Dartmouth Conference: 2014
Table of Contents
2 Timothy 2:1-2
Reading
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Trust is protect.
Oldest reason?
How to play in our life, or I'll let you know when you've landed in the game for the trash can for the treasure.
Yeah, nothing has heard of this wild chicken of his dinner.
When?
2018.
Throat.
And it's time I shine where? Oh God, God for my name. We need help with the strip. Her crown.
We could look at the Second Timothy, chapter 2.
We know that the Papa Paul was seeking to encourage Timothy.
He was the next generation that was, uh, going to take the baton, so to speak, and, uh, have the responsibility, responsibility, God-given responsibility in the testimony when Paul was taken. And so in this chapter, we have instruction that was given from the heart of Paul himself to his son in the faith.
Are you happy with that portion?
Second Timothy, chapter 2.
Thou therefore, my Son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
The things that thou hast heard of me among many.
Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that wore entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who have chosen him to be a soldier.
And if a man also strives for masteries, yet is he not proud except he strived lawfully? The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits.
Consider what I say and the Lord give the understanding in all things.
Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David, raised from the dead, according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds that the word of God is not found. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
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It is a faithful saying for if we be dead with him.
We shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we believe not that he abided faithful, he cannot deny himself.
These things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no prophet, but to the subverting of the hearers.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But sun, propane and vein babbling, so they will increase onto more ungodliness, and their word will eat and stop. A canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Eyelidus, who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is passed already and overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal.
The Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that nameeth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only vessels of golden and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work.
We also use the lust.
But follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
But foolish and unlearning questions avoid knowing that they do gender strikes.
And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apartment to teach, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose, if God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
This chapter really has to do with the service in the House of God, the labor as he laborers in the, uh, we know in Timothy, really that's a picture of the house in disorder in the days and the last days. And yet, uh, there was going to be a work of God that would go on for the glory of God, for the blessing of his people and, umm.
So Paul was giving this instruction to Timothy and he uses 7 examples of one that might be a labor. And, uh, I'll just, uh, mention them here at the outset so that, uh, they give a little bit of an outline of how Paul is going to address Timothy here. So in verse one, he speaks of my son, and that's a child. He was in connection with the affections of the apostle. We know that perhaps Paul preached the gospel and that Timothy heard from.
Uh, Paul?
Foam lips, the gospel of the grace of God who was saved. And so he speaks of a son and then in verse three, he speaks of a good soldier and then he speaks in verse five of a man that's striving for mastery. So he speaks, gives a little picture of one that would strive in the games, in the Olympics. And then in verse six, it's the husbandman. So it's a farmer and then a little bit later on.
He speaks of a Workman in verse 15.
That needeth not be ashamed, directly dividing the word of truth. And then a little bit later on in verse 21, he speaks of a vessel. If any man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. And then in verse 24, the servant.
Servant of the Lord must not strive. So he really the apostle desire that the work would continue in the Christian testimony and umm, because of the weakened state of things, there might not be the reception that, uh, there would be desired the reception, but the work was still to go on. And so he gives them this, these examples. And as any list in scripture is given, it's not haphazard.
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That's what purpose with absolute accuracy. And so he's addressed. Timothy first is addressed as a son. And so it has to do with the affections and the response of our hearts that we're going to serve the Lord and have any desire at all to be a blessing to the brethren. And the support for the Christian testimony in the day that we live is going to be with a sense of the grace of God and that we're sons of God, heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ.
And so as those that desire to respond and love to the Savior.
To just minister the needs of our brethren and to strengthen the testimony in any way that we can. That's the first verse. And so he appeals to Timothy on this basis. Lovely to see the spirit of Paul in this summit. Thought that Paul might be a very hard man, very difficult man and self will. Certainly he was the beginning of his career, we know, but he was very, very tender hearted man. You read in the Scriptures of Paul weeping.
Many times he was weeping and he might have been a tough person when before he was saved, a tough persecutor of the church. But he was a very tender hearted man and the Lord worked in his life and might be.
It's noteworthy as we contemplate.
The circumstances that Paul was in at this time, he was in bonds, he was in prison. And if we back up into chapter one, he tells us something else in verse.
15 This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia He turned away from England.
Of whom are Phi jealous and homogeneous?
It doesn't say here that it turned away from Christ. So in measure, I believe there was still faith in Christ, but it wasn't the willingness to follow Paul's teaching. And Paul labored fervently in these areas, and yet we find that.
His teaching is opposed and of course, he himself. And So what I see, though, in Paul is that he is still seeking the blessings of others and he still has the Lord's interest at heart. He doesn't resent what's happening to him. And I think it's beautiful to see. And I think it's because Paul appreciated the grace of God in his own soul.
And he thinks about what he was before he was converted.
And how you say he was, uh, injurious man, And he was.
One that persecuted the Lord's people.
And yet God saves him, and he really appreciates that, that God would show favor to one who.
Least deserved it, and refers to himself as the chief of sinners.
So in writing to Timothy, I believe, uh.
Gary emphasizes importance in verse one of our chapter. Now. Therefore, my Son is strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
We need to keep in mind the favor that God has shown to you and to me.
Well, we don't deserve it. A bit of it, and we ought to be showing that kind of.
Favor to others too. You know the grace of God that it might influence our behavior towards those that are without as well as those that are within.
Is strong in the grace in Christ Jesus.
You get umm. Also you mentioned the 1St chapter. Well in the 4th chapter we have brought before us that Paul anticipated that his time was getting near the end. You have in verse chapter 4 and verse uh, six.
Where I am now, ready to be offered in the time of my departure to Japan, my release is at hand.
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He was expecting the executioner to arrive shortly.
What's he thinking of? Is he thinking of the execution of coming?
The sinking of the burden he has for this man, Timothy.
That he'd go on.
My son, be strong from the great citizen Christ Jesus.
I think that the, uh, this chapter here is that the version, particularly in the first part of the chapter is the spiritual condition that is necessary to go on in a day of weakness too. So you have here the strong and the great citizens of Christ Jesus.
As we live, brethren, in a day when things are being given up to a shocking degree.
And, uh, it's it's it's.
For both of us that are a little bit older, we can't believe our when we see 30-40 years ago the changes that have taken place in the setting aside of the very fundamentals of Scripture.
Is there a path for God has if we can't see this, what about our dear young people coming along? Is there a path for them in this day? There is a path, brethren, and that's why the God gave us this that we that Saints of God go on and whether we're in our 70s or 60s or our 20s or younger, there's a path to go on in the grace of God. Now what I don't want to ask the question in connection with this first verse.
What is the grace that is in Christ Jesus? What is it that the apostle is referring to? He is strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Be that He is the source of that grace for us.
Umm, all was given by Moses of great truth in diagnosis crisis.
Have the full display of the abrasive blood in the person and twice and his, uh, entrance into this world and glory. Umm.
Grace is the unmerited favor of God.
And we're subjects of it, we're trophies of it. That grace that we're showing in the, uh.
In the life of Christ, in his umm, entrance into this world.
Uh, where sin abounded, grace did much more abounded. Not the Roman Catholic.
And live there.
And so we find that.
Full exhibition of the.
Of the grace of God in the person of Christ, you say?
What about second Peter? Uh.
3 and 18.
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
For those two, they linked up together those two thoughts and those verses.
Hi with umm for the second Timothy chapter 4, verse 22 really is the last words that we believe Paul wrote and uh, he mentions grace there as well. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit, grace be with you, Amen. There are different meanings to the word grace. Uh, brother John has mentioned that, uh, grace, uh, in connection with our salvation.
Really speaks of unmerited favor of the unmerited favor of God. But then, uh, we, uh, can read of the apostle Paul and he's had the thorn in the flesh and, uh, the Spirit of God records that, uh.
The Lord told them, my grace is sufficient for thee. So he had strength, he had grace, He had energy from God himself to go through the trial. And umm, we know too that, uh, sometimes when we give thanks for our food and in the world, they'll often use the term that, uh, you can say grace. And so it means that to, to be thankful, to have a thankful spirit. So those 3 meanings generally, we can attach to that word, that English word, grace. But uh, the apostle Paul here, his last words.
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In the day of declension that he lived in, he spoke of grace, grace be with you. And then the verse that you read, the last words of Peter that we know that he wrote, uh, he mentions grace as well, but grow in grace in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And then if we turn to the Book of Revelation, we find that the last chapter of the word of God and the last verse 21 John, the ministry of John, he speaks the same way.
Embrace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. And so there was a calm, sweet spirit in connection with the Lord and as he went through his trials and, uh, there was never any bitterness. And Paul at the end of his life doesn't speak in a bitter way at all. And we know that, uh, the Lord is working with you and I in a day that we live in, that we might not get bitter about things, that we might be thankful that we might have been given strength and grace for the day that we live in to be gracious with one another.
And, uh, it's not like we're looking at, uh, days of strength and, umm, but there should be something of Christ that you see in me and that, that, uh, I should be able to see in you. And we should be very thankful and to be very gracious with one another. And I believe this is partly what Paul was saying here to Timothy, that in a day of declension, be sure to manifest a gracious spirit, the very grace that was in Christ Jesus, and he would give the strength.
To go on that's important is that from that angle, of course, that we are. We feel like by the grace of God that we are on scriptural ground that we are gathered according to the word of God outside the systems of men. We want to become proud about that we we are. It's only the grace of God that is LED us into the path of the truth and maintained us there over the years.
Umm, many have left the ground of the truth, but it's not that we are any better. It's.
It's entirely the goodness of the Lord and His grace. So however, it is the other word of caution that.
I could not forget and that is proof also has its place and grace doesn't mean that we overlook evil in the assembly or a.
For, umm, treat, uh, sin lightly. So that's not the purpose of grace. If it has to be dealt with according to the, uh, the word of God, uh, so there has to be separation from.
What is contrary to the word of God should be done in that gracious manner, but it there is the aspect to the.
The other side, that truth must be maintained, the claims of God in his assembly, in our own personal lives. Uh, separation from what is on Prairie to the word of God. In fact, the whole chattery takes that up.
735 the first into a verse that's in Ephesians chapter 6, we have to remember who he's talking to. The first, uh, first or second Timothy, He says in verse two to Timothy, my dearly beloved son, this was a precious one. This was one who he felt a, a special affinity to and he doesn't want him to go on in his own strength. And Ephesians 6 and verse 10, he tells them, finally, my brethren.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
The thought of grace is there too, because grace would signify undeserved favor, unmerited favor. And it's unmerited because we are nothing, absolutely nothing, and we cannot do anything without cancer. And that's what he wants Timothy to do, to lean on him completely and fully, to trust in the Lord in all aspects of his life.
Good for us too. That's the only way really and we could produce rates practically.
Uh, when the Lord was here as a man.
He gives us the definition of phrase in Second Corinthians.
Chapter 8.
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Verse nine it says for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he would rich, yet for your sakes he became more that he through his body might be rich. We didn't deserve any of that, but the Lord took that low place and he went to the cross of Calvary to redeem us and that really is what grace is. It's making that whole place.
And I believe in our chapter here we have, we're Speaking of service.
Aspects of service once mentioned and uh, a little further on in our chapter, it says.
After it mentions about the husband and verse 6.
Must be first partakers of the fruits. This is consider what they say the Lord give the understanding of all things. And then it says, remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel. Why does he bring the resurrection? And because it shows the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ accept the court of wheat falling on the ground and die and abideth alone. But if it die, if bringeth forth my fruit.
An order from Lord Jesus to have truth.
God that meant in obedience going to the cross and dying for us to put away our sins and that brought fruit for God's glory. And, and so it's in connection here with with these different workers that they all had to be diligent in what they did to produce, produce the fruit that was required in their occupation. It was a farmer and he was he had to work with, we know farmers today, they have to work really hard to get the crops at the end of the year to get a good profit. They got to work hard at it, telling the soil and so on.
And so I think it's instruction for for all of us, but for Timothy, that in order to be a good Workman that we need to lean on the grace of God.
For the pathway on His strength, on His grace, where we will be able to produce anything, and Christ is a perfect example for us as a man.
With that, what is often brought before us, I can hear it in the doctor. It's it's fact of the ruins that this is in the Christian testimony.
Umm, it's a different character to the first epistle. Uh, here Paul is at the end of the journey and all that they would be in Asia have turned away from him. They don't. They didn't want to walk in Paul's doctrine.
Uh, as noted today, it doesn't say they, uh, were so Christ, umm, forsook the apostle to having loved his present war, his present world, but.
The point is in the doctor, it's declension has come into the Christian testimony on every side. What is our pathway in view of that, the resurrection of Christ, Where did he see as Venus has brought before us, He saw fruition, resurrection. So in these difficult times.
We are exhorted to continue on, not to give up, and to follow the instruction the Apostle gives us here as to separation.
Within Christendom, where we're in the Bright House, we cannot get out of the great House, Uh.
And the instruction is given how we should behave ourselves in the Great House.
That separation is necessary. Well, that's anticipating what is great for us in the in this situation.
I have enjoyed, uh, thinking of this verse in this way that.
Umm, the grace that is in Christ Jesus has already been mentioned by Second Corinthians 8:00 and 9:00. How the Lord became.
For for us, in the face of opposition, how is it that I react?
When the Lord was here, he faced opposition. He was called a wine bibber and a glutton.
Somebody called you that. What would you say back?
What would I say back?
The way that we react when the flesh in US reacts to these various circumstances that come up.
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Show is really the state of soul that I'm in, and Paul here is ministering to Timothy. Timothy, you've got to stay close to the Lord in your life because you're going to face this kind of opposition as you go on and be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
With that reference there to the Lord.
In uh, uh, remember Jesus Christ, the seed of David and the Lord went on to the end and he left it all to when he was reviled, he reviled God again. He left it. He left us an example that way. So in the face of opposition, brethren, it seems to me that the burden of the apostle Paul, he anticipates.
The difficulty that is going to come in in connection with giving up the truth of the testimony and what is the mind of God. The Scripture says consider what I say and the Lord give the understanding he tells in this verse in this chapters to vote not to strive but to be gentle that takes grace. So if you find somebody perhaps that you feel that feel different about you and connection with.
What the scripture says be careful. The spirit that we show when we talk to them, that's what I.
Enjoy in connection with this, it seems that.
He's trying to point Timothy to the Lord himself, doesn't it? If the grace is in the Lord, then to enjoy that grace you have to do with the Lord. And the anticipation is not merely of opposition, but possibly even death. And as Enoch pointed out.
And uh, verse eight, he brings up the matter of the war being raised from the dead. I just make a comment because I read this left out the word that and the word was some probably noticed that it's because they're not in there. They were added by the translators. If you read it without that, what it points to is not to remember a fact.
It's to remember the Lord Himself. What verse you're referring to Verse 8.
It should read Remember Jesus Christ as to remember the Lord Himself raised from the dead.
So as to remember the Lord himself, particularly the fact that he's raised from the dead. But it's not to remember, just the fact is to remember the Lord himself raised from the dead, because that is to give the encouragement, you know, to remember that the Lord was raised from the dead. And that he, not just that he was raised from the dead, but that he is raised. That's the point. He's alive, He's there, He's raised from the dead as the first fruits, right, of the resurrection to remind us that all who believe in him are going to be there too.
They're going to be raised too, so this is all in anticipation of the possibility of facing death for the sake of the truth.
I just mentioned that the word spirit, umm, we need to take heed to our own spirit as a modern English word that might be an equivalent is our attitude. So if you read that in connection with the Spirit, taking heed to our own spirit really is instructive. The Lord is telling us to be very careful about our attitude. So this would really harm, hinder the work of God in connection with Timothy.
If his attitude was one of superiority among his brethren, and perhaps looking down upon his brethren as they went on in unfaithfulness, but he was to really having a have a sense of his own nothingness, and of the faithfulness of Christ himself, and to go on in the same spirit of the Lord.
It's also to remember that the Lord is for us. The grace that is in Him is a reminder to be for us in verse.
Verse four of chapter one, it mentions Timothy's tears. You know, this just had to be such a just such a discouraging time.
For Timothy, you know, the one who led him to the ward, who is now in prison. People are falling away, those in Asia are leaving. His doctrine, umm, just, it must just have been a terrible, terrible time, discouragement and, and, uh, so you can see in many of Paul's words this.
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Shoring up?
Timothy need to be shored up, so to speak.
In the face and, uh, because of this situation.
And Timothy may have been.
Becoming ashamed.
1St chapter there and Paul says that about them.
Verse 8 be not valid, therefore, ashamed of the testimony you brought up some fights about all the carnasia turned away you know and remember what these assemblies were offices and.
Smyrna and Pergamos and thyroid, thyroid and Sardis and Philadelphia and they have the SIA and we'll follow themselves with Colossus. I believe it's correct, isn't it, that they were all in Asia?
And the highest truth and great gift was there. But there is a younger Timothy now in the midst of these and.
And they're all gone away. And there's the Apostle Paul, his father in faith, in prison, and maybe he was feeling it, feeling the shame. And so Paula Patel in there, Don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Rough me.
And then a little later he tells him in verse 12, I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed for my no, I believe it's funny. I'm through the Lord. And then to encourage him further, he brings in the ministry of Omeprazole in verse 16 and talks about him who was not ashamed of my chain. There was one in a sense, like Timothy may have been like you lied to. He thought he was the only one that was left.
And no one says there's some occipirus.
He came to Rome. He sought me out diligently and found them. And what a message that is for us in the day was for giving up. We must give up. The Apostle Paul's ministry on the Cypress sought me out diligently and found me. That's the message. In it for us is the old fast to continue that the search of this elderly ministry comes from the Apostle Paul. Seek it out and find it.
In this great sports chapter here the greatest grace for that.
But we have the advertise liners. And so it's instilling in Timothy the idea that, you know, though I'm ready to be offered. He says don't give up. Don't see some ashamed. Instead, he says in verse six, stir up the gift of God attending. It's not a time when there's apostatizing, there's backsliding on behalf of all those who were so radiant before. He says still for the individual, this is the second book, second book before last days.
And so he says there in last days, it's time to stir up the gift, be encouraged, continue that. And so this is what we have. I believe here he may have been getting a little ashamed of the testimonies.
What goes upstairs? Reproach. Isn't it the outside place?
And, uh, you can be ashamed of, uh, of our own lives sometimes, but be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord.
And to, uh, in the gospel, there's nothing to be ashamed of. We should be, uh.
Uh active and uh.
And not draw back. We we instinctively feel that the message of the gospel is not going to be reduced. We we feel that we feel the reproach. But the award would encourage us to press on boldly with.
Customer, I was thinking the second verse in our Chester here. Umm.
The Apostle.
Uh, it works, Timothy, to pass on what he has received. I think there's four generations here right before us. And uh, he was to pass on the truth in the same way in which he received it wasn't to add anything to it or change it. The things which allow us heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfulness. It doesn't say intelligent men.
Are very gifted men.
It says faithfulness. We shall be able to teach others also. So there was a, there was a.
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Passing on of the crew.
Always going to leave the scene.
But Timothy had diligently followed up on the teachings of Paul, right? You see that in the first First Timothy 46. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, where unto thou hast attained. So Timothy was diligent.
In learning the doctrine that the apostle Paul had imparted to him. And now he says, you pass it on to others in the same way in which you have received it.
That it that it might continue to be ministered among the reward people.
How does that happen?
While it's not in a Bible seminary. Umm.
You have the truth in its purity, in the assembly. We can boast about anything but.
Umm, I believe that the, uh, the place of learning the truth is in the assembly.
Gathered through the Ward's name and uh, recognized that gifts have been given. A lot of the gifts that we have in the written ministry, the the brethren themselves have passed off the scene, but we do have their ministry.
In written form and that we should avail ourselves of it. And then we have teaching in the assembly. I believe that's where young people learn the truth in the assembly by by.
Availing themselves of the much precious ministry that has been left to us and and enjoying it. And then little by little, perhaps taking more responsibility in the in the gathering that that would be. I was thinking about the importance of the reading game.
A lot of times our own assembly and off the stage, maybe out, sometimes the reading.
But this is how the truth gets passed on.
And uh, Ioffer my own soul that attending the reading room.
You only picked up perhaps one valuable truth tonight. That's 52, uh.
True, you'll learn of the year and uh, you can't underestimate the importance of the reading meeting come together. This is one of the ways in which this truth was to be passed on to others. Can't pass it on. If you don't have an audience, you don't have people coming out to attendance. Can't be passed on. You can get so much of the ministry books.
But there's a value in having.
A number of brothers sitting around at a reading meeting over God's word and getting the proper meaning of the past.
Pretty valuable. I think that's very important Venus and needs to be stressed. It says, you know, in Acts chapter 2, they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine in fellowship, breaking your bread and prayers. And we're living in a day, I think, where the meetings are being neglected, just to be honest, Uh, the breaking of bread most come out to, but umm, the prayer meeting, the reading meeting are being neglected.
And, uh, we need to be together over the word, don't we? And in prayer, how can we expect things to continue if we neglect these things? So I think what you're pointing out is very important.
It's really a language. I'm sorry. I can, uh, if I can say the, the last, the last statements on 1St 2 here is also great importance. Umm, you think of who is the son of a missionary who, uh, was speared at the handed off Indians and who's playing? He wrote a book called the great omission and he, he says how not only is teaching the word of great importance, but also teaching to teach.
So, umm, in a sense, like there's a statement that goes, you know, if you, if you give a man fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. But if you teach that man to teach, that's kind of a third element of you, you see the nation for a lifetime. So.
Not only should we teach the word, but umm, and but we should teach people to teach. There's that sense that the multiplying effect. I think that can happen here when people are positive that we, we get at the end of the first, so.
00:45:12
That's how the chain works, isn't it? You know, we're taught ourselves the truth and we can pick up that truth mentioned in the reading me a lot of the truth they're not together as we sit around read the word of God.
And then?
Those that receive that truth are able to pass it on to others. And so it's a.
Continuous lengthy might say.
To begin with, Paul and uh, Paul having umm, received something from a risen head glory and umm, it says that of Timothy that Don has heard of me among many witnesses. So it doesn't mean specifically that Paul sat Timothy down and said, now listen, I want to tell you about this and went through a whole course structure. It was as Paul ministered the truth, as you might say in a reading meeting, as Paul ministered the truth.
To others, Timothy was there, he heard what Paul said, and it's necessary for us to go to the place where Paul's ministry is upheld and it's honored, it's read, it's ministered in its faithfulness. So as you say, it's also necessary to identify others that might be exercised in their souls as to going on in all of the truth of God and to deliver, to teach, to deliver some of that.
Truth to them I just might point out that Paul's ministry there's four real key points to Paul's ministry he's not Speaking of something that's really.
Fast and undefinable. He's speaking very specifically to Timothy here. And so Paul's, uh, ministry largely takes up four different points. One is that, that we're in Christ, that, umm, you know, that little, uh, expression that Paul uses, that we're in Christ.
Is not used by Timothy, uh, by umm, the other apostles in the same way. And so it's really we're associated with Christ in the glory in Christ. We're part of that heavenly scene. We're not part of the earthly scene. And then he speaks of the great mystery as well. The second point and uh, in connection with the Christ in the church and we're Paul taught that, uh, Peter didn't teach us, uh, Peter taught other things, but.
And John is, uh, given to, uh, in his ministry to teach us of how to maintain communion and so on. But Paul teaches us about the mystery.
And then he also teaches us about the rapture in tells us about the change that's going to take place in First Corinthians chapter 15, some details there. And he teaches us in First Thessalonians chapter four, he teaches us about the rapture and the sequence of events that will take place and so on. That's unique to the apostle Paul. And then the other thing is he speaks of the Lord's Supper and the emblems on the table, what they need the Lord instituted. He gave the seed plot of the remembrance of the Lord.
But Paul goes into detail on who teaches the distinct meaning of the loaf that represents the body of Christ and so on. And they cop on the table. That is the it's not a cup of suffering. That's not a cup of judgment. This really has to do with blessing and communion, our communion with God on the basis of that shed blood of Christ. So this is the same commit thou to faithful men.
Who shall be able to teach others also? Now each one of those doctrines the enemy is seeking to destroy today, every single one of them. We talked to a Christian on the street. You identify someone in the airport and reading the Bible and go over and talk to them and, and pretty soon you find out that they have no idea when the Lord's coming. They thought they did before, but now someone's teaching something different. They have absolutely no idea. So Paul taught this doctrine. It's necessary to know it and to enjoy it, to savor it and to.
Minister of faithfully and lovingly in the Assembly and then to go on with the next generation.
And I think that's the key.
The real key is, uh, to administer, uh, that truth, uh, with love. And if we read and, uh, you know, in First Corinthians, the greatest belief that Jesus loved, you know, faith, hope and charity. And, uh, if we're doing something with an agitated spirit in the assembly, it's not going to accomplish anything for the Lord whatsoever. It's just going to drive, uh, the person that you're agitated with away. And, uh.
00:50:13
The person who feels that agitation because.
In fact, Christian is agitated. Uh, and they're going after, uh, the other, uh, the other people in the assembly. I mean, you know, they're gonna feel it and it's gonna drive them further away and, uh.
I heard, I read the ministry, umm, I, I figured which brother had said it, but, uh, in his ministry, very godly brother. And uh, he said unless something is red out of sin, let's keep him more forward, you know, and uh, not to be going with that person, pointing out the faults and picking on them and driving them away.
And uh, J&B said. Uh, you get a touch of the heart. You can touch the heart.
Conscience only just driving the trees like the first centers, you know, And I was just thinking of the love that the Lord had, you know, and, uh, he's giving us that mandate to, uh, to show that love to others. And, uh, you know, if we see something that's, uh, irritating, uh, another Christian is doing, but, umm, and all, all things do all things with a partiality, you know, partiality as well. I got one rule for myself and I got one rule for everybody else, you know?
Yeah, and, umm, you know, that just amounts up to, uh, like the Farazies, they were hypocrites and I didn't even know it, you know, because, uh, they had a, they had one rule for themselves and for everybody else, you know, and even they put the Lord down, you know. But anyway, I was just thinking of John 13. I'll just read it quickly. He rises from supper when they decide the Germans, his Germans are the Germans of the low in Cassia, you know, and, uh, so gentle.
He took a towel and girded himself.
And wash their feet and, uh, then, you know, he and verses 15. So I've been giving you an example, but you should do as I have done to you. Look, we all have faults, you know, I have more faults, I think, than anybody talking through. And I feel it and, umm, but when you know, when you see Christians picking another Christians, you know, for some heavy little things, you know.
It just drives those Christians away. And, uh, if you're talking about behind their back, that's going to drive them away because, uh, if we're talking about people and, uh, you know, uh, you know, picking on, let's say somebody's children, you know, without the knowledge of the parents, you know, and the children are going to go back and tell their parents what happened. That's, that's, that's just normal. But that drives people away. And, uh, the apostle Paul, I, I love this in, uh, second Corinthians in Chapter 7, the apostle Paul.
Umm, he's so gentle, he's so much like the Lord, uh.
And the disciples, you know, they argued and they fought and, and, uh, things like this. And we know that, you know, and, uh.
Anyway, Second Corinthians in chapter UH-7 and umm, of course this is real soon that was in the assembly and the the brother had to be put away, you know.
Uh, but Paul, Paul felt so bad about it, you know, and uh, he thought that he was too harsh on them, but I couldn't know if it wasn't because, umm.
But anyway, but Paul was going through verse five in Chapter 7 for when we were, uh, coming to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side without the fightings within our fears. Nevertheless, God, that comfort those that were cast down. The apostle Paul was cast down, you know, and the Lord had to bring him to that situation in his life where he, he brought out the love that he had for those Corinthians. They were very wealthy people, Christians and.
You know, in chapter 12, he has to advance and say, examine yourself the CGB in the face because they were going on with a set sin, you know, and uh, these weren't false. This was sin. And so, uh, we read here, umm.
It's just so lovely. Umm.
He was so cast down and, uh.
Umm, in verse seven, and not by the coming only, uh, but by the constellation wherewith he was comforted in you when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning your fervent mind toward me so that I rejoiced the more. For though I gave you story with the letter, I do not repent, though I did repent. And you know, he felt bad, You know, he felt was that too hard on him? He really, really bothered. He wasn't self-righteous, not one little bit. And.
00:55:08
You know professing Kristen Kristen thinks of the apostle Paul being hired man and of course, even on our own natures and.
And, umm.
Uh, brother and 1800, she said this uh, mighty man used a driving to gather Thorazam until the end of his life and used money to the Lord. He said, umm, we all have a tendency, uh, naturally speaking to think of the Lord as a austere man. Now an austere man is very hard. He's got a set of rules. You follow them, and if they don't follow them exactly to his specifications, that man will get angry.
In the spirit and everybody feels it and, uh.
But the Lord doesn't want us to have that spirit where we're angry all the time with people, you know? But, umm.
And then in verse 8, four, I think it made you so sorry with other I do not pretend so I do repent, for I perceive that the same epistle has made you sorry, though it were. But for a season he really felt bad. And then verse nine. Now I rejoice not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrow to repentance. For you remain sorry after a godly manner that you might receive.
That you might receive the damage by us in nothing.
And so he was so concerned. And then the first hand for godly sorrow work with repentance to salvation.
But anyway, umm, I just want to mention that, uh, you know, uh, this brother that was, you know, the, they were, they wouldn't forgive them, you know, And uh, they, they still, uh, you know, they were being ungodly themselves, I mean, but not forgiving him and bringing him back into the polls. And, uh, but the biggest thing is, uh, Paul had this great love.
He had such a love. He was just so, so afraid that he independently too far and was too hard on him. But of course he wasn't. And, uh, we know that he was such a gentleman and.
We have it on the beginning of the chapter. He was so gentle and, uh, I think he was.
The most gentle Christian I ever lived.
I, I always think of that and uh, the Lord, he is so gentle and uh, we only began to taste his love.
I'd like to add a little different thought in connection with the second verse here that.
I got it when I was kind of reviewing by an uncle of mine. Time Buchanan.
When I was talking to him about our children were younger, about coming to the meeting and that there wasn't much in the meeting for them, I felt that the minister was getting down to the proper level.
And in his own blood way, he said to me it is not the responsibility of the assembly to bring up your children.
Your responsibility that God has given and He referred me to take a minute and turn to Deuteronomy Chapter 11.
Uh, versus, uh, I think we're somewhat familiar with Deuteronomy Chapter 11 and verse 18.
Therefore thou shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand.
That they need the front desk between your eyes. And you shall teach them your children. Speaking of them.
Citizen Thine House, when the walkers by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest suffering, thou shalt break them upon the doorposts of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied in the days of your children in the land which the Lord swear unto your Father to give them at the days of heaven upon the earth, so you can see easy at night.
Those verses that the the principal in the Old Testament was that the that the father, particularly mother and I I don't want to leave the mother because mine, I, I-1 feels the.
New parents here that that are have young children.
01:00:00
Uh, and you want your children to go on to please the Lord?
Here's the instruction. Here's the instruction for the fathers. And you know, it's not just the teaching of them, but do the parents, do the children see in us that it's something that fills our lives and that means something to us when we walk by the way, do they see that it's the days of heaven upon the earth? Well, I just bring that out as additional thing our one feels out.
Important the assembly is but.
Here's the home to be brought in as well. I think it's important as well.
If I just very much appreciate you saying that and I'd just like to comment maybe a little bit practically on it.
Umm, first of all, if you just go back to first Timothy chapter.
Four for a moment.
In verse 13, Paul said Timothy, he said, Till I come give attendance to the reading, to exhortation.
And to doctor the exhortation is the umm.
The, the practicing, if you will, of, of what you've read. And you know, there, I think back 30 years ago, first of all, just to comment on reading generally, uh, dumbbell Sally at, at his camps enforced very strictly a 15 minute rule that when you went to bed at night, you had to read your Bible for 15 minutes. It left in a powerful impact on my life and it's been a tremendous, umm, exercise to me, especially in the last.
Few years, about how much? First of all time I devote and I challenge all the young men here today, especially who are in their 30s and 40s and younger too. How much time in a day do you devote to the reading of the Bible?
But then there's the exhortation parts and what you just said. And the reason I bring this up is that I do believe that there's a lot to be gained if I can put this personally for someone, say my age, to listen to the ministry of the older brethren who are here in this room and generally. So where do we, if we don't maybe have quite so much opportunity, shall we say, to exhort in the assembly? It's good to learn. Where do we, where do we put it to practice?
In the home is a tremendous place to start and I want to share something personally about what happened to me this morning. I make this really interesting alive to people. We had an argument in our house, not an argument, but a discussion about.
Clothing and what my children should wear today. And why do we have one standard for Saturday and why another?
We're not going to bring that up here today. This will be a diversion and it's not why I bring it up.
It's questions like that that come from your wives and your children.
That as men and there's gonna be fathers here in this room very soon, forced us into the Scriptures to dig and to find the answers. They may say, well, why do you believe this about the assembly when I'm hearing from my Christian friends or at school something different that gives us an opportunity to study and to dig and to exhort and teach in our own house and.
And that's really important. And so I just appreciate you sharing that.
My whole, uh, father, when I read those statements was we have to do with love and there's some things we just can't do that, Uh, I can't go after somebody else's children and say, well, look, you're, you're, let's see, maybe chewing on gum or something, you know, and we'll have to, you know, and, uh, that's, that's just drives that, that child away. But, uh, it's not proper because they're not the parent of that child. And, uh.
They should say anything. It should go to the parenthood that much, you know, some little thing, but, umm, The thing is, uh, if it's not done well and uh, you know, umm, it's not, it's not going to come to anything. But what makes us want to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord is to hear lovely things about him and to get occupied with his love to us and not our love to him, you know, like.
We have a tendency to do that and, uh, all of us, we have a tendency think, oh, uh, you know.
A lot of people, I, I shouldn't say all of us, but there's some people, I think they're more than others. Like, uh, and I just wanna ask the question and, uh, are there two classes of Christians, uh, calling the older brethren to answer that question? Are there two classes of Christians?
01:05:18
The one thing that comes to mind immediately with me is a brother that said years ago, God has no favorites in his family.
There's nothing. There's another, uh, point here that we'd like to very briefly comment is that, uh.
Timothy's address is my son. And so he had the liberty to come into Paul's presence. You think of the mighty Apostle Paul, and here he has a young man, Timothy. He was a little older now, but uh, Paul was about to say, uh, pass off the scene, but it's a wonderful thing. I'd encourage you young brothers, younger men in the faith that have an exercise to go on in the truth of God, to search out some of those older brothers that are still among us and sit in their presence and to invite them to your home. Umm.
I can tell you.
Umm with loving remembrance of the occasions that I invited Brother Gordon to our home and spend a little time with him, I can tell you of times when I was in brother UMM.
Heinz Brickman's home spent some time over the word. I can tell you different ones. I felt liberty, perfect liberty to be in their homes and to be in their company and to open up the scriptures and ask them about symbols. Perhaps you might say hard questions, difficult passages. Enjoyed it tremendously as a young man. And I just encourage you, those of us that are older, perhaps in the faith ought to make our younger brethren feel welcome and to.
Be able to open up these passages because it says commit or entrust thou to faithful men. And so now there's responsibility. If we have something entrusted to us, it means that we have responsibility connected with it. And the Lord is going to hold us accountable for what we do with what is entrusted to us. So let's enjoy it. Let's pass it on to one another. Let's.
With profit, spend time together in the presence of the Lord and go over the epistles.
Paul's doctrine it was. Paul gives it to us in a very orderly fashion.
One quick comment connection with this second verse. Again, there's no Apostolic succession mentioned or no, no, uh, coordination of ministers.
The This is the apostle Paul that's leaving the sea.
There's none of them that's man made.
So The thing is, that's particularly important in connection with Acts 20. You remember, uh, Paul was more or less saying goodbye to the elders of Ephesus, doubting whether he'd see them again. He didn't, umm, talk about appointing elders to continue. He says, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace. And so that's what we need, isn't it, in his last days, the word of God and the Spirit of God to guide us.
We don't have any, uh, postulates succession and therefore we don't have anyone that has the power of ordaining, uh, an elder in the assembly gaining to anything as far as that goes. That was entirely a fostolic authority. But we do have those that morally take that position of an elder in the assembly and we recognize, we honor them in that position, but we don't, they're not ordained to.
I'm not a.
In fact, there's no argument when it comes to a gift, but even in an office, there's not ordaining. Now, we don't ordain, but we do recognize those that have that moral, uh, moral authority in our midst. Is that right?
A faithful man is one that I believe gives out that which God gives. And you know the Apostle Paul, he spoke about how.
That which I have received with the Lord.
Have I delivered unto you?
So he was a.
You might say a clean conduit for the truth of God, and he passes it on and he wants to see that happen.
In Timothy, and he wants Timothy to be passing down to those that well. Later in the chapter speaks about vessels that are sanctified.
01:10:10
To meet for the master's use. But I noticed when I go to uh, these fast food places.
If I get a drink, I like a straw and those straws, they're wrapped in paper individually and I feel good about that, you know, uh.
Well, the point is what goes in the end of the straw.
You hope is the same that's going to come out the other end and it destroys and wraps up. I I don't go to somebody's table. It's had a drink and there's a straw laying there. I pull it out of the empty cup and start drinking. No, I go to one that's wrapped up because that's a clean straw and I feel that.
Confidence to drink out of it, you know. So I think faithful men are important, aren't they? And speaks to my own heart that we might consider who it is that we're listening to.
And who it is that we're reading?
Fair time's up.
We've seen 172.
Will teach us more of my blessed ways.
The holy Lamb of God, fixed and rooted in thy grace, as those redeemed my blood. 172.
Oh, say just more.
Can you get that straight down? And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah.
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
2 Timothy 2:3-11
Reading
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I #275.
Our God is light.
Although we go across the fastest wild, our Jesus footsteps ever show the past for every child.
Now where it's not most gracious Lord, though we may weary grow in season with a sustaining word, our gifts, our hearts to know 275.
Our God is life.
Three right now I'm tired of the.
Measure.
Of shedding.
Those cold drinks raining.
If you can give me a meeting, maybe I'll scroll. Praise God strawberry down.
The road.
And stop breathing.
Desire to continue start the Second Timothy chapter 2 and maybe read from verse 3.
Stop.
Second Timothy, chapter 2, verse 2.
Battle of four endure hardening as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that woreth entangled himself with the affairs of this life.
That he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strives for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husband man that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruit. Consider what I'd say in the Lord. Give the understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ is the seed of David was raised from the dead, according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds with the word of God is not found.
00:05:26
Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful thing, for if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.
If we suffer, we shall also reign with them. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we believe not, yet He abides faithful, He cannot deny himself of these things. Put them in remembrance, charging them before the war that they strive not about words to no prophet, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to show thyself approved unto God, A Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word through.
But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat, as doth a canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Thyletus. So concerning the truth have aired, saying that the resurrection is passed already, and overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless the foundation of God stand ashore, having this eel, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that name it the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood in a burst, and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purrs himself in these, he shall be a vessel 1 To honor, sanctified, and need for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Lee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity.
Piece with them that call the Lord out of a pure heart, but foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do in gender strikes, and the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle. 1 to all men apartment to teach patients in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance, the acknowledging of the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.
Who are taken after by him at his will.
Just a few remarks on the back, uh, backward and Lopez verse 2 is.
Not on his order.
Thing switched out as heard of me among many witnesses. I was commented this morning that.
There is the the danger of not holding the truth in all its.
Entirety Paul's doctrine and the special revelations which were committed to the apostles.
Are very important.
Uh, so I think there's a word of caution in order here that we watch the source of the ministry that we receive because there's a lot of error abroad and we're, uh, aware of that.
Now, uh.
We, umm, we are formed by the ministry that we sit under and, uh.
Umm, there is, uh, many godly Christians outside of those gathered to the Lord's name. But I just want to caution on that point that if we don't, if we're not careful, we're going to pick up some wrong interpretations of the Word of God by those that are in the camp to speak plainly. Nice.
Maybe godly Christians personally, but.
They have not followed the.
The teachings of the apostle Paul, you know, in Christendom, Paul's doctrine is largely, uh, set aside. They are not walking in it now. We're no better, as we mentioned this morning, but the Lord has in his grace brought us to that place of his appointment where the cruise is held in its purity. We need to maintain that by the grace of God and to be nourished up in the words of the of good teaching, good doctor, you know, doctrine is very important.
00:10:12
In the life of the believer, uh, many groups, they say doctrine doesn't matter. We're all one and uh, we're all serving the same master and so on. That's true. But doctrine forms our lives, forms our practice. You can't have proper practice in your life if you don't have good doctors. And this is what the apostle emphasizes in these two pastoral epistles to Timothy.
Uh.
To, uh, if you give them a mandate and give them some clear, uh, uh.
Warnings here, uh, to the, uh, to be careful, to be faithful. We need them too because there's a lot of error out there. There's a lot of error in Christendom today. And if we're not careful, we're going to, uh, pick up doctrines or teachings that are not according to the truth of God. So we mentioned this morning about the witnesses and, uh.
The fact that we don't have now.
Umm, ordained elders. We don't have any ordaining authority. Now, contrary to what some practice, we don't ordain a person, but there is a gift. Of course, the gifts were never ordained anyway, but there are gifts in the Church of God that we are to recognize.
An offended Christ.
Received the Holy Spirit the second time.
Ephesians 4 showered down those Yes, no man's authority is necessary for the exercise of a gift that you have received from an ascended Christ. No man's authority is is necessary. Then you have a gift. Every brother and every sister in the room here is a servant of the Lord and the minister of the Lord. Now not all are in the public place.
That all have the work to do in the assembly and the body of Christ. Every man to every man is worth.
So, umm.
There are those that have a public gift and as we spoke this morning, we are to recognize and honor them. Uh.
And profit from their ministry so.
Those gifts are now in exercise in the Church of God. Not all of them. We don't have apostles and prophets. We don't have miraculous gifts, but we have all that is necessary for the edification, the, uh, the building up, the, uh, the, the exhortation, the building up in the uh.
Umm, the growth of the, uh, of the Church of God, uh.
Through the gifts that an ascended Christ has imparted to his people and we should be exercised that we are fulfilling that little work that the Lord has given us to do in the assembly or in the gospel of whatever it is to exercise that gift, that ability that the Lord has given. As every man has received the gift or the ability, Even so minister the same one to another.
As good stewards, the manifold grace of God and just few remarks on the.
32.
I think 1St Corinthians 14 make the good John look at what you just said and also to.
There's an answer in a sense that in my mind that the penis raised this morning in that second verse, First Corinthians 14 go teaching others, learning, and so on.
A familiar versus.
Verse 29 Let the prophet speak two or three, and let the other judge if anything be revealed to another first holy speeds. For you may all prophecy one by one, that all may learn.
And all may be comforted what comes in here that it all may learn. We know that the church doesn't teach the church doesn't talk and it's taught as you see here, Paul is bringing it out. It's the liberty of the Spirit of God and coming together as we do that one thing can be revealed to military city by this wasn't happening in Corinth. They were introducing all kinds of things and we have a remark that there's all kinds of things coming in and there were.
00:15:13
Doing that in verse 26, it says that you see, how is it then, brethren, when you come together, every one of you, at the song, at the doctrine, at the tongue, at the revelation of interpretation, and all things be done on to edify.
They were.
Bringing things in.
There weren't reasoning out of the Scriptures. They're bringing things in. And so there was a mixture here in Corinth and we know what the problems were and the Saints were very, very much a distress and we say because of it. But the answer is in teaching to be first of all, that says verse 30. If anything, we revealed to another citizen by Chambra that I think is lying about ourselves in our.
Personal readings.
If we are into the Word and the Spirit can bring something before us and we just learned, and we can bring it out as the one that sits by, and then what we all can learn as it says in the next verse there that Paul may learn.
It's the Spirit of God that teaches you.
Not the church. And so it's.
It's good to be careful of those things that come in in these days that we don't reason into the scriptures, but reason other scriptures.
We've only got about two more readings. It would be nice to try to carry on. We've only done 2 verses so far.
All right.
Well, there's a reason why the, uh, soldier is brought in at this particular time. He says, thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And that is if, uh, you've been given a very valuable deposit of truth, something that it costs Christ to give the church to bring us into such blessing. And then it was revealed by Apostle Paul as a deposit of truth from the risen Christ and glory, and he delivered it to Timothy to umm.
Safely.
Umm, I think as the Mr. Darby's translation says, uh, and trust the same and trust, uh, the faithful man. Well, you don't give somebody who's not faithful, you don't give them something valuable to carry from one place to another. If you, we don't have time to read it, but if you looked in as Ezra chapter 8, the, I think it's Ezra gave the vessels of the temple to that were carried into Babel and he gave them to the different priests to carry from Babylon back over to Jerusalem along journey.
Was very valuable. It's a picture to us in Scripture of those that were given a deposit of truth and umm in connection with the person and the work of the Lord Jesus. And umm, they gave it to Ezra, gave these priests this deposit and they carried it and were entrusted with it. And then when they got to the other end in Jerusalem, it was all weighed out to see whether they brought it all back. That was all there. And so you and I have sat under the ministry.
Of those older brethren that have passed on, they walked. They sought to walk and pause doctrine. They sought to teach us one other generation in connection with the things of God and umm, they desired us to walk in a right way in the Christian testimony in the day that we live in. And as her brother John has said, if we don't have good doctrine, we won't walk in the right way. We won't walk in accordance to the heavenly calling of the church today.
Will become earthly minded and have earthly minded aspirations. Will give us the, the, uh, present hope of the Lord's coming. All those things, we need them all. And so now if I have this deposit of truth to carry forth in connection with being gathered to the Lord's name and, uh, the proper timing of the Lord's coming and, umm, the mystery of Christ in the church and all those things.
We're gonna face some opposition. And so he brings in this teaching and connection with the soldier and they're going to be required some endurance because you're going to face opposition. If you go and tell someone that you know, perhaps at work, and you tell them the Lord your, the next great event that you're waiting for is the coming of the Lord. Well, maybe they have imbibed some other doctrine that's afoot in the Christian testimony and they oppose you and there may be some that, umm.
00:20:13
Even in the assembly where things should be really clear and a clear a clear ring to the truth of God and those that are feeding on perhaps campfish materials and get mixed up and they're going there may be opposition that even arises from within. And so there's it's necessary to endure and to umm as a good soldier of Jesus Christ not to have any.
False.
Umm, ideas? That's going to be an easy journey.
I was noticing, Brother Robert, that in the new translation it says take thy share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. We have a pretty easy going Christianity here in this country. We don't face much opposition. I was just mentioning to a brother a few moments ago about a sister who was a Christian brought up in Iran and she's married to a Christian, but she had Muslim relatives.
And they went to the authorities and told them that she had converted from, uh, Islam to Christianity. And so they arrested her. And as I understand it, as I speak, she is condemned to flogging and death by hanging. And they said all you have to do is deny that you're a Christian and we won't carry this out. And she said, no, I love the Lord Jesus and I won't change. So they jailed her and her.
22 month old, umm, I think Son is with her in the prison. She's awaiting death. Well, she knows what it is to suffer. And the apostle says here in the third chapter, doesn't he, in the 11Th verse, persecutions, afflictions which came unto me at Antioch and at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured. But out of them all the Lord delivered me. So Paul knew what it was to suffer, didn't they?
And I almost trembled to speak about this because we really know very little about facing opposition in this country, don't we? But I but Paul says always that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Perhaps the reason we don't face more is because of our unfaithfulness, but we're to be as soldiers were to endure, aren't we? We're to take our share of suffering.
It certainly doesn't mean to take up weapons and fight against those who oppose. It doesn't.
And we're fighting a spiritual warfare. We have an Ephesians.
And, uh, we need to sort of the spirit helmet of salvation. We need the spiritual weapons as we go through the light here. And, uh.
Certainly they did experience hardness. We see it in this chapter. There were those that were.
Speaking out that there was no resurrection. And then we read in Corinthians that some were saying the resurrection.
With no resurrection and here we have resurrection passed already over to the base of some. And so you mentioned earlier about the bad teaching that's going around today. And these calls, the apostles, doctors given up in these truths that we value and hold precious are being set aside and the vain babblings as they're referred to here are are coming in.
And so we need to enjoy the hardness we're not to.
Take up weapons of fight back and that matters. But to leave it with the Lord. The Lord was her perfect example. He committed everything to the Father, even Judith when he approached me to say, friend, you know, he, he, he never fought back. And we see that with your with the apostle Paul.
Because it gets, uh, report chapter.
Instead of the 14 first Alexander the Copper Smith, they'd be much evil. The Lord reward him according to his works.
He's, uh, he's into a, a fight with this, this person, even though he had withstood them, it caused him a lot of grief. You get left with the Lord.
00:25:03
Yeah, a few years ago, uh, there was a man I met with, Christian man who was passing out cracks and doing that type of work.
And I had a visit with them in our own home, and he started telling me how the church replaced Israel in the earth. And I had never heard of this doctrine and it's quite confusing.
But uh, Lord, give me a an insight out out of it. But uh.
That's one thing I think that should be made clear, that the Church is a heavenly as a heavenly calling.
And we're not replacing Israel at all, but Israel would be taken up again after that time.
That after the rapture.
But let me let me someone could explain that a little bit just so.
They wouldn't find themselves like I did without any instruction.
The whole idea of what you mentioned can rapidly christened them today, namely, but the blessings of Israel are now transferred to the Church, that we are a moral force to build a better world, and that through the preaching of the gospel the Kingdom will be established. That's basically what you say.
And it's, uh, widespread increasing them today. So it resents the original book on, you know, you relieve that error, uh.
And umm, it's, it's the confusion. First of all, they don't see dispensational teaching, therefore they can't understand scripture. Umm, and there's other errors associated with it, often the denial of the rapture and other things. But we don't want to be critical. But these things are.
Extent among us now among imprisonment where they are being promulgated and we need to be careful, but.
Uh, we do have the whole truth of God. We don't want to get into something deeply prophetic this afternoon, but there are dispensations in Scripture. God is not dealing with the church as he dealt in the days of the the law. There was a dispensation of the law. There was a dispensation of grace that we are in now, which will come to a close when the Lord gets the shout and we are raptured into the glory and there's a dispensation of the Millennium.
There are there are distinct ways in which God acted at different times.
Of the history of the world and you can use those is going to leave us in a, uh, in a very in perplexity. We're not going to be able to understand scripture if we don't see.
To put it, uh, briefly, that God has two purposes before him, the blessing of an earthly people and the blessing of the heavenly people, and they are distinct. As our brother mentioned, the church is a heavenly company. We are strangers and pilgrims here. We're not here.
As a, uh, correctly, social injustices that we see on every hand or if you have part in the whole political system of the world today, we are called out of this you and Gentile made into reformed into one new creation of one body.
And so we are here to preach the gospel, definitely. That's what we have come brought before us here. How often we get entangled with the things of this world.
Business or education or whatever it may be not morally wrong, but things that consume our time and.
Deprive us of the the opportunities to serve the war as as we should. So entanglement here.
Using the figure the apostle is here, a soldier is one priority is to obey his commander. That's what is before him first and foremost. To obey his commander and to be ready at a moment's notice to, uh, step into service. Doesn't think of him own comfort.
Of, uh, of what he would like to do. He has a, he has a, a mandate to serve his country and to be obedient to his commander. We're just thinking of that verse in Luke's Gospel, chapter 8 and along this line of Zachary Buncombe Madrid. Some of us don't know very much of this, but see the blessed Lord in his pathway verse one came to pass after your word and went throughout every city and village.
00:30:14
Preaching and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God, the Clover with him. What sacrificing the life of the blessed Lord. Every town and village never thought of himself his own comfort. He was here represent his Father to preach the glad tidings, albeit was the gospel of the Kingdom. But the principle is is given to us here to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
So what the apostles really bringing before Timothy here is that the enemy is going to use different tactics to take us out of the warfare, take us out of the battle. In actual warfare, there are snipers and there's, uh, different, uh, ruses that the enemy might use to, umm, dispatch or to disable those that are soldiers and to get them out of the conflict. And so the enemy is trying to.
Uh, work with each one of us in some way to get us so that we're, umm, immobilized and incapable spiritually of defending the truth.
Incapable of enjoyment, incapable of defending it, Incapable perhaps, or unfaithful to him passing it on.
Let's see here, one of the tactics was that there would be an entanglement that would come in and just tie someone all up. You might say, that's a little expression that we use, isn't it? Someone's all tied up with whatever it might be. When I was a young boy, young man, instead of reading the scriptures until, you know, I was 18, maybe 19 before I really started to use it to read the scriptures.
I was entangled with hockey. It was awful. It was an addiction. But to be able to be taken up with the things of God, there are going to have to be other sacrifices made so that I can you or I or anyone else that's a believer that says that to please him who have been chosen, uh, chosen him to be a soldier or Mr. Darby's translation, Enlisted, you're enlisted.
And, umm, you have a, a commander, you have responsibilities, You're a, part of a battalion, perhaps, uh, a little assembly and, uh, there are those responsibilities. You're enlisted.
And there's either good soldiers, bad soldiers, there's a soldier you would trust your life with, another soldier you might not trust your life with.
Brother, uh, Carl Fromm was in the Vietnam conflict and he said that umm, the first day that he was actually there went into the jungles of South Vietnam and umm, someone had to take the lead as they marched through the jungle and umm, they said, Carl, you're, you take the lead this time.
So he started marching up there. He got his machine done and he no longer he, he hadn't been doing this for two minutes. And one of the Vietcong N Vietnamese ran across the path and into the Bush and he just was so startled. He just kind of stood there. Well, the experienced man behind him, umm, they knew what to do. They dispatched the, the enemy. Well, you know, the enemy has just got all kinds of bruises to try to take you out of the conflict.
Might be, you know, let's speak plainly, maybe it's a girl, maybe it's a guy, uh, he's interested in the girl that's not spiritually minded. Maybe it's a young sister and, uh, she's not as exercised in the things of God she should be. And a young man at school that shows attention to her. The enemy doesn't care how he takes you out of the conflict. He just wants to take you out. And so here one of the things might be to be occupied with earthly things.
Hobbies.
And other things, but to forget that we were enlisted in this, uh, battle, the spiritual conflict at the time that we were saved by the grace of God saved. We switched sides. We're no longer under the influence of the power of the enemy. We've got new loyalties now to the one who bought us with his own precious blood, loved us enough to lay down his own life. We can trust him with ours. And so he says.
Be aware of those ruses that the enemy has to take you out of the conflict.
00:35:04
I wonder what the application of verse five would be for us.
Well, as we mentioned in the first meeting, it's really a reference to an Olympic runner or some, uh, one that was striving for masteries in this world. And if we were to want to be a part of the Olympic team, we would, uh, if we were a swimmer, we'd want to eat, drink, sleep, swimming. And it was just the all consuming that would be the one focus of our lives. We would give ourselves to all that training and sacrifice to make sure that we acquired the prize.
And so here it says, if a man also strives for masteries, so do we take our Christianity seriously? It's just kind of a sideline. It's like one of those things we do on Lord's Day. It's, uh, we, we kind of get it together with some of these brethren and so on. It's, it's kind of, it's almost like a hobby. But umm, the apostle speaks here as if Christianity was the main thing. That's the main principle of life.
And the thought is that Christ died for my sins.
Enlisted me in this, uh, spiritual warfare and there's a prize if I devote myself to the cause of Christ, there's going to be a prize at the end of life. There's going to be a meeting at the judgment seat of Christ and there's going to be a reward given. And so he says there's a good way and a bad way to run to to run the race. You might must accept it yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully. So we need to.
Run the race according to rules.
And there are guidelines given in the Word of God as to how we should conduct ourselves in gospel work.
And in ministry is the truth of God, we're reading some of the principles. It's not to be a free for all. Your opinion doesn't count, in my opinion. And we just try to come up with some way of doing things that appeals to us. God has given us the principles and the word of God.
I think we have a good example. A few years ago there was a runner from Canada, I can't remember his name, might have been Johnson, but he won the gold medal in.
And it's against the, the rules of the Olympics to use steroids in order to get the, uh, in order to, umm, participate. So he lost his gold medal. And I think that's the point, isn't it? We might. I remember Mr. Hagel used to quote that little expression. Only one life will will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. He said that's not exactly true. Only what's done for Christ in obedience to the word of God will last.
Uh, yes, we should do all for the Lord's glory, but if it's not done in obedience to the word of God, there won't be a reward for it. And so just like Johnson lost the gold medal, the Lord doesn't want us to lose the time we say the gold medal in a coming day because we didn't strive lawfully. We need to go by the word of God. Could we also, uh, say that, uh, well, I always think of this as, uh.
This particular uh thought and passage.
Excuse me, We're on a narrow path and every believer is on that narrow path and, uh.
You know, it's so easy to go in one ditch or the other, you know, and there's a ditch in each side. There's a ditch of legalism and the other ditches.
Looseness and, uh, worldliness and, but he wants us on the straight and narrow and that's a happy path. Umm, so, you know, uh, we see that we're gonna have, uh, loss and, uh, you know, I know I'm gonna have much loss at the judgment seat of Christ and I, I can't wait to, uh, be there and haven't dealt with and, and, uh, you know, it's just like, umm.
We have to be careful both digits, don't we?
You know.
It has to be done with grace.
That's the narrow, narrow path.
You know, there was, uh, I, I think we understand cheating in sports. I, I don't think that's the question. The question is how does it apply to us as Christians particularly believe in the work? And, uh, but there's no shortage of examples of strive of, uh, striving unlawfully, you might say, umm, some really, there are some really bizarre examples and I wouldn't wanna go there, but.
00:40:16
Uh, I can think of some Christian groups that, for example, you know, when rock music became very popular, when I got saved, that was the period of the early 70s and.
And so, uh, there were places that would hire bands, rock bands to come in and, and entertain in order to bring in people to hear the gospel. So they had the rock band perform and then there might be a Gothel message. I think that's an example of, of driving unlawfully. I mean, that's that, that's just one example. And you know, the Lord can use anything. Some of us get saved in, in, in, uh.
Context that probably some of us wouldn't agree with in it, but we got saved. We heard the word.
Believed it and we got genuinely saved. That doesn't justify the way it was done. The Lord uses the devil too, as an extreme example. So you, you can't say because the Lord uses something that that justifies it. And I believe Paul is telling Timothy, no shortcuts, you know?
Don't. Don't use gimmicks. Don't use the world. Don't you know? Go outside of.
Your own.
Holiness, don't compromise your own holiness in some fashion in order to try and, uh, accomplish something. Quote, quote for the Lord. You know, Stan, I used to hear that, uh, little saying too. And, uh, I used to think it would be better said.
Doing things for the ward, but we have the Lord himself saying many have come to me in that day and they said I did all these things in your name and what's he going to say?
I don't know you.
You go and you did all these things in my name. I never told you to do them.
So, uh, probably better said only what's done in price.
Timothy was, uh, he was one that, uh, the apostle Paul could trust with.
He, uh, he said he had no man like minded. He would naturally care for the welfare of the Saints.
So he knew Timothy's heart that he and that's where it starts to believe in the heart and the mind.
No, no man like minded tells us in Corinthians that we have the mind of Christ and we have that from His word. We know his mind, His read his word, we learn what the Lord wants from us according to the word of God. I believe that's what it means here to strive and then the bounds of scripture, not to go outside.
There's an Old Testament example, and I oftentimes enjoy looking, uh, for the, in these principles, for an Old Testament example that illustrates the point. And if you turn to ex uh, Deuteronomy chapter 22, you get a little bit of an illustration, as it were.
Deuteronomy chapter 22 and umm verse 9.
Thou shalt not so thy vineyard with divers seeds. That means two different kinds of seeds.
Lest the fruit of iced seed which thou hast sold, and the fruit of thy vineyards be defiled, Mr. Darby in his translation translates it be forfeited. So you don't have to use mix the seeds in your work for the Lord. The vineyard speech is a place of fruitfulness for God. So you want to do a little work for the Lord. Don't mix it with the flesh. Don't mix it with those that perhaps don't walk in the truth.
And umm, remain, have a pure work, one that agrees with the principles of the Word of God. And if you need to have a companion in the work of the Lord in connection with the gospel or whatever it might be, have a companion that walks in the truth of God with you, walk with you and minister the truth. Because someone like a brother said he got saved. Maybe there was a rock band playing. God didn't send the rock band, didn't bless the rock band. He blessed his word. Someone got saved.
Somebody who hired the rock band isn't going to get a reward. That's what he's saying here.
Because let and the fruit as I've been here to be defiled, He would have, the Lord would have loved to get a full reward, but he can't give a full reward. And when we see him at the judgment seat of Christ, we mixed ourselves up in all kinds of stuff. He's going to look into our face. He's saying we'll put this on the burn pile over here. Is that OK? We'll put it on the burn pile. We'll give you a reward for this. It was done in obedience and in a conjunction with the plain teaching of the word of God. We can give you a reward for this.
00:45:33
You know, in Hammer Bay we have a big burn pile. We're only allowed to burn after November the 1St. And so we have a front end loader, the Jonathan run this, uh, little business that, uh, works for that do some work in repairing cottages and so on. So you get an old dock, you get all kinds of stuff. And by the time November comes, you need the front end loader to put this stuff up on the Laverne pile.
And it burns at the end of the season. After November the first, it burns hot.
We need to make sure that in our own work for the Lord, whatever we're doing in a affection for Christ is done in purity and obedience to the word of God. How we do what we do is just as important as what we do. I just want to mention too, brother says that you know, the rest of those groups is not the plot of fuel with an ox not and uh.
Mask, but, uh, you know, first Corinthians, uh, uh, uh, four, uh, then shall every man have praise of God. And so it's a wonderful thing to meditate upon that we're all going to have the praise of God and, uh, it really encourages us, umm.
Who want to do his will?
Much more, uh, wouldn't you say? So, yes, he's going to reward motives, yeah, as well as the deeds that are done. So it's nice to have the right motive.
And to also strive lawfully. I think this is really what the apostle was bringing before us here. I think another example from the Old Testament was concerning David.
Who had the desire to bring the park to Jerusalem? And David, I believe, had a good desire. And of course the art was the expression of God's presence in Israel.
So he goes and he doesn't consult though with the Lord about this. He consults with the people of Israel.
And The upshot is, yeah, let's bring the art back. But what do they do? They build a new car.
Dirty part and they have a couple of men Ohio and Aza. They're driving the car now. It might have looked real good and I was just noticing in First Chronicles 13 and verse eight it says David and all Israel played before God with all their.
Might and we're seeing and with harsh sultry timber symbols trumpets. So there was this great outward display and celebration which might have appeared very wonderful. But did God appreciate this? Not in the least. Why they weren't bringing the art back in the God-given way. You turn back to numbers.
You find very plainly the Ark was to be carried by the Levites, just in black and white, in numbers, and also.
It was.
The Levites, as I say, to be carrying the power to not on a.
Cart, as expedient as that might seem to put the arch on wheels well.
We know the story. And of course.
As it tries to study the arc when the oxygen stumbled and the anger the Lord was kindled.
And other with smoke it's like.
Is the one that's upholding the universe is the creator of the universe, and he's upholding the universe? Does he need some mere creature to help him out? You might say, to stay on even keel? I think the thought is blasphemous.
Well, you know, I think David acknowledged his sin.
00:50:04
And, uh, God is ready to forgive. And I think David repented of what he had done, and now he wants to bring the ark again, but this time God's way. And so the Levites, they carry the ark on their shoulders and it tells us that.
David brought the Arc home to himself.
To the city.
And, uh, the wonderful thing is though, it says in verse, uh.
26 First Chronicles 1526 incidents came to pass when God helped the levites that bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven Bullock 7 ramps. We see God helped the Levites.
And I believe that God's instructions always come with His enablement. He never asked us to do anything but what He's going to help us to do it.
As hard as it may seem, if He has asked you or me to do something, you can be sure He's going to help us through. He's going to help us to do it. And when we do things God's way, then worship is a result too. It says here that they offer seven bullets, 7 ramps. This is such a beautiful ending to the whole story. But it's all a matter of obedience, I believe, to God's will. That brings blessing, are they not?
Copying what the heathen had done.
Well, he originally they had put the arc on a on a new cart. That's right. And they were just copying what the heater had done. And there's a danger with us of copying the way people do things that.
So we stay in a worldly way or whatever.
Well, the heated didn't know any better than to do what they did.
But the Israelites?
He knew better and so there's a responsibility, I believe that.
God held the Israelite tomb.
Now he speaks as a husbandman or the farmer. We have uh, a husband is, uh, brings the the thought in the English language with the husband is one that has responsibility.
And he's responsible, the husband is responsible for the fruitfulness of his household. He has responsibility in connection with his wife, in connection with his children, and in connection with the order of the home. But here it's uh, husbandman that laborers and perhaps have just suggested that, uh, in the House of God we have responsibility and he gives this, umm, work of service and connection with farming.
That the husbandmen, that laborers must be. I'm gonna read it in Mr. Darby's translation. It reads just a little clearer. The husband must husband and must labor before partaking of the fruits.
Consider or think what I say, and the Lord will give the understanding in all things and so.
Timothy was going to have to labor and umm, sometimes.
We looked for results before we could look for results.
My father-in-law used to tell us of how, uh, his mother gave him when he was a little guy in Hammer Bay. You know, we just, we still have snow piles, uh, where the snow plows plowed. The snow is still not gone as the middle of May. But he took out, took one of these little seeds of corn out right beside the, the house and they were planting gardens. So he planted a seed right beside the house in little garden and he watered it faithfully and so on.
Just a little guy and uh, he came out.
And pretty soon you saw a little shoot green chute come up and oh, he longed to to see what was under that soil. He wondered what was underneath it. And umm, he had a little patience, maybe for a day or two. He said finally, you know, this little shoot just came up just long enough and he just had to see what was under it. And he yanked it up and roots and all, and we saw what was under there. And then he put it back down and, and tried to pat it all back down, make sure that it would grow again while it didn't.
And so there's a work of God going on in your soul.
And there's a work of God going on in our children and our young people. Let's be very careful not to rip up and try to find out what's really going on down there, but less water it with prayer and with love.
00:55:11
I think there's another verse, Brother Robert, that sort of helps with this. First we had an internal just the other night, James 5 and verse 7.
James 5, verse seven. It says, Be patient, therefore, Brennan, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he received the early and latter rain.
So as you say, sometimes we look for quick results, don't we? But, umm, the farmer has to wait from maybe June right through to October before he gets, uh, the crop. And another verse says palming plant in a polished water, but God gives the increase. So it might be my responsibility to plant, but might be someone else that will reap. But uh, the coming day will show the true results, won't it?
This is the truth in the gospel work as well, isn't it? I'm not an example of connecting with gospel work. There are others perhaps in this room that know how to do gospel work in our gifted evangelists. But I had a man in business that I didn't work, uh, business with. He was a printer. His name is Dan Strong, lives in Ohio and uh, for years he printed our materials and, uh, brought up, born, brought up Roman Catholic and umm, so every time we went out for lunch, we gave thanks for our meal and then would speak of the Lord and give him gospel and so on. He listened politely and so on.
And this went on and nine years later he got saved sitting in his car alone on a Friday night in the rain. His daughter got saved and she sent him a letter. He showed me the letter, the one page letter. She sent him a Bible and came into my office and he was weeping because he was reading this letter and he didn't know. He said, tell me what again? Tell me again what it means to be saved.
So it means to be saved from the judgment of God. And he said he sat in his car that that that night he wouldn't get out of his car until he got saved himself. But nine years went by. We don't know what there were others that were involved and gave the gospel and the Lord watered it, as you say. And so perhaps we might be guilty of cutting off the ears sometimes because we just won't let someone else do the watering. And it's gods that gives the increase.
So just do the little part that God gave you to do and don't look for results right away. We'll see the results sooner than we think. Very lovely brother.
Well, actually, that's brought me for us here, isn't it that, uh, the Lord Jesus, what's the result really? Did he see at the end of his life?
They all persisted in fled 1 denied him another, uh, betrayed him. Uh, there wasn't, you might say, a lot of visible results from the Lord's halfway down here, but they were seen in resurrection. So, umm, we often been reminded of that. Well, Stan will remember it.
Don't count your converts before you get to heaven, because you'll count too few. Sow the good seed, water it with prayer, be faithful, leave the results with the Lord and be manifested that day. So the apostle says.
Because there must be labor before, uh, the fruit, uh, is manifest. And, uh, the Lord can give us understanding of all these things. I was thinking also that we cannot lose our, our, our, uh, eternal salvation. That is something that cannot be forfeited even though we are unfaithful and depart from the Lord. But we can lose our reward. The crown speaks of the reward.
And already the judgment seat of Christ has been mentioned.
However our lives are going to be reviewed. There's going to be a manifestation of our lives.
At that, uh, at that, appearing, uh, before the judgment seat of Christ. It's not judicial, nothing to do with punishment for our sins, but our lives are going to be manifest reviewed.
And, uh, Bruce Anthony mentions it reviewing, uh, rewarding rejoicing. It'll be the awards. Joy to reward any little active service in our lives.
01:00:08
A couple of cold waters, a thought upon his name, is all recorded in the Book of Remembrance.
But we're not gonna see the reward down here necessarily. Of course, we do have the, the, uh, the, uh, encouragement in our souls. If we serve the Lord, he gives us some, uh, umm, some recompense in our own souls down here. But the full result we have to leave until the judgment seat of Christ when everything will come to light. I've been noticing lately in the, uh, rewards given to the.
Umm, those who uh.
Shared in Davis Rejection. We'll look at it now, but Second Timothy a Second Samuel chapter 23 gives you the names of.
David's Mighty Men, and it's a very interesting study. There's thirty, I think there's 37 men, 37 places there. But there's one place that is not vacant. There's there's one name that is not given there.
They're all driven listed. Some were more devoted to the Lord than others, and David was established in his Kingdom in peace and that tranquility. Then these were gathered before him and the reward was given.
For their faithfulness. You can read it there, but there's one missing there. There's.
One place that is blank. We don't know who it is. Was it Jonathan? Was it Joab? I guess that's not the point. The point is someone did not get the reward there. Who? Uh, David said.
Desired to uh.
To umm, uh, acknowledge and reward, but the place is the name is missing back. So the thought is that we should live in view of that day. Our lives will be manifested as there might be a vantage meets with the Lord's approval and uh.
Will be uh for his.
I was just going to mention, uh, about their, uh, brother, uh, number of years ago picked up a bra.
Brother bus stop and, uh, sitting in the yard and he said, uh, I meant, I mentioned this because Timothy was, uh, he was a resident and I think we all had have her moments. Where were Timothy and we missed the opportunity a lot of times. And, uh, but anyway, umm, there's a, there's a little note that Derby has said redeeming the time for today's review. He says not redeeming the time in the usual sense of the word of, but take taking advantage of every available opportunity.
And so the brother, sister, let me see your tracks, brother. I said, OK, he was looking up to me. Oh, that's good, that's good. He, he says, uh, this one, this one's a good hair. I said, well, that's my favorite track, one of my favorites. These are all that takes a lot of bravery to give that up. And I didn't think so, but it encouraged me so much because that was one of the easy tracks I found to give out. You know, a lot of times you give it a track and you're nervous, you know, so umm, but when you follow through, the Lord takes over. He, he's the one, the Spirit of God just takes over the whole situation.
And it's very encouraging to that was a defendant's encouragement to me.
In the word of the Lord, those little things, they mean so much to Him.
And we've taken about an hour to, uh, to, uh, fulfill verse 7.
Considering what I say, we've been considering for about an hour those three, those three, uh, analogies.
But again, I just repeat in verse eight, it changes the meaning a little bit, but it's to remember Jesus Christ.
I that's verse 8 and chapter 2. Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David raised from the dead and.
It is to remember Him and always to It is the Lord's person that will adjust this property in all things.
So it looked like the Lawrence had a wasted life. It looked like his followers had forsaken him, as we've already mentioned, looked like Paul's life was about to be snuffed out all day of Asia forsaken him. There were a few that were now who might say that had received his teaching and that we're, uh, glad to be heavenly citizens and, uh, recognized that, uh, the value of the heavenly calling of the church that, umm.
01:05:15
He gives this, uh, as encouragement to Timothy and he says in verse 10, therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. And I believe that salvation here is not your eternal salvation, having your sins forgiven, because if you are a believer, you already have that salvation, but you need to have your life. Your life practically needs to be saved and we.
Brother Gordon used to often tell us that it was possible to have a saved soul and a lost life, and you need to save your life.
From this world and from the influences of the world and from the tactics of the enemy to DI to divert your activities, to divert your attentions, the enemy is going to see by some route to get you to give up. But he says, Paul says I endure all things and for the elect's sake and for your sake and for mine, that's why he was endured. The elect here really is another word. It's an English word that means the chosen.
And, uh, I think if I'm right, the, somebody can correct me, but I believe every time it says the elect, you could translate the same word chosen. And it's always in connection with individuals. It's never in connection with a group of people, always an individual. So he's saying everyone in the individual Christian testimony, not only in the day that he lives in, but in the day that we live in, he suffered, he endured, he took the punishment, the abuse.
Of this world so that you would have the truth of God. And you remember Paul was imprisoned in his house. He was under house arrest, perhaps in some prisons for a little while, but then their house arrest in Acts chapter 28. So he had reasonably comfortable circumstances when he wrote the epistles, some of the epistles.
But then when he came here into the dungeon, different story, but he was enduring, and it brought out the sweetness of Christ in his life as he endured. And so it's only the suffering that the Lord allows in your life, the endurance to make you tougher, as it were. To build character is only gonna produce sweetness, or it'll produce bitterness. It'll make you better or it'll make you bitter. And you don't see the bitterness in Paul's life. It's wonderful.
To see this example that he gave us.
Isn't it, uh, just think of the weight of the end of verse nine in light of the fact where we are today?
Here was here was Paul in prison, and he writes to Timothy and says the word of God is not bound. And we're holding that very statement in our hand.
As are millions of people. And that word, it can be in anyone's language.
The word of God is not bound. Did he have any idea?
How true that statement was.
And it kind of makes you think of what's been said about gospel work and what effects we may not we have, may have no idea what kind of effect a little act of faith may have on people.
But Paul, when he and glory, you know, aren't you gonna wanna go up and say when you said this, did you have any idea?
Where this would go?
Quite astounding.
To think of Gospel and Christianity, the basis of Christianity was spread across Europe by that one man.
And he had no radio or television or even printed page. You didn't even have the printed page. Have you ever? Everything had to be copied out by hand.
But he took that gospel message that was built on after his death and.
Europe was Christianized.
And all them giant temples today are nothing but piles of rubble.
Of Apollo and all those great so-called gods. It's all gone of course, and now where people are turning back to those things, aren't they?
At the beginning of what was called.
And a few that helped him.
I read somewhere recently that in these prisons where the apostle was is the way that they let the food and water into it is a little hole that was above and.
01:10:09
The water and the food were let down.
And that's what he had, the food that he had to eat at this last place that he was prior to being executed. Now, they don't know these things in detail, but I read that from someone who's written about history in connection with this. I remember our brother Lundeen commenting on the these prison epistles he said that God had to bring.
Call to nothing so that Christ could be everything.
And that's.
You know it was the end of man in the flesh, so to speak, just before leaving this world, that we might have the richness of these prison epistles.
Salvation, uh, is sometimes spoken of in as a future uh.
For, umm, enjoyment, uh.
Gaining salvation issues in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Sometimes Paul looks at looks at at this word of that.
For future, uh, blessing, there's the salvation of the soul.
Uh, through the work of Christ and through the faith and the sacrifice that we made, there's salvation along the way each day. We need, uh, we need to avail ourselves of the probation that God has made many difficulties and trials that we need to be saved from or saved through. Uh, that's a present aspect.
But there is a future aspect of salvation that we have not yet entered into. Uh, that will be the salvation of our bodies. Uh, that's when we will enjoy eternal life in its fullness. We have eternal life now. Are we enjoying it? Well, we have hindrances down here, but the day is coming though we're, you'll enjoy.
The salvation of our bodies.
And we'll, uh, be able to enjoy eternal life and the presence of the Lord without any hindrance.
I think you have that same thought, don't you? Uh, brother John and 1St Thessalonians 5 and verse, umm 9.
For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't that the salvation of the body? That's the thought there. And the future aspect there. Yeah, the future aspect and the wrath spoken out in that chapter, I would think would speak of, uh, the tribulation, wouldn't it?
Yeah.
We sing #191.
We need, throughout the walk of faith, the same free grace, let's say.
OK.
01:15:57
So we'll get anything instead of the.
Time.
That all that dividend we need to pray.
Dreaming in the world.
Twelve Mistakes Disciples Make
Address—Robert Boulard
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.
Sing hymn number six. Which one? Sing number six. Maybe someone locally can start it.
Number six.
To make a job.
Located by some of our love to remain.
God.
Our hearts deliver shedding.
The sound and loud and proud of the rock and sat down on the street.
Have very fond memories of this little hymn.
When we were in McDowell division in Montreal.
In the mid 60s my father was going on with the Lord. We had a nice home, 1St 10 years of my life. And as we drove down the freeway in Montreal, Dakari Blvd. He had no radio in his car. And so we would take our hymn books and we would sing hymns as we drove along. And this is one of the little hymns that we used to sing as we drove.
On that little freeway.
And I recall as a young lad with very much affection. So you know your father is in the room here, you have an influence on your family.
I hope there's a song of joy, a song of the Lord in their homes, a song of appreciation for the work of Christ. Let's just bow our heads and ask the Lord blessing on our media.
Well, I had a subject kind of picked out and, uh, spent a few days kind of looking over at home and, uh, I was enjoying in my own soul, but uh, didn't seem to fit the theme of what we have here in the meetings. So I kind of tossed it out and trust to take up something else. I'd like to turn to the book Gospel of Luke and, uh, Chapter 9 and umm, just with the Lord's health to review some of the things in Chapter 9.
That I've learned over the years and, uh, from others. Not, uh, not really always for my own meditation, but have gleaned in connection with the disciples.
In this chapter, we're going to find that the disciples were, umm, in their apprenticeship. We might say they, uh, had the Lord the first few chapters, uh, the first maybe.
Chapter 789, uh, 785678 where really they had the Lord there with them and he was training them, teaching them by example with the miracles that he did and how he spoke and what he said. And they saw the spirit of the actions of the Lord Jesus in his work. And they were to observe, they were to learn. That's how God teaches us. He teaches us by his word and he also teaches us by his example. So when the Lord doesn't say something specifically in the scriptures about something.
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Oftentimes there's an example that you can find in the Old Testament or in the New Testament and in particular with the Lord's life of what we might think that would please him by his example. And so here we have in Chapter 9 some lessons that the disciples learned. We don't, I don't know that we have time to look at all 12, but umm, there were some mistakes, some missteps that they made in this chapter and the Lord very gently and very graciously corrected them. And, uh, so I'd like to look at them and just gain a little bit of instruction from them.
And that we can learn from their mistakes too. You know, the Lord teaches us by his word. There's three ways to learn the truth of God. One is that I can read the word of God and believe it in faith. The other is that I can learn from other mistakes that other people made. So I read the word of God perhaps, and I see mistakes that other people made. I learned from that I should learn. Consider the other thing is the other way is that I can learn from my own mistakes. And that's the most painful way.
And, uh, the brother that asked me to take this meeting said that, uh, it really should be geared to young people if it's possible, If that's, and that's my exercise this afternoon. So I'll hear my comments that way. Let's read, uh, just, uh, from verse one, just as introductory, the 1St 6 verses that he called as 12 disciples together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases and he sent them to preach.
The Kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves nor script, neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece. Whatsoever house you enter into, thereby it invents depart. And whosoever will not receive you when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. And they departed and went through the town's preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.
Now our brother John read earlier in chapter 8 and verse one, it's very interesting. In Luke's gospel, there's a little bit of a sequence and I'll just point it out for your own enjoyment and perhaps instruction. Chapter 8, verse one says it came to pass afterward that he went, he went throughout every city and village preaching and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God, and the 12 were with him.
Now it says in verse Chapter 9, verse one, he says he called his 12 disciples, he made a choice, He has a there's a divine choice. God has a choice. He can use you or he embrace he he'd like to use you.
He's not gonna demand it. He's not gonna press you into service, but he paid for you, bought you himself with his own precious blood.
Prove how much He loves you. He'd love to be able to use you if you'd let him. And so here He called his 12 men. He gave them the resources, He gave them power over all devils, cure diseases. Then He sent them. Isn't that lovely? He sent them. And then He gave them instructions. He said unto them, verse three, take nothing. And so on. And verse six, they obeyed, they went, they departed. And so this is the work widening out. The Lord did the work first.
Chapter 8 Now in Chapter 9 we.
70 also and then and sent them two and two before his face in every city in place, whether he himself would come. Soak speaks of a diligence in the work of the Lord, and the Lord Jesus was faithful and diligent. I don't think that there's a place. I don't think there's a village.
In all of the land of Israel that the Lord didn't go.
It took all of these different ones to go and prepare the way before he would go himself. He was tireless, but he went first. They saw his example and then those disciples, the 12 That were chosen specially were given authority and given their commissioned to go forth. They preached the gospel of the Kingdom that the king was come and uh, they were to receive the king. He would set up his Kingdom if they received him and then he sent seventy others. And so, you know, we live in a day and age where.
There's no restrictions. Every one of us has the liberty if we would be led to the Spirit of God to just do a little work for him. And uh, the Lord perhaps has prepared the way we do, brother here in, in the gospel, whose gift is in the gospel oftentimes praise that the Lord would prepare the way, prepare hearts to receive the word of God. Well, the Lord is working and he's preparing the hearts now they were sent forth.
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And then it says in verse 10, we'll read from verse 10 and read.
A couple more verses. The apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done.
And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Basada. And the people, when they knew it, followed him. And he received them Spake unto them of the Kingdom of God, and heal them.
Them that had need of healing. And when the day began to wear away, then came the 12Th and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country roundabout and lodge and get vittles, for we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but 5 loaves and two fishes, except that we should go and buy meat for all his people, for they were about 5000 men.
And he said to his disciples, make them to sit down by 50s in a company, and they did so, and made them to all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them and break, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them 12 baskets.
While we weren't tone turned back to it that umm, in another place, another gospel, Actually it's Matthew's gospel. I think it's chapter 14, maybe verse 15. We have the first incidents that the Lord fed.
5000, I think it was 5000 anyway, umm, there in that place the Lord said to the disciples, He says I have compassion on the multitude and he said the multitude, he made them sit down and he fed them from the resources that he had, but they're here in this second incident here.
The disciples, they went to the Lord and they said, you know or no, the uh, here the Lord went to them as it were in verse 13. He said unto them, give ye them to eat. They said, we have no more but 5 loaves and two fishes. Well, this first misstep in connection with the disciples as they did their labor for the Lord began in their work of service is they misjudge the resources that the Lord had. They misjudged his power, his capability. They misjudged, they thought here they've been seeing this man healed.
Lepers heal different ones that were blind and so on. And they saw what other men saw. They saw a man doing his work. And you and I, as we read the Scriptures, it's true, we see a man, he's a man, Christ Jesus.
That he's God the Son too. They didn't realize the resources that God has. And umm, you know, I just say this is an encouragement to you as you're young in the faith, perhaps young believer, you may not have a lot of resources. You don't have a lot of money in the bank.
You might not have a new car, don't have a home, live in your parents home, whatever it might be. Don't have a lot of resources here. The disciples, they said, well, we just have 5 loaves, a couple of dishes, not a lot. But you know, there's little expression that umm, little as much when God is in it. And uh, I just want to encourage you to use what you have for the Lord. Don't wait. It's one of the tactics that the enemy has in your life and mine to say we just don't have enough resources to do.
The work for the Lord right now when I get a little bit older, I have a little bit more money, maybe I have a little more education. My education is finished. I have a house, whatever, umm, I got a car, a nicer car. I could go get some kids, bring them to Sunday school, whatever it is When I a little bit later, why I, I might be able to do it instead of crying out to the Lord and uh, instead of asking the Lord, how do I use these resources? I'd like to feed the people of God. Why? They just misjudged the heart of God the son and they made this little misstep.
In connection with their service and so the Lord had to intervene and he comes in has gave them instruction as to how to seat the people in an orderly fashion that they might be fed and then he looked up in verse 16, he acknowledged publicly connected his work with heaven itself and prayed bless them. He blessed them break and gave the disciples set before the multitude. They did all they did eat and were all filled.
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And there was taken up of fragments that remained to them 12 baskets. So, you know, when you do a little work for the Lord, may there may be some missteps. You know, my father-in-law used to have a, a Finlander that worked for him. And, uh, he never got his English quite right, came over after the war. And he worked, uh, as a Carpenter and painter and all kinds of, uh, manual labor for my father-in-law in the construction business in Hammer Bay. And, uh, but, uh, he used to cut a board wrong or something. And he said, oh, he said, what man, he makes the mistake.
Uh, what man? He works. He makes a mistake.
What man? He no work? He no make the mistake.
You know, I think of that sometimes. Well, man, you work, you make a mistake. What man, you know work, you know, make the mistake.
I just want to encourage you this afternoon, young brother, you stand up and read a portion of scripture on the Lord's day morning and you stumble along. Maybe you forget what, what the second passage was that you were gonna try to mention. And and uh, your brother Dave here. I had a few passages of scripture in connection with continue that I had in my on my mind and en enjoyed in my soul on continue and and I just couldn't find that one in second Timothy. He just spou spotted it out. You know why God allows us to make mistakes? Because God is God and man is man.
Don't ever forget.
God is God and man is man. And in your service for the Lord, you're gonna make mistakes. Things are gonna come out right and, umm, there are going to be some things that, uh, you just wish you had said differently or done differently, But that's because God is God and man is man. Someone is in your service for the Lord. He's going to delight to, just to instruct you with those little nuances. So the first thing that we really need to recognize in connection with our service for the Lord is that the resources aren't ours.
The resources belong to Christ, and whatever you have, I trust this way with you. I trust that you don't say that all those things belong to me.
My loaves and my fish. No, our resources as believers, we ought to recognize that we're stewards of what the Lord has allowed to fall into our hands. And our responsibility is to use it in the day of grace for his glory and to support the Christian testimony in the day that we live in, To use it, use our homes for the gospel of the grace of God and to use what we have for his glory. Well, that's the first one. Now let's read, uh, from verse 18.
It says there that it came to pass, as he was alone praying, His disciples were with him, and he asked him, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
They answering said John the Baptist, But some say Elias, and others say that one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Peter answering, said the Christ of God, and he straightly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing, saying, the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain and be raised.
The third day.
Well, here there was, uh.
Really a question the Lord had to touch their consciences with in connection with this work that was going on in the land. If you look and, and we didn't read it in verse 7-8 and nine, there was this question that Herod had, he had a bad conscience because he had murdered John the Baptist. And, uh, there was all kinds of rumors going around us who the Lord Jesus was. Not everybody knew and recognized that he was the rightful king of Israel.
And that he was the one who was through the future day going to be exalted. Umm, they didn't really know who this was. And umm, so he asked all the disciples, all of them, who this man was, who the Lord Jesus was. And the mistake or the little misstep here is because of their lack of communion, they really didn't know. But in grace and sovereignty, the Lord comes in here and Peter really makes a very crystal clear confession, he says.
In verse 20, Peter answering said the Christ of God.
Now Christ means Messiah and he is the Messiah. That's the Messiah is the Hebrew version, the Hebrew, umm, equivalent of, umm, Christ. Christ is the Greek form. And so our Bible, our New Testaments are written in Greek or we're written originally in Greek. And so we have here the Christ, the Christ of God. And so it was, He was the Christ of God.
00:20:15
And if we read the 2nd Psalm, we would find that as the Chrysler, the Messiah, he's going to reign over all Israel. And that's what they wanted. And umm, he was going to reign not only over Israel, but he was going to have authority over the nations. And but he was drained from Jerusalem would be the capital city of the world. And that's what Peters said. He says the Christ of God, was he right? He was right. But then, you know, the Lord Jesus had to speak to them.
And, uh, because of their lack of communion.
He says, uh, he straightly charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing. The people, they lacked the communion to recognize that the people were rejecting that message, rejecting the king, rejecting his message that he had come to reign over them. They wanted the miracles, but they didn't want the king himself, the person of the king. And he says the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be slain, be raised on the third day.
Well, they just didn't enter into it. They didn't understand those things.
And umm, the Son of Man here speaks of really if you read.
Let's just, uh, give a definition. The Son of Man really has to do with the connection, connection with the Lord Jesus as one who not only reigns over Israel, over the earth, reigns over the earth, but he reigns over all things. Did you know the one who redeemed you with his own precious blood is going to reign over heaven and earth. He's going to reign over all the earth and he's going to reign over all the heavens. He's going to reign over the universe.
That's what it means to be the Son of Man.
And umm, you know, if they had been in communion with the Lord, they would have recognized that things were not as they appeared and that the Kingdom was not going to be set up the way they had hoped. And they would have conducted themselves perhaps a little bit differently. And so oftentimes, you know, the key is given in the first verse in the Scriptures, in verse 18, he was alone praying.
He was alone, praying Hello. And it says that it's kind of how you use the puzzle with some of these little expressions. His disciples were with him. How is it that you can be alone and there's twelve other people with you?
He was alone with God, He was alone in his prayer. He was a dependent man, but he was fully holy, 100% in communion with the Father.
He was alone. Sometimes, you know, we feel alone, don't we? One of the worst things for a twin. I'm a twin. My twin brother lives in Louisville, KY, and I can tell you that one of the things that is most difficult for me as a twin is to be alone. I want to be with someone else. I can't stand being all by myself in a car, all by myself at a restaurant. I can't do it. Sometimes I don't eat because I don't want to be somewhere all by myself eating.
And so the Lord desired the company of his disciples, but the key to his communion with the Father was he was alone, prey.
You know, there's three things that are necessary and they're necessary daily. They're given to us in the Scriptures that are necessary in your life and mine as a believer daily. And the first one is prayer. If we looked in if in sequence in Psalms, let's just look at the 86 Psalms.
Verse 3.
Be merciful unto me, oh Lord, for I cry unto thee daily. Isn't that nice? There's the those are the remnants during the tribulation period. They're gonna cry to the Lord daily. We live in a scene that requires us to walk independence. Let's turn to Acts chapter 17. This is the third thing.
Acts chapter 17 and verse 11.
These were more noble than the those in the that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily. Whether those things were so so they searched the scriptures, they dug into the scriptures.
Ministry books, it's good. I read ministry books and I dig into the ministry and I but dig into the Word of God, dig in it and search the Scriptures, Scriptures, the Holy Word of God. That's necessary. It's absolutely vital daily. And then we have the third thing in the chapter that we're reading here in verse 23 says he said unto them, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
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We have to be associated with the reproach of Christ on a daily basis.
Lest we forget, we're following demand Christ Jesus, who is rejected in this world. And if you follow Christ, you're gonna be rejected by this world. They're not gonna be appreciative if you mentioned the name of Christ in their company because they crucified that man and they don't wanna hear about him.
But it's necessary for us to come into the place of death daily. You know, if you saw a man walking down the street, one of us, and we were carrying a cross, you say that's a strange sight. If I saw a sister here in the assembly and she's walking down the street, she's down the sidewalk and she's carrying a cross, I'd say, my, what a sight is that. But the world ought to recognize that we've taken the place of death to this world.
And that, uh, we have no more aspiration for a place that has crucified the Savior and we want to live for Christ. Well, the, let's just read these, umm, next few verses. I'm going to skip a few here. Umm, verse 28.
It came to pass about in eight days after these sayings, that he took up Peter, took Peter, and John, and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and blistering. And behold their talk with him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory and faith of his deceased, or his departure, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they were awake they saw.
His glory and the two men that stood with him.
Well.
This is umm, let me just read the next part of it here. It came to pass as they departed from him, Peter said into Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make the three tabernacles, one for the one for Moses and one for Elias. Not knowing what he said while he thus fake, there came a cloud and overshadowed them. They feared as they entered into the cloud and there came a voice out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved son, hear him.
And when the voice was passed, Jesus was found alone, and they were kept it close, and told no man in those days of those things which they had seen.
Well, this is really.
A mistake, perhaps a misstep on Peter's part. He was really a spokesman, maybe took the leading place among us brethren at that day. But umm, really was, uh, a lack of discernment because he lacked, he saw three men, as it were, that were glorified on that mountain, and he lacked the discernment to recognize that the Lord Jesus was not in the same league, if I could put it that way. Not the same league as Elias or Moses.
Moses, you know, the law came by Moses, but grace and truth or lovingkindness and truth obtained by Jesus Christ. And even though Elias, Elijah is a little picture of those that are raptured and umm, not going to see death and that Moses, a little picture of those that, uh, perhaps didn't enter into that and were resurrected, going to be resurrected. This little, uh, scenario on the mountaintop is a picture.
A little expression of the future Kingdom glory of the Lord. So Peter, James and John were given that special privilege of seeing the Lord in His glory in the future Kingdom glory. And umm, so.
Because of their lack of discernment here. Why was it that they made this mistake? Why? Why did Peter make this mistake?
Well, it was because they were asleep. They were asleep. They made a mistake because they were asleep. Peter did. Now I just want to turn to 1St Thessalonians chapter 5.
And read a verse of scripture there.
Verse six. Let us not therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for in helmet the hope of salvation.
00:30:07
Well, Peter was awa asleep, the other two were asleep and they missed the point of this whole display of the glorious Christ. Now you say, well, I'm I'm pretty awake. I hear what you're saying. I see a few a few nods going on. Maybe we should stand up and sing to him. But.
You know, sometimes we just go on and we're asleep to the fact of where we are in the place in the Christian testimony. Where are we?
Where are we in the Christian era? We're right at the end. We say. Well, we're right at the end. We're expecting the Lord to come. How far? How close to the end are we?
You know, the Western world, the Western Empire, Christian, Western Christian world.
Is not very far from class. You know when the Western civilization will collapse totally? When the Lord appears in glory with you and I at the end of the tribulation period, he'll appear and all that, uh, Western civilization will be crushed, will be bro broken, will be destroyed, will be wiped out. There's nothing left of it. How long after the rapture does that take place? Maybe seven years, maybe a little more. Let's say eight years.
Takes a little bit of time. You know, the Western economies are just about wiped out. The debt, the umm, political corruption, the moral corruption, the wickedness, the crime.
The satanic influence, people that are perhaps deeming demon possessed and machine gunning their classmates, all kinds of stuff. We're almost at the end of the Christian era and, umm, perhaps what we saw beginning in the 1950s and somebody mentioned rock music began in the 50s, I believe. And uh, all the influence of, uh, the degradation or moral degradation.
Of this world and the Western world, giving us the knowledge of God.
The end of it is almost here. And the collapse of Western, what we are going through is the beginning, perhaps tail end, very close to the tail end of the collapse of Western civilization. Do we have the discernment of these things or are we asleep to the fact we're asleep to these things? We're conducting ourselves as if we're going to be here a long time. And so it needs to exercise our hearts, doesn't it, and to exercise us in our lives.
While they were asleep, they made this mistake and so they lacked the discernment that in connection with the, the Lord and reverence for the Lord, they, Peter put, uh, Elias and Moses on the same plane as the Lord. It was really a serious thing, but uh, it took the voice from heaven to correct Peter. This is my beloved son, hear him.
That's wonderful, but Peter never forgot.
He was corrected by the father.
He was corrected, He never forgot and he never held it against the Lord either. You know, sometimes we hold things against one another if we correct someone, correct somebody, and uh, we wear our feelings on our shirt sleeves and say something that shouldn't be said or do something, go someplace, whatever, and somebody in love tries to correct us and we just won't take it.
Peter doesn't appear that that was that way with him at all. You know one of the.
Questions that we used to have on our, I used to have, uh, interview people to hire them. They would come and submit a, a resume. Perhaps we were advertising for someone to come work for us and I had a series of 16 or 17 questions that I would ask and go through the interview.
One of the questions that I used to ask was umm, Sir.
I would call them by their name and say how do you take correction? I'll give you an example and I would exam give in manufacturing, you're going to make mistakes. That's why you have qual quality control. And so there's a mistake that's made on this drawing, engineering drawing or whatever. And I come or someone else and the staff comes and they have to correct your drawing. They have to correct you and say this isn't right and you need to make it right. How do you take that? You get all angry, get all upset.
Why?
It's necessary. I got all kinds of different answers, and I always knew whether someone was being honest. You know, some people say, well, I never make mistakes. Well, you knew you didn't get the right answer there.
00:35:11
We all make mistakes. How do we take correction?
We need to correct one another in love, and the Lord corrects us in love. And here the mistake in connection with Peter was serious enough that, uh, heaven itself corrected the mistake. Peter never held it against the Lord. He walked with the Lord and it was used of God. He submitted to it. Let's look at umm, verse 37.
Says umm came to pass, that on the next day when they were come down from the hill, much people met met him, and behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son, for he is my only child. Lois spirit taketh him, and suddenly, suddenly crieth out and tear him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departed from him. I besought my disciples to cast them out, they could not.
And Jesus answering said, Oh, faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and suffer you? Bring, hit her, bring thy Son, hit her. And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down. Tear him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his Father. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered, everyone at all these things that Jesus did did, He said unto his disciples, let.
These sayings sink down in years. I'm going to read that a little bit further later. Anyway, here we have this little incident that took place as the Lord Jesus came down from the mount with his disciples. The other nine disciples were down at the bottom of the mountain and uh, it was necessary as those that came to them in their apprenticeship, you might say they were given power. Here it says in verse one power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases. Why they?
The Lord came to these dear ones and here's a man, he said. I tried to get this devil to this demon, uh, to leave. I came to your disciples and I asked for this miracle and they couldn't do it.
Why couldn't they do it? Well, you know, they had a lack of power. They had a lack of power. We have that little incident here that the Lord Jesus was alone praying in verse 18 and umm, they really attempted to deal with the problem, but without real dependence and power from the Lord, they just couldn't do it.
And so they needed to spend time in the presence of the Lord. The Lord did this work. We find a little bit later on that there was a reason why they couldn't do it. It says here in verse 46 or 45 says they understood not just saying it was hid from them and they perceived it not and they feared to ask him. I didn't read verse 44. Let these sayings sink down into your ears. For the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, and they perceived it not. They feared to ask Him of that saying. Well, this is the 6th mistake here, the 6th little misstep that they had. They didn't understand that Lord was speaking to them, that He was going to depart from this earth, that He was going to depart by way of death, and they were afraid to ask Him.
You Have you ever asked the Lord any questions?
If you ever read the passage of Scripture, you just don't understand what it says. You ever have a difficult situation that comes into life and you ask the Lord, what does this mean? I don't understand. You know, life is confusing.
I feel for you, dear young people, at times as I think of the confusion all around us in the Christian testimony and I feel of how things are more confusing than they need to be here. The disciples didn't understand.
Really, because they didn't perceive the teaching of the Word of God in connection with what the Spirit of God had taught, that the Lord Jesus would suffer and then he would come into his glory. Let's just read in first. Uh, I think it's first Peter.
First Peter, chapter one, verse 11.
Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand, the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. So all of the prophetic Scriptures have those two things connected with them, the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Two parts. And so the Jews, they read the Scriptures, and they could read and understand and enjoy the fact that there was going to be a future glory, and that they would be at the head of the nations, not at the tail.
00:40:27
They could understand that that Christ, their Messiah, would be the King.
But they read the scriptures in connection with the sufferings of the Messiah and they didn't understand them. They didn't, they didn't want that part of the prophetic scriptures. And the Lord spoke to them too. And he says, uh, in Luke chapter 24, all fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. The prophets spoke of the sufferings and the glory that you follow. And so you and I, we read the scriptures and it says.
That the Christians are going to suffer persecution.
And we kind of block it out and say, we're just like the Jews, you know, it's a, that part of it we just don't really recognize. But, uh, the glory that should follow. We, we understand that we're saved, we're saved sinners and we're going to be with the Lord in the glory and, umm, things are good eternally and there's a bright future prospect, but forget this suffering business. We don't want that part of it. And so they were mistaken. They didn't understand things in the right way because they wouldn't recognize the truth of all of the scriptures. And so you and I need to recognize.
And understand all of the Scriptures in connection with Christianity. And then it says in verse 46, here's another mistake, another incident in their lives that really the Lord uses to teach us. There are rows of reasoning among them. Which of them should be greatest? Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child and set him by him. He said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child and my name receiveth me, and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me.
For he that is least among you, all the same shall be great.
Well, here there was a mistake. Really. There was mistaken act in their service for the Lord, because they had a rather high opinion of themselves. They lacked humility.
You know, brother Gordon Hale, No, brother. His brother Albert used to say, you know, we're all just a bunch of zeros. You remember saying, you're saying that He's saying Albert Hale would say we're all a bunch of zeros, every one of us, and we'd be worthless except for the one out in front of us.
We're all a bunch of zeros and sometimes we have a real high opinion of one another, of ourselves, perhaps even as one of our brethren, and we need to have a high opinion of the Lord and his finished work. But you know, here they were squabbling between themselves as to who is the greatest apostle and umm, they didn't learn. He had taught them. And if you read in, uh, Matthew's Gospel, chapter 18, the first few verses, he speaks of humility.
In chapter 18, by the way, has uh, six different, umm, aspects of, uh, Christianity talk in connection with the, the church. And one of the things, the first thing was humility. In chapter 18, they haven't learned the lesson. And so they were squabbling. They wanted to have a high position place among their brethren that wasn't given to them of God. You want to destroy the assembly where you come from.
Try to have the 1St place want to be the first, the most important brother, the most important sister, the place that a place, a position that umm, God perhaps hasn't given you, but you want some place, some prominence for yourself among your brethren. It'll destroy the assembly, destroy your life to want a place of prominence. The Lord Jesus was the most humble man that ever lived, and he's the one that's exalted on high. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, that even the death of the cross.
We ought to exalt Christ, not exalt one another, not exalt ourselves in any way. You know, I think sometimes in connection with this of Romans chapter 16.
And umm, Brother John mentioned a little earlier in these meetings and uh, first Samuel chapter 23. Now Second Samuel chapter 23, you have uh, umm, David's mighty men, 37 of them. 36 are named, one isn't named.
But here in Romans chapter 16, you have maybe you might say Paul's mighty man 37 names, 37 different individuals, 337 names or 36 names are given of individuals, 10 different groups. And uh, it says in the first verse, it says, I commend unto you Phoebe, our sister, which is a servant of the church, which is at sangria, the very first one that Paul names of those that had distinguished themselves in service in the Christian testimony.
00:45:30
Was a sister who was a servant.
You want to do something in blessings for your brethren.
Be a servant. Do a small work that isn't visible. Nobody really knows specifically what this sister did, but she was a servant of the of the assembly, a servant of the assembly of Sankria. Paul says so, and she's the first one on the list because she is a servant.
Well, the apostles here, the disciples were mistaken because they mistaken and umm took a misstep because.
Of their desire to have a place of prominence and we find in verse 49.
There's uh, this is perhaps the 8th one that's listed here that is kind of listed. It says John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name and we forbade him because he followeth not with us. Jesus said to him, forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us.
Well, here the disciples, you know, it's very striking.
They come down from the mountain after the Mount of Transfiguration, that scene of glory and uh, here these nine disciples couldn't cast out a devil, couldn't cast out a demon out of this man's son.
And then they go a little bit further and here's a man, here's someone, and he was casting out devils in my name. And we forbade him because he followed not with us.
As a solemn thing, they didn't have the power to do the work that the Lord had given them to do because of the lack of communion. They were squabbling, trying to have a place of prominence.
That among one another and so on. They weren't in an attitude of prayer. They were asleep on the mountain. All kinds of things were out of step, and the Lord has to use someone else and the devil is cast out. And then really they were out of communion and mistaken because they had a lack of tolerance to what God was doing with other people.
And so, you know, the Lord is using other believers to do a work. Perhaps there's a gospel work in some part of the world and the Lord is using other believers that aren't gathered to the Lord's name. Perhaps there's a work of God going on in your neighborhood. I think Brother David Teo told us last year.
In Hayward Bay, he was in his house one day and there was a knock on the door and, uh, he went to the door and here was, was it a Mormon? I think it was a Mormon that came to the house and had his PA. Oh no, it was umm, umm, an Islamist. Uh, what do you call them? A Muslim? Muslim came to his door.
They were canvassing the neighborhood, and they came to the neighborhood and they gave out Muslim literature. The enemy was doing his work. Believers are asleep at the switch, as it were, and we're not as diligent as we once were. Perhaps it's a shame, but sometimes, you know, the Lord uses others to do a work for himself. And they were very intolerant. They forbade him.
You know, I was, uh, in, uh, Las Vegas. We used to have to do a trade show in Las Vegas every year.
And, umm, there's not much for a believer to do in Las Vegas. But at night, after the show was over, I would walk the streets and.
I was walking with another man.
I don't think he's a believer. He's in his 80s now. His name is Kausika. We did business together. We're walking down the street downtown on Fremont Street, and we just passed the Fremont Gospel Mission in that city. And there was a little empty lot beside the Fremont Gospel Mission. And there were some young kids giving out gospel tracks, 16 years old, 15 years old, 17 years old, young men and some sisters.
And as I walked by his brother or Sir, Sir, you need God, you need God. I, I picked up that paper. I said, you're absolutely right, I need God. And I talked to that young man, David. Here he is at night.
00:50:09
And instead of wasting his time at home doing whatever, he's out on the street giving gospel tracks in the wicked city. And people were taking these tracks and they walking down the street with gospel with the drinks and throwing them.
As they found that, it was a message from the heart of God Himself, offering forgiveness for their sins and a life of joy to come. They were just laughing while I tried to encourage that brother in his work and the ones that were with them. I'm going to meet them soon. No doubt I'll see that young brother David. I never saw him again.
But what a wonderful to encourage others to do a work for the Lord if they're just doing something for Himself.
While we have another.
Umm, sys uh, just another little mistake. I don't know here how much time we have, but uh, verse 54 in connection with discipleship.
Actually, umm, let's read verse 54. When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias did. But he turned and rebuked them and said, you know not what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man has not come to destroy men's life, but to save them. And they went to another village. Well, you know, he came to the Samaritans, and the Samaritans wouldn't receive them. They wouldn't receive the message.
And so they said, well, the disciples, they said, why don't we, uh, John says, uh, he says, why don't we call down fire from heaven and destroy these people because they won't receive the gospel?
Well, that's not a character of what the Lord was bringing. That was not the message wasn't the time of judgment. And the day that we live in is the day of grace. You know, Bob Tony tells a story told a story years ago and it never forgot. But there was a.
In Colombia or one of those South American countries, there was a a gorilla, one of these umm rebels that got saved.
Probably a very hardened criminal mind and so on. But the Lord saved them. Here's this.
Wicked man opposed the government for years and so on. And so we got saved. And then he wanted all, he was so happy. He wanted all of his friends to get saved too. And so he went to see his best friend and umm, he put a knife to his throat. He gave him the gospel and the man said, I'm not interested, sorry, not interested. You can have religion and that sort of thing, but I'm not interested in umm, Bob says this gorilla, he put his knife into his throat, made him kneel down and he says, uh, you're gonna take Christ as your savior. You're gonna chop your head off.
Well, the man got saved and it was real, but that's really not the way we're supposed to do things. And so in the sovereign goodness and grace of God, the man took Christ as Savior and the brethren and that were with that man, they explained the way of God more perfectly unto him. And so that's not how he continued to preach the gospel. But umm, we sometimes can be mistaken because we have a lack of grace.
You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poorer, that he through his poverty might be rich. If we know something at the grace of God, let's display it towards those that are lost. And it wasn't, as I said a little earlier in another meeting, it may take some time. And, uh, if we were more gracious and gave the gospel to, uh, our friends and those that, that we know told them about the Lord, told them how near the Lord is coming.
Lord's coming is why they might get saved in time and might take nine years, might not take that long.
But it might take some time. Let's have grace as we give out the gospel. Another mistake here is in verse 57. It came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the some that man hath not where to lay his head.
Well, here this man came. This disciple is not really one of the apostles, but he came to the Lord. He said, uh, I'll follow thee whithersoever thou goest. But he really hadn't counted the cost and umm, he really was doing it in the energy of the flesh.
00:55:00
And so here this afternoon, I'd like to encourage you to follow the Lord. But don't do it in your own energy. You won't do it in the right way, and you will follow. You may have this good start, this good desire, but don't do it in the energy of the flesh. Do it in the energy of the spirit. And trust the Lord get into His presence and seek grace, energy from Himself. Grace to follow and to follow in the right way.
While we don't see that he actually desired to go and to follow the Lord in a place of rejection.
So then we find another disciple Verse uh verse umm 59 He said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Well, Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God.
Well, it wasn't the fact here that teaching this little passage isn't the fact that this man's father had died. He just, umm, wanted to go on with his father and, uh, in a little expression, he wanted to, to go on in fellowship with the family until the father died. And then after the father died, he said, I'll come over and, and I'll follow you. I got other things to do first.
Priority.
So this, this disciple was a little mistaken in how he was going to have to pay the cost, the price of following the Lord Jesus and what the priority was his. He was mistaken in his discipleship because he didn't get his priorities right. Does that ring a bell?
You know, I've grown up in the tail end perhaps of my life. That's in the electronic age. And uh, I may be a little bit different to other people, but I shut my cell phone off at night. I don't leave it on all night. I don't put it in sleeper mode or anything like that. I plug it in and then I charge it up and then I leave it off.
And then I have to discipline myself. I confess, I have to discipline myself to pick up the word of God and to read the word of God and have a word of prayer before I turn my cell phone on. Because if I turn my cell phone on, sometimes there's something that's come up that needs immediate attention and so on. But if I don't turn the cell phone on, I don't know about it.
And I should give the first part, the 1St, the priority of the first part of my life, the first part of the day to the Lord.
Your priority.
Your priorities in your life gonna mold your life.
And this man says me first, me first.
Now, if we have this attitude, me first priorities aren't gonna be right. The Lord wants the best of your life. He doesn't want the leftovers. What's first, the best, The best part. And don't wait to give him the last part.
That follow him while you're yet young. Let's read the last one here, verse 61. Another also said Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell.
Which are at home at my house.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God well.
He just was undecided and, uh, oftentimes, you know, we have that desire to follow the Lord and uh, we start out, but there's real indecision and not a following through.
So there needs to be.
Decision a decided, uh, de a decided purpose of heart. You know how the Barnabas he desired encouraged the Saints that with purpose of heart they should cleave under the Lord. We need to make a decision and we need to be a one time decision once and for all in the area, as tense as it were to follow the Lord and to go on. Let's just look at I'm just gonna review these because I kind of was haphazard. First one of these mistakes or missteps of disciples in verse 10.
It's in connection with their service and their really the lack of umm, recognition of the resources that the Lord has. And so they really have a misstep. They didn't have a desire or didn't have the resources to provide for the needs of the multitude. And then in verse 18, really they were mistaken because of a lack of communion and a lack of prayer. And then in verse 28.
They were really mistaken because they were asleep. Then in verse umm.
01:00:04
33 They were really mistaken because of their lack of dessert on the 4th. 1:00 Then in verse 40 they were mistaken. They had missteps in their service because their lack of power.
And then we find the reason for that lack of power a little bit later on. But verse 45, they were mistaken in their service because they understood not they didn't have understanding understanding of the times that they lived in and they were afraid to ask the Lord first seven or verse 46.
They were, there arose of reasoning among them which of them should be the greatest. And so this is another mistake because it was a lack of humility. And then we have in verse 49, the lack of tolerance to those that were doing the work not gathered with them. And then in verse 54, they were really they didn't have grace.
They lacked grace, and so they didn't do their service in connection with proper grace. That's the 9th, 1:00.
10th one, in connection with the lack of reality, the man wanted to follow but he wasn't willing to pay the price. And in verse 59, the 11Th one, he didn't have his priorities right. Then the last 112Th thing and the 12Th lesson really in connection with these is that there was a lack of commitment and he was undecided in following the Lord and didn't follow through. Plant atrocities are a little encouragement.
Few little lessons and that everyone of us will take away something. You know, the brethren here are hosting this conference this weekend. They don't just want you to have a good time. They do want you to have a good time. But they'd like you to go away from this conference with an exercise to live differently.
And exercise to please the Lord, and exercise one exercise of some sort that will change your life in some small way. Let's commend ourselves. Our loving God and our Father, we thank you for thy precious words.
And we just pray that thou bless the reading of it and these few comments and that we might, uh, might have this desire to be more devoted to be, and that, uh, when we do make mistakes, that, uh, we might be found in my presence, blessed Savior.
And uh, judging our hearts, judging our actions that there might be fruit for thee in our lives. As we go through this scene, we thank you that we're almost home. We just ask you for a desire of heart devotion to thee in these last few hours of the day of grace. We ask it and give thanks in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Gospel 1
Gospel—Stan Allan
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I'd like to welcome each one to the gospel meeting this evening, and I wonder if we could start off by singing #37 #37 the Gospel of Thy Grace. My stubborn heart has won.
For God so loved the world, and gave his only Son, that whosoever will believe, shall everlasting life receive? Shall everlasting life receive.
And we could just stand in the same 37 the God full of migraines.
Hey, my sovereign heart has gone.
More God no love the world.
In a hell of a time.
However, will be leaving come out her life staying like racing time.
Oh, James.
No, I'm dying that way behind whatever.
Will be shallow her last day my grave station.
Never fly.
Everything.
Just ask God blessing our God and Father, we come before this evening and we thank Thee for each one in this room who can truly say the gospel of Thy grace. My stubborn heart has won and all we thank Thee for that wonderful verse that we've quoted so often. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Whosoever believeth in him should not perish.
But have everlasting life and all our GS. We would pray tonight, if there is one soul in this room that has never come to Thee, never acknowledge that they are sinners and have never accepted Thee as their Lord and Savior, we pray that they might do it. Lord, we know that we're living right at the moment when Thou are going to give the shout, and everyone who knows they will be ushered into Thy presence, and those left behind will be left for the awful judgment of God.
And so he would just pray that, umm, there might be some that would be stirred tonight to accept the Savior. And so we ask thee for help. We know we can do nothing without thee, and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Maybe just sing one more hymn? How about #15?
00:05:02
Oh blessed gospel sound yet there is room. It tells to all around. Yes, there is room number 15.
Oh bless the God of all time.
It's unfair.
Where's your name? I'll stay here together.
Is ruined.
All things are ready.
Yeah, there is room.
Crying instead of reading things.
Hey, hey.
I'm glad you're well made it. Yeah, very strong.
Yeah, I don't understand. Spread the lane by.
Yeah, there is room.
Stop in the astrology. Oh my God.
Yes, you're going to go.
To salvation stay from you will find the way.
That grace no more will say.
This room.
I was just wondering this evening if we could turn to Romans chapter one.
Romans chapter one.
And I would like to read umm I think the 1St umm 18 verses of Romans chapter one.
Paul A a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated onto the Gospel of God which he had promised afore by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God.
With powers according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, by whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations. For His name, among whom are ye also called? Also the called of Jesus Christ to all. Let it be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be in A to be Saints. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
And the Lord Jesus Christ, first, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers, making requests, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God.
To come unto you, for I long to see you, that I may import unto you some, uh, impart unto you. Some spiritual gift to the Angie may be established, that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and him, uh, you and me. Now I would not have you ignorance, brethren, but OFT times I purpose to come unto you. But was less hitherto uh, than I might have some fruit among you also, even.
00:10:24
As among other Gentiles, I am a debtor both of the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and the unwise, so much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. But for I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the June 1St, and also to the Gen. to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, or by faith to faith as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven.
Well, I know that this particular passage is really very well known to most of us here tonight and we know this is a gospel meaning and there wasn't a, umm, my desire to sort of expound these 15 verses.
But you know, I was just thinking, it says there in that third verse, it's the gospel concerning his Son Jesus, uh, Christ our Lord. And that's what we want to proclaim tonight. And you know, I was just thinking that in the New Testament we have 4 gospels, uh, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And who do they present to us? They present to us the Lord Jesus Christ.
And umm, you might wonder, why is it that, uh, we have 4, uh, written gospels about the life of the Lord Jesus? Well, I believe it would be easier for us to understand this if I gave an example, You know, back in the 1940s, the, uh, King of England was King George the 6th. And just supposing, uh, that that particular time the royal family decided they wanted a portrait.
Made of umm, King George the 6th. So they called in a painter and they said, uh, we would like to umm, have you paint a, a, a picture of umm, King George the sixth. Well, the painter would probably say, uh, well what kind of a painting would you like of King George the 6th? Would you like to see him as a family man? Or would you like to see him as a, an Admiral of the fleet or perhaps the general of an army?
Or perhaps, umm, you would like to see him as, umm, the one who opens Parliament? Uh, what is your thought? Well, supposing one of the families said, well, you know, I wouldn't worry about all those things. Just put it all together into one picture. Well, you know, the painter would say, what are you talking about? I can't present him as a family man and as an Admiral of the fleet and, uh, on general, the Army and, uh, the opening of Parliament.
It's gonna be one or the other. Well, you know, that's exactly what God has done. He has given us a four fold picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. So in the first, uh, umm, Gospel, Matthew, we have the Lord Jesus presented as the Messiah, the King of Israel. And you know, his genealogy goes back through David to Abraham because they were the fathers of the Jewish race. And so the Lord Jesus.
Is presented in that way in Matthew and then in Mark, of course, we have them presented as the service, the one who came down here to do the will of God. And then in Luke, as we had before us this afternoon, the Lord Jesus is presented to us as the son of the Son of man. And so the genealogy in that particular, uh, gospel goes all the way back to Adam, not to Abraham or to, uh, David, but all the way back to Adam. Why? Because he's the son of man.
And then, of course, in John.
We don't get any genealogy at all.
Very similar to Mark. There's no genealogy in Mark. Why? Because as servants, you're not interested in where it came from. All you want them to do there is to do the job that you've given them to do. And of course, in John, there's no genealogy. Why? Because the lower genius was here before there were any genealogies. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
00:15:14
Our way back at the very beginning, before there was any world, and even before that to the Lord Jesus always was. So at the very beginning of the gospel, at least of the New Testament, we have the Lord Jesus presented in this wonderful way. And then if you go to the next book, the book of the Acts, what do you find? You have there the Lord Jesus presented as the one who was risen from the dead.
The one who has ascended up to God's right hand. And then you have the Spirit of God coming down and uniting all of the believers into one body, the church. And then you have the gospel going out. And that's what we want to present to tonight, the gospel concerning God's Son. And that's very interesting if you just turn back to the very first chapter of the book of the Acts.
There's a book, there's a, there's a verse that I like to call the key, uh, to the book of the Acts.
And it's the first chapter and the eighth verse.
And notice what it says.
But he shall receive power after that. The Holy Ghost has come unto you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And isn't that exactly what you get in the book of the Acts? First of all, the gospel is proclaimed in Jerusalem. Then it's proclaimed in Judea.
That has proclaimed in Samaria, and then it's proclaimed to the Gentile, the Gentiles, and finally to Rome itself, which was the metropolis of, of the Roman Empire at that particular time. And you know, the wonderful thing is that, umm, there in the second chapter of the book of the Acts, Peter gets up and he preaches the Gospel. He didn't have any microphone, he didn't have any tape recorders, he didn't have any television.
But he went up there and he spoke the gospel and what happened? 3000 people were saved, 3001 preacher.
You know, uh, Doctor Wollstone, who was a preacher of the gospel many years ago.
Uh, he said, you know, at the very beginning of the church's history on earth, the gospel went out, 3000 people were saved in one preaching. But he said, you know, it seems to take today, 3000 preachings to see one saved. That's what's happened. Well, I don't think he was too far off the mark when he said that, but, umm, how important it is, the gospel. And so we have here.
In, uh, Romans chapter one, we'll go back to it and umm, you'll notice it says there Paul, uh, a servant of Jesus Christ. You know, I think it could read Paul a bonds, a bond slave of Jesus Christ. You know, that's really interesting that it says that because you know, Paul at one time was an enemy of the gospel of Christ. He went around arresting Christians, putting them in prison.
And yet the time came when he recognized that he was a, that he was unsaved, that he needed to be saved. We know you were struck down there on the, on the road to Damascus and, uh, he came to realize that he was a Sinner and that he needed salvation and he came to be a bond slave of Jesus Christ and you know.
There needs to be a change in your life and mine. Umm.
And that can only come about through the Gospel message. And, umm, I was just thinking of a story that's very interesting. You know, back in the, in the early part of the 19th century, France was at war with Great Britain. And, uh, during that particular time, there was a sea battle and the British Admiral was able to defeat the umm, French commander of the French fleet.
And, uh, the French commander was brought into the presence of the British Admiral.
And, uh, the, the British, the French, uh, commander recognized that the British Admiral was a man that he had gone to school with, actually gone to school with him. And he put out his hand to shake hands. And, uh, the British Admiral said your sword first.
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Your sword first. In other words, he could not greet him as a friend until he was willing to take his sword and lay down his arms at the at the feet of the of the of the British Admiral. And so he said your sword 1St. And you know that's what you need to do. Dear senator friend, if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you've got to surrender yourself. You've got to realize that you're a Sinner. You've got to acknowledge your sins before a thrice holy God.
The day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And dear friend, tonight you have the privilege of bowing the knee to Jesus as your Savior, acknowledging that He is the Savior of sinners. Or if you refuse to do it.
Then the day is coming when you're going to be forced to bow your knee and you'll meet him as your judge. What's it going to be with you tonight, dear friend? Well, it says here Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ called an apostle, separated onto the gospel of God. You know, uh, what does that word gospel mean? You know, I could ask some of the younger ones here, what does the word gospel mean?
I'm not gonna put anybody on the spot, but often we hear the answer given.
It means good news.
Umm, and that is true, but you know, it's something more than just the good news or the glad tidings. It is the gospel of God. It's the good news of God and how important that is. And tonight.
The The God would seek to present to you the Lord Jesus would seek to present to you his gospel well.
Umm.
It's known as the second verse. It says which he had promised a four by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Did you ever think that the gospel was actually promised in the Old Testament?
You know, if you were to turn back and let's just look for a moment in Isaiah chapter 55.
And just this, this is only one example, of course, but uh, the gospel of the grace of God was promised in the Old Testament.
Notice what it says there in that first verse of Isaiah 55.
Hold everyone that thirst us, come ye to the waters, he that has no money.
Tom Yee, buy and eat. Yay, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isn't that the gospel message really? Doesn't the Lord Jesus tonight want to offer you our salvation without money and without price? You know, man likes to pay for things. They, they say, well, surely I have to pay for this, uh, gospel.
No, it says here come without money and, uh, buy, come, buy and eat, come and buy wine and milk without money and without price. So back there in the Old Testament, uh, there was, uh, a little hint, you might say of the gospel message that was going to go live, although it never really went out until the New Testament times. Well, in the Old Testament, of course, instead of the gospel of God, there was the writing of God. What was the writing of God?
The writing of God was the 10 commandments. Thou shalt not take the Lord, the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. We can repeat all of those various, uh, commandments, but umm, it was the writing of God. You know what makes me think of a story that I've heard that's actually, umm, and it just didn't actually happen. But supposing, uh, I know in Canada here, we don't have the death penalty anymore.
In the United States, they still do. Let's just suppose my wife came from Ohio. I'll use that as an example, just opposing, uh, there's a man who committed murder in, uh, the state of Ohio and he's been arrested, he's been found guilty and umm, uh, he's condemned to die by hanging. And just supposing I, uh, come there to the prison and I say I'd like to speak to so and so.
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The man who was condemned to die. And under my arm I take a huge book with me, a big book, and I go down and I see the man that's in the prison.
And umm, I introduced myself and tell him who I am. And I say I just wanna tell you that I have here under my arm the laws of Ohio. And you know, if you would only keep these laws, you wouldn't be in this position. You are in prisons. You know, the man would look at me as thinking I'm half crazy. Why are you coming to me with the book, with the laws of, of umm, Ohio telling me what I should do?
When really I've already committed the I've broken the laws that are in that book and I'm condemned to die because of it. That's the way he would look. He'd say, you're crazy to come to me. I don't want anything to do with it.
And uh, so the law cannot, cannot save anyone under the law of God, we're all condemned to die and go to a lost eternity. Why? Because we're sinners. It says the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. I'm gonna tell you a true story now. And this happened in on in Ohio.
Some years ago.
Some years ago there was a man who committed murder and uh, he was found guilty. He was put in prison and he was condemned to hang to death by hanging or might have been an electric chair. I'm not just sure.
And you know, he was a young man and his mother was terribly distraught when she heard what her, her son had done. So you know what she did? She went to the umm, the governor of Ohio, and she pleaded with the governor and she said you're the only one that can go, go down there and grant a pardon to my son. Please do it. Give him another chance. He's had a hard life and he has ha hasn't had any breaks. Please do it. Well, the governor wouldn't give any promises.
But anyway, a few days later, the governor decided to go down to the prison.
And he went down to the prison and, uh, he told the man who he was and said he would like to see so and so. Well, before he went to see him, he decided to take off, uh, some of the, the clothes that sort of made him look like the governor. And he dressed himself up a little more like a clergyman. And he took a Bible with him. And he was led down to the cell where this man, this condemned man was. And, umm, he introduced himself and said, hello, Sir.
I'm here. I would like to give you some. I would like to speak to you. And, uh, the young man wouldn't talk to him. He went off and stood in the corner and sort of turned away from him and he said, I'm not gonna do anything. I just like to speak to you for a few moments. No, I don't wanna listen. And so he stayed in the corner.
So we stayed in the corner and umm, excuse me?
So, umm.
He said, well, look, I think it would be in your best interest to come and let me speak to you. I have something to say. And he wouldn't have it. Wouldn't have it well.
The governor decided there was nothing he could do, so he turned around sad and went away. Well, a few minutes later, I suppose, maybe 5 or 10 minutes later, the turnkey came back and said did you have a good conversation with the governor of Ohio? And, uh, the man said there was no governor of Ohio here and he said yes, he was.
He was here and he wanted to speak to you. He said, you mean that man with the Bible was the governor of Ohio? He said yes. And you know, all of a sudden he realized what he had done. He had been rejecting the very one, the only one who could have delivered him from that prison. And he broke down and he wept and he cried. And he said, I have nobody to blame but myself because I have rejected the offer that he wanted to give me.
And he was taken out later and he was put to death.
And dear friend, tonight God is offering you salvation at great cost to Himself. You know, some people say.
They say, umm, you know, the gospel is too cheap. I don't believe it. It's just too cheap. You know what makes me think of another illustration just opposing a A young girl is engaged to be married and, uh, her fiance goes out and he buys her a diamond ring.
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Costing him a great deal of money. And he brings it in and he gives it to the girl and the girl looks at it and says that's too cheap, that's no good.
You know you can't measure what something is worth by how much you got it for.
It's it's measured by how much it costs the person that gave it to you. And you know, you might not think that the gospel of God is very important that it's too cheap, but I wanna tell you, dear friend, it cost you it cost God the gift of his only son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And you know, if you went back to.
The Old Testament and you read the story in Genesis 22 of Abraham. Do you remember that story? Do you remember how God had tested Abraham? First of all, he had promised Abraham a son. When Abraham was like 9090 years old, God said, I'm going to give you a son and that son was born a miracle. Never hear anybody today giving birth to a son at 100 years old.
And yet that's what happened to Sarah. And now God says to Abraham, I want you to take that son, that son whom you love, your only begotten son. I want you to offer him up as a sacrifice.
Now, you know, God does not endorse human sacrifice at all, but He was testing Abraham and I believe that that particular story was told. Why? To show.
What it cost God to give his only Son? You know, you might not think the gospel is very important, but it costs God.
His son. He came into this world 2000 years ago, born in a Manger. The world didn't even have room for him in the end.
And he went about doing good, raising the sick, cleansing the leper, raising the dead to life. And what they do to him, they spit in his face, they pluck their hairs from his cheeks. And they said away with a crucified We do not want this man to reign over us. That's what they did to God's Son.
And you think that God is ever going to forget what they did? In no way. And yet tonight He is offering salvation to boys and girls, to teenagers, to men and women. And I ask you tonight, have you ever accepted the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior?
I remember hearing the gospel when I was young.
And, uh, I remember going home and getting on my knees and accepting Jesus as my savior. Have you done that? Well, tonight you have the opportunity. He is waiting. Why is it that God has not? Why isn't the Lord Jesus has not come back and taken us all to be with himself? It's because he's waiting for you to be saved. But I want to say he's not gonna weigh an awful lot longer. We're living right at the end.
The Gospel door will soon be closed and it will be too late. Why not come to Jesus tonight before it is forever too late? Well, as I said back in the Old Testament, there were the 10 commandments.
That was the writing of God. What do you want, the Gospel of God or the writing of God?
Well, you know as well as I do that everyone has broken the law. Uh, you know, some people, they boast and say, well, I've never killed anybody and, umm, I try to do the very best I can. But you know, you've often heard the example. Just supposing a man was, uh, hanging over a Cliff and, umm, he was being held by A10 length chain. How many links would it take to break in order for him to go down to the bottom of that Cliff?
Only one limp, right? And you wouldn't say the link broke. What would you say? You would say the chain broke. The chain broke. And if you have just committed, if you have only broken one of the laws, then you're guilty of them all. You know, the apostle Paul, he was probably one of the most upright men, naturally speaking. He said that he had kept every law except the last one. What was the last law? Thou shalt not covenant. Covenant.
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How many here have never coveted?
You know, I understand there was, there was a man living down as living in the depression years. Nobody here remembers the Depression, not even me. But umm, there was a man living. He didn't have any money. You know, back in those days, people didn't have a lot. In fact, I remember my father telling me that he made $22.00 a week back in the Depression.
Well, $22.00 today wouldn't go very far, would it? But anyway, this man said he couldn't afford hardly anything. But he said his wife used to like to go down, uh, and downtown to the, to the stores and covet what was in the stores. And so every one of us have coveted. And yet if we've broken that one law, we're guilty of the mom. That's what James tells us. And, uh, so we're all guilty and we're all condemned.
Well, and I wanna say this too, that God is a just God. And you know, some people say, well, if God is a God of love, why would he send anybody to hell? But you know, if we go around here in Nova Scotia, they're building a prison up there in, in uh, New Glasgow, uh, for prisoners and one in Amherst. There's one here in Halifax. There's prisons all around.
Why? Because man realizes that umm crime has to be dealt with. Could you imagine if there was a judge here in Nova Scotia that UMM said, Oh well, you've committed a murder, but that's OK, you can go home, we'll forget about it. And supposing he let all the people in all the prisons free, you know, what would they do with that judge? They would, they would get rid of them. They fire them. Because man recognizes the need for justice, doesn't it?
And I want to say this, that God is just, He's righteous.
And he must punish sin. And it's often been said that every one of us are going to have to give an account of ourselves one day, saved and unsafe. Now it's true, when I stand before the Lord Jesus, all my sins are going to be dealt with through the his blood. When he died on the cross, his blood washed away all my sins and I will go free. But dear friend, tonight, if you don't know Jesus as your Savior and uh, you've never come under the shelter of his blood shed on Calvary.
Then the day is coming when you are going to be judged and you're going to be turned into hell for all eternity. What a solemn thing it is. And so the time to be saved is tonight. Well it says here in the the third verse concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. So the gospel is concerning God's Son and I just wanna say that.
If you were to go back, uh, to John one again, it says in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. Who was that? It was the Son of God in a past eternity. And then when the Lord Jesus came into the world, Psalm 2 tells us that God said, thou art my son this day. Have I begotten them And now in the fourth verse.
It says and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. So the Lord Jesus today is proclaimed as the Son of God.
You realize who that man was that walked here 2000 years ago? It was God manifest in the flesh. He came down here into this world. He went to the cross.
And there he gave his life. Why that I might spend eternity with him? I wanna say that as I said before, your sins and my sins had to be dealt with. Why is it that I'm going to having to, uh, when the Lord Jesus comes? Is it because I'm better than you are? No. How is it I can go to heaven? It's because God punished his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ for my sins in his own body on the cross. He took the judgment that I deserved.
And now I have accepted his offer of salvation and I can go free. But oh, tonight, if you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, if you've never taken that step, then you're gonna have to pay the punishment for your sins. Well, it says here declared to be the Son of God with power according to the resurrection of the dead. And then of course it goes on and says in the ninth verse, God is my witness.
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Whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son. Maybe we just turn over to the 14th verse for a moment.
I think this is an interesting verse. It says I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and the unwise.
Well, who are the Greeks? Who are the Greeks? Well, you know, they were the educated people. Uh, they were the ones who were the philosophers, the ones who spent a great deal of time searching after wisdom. And umm, Paul felt he was a debtor to them. He felt that he had to preach the gospel to them because they were the educated ones and they needed the gospel. And then he talks about the, uh, Barbarians. Well, who were the Barbarians?
Well, you know, a barbarian was, well, you remember back in Acts 28 when Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, uh, he talked about the barbarous people, uh, showing no little kindness, No little kindness. Well, who were the barbarous people? The barbarous people were simply people who were not Romans. Back in those days, you were either a Roman citizen or you were a barbarian. And Paul here says that he was a debtor.
Both to the Greeks, the wise men or the Barbarians, I suppose you could say to the Greeks were the umm.
They were the, umm, civilized ones, the ones who sort of didn't do all the gross things that the Barbarians did. And so we sort of sums it up there when he says both to the whys and to the unwise. I want to ask tonight, is there anyone here that does not fit into either category? You know, you might pride yourself and your wisdom. Perhaps you have a PhD or a master's degree or something like that.
There might be others here that never got through grade 12. We all could be put into this one area, couldn't we, either wise or unwise. But he says here, so as much as in me is I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome also. So he ended up preaching the gospel even in the capital of the Roman Empire and we know that's where he was imprisoned.
Well, we find that in the book of the Acts, Paul was the preacher of the gospel and then in the book of Romans, he became the, uh, teacher of the gospel, you might say. And it's very interesting. If you went to the second chapter, you have the two groups mentioned in the first part of the second chapter. You really have the educated class, the civilized class, the ones that think they were pretty good and they wouldn't do all the gross things that the Barbarians would do.
And of course, in the first chapter, at the end of the chapter, I forgot to mention this, but from verse 19 down to the end, you have the horrible things that the Barbarians went on with. So Paul speaks about the Barbarians, then he talks about the educated, umm, civilized people. And then finally you'll notice in that second chapter he says, umm.
Umm. In verse.
Umm 17 Behold, thou art called a Jew and rests in the lawn. Make thyself a boast of God. You know the Jews, they took great pride that they knew the God of the universe. Maybe the Romans didn't know, maybe the Gentiles didn't know it, or the Barbarians, but they knew about the real God. But you know, Paul had to speak very plainly to them because they didn't live up to what they knew. And you know what happened at the end of the third chapter?
And we know this very well. It says in the third chapter and in the 22nd verse it says there is no difference. Maybe you pride yourself on your education and uh, what you know, but there's no difference. Maybe you say, well, I know the Bible fairly well, maybe so no difference. There is no difference for all have sinned.
And come short of the glory of God, the Barbarians, the Gen. the umm, educated Greeks, the Jews, they're all guilty before God. And that's what we have here in this, uh, in this third chapter. And you know what it tells, There's a gospel tract that was written one time. It was about a, a man, I think his name was Joe Quitman. I'm not sure. Anyway, uh, there was a gospel man who was speaking to this man, Joe Whitman. And he was reading to him this third, this third chapter.
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And umm, you know, he, he started reading like for instance, verse, umm, 12 They are all gone out of the way. They are together become unprofitable. There is no, none that doeth good. No, not one. And Joe Whitman said except Joe Whitman and then they went on their throat as an open sepulchre, except Joe Whitman, uh, with their tongues, they have used the seat except Joe Whitman and he went right down the chapter and this is the way he talks.
And.
The the man thought, well, I gotta read this chapter again. So I read the chapter again and he said the same thing except so with except Joe Witness and he said no, I gotta read it again. He read it again and all of a sudden the man began to realize that he was a Sinner and he broke down and he confessed that he needed to be saved. Have you got to that point tonight, dear friend? Have you got into God's presence or recognizing that you're a Sinner?
And that you need to be saved. It's so easy in order to point to someone else and think, well, I'm better than so. And so, you know, it makes me think of a man one time who went to a a, a boys reform school. I think it was in Kansas City, MO.
And they were talking to the young boys there about the gospel.
And umm, he uh, saw, saw this boy sitting there. He was thirteen years old. He was in the reform school. And he said, umm, well, first of all, he said to the whole group, he said.
How, how many here have never sinned at all? And there was this 13 year old boy that put off his hand said I've never seen him. I've never seen him. And he said, oh, just a minute. Now let's analyze this a little bit. You mean to say that you've never punched anybody?
You've never said an angry word to somebody. Umm, you've never stolen any little thing. Well, he said, umm, yeah, I suppose I have. Uh, yes. So would you say that you've committed once in a day? Uh, yes, I think so. Well, there's 365 days in the year, that's 365 cents. And here 13 years old, ten years you would have committed 3650 fins and then for three more years you probably say you, you've committed about 5000 cents.
And then, you know, another boy spoke up and he said, huh, that boy doesn't sin once a day. He sends 10 times a day.
And so he had to recognize that he was a Sinner.
And I think if we're honest with ourselves, we have to recognize that we're truly sinners. Well, you notice what Paul says here in this, uh, first chapter. I'm coming to the end of what I wanted to say, but it says there in the 16th verse, I am not. I was just thinking of this verse because, umm, umm, our brother Derek was pointing out in Second Timothy how Paul could say, I'm not ashamed. And here's another one. I am not ashamed.
Of the gospel of Christ, Lord, it is the power of God unto salvation. You know, often we have to say as Christians, we're ashamed, aren't we, to preach the gospel or, or to speak to someone about the gospel. I have to hang my head and say, there's been times I felt that way. But you know, why was it that Paul could say, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ where it is the power of God unto salvation? I'll tell you why. I'm going to tell you a story.
I just read this about a week ago.
There was this Christian man who was in Ethiopia and uh, he was giving out Bibles and he asked if he could go to this prison and ghetto Bibles. So he did. He was led down in the prison and uh, this man came out of the crowd and umm, the man, he came out of the crowd and he started licking the Bible that the man had in his hand, licking the Bible and he couldn't understand the, umm, the man who was giving what the Bible couldn't understand why this was the case.
And he said, look, if you want to buy them, I'll give you 1 freely. And umm, you know the man said I'm gonna tell you a story. He said you've met me before.
He said several years ago, when Ethiopia was under the Communists, I was the governor of the province of arson and he said I made a decree that all the Lutheran churches in the province of Arsene were to be shut down.
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And you came to me.
And you asked why I had shut down all those churches in the province of Arsene. And I told you that the reason I shut them down was that there was no place any longer in Ethiopia for that kind of religion. We don't want the Bibles. We don't want to hear anything about the gospel in this in this country again. And he said, you know what you did? He said you took the Bible and you started reading it to me.
And he said, you know what, you, you know what I did? He said, I grabbed the, the Bible from you. I tore pages out of it. I threw it on the ground and I spit on it. And he said, you know what you said to me? He said, the day is coming when you're gonna have to lick the spit off the Bible that you've been spitting on. And he said today I want you to know that that prophecy is coming true. I'm licking the spit off the Bible. I have come to see that I am a lost, guilty Sinner and I've accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.
Isn't that the power of God? The change of life?
I know that there have been lies right here in this room that have been changed through the power of God.
I'll tell you another story. I just read this one on the Internet the other day. There was this young man, I shouldn't say younger. He was 60 years old. I guess he lived in Iran and umm, his wife and his children all got saved and he was a Muslim and he was furious.
Uh, he was furious about his wife and his children being being saved. And he said if you don't convert back to Islam.
I'm gonna beat you up. And he did. He started abusing them and hitting them and swiping at them and everything, and it became very dangerous. And finally he got so frustrated, he said if you don't convert back to Islam, I'm going to kill everyone of you. And so his wife and his children all had to flee. They not only fled the house, but they fled the country. I'm not sure just where they went, but umm, he.
He was still very angry and he started reading the Koran and.
Finally he said, he said, God, I want you to show yourself to me. And he prayed this prayer. Show you show yourself to me. And uh, nothing happened. Uh, several days went by, nothing happened. Finally he said, I'm going to believe in the God that reveals himself to me.
And so one night he went to bed and he slept. And in his sleep a man came walking down the road on a donkey. And the man said to him, I'm gonna wash away your sins.
If you'll only believe, I will wash away your sins. And he woke up and he said, I don't understand what this is all about. He went home the next night and he slept and he dreamed the very same dream, but this time there was another man in the dream. And the man said, you know who that man is that's talking to you on the donkey and says you'll wash away your sins if you only believe. And he said no. He said that's Jesus Christ.
And the next night he had the very same dream, and you know, he got so.
He was so stirred by this, he went to the very gathering of Christians that his wife and his children had gone to and told them that he wanted to know about this man named Jesus Christ. And you know what the result was? He accepted the Lord Jesus and his Savior. Is that not the power of God unto salvation? And you know the wonderful thing was that he got in contact with his family again.
And today he's living with his wife and his children, and they're rejoicing and going on for the Lord.
That isn't the power of God. What is? And so Paul can say here, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the two first and also to the Greek. But you know what goes on and says, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written that just shall live by faith. I don't have time, but LaGuardia says the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteous ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth and unrighteousness.
In other words, dear friends, the do the judgment is hanging over this world. Very soon the door will be closed forever. And you know, there's a verse that I was just struck by recently, and I'll close with this Second Thessalonians, Second Thessalonians, chapter one.
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2nd Thessalonians, chapter one.
And it says there in the seventh verse.
To you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. You notice there's two groups there, those that know not God. There are some people in this world who have never known God and the Lord is going to deal with them. But then it says those that obey not the gospel of God. You know sometimes the gospel goes out as if.
God is just giving you an invitation, and you may receive it or you may not receive it, but here it says that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, God is commanding every man everywhere to repent. It's not a choice. Well, it is a choice, but the point is you must obey or face the consequences.
Have you ever obeyed? Have you ever come to Jesus?
You realize that He loves you, that He gave his life for you, and he's asking you to accept him as Savior. If not, it says he's gonna come in vengeance with inflaming fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not the gospel. Well, we trust that tonight you will accept Jesus before it is forever too late. Let's just look to the Lord.
Our God and Father, we come before thee this evening, and we think of what a solemn thing it is to walk out of this room.
Not knowing the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord, we would just plead with me, if there's someone here tonight who has never confessed thee as the Lord and Savior, that they might do so tonight. You think of that verse that thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. We pray that there might be someone tonight who are confessing as Lord and Savior. We ask thee for Thy blessing on my word.
And the worthy and precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Naaman 2 Kings 5
Children—Etienne Leger
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.
Hi, my voice is going so this might be a shorter Sunday school. We might think of it more than we have a couple more spots in the front here. Anyone else wants to join the front row? You are welcome. Your parents let you. If not, you can sit back with your parents. That's OK.
I like to look at people when I talk to them, so if you're in the front, I can see. Thank you. All right, so who has? Oh, by the way, my name is ET ET, or you can call me Etienne. Or if you can't see that C works too, so.
If you have to give a raise your hands and then we'll give it a song from the, uh, echoes of Great Timshi. Yes, I think you could just tell me your name as you, what's your, what's your name? Caleb? And then you go with your son. Perfect, Caleb. Thank you. What #46. And a brother. Help me start #46.
What did I need your hand to get the party in the heart? I am giving you that. I have to jump in India and see you in my heart. I can't believe I'm telling you.
And he calls and he calls on to be on our knowledge and he wants all the alignment to do.
Wednesday I hear the last day and him and how about there's been no washed away?
Thank you, Caleb. Anybody else? Yes, 4747. And what's your name? Hannah. Anna. We're 47 from Hannah.
When he comes, when he comes and still to make up his doable, all his jewels, precious jewels and his love and headstone.
Was that kind of ratings ratings or, uh, I would like you to practice your normal and that is love and in his home. All right, the stars of the dark Lord in heaven's bright crown unordered, they shall shine with different taste right down.
For his crown.
Yeah, Matt, go ahead #40.
Hey, God loves me as I go for the cycle let go one together with everything on her beliefs of negative strong. Yeah, I'm getting umm well together.
Yeah.
Jason come out today if I have a blah, blah, blah. I had a total convenience so.
Today's our lives may be made with a million dollars that I'm going to get you then why?
He will watch our way in mind stand blast off of them. So I'll come back again. Yeah. She's been in the sun once. Maybe.
00:05:01
Yeah, shaking. His son's lovely.
Yeah.
Eating and flowers may go on that and you wait to know many meaningless ways to hold me in his arms.
Give me straight from a very hard yeah I can't believe it sounds long to me yeah she's not lost meaning Yeah I'm yeah I'm not drinking it's not a lot of things flying. Why I don't want to tell them that I don't know doubts me so.
Nsnoise J Times Plus maybe Yeah, I I have a situation about the fluorescent.
Bulb that was made so.
J blah blah blah may be well Spanish clothes, they decide, made out of our wedding and our eyes Trust and sugar. I know. Take Me Home my time. Yeah, I have a genius. Not a lot of things yeah, I'm serious about.
Creating. Yeah, she's right about me.
Oh my God, tell me so.
It says here let a little child come in at the end of verse 2 now.
How young can you be? Because of what Jesus Christ as your savior? You don't have an idea.
Is there a age that's too young? No.
That's true. Well, let's say #42 because #42 gives us a good old answer to this question, OK #42.
Uh.
We're surprised they get all the time.
When the heart begins.
On the sun and God.
The time the storm is shaking in the mirror sound lazy shine through the head one.
This morning I wanna talk to you about a young girl.
And it's, uh, a real account found in the Bible. It's a historical event. It's not just a story, it's a story from the vile, but it actually happened. So it's something that, uh, that's true. And this young girl, she was young, Bible says, and the King James, it says she was a little, maybe we're not sure how old that is, but she was young, but she was Jews of the Lord. And so we're gonna talk about the story of Naman today and how the young girl helped Naaman get better.
Before we start, we're gonna still have time for at least one more, one more song. So anyone else have a song that we're saying yeah #3 #3?
13 and what's your name?
OK #3 #15.
Man, I'm so glad.
OK, and come up in the grocery and you're my place coming down against the middle of my garden.
00:10:10
That's why I will love you.
Hi, Claire, it's Brian.
How I love you.
Let's sing just one more. We got time for one more. Yes #10 #10 What's your name?
#10.
I think verse one, three and four number 10.
Uh.
And then go nuts and.
Shall make it all around.
Oh, one day.
Bring the garlic, strip our envelope and everything. Now he's all night on the groove.
And migraine.
How many days?
Are there thy heart of living in the dark earth, living in the world?
Give your information.
All right, so before we start, let's ask the word for itself, right? Let's, let's close your eyes.
Would you just say for this time you have to open your word? I pray for every child here sitting in the front row here or around or any under parents or anyone in this room that might not know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. I pray that what I said this morning to bring conviction and muster need of a Savior. I pray that what is said to be clear. I also pray for my voice that it might last. Above all, pray that you might be glorified Lord. I pray that what is said He'd be encouragement to those who know Thee a Savior and could be just.
00:15:19
A. The time when a Sinner turns from darkness to light.
If we have these things in my worthy name, voice, Amen. All right, so I'll give you a Bible here. We'll turn to 2nd Kings chapter 5.
And I know some of you have strong voices, so I'm gonna need some help.
Recent verses we're talking about the story of Naman.
Second Kings chapter 5 we have a courageous volunteer to read verse one.
Oh, background. Yep, first one.
OK, so Naman. No, Naman. That's a name we don't hear about too well now these days. Does anyone have a friend called Naaman? No, we don't really use that word anymore, but it says Naiman was a captain. Now, what's a captain? Like the captain of a hockey team? No. What's the captain? Raise your hand if you know what it means to your being a captain. Yeah, it means that you're experiencing the belt of the boat. Yeah, that's the ship cap. That's a very good answer. Now there's another word for captain.
Another definition? Who knows?
Background again, Yeah. Leader of the Army. So was this man powerful or was he like your regular, your regular guy?
He said was the captain of the army, so he was pretty powerful. He was right up there with the kings. He was almost like, I was going to say the vice president. OK, I thought you guys don't have this in Canada. Umm, he was high up there. He was high up there in, in, in the political scene and he was a general and he was a powerful man. But at the end of the verse it says he was a leper. Now, what's a leper?
Mr. Kemp, you've you've met some lepers in Malawi, have you?
Other places too. So So what? What is a leopard? What characterizes a leopard?
Well, umm, one thing. They're outside the camp. They're, they're, uh, despised by everyone. They're unclean. They're dirty.
Awful disease that cannot be cured. Mm-hmm. Exactly. They have a disease that, uh, I'm not a medical in domestic field, but you're basically your extremities like your fingers and toes.
Something feeling in them. And so whenever you heard and so you bang your hand on the desk and you start bleeding, you won't even feel it. So what happens is you're having infections. That's why part of the answer. But it's a serious disease that cannot be cured. Like Mr. Kemp was saying, if you're a leper today, you're not allowed in this room. You have to, you have to live in like your little colony. But you can hide it for a while because you have these stores on your body. So what Nieman did, let's say at a store right here, he he rolled his shirt down and he pretended no one knew. So Neyman was a powerful man.
Yeah, it was a general he, but he was a lesser so he had all this power, all this wealth, but he had this problem that was gonna kill him that would eventually lead to his death and he wanted to be healed. You know, leprosy is it reminds me of what sin is. You know sin, you can hide it for a while. If I'm a Sinner and I'm doing something wrong, let's say my mom said don't take an extra cookie from the cookie jar. I've done that. You take an extra 1 May maybe you eat it. No one knew about it. No one knows these things. No one knows. Maybe if your parents that don't do this or don't do that or don't call this place or don't call that place.
But if you do it, you might, you might be sinning, but no one else knows about it. It could be a secret between you or God knows. God sees everything. God sees those secrets. He sees those things that we do. And so David was a powerful man and he actually won a lot of victories for the people of Syria. Now, the people of Syria, they weren't friends with the Israelites.
Like they wouldn't go and like, shake each other's hand. No, they fight and they kill each other. And so one day name and his army, they just show up in Israel and they go and kidnap this young girl. They, they, they probably, I don't know what happened. That doesn't say they probably killed her family. They probably, you know, tore up her town, took all her toys, took everything away from here. And they said, you're coming with me. So let's imagine we're taking this young girl right here.
We're kidnapping you. Sorry, parents, but you're gonna have to sit right here. Can I have this chair? Have a seat here.
00:20:06
And so you, you're no longer your name again. Lower. You're no longer Lauren. You're no longer I'm gonna give you guys a new name. You're gonna have to go. Now, instead of playing with your friends at the school, playing your iPod or your computer, whatever gadget you have, you gotta, you gotta work. You're gonna serve.
Name is name, name, name is wife. And so would you be happy about that? Do you think that young girl was happy or sad? Sad. So she was taken from her hometown.
She's taken from everything she loves and she's all right. You're going to come live here and work for your and work for your enemy. But in verse, in verse two, we read verse two. Who can read verse 2?
Yeah, go ahead.
We used to go on s s companies and have brought away captures over the land of Israel, a loyal maid and belated unnamedly life.
And so she, this young girl, she heard that Nieman was a lever. And if I was in that situation, I may have said serves that guy right. Look what he did to my family. Look what he did to my people. He took all my toys away. He took all my stuff away, took all my Sunday clothes away. Yeah, that's not cool. Yeah, sure isn't right to be sick. I hope he dies. But no, this young girl, she did something else. She had compassion on naming. And she says something in verse three. So if someone else read verse 3.
Yeah, Are you ready for us? And she said onto her mistress.
Would God, my Lord, were with the prophet that is in Samara?
Good. Yeah, OK. For he would recover him of his leprosy. So she says if only Naman he tells us to the Lady. Only Naiman could meet this prophet. He could be better. Now. This. Now let's go ahead. A forgiving spirit. You can sit down. Thank you. She had a forgiving spirit.
She said. I'm not gonna be bitter against for my circumstances. I'm not gonna be holding this against my, my, my new master here who's kidnapped me. I'm gonna seek his best interest. You know, this young girl, she's a missionary.
She was serving the Lord where the Lord put her.
In that little town doing her job.
You know, we talk about people that do mission work, Mission network. Mr. Kemp travels around the world going to different places. I've been at some places myself. But you know, we're all servants of God in one way or another. Whether you're at home, at school, doing your chores, or you're working a job, we're all called to serve the Lord and we all can be witnesses where the Lord has put us. So you could be serving the Lord if you're at home, doing your homework, helping your family.
That's just as in the Lord's eye, that's just as important because you know, the mammals of the outward appearance. God looks at the heart. God is looking at everyone's heart. And this young lady here, this young girl, this young lady, she was doing what the Lord had her to do. She was serving God in her little corner and she was being a blessing to other people. Now let's keep going, OK?
Let's turn it into umm.
Now let's let's just move on the story a little bit here for the sake of time. So Naman's wife told Naaman and the Naman. All right, I'm gonna go and see the king. So the king, the king of Syria.
Says give them a letter. OK, so I'm gonna read verse five. And the king of Syria said go, go to go to go. And I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed with him and took with him 10 lbs of silver, 66,000 pieces of gold, and 10 changes of Raymond. Now I'm not a local scholar. I don't know what this is worth, but I'm assuming this is worth quite a bit of money. So he took a whole bunch of money, a whole bunch of clothes. And he says we're gonna go and I'm gonna try to pay my way to get clean.
Now who here came here by car today?
Everything in my car. Good. OK, now who here lives in a place not not in this local assembly?
OK, so you guys all took a road trip, right to get here? Well, Neiman took a road trip to go to Israel to get healed. Now what did he pack? He packed a whole bunch of stuff. Whenever you go on a road trip, Matt, what do you pack?
Closed What do you pack?
Sue, this is Mori. What? What do you bring? Anything special on the trip?
Toys. Toys. That's important too. Imediators bring anything, Yeah.
Not sure.
Toys. Yeah, yeah, sometimes the more clothes, the more, the more clothes. Yeah, You need your clothes, right?
00:25:07
And so they had all these things that were ready. So name is like, I'm gonna have all my stuff ready. I got I got all my I'm gonna bring some soldiers. We're gonna go and I'm gonna get healed because Naman, he was a he was a go getter. He's like, you know what? I have something that needs to get done. I'm gonna get healed. Because if I don't get healed, what's gonna happen? Die. He's gonna die.
And so he was still hiding his his leprosy, he was still a secret because he didn't want anyone else to know. So he heads over to Israel. Now he goes and sees the king of Israel and says, look, I'm here to get healed. Now the king of Israel is like, I can't do this. I can't heal you.
Let's turn down here and I think at verse 7.
They came to pass when the king of Israel read the letter, he rents his clothes and said, am I God to kill and to make alive at this man to send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore I consider, I pray you and see how he sees a quarrel against you. The king says, the king of Israel now says I can't heal this man. This guy showed up with his road trip with all this stuff and he wants to pay me to heal something that I can't do. You know, if you have all the money in the world, you can't heal someone from a from this disease.
If you went to a doctor, so I'll give you all the money in the world. If you can heal me of this leprosy, I can't do it.
I'm not God, I can't heal. And so this king was saying, oh, this Tyrion king, he just wants to cause trouble with me again. So he he was a little. He was a little. He was very distraught now. But then Elijah shows up. Elijah. Who knows who, who, who Elijah was? Yeah, He's a prophet. He's a prophet. What's a profit? A profit is that is that money you make at the end of the day, you made a profit? No.
What? What's the profit?
Our profit was a man of God, a man that has had the word of God was basically the Lord used him to speak certain things. So we're gonna read verse verse eight, OK of the man of God and the prophet who wants to read Ethan, can you read verse eight please for us?
And it was so, uh, last of the management, the king of Israel had read his clothes, that he sent the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in his fish. OK, Verse 9.
So Naman came with his horses and with his chariot and committed the door of the House of Elijah. OK, so now there's a breakthrough here. The king was really worried. He ripped his clothes. He ripped his Sunday clothes, tore off his tie. He's like, you know what? I can't do it. And he was really worried. But then the message came. And so he goes.
And Naman gets sent over to Leisha's house. So licious, just imagine this. Imagine this is the house, all right? And Elisha is here. So basically imagine it feels it's filled with soldiers and filled with the Chariots and the and all the men and names like, all right, I'm here to get healed.
Now, if you have a very important guest coming to your house, I know some of you, some of your kids, whenever you know you have a friend coming for the conference or something, what do your parents say? Gotta clean the house, right? You gotta get everything ready and put on your best clothes and or being your best behavior and don't fight and everyone get along right in our house. That's the way it was too. You have to make sure everything is ready for the for the important guests. When this guest arrives, but Elijah doesn't even go and see him. He sends a message to him.
And verse 10, it likes to send a message unto him. Go and wash in the Jordan 7 times and they flash I'll come again to be thou shalt be clean. You know, Naman was used. I, I, I mean, he was a general. He ordered. Hey, you pick up that water bottle, you do it right away. Are you or you get in trouble. Hey, you shine my shoes right away. Shine you go kill that guy. Kill him right away. So now he's like, alright, I'm here to get healed.
It won't come. Socks in the door. No one is coming out. Who this guy think he is. I'm the general here. I'm a big guy and no one wants to come in. You just wanna heal me. He sends a message. Imagine if you went to a doctor and you were really sick and he sends you a text message to tell you what to do. How do you feel about that?
It'd be like, this is this guy for real? Is he serious? A doctor. You're supposed to, you know, you meet me and you, you examine and you're like, you figure out what's wrong with me and then you tell me what to do. But license is gonna come out. What?
All right, so you guys think Neon was happy or sad sad he was he was worse than that. He wasn't just sad, he was mad. Now verse 11 Nathan was naman was Roth and went away and said, behold, I thought he will surely come out to me and stand and call the name of the Lord his God and strike his hand over the place and recover his leopard.
00:30:00
He was expecting it to be done his way. Neiman was saying, look, I want this done my way. I don't wanna go swimming this dirty Georgian river. Have you guys ever seen a really dirty river before? Yeah, I've been to India and it's one of those rivers, like stuff's growing on them. They're so they're so mucky and dirty and you don't wanna. And the kids are just in there swimming. I'm like, I wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole. But the kids are all and they're OK with it because they're used to it, I guess.
But Nevins, like I'm a distinguished general, why would I go in this river instead of the Jordan River, this dirty Jordan River? No way. And in verse 12, he says, are not Havana and far, far the ridges of the rivers are damatic and better than all the waters of Israel. May I not watch them be cleaned? So he turned away in a way, in a rage. So he was angry. He says, you know what? Who this prophet thinks he's doing, He thinks he's gonna boss me around. He's just trying to make fun of me. But no, he had the word from the Lord. The prophet had the word of the Lord.
And he said, you do it this way. You know what? We're going to tie this into the gospel because the Bible says that there is only one way to get to heaven. Those are Jesus. Jesus says I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to God but by me and sometimes.
People think, yeah, I, I want to have my sins washed away. I want to be a Christian. There's a lot of good things about Christianity, but I want to do it on my own terms. I want to come to God my own way. So some people think, well, all the kids are in Sunday school in the front row. OK, I'll do that, too. I'm going to go to Sunday school. I'm going to memorize my verse. I'm going to try to be nice to my brother and sisters. I'm going to, you know, help my parents, you know, say, play my pleasant thank yous and you're welcome.
And.
I'll be a good enough person because I'm not a bad person. You know, there's a lot of bad kids that play in the park. I'm not like them. I'm a good kid.
And we think, well, by doing that, we'll be good enough for Hazard. I'm telling you, that doesn't work. If you're gonna come to Jesus, it's only by one way. It's by admitting your estate that you need to be saved. Naman had to come to a point when he realized the only way for him to be cleaned, to be have his leprosy taken away was by obeying what the prophet said. And today we have something even more important than what the profits said. We have the word of God. And the word of God says certain things about what it means to be saved. And so we're gonna go through that in a few minutes. But let's keep going in in our chapter, OK?
Naman says this is not socially acceptable. I do not wanna go in this river. But then.
His his survey comes in talks and seeks to sensitive to him. And so Danny, could you read verse 13, please? And his servants came near and stake unto him and said, my father, if the prophet had 50 to do some great things with some not have done it, how much rather than when he said that he washed and deep cleaned.
So the the servant's new name and they took him, they talked him politely. They weren't mad at them. They were very nice to him because, you know, name and if he, if he says you're dead, you're dead. So he was, they were very calm and very patient. Damon, if the prophet said to do something really big, like, you know, give a lot of money or, or go do like some heroic thing, you'd have done it because you want to, you want to act in your own strength because you're a strong general, right? This naming guy, he's a strongman, but he says, but what? This is something so simple. Why can't you just do it?
And so naive is like hmm.
You know, it's worth it. It's worth a shot to humble himself and and what does it say here in verse 14? Who can read verse 14 for us? Eric in the back row. And when he down and dissed himself $7.00 in order to the saying of the man of God, and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. That's right. He obeyed the word of God. He obeyed the word of the prophet and he was healed, you know.
Of, uh, in the first in, in the first couple of chapters of the Bible, the story of pain and Abel, Abel offered a sacrifice for glory in any, any, any. And the Lord accepted the sacrifice. Cain said, you know what? I'm gonna do things my own way. I'm gonna bring my own work, my own fruits, and therefore I will be acceptable to God. And that's the religion of man. That's saying I'm gonna come to God by my own method, by my own way, but that, but that's not the way to go.
And so this man dipped 7 Damon seven times, took seven baths, he went in, Bob got out, went in and back in and out six times. And the 7th time he was healed. He obeyed the word of the Lord and he was healed.
00:35:00
You know, this was an obedience and it was a blessing. And did it cost them anything? Did you have to pay all those? Everybody came with all that, all that gold, all those horses and all that stuff. Did you have to pay for that? No, he didn't. Let's read verse 16, sorry, verse 15. And he returned to the man of God, and he and all his company and said, it's before him. And he said, behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore pray thee take a blessing of thy service. But he said, as the Lord liveth before whom I sin, I will receive none.
We urge you to take it. He refused. The man of God said, no, you don't pay for this. This is not a transaction. It's a free gift. You don't have to earn your way to be healed and stay with the gospel. You know, we talk about the gospel very often. You kids, I'm sure are all part of a Sunday school, right in your own assembly. You all hear the word of God a lot. And you know, that's, that's good. And one thing that we often schools will stress is that the gospel is free. It doesn't cost anything. It is a it's a gift of God, the ways of sin assessed, but the gift of God.
Is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so Neely says, look what I owe you for this, The fact that you killed me. Just know it's free. There's nothing that he could do to earn that free gift, to earn being healed. And this morning you're sitting in your chair. There's nothing that you can do to earn God's gift. It's a free gift. The wage system is best, but the gifts of God is eternal life for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But I wanna stress the point.
At Saint Thomas conference I spoke to some kids in the kids room on on the one on long meetings and I said are you kids good or bad?
I'm not surprised. A lot of the kids said they were good kids and that they and they weren't bad and that the gospel was more for the bad kids, but they were good, so therefore they didn't need it as much. And so I wanted to make sure everyone knows this, that I'm not a good person, I'm a Sinner, but I've been watched by the blood of Christ. And if you're and every one of you in this room have to make come to that point when you realize that you cannot save yourself, that your good works that well, all the things that you can do to get to heaven are not good enough.
Only one way to get to heaven, to leave on the Lord's Christ, and you shall be saved.
And first, John, it says the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, also, Jesus Christ came on the cross when he came to the earth to die, He came and died on the cross. We all know about that story, right? How how many people were on the cross with Jesus? There's three guys, right? There's two in Jesus, right? Two bad guys.
Yes, too bad guys. And Jesus in the middle. And when Jesus sat on the cross, he died for every single sin that you committed, every bad thought, every bad word, every stolen cookie, every extra time on the computer that you were supposed to be on, every, every, every fast thing that you could have done. She just paid for your sins. But he says you have to believe that what I did was enough. You have to accept this free gift. I have a gift for you guys in a few minutes.
I have a content from Africa with nice carvings on them. OK.
Uh, everyone is gonna get one. Uh, uh, actually the children will get one. I only have, I think 13. If you don't, if you don't get one, I'll, I'll try to get you in later. But this is a gift. It's a free gift for you. Is it cost you anything? All you have to do is receive it. And it's the same thing with, with the gospel. Jesus says, come unto me if you have to accept what the Lord Jesus Christ did.
In order to be saved, you know, we don't have that much time, but we're just gonna go on in this chapter.
And talk about uh.
Guy, I didn't know what this thing is. He means later on in the chapter. Umm, Elijah had a survey. How do you say his name? Someone helped me with his name. Gehazi. Yes. No one has a friend named Gehazi. Probably. No, no, we don't use that word. No. Gehazi. He was, he was an assistant. He was a servant to Elijah and he's not. Elijah didn't accept any gift. He says, you know what, I'm gonna go get something. So he makes up a story. He goes out and he and he lies and he gets some, some Raymond gets some money.
From Neiman and try to sneak it back.
But Elijah, this guy is smart. He knew a lot of stuff. He knew. He knew that what what what Hazard was doing and what happened was.
Gehazi gossip. I see that name in hat Hazel. You know this is something that that that that really actually that I'm worried about is God. If people could you be like Gehazi. Now let me explain you're you're worth Elisha let's GI was with Elijah. He knew all this thing all these things Elijah was doing. He knew the power that was in Elijah, but he never really believed it for himself and you know.
00:40:04
I know that because I've been there too. At a certain point in my life. I sat in the front row like you guys only a few years ago. I'm not that old. And I listen to these stories. I knew the Bible verses, I knew the songs. I knew all this stuff, but I wasn't real in my heart. I never actually believed it for myself. I took one time and I spoke 9 or 10 years old when I really need to come realize, yeah, ET is a Sinner. ET needs the same year. It's not a question about being better than my friend while we've been knowing more versus than my sister, No.
It's that I need to I need a savior that I need to be washed by the vote of Christ and that I cannot save myself. And that is essential because we talked earlier that that song, a little child of seven or even three or four, they enter into heaven through Christ, the open door. There's not whenever you can understand if you today you understand the message, if you understand enough, if I said you want to receive this free gift and you say yes, you're responsible. You're responsible for your own salvation, you know.
It's the Lord were to come today. You can't H hold your parents hands. They'll they won't bring you up to heaven. Everyone is individually responsible. We're not made to be robots. We each have a will. We each have umm an opinion on things. We we each have to make our own decisions. Today is a day of salvation. If you call upon the name of the Lord, you will be saved because the way system is best. And what is death If you die today and your sins, Where'd you go? Thank you.
Have a good or bad place? Bad. It's a bad place. It's a terrible place. It's not only a fact that you'll be suffering eternally, but you're going to remember. You're going to remember those times that you sat in Sunday school or you sat at home and your parents talked to you about the word of God and you just were saying, yeah, some other day I'll, I'll listen to this. Or some other day I'll think about this message. Some other day I'll decide to be a Christian. Or maybe you just thought you were a good enough person, but you'll remember all those times that you could have believed and didn't. But it'll be too late.
It's too late.
Today is a day of salvation. And so today, if you are a Christian, that's great. You can be light like this little girl, this little missionary girl. We don't know how old she was. She's a little maid. She went and she shared, she told Naaman her name is wife about the man in Israel. And today we can tell about someone who's greater than the man of Israel. In Israel. You can tell our friends, we can tell our families about Jesus Christ. You know, my grandpa is not a believer.
While my aunts and uncles are not believers, my dad and mom are the only believers in their families.
And we get to see our, our, our aunts and uncles and cousins and we, we pray for operators to share price with them because we love them. We don't want them going to hell. And it's really sad. We don't want to believe. But you know, you guys have friends. You guys have, I mean, you got a lot of you guys are raised in Christian homes and Christian gods, grandparents and Christian uncles and aunts. That's really great. That's really important that you continue to grow in your faith. And you can share the things of God, even a verse, or you can even share the story of naman with your friends in school.
That way you can be a witness too. You don't have to go to Africa or go to China or go somewhere else to be a missionary. You could be a missionary in your own school. You could be your a missionary in your own neighborhood. You could be a missionary in the school yard, in the in, in the gym, whenever you play with your friends, whenever you share with your friends, when, whenever you let other people go first in mind, whenever you're, you're helpful, you're encouraging. People will say, hmm, why is that kid different? WH why is he not like all the other people?
Now you could be a missionary.
At a young age, we're all called to serve in our in our own way. You know, soon the Lord will come and he's going to reward us for all the things that we've done for him. And maybe today, maybe today, the Lord Jesus will come from heaven. Are you ready? Are you ready as you're accepted Lord Jesus Christ, as you see.
Our time is up and my voice is almost gone, so let's double assign that time to close the meeting. So we're gonna pray. But as you pray, if you've never accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as a Savior, you can do so.
Today is the day of salvation. You can say, you know what, Lord Jesus, I need a savior. I I'm like name and I have this leprosy that I can't remove on my own. I need to be safe. If you'll confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be safe. I pray that today no one leaves this room without accepting the Lord Jesus as their saviours. That's right.
Our godfather, we come to the this morning. Thank you for this free gift and salvation to the Lord Jesus. I pray for every young boy and every girl, every heart in this room. I pray that there might not be anyone that is still saying no to free gift of salvation. I pray that there might be joy in heaven today over once to another past. I pray that these young men and young women here in the front rows can just grow up to be to be those who.
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Serve you that are missionaries in their neighborhoods, in their school yards, with their families.
I pray we might all those of us who are a bit older realize that every day you invite us to walk with you, Lord, I pray that we might walk and seek to serve you where you placed us. We commit these things. The worthiness and allergies. Christ, Amen.
So I have pens here. So ladies first.
You're under 13. You're welcome to come get a pen.
2 Timothy 2:12-26
Reading
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First, now has drawn up after the.
Now let us run and never time.
What did I love for that?
Our cigar by night, our by day.
166.
Mm-hmm. For thou hast brought after me.
I remember I was like, oh, my heart. Don't burn me anything. Your eyes don't look like a cold. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I don't know if it's raining out loud and everyone can be hard, so let's drive one moment. I'm not going to provide you with the chicken and everything survived our bread and chicken.
Our strength and our Shields. Ourselves.
Umm.
And.
And he told me to understand no one's ever bring anything to her. And that's the rest of the red o'clock. Do I need anything else from God? And he brought the sunshine on the end of the day.
With Second Timothy chapter 2, I suggest that, uh, we start at verse 12.
Second Timothy, chapter 2.
If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us, if we believe not. Yet He abided faithful. He cannot deny himself of these things. Put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words no prophet, but to the subverting of the years. Study to show thyself approved unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Rightly dividing the word of truth, but Sean Profane and Zain babblings, where they will increase until more ungodliness, and their word will eat and stuff. The canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have aired, saying that the resurrection is passed already, and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God stand this stand at the shore. Having this deal, the Lord knoweth them that are His, and let everyone that name is the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and a bird, and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purged himself in the East, we shall be a vessel. London on it sanctified, and need for the masters. Use and prepare every good word. Lee. Also youthful lust. But follow righteousness, faith, and charity peace.
00:05:15
With them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart, but foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender strike, and the servant of the Lord must not strive to be gentle unto all men. Apartment to teach station its neatness, instructing those that oppose themselves, if God for adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging industries, and that they may recover themselves out of this manner of the devil.
Who are taken captive by him at his will.
Well, this passage of Scripture as we begin really the begins in verse nine, verse 9/10/11 and 12. There's three encouragements that the apostle Paul gives to Timothy in connection with The Walking by faith and walking in a time of ruin. And uh, the first encouragement is in verse 9 and it's really has to do as we mentioned yesterday.
It's in connection with the sovereignty of God, and that is that the word of God is not bound. It doesn't make, it doesn't make any difference what the enemy does. We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth. And so it was an encouragement.
For Timothy, intended for Timothy and ought to be an encouragement to us as well. We speak the word. There may be opposition. Uh, we've heard of, uh, you know, incidents where the Bible was ripped up and different, uh, situations and people just, uh.
Not regarding the word of God as they ought to, but the word of God is not balanced. The 2nd encouragement is in verse 10. It has to do with the sufferings of, uh, those that, umm, were laboring and Paul was laboring and uh, he says, uh, he suffered for the elect's sake. And that the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory, to look forward to eternal glory, there would be a future rejoicing.
With the Lord. And then a third encouragement here is in verse 11/12/13. He says that. And in as much that there's going to be a reward at the end of it all, our motive to suffer for the Lord and to endure all things is not that there's a reward. But it does give encouragement, doesn't it? And so it's a faithful saying. For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with him. He brings in the resurrection. If we suffer, we shall also.
As a believer, how would the Lord ever deny me? What would he do that umm, if I wasn't faithful? How would he be able to deny me before the Father and before the the ones at the time of reward? Well, he wants to give a full reward. And if to get a full reward, we're going to have to identify with him as the rejected man and endure our portion of the fame and the reproach of Christ and endure suffering. And he can give a full reward if we shun.
That umm, uh, AC aspect of our Christianity and, and we avoid every aspect of suffering and we will not identify with Christ in the situations that would bring reproach. He'll deny us the reward that we could have had.
And he would like to give us a full reward, but he won't be able to give us a full reward because we didn't suffer with him. And so this is the scene 11 brethren, where we're given the opportunity to suffer reproach and to identify with the Lord Jesus in his rejection. And he longs for us to identify with himself. And he belongs to be in a future day, look us in the face and be able to say, well done, how good and faithful servant, and to also have us appear in glory with him.
And reflect the glory of the Lord Himself after we receive our rewards.
Jonathan is an example of one who, uh, loved David dearly. In the Urban League reading, first Samuel stripped himself of everything and he gave it to David, but not his shoes. He did not walk with David in that path of repulsion, rejection. He went back to the city, back to the palace of his fault.
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Never did share with David the sufferings and the.
Umm, discomforts of The Cave of Medulla, the rejection.
And it should not rain with David either. And his name is conspicuous by his absence in the, uh, the record that David gives of the mighty men in Second Samuel 23. So this morning we gathered around a rejected Christ. We didn't together around the glorified Christ this morning. One who is still in rejection. It's a privilege, but there's going to be always reproach connected with being gathered.
The outside plate outside the camp within the veil. Hebrews 13.
I might just back up to uh, verse 9. The apostle speaks about the word of God and how it's not found.
Now you can bind the apostles.
Call was changed.
But you cannot find the Word of God. You can't hinder the Word of God. And what I've enjoyed is in Isaiah chapter 55, we have reference there to the rain and the snow coming down.
Now there's nobody.
That's able to hinder the rain from coming down.
Or the small when God intends for it to reign. Or the snow. Nobody hinders that.
Now Isaiah 55 and verse 10.
It says for as the rain cometh down and.
The 4th and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. So there's no way that we can restrain.
God working through his word and how wonderful that the word of God, it runs and it's glorified and as was brought out yesterday.
Here we are in North America enjoying the Word of God.
It's made, made good to us. And so I just feel that God's desire is to bless. That's what he finds his delight in, to show blessing to mankind and through His word, and even though his servants may be found not, so is Word.
We're coming back to verse 12. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.
I I believe this is the sequence that we find in the word of God. Suffering always comes before reign and mention was made of David and certainly he was persecuted.
And he suffered.
At the hands of a godless man by the name of Saul. But we find that in time, God exalted David to the throne, and David waited God's time for that to happen.
And I think of Joseph as well. You know Joseph.
He was, uh.
Dated by his brother.
Really without it, other than Envy. And Envy was put into a pit and he was sold to the Ishmaelites and then to the Egyptians, and he's falsely accused in the House of Potiphar.
And then he ends up in prison. It just seemed like he went from bad to worse and yet.
I find great encouragement in five words in connection with Joseph. The Lord was with him. It's mentioned more than once the Lord was with him and he smoked adverse circumstances, and the time came when he was exalted.
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To a position next to Pharaoh.
So there was the suffering there, but then the reigning. And I think we ought to be encouraged to realize that we're called to suffer for Christ.
And if we're not experiencing some kind of suffering, we might well question.
What's wrong with our testimony for the Lord? But it's all in view of His coming glory and our association with Him.
So this is a great encouragement, I believe, to go on for the ordinary circumstances today to know that.
We suffer. We're going to reign.
About over a couple chapters. Wally, Second Timothy, 417.
Could you read that verse for us?
Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Same thought. Same thought. Good.
This was umm, the Apostle Paul's last imprisonment.
He was imprisoned.
Two or three times before.
He was imprisoned in his own house and, uh, had a guard. It seemed some scripture with him so that he could write the epistles of Philippians, cautions and Ephesians and so on. But this is a couple of years later.
And uh, I was, I was looking up about this prison actually just last night.
Umm.
No, it it's not from scripture, but history records the type of prison that it was.
And umm, let down from a roof above into it. The food was.
Put down through the roof and there he waited his execution.
He was considered a malefactor.
A criminal and uh, anybody that went to see him was upon suspiciously as well.
So the follower rejected man like that.
I meant to take sides with him and reproach his involved in connection with it.
And we do follow a rejected Christ, don't we?
It's search. It's searching to, uh, think of these things because we know so little of that type of thing. Rejection on fields.
For myself.
The same spirit that crucified the Lord is in the world today.
And if we're going to be faithful in our testimony.
We agree with my brother Dave, but, uh, sometimes I'm great. We hide our light and we avoid the the reproach because we don't identify with the Lord. We lose the joy of the of the.
We reproach to First Peter Four. You're familiar with that verse, First Peter 4.
The 14th.
Umm, we can avoid the results.
My umm, failing to uh, witness for the Lord verse forth.
14 If you be reproached is the first Peter 4 Or 14 If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy ye should be. That's what it says. Happy are you. The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. Therefore he is evil spoken of your part He is glorified. Every believer suffers with Christ, but not every believer suffers for Christ.
We can't prove through a go through a world with all its.
Groaning in its uh.
Umm, scars and traces of sin and suffering on every hand, Uh.
Umm, and not suffer with Christ when something for Him is identifying in our testimony, by our word and by our walk with our rejected crisis and UMM.
00:20:11
There will be a reproach in too, if we are gathered through the Lord's name.
Outside the whole system of this world's religion.
And the system of men and the organization of men, we are outside of all of that in.
Fellowship with the Lord according to divine principles of Scripture is going to be reproaching connected with that too.
So we have a Hebrew Sirte, isn't it?
Outside the camp, the various reproach, some other reproach that we run across today are from other believers, no doubt about it. But we're not reproach so much.
When we come together to meet, we have liberty. We come together to teach, read God's word in this land, we have liberty. But that's not the case in a lot of countries where there are believers today. They can't be, they don't have that liberty because there's a reproach from the government that they're under that prohibits them from being together. And if they're caught, they they do suffer for it. So they suffer for Christ sake in that way.
You have that account in X over an X that capture uh.
Or when Peter and John were teaching and preaching.
Uh, where they did and said they called them and commanded them not to speak at all or teaching the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hear, and unto you more than on to God like me. It was a decision that was to be made, whether they were to be faithful to God.
And the Commission that he had given to for preaching to teach.
Or give that up for the persecution that they were suffering at the hands of those that had authorities.
In the next chapter over, Chapter 5.
Is there that?
And 29 words. That's Peter. Any other apostles after he said we often obey God rather than him?
So they put God in God's Word first.
And, uh, they suffered for it. Some of them were thrown in prison and they suffered greatly for their faithfulness. We don't encounter that in this land. We're very blessed in that way where we can, we have much liberty to proclaim the gospel, to meet the way that we do. But some of the reproach I feel does come from, I might say, camp where a lot of the Apostle Paul's doctors been given up.
And uh, we're looked at now is, is being, uh.
Uh, let's say, uh.
Weird. You might say it because you want to use that word, because we we hold truth that that the camp has been given up, has given up and.
If we're faithful and.
We're it's a form of reproach that we suffer because we don't have the same fellowship with them as we would like to. We can't really enjoy their company as we'd like to because.
They they're going on with things that are not structural.
So there is a reproach in that sense.
Just in case somebody doesn't know what reproach means, maybe.
Be good to give a definition. Reproach really means shame content. Somebody looks at you and says.
Who just looks at you with content. And so the name, name the name of Christ. And it brings shame because the man, the last thing this world saw was a man Christ Jesus on the cross. They saw him on the cross as a man that had been crucified. Judge dumped this world as unworthy of life, but the Father God raised him from among the dead.
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He's resurrected. He's a man in the glory and we're identified with him as that man in the glory. So what you've said is it's normal to be gathered for the Lord's name and to say someone says, where do you worship? You say by grace we can say I'm gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't take any other name. Well, don't you have a name on the building? No, don't have a name on the building. Well, you gotta have a name.
No, there's only one name. It's the name of Christ Jesus.
Were gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. So it brings reproach because we're identified with that man. And if you take another name, it's it's umm, removed some of the sting of the shame and the reproach of that name and the world can identify with another name, but not with Christ.
Well, if we move on, it says here that in verse 14 that of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strived out about words to no prophet.
Such as a subverting of hearers of the hearers.
Paul is instructing Timothy as to how to conduct himself and what kind of ministry that he should bring forth. And there would be some snares. The enemy would, uh, seek to just, uh, divert his energies and to take up words to no profit. And Mr. Kelly, uh, in his commentary commentary says, uh, uses this little phrase that their philosophical word warriors.
So they're trying to get wrapped up in the definitions of words and and try to umm.
Distract and try to make a big issue of different words instead of getting the spirit of the teaching of what is given in scripture. And so Timothy was to avoid the intellectual activity in the spirit and the things of God. And so these things would be subverting of the hearers. There's a danger in getting caught up in religious discussions. We want to mention we want to discuss things as far as.
The person of the Lord Jesus, the blessed work that he did on the cross of Calvary, the heavenly aspect of the Church and all those things and not get arguing about different things in connection with various words of Scripture.
If there's anything fundamental, of course, we must be, uh, very earnest to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints.
Well, we need to, uh, be careful of introducing into the assembly that which is not of profit. The whole point of the reading meeting is for edification, and if I introduce something that is.
Of a, uh, controversial nature. Your phosphorus is mentioned here, uh, something that is really not building up the Saints for encouraging them, uh.
Then I'm wasting time, uh, if that's the way I participate, it would be a kindness for the brethren to tell me to be quiet. But uh, we should have, in having the edification of the brethren when they come together, uh, it's.
Founding the word or, uh, referring to other scriptures, something that would build up the soul and give us the strength to go on and this Dark World and encourage, uh, the brethren.
I was thinking also in the trapped we used to get an overview of things. Uh, probably probably has already been touched upon by here in second Timothy, the house is in ruin. It is in or looked at as generally in order since the first epistle. So here we have that the remaining of apostasy and we need to have an understanding of the time.
And this is the last official the fossil rope. It was on the eve of his marker dumb and things were in a a state of declension and ruin. And the departure in the Christian testimony, we know the apostasy has not started, but the spirit of apostasy has invaded Christendom.
And there is a giving up of the truth.
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They're not walking, as we have mentioned in Paul's doctrine now, not that we are any better, but we need an understanding of the times in which we live. We live in the last days, in the last hours of the church's testimony just before the rapture and.
True. No, True. No believer can apostatize. That's not possible. It's only a professor that can apostatize. But these are the type of people that were coming into the testimony here.
Bringing in these, uh, blasphemous doctrines and, uh.
Profane Vein, Valvoline, a number of them were not saved. In the great House of Christendom, not everyone is saved. There are many who are vessels to dishonor and many who are wooden and earthen. They're not truly believers, but they're in the Christian testimony. They're in the Kingdom of heaven and we need to. We're not going to get a revival, some great revival.
We're we're not going to have a return to Apostolic.
Power, we can have a return to Apostolic position, but not through the power and the gift of the Apostolic day. But uh, the apostle is giving us here the instructions in view of the condition that he saw developing at this point in time. How much more so now when we're right near the, on the threshold of the Lord's return and how we should conduct ourselves in this situation.
What are we going to do when we see this development here, umm, that the apostle outlined? The apostle might say, mentioned also that improve believer cannot apostatize, fostatize. He can fall away, he can backslide, but backsliding is not the same as apostasy. Apostasy is giving up a even the profession of that of Christianity. It will be fully developed.
When the Antichrist rises up and uh.
Destroys the whole professing Christendom when it comes to an end, when the woman who rides the beast will be destroyed. That's the end of Christendom there. But the spirit of it is starting here. And, uh, we see it around us now, how we need to be on our guard here as to association with that which is not according to the word of God.
That is the touchstone. Is that right there?
You know it. Umm, we just say that, umm, you got a couple of steps. It seems to me after second Timothy and, uh, in, uh, in, uh, second Peter chapter 3, and then in the book of Jude, where things are declining even more and more toward the state of apostasy. I have always thought of the book of Judas, perhaps almost, if not at the apothecary statement. Do you feel like yourself or? Yeah, that's a depiction. It's depicting this, the last state of Christendom, Julia.
Similar to the to Malachi, they they correspond those first those books, but I would say that is the the almost the full development of the apostrophe. But the apostasy per se, it won't take place until after the church is raptured in the warrior and we have the the anti Christ coming on the scene. That's really a key to understanding the epistle in the Hebrews as well as what you mentioned, because there was a falling away and there was also an apostasy.
It was evident, and Paul or the writer of the Epistle of the Hebrews believe it was Paul was warning that, uh, they would, uh, warning the, uh, those that had, uh, taken up with Christianity not to apostatize because Evelyn Smith makes the comments, umm, in connection with the, that spirit of things is brought out in Hebrews. He said it was just like the Jews that uh, professed to know the Lord the Savior and take Christ the Savior and go on in the strength, in the power of Christianity.
And then to turn back to Judaism, it was just like saying I tried Christianity, it didn't work for me, so I'm going back to Judaism.
He said there's only judgment and so that's why it says in Hebrews chapter 10, I think it's verse 25. Uh, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a matter of some is there were some that had hypostatized and gone back, umm, about an exhorting one another, encouraging one another so much. The more you see the day approaching. What day was it the day approaching? It was the day of apostasy. And so as we see the day of apostasy approaching in the Western Christian world.
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We ought to be more diligent being together over the Word of God and encouraging one another on a daily basis.
So here we have this, uh, instruction given to Timothy. He says, uh, study to show thyself approved unto God. I'm going to read it in, uh, the new translation says, try diligently to present thyself approved to God. A Workman that has not to be ashamed, cutting in a lot straight line the word of truth. So in a low state of things, Paul says that there was going to be striving. They're going to be striving or contending about words.
And when we get into a low state, we don't have crisis before our souls. We're not enjoying the things of God. We're not savoring them for ourselves walking in communion. Then what happens is there's strife, there comes the the flesh is striving against the flesh and all the Spirit of God gives us this wisdom, you know, in verse 15 is the striving should be to have Christ before us and to be walking in a path that's in approval to him.
If we, I'll just say this, umm, as a word of encouragement is, umm, you know, maybe there's a young person here, maybe somewhat older. Isn't that the Lord's table? And her brother gave an exhortation this morning that this wonderful thing, a wonderful privilege and a wonderful blessing to be at the Lord's table to remember the Lord in his death. I can't give you that invitation. The Spirit of God uses the word of God to give you that invitation. But his desire is that, uh.
You would hear that the voice of the Lord and not do it for your brethren. Don't come to the Lord's table. Don't be there because of your brethren, but be be the Lord's table taking place at the Lord's table. Remember the Lord in his death because the Lord is there. Do it for him. Don't do it for me. Don't do it for mom. Don't do it for dad. Do it for him. And one of the things that was an encouragement to me is a young person.
Was tremendously stressful to think of going to one of my older brother and saying, you know, as a 16 year old or 17 year old, I'd like to remember the Lord in his death.
I could, I just trembled in my boots to go and see them. But I, you know, what tremble made me tremble more was the thought of standing before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ and the Lord saying you didn't even remember the meaning in my death, not even once. And I wouldn't be able to say why I wouldn't have an answer. I just asked you to do it just for me. And so you know this, these verses 14 and 15 are connected. There's strife if we're in a low state of soul.
But there is to be a striving to be approved in the present day of ruin, approved to the Lord himself, and a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed. And so who do you serve to serve the Lord?
It's true you can serve your brother and you can do a little work in blessing to your brethren, but in actual fact, you serve the Lord and do your work of service to be acceptable to Him.
That's very tough, Sir.
Striving there about about words of no, words of no prophet.
All scripture has prophets, but if I was to sit down and and and talk to some brother here about what party they thought should be the best party to lead Canada in the next 4 years. I spent four hours doing that. Would that have any edification? Your soul or mine? No, nothing there for.
The nothing there for the soul, nothing for the Lord, and that it'd be words of no prophet.
And doesn't profit, is it? And so the Lord wants us to encourage one another with words of edification that would build us up and encourage us to go on. But it doesn't mean to say that we're not to be armed.
In in Titus chapter one it says verse nine there holy fast and faithful word he had been taught that he may be able by sound doctors go to the store and to convince the game savers.
00:40:00
Where there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped to subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for a filthy lucrative sake. And this is.
In in 14 first not giving he the Jewish fables and commandments of men.
That turned from the truth. Perhaps that was coming in here, Timothy piece of babbling's and fables and things like that and no prophet spiritually gratification, but when it was God's word was being perverted and they were to be the word of God was being used to dispute them and to put it down.
The fable is something that.
It's a lie presented to us as the truth, really what it is.
State is taking something of scripture and twisting it around and presenting the fluids as being the truth.
Kent, you had a comment.
I was just, you know, gonna follow up a little on what Robert was saying about verse 15. It was, uh, many cases reduced to, uh, studying, just studying the scriptures. You know, they take it to mean that. And they, it's a case where we take a modern, uh, meaning of a term and we force it back into the word of God and then make the word, the word say something. It, it didn't, it wasn't intending to say.
Umm, and so the study here, you know, the first thing when you see study, you think in your mind of sitting in a table reading a book. And so we might tend to think of it that way, but I'm glad he read the the Darby translation and makes it more clear. The thing to be studied is showing yourself approved unto God. That's the subject of your study. And it's in contrast to disputing with people because you know when you when you think you got it right.
And you think you're right, you're pretty well energized to dispute with you. But he said you ought to be putting your energy or your diligence towards making sure that you're approved to God.
You need to study to show yourself approved unto God and so.
It's more than, uh, an intellectual study of the word. That's just a, a clarification, especially for the younger ones. We have a lot of young men rising up and they're studying the scriptures and it's, it's needed. I mean, that's one of the means by which you show yourself approved unto God is the first thing you need to know what his word says to you, right? So studying the word is, is surely included in that. But, uh, you can get into an intellectual, uh.
Uh, study of the word and that can lead to the very thing he said to avoid in the previous verse, which is disputes of words. So, uh, it's to be diligent to show yourself approved to God.
You know, I have, uh, I have enjoyed.
Connecting two scriptures together, one in the first epistle as well as that verse in the 15th verse you look at First Timothy 4 and verse first Job.
15.
Meditate upon these things.
Which I sell fully to them thinking of this expression meditate.
I look upon meditating and studying differently. I thought we've heard the expression of chewing the cut connection with meditation. That is reading the Bible and just meditating, thinking on it and let it sink in and let the Lord talk to you through the very words that you're reading.
To me, studying, I look on study as something where it takes an effort to try to.
To, uh, see, line things up the way God has put them in His Word.
For example, dispensational truth and so on, and we that we don't confuse.
Uh, uh, Jewish blessing with the heavenly blessings that we have in Christ. And I think that Paul wanted Timothy to get a hold of both things here. It's one thing to have an intellectual grasp of things. It's another thing to enjoy the Lord in your soul personally. And I think Paul presents first of all.
00:45:13
The enjoyment of Christ in the soul, and then he brings in this other.
The approach to I believe and I've enjoyed it this way other than David it's things in order in the first book say I meditate second book has to do with time of apostasy or beginning of an invention and it's in response is to look at these things as three different groups of people. Here he's telling about he's trying to encourage Timothy to go on in a day when things are being given up just the just the context of and how to go on and preserve yourself in this day when.
There are things that being rolled back, and so if Timothy is to take the instruction, he's going to suffer persecution.
The first chapter.
Of second Timothy you have these two people mentioned you turn back to it they are first 15 this thou knows that all of which are in they should be turned away from Yahoo mark by jealous and homogeneous there's the the 1St test you might say you're going to suffer because of this because.
They've given up the apostle Paul as the heavenly ministry of the apostle Paul being given up and this is going to be a real test for Timothy to hold fast when everyone around them, those are seniors especially are giving up this truth and so he will suffer that and so he's encouraged to you know, to screw up the gift that's in him and so on. In the second chapter, it's a little different. It's verse 17 and their word believe that that I can't grow up. Omar is Ameneus and Politicus. These are this is the deal with the doctrine.
Of those in bringing things and so he says now study.
Because all the things we get to do is not only Paul given up as a as a whole category of things, but even though it remains. I want to put to a test. What does this mean? So now study to show myself in a daily pension and a day of apostasy is coming on then all faster these things. But we'll be suffering because it doesn't be a box of lots of retribution to hold faster than you go to the 4th chapter, you get this person.
Is he too, Alexander?
You mentioned there, yes it's umm yes. In verse 14 he says to him Alexander Coppersmith didn't mean much evil. The Lord reward him according to his words that I believe is actual physical.
Deeds under the Apostle Paul and as we go into giving up of things, those around it may come down to that.
We may come down, it may not be things of our choosing to as it would be a testimony for the Lord with a great effect that we are testimony for the Lord may bring out exactly that the Alexander, the Congressman, they make the attacks. So this could be the physical. So that's why he's telling Timothy in these last days how to conduct himself as a work and all these second books except for me, Second Corinthians, Second Thessalonians, Second Timothy and Second Peter.
All of those deal with class days and the days of apostasy and Jews like I call it third Jeff, Third Peter. You want to get grassland Jews lead Second Peter and then read Jews. As a matter of fact, you turn to Jude. I believe it's probably active to say that Jude was influenced by second Peter by reading Peter. It may have been in the he may have been in the assembly where that letter was read because.
He changes his mind with verse three of duty, says, Beloved, when I gave all, all diligence to light on behalf of the common self.
That was the first intention to write about the common salvation. But something has changed his mind, and now he gives this, this overview of the Ananda, the last days, as long as they follow one of the worst things.
That can come in as a word, maybe before we're taking away or after. But he gives this excess extra expectation to them. But he would tie it and read it through. Second, second, Peter. You'll see how close they are together.
Like he was influenced by what he he read in Peter's letter. So it has to do with the how do you go on in the last days and basically pension.
00:50:04
Might say in a nutshell, that would be possible with teaching Timothy here that not everything, not everyone that names the name of Christ is going on in an orderly way and so we live in a place.
In time when people take the name of the Lord Jesus and they put it up on the building.
And they say the Church of Christ or something like that, but the doctrine isn't according to the truth of God.
And so he was to rightly divide the word of truth. And it's not only meditation that we're the clean animals were to chew the cut to digest what they ate and to rightly they had to have a divided hook. So they had to walk in separation and they hear Paulus and Jordan Timothy to be careful. Not everyone that names the name of Christ is going on in an orderly way. And so here in verse 16, he says shun profane.
And vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat as stuff a canker or a cancer, of whom is hymenazon Thalidus, who concerning the truth of Aaron, saying that the resurrection is passed already, and overthrow the faith of some. So there are consequences to umm allowing ourselves to umm associate with those that hold false doctrine, it says here.
I'm gonna just point out there's five things that Paul says in connection with the separation. He says the first one is in verse 16, Shun. And then a little bit further on he uses the term umm in umm, right at the end of verse 19, let everyone that name it the name of Christ depart from iniquity. There's another word, depart. So Sean and depart. And then he says in umm verse 21, if any man, therefore, if a man, therefore purge.
Himself or purify himself from these, he shall be a vessel in honor. And then in verse 22 flee also youthful lust. And then the last one is in verse 23, but foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender stripes. So it requires discernment when we engage in spiritual matters as to those things that are profitable and those that are not. And if there are those that hold the doctrine that is not according to the truth of God.
And we discerned that they're really not going to be convinced one way or another better not to be engaged in that kind of activity and so.
If, if we do, then there's going to be an airing and the overgrowth, overthrow of the faith of some. You and I can be deceived. We're not stronger than the enemy and we can be deceived. Every single one of us wouldn't take much and we could be deceived. And here they were deceived about the resurrection. Well, they perhaps didn't have the teaching clear, but the resurrection takes part in three stages.
The first group of resurrection is Lord Jesus. That that resurrection is passed already. The Lord Jesus is a risen man. He's in the glory. But there's another resurrection apart. The 2nd installment of the resurrection is going to be at the rapture. You can read about it in First Thessalonians chapter 4. The church is going to be taken up and all those Old Testament Saints were going to be raptured. The last installment as as it were, of the resurrection takes place.
In Revelation, uh, chapter 20, I believe that it's, uh, presented those that are martyred during the tribulation period, during the beginning of sorrows and at the, during the tribulation period, at the end of the tribulation, at the beginning of the Millennium, they're going to be resurrected. And so that's the end of the first resurrection. Let's read it so that we get the terminology right.
Chapter 20 of Revelation and verse 5.
Uh.
The rest of the bed live not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. On such the second death hath no power. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him 1000 years. So the first resurrection is complete after the.
Tribulation period.
And those that are resurrected will reign and live with the Lord. And so these ones, there was false teaching in connection with the resurrection at the beginning of the church period. We need to be careful not to get mixed up in doctrines that are prevalent in the camp. We know that covenant theology is becoming more prominent. The error that the church first fell into.
00:55:26
And they perhaps around 8300.
And umm, without going into a lot of detail about it, the aspect of it was told yesterday that umm, you know, some teach that, uh, Israel's place is taken by the church and has an inheritance in the earth. And that's not the truth of God at all. Your inheritance in mind is reserved for us in heaven. And we're a heavenly people. We belong to heaven. We don't belong to this earth. The church is a living Organism, a heavenly living organization.
All is exhorted to this is really a mandate of the apostle Paul, his son in the faith, Timothy.
And the the subject is the House of God. It's not here the body of Christ, but it's the House of God that is prominent in these epistles. It brings me for us our behavior, not the unity of the body.
The public witness in this world of the Christian testimony as the the basic thought in the in the epistles of Timothy. And I was thinking of that very soon. First Timothy 46 Since I put the brethren in remembrance of these things, I also have to be a good minister of Jesus Christ. In other words, Paul is saying, I want you to have a fruitful ministry and if you put the brethren in remembrance of these things, you're going to be a good minister of Jesus Christ.
Nuri stuff in the words of faith and of good doctrine. Alright Nourish office has the idea of being spiritually fed and it's not only the the Old Testament scriptures, but it's the whole truth of God that we now have revealed to us Paul's doctrine New Testament scriptures. Murray struck in the words of faith and of good doctrine where unto God has detained so there was diligence necessarily.
We turn over to 2nd the Timothy 3 and 14. We see that Timothy had profited from the exportation of the apostle Paul. He had been diligent in his study of the Word of God. He had given attendance to these things. Continue, Val. And the things which thou hast learned. Not only did he learn them, shall we say in his head, but he had been assured of them. He had made them his own. He had walked in them. Not only was it some intellectual.
Apprehension he had walked in the truth. It's not what we know that controls our lives. It's what we enjoy and what we walk in. We're in $2.00 detained, uh, knowing of whom thou hast learned them well, the source of the teaching the Timothy received was the apostle Paul. But now we're coming down in the chapter. Time is the the game stuff here and we're coming down to some very important scriptures.
In the 19th and 20th versus, we should spend a little time there because these are umm.
Brusenski puts it the Magna Carta of the of the New Testament that this is.
Our exportation in view of the condition that prevails in criticism, and I think we should.
Spend a little time on these verses 19 to 21 you have association.
And you have disassociation, everyone. That name is the name of Christ. Depart from iniquity.
That is, doctrines that are contrary to the Word of God. Wherever they're found, we are called upon to separate from doctrine. Now, if a person holds that doctrine, though it is painful to have to separate from another believer, We don't want to do that. But if they hold doctrine that is subversive of the truth.
To the word of God, what is the exploitation?
Is is to depart from iniquity. We must separate from the doctrine the evil that we find in Christendom today and associate with those who by the grace of God are, are, are.
01:00:10
Vessels of honor that have that.
Given the Lord his rightful place, because that association with evil will be fired.
It's a call to individual faithfulness in the day of ruin for each other, individual faithfulness. And so he speaks of if in verse 21, if a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor. So we spoke a little earlier in verse 15 of the workmen. And so the laborer umm in the House of God, he desires to rightly divide the word of truth doesn't get himself embroiled.
In controversy in connection with words to no profit and doctrines that are opposed to the person and the work of Christ. And here now he needs to walk to purge himself from these a vessel.
And to honor sanctified, sanctified really just, uh, in this aspect needs to be, uh, set apart for God, set apart by God for a holy purpose. And so we meet and we are meet for the masters use and prepared. The Lord will use us unto every good work. And so there's umm, individual exercise that's necessary if a man purge himself. Snip. Nice just to think of how.
Umm, we can in the day that we live in and all the confusion and Christianity take up with the Word of God and get this instruction that we need to be individually faithful to the truth that we know in the Word of God and faithful to Christ, the person of the Lord Jesus and every one of us, If a man therefore purge himself, every one of us is responsible for going on in a day of ruins and faithfulness to Christ.
In First Corinthians 5.
We have there pergi.
But there it's a wicked person that's to be purged, put out of the assembly and installed with the desire that they might be restored. But the assembly becomes aware of the evil and is willing to deal with it. And Paul, he had to bring before the Corinthians some of their glaring mistakes and false teachings and so on. And you know, there was.
Uh, I believe about.
Expectation and a willingness to admit there and to put out the wicked person.
But I believe here we signed, we have some wicked teaching.
And apparently there is not.
The exercise or the conviction to deal with this error and it's allowed amongst the group and.
If it's brought to the attention of the group and they refuse to deal with the air, then it's responsibility of a Christian who has integrity to separate from that error. And so in this case, the upright one is purging himself out.
I think there's an important thing to remember here though, too. You know, back in the early Middle Ages, there were those men that recognized the need to separate from what was evil. So what did they do? They built a little community out in the middle of the woods somewhere and put a wall up. And they wouldn't have anything to do with the outside world. But they forgot that a lot of the problems start from within the heart.
And so there's a warning here in this particular chapter in the.
22nd verse it says to those who depart and purge themselves from those things flee also youthful lusts. We've got to judge our own hearts or we're going to find ourselves falling into the same trap that others have fallen into. And so it says follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord of the pure heart. I think it's important to see that warning. Paul kind of touched on that with the Ephesian elders be when he gave them the exhortation right before leaving. He said there's going to come some from without.
And then there's some among you that are gonna rise up, so you know it. It's always necessary to remember that we can worry about things coming in, but we also need to worry about bringing things in ourselves from our own minds and our own thoughts and inclinations, and then rising up amongst ourselves to get recognition or have preeminence in the assembly.
01:05:24
It's wonderful to talk about, uh, evil doctrines and things that go along with the scripture, but perhaps it might be, uh, interesting if we could get a few examples of what those might be for some of us. Umm.
Nice to talk about them in a general form, but maybe without getting in too many details, is there one or two doctrines that we could put forth that would show this, umm, aspect of of error and and that just for some of those who aren't as well learned in scripture is some of the brothers?
Well, there's been one mentioned already, of course, which is covenant theology. But yeah, there could be others as well. And I have to ask the question, what is the most paramount?
Umm umm, evil teaching amongst all the, uh, evil teachings that are in Christendom.
Was commonly taught in Christendom today, uh, I don't know what percentage, but it's widespread that Christ could have sinned. He didn't, but he was capable for him to do so. That is the blasphemous doctrine and that is hell. And in other words, they are saying that Christ had a, he had an old nature. How could he respond to a temptation? All the temptations of the Lord were from without. But if he could have sinned, then he must have had.
An evil nature. The Prince of this world cometh and have nothing in me. But then there's the denial of eternal security, which is rampant in certain groups. There are the excesses of Pentecostalism. Umm.
Women participating and uh.
Outright disobedience to the word of God, because there's the whole clerical system, that whole.
All organization of man, that is where the Spirit of God is not given his rightful place. Uh, there's, there's ecclesiastical evil where we've often been reminded of those three things. There is doctrinal evil and sometimes it's concerning the person of Christ.
In any way where his divinity or his perfect humanity is is attacked or denied. That's that's gravely serious error. There are, uh, there is moral evil. Umm.
Wally has referred to, uh, First Corinthians five. That is not practiced in Christendom today. The judgment of moral evil is not always practiced and in assem, uh, often it is ignored. That's why our testimony is one of the reasons. Our testimony is small as gathered to the Lord's name, because we do, we do judge that which is evil in our midst. Otherwise the assembly would be corrupted by the evil they allow.
Then there's a third category, ecclesiastical evil, which I touched upon there. There are many ecclesiastical errors. Now the question is, if I associate myself with a company that that is practicing those things, am I effective? I am am IA defiled by that association, association with evil defiles, whether I imbibe the evil or not. Then on the positive side.
Uh, separation, uh, has been, uh, dwelt upon here, but separation is not isolation.
That's two different things. We are to separate from what is contrary to the word that we are to associate with those we call on the Lord of the pure heart. Thank God we can meet here with the beloved Saints of God who by grace alone are gathered on the spiritual ground. We have double shipped wonderful time of fellowship together.
Flowing out of the apostles doctrine, however, and so we are not called to walk that pathway alone, though we're getting weaker.
Continue on in those.
Those little assemblies where there's only a handful of Brother Robert has been visiting many of them and told me most, most of them are below 5. It's not easy to go on in those situations. The Lord will reward abundantly to continue on faithful to His word in that coming day and in this day in your own soul this day too. I was wondering, John, can you define what it means here when it says a pure heart?
01:10:17
This is not.
Meaning of perfect group of leaders is it? No, I have difficulty with that problem. You can can help us.
Go ahead. I just think of a first John is a possibility John deals with that question and to answer Bill possibly in first John 4.
And the first you have two books together. The first book of study is trying to set things in order and maintain the order and give it direction, but it fails to the second book to.
For the individual, So in first John 4.
First verse John says, you know where John is leaning in Lord's bosom. The lovers believe not every spirit but try the spirits for the day of God, because many false spirits have gone up into the world. And so he gives us direction in the first first book. But now he writes a second book to assist her because apparently she never got that message.
And So what was happening with her? Well, she was receiving door to door people and knocking on her doors. They were coming in and she was receiving them, but she wasn't trying the spirits. There's something about this that came in of the name of Christ, name of God. And so he brings out the person of the Lord Jesus and God himself as being a critical thing in the second book. And it says look at verse seven. First of all, for many deceivers.
Are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresses and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not gone either. By the doctrine of Christ we have both the Father and the Son. If any, come on to you and bring not this doctrine.
Receiver loan to your house iravidium God's feet we have built in God's feet. In particular of the devil deeds Jersey I think one of the fundamental attacks on the the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the very nature of God, probably one of the worst given by someone who knew the Lord best for me and on this bosom.
For the Wally, I would just suggest a definition of a pure heart. A pure heart knows what the Word of God teaches, understands what the Word of God teaches, understands what the truth is, understands what righteousness is. That's the first thing in this list and accepts it and walks in it.
An unpure heart knows what the truth is and refuses to walk in it. Regardless of what the Lord has said, they have the will of engaged you and I want to have a pure heart. If the word of God says give us a warning, we ought to accept that warning and we ought to accept the truth and desire to walk in righteousness. A pure heart. There are others that desire to walk in purity of heart and in a righteous path in an unrighteous world. I heard it explained one time as a pure motives.
The desire for the Lord's glory, having Him as an object. And you know, not every Christian understands everything. I know I don't. But it's great to have an attitude where I'm willing to learn and to act on it. When I find out what is the word of thought now, I think of what Job says. Well, here in Job 34 and verse.
32 I think this is a good attitude.
That which I see not each Tao me. If I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
So here we have a spirit where one is willing to learn, and not only to learn, but to do.
Done iniquity, I'll do it no more. I think that's a pure heart.
There's an expression in the Old Testament they that feared the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and just give you Malachi 316 They that feared the Lord spade off in one to another, and the Lord hearkened them earth.
And I heard it in a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thoughts me.
01:15:11
We think 241 Savior through the desert, lead us. Without thee we cannot go 241.
Savior through the desert.
I'll be thinking I'm.
Crying girl can't stand straight thinking.
That's why I'm here. And whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That's my breath.
And share us all our journey.
Full time.
Is there any way you can change anything? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, blah, blah, blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah. That's something Germany life.
Render life like presidency.
Hey, I have a great day. Bye.
Well, I don't know what you say.
About right?
Now.
My heart and blood and blood, and they come by, come and see me. So far, so far. The glory created in the glory of the Lord, of the Lord of glory.
Eternal Security
Church of Ephesus
John 20:20 Vision
Four Earthquakes
Gospel—Shawn Allan
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'm really glad everybody could make it tonight and uh, started this meeting, uh, make the comments. I was exhorted by Lynn at And please don't keep Cal umm, I'd like to start this evening by singing #11 #11.
Will your anchor hold in the storms are blind forever, wings out of stride when the strong knight live and the cable strain with your anger dreaded confirmed remain?
We have an extra like his gloves so spelled and that's the shore while the Brill.
Will your anger hold in the strains of vinegar when the Breakers roar and celebrate the biggest behavior for wildlife server just ray began to wild winds blowing.
With your anger hold in the blood of death. When the water told her they think it has spread on the rising tide, You can never hear them. While your anger holds greatest in the bell, We're waking up with anger that keeps our souls.
That can't control our wallet in the world.
We just would pray for help for this brief period of time this evening.
You alone know the hearts of everybody in this room tonight, including the heart of the speaker.
We know that.
By two pure eyes search out the hearts of men.
And we just pray that whatever said tonight will.
B from.
From Z.
And that thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the subject of this gospel meeting.
Will penetrate the hearts of every person.
Tonight.
Again, we just pray for help and give thanks for the grace and love.
Of thy only dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and it's in his name we do pray. Amen.
And just one more song #19 #19.
Oh, oh, crying. Oh Christ. And they must.
Can I make a call for me where I can survive a kind of life Dangerous Roger in the US bound and beginning.
00:05:08
I sighed for rest and nothing as pleasure for them. Nothing.
But why I have my savior vibing. It is love to break over the unknowns. Now I'm going to cry. Cast by my heart.
Their love and life and life singing joy.
Lord Jesus found in May.
I tried the broken instead of sparing the Lord by God.
'S draining day plan and locked me out of my way around.
No, no, but crying inside the flock and I'm not under names for me for being the great love and life having had to lie after they enjoyed.
The Lord beginning, his eyes round and digging.
This is actually the, uh, the second speaking engagement I have of the week. Umm.
Two speaking engagements, two different subjects.
First speaking engagement I had this week was on UH Wednesday. Wednesday morning across the harbor in Halifax, I spoke to a group of 300 people.
And the subject was very different. They wanted to know a little bit of the of an overview of the weather to expect over the next three months, a little bit of information on the currents that they were going to experience while ten boats went out on the water to do what's called a seismic survey and search for oil offshore. Very large crowd, one of the men that spoke that morning.
With the captain in the in the UMM in the army and he was involved in search and rescue and UMM.
He immediately had everybody's attention because this man spoke with a lisp and the having trouble speaking that day was that he had just survived a brush of cancer. And uh, as a result of that, he was having trouble speaking, had everybody's attention immediately on the spot. But the point I wanted to make is the subject of my talk that day was the weather.
An important topic, but nowhere near as important as a topic that I was asked to speak on today. And the subject that I, I'm speaking on tonight, it's not one that again, I, I chose so much as I was asked to deliver the gospel of God's grace to this audience this evening. There's not 300 people here. It's a much smaller group of people. But the, uh, the import of what I'm about to say is.
Vastly more important than the subject I spoke on earlier this week. You know, I was thinking in terms of the Gospel meeting.
That it makes all the sense in the world. Why would have a gospel meeting tonight? Some might say, what is this strange group, church group, whatever they wanna call it, doing in a little Community Center in Halifax while there's all kinds of other things to do when life goes on. But, you know, I was thinking that crowd I spoke to across the water, they were all getting on boats. They were most interested in my speech about hurricanes.
00:10:13
Because they wanted to know the dangers associated with sinking offshore.
And, you know, there was a man there. He had a brush with cancer. He's 52 years old and very nearly didn't survive. And I know here in this audience tonight, there's a father whose daughter was murdered.
And.
This city. Halifax, Dartmouth.
Is teeming with people.
400,000 people, every last one of them born into this world by a creator God who formed them and made them. Every last one of them has a date if the Lord doesn't come first with death.
And that's why the Gospel meeting is so very, very important.
It's a subject of the meeting tonight.
And very honestly, I'm, I'm much more nervous. Smile #1.
Speaking tonight that I was earlier in the week much more nervous. My subject tonight is earthquakes.
And, uh, I happened on the subject quite by accident. I'll tell you why in a few minutes.
But before I do, I'm just going to I'd like to speak on the 1St earthquake found in First Kings chapter 19.
When we speak from the word of God tonight.
I won't read this whole story. I'm only gonna read part of it.
I'll read from verse eight First Kings chapter 19 and verse 8. And he arose. That's Elijah. And did he didn't drink and went in the strength of that meat 40 days and 40 nights unto Horeb the mount of God, and came Heather feather under cave, and lodged there. And behold the word of the Lord Kingdom. And he said unto him, What do you hear, Elijah?
And Allergy gives his answer, verse 11 God says, go forth and stand upon the mounts before the Lord.
And behold, the Lord passed by in a great and strong wind, rents the mountains, and break in pieces of the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind and earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice. And it was so when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of The Cave. And behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What do you hear, Elijah?
Stop there. My intention in this introductory story about an earthquake is not so much with the earthquake, but around the circumstances that surrounded it. Elijah here was running from a woman who wanted to kill her. Kill him, Jezebel.
And he had run for 40 days and 40 nights.
And God had pursued him tenderly all that way, fed him, watched over him, no word of criticism. Elijah should not have been running. He had won a tremendous victory the day before in the presence of all his enemies, through the power of God. Next day, shortly thereafter, he's running away.
And God comes to him and he says, Elijah, what are you doing here?
I opened up the meeting here this evening with this little story because I often think about the fact that men and women and boys and girls run from God. They run from God. The whole world is full of people running away from God.
And it's very interesting because not only do they run from him.
But they're running because they really want, and this is the irony of the situation. They want to find them. They're running from God, but in fact, they're running to find them. That's the total irony of it. And many people, they run from God and they, uh, you know, a lot of times they, they seek him in, in power, in their, in their careers.
00:15:15
Other people run from God and they seek him. I know a fellow in the, in the Long Island, New York. He's about 60 years old. He has no family. His brother was murdered 10 years ago. We knew him. Umm, his girlfriend actually plotted to have him shot.
And his his, his brother's left name is Dennis. He lives his whole life doing nothing, and this is no exaggerated, but attending professional sports games because he lives in New York, he can go to the New York Giants, the New York Jets, he can go to New York Islanders, the New York Rangers.
Nocross, uh, to New Jersey, taking every sports team in all the New York metropolitan area. And he does, he does. And I'm not saying that to be critical of Dennis. That's the life Dennis has found to set to try and satisfy the, the hollow in his soul. He's he's a deeply unhappy person. He's got no love in his life and his whole life is professional sports. But you know, The funny thing is Dennis is looking for God.
And you know.
That's the way it is with people. They run from him, but they're looking for him.
And all I want to stay in connection with this story about Elijah who is running away. God said to him, Elijah, what are you doing here? I want to leave you with this question tonight. I don't expect you to answer it aloud. What are you doing here tonight? You know, maybe you're here because.
It came with your mom and your FA and your dad. Maybe you're here because.
You came for your friends. Many of you are in that situation here tonight.
And I'm not asking you to give me a right or wrong answer, but I just want to ask you the question, why are you here? Why are you here? And you know there was an earthquake in this story.
And there could be many reasons why we're told that God shook Mount Horeb with an earthquake. I believe that one of the reasons was because he was seeking to get Elijah's attention.
And shortly thereafter.
There's the earthquake, there's the fire, and then there's a still small, or it can read gentle voice spoke to him. Elijah didn't shout, didn't shake a fist. It was a gentle, quiet voice. Why are you here, Elijah?
And you know, I wanna relay the story.
It was very real to me this past winter.
Over Newfoundland, we had a situation in January that really rattled me along.
It, uh, you all know, is a harsh winter and we had.
Umm, a situation developed on Newfoundland where all of a sudden Newfoundland Hydro couldn't keep up with the power demands in the province, and so they started instituting rolling blackouts, they call them. And you know, it really wasn't that cold. It was -4 -, 5 But no one ever really knew when they were gonna hit, and they were.
These rolling black oats from several times a day and it was cold at night. It got down to -10 or 12. Usually the power went off at breakfast time and then they would cut it off again at at dinner time. And this went on for three or four days. And then there was a tremendous storm dubbed Hercules actually. And that particular storm was one of the strongest ever observed in the North Atlantic Ocean. As meteorologists, I happen to know that it hit England with.
Uh, waves are 20 feet high and has struck Newfoundland. We had 40 centimeters of snow and some of the strongest winds I've ever observed. And in the middle of that storm or right after actually, the next day, we lost power again.
And we all thought it was the wind, but actually the the lines are built pretty well in Newfoundland. It wasn't the wind at all. A fire had taken hold in a place called Sunnyside and taken down a transformer station and all of a sudden 90% of Newfoundland lost power. Derek would know this. Don't know whether Corner Brook was as impacted.
00:20:01
But all of a sudden we were running out of gas. There was a run in the grocery stores, ran out of food.
Pipes are bursting left, right and center. I got a call work. You know, we were only on diesel generator power at that time. And I'll cut to the chase here. Umm, we actually got our power back pretty quickly, but that shortly thereafter there was a blackout during supper. We'd taken a family in because they had no power and, and uh, they were on well water and, uh, they were, they stayed with us and I went out and I dug out the BBQ with tons of snow and I got it all out and I started up the barbeque to -10 it was night time.
We had power, but boom, the lights went off and everything was pitch black. You know, food in the stores, no gasoline. You couldn't gas your car up. There was silence. It was black at midnight. And I looked up. I was barbecuing steak in January.
And it's like I heard a still small voice. It was like.
The Lord spoke. The din of life had ceased totally.
And all of a sudden, you felt very small and you heard his voice.
And you know, the dinner life is very loud for everybody all the time. And I believe that in a small measure in this story.
There was the din of the fire and the din of the earthquake and the din of the wind tearing that mountain apart. Elijah's attention was draft.
It all stopped. There was a calm quiet and the Lord spoke.
And I just would ask you tonight to hear his voice.
Now I'm gonna tell you how it is that I, I arrived at this subject, We're gonna turn it over to Act 16. And, uh, Brother Robert Bullard prayed, mentioned this story and his prayer before the gospel. I was thankful. This is the second earthquake.
And, uh, how I came to this was I was really struggling with what to talk about, but, uh, earlier this week we were in a hotel over near Bayers Lake.
And I was really, really wrestling with what to talk on and in the middle of the night, 2:30 in the morning.
Won't go to bed with a jolt. The fire alarm was going off like crazy and uh, lynch, Sean, wake up wake up and uh, we all had to yank the kids out of bed out into the halls and out in outside the hotel parking lot. The fire alarm had gone off and umm, on the way out, you know, girls said this is the real deal ceilings collapsed there's water pouring in and yes indeed what, what had happened was the pipe that burst in the hotel and umm.
And triggered the fire land. We were all in the parking lot.
And afterwards, you know, it was a rude awakening and very frustrating to have everybody up in the middle of the night like that. We all crawled into bed and I laid awake and I said, Lord, why? Why? How come this happened? And the Lord brought before me the Philippian jailer who was very suddenly woken out of his sleep in the middle of the night. And.
That's what we're gonna revoke here, so let's just read in Acts Chapter 16.
And uh, verse 23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely through, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast on the stalks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. And the prisoners heard them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.
And immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loose.
The keeper of the prison awakening out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself know harm, for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And now should be saved in my in my house. And they speak on them the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
00:25:05
So here's.
Paul and Silas and they had been directed by God to go into this area.
And they've gotten there and they had disturbed the business.
By HA by through the power of God's umm, casting out a demon from a girl there and as a result the owners who have been making a lot of money from the fortune telling that girl was doing.
Uh, demanded that something be done and they took Paul and Silas and they had Paul and Silas thrown into this jail. You know, jails in those days are not like jails we have today at all. And umm, I have no doubt that it was very uncomfortable for Paul and Silas. We know that for one thing, because they beat them before they put Pollen Stylus into that jail. So they went into the jail with leading backs torn to pieces, I'm sure.
They must have been wondering what in the world is going on where you would think they were thinking this. You know, we were sent here by God and here we find ourselves in jail.
Discouraged. No, no, the wonder of it is they're there in the in the jail, They're not sleeping on a bed. They're in stocks and stocks. They they clamp down your hands and they clamp down your legs. You can't move. I'm sure their backs were terribly sore, in addition to just the fact that they were flogged to pieces like that. But at midnight they were singing and praying, singing and praising God. They were happy and joyful. What's wrong with these two people?
And you know, it's interesting in this story, there's four classes of people in this story. There's Paul and Silas rejoicing in the Lord in their painful situation that made no sense for many natural point of view. There was the prisoners in the jail who heard them. All were awake at midnight listening to them. And then there was the jailer who was there, and the jailer was sound asleep. Now that jailer, he wasn't a criminal. He hadn't done anything wrong. He hadn't even flogged Paul in silence.
He was just asleep in bed, thinking that he had done his job and nothing's wrong, nothing's wrong.
I wanna ask you tonight, what class of a person do you fall into in those categories? Maybe you're sleeping, Not literally sleeping, but maybe you're completely oblivious to your need of the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior. Your conscience isn't reached. You think you're a good person. You're just doing your job, that, uh, life is great you're going on. There's no sense that anything is wrong at all. Maybe you're like the jailer.
Maybe you're like Paul and Silas, who despite the circumstances that they found themselves in.
We're rejoicing in the Lord.
Maybe you're like the rest of the prisoners there and your interest is perked up. You hear? You see something interesting.
About this thing called Christianity and you wanna know more about it?
You know, those prisoners were all listening to Paul and Silas, and there can be no doubt at all that they were really intrigued by these two that had come to jail.
And I just want to ask you tonight, what category do you fall into? Well, we don't wanna go into every detail of this story tonight. I just wanna say that there was a tremendous earthquake in the middle of the night. The jailer was shocked out of his sleep. And the first thing he thought of was that the prisoners, he knew that in the Roman system.
His charge was to make sure that those prisoners did not escape, because if they did escape, it was death.
And the first thing that popped into his mind was suicide. I'm gonna kill myself.
You know, just have to speak for a moment about suicide.
The rate of suicide everywhere is on the increase.
It's skyrocketing everywhere.
And you know, I hope it hurts your heart as much as it hurts my heart. People are committing suicide left, right and center because they are in despair.
They feel like there's nothing to live for. And you know, if I was a it's predominantly among young people. We know that older people commit suicide, too. You hear lately a lot in the news about bankers.
A lot of bankers recently have leaked from, uh, high rises and killed themselves. Why? Because they've been searching for God through money and power. And they get there and they're fabulously wealthy and they're just miserable and they commit suicide.
00:30:16
But you know, young people today, why are they miserable? You know, I believe that there's many reasons for it, a lot of young people.
You know, they're raised in a culture of.
Rebellion, meaning that they're told to rebel, and so they do.
And they come. They're in situations where their mom and their dad have no time for them at all. That's a pandemic problem in society today.
Fathers of no time.
And uh, you know, I speak to myself in that because the world wants specially fathers all of our time. The corporate world says give me 18 hours a day, I'll take 18 hours a day.
And very often mothers are busy too, and the kids are left to their own devices and they seek their love elsewhere. They don't find it in the home. They might find it in their with their friends. They turn to drugs, they turn to alcohol.
In school they're told that image is everything.
And they want to be loved for their image. And so boys and girls give their bodies freely, hoping that they'll be loved for that. Their dads and moms aren't giving them love. They give their bodies up because they think that'll give them love. And they don't know the love of God. And we are created. We create love. I know every person in this room tonight is desperate for love.
And the message of the gospel is God loves you, and he's the only one who's able to fill the hole in the heart.
And that is the beauty of the gospel message. We're gonna speak more of that in just a minute. But this jailer, he wanted to commit suicide because he felt that his life was gonna be forfeited. And he cries out to Paul and Silas. It's interesting just to see why he would crawl out, cry out to pollen files. He was asleep. I don't think he heard them singing and praying.
He might have, but I don't think so. There's something about Paul and Silas.
That really struck me and he knew they had an answer to give, said Sir, is what my side do to be saved? And they say believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. And that takes me. We're going to come back to that verse, to the next earthquake in Matthew 27.
This story is known.
All over the world. I doubt there's hardly anybody in Halifax who doesn't know this story.
But let's read it and we're going to read a part of it. We're going to start from verse 45. Now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the land until the 9th hour, both the 9th hour of Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli, Eli Lamisa Bachtoni, that is the same. My God, my God, why yourself forsaken me?
Some of them have stood there when they heard that said This man called for Elias, and straightway one of them ran, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, put it on a Reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost, and behold, the veil of the temple was grants are torn in two from the top to the bottom the earth.
Did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they fear greatly, saying truly this was the Son of God.
Paul and Silas said to the Philippian jailer.
The answer to being saved is belief.
In the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:35:02
My friend tonight.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
And he, you may not be able to call him Lord tonight.
Is the only answer to being saved?
Here in this passage that I just read.
We have scenes taking place outside of Jerusalem.
And, you know, in a certain sense, what transpired that day wasn't all that unusual for Jerusalem.
You know I'm reading a book on Jerusalem right now.
It's a history of the city.
And you know, there's a man, Antiochus Epiphanes.
Who totally wiped out that city couple 100 of years before this and performed countless crucifixions outside the city wall of Jerusalem?
And we know that 50 years after this.
Titus came up to Jerusalem and he seized it, and hundreds of thousands of Jews were crucified.
Here was a crucifixion.
But it was no ordinary crucifixion.
Because the Lord Jesus Christ.
Was God's son.
He was not only innocent, he was holy.
And he had walked, we had earlier in the conference, perhaps every village in Israel. For three years now, from longer than three years. I was his public ministry.
And he had done nothing but good.
He had healed people. He had fed thousands of people. He had proclaimed to people that he was the Son of God. He was gentle and kind and compassionate.
And the response.
Of that fee, and not just the Jews, but the Romans too, we will not have this Mandarin over us. And what did they do? They chose Barabbas.
Who was a criminal, a murderer?
And they said we'll take him, we don't want Jesus, we'll free Barabbas, we're going to crucify the Lord Jesus.
And they let them outside to Golgotha and they hung them up on a cross.
And that's what we have here. And there He is, God's Son, hanging on a cross.
You know the verse in the scriptures that says the Father sent the Son to be the savior of the world?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God said, I love mankind so much that I'm going to send my son the Lord Jesus into this world, because there's a disease called sin in the world.
Friends, tonight, you all have it. The reason I'm going to die one day because I am infected with the disease of Finn. It cannot be stopped. I will die one day at the Lord. Jesus doesn't come first, and you all will too. And you know, we don't know when that's gonna happen. It might be cancer when you're 4042 years old like I am. It might be in a car accident tonight. It could be any time. I don't know. But death will ultimately call on your door.
Because.
Finn came into the world and death by sin.
And so death passed upon, and for that all have sinned. And the Scripture says all have sinned. You tell me, oh, I'm a good person. I've never sinned. You know, we had it so forcefully before us last night about all of sin. Come short of the glory of God, you say.
Sean, you're not a criminal. You don't deserve to die. I absolutely do.
I absolutely do. I am guilty of breaking most if not all of the 10 commandments. I have lied, I have cheated, I have stolen my children. I tell them sometimes a story about how I did that when I was young and and daily I sinned. We are all sinners and we all must answer to a holy God who is just, who must punish sin.
And because of that my situation will be.
Hopeless. Hopeless except for this.
God loved you so much, he said. I'm going to give the remedy and he sends his Son the Lord Jesus, into this world. We read about him here hanging on a cross.
00:40:06
And there's three hours of darkness that transpire there.
The land goes black, the Lord Jesus.
Has bowed there on that cross for three hours. At the end of the three hours, a cry goes out. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why did the Lord Jesus call out on the cross like that?
It's because.
God laid on his head all the sins that I've ever committed. The Lord Jesus took my place on the cross.
Who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree.
He was my substitute.
God gave His Son the Lord Jesus to be Sean substitute.
And it's a gift to you tonight, God says to you tonight. And I don't know who you are.
Do you accept the gift of my Son the Lord Jesus Christ?
If you accept him that gift and acknowledge that you deserve to die.
And then you are guilty.
If you accept that the Lord Jesus became your substitute and shed his blood.
To cover you, to wash away your sins. You can go free, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. That is the good news of the gospel of the grace of God to men.
The world didn't want to. They crucified him on a cross.
And you know, it's so interesting to me at work, mention the name of the Lord Jesus. You know, it's funny as a Cuban guy I worked with, his name is Roberto Rodriguez. He came over to my house a week ago to talk about this subject. I don't believe he's a Christian. He said, you know, it's funny. This is someone who's insane. It's a funny thing, the name of Jesus. You bring it up and everybody wants don't want to talk.
It's taboo. Oh yeah. Any other name you mentioned? Oh, they'd be happy to talk about.
How long? They'd be happy to talk about Krishna. They'd be happy to talk about sports figures, politicians. But the name of Jesus?
They don't want to hear it, and you know, I'll tell you why.
It's because they know when they hear that name that.
They're enemies of God and it hurts their conscience. And it's like a visceral, defensive reaction. I don't wanna hear about that because they know that they're not right with it. Hear, the Lord Jesus is dying on that cross. Three hours of darkness became my substitute on that cross. And you know, he cries, it is finished, and he gives up the ghost. Our time is nearly gone. And so I just wanna quickly wrap up by saying there was a man watching there his name was.
What we don't know his name, he was a Roman centurion and his his job and he had a job that day was to watch those prisoners. Imagine, you know, how could 3 prisoners, how could three people hanging and they call malefactors. The Lord was not a malefactor. They're all there hanged on a hung across and they're being guarded. And you know, he sees all this.
He sees the earthquake and it mentions here in verse.
54 Now when the centurion and they were with them, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake got their attention, the ground shook.
And they were jolted, but you know that that's ensure. And he saw the things on the cross. He heard the Lord Jesus say, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. He heard that.
He heard the Lord Jesus say to the apostle John.
One umm what can umm.
Sorry said to his mother, woman, behold thy Son in connection with the apostle John, there at the cross he heard the Lord Jesus say to one of the thieves on the cross, one of the malefactors today shall they'll be with me in paradise. He heard, He saw all those things.
And he saw the ground shake.
And he said this man was the Son of God.
And I'm going to ask you a question tonight because it's a vital question, do you believe?
That Jesus.
Was a good man or do you believe that he was the Son of God?
00:45:07
You know.
Jesus lived. All the historians wrote about him, historians who weren't Christians.
Lift. And he's not, you know, it's often been said was he a liar or a lunatic or who he said he was. No one says he was a lunatic. No one says he was a liar, but he said he was the son of God.
It's the only reasonable thing to conclude. And my question to you tonight is, are you like this censure and can you say he's the Son of God?
Now we're gonna come to the last earthquake.
Next chapter.
First two, behold there was a great earthquake. I gotta read from the first verse. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn until the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake. For the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became a dead man.
And the Angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not, for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here for his residence.
The last earthquake.
First day of the week Today is the first day of the week, the Lord's Day.
And there was an earthquake.
I want to just say to the room tonight from.
All of those who have accepted the Lord and Savior Jesus is Lord and Savior. He is risen. The Lord Jesus is alive right now.
Right now.
It's a fact.
He rose from the dead. He defeated death. Death has No Fear for me.
You know, I might be afraid of the pain of death, but I know if I die tonight.
I would just pass in the return to be be with my Lord and Savior the Lord Jesus.
The Lord Jesus, when he rose from the dead, he conquered death.
And He delivered all those who through the lifetime were in ******* to the fear of death. I didn't quote that correctly. If you go to Hebrews chapter one, you'll see that chapter 2. But the Lord Jesus, he defeated death. He defeated him with the power of death by Satan himself.
Death has no claim over you anymore if you've accepted them as your Lord and savior. And what I want to press on you tonight is.
He's alive.
The Lord Jesus is alive.
And, you know, I'm gonna go back to flipping Jailer, he said. Believe on Jesus Christ.
He said believe and I've been thinking a lot about this lately on the Lord.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
If Jesus is alive.
The question is, is he your Lord?
This year lower have you surrendered to him? You know in Philippians chapter 2 it says every knee shall bow, every knee every knee in this room will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ.
Is Lord that's Lord.
Rose, 14, says for this cause came that he might be Lord of the living and the dead.
And you know.
The gospel is very simple.
You hear the story of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know that you.
Are not worthy to be in His presence because you are a Sinner.
And you know that there's no hope for you apart from his work on the cross. And the Lord Jesus died to be your substitute. And God offers him as a gift to you. And he says, except me.
Your Lord and Savior.
You'll be safe.
Death will have no more fear for you.
You'll be with me in paradise, as you said to the thief on the cross. Your deepest longings will be fulfilled.
I could go on and on and on.
We don't always, those of us who accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior, and I say this to our shame, exhibit the qualities that we should in connection with.
00:50:08
What we've been given in Christ Jesus.
But you know he died to be your not just your Lord, but your friend.
He died to bring you in to be part of a family, the family of God.
His world is full of broken families. Look my family this morning.
And, uh, it's not, you know, I thought Mr. Deer go by in the hallway and someone looked in our room and there's lots of arguing and unpleasant stuff happening. Very imperfect family.
But you know God's family.
God's family is the best family.
And I just desire for everybody here this morning.
Accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Let's just pray.
Stop.
Thank you for that verse, our God and Father, behold a manner of love.
Father bestowed upon us we should be called sons of God.
Lord Jesus, we just give thanks this morning.
Without its carried out by fathers will perfectly.
And die on that cross.
We know the men do not take thy life.
That you laid down your life for us to set us free.
Lord Jesus, we would ask that everybody in this room tonight will believe.
In the Lord Jesus Christ, be saved.
Just give thanks for the encouragement of the last few days too.
Thanks for the family of God.
Pray for safety over all who are traveling back home as well.
In Jesus worthy and precious name, Amen.
Eternal Security, Church of Ephesus, John 20:20 Vision
Open—E. McCavour, D. Mollon, W. Dear
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All his life and go and go across the restless wild footsteps ever showed 5 every time #275.
Our God is light and glowing.
Our heart being blind. So what shall I have a great joy.
Because I need.
OK.
Yeah.
Uh.
Retrieve.
Proteins of shine by grains of one.
Desert. I've never had anything but in the Lord in the world.
But really?
Uh, no credit card.
Now.
Let's take a look at.
First Corinthians.
Chapter One.
I'd like to read the first few verses here in this chapter.
Paul called an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and so thesis our brother onto the Church of God, which is that corner to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called Saints. With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both stairs and ours. Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which has given you by Jesus Christ, that in everything here enriched by Him, in all utterance and in all knowledge, even as a testimony of Christ was confirmed in you so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, you shall also confirm you onto the end.
00:05:04
That he may be blameless.
In the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, God is faithful.
This portion before us I like to.
Speak a little bit today on our internal security that we have in our savior.
And uh.
We read this book. It's a, it's a book of, uh, you might say.
A lot of failure in Corinthians.
They were mixed up about a lot of things. Mixed up about.
Baptism or mixed up about marriages, mixed up about going to law, one will go with a brother or mixed up with both gifts. If they had to, they could post no gifts and perhaps eating and drinking and other things that they were allowing on holiness in their midst and so on. And so they had a lot of failures and perhaps.
Uh, if we examine ourselves, we can find 2 That we may have some of these same failures today.
Uh, individually in our lives and uh, the Apostle Paul, he, he sought to bring before the Corinthians Saints.
Uh, before he, uh, spoke to them about the things that were wrong in the assembly he brought before them.
Their perfect standing that they had in Christ.
That in hopes to draw out their hearts, I believe, to the Lord.
That would be my objective today, that perhaps if we read about our perfect standing, that the Lord has won for us on the cross of Calvary what He has done for us.
And where we stand for all eternity because of that finished work.
Perhaps a little draw out our hearts too, to be drawn closer to the Lord and, uh, if there are any of these things that it's inter interrupting our, our lives with the Lord, perhaps we can put them away. I believe in the second crisis, we'll look at it a little later. That did have an effect on these Saints. And I think we'll see a portion there that indicates that.
Anyway, we're reading that.
I left out, uh, to be. It's not, uh, in the original, Paul says you're called to be an apostle. Paul was called apostle. He was.
Called out for the Lord to be an apostle.
On that it seemed the Lord and umm through the will of God he didn't have to go to seminary school and have to hustle ship by Jesus Christ through the will of God. This is on to the Church of God which is that corner to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called not to be Saints but Saints recall Saints that is what the Lord calls us it's.
We're we're holy ones by calling separated, uh, to God.
Uh, through calling.
In some places in Christianity and some.
Perhaps we call them the vision, but.
They hold that the state is something that you have to work to, uh.
Uptake become a state. They require that even that a miracle has to be done before somebody would be ordained in that system with the title of St.
But really, God's Word and every believer. Every believer.
That is purchased with a lot of price if you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.
You are a St.
We picture us safe. We think of someone that is almost someone that's, that's, uh, so godly that he that he can't do anything wrong or make a mistake even.
But that's not what it means. We're called to be holy. We're called to walk worthy of God. But we do have the flesh in us and we make mistakes, but we're called not to be Saints, not something that we have to work to, uh, to obtain. We're called Saints by calling called out ones and, uh.
00:10:24
It says that, uh, them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus.
What's that mean? To be sanctified in Christ Jesus?
It means that God has set you and I if you're a believer today. He has set us apart in Christ for Himself.
You set us apart.
That is where this is something that.
That started actually before you and I were even born. This is something that God had, and it's hard to do before Enos McCabe or whatever your name is, if you're a believer here today was even born into the same. This is something that God had purposed to his heart to do and time come when we were born into this scene and God had to, uh, work to give us a spiritual life.
We're quickened.
And born again into the family of God. And uh, he, he separated us. That separation took place on the cross of Calvary when the Lord Jesus died, took our sins upon himself by one offering He had perfect, perfected forever. Then they were sanctified.
And so that is our position, our standing before God. We have a perfect, uh, sanctification in Christ. God looks at us as separated onto himself in Christ. That's how the reason that we can come into the God's presence through the rent sale into his very presence because of that sacrifice that has been made. And so to be in Christ means that we're.
Separated ones to God.
And be in Christ. He is a new creature or a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. And so we were looked at by God as being in Christ.
In the 30th verse it says, But of him of God are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom.
You know, the wisdom that that we have is advanced wisdom, the wisdom that.
That we have from God.
Is the wisdom that is, that that God has given to us. We have it in verse 24. But on to them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God, all the things mentioned here in this verse.
Wisdom. Righteousness.
Sanctification. Redemption.
All go back to the cross of Calvary. Every one of these things that we possess are given to us by God in Christ Jesus Christ. Jesus has won these things for us on the cross.
I stand before God in his wisdom.
It was God's wisdom that gave us Christ, God's wisdom that put the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross for you and me, that through believing in what He has accomplished there I have salvation.
God's wisdom. That wasn't man's wisdom. It came from God.
And I was made righteous before God. I didn't have righteousness that God could approve of on my own.
I was made the righteousness of God, it tells me in 2nd Corinthians 5 and 21.
For he have made him to be.
For he had made him that did no sin and knew no sin. It might be made the righteous of God and him. Let's just read it because.
Probably murdered at first.
00:15:00
Psychopathy is.
5 and 21 For he hath made him to be sent for us, and knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God and Him, and that's the righteousness that we have, that God can accept. We have it in Christ. Where was that one for us on the cross?
Sanctification. We're talking about sanctification being set apart.
That happened also in the cross.
By one offering he had Perco perfected forever. Them that are sanctified. And so we are set apart for God's glory. It happened there at the cross of Calvary Redemption when that happened at the cross.
Not redeemed with corruptible things that tells us that Peter, such as silver and gold, but with a precious fly of Christ, the land spot Fleming.
Nan has man likes to think that he.
He has, uh, he has righteousness of his own that God can accept. He likes to think that he can separate himself, uh, from certain things and, uh, do certain works and things that God can accept through his own, uh, estimation of what separation is. He likes to think that he can be redeemed in some other way except by the blood of Christ.
You know or mentioned about different evils and Kristen in the day one of those evils is.
There's a mixture of works and faith connected with salvation.
I re Recently my wife and I attended a funeral.
And the person that stood up to get a funeral was.
Umm, a gentleman from Salvation Army. Any poll of $20 bill out of his wallet. A brand new $20 bill.
And he showed that and he said in reference to the person that was had passed on, he said, you know, he says this, uh, $20 bill, he said is Chris the new? He said it's perfect.
And he wrinkled it all up and he said, you know, he opened it up again, he says.
He said even though that's been all wrinkled and, and, uh, I straightened it out, it's still worth $20. You put it on the ground and he stepped all over and picked it up and he said, you know, it's still worth $20. He said I was a foot grease and oil all over it and make it as ugly and.
Unattractive as they could, he said, they're still worth $20. I took it into a bank.
He says.
God sees.
He sees that there's good and bad in everyone.
He says God sees a good in this man, what he had done during his life, and he compared an analogy to that $20 bill.
He didn't mention anything about the person have to have be renewed from the inside of having salvation. He said God could accept him just like that $20 bill, no matter what the condition was, because God would look on the good things that he'd done and overlooked the bad things. This is what is coming in to Christianity everywhere. Almost every funeral I go to there's.
Works mentioned.
When it comes to the person that's there and they they're not sure where he is, they introduce works as.
A means of the person, uh, getting into glory Well.
That's not what the Bible teaches us because.
So we go down here we have this is umm, the third verse. It says grace beyond you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which has given you by Jesus Christ. As believers, we not only need the grace that saves us, but we need the grace that keeps us on the pathway. This is the grace he was Speaking of here.
And the peace we were justified and we have peace by God being justified by faith. That is the peace that we have when we get saved. But we also need peace with God as we the peace of God as we journey through the the pathway here and.
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We need both of these things as believers as we journey through.
It says that everything ye are enriched by Him in all utterance and in all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.
The testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.
These Corinthian states.
We read an X.
Acts 18 I believe it is.
Is there in verse one? After these things Fall departed from Athens and came to the corner.
And uh, verse eight that says in Christmas the chief ruler of the synagogue believes on the Lord with all his house and many other Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized. That's the order they, they heard the gospel message that was preached. They believe that and then they were baptized.
And this is a testimony.
Of Christ that was confirmed in them. Who confirmed that God confirmed it. This is the only confirmation that matters.
Confirmation is something that is used all the time by man. We use confirmation if you're in business to confirm a contract. You want it not only verbally, but you want it in writing.
When I come to a conference, they want me to confirm that I'm coming within a certain date because there's responsibilities connected with the conference. There's motels to book and things like that. So we're all time confirming things. But with man, confirmation sometimes isn't certain. Confirmation means to be sure or certain about something. And so God says that we're confirmed because we believe the testimony of Christ.
It's a confirmation from God, and when God gives his word, it's a certain thing. It's a sure thing.
Another way confirmation is used today is when someone gets married, they confirm, uh, that it takes the marriage vow. They're really confirming their love toward one another in a public way. They do that by Mary Fowler, confirming their love toward one another.
Sometimes that marriage contract the ink is hardly dry when.
There, the confirmation is gone. Didn't mean too much. They don't want to live with one another. They're not compatible or they find some other excuse or they're unfaithful or whatever it is. And so confirmation is where it's a certain and a sure thing with man. It's not that way. Things can happen sometimes they're not intentionally.
But you have a contract with somebody and the person fails to live up to the contract. Maybe they went into bankruptcy, maybe something happened and they couldn't live up to it. There's other circumstances, but man breaks things that he says all the time, doesn't mean a whole lot to him. But when God confirms something, it's a certain thing. And so they were, uh, they were confirmed by God that they had this testimony, they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, even though they were carnal Christians.
And they were going on with a lot of things that were, that were unscriptural or they shouldn't have been going on with. They were believers. They, they believed the testimony. They believed the gospel. They heard it, they believed it. They were baptized and God confirmed this in them that they had this testimony.
So that you come behind and no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus.
Price, this, umm is coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's really the unveiling. It's a time when the Lord Jesus will appear with the Saints at the end of the tribulation period. And so this confirmation we see goes right on through the judgment seat of Christ, right on through to the Lord's unveiling. Isn't that wonderful that the Lord Jesus God has confirmed our faith in Christ?
Nothing, no harm can come to a believer all the way through. God has confirmed this.
00:25:07
And we shall confirm you on to the end, it says.
That you may be blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That confirmation.
That we're believers in Christ is confirmed in heaven with God until the end end of her time here, but it says blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, or we a judgment seat of Christ and there will be an appraisal of the work that was done here for him, whether it be good or bad. The Lord will appraise our work just like A1 an art credit like praise a piece of art.
And we'll find what's wrong with it and what isn't. Everything will be turned upside down in that day, and the motive of the heart will be revealed. Everything will come out in that day. But our the confirmation that we have in the testimony that we believe the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins, our sins will not come into question in that day. And it says in the day.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall confirm you once at the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. That word blameless is unaccusable or.
Unimpeachable. It's, uh, there'll be no blame. No uh.
No accusation can be brought before, uh, you and I as a believer there at the judgment seat of Christ, because we stand in all the perfectness.
Of Christ, we're in him. We, uh, God sees us as new creation, uh, with the Lord Jesus as a head. A Adam fell because of sin. That whole creation fell. And the Lord Jesus is ahead of the new creation. He was down into death and when he rose, he was the first fruits of the new creation. And we have in a figure gone down into death with him and were raised up again with him on the other side of that death.
And God sees us completely new in Christ.
A new a new head. The the church is a body here. And in the coming day, we're we're going to be with him and like him for all eternity. But God sees us that way now. And God wants us to see see ourselves in the same way that he sees us. He wants to see yourselves in Christ and all our sins remove everything that stood between US and the holy God.
Has been removed in Christ. We know that this new creation that we're in, in crisis ahead of it, it hasn't all come into completeness yet. Even ourselves, uh, we have salvation, we have eternal life of Christ, but we still have the old body.
Uh, as we get older, we realize more and more that it's a body of sin, it's a body of corruption, and if it dies, it will see corruption.
But we're told because we belong to the new creation, that we're gonna be risen.
Up. God's going to raise us up and we're going to receive a new body of interruption and we're gonna be fashioned onto his like Gloria's body. So we're going to be complete in the coming day. Body, soul and spirit brand new and a new creation with Christ. Even the world that we see around us is part of the atom creation. The heavens will all be done away, it says.
The with a, with a, with a loud noise, they're going to be, uh, done away in the great white throne judgment will be there in space, having an earth fled away. And so all the cities and everything that we see around us today here eventually because of sin, because of the fallen creation will all be done away. Everything. Let's go. And that ad creation, the whole creation is going to go and God is going to bring in a brand new heaven.
A new earth where as well as righteousness. And so we we have certain things now that we enjoy as believers, but we only have have them in part. God sees it already in partition. We're already in God's eyes raised up, seated with Christ in the heavens. That's how God sees us. We should see ourselves that way too. We should see ourselves as being separated to God in Christ from the world for everything that's around us.
00:30:20
And we're in this world, uh, really a new creation in, in Christ.
Just before I close, there's that. I mentioned that in Second Corinthians chapter one.
It seemed to have an effect on the Corinthian Saints here because they umm.
It says uh.
In the night burst. But we had this had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raises the dead who delivered us from so great a death. And Thou delivered in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us. He also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
So here we raise any commends on because.
Of their prayers for in the work, helping together and, uh.
You know, in so many places in scripture we have we have mentioned about prayer and how God uses prayer.
In in so many different ways in our lives, privately and collectively to bring about blessing in the lives of not only ourselves, but in our family and in others. And how how important prayer is. And we think of this assembly that here in Cornup that they had.
They were a carnal, uh, assembly. They were worldly going on with all kinds of wrong things and they said they came behind and no gift. They had all the gifts that God could, could give out. They had every gift that doesn't, he doesn't commend them here. Anything to do with the gift prayer.
Prayer, everyone can pray is not a believer here that can't say they can't pray to God because the Lord Jesus has rent the veil and we have entrance into the holiness, holiness and we are able to come at any time and make a request known unto God. And so every believer has the privilege of prayer and nice to see here that it would take in the sisters.
We also help them to gather by prayer for us to take in anyone in that assembly because everyone is able to pray. And, uh, what a nice, uh, uh, way to commend them that they, they were exercised about the Apostle Paul and his welfare, even though they questioned it one time as apostleship and, uh, so on. But now they, they seem to.
Realize that that, uh, they were together. They were together, that they, they were no better than the Apostle Paul, that they needed him and the Apostle Paul.
He, he needed them. He, he, he valued their prayers. He wanted their prayers. And they realized that how important the, the work was that the Apostle Paul was doing was through the gospel that the Apostle Paul preached that they got converted.
And come into all the blessings that they enjoy.
So I guess we leave these thoughts with us that it may help us to draw us closer to the Lord and and go on for Him.
Relation and I've been looking at this morning a little bit and.
I can do some land. All winter we look at the stars.
Somebody's moon.
But I wanna step off from Timothy, our chapter where we woke up.
Of, uh, Timothy.
Being encouraged.
So purposefully fine with somebody else.
Therefore, my son, be though strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
We've been considering that the fossil Paul was trying to encourage Timothy to, to go on in a day when things were being given up. And uh, we, we already considered that there was much being given up here and much turned away. And so we trust that the apostle Paul.
00:35:16
Uh, affected a work in Timothy and of course by proxy or work in us as well. And, uh, it's my thought to, to touch on this, the strong integrates and.
The apostle Paul wanted Timothy to look up her brother Bob before us the heavenlies the section. So I was thinking of something I've been looking at and I brought a diagram. Have you ever I wanna.
When I was a teacher, I was never a dynamic teacher then speaker. So I always had to use tricks to get, you know, you know, people in the back of the road, back in the back of the room. Usually one's up front. We're always paying attention at first, right? The ones in the back, in the back row, you're gonna go down doing something else. So you had to have a little trick of the word.
To, to pitch off guard, you know, to get them interested in and so and knock them out of their, uh, their orbit a little bit. So if you don't mind, I use the same trick with you, even though you're a great client anyway. So have any of you heard about the ESP constellation?
So I brought a diagram, a very small diagram, but this is how it would look, ESP Constellation. You can see that there's this eight points on air. And I joined them and the waiter joined in Scripture. All right.
Any clue yet from the diagram?
Well, maybe if I helped you a little bit.
And give you the full name, the full title, I call it ESP Constellation.
But it's it's probably our name is ESPESTL constellation.
Include yes.
ESPESTL constellation.
I couldn't make a word of it.
It's not a constellation you'll see in the night sky.
But I believe it's a constellation that.
We're at the Lord has drawn our attention to at least it drew my attention to it.
Have I told you that?
Maybe I'm still old school. You see, you wouldn't be able to file notes I got up here.
Maybe I can help you now. See where this constellation is. This is a map.
Idea.
Found the revelation.
Episode chapters two and three. Chapters 2:00 and 3:00.
If you go from Memphis.
Smyrna Pergamus over here to what's the next one?
OK I brought women wrong. I believe Pergamus should be peace. That was the Smyrna Pergamus and on the way around to make a trip around 230 miles round trip this year. But if you turn to revelation two chapter one.
We'll see.
We'll see.
This constellation not found in the night sky found here.
In verse.
Verse 12 of chapter one.
And I turn to see the voice that speak with me. I'm being turned. I saw 7 golden candlesticks.
And, umm.
A little further down, all right, read 1St 13 as well. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like on to the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the foot. So I bet the paps of the golden girdle. And verse 16, and the item in his right hand seven stars, and above his mouth sharp sword, seven stars in his right hand. And at the end of verse 20, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.
And the seven candle suites for sale saw as far as seven churches.
And and this was, I picture it like this in the Lord, what he saw was in his hand was seven stars and seven candlesticks. And that's the constellation, ESP constellation. Why is it put like that?
00:40:12
Because I believe the Lord when I was first of all days heavenward.
We are to see a heavenly people and so represented here all the believers.
All in Christ, all.
Purchases out of the earth in heavenly places, and that's how he wants to see us in heavenly places. And so the assemblies are in his right hand, and the angels are the stars.
OK, well I want to look at that. I want to look at one just after search.
And, umm.
I've enjoyed the thought that.
Not the historical approach as these are going to this great, but.
These exist now throughout this world, this very moment. There are individuals or assemblies or.
Even gatherings.
That would find themselves in one of those places to be identified as Smyrna or Pertimis. The case might be. And so we can learn from the message then is to us wherever we are, where we see ourselves. You might say, you know, there's no Smyrna this past.
But is it really?
We were in England last month or so, months half ago, when that young lady found herself on the wrong side of town.
In the in the Muslim populated area made the mistake of carrying across on our neck only across and she was attacked and beaten and kicked and finally as her throat slit and died. I think Smyrna would apply, wouldn't you?
And how many more?
Christians as we, as we hear enjoying this liberty that we have are in that same situation. So I believe it can apply that this is now to for every believer in the world would find themselves somewhere. So the question is where do we find ourselves?
Where were we looking to place ourselves? Well, I wouldn't say Smyrna, would you?
Let's just consider ourselves as the emphasis.
The important thing on this, what I've enjoyed about this is like any good letter, it's to somebody and it's from.
And in every case there the Lord is speaking from a different perspective, and it's so important to see the perspective He speaks from. And we haven't got time to do all seven of them do one.
And he brings up a concern every letters but a for the problem or difficulty is a concern, a major concern. And then there's a major need like that stumbling or person or event needs. And then there's the encouragement to be overcomer in that. And then for the overcomer, there's the reward.
As beautiful to look at all seven of those.
Well, we're gonna look at emphasis. Let's just read the little section of emphasis.
And on to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, right? This is chapter 2, verse one.
These things save you the whole seven stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden cannon sticks. I know thy works, and thy labor, and my patience.
And although against not bear them which are evil, and they'll ask 5 them which say they are fossils, and are not, and has found them liars, and as born and as that patients, and for my name's sake has labored and has not fainted, nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because I was left at first love.
I want to draw your attention to if I came in I when I started meeting my announcing the positives.
Here is an assembly.
That the Lord, if I know thy works.
And thy labor and thy patience.
And Mr. You can't bear Very evil is rooted out there.
You've tried them with, say, the Era apostle. You put them to the test and found that they're not apostles at all.
Door good door keepers, you might say.
And it says you found them to be liars. Go ask Born, I suppose, born that he is of the day as patients, and look for my name's sake, past labor for my namesake, as labored and not fainted. Would you not like to come from the assembly that has those attributes?
00:45:18
They sound very, very positive on the air.
But then the Lord says I have somewhat against it.
As Saints gathered to the Lord's name, I think we when we use the word pride ourselves, but we're thankful ourselves for the truth that we have.
Amazing truth. There's nowhere else I know that as it enjoys this troops. If there were, I'd probably be there would be so with you. It wouldn't be content to be here, right? We've been brought into that.
When John pins this.
Paul has already pinned Timothy.
All of those in Asia have already departed from me, he said. John writes this afterwards. These assemblies are still existing in Asia. When John writes this, we're talking about 60 something AB when Follows was murdered and later on I was 90 something revelation.
These are summaries that have gone on, but what has happened?
Look, for the Lord speaks to and promised these things. They could owe the seven stars in His right hand.
A new Walker in the midst.
Of the seven golden candlesticks.
The Lord says ease in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. But the problem with Ephesus is they removed Christ out. He's outside, He's not the center. They lost their first life. It's possible that I can be in the place where all this truth is the highest truth we have. Excuse me, there's an Ephesus.
The Saints we enjoy, but I can still not have that be Christ centered.
In that place. This is what the problem was. We have all these things in .2. Almost like I am. I have needed nothing. Kind of lay a scene isn't it?
They had all these positives, but Christ is on the other side. There's an interesting thing. I put an extra 1 on there.
At the very bottom, 12 miles from Laodicea, is.
One of the churches was not mentioned in Revelation.
It's colossi.
It's colossi.
The highest truth about the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossus Colossians in Colossians. He must have the preeminence first place. He must be first place in my life.
He's outside. Philosophy is outside of the constellation.
The person of the Lord Jesus himself is outside does not set a lot left her first love.
I can have all these things and point to all the things that I that's going on in my assembly or my life and I can be as.
Frost, my first love.
There's one thing I've said over and over again to the southeast. 7 repeats.
EOS ears to hear. Let them hear. Everyone of the churches. Everyone.
So he speaks as one who is in the midst still and reminds me to go walk your place is go to Hosea Book of Hosea. A similar thing happened to Israel just before because Hosea was the last prophet to Israel.
And before the Assyrian came in and took him away, we see Grace here as well. I wanted to cover both planes in Chapter 11.
In Chapter 11 and verse 7.
To parallel between what Upton and Israel just before carrying OEF Israel and the last day of the year, verse seven. And my people, he says, are bent to backsliding from me, though they be called, though they call them to the most high none at all with exalt the immoral margin that says.
None at all would. Together, together they exalted not.
00:50:04
Together they exalted none.
God was not exalted in Israel.
Though they were called, they called into the most eye, but they too have removed Him from the midst, the Center for the next verse, and my people are back to backsliding from me. Verse 7. Verse 8. How shall I give the up, Ephraim? He says, How shall I deliver thee in Israel?
Send something first. I will not execute the fierceness of my anger. I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man, the Holy One in the midst of rape, and I will not enter in this city. He was in the midst of Israel, the Holy One. They recognized, but not. They thought they were full and they refused. Hosea and I'll be passed through. And this is our danger to it is a danger.
We need to be Christ centered. We need to realize that we're not earthly people or the constellation is heavenly, running out of time all over.
And he wants to draw our attention to there. So let's.
There was much going on in Ephesians.
I'm gonna show you something I enjoyed yesterday and brother Robert spoke and Luke order Luke Chapter 9.
A little different take on something in Luke 9. Now it ties into the chapter.
In loop 9 looking at umm.
The Appearance and Glory, verse 30.
Lord, we know the portion well, and behold their talk with him, two men, which were most, and Elias, who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish in Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with them were heavy with sleep, and when they were awake they saw his glory and the two men that stood with them. And it came to pass as they the two men, departed from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here.
And let us make 3 tabernacles and so on.
My brother was speaking and my mind went through that. Why? Why did Peter say that?
He wakes some sleep and seasonally stray. Master, you know what? Peter reminds me of me. He gets himself in trouble real quick. Something he says. He says, Master, so good for us to be here.
Why did you say that?
And then the answer is then what he says next.
We'll make 3 Tabernacles.
One for you, Moses and Elias. What's he saying? It's a Tabernacle.
It's a booth. All he's saying. They're top of the mountain, they're exposed. He wants to do something 00 We'll build 3 booths, one for you and one for your shelter from the sun and the wind and so on. That's all he's saying.
That the voice from heaven doesn't say to him this.
Anything but this.
Voice verse 25 and there came a voice of the cloud saying, this is my beloved son ere him the US ears to hear hear him. In other words, listen. It's not time to be doing.
That's what he's saying. Don't be talking about building booths. What you're gonna do for him. I mean, it's a time to listen. We need to listen, and that's what's in these.
This constellation the US ears to hear let him hear and they did we know Peter did go farther down you look at the.
For 44 Saint Joseph, let these things sink down into your ears.
And they did. We have first and second Peter. We know they sank down to Peter's ears. No time to get back.
So back to our portion.
If you had a problem, left your first love.
I got a message.
Devotion to Christ is lacking electric first line that affection for the person of the Lord Jesus that's it's not like doing something for him, it's listening to what.
00:55:00
What he has to say to me and when do I hear that? Where do I, where do I find that now I want to be? Well, let's just go a little further before I say that.
To him that overcometh will I give to Edith the tree of life? Where is it which is in the midst of the garden of God? There's no going back to Genesis. It's not to be found down here. It's outside now. It's past. They've given up the apostle Paul.
And now which for the overcomers and the portion here for the overcomer is that we can still, even if Christendom will say has removed the Lord under the center, he can still be center in my life and yours. That's the encouragement.
But is focusing on the person of the Lord Jesus and enjoy our giving sister the lead of the tree of life. That's not future, that's now. I can enjoy the person of the Lord Jesus now.
In the center, in the midst of the paradise of God. That's the heavenly portion. That's where he is. He's in glory. He's up there. The enemy wants to bring our thoughts down here, make us earthly mind in considering all these earthly things. He wants to lift this up.
P Umm, Paul said to Peter through Timothy, teach those things and commit thou them through faithful men. And I'm sure in this room here, we all want to be that, right? But where do we get that? We touched on it yesterday. I didn't elaborate on. I apologize very much. Some of all of these things. I was focusing on the thought.
To be in the place of the Lord's appointment.
Now when the Lord came and joined those two, and wrote to Emmaus, she went along with him, He wandered her hearts, and so on. But they were He was made known unto them in the breaking of bread.
And.
The importance of center having the Lord and the center being worth isn't free as plaintiffs to be in a place where he's put his name to remember that he did this morning and not only that the time has passed.
It's the meetings, the prayer and reading meetings. The church don't teach, the church is taught and the church is taught when the the assembly meetings with both Sam brother.
Extra 2.
Where the Spirit can use whomsoever to teach us these things is true. So we think in value and learn them. They come, as it were, knowledgeable. And the things of God, He's not going to surgically, you know, implant them in my brain. Go on. For Him. I got the desire. I got the desire to be where He is so that He can teach me these things and touch my heart. And I got to be in prayer about it. I got to be sincere about it.
And I got AB on Tuesday night.
I want to know where I want to be, where I want to be. Have it send the **** to these. My family knows and I come with it.
I want to be in the place whereas he wants me to be so I can learn from him.
And that's.
There's no other way around that. There's no shortcut. There's no other way, so.
I'll stop there, we said.
But that's the point.
In other words.
He must have the preeminence. We gotta bring this one into the 70s.
Someone else at the moment. Thank you.
But this highest truth, Colossians, he must have the preeminent place that ought to be in my heart. I cannot be faithful, I cannot go on, and I cannot do things like Peter to build those booths for him.
I don't listen.
To him and desire to put him in the center because right now he's outside.
He's in the center, but we see him as outside and as.
Even in the place where we are, it's possible that I could be Philadelphian in position and lay the CNN in her.
And we have that, that desire. He is worth it. We are in those days. The Lord is soon coming.
And he will laugh the testimony unto himself. And I want to be part of it. I trust you do too.
01:00:03
I so much enjoyed that.
What's been brought before us, our brother Enos. It's a wonderful thing to enter in and to enjoy what our true position is in Christ.
We are accepted before God involves the beauty and loveliness of Christ. It ought to rejoice our hearts.
And then with her brother Derek brought before us. So beautiful to realize that.
The center of the assembly is Christ.
And the question is.
Do we see him?
In that way.
As the center, you know it's gonna be the center in glory.
God will see to it that His dear Son and He alone will be the center of attraction.
There in the glory in the Father's house. But it's a wonderful thing that you and I, we can enjoy the presence of the Lord right here and now on this planet earth.
And I speak to you, I speak to my own heart, did I see the Lord Jesus Christ?
In the mid here this morning as we were gathered.
Are we thinking about him?
Well, you know, it's been fit.
We need to have.
John, 2020. Vision.
And I wonder, Satya.
And I looked up John 2020 and I see what it's all about. So could we just in this few minutes here that we have remaining, look at John 2020?
You know, we all appreciate.
When we go to the optometrist and we do an eye test, he said. You know you got 2020 vision.
Well, I don't think you can ask for better than that, can you?
I know I don't have 2020 vision, that's why I got these And uh, seems like sometimes our vision kind of deteriorates the older we get.
But you know, our spiritual vision does not need to deteriorate.
And here's what it says in John chapter 20, and I'm going to read from verse 19.
Then the same day, that evening being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
August 20. And when he had so sick, he showed unto them his hands and his side.
Then we're this type of glad when they saw the Lord.
No, the disciples.
It tells us here they were glad.
But it wasn't too long before this that they were sad.
And reference has been made to those two that were traveling away from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
They were saying their hopes had been dashed. They thought that Jesus was the Christ, that he was the true Messiah and he would be the one to establish.
His authority in this world?
And he would reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
But you know, he was crucified and weak.
And very hung on that cross.
And he died a picture of defeat.
And then he was taken down and he was buried.
And these two on the way to Emmaus. They were said to read about it in the last chapter in Foca Luke.
Your hopes were dashed, buried with that man that was in the pool.
Little did they realize that Jesus had risen and we know the story. He drew an eye and he went with them.
01:05:06
But your eyes were holding as to who he was.
And he opened under them the scriptures and.
Beginning at Moses and the prophets, it tells us that He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures things concerning himself.
And then they wanted Jesus, not realizing who he was. We want this one to come and.
Abide with us well tells us that He was made known unto them in the breaking of bread.
And what joy filled their souls? And they returned to Jerusalem.
And you know.
Here we find that the disciples are gathered together.
And Jesus appears in the midst.
And they see him. They recognize who he is.
And it tells us more than once in this chapter that he appeared amongst his disciples in the midst, in the center.
That's where God wants his Son to be.
You know, in the past we read about On the Cross.
There was two malefactors crucified with him and Jesus in the beast.
And that's in the past.
What about the present? What about today? The Lord Jesus says, where two or three are gathered together on from my name, there am I in the midst.
Of them.
And I trust that rejoice is your heart as you gather on a Lord's Day.
Or in any assembly meeting for that matter, to realize that Jesus is in the midst.
And I know many have the assurance in their soul that this is the case. Now. Some don't know that they're not clear about that.
And I think it's something that the Lord really wants us to enjoy and to be sure about as to where He has placed His name. I can't force you to believe my way.
But I like what Derek said.
If the Lord is not here.
Would you tell me where he is? Because I think I'm kind of like Derek. I wanna be where he is.
And I enjoy the Lord's presence, and I know many in this hall do the very same. You enjoy His presence as well.
Well, what about the future revelation chapter 5 We have the heavenly sea, and it tells us there that in the midst of the.
Elders and so on. There was a land.
That's a future day. God will see to it that His Son is in the midst. And so here we have him.
He appeared in the midst, and he shows his hands and his socks, and they saw the wounds.
That spoke of his passions at the Cross of Calvary willing to give this life.
A ransom for many, shed His precious life to save us, to cleanse our hearts, to make us whole. And they were glad when they saw the Lord.
Now let's go to the next chapter in the last couple of minutes.
And talk about 2121 vision.
You know.
That could be a big problem that's not so good.
Let's read here.
In verse 21 of chapter 21.
Peter seeing him. That's John.
Back up.
It's the disciple whom Jesus loved. He was leaning on Jesus Christ and Peter sees and he says to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry, shall I come?
What is that today? Follow thou me.
You know, it's a great danger.
To be getting our eyes.
On another brother or another sister and to be thinking about what they should be doing or what they shouldn't be doing.
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And the danger is that we get our focus off of the masters.
Of the Lord Jesus. Now I think that Peter, he did perhaps have a loving interest in John. I know he loved John and no doubt.
He was wondering, you know, what is John going to be doing? But the Lord says, don't worry about John.
You follow me.
Keep your eye on me. And you know, I think we all need that. So maybe we keep focused on the Lord Jesus Christ.
You're looking unto Him, and may we each one have John 2020 vision.
74.
174.
All patience.
Minute discrimination.
That the beginning, and that's from today.
No, no, no. SO.
Understand.
Well.
The Shine.
Of life.
In the living.
Environment.
Of God.
Every new day because of all that.
And.
Everything.
Aloud of God.
01:15:05
I have everything.
Bringing your fries and fries a lot of water. Only thy blood that you may think of. Some can come pray and.
Whatever you know, I'm about to write down the light, and every day the beginning shows how.
Light every day should be sure thou art.
One within our lives for our deals of God, our love.
You know.
I have bring it into everything.
Uh, without that, you know we may deliver a blessed God can hear love and son.