the 11Th verse such were some of you, but ye are washed.
Now that is not true of anyone here. That is not the Lord.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are not washed.
You need the precious blood of Christ, as we heard last night.
But for those who belong to Christ, dear young people, you are washed.
The precious blood of Christ has been applied to you, and all your guilt has been forever.
Removed from before God.
By the application of the precious blood of Christ.
And so today, that body.
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That God claims for his glory.
He lets us know that first of all. First of all.
Before there can be any use of the body for the glory of God.
It is necessary that you be washed. Do you belong to Christ?
Do you do, young people? Is he your ward?
Then you are what?
And that first vital step.
That first vital matter has been settled forever as a result of the work of Christ at Calvary.
But then it says, But ye are sanctified.
Sanctification in scripture is used.
In different ways at times.
But here we have that which is vital.
Not only are you beloved young people washed, but you have been set apart.
Set apart.
You remember how?
In Leviticus chapter 20.
It said I have severed you.
Here it says you are sanctified, set apart, put into a class.
Of people by the Spirit of God.
Who belong to God.
All beloved young people, is it not a most wonderful thing to know that you're washed and when you go to school on Monday morning or Tuesday morning?
When the world around you picks up its practices.
When it looks and speaks and acts.
I know that which was so evil in the sight of God was nothing at all.
Where such things as moral evil.
Fornication is looked upon as that.
Which in the 1970s is now acceptable in the world.
That you sit there in that plaster, young people, that you're in the office where you are or at home where you are, and you know.
That you are different.
You have been washed by the precious blood of Christ. You have been sanctified, set apart in that class of 30 students. If you're the only believer in that class, you are set apart.
You are not one with the others.
Separated, sanctified, set apart for God.
And then it says thirdly.
And justify.
Justify, Beloved young people, do you and I rejoice today in the realization that God has given us in Christ a life to which no manner of sin has ever been attacked?
That you and I now, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, are seen by God.
Before his eye in Christ we are seen as those who have the life of Christ.
We have a life given to us of God, not only that does not sin, but that cannot sin.
A life, beloved young people, to which sin has never been attacked. The life of Christ. God looks at you and I.
And in that Newman.
In that new creation that we've been hearing about, that new creature that you are now in Christ Jesus, that new life, that new person, God says of him. God says of her, He not only does not sin, but he cannot sin. He is born of God here it says.
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Washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And by the Spirit of our God, all beloved young people, you and I now, as those who are washed, sanctified and justified, are identified with the name of the Lord Jesus, by the name of the Lord Jesus.
We bear his name. We are identified with him.
And as a result of the activity of the Spirit of God.
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by His own power. Now I'm sure that you and I realize that the Apostle Paul is not suggesting here that any manner of practice, sinful or not, is acceptable, is lawful. That is not the thought.
The apostle here is Speaking of those things that.
The word of God would not condemn.
But that he would avoid at times because they were not profitable.
They didn't produce profit.
And then he goes on to show us beloved young people in the simplest of language.
That we have not been left here to please ourselves.
Makes for the belly and the belly for meats. It isn't just a question of saying, well, I like that, so I'm going to do it. It isn't simply a question of saying, well, that's what a piece appeals to me, so I'm going to practice it.
He goes on to say the now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord.
Oh beloved young people here, can I use the word number four? Reason #4 exhortation #4.
That is addressed to us. First, you'll wash. Second, you're sanctified.
3rd you are justified. And now the reminder that you were given a body.
And that body has appetites, it has desires that God recognizes. But you have not been given a body in order to simply please yourself.
The body is for the Lord, The body is for the Lord. Beloved young people, that body that has been given to you is for the more. It was given to you in order.
That it might be used.
Glorify God not to satisfy your own desire or for me.
And then it goes on to say, And to my own soul, it's most precious when it says.
But for the Lord and the Lord for the body, the Lord for the body, we may feel sometimes beloved young people.
That that which the flesh seeks after that which the body seeks for itself will satisfy.
Will satisfy. We reach out for it just like Eve reached out for the fruit on the tree.
Only to find out that not only is the body for the Lord.
But only the Lord can truly satisfy the desires of your heart. Only the Lord can truly meet the longings of your heart and mind.
And it goes on to say, and to my own soul, it's a most solemn reminder.
It goes on to say, And God hath both raised up the Lord.
And will also raise up us by his own power.
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Beloved young people, do you realize that that body that has been given to you, that that body is going to be taken into heaven?
Now it's going to be changed. It's going to be changed. He's going to change these bodies of humiliation and fashion them like unto his body of glory. But remember the language here. God has raised up the Lord Jesus and He's going to raise up us.
Raise up us by His own power, and I'm going to enter into glory with a changed body.
But it will still be a body. A body, dear, beloved young people, a body that had been changed, but a body that was designed and fashioned for the Lord.
And whose true desires only the Lord can satisfy.
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? How precious it is for us to know.
That we are so closely identified with the Christ of God.
That we are reminded here that our bodies are members of Christ.
Our beloved young people, this hand.
Is a member of my body, it's a member of Maine. It is part of me. And we are reminded here.
In this 5th exhortation.
That our bodies are members of Christ.
That that body that you have is identified with Christ in the nearness relationship, possible a member of Christ.
And then the beloved apostle.
Has to say, shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
Oh, beloved brethren, some may feel this is very plain language being spoken today.
Our young people face terrible temptations in school and at work.
They face situations today that I knew nothing about and I haven't been out of school that long.
I hear today of things that are as I mentioned earlier.
That are treated so casually.
Discussed so openly.
Fools make mark of sin and beloved young people.
You are a member of Christ.
Can that which is a member of Christ?
They joined with that which is a harm. This is the language that you use here. Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two said He shall be one flesh, but he that is joined unto the Lord.
Is 1 spirit.
Now I should mention that Spirit in this verse should be kiss felt with a capital S. It is the Holy Spirit that is in view.
Join to the Lord is 1 spirit.
We are beloved brethren, dear, beloved young people. We are joined to the Lord by the Spirit of God as you sit in that classroom on Monday or Tuesday morning.
As you hear the discussions, as you hear the stories.
As you hear the fools making mock of sin.
May the Lord give us beloved young people to recognize.
That we are washed.
Sanctified and justified.
May the Lord give us to see.
That these bodies that have been given to us are not to please ourselves, but are for the Lord.
And that only the Lord can truly satisfy the heart.
May we be conscious, beloved young people, that we are members of Christ, members of Christ.
Oh, beloved young people, does it not seem?
Appalling.
Does it not seem almost impossible?
To think of that which is fornication.
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And those who are members of Christ.
Being involved with it.
I trust we will always keep that horror.
And yet, beloved young people, bear with it, and I trust and I pray that my brethren will pray for me.
That we will always have the conscious sense in our souls. That there is nothing that I am incapable of doing.
Apart from denying the Lord Jesus from my heart.
Apart from the keeping grace of God.
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What know ye not that your body?
Is the Temple of the Holy Ghost.
Which is in you.
Which ye have of God.
Number six in the exhortation.
Number six.
In this reminder, beloved young people.
Your body individually because you belong to Christ. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost of the Holy Spirit. God dwells in you by His Spirit in your body.
In your body.
Can anything be more?
Solemn.
Than to think of that which is the temple.
Of the Holy Spirit.
Being used.
Being used in that.
Relationship.
And is so sinful in the sight of God.
Your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, beloved young people.
God has in his wondrous grace.
Not only redeemed you, but taken up His dwelling in you. By His Spirit. You have not only been redeemed, but you have been made a member of Christ. And lastly.
Ye are not your own.
For ye have been locked with a price.
All beloved young Saints of God.
To think that you have been purchased.
Set a Calvary Cross. A price was paid.
A price that we cannot measure, but nevertheless a price that was measured out.
To God's beloved Son of hell.
And at the cost of his life, at the cost of all the Calvary meant to his holy soul, the Lord Jesus paid the price.
That you and I might belong to him.
May God keep us, dear young people.
It is a corrupt world in which we live.
It is a world in which not only is corruption seeing, but it's accepted.
Not only is immorality practice, but it is preached.
Not only.
Is that?
Wickedness.
Of fornication scene in our school.
But it is made the subject of foolish talk and jesting.
And here, in the most solemn of language, we are shown how entirely foreign it is to one.
Who is Wash sanctified? Justify.
Given a body that is for the Lord, made a member of Christ, give it a body that is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
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And beloved young people that has been purchased, who has been purchased by such a cost, We are not our own. We've been bought with a price then it says glorify God.
In your body, beloved young people, may the Lord keep us each one.
That only that which is for the glory of God.
Will be practiced by these bodies of ours.