Denver Conference: 2006
Table of Contents
2 Timothy 2:1-7
Reading
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Psalm 119 and.
Verse 18.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things.
We asked the Lord something blessed are going to be acceptable, brethren.
To or occupy occupation.
For the old as well as the young.
That we find instruction in Second Timothy, chapter 2.
You live in a day in such a chaotic state.
But I believe we who are older need instructions to help us.
In these times of difficulty in trial.
In the world that we live.
And since we have so many young people and also we who are older.
We're not exactly from knowing all the word of God which brings before us.
For our pathways while we await the Lords return.
Chapter 2.
2nd.
Now, therefore, my son.
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast turned me among many witnesses the same commit thou the faithful man, that we shall be able to teach others also.
Now, therefore, in your apartment as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
A man that wore us entangled himself with the affairs of this life, that he may choose him. To his children he would be a soldier.
And if a man also prescribed for masteries, and if he knocks down a piece, Dr. lawfully.
The husband and that laborers must be first partaker of the screws.
Consider what I say, and the Lord gives the understanding and all thinking.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the feet of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Wherein I suffered trouble as an evildoer even under bond, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elected state, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
It is a faithful thing.
Would 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. Yet He invited faithful, He cannot deny himself.
Of these things but the memory membrane charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no prophet, but to the security of the ears.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Let's shine propane and vein babbling, they will increase unto more ungodly nature, and their word will eat as a changer of whom it is timeliness and politics. Who concerning the truth of the heirs, ain't this resurrection is passed already?
And overthrow the faint of some.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God's standeth sure having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are given, and let everyone that name it the name of Christ, depart from iniquity.
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But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of purges, some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from thee.
He shall be a vessel under honor, sanctified and meet for the Massachusetts and prepared unto every good work. Please also usefulness to follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace within the color of the Lord. I move to your heart. The foolish unrest question avoids knowing that they do gender strikes and the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men have to teach patience.
In neatness, instructing those to oppose themselves, if God for adventure will give them repentance, could He acknowledge you know the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil? You are taken by him at his will.
Just to compare.
Tennessee and Second Timothy.
The House of God is the subject.
And in the 15th verse of chapter 3 in First Timothy, we read.
But if I carry long that thou mayst know how thou art is to to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. So it presents things on both sides in order, you know. But in the second episode it's in ruin. You know, there is a ruined state depicted.
But in spite of this picture, that is painted very faithfully there by Paul.
He mentions things that abide.
For instance in verse one of chapter one.
Umm, he speaks of, uh, the will of God, he being an apostle according to the will of God, uh, according to the promise of life, which is in Christ Jesus that remains and grace, mercy and peace that remains in God the Father and Christ Jesus. There are even in the day of ruin things that we can cling to by faith we find ourselves.
In ruined condition in the Christian profession.
And we have contributed through that. We're part of it.
We cannot say that we have nothing to do with that. We have contributed to it. Just think of what has happened amongst the gathered things we have contributed to the ruin in the Christian profession. But there is a path for faith, and that is what is shown here in the second chapter especially.
The latter verses you know.
But it begins with individual separation.
But we are not expected to go as individual through this world with them. They call upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart. There is a collective path even in the day of ruin, and that is so beautiful that that is clearly presented here in the second chapter, especially towards the end. And then God abides faithful. How wonderful.
Uh, he abided faithful we are unfaithful, but he abide faithful He cannot deny himself. So it's wonderful to see in spite of the ruin that is clearly presented, there are things to which faith can claim and rest him.
The setting of the epistle.
Is an old servant of God who has come to the end of his path of service for the Lord, as he indicates in the 4th chapter. And he's encouraging a younger servant of the Lord in the past to carry on and to carry the torch, to be faithful. And so it's a beautiful exhortation for those who have an exercise to serve the Lord and to be faithful in a day like we live.
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Some have thought that the epistles to Timothy are good for our young people, which they certainly are, because we have many young and many of them perhaps are careless and indifferent. Others are maybe lukewarm, not that particularly interested. But really the subject that's before us in the second epistle is that he's addressing his remarks to one who is very exercising concern. Timothy was not a loose and indifferent young person.
A younger brother, he was a servant of the Lord and he was seeking to press on and Paul gives him some helpful advice here as to how to meet the day in which he was living. The 1St chapter is Heinz has mentioned, really gives us the setting and that is the rune of the Christian testimony. You get that in verses.
A number of places, but verse 15 and so on tell us that the sphere where Paul spent most of his laborers in Asia.
That most had turned away from him. In fact, he says all they which be in Asia be turned away from me.
So there was a great giving away from the teachings that the apostle had labored for. And so the first chapter really gives us the setting, the ruin of the Christian testimony. But then the second chapter gives us the right needed spiritual condition to live in that day. And so we have some beautiful exhortations here in the second chapter.
I just mentioned that because often you think that the epistle could be used for exhorting young and indifferent and careless young people. But though we can certainly make our remarks to that end, the subject here is toward one who is extremely exercised in the past.
Timothy, as we read from Philippians chapter two was a man that had a sterling character and a care for the people of God. I just read a verse in Philippians 2 and verse 19 and 20. I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort. And I know your state, for I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state.
It could be translated who has a genuine feeling.
On how you get on.
For all seek your own, and not the things which are Jesus Christ. That was Timothy's character.
Just a couple more things about Timothy. So I just want to read verses and I found on them because sometimes we have the question, well, where do you get this from the book? Where do you get that he was a young man? Well, first Timothy 4 verse 12, let no man decide you to get a sense that he was perhaps a timorous young man. You know, he wasn't a perfect young man. He's a little encouragement, but he wasn't a young man, as has been mentioned, that was backsliding.
Umm, the next chapter comes to post Timothy 5 verse 23, that this bus can obviously be mistaken, but drink no water. No longer water, but use a little wine for my stomach sake. He wasn't a particularly healthy young man, not an athlete, someone that would perhaps naturally draw attention to himself by his physique. He was timorous, unhealthy.
The second Timothy boasts 1A chapter one verse.
Umm, 6 Wherefore I put the remembrance that they'll stir up the gift of God, which is in thee. He needed a little encouragement. Stir up that gift that's within you, Timothy. And then it was brought out, changing subject here, the 1St chapter, the first book of Timothy, we have the House of God in order. And brother Heinz read that post where it says that thou know how that oldest behave myself in the House of God. Well, how do we know that second Timothy, the House of God is in disorder?
Read the book just read it but one vote that comes to mind in particular is verse 20. It's now a chapter 2, the chapter we read but in a great house. There are not any vessels that go in the silver roasted water of earth and some on and some to dishonor. So we have to help God in the first book and help this young man Timothy was to behave himself and that it was a killer, which is the judge of the living God, the piling ground of truth. But in the second book to Timothy we find out that it's a great house and they're not only a vessels on but.
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Dishonored them.
Could someone explain what's meant by that term? The House of God has been used a few times. What does that mean in comparison with, say, the Church of God or the family of God? So we can get the context?
It's the sphere of Christian profession.
You know only true believers are members of the body of Christ.
But everyone who is baptized is in the House of God.
By nominee, he becomes nominally a Christian through baptism. They even use the term Christianing in connection with baptism. Yes, publicly you take the place as a Christian through baptism, but then you are in the House of God.
But you're not necessarily a member of the body of Christ. Only true believers are members of the body of Christ by 1 Spirit. Are we all baptized into one's body? Only true believers belong there. And we are the bride of Christ, you know. But the House of God is larger.
Than the body of Christ they are the true and the false, the good vessels and the vast vessels in Matthew. That's all Speaking of the same thing.
You know, those who nominally are part of the Christian profession, but hopefully.
Once one is in that position, one comes to realize that it is more important to be a true Christian. How do I become a true Christian to personal faith in the Lord Jesus? And what makes you and me a Christian is not that we are born again. We couldn't be a Christian without being born again. We need more than new birth. The Spirit of God takes a vote in our body and that makes us Christians and makes us different from any believer that ever lived before the day of Pentecost.
You know we become Christians through the indwelling of the Spirit. He couldn't indwell us unless we had new life. He doesn't seal a dead professor, but we have to have new birth. And then the Spirit comes to indwell that individual and we better remember that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that is used to exercise the conscience of the Saints. What you sin with that body and with the Holy Spirit dwelt.
You're a Christian and remember that.
And act like that. We can't do it in our own strength.
But the Lord has given us what it takes to live Christian lives if we walk independence upon the Lord Jesus and allow the Spirit of God to control us. And the Spirit grows in US individually and in the assembly collectively, you know, so we become Christians through the indwelling Spirit, and the Spirit dwells in the assembly and he is to be in charge. You know, it's really a terrible thing when they hire a man to head up a local church.
You know that is really replacing Christ and ignoring the fact that the Spirit is there. You know there is a difference between the Spirit being amongst believers and the person of the Lord Jesus to whom we are gathered by the Spirit of God whenever Christians come together.
They do not have to pray as some do, that the Spirit would come. He is there. All they have to do is let Him control, and if He is in control, He will magnify Christ and make people to come to realize the most wonderful thing on earth today is to be truly gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, where He is in the midst, recognizing Him as it, and let Him be in control by the Spirit.
Good, we had two that brother Heinz at the House of God is seen in two different ways, is it not? One is Christ is the builder in which he puts in living stones which we see the the work of Christ going on and all of his perfection. But there is also the House of God committed to man and responsibility. And we know from first Peter that judgment must first begin at the House of God, that which bears the name of God and of Christ and testimony. And we see that in a little example in the seven churches. Admittedly there is the 7 golden candlesticks.
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But we see the Lord among His people as a judge, because there was things that had come in into the way of testimony that were not according to his mind and according to His will. But there still is that work where Christ is the builder, where all is according to God.
We know from Paul's ministry too, that the two main aspects of the assembly that he brings out are the House of God in those two aspects and also the body of Christ. But our brother mentioned the family of God. That's primarily John's ministry, isn't it? Because you read in first John 3, Behold the manner of love the Father asked bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons, or more properly the children of God. Because John brings out the fact that we all have eternal life, and that was what is what brings us into the family of God.
We have that same life and that same nature, whereas John does not develop the truth of the assembly and either its aspect of the of the House of God or the body of Christ. And so as we go to the second epistle of Timothy, we do see the House of God. It's still the House of God. But such confusion has come into it is likened to a great house where there is all sorts of things that are not according to his mind nor according to his will. And so in that context, how wonderful that we have guidance and principles for us.
To go through the Christian pathway not only individually but collectively, according to the will of God.
Brother Darby makes it cool and one in his collective writing that goes I think it's something like this. He says in these days, it is all important that Christians should understand that they are to be Christians. And I just I've always taken that quite to heart because it's it comes right back to one. How do we walk in the world? How do we present ourselves? How do we appear for those in the world around us?
Do we represent as ambassadors for Christ? We represent Him and all that we encounter in the world around us, in our dealings and our association.
Vitally important, especially if it was true in Darby's day that he could make such a quote. How much more so in our day today when we see so much, it is contrary to Christian principles, contrary to Christians behavior. How another has said, you know, in our day that we Live Today, we don't need to say much. We don't need to say much, but we desperately need to live like we are Christians. We need to be.
Christians because more when we observe by those around us as to what we do, how we behave, possibly more than what we can say.
In this difficult day that we live, and you know, that's so good to put that out. The secular world has a word for the great house. It's called Christendom, meaning the Kingdom or the dominion of Christ. And how do Christians act if they recognize?
That they are under the dominion.
Back to our chapter.
Where does the therefore what? What is the point from which Paul is saying, Thou, therefore my son, be strong?
Is it the 15th 1St I. I'm not answering my question, I'm asking further this. Thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me. Thou therefore my son, be strong in the grace.
I wonder if there is no one.
Not a neglect of that which is vital in life and it's brought out in in this chat in these chapters, the first verse of the the book it speaks of the promise of life call an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus that reality, isn't it? And then in the the 10th verse.
We have the presentation of life, but it's now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Who has abolished death and has brought light and immortality to light? Light through the Gospel?
Then we have the participation of Light in the second chapter, in the 11Th verse.
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It is a fateful thing, for if we be dead with them, we shall also live with him.
Then in the third chapter, in the 12Th verse, someone has given this to me and I I'd like to share it. And I think it's very apropos in the sense that there has to be reality. Now we have the pattern of life, yay. And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Then in the 4th chapter.
We have the purpose of life. I charge thee therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the data at his appearance and His Kingdom, preach the Word, etcetera, and so on, the purpose of life.
So in this great House, there's that which should continue on and invite and vitality.
In other words, there's no excuse for giving up.
And it's great. That needs to be emphasized, you know?
It's strong in the grace.
You know God is willing to give this kind of grace to everyone to live for Him.
You know, as I already pointed out, we have no excuse for sin. We have to given everything we need to live Christian lives. But it is the grace of God that has given it to us, and so we should be strong in the grace the law was given to man in the flesh.
And it was testing man in the flesh.
You didn't have to be born again to be on the ground of the law. Every Jew was on that ground. There were those who had true life. You know, they weren't Christians, but it was given to men in the flesh. But in Christianity, we're on the ground of grace and be strong in the grace. Let that grace be demonstrated in your life and.
We are not Speaking of physical strength as it was with the Jew. When he was to overcome his enemies, he was to kill him. That's not the kind of a strength that is given to the Christian.
But it's given to us as Christians is to suffer for the Lord, suffer for the truth, and to be strong in demonstrating what the grace of God has made us to be.
There's another portion or another portion that we should turn to in first Timothy chapter one gives us another little insight as to what the apostle Paul was trying to say Timothy and the force of what was going on in the day that Timothy lived in first Timothy chapter one and verse three it says.
In verse three there, as I besought to abide still at Ephesus.
When I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine.
And so there was the tendency.
In the natural heart, perhaps in the church, in the early church, even in Ephesus, you know, we read that there were 12 Persons there when that assembly began in Ephesus in the book of Acts. And he had to exhort them that they would teach no other doctor. Now doctrine just means that it's an old English word to, to really mean the teaching. And the apostle Paul uses this word doctrine.
Or teaching throughout the epistles to Timothy and both First and Second Timothy, and in Titus particularly.
He uses this word and he says here to take heed of the doctrine. But if you turn back to First Thessalonians chapter 4, you find chapter 5. I'll just read one verse there in verse 21.
First Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 21, it says prove all things, hold fast that which is good. And what is it that we're going to use to prove what is good? It's the word of God. And so This is why he says here in second Timothy in chapter one, he says hold fast the former, the outline of sound words which thou have heard of me and faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
And so he speaks of those that had forsaken him. They had left off the Apostle Paul. Now what had they left? Had they ceased to be his friend, so to speak? No, it was really they were laying aside his doctrine, his teaching, and they were going on with something other than what they had originally been delivered. And so the Spirit of God just very carefully would desire to give the instructions that the doctrine, the apostles doctrine, is that which is of exceeding value in connection with the Church of God.
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The bride of Christ, the body. It's the entire teaching that the apostle Paul brought out, but there was that which they would desire to have in its replacement. And so he says it's something that the Papa Paul brings out particularly he says hold fast in verse 13, hold fast the form of sound words and it's the the thought is two thoughts is that I'm to grip it with tenacity that I'm not to let it go.
And to hold it dearly to my heart, those two things and the tendency in Timothy's day in Second Timothy was to release the grip just to loosen the hand as it were, and to let it slip away. And so now he says in verse two of our chapter, the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou the faithful man, he said, don't change anything. I've got what I received from the word from the Spirit of God.
And don't change anything. And so that's the tendency. Our brother Bruce mentioned that there were some he gave a little bit of background that Timothy was a man that had a desire to please the Lord, to walk in the truth of God. And he's now he's being encouraged to hold fast and not to let it slip away because of what was an exceeding value. And he was going to test everything that he had there by the word of God. And the apostles doctrine was going to be something that he withhold and dearly to his heart.
He doesn't say give it to smart men. No, you know, intelligent, mentally intelligent people, faithful men. A faithful man is one who accepts the truth and walks in a you know, and that is to be our exercise. But you cannot hold anything. You don't have young people. Do you have it? Do you have it?
You know, I'm so thankful when I look back on my life, I had grandparents already that loved the truth, you know, and what a privilege to grow up under that influence. You know, there might be people here who didn't have that kind of a background, you know, but what a privilege to go to meeting.
You know, are we going to attempt the meetings? Are we faithful in attending the meetings?
Well, the first thing is we believe the Lord is there.
Would you want to miss the opportunity to meet the Lord? And then of course, by the Spirit the truth is presented. You know, of course, if we only limit our influence of being influenced by the word of God and Lord, say, and on Wednesday we don't grow very much. You have to expose yourself to it every day. Read the Bible, have a time.
Every day to read the Bible for yourself.
And begin early, you know, begin early to get into that habit. And then when you're reading, ask the Lord in your military, please help me to understand it. And then you will have questions and go to some brother and say, what about that question? I don't understand that I read it. The brother will be pleased to leave sometimes might not have an answer for you that might even lead to that brother looking into the Scriptures to get the answer, you know.
But that there's nothing like feeding on the Word of God individually. You know, if you only had two meals a week, you wouldn't live very long. Speaking of natural food, you don't survive spiritually if you only go to meetings. You know, you need to get into the habit of reading prayerfully the word of God for yourself and then prayerfully read it and you will grow spiritually and it will.
So I work have I hit in my heart not in my head. The scripture says, you know, let it penetrate your heart when your heart's affections for the Lord. You know, of course, if you would never mind. We couldn't take anything in any way, but but it's important is that the Spirit of God uses the mind you know as a tool. The power is the spirit, not the mind and so read the Scriptures prayerfully.
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And get into that habit early.
At go to meeting you know.
And hopefully.
Brothers in the meeting that will take part will remember that there are young people in the BT2 That don't know very much, you know, and that they don't always talk over their heads, you know, to prevent things that they can get a hold of. Sunday school is nice, you know, but of course, if children wouldn't get anything at home, they wouldn't benefit even from going to Sunday's group, not very much by going to Sunday school once a week.
Sunday school is wonderful, you know, but it wasn't started for the children of the same that was started for the children of the world. You know, I'm not against Sunday school, but remember it was started to reach the children of the world. You know, it's a nice thing that we have Sunday school with and, but hopefully the children are not limited to learning the scriptures in Sunday school, learn it at home.
The second verse is really God's Bible school, isn't it? On the corner of Hamden and University here in Denver.
A beautiful piece of property used to be called the Denver Seminary or some such. Well, some businessmen recognize that that piece of property could be used for much greater value and so they bought it out and a few miles down Santa Fe.
They purchased 20 acres and now they can advertise that their Bible school has this, this new facility of 20 acres, just just pristine. They must have gotten a handsome price for it. But you know God has his way. The things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou of faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. This is God's seminary. This is God's Bible school.
Because we are in God's school, aren't we? How important. And, and I'm thankful that that not too far up university a little further is another seminary. And I overheard a conversation that the one further off on the campus of the University of Denver is modern. And the one down by Hampden was what we would call evangelical.
But you know, God doesn't want either one of them. He wants us to learn in consort with the Spirit of God and His people. This is God's training school, isn't it? The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit out of faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. This is the only type of training and school that Timothy got, wasn't it?
4 generations there isn't there?
Tell it well, you probably could tell us better, but if you have in that second verse that things was thou hast heard of me, so you have it from Paul. And then it was given to Timothy among many witnesses. Then he was to take it and pass it to faithful men. That would be the third who were able to teach others also there will be to the 4th. And so that's how the truth is passed on. And So what he's saying here to Timothy, as I understand it.
In these opening verses of the second chapter is in view of the Great Giving Way.
Which he's mentioned in the first chapter, Great. Giving up of his doctrine. In view of that, Timothy was to be involved in disseminating Paul's doctrine. And he tells him the way not set up the school, as you were saying, not set up some university and have a classroom, so to speak, but that he should seek out a faithful man that we're going to walk in the truth and then pass it on to others. That's the thought you're able to teach others also.
Is not referring to gifted men or gifted teachers, but the idea of competency, of wanting to pass it on.
If that were the if that were the what the the verse meant, you might take from this to Timothy was to go look for teachers and have a teachers conference or a teacher meeting and you teach these ones and they would go out and teach others. That's not the thought. He was not to look for gifted men. He was not to look for intellectual men. He was not to look for anything that perhaps the world might seek after, but for faithfulness. And then he used to commit what Paul had given to him or entrust that word should read.
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The very same thing that Paul gave him. You know, the danger today in passing on the truth is to not give it in the same way in which we have heard it or received it. Now, how is that possible? Well, we take our own thoughts and we add to it a little bit, and then we pass it on. And if each one of us did that, after a few generations, you can imagine that it wasn't hard to resemble what was first given. And so we have to be very careful to do as he says here, the same. Commit thou to faithful man.
Not take it and give it a little twist of your own and then pass it on. Things would be lost quickly, wouldn't it?
I might add to that. In First Chronicles chapter 29, I believe we have a beautiful parallel passage.
Because in Second Timothy we have the heart of the apostle desiring that this young man, who he could call my son.
So in the Lord and the blessedness and the enjoyment of the truth, that the House of God might be furthered, you know that Timothy's father, according to the flesh, was a Gentile, perhaps not even a believer, but the heart of the apostle went towards him. And in First Chronicles 29 we have a similar scene, in that we have one generation going off the scene and another generation coming on regarding Solomon and David. Just to read the first few verses there. First Chronicles 29.
Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon, my son.
Whom alone God hath chosen is yet young and tender, and the work is great. For the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. We can understand the House of God. It's for God, it's the House of God. Everything should be according to the mind and will of God. It's not for man, it's for God. Now verse two. Now I have prepared with all my might for the House of my God.
The gold for the things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass. The iron for things of iron and wood for things of wood. Onyx stones, and stones to be set blistering stones, and of divers colors in all manner of precious stones and marble stones of abundance in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the House of my God, I have of my own proper good of gold and silver which I have given to the House of my God.
Over and above all that I have prepared for the Holy House will.
Just a couple of points here. One is David had set his affection to the House of his God. Is there love?
For the Church of God and his character as the House of God, if the affection is not there, it's going to be an empty, sterile thing.
But further in verse two we see the energy of David to lay up for the next generation.
He is prepared with all his might that Solomon might build this temple. But this comes to mind with respect to what we read about the same. There was gold for the things of gold, and there was silver for the things to be made of silver. It wasn't silver for the things to be made of wood or brass for the things to be made of iron or something of the sort. There was certain things that were to be made of gold, and he given him gold to make the things with gold, not to make things that were should be made out of gold to make it out of silver.
To mix and match, to change things, there was things that were to be made according to certain material, and it was designated that this material is for that. And so how important it is that we rightly divide the word of truth. We cut it in a straight line, that we commit the same to faithful men, that there is a proper understanding of what becomes the House of God. And then two, to recognize it only not only needs a receptive heart to take in the truth, but a willing heart.
To share it and give it forth for that generation coming on.
Amen and remember.
It's not always easy to be a Christian.
Accept that as a fact, and that's what's indicated in verse 3.
Doubt therefore endured sufferings. Mr. Darby Render that is a good soldier of Jesus Christ. You know it's not always easy to be a Christian.
In our land here, we don't have to be afraid of physical suffering. We might be ridiculed, made fun of, and so on, but never mind our brethren in Muslim land and in North Korea in places that killed for the Lord.
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And they are faithful unto death, you know. But there is still suffering connected with being a Christian.
Even in the West here, you know, when students are in school and they don't get involved in things that other students want them to be involved in, they might be ridiculed, made fun of, you know, never mind. That is part of the Christian life. So endure sufferings. We are soldiers. There's a war going on and a soldier is not expecting.
To have a picnic, you know a soldier is expected that he will be shot at, you know when he is in the front line. So expect.
Difficulties. But we're not going through these difficulties alone. The Lord is with us, you know, and He strengthens us and helps us to endure whatever He allows. And it is for His glory if he suffer with Him.
And for him, you know, so we find some of these things explained in Matthew, you know, so we have to be willing to suffer.
And be a soldier.
And don't surrender.
You know the soldier keeps on fighting until the Lord relieves him of the conflict.
Just to go back to verse one for a minute.
Saying it's strong, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. It doesn't say be strong and intestinal fortitude so you can endure or be strong and knowing all these things be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Well, that's not grace that's inside of us being gracious to others. I believe it's the fact that we depend on the grace of the Lord Jesus to help us and if we read biographies of people that have done great things for God, we find out that they.
Feel that they're not able, but they depend on the grace of God to help them in each situation. And so as we're enduring hardness, we might say, I'm not capable of this. It's it's too much for me. But we, like Timothy, can be encouraged to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. We can depend on his grace to help us. And so as we think of things like the doctrine and we say, well, it might be more than I feel I'm capable of.
To correctly layout everything and I have someone that the school or work has asked me a question and do I just kind of dock or for what we say? Well, no. We can be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and we can say I'm I'm not capable of this, but we can look to the Lord and give an answer. And it's not that we're each going to be superheroes and and perfect soldiers and knowledgeable and all the doctrine.
No one achieves that status. All of us have to depend on the grace, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. So no matter what level you might say we might feel we're at, we can do this for the Lord, depending on Him, His grace to help us.
And there's going to be a cost involved, isn't there? But it's going to be worth it all.
By the truth and sell it not in the cost. And here it says in in JMD take my share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. I'm going to be suffering connected with it, but it's going to be worth it all, isn't it? And so I just like to encourage the young people and if we're older too, to buy the truth. Don't sell out. Go forward, encourage.
Take the suffering.
It's going to be worth it all in ECG.
You know, it says in Revelation chapter 22 and verse 12, behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me.
With me to give every man according as his work shall be. And so the Lord Jesus uses that term with me so often in his umm, in the Gospels and here in the Book of Revelation. And he says, as it were, I'm going to appreciate it If you suffered with me, if you were partakers in the sufferings of Christ. And you know, the Apostle Peter, he didn't want to suffer with the Lord Jesus that he, he denied the Lord and he it's as if he got to the point where he was going to have to suffer.
00:50:33
It's not worth it. I'm going to just deny that I know the man and but you know, sweet in first and second Peter, the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter uses that word suffering. He uses it and he uses it and he used it and he says, you know, it's worth suffering for the Lord. And so you know, beloved brethren, there's only this time that we live in this scene that we're able to suffer for the Lord when we get home to the glory, the suffering time is going to be over. And now he says my reward is with me. Is he going to appreciate it if we have associated with him in his rejection?
When He comes for us and receives us unto Himself, He's going to appreciate it and we're going to be thankful that we were associated with Him in His rejection. May I also say suffering for Him and suffering with Him.
You know, suffering for him is if we go out with the gospel and we are attacked, that's suffering for him.
But when we see the condition amongst God's people.
And we grieve over it. We're suffering with him. We have feelings like he has, you know, and have fellowship with him, seeing things the way he sees it. You know, it's really sad when you see the divided state among God's people. They ought to be one. That's what we find in the high priestly prayer, that they may be one.
Even as we are one. But what a shameful course has been.
Manifested among so-called Christians, and I'm Speaking of two Christians, you know, and uh, we ought to be exercised to feel these things the way the Lord does, you know, and not get proud and say, oh, we are faithful, you know, we ought to feel the shame that has come upon the name of the Lord to the divided state.
Say 3 or gathered. We have had several risks amongst the gathered things, you know. Do we really feel these things? Humble ourselves, you know, and suffer with him? You know, what does he think when he looks down and sees these things? You know, He is grief. He suffers and we can suffer with him.
In verse four, there is a battle line drawn here.
From the Christian solar. Perhaps someone can speak to where that line exactly lies.
Would you repeat your point in verse four or in verse three We're.
The metaphor of being a good soldier, Jesus Christ, suggests a warfare here.
But then there's a line drawn in four that that warfare is limited to a certain spirit, if you will. Maybe someone could speak to that.
Well, you have to be asking yourself.
Will this interfere with my life for Christ?
You can get married that doesn't necessarily interfere with your life for Christ. You can together live for the law, but there are also things that we can get involved in that uh, uh, is entangling ourselves in the affairs of life. It is not that what we are involved in then can be for the glory of the Lord Jesus, you know, so marriage, there is nothing wrong with it. You know, if you have a.
Merge partner that is a help to you in a spiritual way. What a wonderful thing that is and to be exercised to give a demonstration in our own feeble way of what is true of Christ and the church. Husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church.
Does any of us that is married?
00:55:02
Can we say that we have loved our lives like Christ loved the Church? But that is nevertheless the standard put before us. You know, in our own feeble way we can demonstrate in our marriage relationship, but we better be careful that some of these natural relationship are not predominant.
We are in these relationships for the Lord, you know, and then we can glorify Him.
In these relationships.
And I won't interfere with our responsibility as a social, you know, the wife can be a tremendous help and assistance in fighting that war.
In verses three and four, he uses the figure of a soldier here and there's two things that he's really bringing out. The third verse, as we've already commented on the the need for enduring hardness and being prepared to suffer for Christ. But then the fourth verse we have another side of things and that is that the soldier needs to be careful to keep himself free from getting entangled in things of this world.
So that he may be free to serve the Lord. And we have to be careful that we don't bring things into our lives that are only going to tie us down and get us occupied with the world and the earth so that we will not be free to use our time and our energy for the Lord. And so he's warning Timothy, be careful here at this point because it's so easy to get entangled with the fares of this life and therefore not be able to be as free as we should be to.
To answer the call of the our commander and the one who has enlisted us.
Are there affairs of this life that seemeth right unto a man seem justifiable in the course of Christian warfare that when you look a little closer, really aren't Amen at the work of the enemy to try to introduce things into our lives that look very things that you should be looking after responsibilities. They may take a certain form.
And, uh, we bring them into our life and then we realize that, uh, afterwards we pay the price and get entangled so that we're not as free as we should be. It's an exercise that we should all be concerned about who live in North America when there's so much that we could bring into our lives because there's so much that offers, it is offered to us as far as things of this life are concerned. You know, those who live in 3rd world countries where there isn't the same opportunities that we have.
Uh, have an advantage over us in some sense. I mean, this is one.
Let's use an example. There's nothing wrong in having a house, right?
But do you have the idea of building a mansion that is way beyond your means and you have a hard time even though meeting your expenses? You know, there's nothing wrong in having a house, but you better live within your means. What about a car? There's nothing wrong to have a car. We couldn't hardly get anywhere in the United States without a car. You know, unless we live in New York, then you can have public transportation.
But so there's nothing wrong in having some of these things, but these must not be the purpose in our life, you know? So we have to be careful. And then of course, we have three things here. We have the affairs of life, Then we have an athlete, and then we have a farmer. These are three types used to explain the Christian life, you know.
When you're running.
Uh, arrays. You better don't step out of line, even though you may end up the first crossing the winning line. You're not crowned because you stepped out of the line, you know? In other words, stay in line as an athlete and then.
The husband man has to later before he can partake. That's the better rendering.
This rendering is misleading. The husband meant that labourers must first be partakers. No, he has to labor before he can't partake. That's the thought that is expressed in verse 6. So we are.
In all of these different ways for the Lord, hopefully, the affairs of this life.
01:00:05
He has chosen us a soldier, let be a soldier and.
And, uh, let's be running the race according to the rules. There are rules even for a Christian. We're not under law, but there are regulations for us as Christians. And then we better labor and we have to labor before we can expect fruit of our labor. You know, hopefully whatever we do, we do. It is the strength that he provides.
Appropriate portion. I'll just read it in First Corinthians 7. But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remains that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not. And they that rejoice as though they rejoice not. And they that buy as though they possess not. And they that use this world as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passes away. And they that use this world as not abusing it.
How? How appropriate isn't it?
Yeah, fits in very well the word of God.
I want to refer to that Mark's Gospel chapter 10 and the Lord Jesus spoke the same thing really to a young man there. And there's 21. Well, let's read verse 20, Mark 10 and verse 20. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. This is particularly a snare in youth, isn't it?
What we're talking about here is, uh, the acquiring of wealth and the acquiring of, uh, the goods of this world and setting our hearts upon a career that would get us farther in this world and so on and so on. The Lord Jesus said to him. Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest, There was just one thing missing. He had everything that life could possibly provide him with, But he said gold eyed way, sell whatsoever thou hast and give the poor, and thou shalt have the treasure in heaven and come.
Take up the cross and follow me. And he was sad at that thing and went away Greece where he had great possession. And so what's a danger to us to have possessions? And so the world is just taken up with the things that manufacture, that manufacturers, and it takes and polishes them up real well. And the heart is distracted, It's divided from Christ. And that's what idolatry is. It's something that comes in between my heart and the Lord.
And my heart is distracted and the Lord said to this young man, he just was missing just one thing and he needed to go and sell all that he had and then there wouldn't be that hindrance. And so it's a warning that each one of us is brothers said that we need to just war and not entangle ourselves. Otherwise it's the spiritual conflict that we have that will take that will suffer. We're not going to have that success as it were in the spiritual realm of things. There's going to be the enemy will gain an advantage.
And so we need to be aware of his tactics in that way. There's nothing wrong for a Christian to have things.
But what he holds in a material way is only a steward. It belongs to another. Luke chapter 16. If one isn't faithful in that which is another, that's the material things. The true riches will not be entrusted to him. I have related that at different times my grandpa was taking a laborer to visit the homes of the Christians, you know, and he went to a home.
Of a man and a brother that was taking the labor said Now we're coming to the House of a brother who is rich, but he's poor.
You see, he did look at the possessions he had in the right way. And then they came at a House of another brother and the brother said, now we're coming to a brother who is poor, but he's rich. He was rich in the things of God. Well, there's nothing wrong in having things.
But do we look at it in the right way? I'll be faithful to us. It belongs to another. You know, we're only stewards and we better conduct ourselves in such a way that we can get his approval.
We said that verse five is the figure of an athlete being used here. You would better see that if you looked at the Jan Darby translation that made something like this. And if a man also strives in the Games, it adds for masteries he's talking about, it's an allusion to the Olympic Games, whether they're athletes striving for the medals or the crown or whatever that was given. And the point here, as we know the context of the chapter, is the serving the Lord.
01:05:27
At this young labor was to do and the point is Heinz is mentioned is that he was to serve him according to the rules of the of the game, so to speak. And so God has principles in his word, the way in which we are to serve him if we're going to meet his approval and get rewarded in the coming days.
Is possible for a person to not serve along the lines of the principles of the Word of God, and we're going to lose our reward?
We will bring into the House of God wood, hay, and stubble with our energies and with our laborers. And so it's important that we would strive lawfully, as He says, or according to the principles of His Word. There are many. I'm not picking on any Christian groups or anything, but I'm just saying there are many Christians who do things in their service as they seek to serve God that I just don't feel with my conscience before God and with an open Bible that I could do and.
We leave them with the Lord, and He will weigh that in the coming day. But with the light that I have, I just don't feel that I should bring to my gospel service or work that I seek to do for the Lord a electric guitar and a rock band or whatever to try to win souls for Christ. I for my own conscience. I believe that I would not be striving lawfully. I would not be serving according to the principles of God's Word and bringing in what is of the world and what is of nature to draw upon and to work upon the senses of the audience.
To create some effects, I want to leave it open for the Spirit of God's work in a soul. So I present the Word of God in that only and Christ from the Scriptures. I give that as an example of striving lawfully in our service.
But music hath charm.
And it does. I mean I I could envision myself.
In a group like you mentioned are overhearing a group and it has a charm. I may not enjoy that particular piece. I may not enjoy that particular piece, but music has charms. But what does the Spirit of God want to use to charm? If we can use that word, charm our hearts, the person of his beloved Son.
No substitute for it.
The condition of the heart is so important.
You know, why don't we as brethren have no musical instruments?
That was acceptable under Judaism, right? Because it was a worship for men in the flesh.
But in Christianity.
It's the spirit of God that leads to singing at the hemorrhagic says join the singing that he leadeth is an expression in one of the hymns you know so there's nothing wrong in singing as good as we can sing but.
We are not.
Introducing things that were acceptable in Judaism. Robot singing is what will even be in heaven. Our portion, they sing a new song. Wasn't there a little bit of honey in the offering? What's that? There was no honey, no honey in the offering to bring sweetness was there. And we're not saying that we we decry music.
We are not saying that music is wrong for a Christian. What we are saying is using it in our service for the Lord to draw souls to Christ, or as Heinz has alluded to, even worshipping the Lord.
I have very much enjoyed to listen to the Messiah.
You know, beautiful music, scripture, put in melodies, you know, and I feel personally the tunes fit with what is expressed in the song, you know, but we won't introduce that kind of a thing in the meeting. But I can enjoy it and we have listened to it in the car, you know, and it's an enjoyable thing, but.
01:10:03
To be better, remember that in the meeting the Spirit of God is spiritually the Lord Himself. In Hebrews 2 in the midst of the church will I sing that phrase, you know, And He leads to singing. Join the singing that He leadeth.
So let's see and prayers and praise of Christ as this sweet pursue, yes and love the sense of reason to consume right?
Philippians 3 Three. We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit.
Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.
Worship God by the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Adding music to our service for the Lord is only one thing that we could mention with regard to perhaps not serving according to the principles of God's Word.
Music, as you know, does stir the emotions. I think of. You mentioned handle, but I think of.
Largo by I got married to that when they we walked down the aisle. Every time it's played and I listened to it, it brings still a tear to my eye. It is so an emotional.
Umm, music. But uh, is emotion what we should be seeking to use to reach souls? It's possible even to to preach in such a way as we use the emotion to to create an effect in our audience, Maybe stories or whatever. No, I think that if we would rely upon the power of the Word of God as used by the Spirit of God.
That would be striving lawfully and God would use it, and there would be a real work and a soul. But if a person gets saved or converted by some other means, umm.
You know, we can't ever hinder the Word of God. And as it says in this chapter, the word of God is not bound. He God uses His Word wherever it is it is proclaimed. But for the servant of the Lord, he needs to be an exercise before God as to serving according to the principles of God's Word.
Some may have more light as to this than others. We have to leave them with the Lord. As we said, we're not here. We're trying to bash other Christians or anything like that what they may do.
But each one of us is our conscience before God with regard to our service for the Lord. Lord gives a little light on that in Deuteronomy chapter 22, and it's worth reading. And it says in Deuteronomy 22 and verse nine, I'll just read that verse 9. Thou shalt not show thy vineyard. That's a place of fruitfulness for Christ, your own work for the Lord. Thou shalt not so thy vineyard with diverse seeds, two different kinds of seeds, the flesh vineyard and the spirit. Perhaps you can save lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown.
And the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled. Mr. Darby translation, he uses the word forfeited. And so you could read it this way, that less the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard be forfeited. And so someone might get saved, if I bring musical instruments, and we preach the gospel of grace and kindness of God, and so on, and thank God that souls are saved. The word of the Lord is not found, and the Spirit of God is at work.
And yet if I work in disobedience to the word of God and the principles of the truth of the word of God, the Lord says I'm going to forfeit that that reward. You won't get the reward. You could have got it if you striven lawfully. You knew what the truth was, but you didn't walk in it. And so isn't it lovely the the apostle Paul here just encourages Timothy to strive lawfully and we just need to encourage one another veteran to strive lawfully according to the truth of God. And we may not understand the way we ought to understand And if we just have someone just come to us and.
Come up to the sign and say, you know, you might see things a little bit differently, but I just suggest a word of Scripture that would give you a little light to help you in that little work that you're doing in your vineyard for the Lord. And then, you know, there's we might correct one another and what grace, what kindness just to say a word to one another. And so this is what the apostle Paul was saying to Timothy. Don't just do a work for the sake of doing the work for the Lord. That's not what he wants. No, he wants it done in accordance to his word.
You have to be patient and allow people to grow, you know?
01:15:06
We have had the experience that a couple came to meeting, they were saying but she wouldn't cover her head.
We didn't pressure her and say, listen here, you're not scriptural. We just left it up to the Lord. But it didn't take long and she came with her head covered. You know, I'm using that as an example. Just give people an opportunity to see things without making it a rule.
You know, but uh, had the subject come up, you know, we would have faithfully pointed it out. But uh, still we have to give people a chance to grow in their understanding, you know, and the Spirit of God will give them more light. We still need more light every one of our side. I believe This is why the Spirit of God uses this word in in first in the verse 7 considered what I say.
And.
The Lord will give the understanding in all things.
So we're to be spiritually exercised about those things that are brought to our attention and those principles that would give us more light, or to consider those things and how thankful we can be for those that will consider and then walk in a clean path with the Lord in connection with head coverings. I won't give you all the circumstances of it, but there's a brother in fellowship and that.
Wanted to remarry because his wife had died.
And he had this Christian friend that just couldn't see head coverings. And So what did he call? He went. He went to the Internet and there he found an 18 page article by a Presbyterian minister that was the finest presentation that he had ever read. And the brethren that he showed it to said it was absolutely the finest of the fine in cash with a head coverage.
Presbyterian minister, 18 pages and also he found and this strikes very close to home. I even forget the family name but this sister meets in Buena Park and it's 6 pages and she is a triplet so you know them far better than I and.
She came to the point. Apart from the 18 pages of the Presbyterian minister, she came to the point.
That, she said, I must bow to the word of God.
And that was her testimony.
And some of you know her personally.
So God has his representatives.
And has his truth that is adhered to and we can be thankful for it.
Be safe for what we know in what you know, and He will give more life.
As thou goest step by step, I will open up the way before you.
Sweet the song may be no heart, but of the spirit thought makes melody to thee, 206.
17.
Unpleasant is the sound of praying, and well becomes the things of God that we refuse our songs to raise the stones might tell I came by for him who watches his blood. Let us our sweetest songs prepared. He thought it's one reason far from God, and now preserves us our history.
Connection with the two hymns that we've sung.
I want to read Ephesians 5 verses 19 and 20.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
A couple of more verses, uh, Luke 1464748 And Mary said, My soul that magnifies the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for he hath regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generation shall call me blessed. Thinking of the thought of the prodigal son coming home, it says. And they began to make marries, it began to course.
01:20:27
Standard. Sometimes that course goes a little dim and we need to be restored to the Lord, to that joy and that song. But we can bless Him for it so that He does restore our soul.
2 Timothy 2:8-26
Reading
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#115.
115.
Hello.
21.
Revelation 21.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
For the first seven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more seas.
And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride, as one for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will be with them, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.
God shall let away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall be any more pain for the former things that passed away.
And give us out upon the throne, said, Behold, I may.
It's all things new. And he said unto me, Right? For these words are true and faithful.
And he said unto me, It is done. I am alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
I will give unto him that is thirst, but the fountain of the water of life, truly.
Right.
Again, Bradley first.
OK.
Eight first. Eighth grade first.
Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse 8.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Wherein I suffered trouble as an evildoer.
Even on the bonds, but the word of God is not bound.
Therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sake.
But they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
It's a faithful saying.
Or 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 D of light is faithful, he cannot deny himself.
Of 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 be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But Sean Profane and vain babbling.
They will increase under more ungodliness.
And their words lead as dothe canker, whom the comedians and thalitus.
To concerning the truth have erred say that the resurrection is passed already and overthrown the faith of some.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God stand assured, having this seal, the Lord knows them that are his and.
Let everyone the name of the name of Christ, depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only the vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and a bird, 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 Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Play also usefulness to follow righteousness.
Faith, Charity, Peace.
Then the phone. Oh my Lord, out of a pure heart.
00:05:03
But fully, it's not worth knowing that they do generous Christ.
The sermon of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle under law, men.
Have to teach patient.
And make this instructing those that oppose themselves with God for adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
And that they may recover themselves of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Why did you bring up the need to remember Jesus Christ, the seed of David raised from the dead?
Sounds like he's changing the subject.
Is it not the thought that he's saying that what's going to give a person the perseverance to continue on a day of rune and failure and their service is to remember that the results are to be seen in another day and to remember the Lord Jesus ministry that He was the seed of David. He came to present Himself to Israel as their Messiah. And you read from Isaiah 49 that He had spent his strength for not, and that Israel did not return unto God.
And outwardly, his ministry looked like a failure.
But what was it in Resurrection?
There was much fruit that was came out of that labor of the Lord Jesus.
But it was only seen after his resurrection. We know that there were many that turned to him after the spirit came. And I believe that what he's saying here to Timothy is the same thing, that if we're looking for results where we're now, we're here in this world now in a day of ruin like this, which he speaks, a person could get discouraged. But if he looks on to another day and remember that the rewards and the fruit of all that our laborers have been will be disclosed at that time.
And if we keep our hearts and our minds focused on that time, it will give us the energy to continue at this time.
Helpful to see that I think the Darby translation Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David raised from the dead according to my gospel, leaving out the words that and what?
Only Amen to what you've just said about the earth.
Can you quote the rest of that verse from Isaiah?
I spent my strength in vain, yes, and but.
Though Israel will not know it's Isaiah 49. Three I believe 4.
This was the sum total of the Lord's ministry, His three years of ministry here. And he says to his Father, Isaiah 49, four, I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for not and in vain. Surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God. He committed the whole thing to God. Beautiful, beautiful.
Now John the Baptist.
That repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. And that is the same message that we find in the next chapter. Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
That was not the way we understand the word Kingdom of Heaven.
They were referring these two verses were referring to him coming to reign in power and glory, but then the king was rejected. And then we have a mystical form. There's a mystical form of the Kingdom. There is a Kingdom, but.
In a different way, there is a spiritual sense to it. And so. But he is not our King, he is our Lord.
We enter into the Kingdom of the Son of His law.
And that's the spirits of Kingdom to which we belong. And then when Paul says, according to my gospel, you know, he presents the gospel of the glory of Christ, you know, that's characteristic of false gospel, you know, and all of our blessings are connected with the risen and glorified Christ, not with the king of Israel.
You know, and there is a Kingdom to which we belong and, uh, there's going to be a Kingdom when he comes back to earth, an earthly Kingdom, and he will even bring us along and have a share in the glory of that Kingdom. We shall reign with him, the Bible says, but we will be reigning over the earth, not on the earth because consistent with our heavenly position, we will be maintaining that position even when we rail reign with him over the earth. So.
00:10:35
Uh, Paul's gospel has to do with the glory of Christ.
It's the gospel of the glory of Christ, and how wonderful that.
This has been known to us and that we can be associated with Him in this new way. As we already indicated before, we are in a relationship to God and through our blessed Lord that nobody enjoyed before He rose and sent the Spirit. Even the disciples in Acts chapter one that was still connected with Israel, you know that they will see Him come back again.
To sit stand on the Mount of Olives that was still in connection with the hope of Israel. But then the Spirit comes and joins those that were followers of the Lord Jesus to a risen glorified Christ by the Spirit. So how wonderful the gospel of the glory of Christ is. And that we can accept that by faith and know ourselves associated with a glorified Christ.
Connection is what you brought out with the bruising. Regarding 49 believe we have a similar thought in the ninth of Daniel, where it speaks of the Messiah being cut off but not for himself or the new translation renders it and shall have nothing. Nothing in regard to what?
Well, in regard to Israel, He came and had nothing with respect to them. I think we have a beautiful picture in the 22nd, 3rd, and 4th of Genesis. There were, of course, Genesis 22. We have Abraham and Isaac, picture of the Father and the Son there, and the type of the death of Christ there. In the 24th chapter. Of course, we're familiar with the call of the bride where Isaac goes to Rebecca.
The Servant rather brings the Rebecca to him. But in the 23rd chapter what we have is the death of Sarah, and I think of that in regard to that expression, the Messiah shall be cut off and have nothing.
Yes, Sir, there is a type of Israel. There was nothing there. And so that following that we find the call of the bride where the Spirit of God, typically they're an early age, although he's not named, brings her across the wilderness to Isaac and then Isaac brings Rebecca into his mother's tent and he loves her. And so all this present day, the Lord has nothing with regard to Israel.
The church, the assembly, the bride of Christ, has now come into the affections of Christ. But we know from Genesis 25 that Abram.
They married again and took up Katura and the picture of the Gentiles coming into blessing and the coming day.
But it just holds true. Therefore the Lord came as nothing with dark Israel. The Church has now come into His affections.
The present place of blessing, but His counsel as it relates to Israel will still be fulfilled, and that's why in Isaiah 49 He can say it is a light thing, that I should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved Israel. I will also give the alight to the Gentiles, that thou may see my salvation unto the end of the earth. We know that the Gentiles have even now come into blessing, but in connection with the body of Christ, the bride of Christ.
In the coming days, the Gentiles will be blessed with the Jews as Jews and Gentiles alike, and that will really be the answer of the fulfillment of what? What God has purpose for his.
We all have no talent and joy in Isaiah 53.
But what it is really expressing is SRL repenting Israel, acknowledging who He is and what they have done. They considered Him stricken of God and afflicted, but He brought their iniquities, you know. So the first application of Isaiah 53 is for the Jew. That's a prophetic scripture expressing what they will express at that time.
00:15:08
We can apply that to ourselves, because this death of this Blessed One is all to the basis for our blessing, but it is also the basis for fulfilling the promises that were made to God's earthly people and are not yet fulfilled.
The work of Christ is the basis for it to fulfill what couldn't be fulfilled.
When it was underground of the law, you know, they had to keep it all or guilty. If they transgressed in one, they were guilty of it all. And, uh, so they were transgressors. They forfeited everything. But Isaiah 53 will show and does show that the basis of the work of Calvary's cross is the basis for Israel to be blessed. You know, we can claim that for ourselves. It's the basis for our blessing.
But we have much greater blessings than Israel will ever have blessings.
Fulfill that were promised of an earthly nature nature.
You know we have heavenly blessings, but the work of Christ is the basis for our blessings like it is the basis for that which will yet be enjoyed by Israel.
Every blessing I.
Reading this in the back of my Bible, every blessing God has purposed for Israel, or for the Church, or for the nations in the Tribulation and or the Millennium is based on the sacrifice of Christ as determined in the counsel of the Trinity from past eternity.
End of quote.
We will be so happy to see the blessings fulfilled to Abraham. See, we will rejoice in that. Why? Because the Lord is glorified in it.
You know, can a Christian really be an anti-Semitic person? Better not be, no. Well, I used to work for a Jewish hospital, former Hitler. He was working for a Jewish hospital. I told them how can I be anti-Semitic? My savior is a Jew.
Hello, how can a Christian be anti-Semitic?
Out of communion with the thoughts of God.
But the Spirit of God always brings before us Christ, and so he endured, it says in Hebrews chapter 12. For consider him that endure such contradiction, or sinners against himself, lest ye be weary than faint in your mind. Ye have not yet resisted under blood striving against sin. And so he did resist against He.
People and he laid down his life. The Lord Jesus would rather obey and endure and die rather than disobey. And so the trend here in in second Timothy was the the letting go and the giving up and the setting aside of what was the truth of God. And so he says, here's the remedy. Remember.
Remember.
And we are natural hearts, we would forget, but what is it that will bring us into tune with the thoughts of God? It's remembering how the Lord Jesus conducted himself in this scene. He could say, I do always those things that please my Father. And so he endured. He had the end in view and He endured. He could see that the fruit was going to be Godward and abundance of fruit.
And so our lives can be that same abundance, can't they?
Well, we may not be able to expect to see the fruit of our labor as well. We're here in this world and should be content to leave it for another day. As we've been saying, this eighth verse does speak of the ninth verse goes on to say that what we will expect, we should expect, and that is opposition. Opposition. If we think that, as you say, that the Christian life of serving the Lord is a picnic, we've got to get a serious adjustment in our understanding of things. We're following a rejected Savior. We're preaching an unwanted gospel.
We're standing for things that this world doesn't want to drive against their conscience and so therefore there is going to be suffering and trouble. And Paul was mistaken here as being an evil doer. But he does that though, that even though he wasn't bombed, the Word of God is not bound. God's Word is still producing blessing and fruit wherever it is used. We thank God for it.
So use it.
00:20:01
The Word of God is like a hammock. Use it.
Memorize it so that at a certain time the Spirit can bring a scripture to your mind and quote it. Remember, that is what God has decided to use the Word of God, not our convincing arguments. It's the Word of God. Quote the scriptures and that is what God has decided to use for the blessing of men. Faith is based on the Word of God.
Chapter 4 he says to Timothy, preach the word.
There you have the idea of using the word of God.
I remember hearing a younger, an old brother talking to a younger brother encouraging about the gospel he was about to take and he said make sure to open the word when you get out there. Soon. Some people get up there and they try to tell a few stories. If the people to laugh a little bit, it's like it's an entertainment or something. And slowly but surely they turn to the scriptures. No preach the word. It's the word of God that has power to affect blessing in souls, not your stories or antidotes or whatever else that we may have. Like you say, clever argument.
It's the word and so in the in the last days, which is what this epistle is all about, the emphasis here is to preach the word, layout, the truth of God. The Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. It will accomplish what God would have accomplished. It's in our hands and we're to use it. As Brother Heinz has been saying, in 1948 in this city there was a conference.
Bob Brimlow's father preached the gospel, and I never.
Before or after have heard so many Bible verses quote?
Stories which he probably could have told, but he quoted and read the word of God.
Didn't need it for salvation, certainly needed it for a refreshment.
Appreciation, he quoted and read the Word of God.
Stories might illustrate a point, and that's what we find even in the scriptures, right?
And but it's the word of God that is to be used and.
So suffering is connected with Christian service, but Paul said he endured all things for the elect's sake. Who are the elect?
I don't know who they are, Neither did Paul know who they were.
That's why he preached to all, but he knew that the elect would be reached.
So whatever suffering was connected with his preaching, he did it for the elect's sake, because the gospel.
Has this purpose to draw in the elect? To me, this is overwhelming. In the eternity past, God has chosen me in Christ before the world was. Isn't that amazing?
He knew that there were behind statement board in 1930 and he said I want that Heinz to be mine. And that's true of every one of us here in the room that is safe in the eternity past. God has chosen us. We are elected in him before the World Foundation. Amazing. There was nothing in US why he would pick us. You know, if anything, what we deserved was to be condemned. You know, we were alienated from God through sin. We were heading for hell.
That's what we were deserving. But.
He is loved and he is gracious, you know.
And in his lab he gave us the Savior. In his grace He has brought us to himself as sons. Isn't that wonderful? Sons of God. Through faith in the Lord Jesus, in the family of God, we have been brought and know Him as Father. I mentioned that before. Nobody knew him as Father in the Old Testament. The Lord Jesus revealed him as Father through faith in him became God to know His Father.
You know, and to know him in that intimate way and to say ABBA father, what does ABBA mean?
Well, if you ever would have traveled in the Middle East, you know, if you hear a little boy address his father, he wouldn't say daddy, he would say.
You see, I'm not saying we should say daddy to God, but when we say ABBA, that's what is conveyed. Like what a little child would say to his father in the intimacy of a little child. We can say ABBA, Father. That's the beautiful point, isn't it? Intimacy, nearness.
00:25:21
It don't have to be afraid.
We don't have to be. We don't have to be afraid of him.
You know.
He loves us.
I believe it. I think you're our Father's house only today. Amen. I believe that there are dear Saints of God here, as there are elsewhere that have been raised with the beauty of Jesus loves me. This I know, and their immediate response today as a young adult, middle-aged adult is Jesus, but the Father himself.
Love it. And so it's wonderful that Jesus loves me. This I know, and we should never forget it and the closeness and the dearness. But to think of what relationship we've been brought into and to think of how much is missed by not enjoying the relationship we have with the Father.
And the nearness that should express itself in prayer and meditation.
But we had to die.
We had to die.
You know.
That's what is expressed in baptism.
Vary with him in baptism.
The Sinner belongs in the grave, and that's what is expressed in baptism. But how wonderful. Raised with Him in glory. You know, if it would be only buried with Him in baptism, that would not be that encouraging, would it? But we are raised with Him, and we're seated in Him in glory.
And that's what that term in Christ refers to in Paul's writing, as we have in the latter part of verse 10, salvation, which is in Christ Jesus. That's the position that everyone of us stand in today as libras, regardless of how we may be going on practically in our souls. Some may be careless, some may be very diligent. We are all equally in that place of acceptance of being in Christ. And it's salvation that puts us in that place before God. It literally means to be in Christ, place before God. That's my place.
Acceptance that Christ rests and stands in it as he is before God, and the favor of God that rests on him is mine. That's the same place that I'm in and you too. So it's beautiful to see how he speaks about the salvation that it is in Christ Jesus. And as Heinz has said, all of our distinctive Christian blessings are in that position, in that man that is there at the right hand of God. So not only is our place there, but our blessings are there. Ephesians chapter one and verse three says that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places.
In Christ Jesus isn't that beautiful? Notice that he uses this the names and titles of our Lord Jesus in a different way here than he did in verse 8.
In verse eight he said Jesus Christ. Verse 10 he says Christ Jesus.
This isn't a haphazard thing. Spirit of God has laid this out because when it's when it's Christ Jesus as we have in verse 10, it's referring to the man that has risen and gone back to heaven and that place that he has now there on high. But when it's Jesus Christ, it's referring to the one that's come here.
For the glory of God. And as we were mentioning in verse eight, that's the thrust of that verse, the Lord's earthly ministry here at the seed of David, and he came.
Uh, as we said that his life and ministry looked like, uh, it really didn't accomplish anything for the glory of God. It wasn't until a resurrection that we see the fruit, as we said.
Yeah, common comparison that might bring that out is the distinction between the president-elect and the president. They're the same.
Same man and one will have the office Jesus Christ, but Christ Jesus is the one recognized in office is that you'll find that the term Christ Jesus as we have in verse 10 is not Even so much as found anywhere else in your Bibles but the Epistles. You don't read of that in the Gospels of the Acts.
00:30:06
He has made him both Lord and Christ is in Acts, you know, in resurrection, and he was Lord before, but he isn't in a new position now as a result of the work of Christ on the cross. You know, he has made him both Lord and Christ and what a wonderful thing to know here.
Do you know him? Does everybody in this room know him? I hope you do.
Even the boy there were there, you know they can know him. A little child of seven or even three or four may enter into heaven through Christ the open door. I had a brother say once and I wasn't happy about that. He said a little child of seven or eight or nine or more may to have a low. I said I don't like that. I like the way it is in the hip.
Little child of seven or even three or four. One of our granddaughters got saved when she was 3.
My dad died. They came to the funeral and here he was in the coffin. I took about a hand, you know, I didn't want her to be scared. I said, you know, this isn't really open. That is the house in which OPA. OPA is vampire, you know, in which OPA dwelt while he was on Earth. OPA is in heaven.
She couldn't get that out of her mind. OPA is in heaven.
And when they were back where they were staying, she said, how can I make sure to be in heaven? You know, she wanted to make sure to be in heaven. Well, my daughter said that her heaven is a clean place and you cannot have any dirt in heaven. And sin is like dirt. And the only way that the dirt of sin can be wiped away is when you come to the Lord Jesus. And in childlike simplicity, she did that right then.
And she clicks to that even now. She's a young lady now, but she clinks to that, that at that time she accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior. That's why a little child of seven or even three or four may enter into heaven. You know, we don't have to be 20 years old before we can get saved.
Speaking of what you were saying about baptism in verse 11. For if we be dead with him.
A faithful thing? Reckon yourselves indeed.
That I'm the same.
It says it is a faithful saying in the King James Version, but I think it reads up the word is faithful. He's been speaking about how that he is bound, but the word of God was still bringing blessing. And that is an important point for us to understand as we serve in this day. Listen, brethren, the Lord doesn't need any one of us. Regardless of how gifted you may be and your brother and pat you on the back, the Lord doesn't need you. He's pleased to use you.
And we're thankful for that. But even a man is as gifted as this that we're reading of. The apostle was found, and blessing was still going on.
And he wasn't offended with it either. And so the Word is faithful because it's the Word of God that's bringing the results by the power of the Spirit, not the gift.
But there is going to be a difference, not in heaven, but on earth.
According to the measure of faithfulness, we will be given a place to reign with Him, you know, reign over the earth. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. That's the Millennium in heaven. You know, we are not going to be reigning in heaven.
But there is going to come a Kingdom, and we will have part in that Kingdom. And according to what we have endured for our blessed Lord, there is a different on earth in connection with the Kingdom.
Some will be over so many cities, some will be over so many cities. There's a difference in the Kingdom, you know. And then there will be crowns given.
We find that in Revelation. And what do the Saints do with their crowns? They cast him at his feet. As much as to say, if there's anything in my life that deserves to be recognized, that is because of the grace that you, Lord, have given me. And that's why they cast the ground at his feet, giving him credit for it all. Well anyway, but wouldn't it be nice to have some crafts to cast that his feet of sign on?
00:35:11
Hmm, I'll sign on after we. Yeah, given the.
Just an addendum to what our brother Bruce has said. I certainly say Amen, that God doesn't need us, but he does use us.
According to Two Corinthians 76, I remember this verse and I'm not going to quote it incorrectly, but I'm going to.
Called it just as it was on the calendar and it left 1234. Left 5 words at the end of the verse off. Let me read it. God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us.
That's a true statement because it's scripture, but what the rest of the verse by the coming of Titus, God delights to use his own, but he can't use a vessel that's not shipping. So let me read it again. God that comforted those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titans. Beautiful to think that a Titus could be thus used, and it's marvelous.
The grace of God that any of us.
In any capacity can be used.
There are two reasons, perhaps we could say why God is pleased to give us the truth through our brotherness. We've been speaking in verse 2.
But passing it from 1 to another and one of them would be that it keeps us humble.
You know, I I may say something or you may say something and if somebody gets blessed or helped, she said. Brother, where did you get that?
Well, I got it from old brother so and so. It wasn't mine. And So what happens is that it keeps us humble. We can't take any credit for it because it's been, most of it's been handed to us by others. If we've been diligent to gather it and we're honest, you know the Lord has given it to us through other brethren. What hast thou that thou hast not been given? 1St Corinthians 4 But there's another reason why it pleased the Lord to give us the truth.
To passing it one to another, and that is to promote fellowship.
To promote fellowship, it is important that we get bound up together in a practical expression of walking together. You know, it is possible to read books at home and not to even walk in fellowship with other Christians and learning truth. But we're going to miss some aspects of the truth if we do that. There are certain things that we need, that we do acquire that can only be gotten through the fellowship of the Lord's people. You know, we talk about those kind of people who call them island Christians. It is off by themselves, as an entity by themselves.
And but they miss a lot when it comes to the coming day. It will be manifest at that time that they have missed because there's much that we learn in the education in the school of God that He teaches us through our brethren.
Has he been saying what? Titus was there at the right time, at the right place?
Most of us have heard about the story of Robinson Crucial living all by himself on the island there for many years. But in God's mind, there are not to be any Robinson Cruiser Christians. We ought to have fellowship. We ought to look for fellowship. That's God's way for God's people. You know He doesn't want us to go on as individuals.
You know.
The truth of the body of Christ very clearly illustrates that. You know, if we need each other and we benefit from contact with each other, you know, it's not just in the assembly meetings.
You know, when we have contact in our homes, how do we spend the time when we visit each other? I believe there ought to be always something of the law.
Being brought out, you know, something that we can enjoy as fellow Christians. I'm not saying that we should overdo it and harm our children, you know, uh, and preach to them for hours, you know, that turns them off. But there ought to be something of Christ coming out in our contact, even when we visit as families, you know, and we have Christian fellowship, not just limiting.
00:40:03
Into assembly meetings when we have contact with one another.
Would you suggest on the basis of what you said, that if I'm invited to your home and my wife and I that?
You're going to bring out a Bible and and and we've forgotten to bring ours and give us the Bible so that we can read together. Is that all right? Yes, all right, But I don't I was hoping you'd say it was. I I I don't think we should overdo it, you know, but there are sometimes be set aside for that, especially when their children involved. You know, you don't want to turn them off, but children learn from their parents when they really see what the parents enjoy. Children generally want what their parents enjoy.
So the the family altered doesn't need to be altered merely because there is company.
That should be maintained to.
There's a nice little illustration of that and it's worth looking at in Acts chapter 18. You know, it says of the overseer in in I think it's both times in the one in the 1St 17 and once in Tigers. He says that that overseer would be given to hospitality because there's a work that can be done with others that is only done privately in the home. And it's wonderful thing to just have someone in the home and just enjoy their fellowship and.
Maybe in a casual but reverential way, take up the Word of God and set things a little straight sometimes and just help one another, encourage one another. Perhaps someone is downcast. And I'm just referring in Acts 18 to Aquila and Priscilla, and they saw Apollo's there, and he was born at Alexandria in verse 24, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures. He came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the Spirit, he spake and thought diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue.
Boom. When Quill and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
What a blessing and then he went out in verse 28. He mightily convinced the Jews and that publicly showing.
Apply the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ and so there was fellowship in with other believers and here he wanted to go on in the truth. He had a desire. He was fervent, but equivalent facilitated work in their home that might not have got done if it wasn't done in the home. And Priscilla assisted Aquila in teaching this great man of God. I'm sure she kept her place as a lady, but she did it, you know, but she had parted there. But if it wasn't intended as you say.
It would have said.
Priscilla, it would have only said a quote, yeah, it would have left out for someone. So whatever measure in which she was sharing, she may have just been sharing by.
Encouragement, but the Spirit of God brings them both together.
The ladies are in danger to think. Well, the men in the meeting have to do the talking, so they better know the Scriptures, you know. But the ladies ought to read the Scriptures prayerfully for themselves and meditate on it. And who has more influence on the kid, the husband or the wife, The father or the mother? The mother, you know. So mothers have a tremendous place to play.
In the family, you know, anecdotally, mother.
What a tremendous blessing it is. I have three brothers and they're all going on in a Christian way. And what we as boys have, we owe to our mother. She will bring the Scriptures before us in whatever situation arose.
Problems or difficulties, she would bring the light of the scriptures into it. That gave us to understand you have to bring the scriptures into every situation that arises. So what a wonderful thing it is to have a godly mother, have a godly wife.
You know, and to have her read the scriptures for herself properly, you know, it's very important. Of course we know.
They are more busy than we men, you know. We go to work, maybe now we only have to work 8 hours. They used to have to work more hours but but they are working from morning until night, you know. But they should still have time to read and to pray.
00:45:09
And for themselves.
And uh, what a wonderful thing as we travel and visit the Saints to come across a well taught sister, you know, that knows the scriptures. A lot of pleasure this and every godly king in the Book of Kings. Wasn't it true the only mention of mothers?
When you search this, I haven't searched this out completely for myself, but I believe everything goes either godly or else turned out godly.
The mother was mentioned.
Women had a more affectionate nature.
You know, and that comes across better than the way we meant sometimes try to bring things across to the children in a more authoritative way, you know. But the mothers have a lovely way about them, generally speaking.
What's the sense in the 13th verse of not believing?
Genuinely, I, I, I need help on that first. I think it's translated if we are unfaithful, he abides faithful. And it's in context with the Timothy saying, you know, Timothy, if there is failure or weakness or you're not going to be courageous as you need to be to carry on the service in such a difficult day as this. Well, if you're unfaithful, God's not going to be. He abides faithful. He cannot deny himself.
Helpful.
Oftentimes we're unfaithful because there's unbelief in our heart, and so he says.
Let us lay aside every weight in the sin which does so easily beset us, and that's the sin of unbelief, of the goodness that's in the heart of God. And so if we believe that we walk by faith, and we believe that it's worth the effort to be faithful, it's worth it in the eyes of God to walk in an acceptable way and not deny him the pleasure of seeing him suffer, seeing us suffer with him and for him and for him.
We can deny him that pleasure, if I could put it that way, that he looks down and he sees his sons and daughters and what a pleasure it must be to his heart to see us want to identify ourselves with him and to walk faithfully. But we can deny him that in the scene. So this is what is brought out here. He's not going to deny us. He's not going to be unfaithful. The word is going to be kept. What a privilege we have.
May I say something for the boys here?
What attracts you to a girl?
Of course, we do not expect that you are attracted to a girl if you don't.
Naturally are attracted to her.
But if you're a Christian and want to please the Lord, you look for more than just whether she's pretty, whether she has a nice personality. All of these are nice things. You look whether she is spiritually exercised, because that's the kind of health meat you want.
And the.
So.
Sisters be exercised to be.
Controlled and guided by the Word of God.
And that the Word of God is demonstrated the truth of it in your life and.
Hopefully the Lord will bring somebody in your life who also is spiritually exercised. You know now sometimes the Lord has allowed somebody to marry somebody who was not spiritually exercised. And then the Lord in His grace came in and brought spiritual exercises into the life of that individual. But we ought to look for that before we.
Show an interest.
In a person or accept attention from a person so hopefully.
The things of the law will have a great influence on our life and also what we are looking for, even when it comes to a partner for life and to walk together except they be agreed. Amen.
00:50:03
Walk together.
Your.
In the 14th verse, he warns Timothy that there's a wrong way of trying to disseminate the truth of Paul's doctrine, and all you're going to do is create a lot of damage.
And that is by our dream.
Trying to subvert your hearers by a lot of clever arguments. You may not just get that out of the 14th verse as it is in the King James Version, but I would like to now read it in the Darby translation of these things. Put in remembrance, testifying earnestly before the Lord, not to have disputes of words profitable for nothing to the subversion of the years. Then on the flip side of it, he goes on the next verse and says the strive to.
Diligent, deep present thyself approved unto God a Workman. That right needs not be ashamed, but rightly dividing the word of truth.
And So what he's saying is don't try to give people the truth of my doctrine by arguing with them. And all this clever way of presenting it, to try to subvert your hearers into accepting it. Present the word of God, rightly divide the word of truth. There's where the power lies, not in our clever argument, but in the exposition of the Scriptures. And rightly divided, I think it says in the other translation, cutting in a straight line the truth.
So these two verses, 14 and 15 go together. One, is that what he's telling them not to be doing?
In verse 15, he's telling him what he should be doing.
In political district team.
There is a word called gerrymandering yes, and if you want of your particular political.
Party you go this way and then you swing around and catch some more and so on. So so that you gained your end. But cutting in a straight line, we don't gerrymander through scripture to to gather out the things that prove a certain point. We've cut in a it's a straight being a straight cutter, isn't it? That's what we should be a straight cutter subscription.
Plea you collapse. And what is it that we should follow?
Responding to.
Righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Yes we have the discernment has been given to us to recognize those that we can do these things with because they're calling out of upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart you know and.
So that begins with.
Us as young people.
You know, when we get safe and have assurance of salvation. Who do you keep company with?
Look out for young people that mean business with the Lord.
You know if you associate and keep company with those that are not spiritually exercised, they pull you down.
You know.
Yeah, I do. Thankfully that mean business with the Lord that you can have company with.
Now in my own case.
What I found out is that I could join with young people.
They usually were older than I was, you know, those of my age at that time, most of them didn't have much of A spiritual exercise, but there were those that did have spiritual exercises.
And what actually happened, and I'm not trying to be posting, but to share, tell you my spiritual exercises. I went to a brother that helped me come to faith in Christ and I said, could you have Bible study with us boys? There were a number of us about my age.
That wanted to get to understand the scriptures better.
And this dear man did have Bible studies with us.
And all of those who took part in those Bible studies ended up ministering the Word when they were older, you know, so.
It's a very important thing to have spiritual exercises. Seek company of those that have spiritual exercises, you know, and then the Lord will use that to be an encouragement to you and perhaps even you are an encouragement to others.
00:55:24
In that connection, brother, I would like to avoid too much of A of a personal reference, but I will bring it into this extent. When I was a boy, I anyone that knew my father. Of course he probably knew him when he was much older, but I never thought of him as a legal brother.
And maybe by example, maybe by precept.
I was given to feel that the first day of the week was not Sunday. It was Lord's Day and even to this day.
I park my bicycle in the garage and I may go out early in the morning on other days, but I don't use that bicycle on the Lords day. And I would take this young people and from the Lord. If you can't take it from me, then then don't take it, take it from Him. I believe that the spirit in which we conduct ourselves.
Relative to the Lord's Day is an indication of where we are in our soul. So you don't go boating on Lord's Day.
If you had one, I there's some questions your Dave Whitaker years ago told me, and there's some questions you don't need to answer.
The answer is already given.
Well, it's it is. It takes a real exercise to.
Do not get drawn into arguments, as verse 14 and 15 are talking about, because oftentimes in a day of ruin when the bad doctrine is everywhere, there are those who want to argue for their bad doctrine and they've got their clever arguments. And as you listen to it and you come back with trying to present the truth, slowly but surely you can get drawn back, drawn onto the level that they're on and end up arguing. And you'll never produce anything for God through the the energy of the flesh, even if it's seeking to argue for the truth.
You know, it says in James One that there wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. We can get angry until or whatever and try to in the energy of the flesh to present the truth and to argue that person and to present our arguments from the truth so cleverly that they can't deny it. But the Lord may not be in it. The Spirit of God may not be in it. It has to be the opening of the word of God and and it's the power of the word by the Spirit that is going to make things good in a soul.
The Workman needs to be.
Well.
Versed, or shall we say diligent, and so that he can rightly divide the word of truth and to set things out in an orderly way so that it will condemn the the gainsayers. Notice it also says.
A Workman started to show thyself that proved unto God. A Workman not approved unto the brethren.
Proved unto God.
So what you're seeing, brother, is really First Corinthians chapter 3, the discernment that the apostle Paul had in connection with the Corinthians. He says in verse one, my brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto bathe in Christ. So there were some things that he couldn't go into with them in connection with the truth of God because they were unable to bear it. And so he gave them a he could give them, and then he left the rest as it were and didn't get into it unprofitable.
Argument. And so he's really giving them, giving Timothy that same advice, isn't he?
That they strive not about words to no prophet, but to submit to the subverting of the hearers. And so all of these questions that come up that don't exalt Christ, we ought to lay a light touch to. If it exalts Christ, we can speak of Christ, we can enjoy himself and the person in the work of the Lord Jesus. Why, those are words of profit. But the enemy would seek to introduce those things that would distract our hearts from Christ and take us off into some other territory.
That would just be worth of no profit. And so, you know, I've often enjoyed Deuteronomy chapter 2929.
01:00:01
On that point, because, you know, we have so much revealed to us in the Scriptures that we can enjoy. We don't need to go into these questions that have no profit. And so it says there in the last verse of Deuteronomy 29, the secret things belong unto the Lord our God. There are some things He hasn't told us about. Let's not go and try to find out what they are, but those things which are revealed belonging to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the work of this law. So isn't it lovely? We have the whole word of God.
And we have those things that are revealed that says that I have not seen or heard, neither have entered in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them, that love God. But God has revealed them unto us. And so we have the truth of God, we have the word of God. And let's occupy one another with those words that will have profit and will resolve Christ.
We could anticipate to verse 25 of our chapter. I think we see something else that's needful. It's not simply a matter of more information.
Verse 25 in meekness instructing those that oppose is not here opposing themselves. If they're opposing the truth, strike that word for themselves, if God for adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
It's a moral issue.
It doesn't mean weakness. Weakness is not weakness. We don't cave in, we don't blink. We say, well, I guess that wasn't the truth after all. No, we have a spirit and a tone that's conducive of one that's a servant of God. But to recognize that more information is, is not going to necessarily solve the matter here because there's a moral issue at work. What is needed is repentance on the part of one that's opposing. And so I'd like to read this in the new translation because it puts it this way.
If God perhaps may sometime give them repentance to acknowledgement of the truth, maybe they will, maybe they won't, maybe not now, maybe later. But we stick with the truth, lay it out in meekness that God can come in and work a work of repentance that that one might be blessed.
So there are vessels to this honor from which we have to hurt ourselves. Vessels are people.
Separation necessary, but this verse that you refer to in 25.
Refers to those who are, you might say in fellowship, you know, and unfortunately at times there are things voice that are not scriptural and that's where that verse comes in, you know, in meet this.
Instructing those that oppose themselves so we trust.
That the Lord gives us grace to do it in a way that is not.
Making enemies of the people, although unfortunately, sometimes no matter.
How gently things are presented if it is in form of correction.
People do not always appreciate that their pride is hurt and but the scripture in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, you know hopefully that they will accept whatever truth is presented to them.
Repentance, truly acknowledgement of the truth.
So if anybody has made any statement contrary to the truth and the brother in meekness instructs them, hopefully they will accept the truth. Because what is important is not whether we accept the person that presents the truth. Will we accept the truth that he presents? You know, that's the point. If we reject what he presents, if it is the truth, it's the truth we are rejecting. You know, it's bad enough if we reject the person.
And have feelings against him when he brings in correction. But what is much worse is that if we object to the truth that is presented and rejected, that's a serious matter, you know, do you want to reject the truth of God?
You know, just look what happened among so-called fragrance.
And the Lord has raised them up to recover much truth that was never known by the Reformers or even other broadly people afterwards. God has given more life after the Reformation.
01:05:01
Got a testimony throughout the ages? That book gives you a real good insight into the work of God.
Even long before he raised up so-called brethren. But if the truth is rejected.
It's not so much the person that they reject, it's the truth that is rejected. And that's a serious matter. If it is the truth of God, we have to bow to it. You know, we have to bow to it.
And acknowledge it, even if it humbles us because we needed correction.
Father years gone by.
We rejected the truth of the security of the believer.
And he fought 2 Commands.
Three months and.
So the truth was presented to him.
Time and time again by our departed brother, Brother GAIL. And so later on you have an exercise. And so they took a trip up from Omaha, NE.
On the Lord's Day.
To be gathered there to remember the Lord. You know they were not together for the Lord's name at that time, but.
They argued.
Tooth and nail all the way for 50 miles with a sister.
And so, Needless to say, there was a lot of distress and so forth, and they sat there to remember the Lord.
There in in Omaha, NE many years ago.
My father was still.
Straining against the truth of the Word of God.
And so after it was all the remembrance was all over with, my father got up.
He turned to the Scripture. He says all the way to obey God.
Better than man.
And ask for their place at the Lord's table, brethren, that's what the word of God-given in love and waiting upon him to do the work. And then it's going to be profitable to each and everyone. And bring another one into that place where He's appointed, gathered under his precious name. So there is such a condition in our lives, but we rejected and rejected until we find out.
The Lord is really saying, well, you're not, you're just rejecting me, you're rejecting my word. And we have to bow to it. And then there will be real blessing in our lives, and there was great blessings.
Bowing to the word is really what it means when it says a pure heart here because let's just read it. It says follow righteousness, faith, charity or love, peace with them that call on the name on the Lord out of a pure heart, and so a pure heart.
The word of God is presented, and the will is set aside, the will of man, Our brother Bruce quoted, The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. And so the wrath of man often is connected with the will of man, and so he sets it aside. And the pure heart hears the word of God, reads the word of God, and believes the word of God, and wants to walk according to the truth of the word of God. That's one that's in the pure heart.
An unpure heart hears the word of God, reads the word of God, but the will is at work and will not in one way or another will not bow to it. And so the heart isn't pure. And there's something mixed with faith, if you could use that terminology. And so the Lord works to, if we walk tenderly before him and in gentleness. This is one of the words that is used here. The apostle Paul uses it in verse 24. Be gentle unto all men.
And so it's not if we're going to put more force to it, we're going to get our own way, so to speak, and we're going to win the argument. That's really not the point. It's to present the Word of God. The Word of God is going to be used of the Spirit of God to bear fruit for God.
So there are times.
When we have the responsibility of receiving somebody at the Lord's Table, there is such a thing as reception to the Lord's Table. It's not an open fellowship for everybody besides for himself, whether he's in fellowship or not. There is such a thing as reception. But sometimes we have the obligation to receive a person that doesn't understand certain aspects of the truth. You know, we do not expect them to reach a certain level of understanding before they can come into fellowship. They don't have to study the Catechism of Brethren through before it can be received.
01:10:23
But if there is a pure heart, you know, when there is a sincere desire to please the Lord, although there might be still quite a bit of ignorance, we have no reason to keep them out. You know, of course, if there are serious doctrinal error, that's different. You know, there's such a thing of ignorance to be born with. But a new doctrine, doctrine, it's very plain in Scripture. We cannot tolerate that.
You know, but ignorance, you know. How much did we understand when better embraced took us in? How much do we know now? How much do we still have to know and have to learn, you know?
But there are things that are conditions that need to be met. You know, we cannot accept anybody that denies the eternal sonship, you know, and other things, fundamental truth.
We cannot have fellowship with such a person, but.
Yeah, a lot of people that have not been exposed to as much sound teaching as most of us growing up amongst so-called graduates.
You know, I had that privilege in Germany. I learned a lot from these brethren. I'm thankful for what I learned from them. I still love that. But the time came that I realized I couldn't go on with them anymore. And it was a painful thing. You know, I didn't enjoy that and I had to separate from them. But.
There are those that serve the Lord according to the measure of light they have and leave it to the Lord to judge them in their service for the laws, you know. But we have to go on according to the light that in grace He has given to us. And then when we come in contact with somebody who doesn't understand some of the things the Lord in his grace has given us to understand, let's be careful how we come across, you know.
And then?
Do not.
Alienate them five to win them.
Before the hour of our time is up, could we have something on the two seals in verse 19 and the great house verse 20 and what it says in verse 21 to purge himself from these?
I think that.
We need to complete what the.
Doctor has.
Verse 19 It shouldn't be too much of A difficulty. The Lord is the only one that knows the heart, right?
We don't 2 seal, yeah.
One is the Lord and all times are his, and the other is.
Let everyone that name it the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. Yeah. What? I mean the first seal. Surely we we know the Lord knows the heart. We don't. And that's a comfort, you know. But what governs us?
Is we have the responsibility to withdraw from iniquity?
And what is iniquity?
Well, you have a more modern work, so I'm not trying to catch anyone. No, but I mean, can you think of a word? Iniquity is not what we use in everyday English today.
If I remember what Mr. Lundeen said, and I may not, as someone remembers, feel free to correct me. Iniquity is evil in in spiritual things.
But I've heard another definition and that is sin is often called missing the mark.
Iniquity is deliberately missing the mark.
Is a graver thing, isn't it?
And then wickedness would be.
I don't know.
You tell us. I don't know, because that's kind of why I was reserving wickedness for, but umm.
01:15:04
It's probably very close than it.
I've been searching through this for a while. Me too.
You have those words in Daniel Chapter 9 and God never wastes a word. He doesn't use it out of I I know that these I think this was written in Hebrew or Arma. But in Daniel Chapter 9 and verse five, he says we have sinned, we have committed iniquity.
Have done wickedly, and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments.
And so a sin is really to transgress the commandment of the Lord or to lawlessness, I think is really the proper thought there. And so the whole human race is charged with lawlessness. And then I've understood that iniquity has to do with the moral perverseness of the 2nd or the 1St atom that, you know, the fallen nature of man is morally perverse in every way.
And so when we.
Sin in lawlessness, there is moral perverseness connected with it often times, And then we've done wickedly, and that's the wicked intent of the heart of man. And so he says that I'm not going to be able to quote it. I guess it's Jeremiah chapter 17.
Umm yes, verse 10.
Well, verse 9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it by the Lord? Search the heart and try the reins. And so he uses these words and doesn't waste any words. And there's a specific reason why everyone is used, and perhaps you might even say the order of it is instructive as well. The lawlessness of men doesn't stop there.
It goes into moral perversity and then wickedness, absolute depravity of the natural man comes in and there's a progression. And so the sin was really of departing first. And what do we depart from first? We depart from the Word of God. It was so in the garden of the Lord, the Word was given and there was a departure from the Word. And it didn't stop there. It progressed in evil. And so it's a lovely thing for us to take up the Word of God, to believe the Word of God, to have faith in the Word of God, to trust it and not to depart from it.
And we won't have to live with some of the other things that go along with sin or lawlessness if we will just accept the word of God and obedience, walk with the Lord. Let me also point out in verse 19 into more accurate critical rendering, as somebody has called Harvey's rendering. Another scholar put it that way. The most accurate critical ending, it doesn't say the name of Christ, it says the name of the Lord.
You know.
It's a question question of the lordship of Christ, you know, our being in Christ. That's the correct that to use Christ, you know, it doesn't say we're in the Lord, you know, we're in Christ, but he is the Lord, you know, and we better recognize it. I think I mentioned that before. He's the Lord of our lives and we better submit, you know, and.
Let everyone that name it the name of the Lord.
Depart from aniquity. Do we really acknowledge him as Lord?
Separation from evil is a must. We reject evil, you know.
And that is expected of a true question. And the Spirit within gives us a sense of even if he cannot always put your finger on what is wrong.
But he gives us a sense something is wrong here, you know, and we better keep our distance and.
Take part from iniquity.
And then that great house, as we already have heard, uh, it's no longer the pillar and ground of the truth as it is presented in the first epistle, has become a great house, you know, And there are a mixture has come in, you know, and there are the real and the false reference to honor vessels to dishonor becomes necessary, a must to separate from vessels to this time. And he gives us the discernment to know who we have to separate from if we're spiritually exercised.
01:20:17
It's a great point that in the.
Twenty 20th verse or something I said, well, which ones are real, which ones are not real, but that this is the whole point of the passage. There might be a gold vessel that's unclean. We think of Belshazzar, how you the holy vest of the Lord in a very corrupt way. When we read in Leviticus 11 of the wood vessel and an earthen vessel that were cleansed, they were clean, they were serviceable. So it's not the quality of the vessel. The question is whether they're clean or not. And so the question for separation is not.
Well, is that one a real believer or not as we just had before, as the Lord knows them that are his. It's not up for us to figure that out in certain instances, but it is for us to understand that one of the names in the name of the Lord must depart from iniquity. That's the criteria. That's what we do know. We can't look into the recesses of their heart. The Lord knows that, but we do have the responsibility to judge according to the the conduct and so on. Verse 21. If therefore a man therefore purged himself from these. Haven't we often been instructed and noted that?
The only other time this word purge is mentioned in Scripture is in First Corinthians 5 where the assembly is told to purge out the old Lebanon. There's for the assembly acts to purge it out that the assembly might be a new loan. Well, in this situation here, there's no purging of it. And so the man must purge himself from the the corruption that is there. And so this brings before us not the assembly's responsibility to put out able, but the individuals responsibility.
To get himself out and away from that evil.
So what does the vessel?
Wooden pixel.
Is it a true believer?
Could be, I'm thinking a second Corinthians 4, We have this treasure, an earthen vessel that certainly would be a believer. But I take it here, it's not the point of whether it's the real or not the real. The Lord knows that, but rather is it clean or is it unclean? No, I learned from the Scriptures better than me that the wood and earth are not real, at least fit for the House of God. You know, I'm just telling you what I was taught.
And the the gold and silver. Gold speaks of righteousness, silver speaks of the.
Your righteousness, yeah. So that speaks of what is real. You know what the believer is in Christ.
I personally take it that way that would an earthen vessels are not really real or used or usable for the House of God.
My brother Heights, the only thing that I can refer to would be that the vessel that were in the Tabernacle, and we find that many of them were covered with gold. And so that's divine righteousness. So these earthen vessels can be covered with divine righteousness, the silver and the gold and of course the tarnishing that's visible outwardly the tarnishing can be visible, but all the vessels that were in the Tabernacle.
Were covered with the gold, the golden candlesticks and they they are for the covenant and those those things that were in inside the temple, they were all covered with gold. That's divine righteousness. So.
We're looking towards perfection, isn't it, that we're looking for? And in order to get perfection, it takes redemption, which is silver, but gold is divine license.
And that does not perish. You know what in earth perishes.
Vessel unto honor, sanctify, and meet to the masters youth, and prepared unto every good work.
I'll refresh it.
01:25:00
We sing #22 in the appendix #22.
Cain & Abel
Gospel—B. Brockmeier
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.
Let's open with #20 Behold the Savior at the door. He gently knocks, has knocked before, has waited long, is waiting still you use no other friends, so we'll open the door. He'll enter in and Sup with you, and you with him #20.
Like to begin first with Hebrews chapter 4.
Just to continue on with some of the thoughts we had this afternoon, this morning as to the importance of the Word of God, I would just like to open with these two scriptures in Hebrews 4 and verse 12. For the Word of God is quick, or is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts.
And intents.
Of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Each one of us has to do with God. That's what this scripture tells us. And.
How important it is that we have to do with him now in the day of God's grace ere we have to deal with him in judgment, when there will be only wrath dispensed in that coming day. But this is the day of God's grace and the way in which God would bring man into blessing is through this blessed book, the Word of God. It is living, that is it has the capacity and power to impart life to your dark and soul. Your for your far from God. If you are without the Savior tonight and you need life and we have the word of God.
That is able to impart life to you and is powerful. I will carry this book down with you, perhaps on the college campus, perhaps down the street, and see if any book gets a reaction from others. As this blessed book know, it's powerful and this book has the power to change lives. That's why it's troubling sometimes to see those that profess the name of Christ and we don't see a life change, a new direction, new motives, new objects, because the word of God is powerful and it changes. If one is reading it, it will change.
Our life. And it's sharper than any two edged sword. It slices both ways.
But notice it says piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. We had something of that this afternoon, the soul and the spirit. There may be, and I'm thinking now of when the Lord Jesus was going to the cross.
There were the women of Jerusalem that wept, and from a certain level we can appreciate that. They could feel for Mary and the loss of her son, her first born. They could see this man who was a good man. From all accounts, he was a man that was going forward to be crucified, and they wept.
The Lord Jesus could turn to them and say, Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. His heart was on them. And there may even be a point where one comes to the point of tears with respect to the death of the Lord Jesus, all that he suffered, the cruelty, the agony.
That man hurled against him and be moved in an emotional way to the point of tears. And I know of some that have been moved to tiers not too many months ago at work and hearing about a certain film that they had seen. But the spirit wasn't moved. There was a certain emotion that responded to her graphic scene. But the Word of God would come in and divide between soul and spirit. That is what is simply the emotion of man's natural feeling. And what about the spirit that has to do with God?
No, we're not here tonight to simply seek to move the emotions because we all have to do with God and the word of God would divide between that he knows where you at are at in your soul and of the joints and marrow. That which would even within our soul, that which is unseen, the movements and the impressions. Only God's eye can zero in beneath that facade that you may put up in front of you and see exactly where you're at in your soul. I often think there in Luke 15 where we have the.
Three-part story there of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost boy. But there the work of the Spirit of God is likened to a woman sweeping the house. She has her light, she has her candle, and she has a broom to stir things up. But it's all within the context of the home. It's what is not seen outwardly, and that's the work of the Spirit of God that goes on within your soul. Now and then perhaps we can get an idea where someone is at by looking at their countenance, by looking at their conduct.
00:05:25
But in the final analysis, it is only God that can look into your heart and see what's going on there.
And what to God there was a little stirring up with. To God there was a little exercise and a little earnestness. Oh, the great sin of our day is indifference to Christ, indifference to this blessed book. Well, He sees the joints in the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. What we know from the 139th Psalm, that God knows all our thoughts, and He understands them afar off. And here we find He not only knows your thoughts and my thoughts, but He knows our motives.
He knows our intents. He knows why we have done what we've done. He knows those inner springs that move us.
And animate us were laid bare before the presence of God and it's the word of God that would come in and have to do with our with our souls. Now verse 13 neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and opened or laid bare under the eyes of him with whom we have to do we sometimes say so and so reads them like an open book. Well, God reads us like an open book. It's all laid bare.
We may fall one or the other, but we can't fool God. He knows exactly where we're at in our hearts tonight, and He knows exactly where you are with respect to His beloved Son. For whatever else may be said tonight, it all boils down to this one point. What think ye of Christ?
Unto you therefore which belief he is precious now, if you cannot say.
In sincerity and truth. Amen. He is precious to me. Your lost. You're not saved because the breathing of the new life that God gives is love for the Savior. It doesn't matter what your outward conduct might be in a positive way. Is Christ precious to your heart. While I just bring this in at the beginning here to emphasize the importance of the word of God because I would like to turn back to a passage in the Old Testament.
About two boys. We know them well, raised in the same home.
With God fearing parents raised with the same privileges but their eternities, how different?
I was speaking to my father one time. I had read this, uh, little story about, uh, this family and the Civil War and, and, uh, one of the boys went S to the Confederacy and one boy went N to the Union. And here was two brothers on opposite sides fighting each other. My father simply said, well, it started off early in man's history, didn't it? And that's who I'd like to speak about tonight, Cain and Abel. But before I turn back to Genesis 4, let's turn to Hebrews Chapter 11.
Because both these men are spoken twice, I believe, in the New Testament.
And how different?
Their endings Hebrews Chapter 11 and verse 4. By faith, Abel offered unto a God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous God, testifying of his gifts.
And by it, he being dead yet speaketh Abel is one that's marked by faith and marked by having a more excellent sacrifice. Isn't that one of the grand themes of the book of Hebrews? A more excellent sacrifice? That is the death of Christ, that which has security, eternal redemption for us. But we see here that Abel was one that was marked by faith. He had the right sacrifice. Now turn to the epistle.
Of Jude.
Jude takes up the ungodly men that crept in among the Saints.
That turned the grace of God into license. And in verse 11 we read, woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain. And so as we turn back to Genesis 4, I'd like to look a little tonight at the faith of Abel and the way of Cain.
Genesis 4 and Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived and bare Cain and said I have gotten a man from the Lord.
And she again bear his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
00:10:04
And in process of time it came to pass that came broad of the fruit of the ground, and offering unto the Lord and Abel, he also brought the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect, and Abel into his offering, but unto Cain, and to his offering he had not respect.
And Cain was very raw, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said in the Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
When Cain talked with Abel's brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother.
And slew him. And the Lord said in the cane, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth enemy from the ground, and now thou art cursed from the earth.
Which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand? Well now, till us the ground shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. The old Thou has driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and a Vagabond in the earth. And it shall come to pass that everyone that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain.
Vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon King, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of nought on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived in their Enoch. And he builded a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch. And then Enoch was born Irad and Irad, Bigot, Mahujil and Mahuji, all Bigot Methuselah. And Methuselah begat Lamech, and Lamech took unto him two wives.
The name of the one was Ada, and the name of the other Zilla and Ada Bear Jabil. He was the father such as dwell in tents, and of such as half cattle, and his brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all such as handle the harp in Oregon and Zilla. She also Bertubal Kane, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron, and the sister of two volcanoes, Naama And Lamech said unto his wives, Ada and Zillah, hear my voice. She wives a Lamech hearken into my speech, for I have slain a man to my wounding, and the young man to my hurt.
If Keynes shall be Avenged Sevenfold truly Lamech 70 and sevenfold. And Adam knew his wife again, and Shibera's son, and called his name Seth. For God said, She hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
And itself. To him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos. Then began Min to call upon the name of the Lord.
The whole two boys, King and Abel, able, a keeper of sheep, Cain was a tiller of the ground. No doubt, as we had in the prior chapter, that when Adam and Eve had sinned, they were driven from the garden, but before they did, God clothed them with skin of an animal to cover their nakedness. Just a little hint, just a little picture, that in the presence of sin that death must come in, and that principle that would abide without the shedding of blood.
There is no remission, there is no forgiveness of sins apart from the blood of Christ. But how wonderful to know that the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
For you and I to be able to turn and to see the blood and water that flowed forth from the Saviors. Riven sighed. To see in that the forgiveness of our sins, that which met us in all of our need, in whom we have redemption through His blood. Even the forgiveness of sins will with perhaps that basic elementary understanding that death must come in, in order that as a result of sin, in order that they might be covered. The time came, as it says here in verse three, in process of time.
That they each brought an offering. This is expression and process. Process of time is an interesting one. It doesn't appear too often, but it seems to me to suggest this thought. That there are times in our life where things come to a head. They boil down. There may be things that have needed to be addressed and we just haven't got to it. But in process of time there comes a point it must be addressed. And perhaps you and I, even as believers, some of us, have had that time. You'll forgive the personal illustration, but I can remember a time for myself.
I was truly saved. I was at the Lord's table, but the word seemed to come to me from the Lord.
You've always had in your mind that you're gonna live for the Lord, but when are you gonna start? Oh, I was a Christian and maybe you're a Christian too. Maybe you're breaking bread, but perhaps the Spirit of God would impress with you, right? Uh, in you with your soul right now. When are you gonna begin the process of time? Are we just gonna go on in a, in a casual and different way, or have you come to that point and God had pleaded your soul right now to turn to him in earnestness and truth?
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Well, here came a testing time, and this is the first point. There's six points I'd like to notice here with respect to Cain. He brought the fruit of the ground.
It came from a cursed earth. In effect, Cain came to God in the position that he was not a Sinner, that the work of his hands was good enough, that he was bringing the best of his garden to present to the Lord, And God must be satisfied with that which was the best.
Remember some good many years ago, there was a man that would come to the campus and preach and he had a very aggressive, bold way of going about it and perhaps offensive too. But to be that as it may, he didn't lack on courage and he would aggressively go after students and faculty alike as he walked and back and forth on top of one of the benches there in the in the quad. And I remember being in a in a class after the lunch period and I heard someone back in the class saying to another.
He said well I choose to worship God as I please. That was his answer to the man that was preaching the gospel. Two things on that. The 1St is.
A young man that said it, I don't think had any regard or thought of worshipping God, period. But even if he had, even if he did, we do not do it as we please, Cain says. I'm gonna come to God on my terms. I'm gonna bring the best that God to God, the best that I can, and God is obligated to receive it.
But it doesn't work that way. It doesn't work that way again, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. So Cain came on the ground, bringing the food of a cursed earth. And it's not the works of our hands that gain the favor of God, not of works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us. Oh, we can't earn Avon Byworks. It's the fruit of His mercy and His grace. For by grace are you safe through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.
Not of works, lest any man should boast. God will be the giver, and God will pour out his blessing on the one that simply says.
I'm a Sinner and I need thy salvation. So the first point here with Cain is that he brought a sacrifice, the fruit of his own hands from a cursed earth, in effect denying the fact that he was a Sinner. And I trust none here are in that position tonight where you are denying that most fundamental fact that you're a Sinner. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Solomon could say there is no man that doeth good and sinneth not. Again, we read in Romans chapter five that is by one man, Adam.
Sin entered into this world, and death by sin. So death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. The word of God is clear that all have sinned, that you and I have sinned.
Well, we see the Lord does not have respect to Cain's sacrifice.
To the offering that it brings, and it's noticeable in Cain's countenance that he's not pleased with being rejected.
It says in verse six, Why art thou wroth?
Perhaps none of us like to be rebuffed.
Cain didn't like it either, but now notice the tender grace of God seeking to work with this man. Verse 70 says, If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin or the thought is a sin, offering lieth at the door.
It's true if Cain did not do well, sin, lie to this door, that he was accountable and responsible. He'd sinned before God. But really this is an overture of grace. There was a sin offering lying at the door. Perhaps there was another. There was another lamb, There was a sheep lying right there. That cane could have come and offered that sacrifice just as Abel had, and be accepted. And furthermore, just in case Cain was concerned that his younger brother was going to.
Preempt him, he says.
And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him, over his brother Abel. Oh, what grace of our God is Seek to reach this man, this man who had brought the wrong sacrifice.
And now he extends to him the sin offering one that would meet his need as well that there was an offering for him as well. And there's one for you tonight. Perhaps you've rejected the Savior many times, but is grace still lingers and longs to bring you in. He desires your blessing. But all we find that he spurns God's gracious provision. We're going downhill now. First the wrong sacrifice, then the right sacrifice refused. Now in verse 8, and Cain talked with Abel his brother and it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain was up against Abel, his brother.
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And slew him.
What we have here now is personal enmity, and it's true, there was enmity towards Cain, towards his brother Abel, and a larger sense that brings before us the enmity of the heart of man towards Christ.
Turn if you went to first John chapter 3.
We know that John's ministry has much to do with the law of the love of God, the love of the Father, the love of the Son, and in first John so much the love within the family of God love his brethren.
In verse 11 of chapter three he writes for this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain don't love like he loved not as Cain it was of that wicked one and slew his brother, and wherefore slew he him because his own works are evil and his brother's righteous.
He had a conscience that condemned him.
And instead of repenting, instead of saying Abel was right, he did bring the right sacrifice. And there's one for me, and I wanna change my ways. No, he just stealed his heart and he set his course further, and he rose up and slew his younger brother, the 1St man born into this world, a murderer.
Now verse nine. And the Lord said in the cane, where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not. So not only is he a murderer, he's a liar. I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?
So we see with Cain.
He brought the fruit of a cursed earth. He refused God's gracious provision. He manifested personal enmity and type towards Christ. And now not only does he lie, but he's insolent, He's defiant, He's sarcastic with God. Oh, have you ever seen that with one who's sarcastic with God? Right towards the beginning of this year.
Now with some of the children passing calendars out in the retirement home.
In this particular retirement home, it's like an H, only sideways with a center divider and there's.
There's uh, four, two quarters, uh, four different ends to it. And we had just finished up. We are on the final, the final end of one of the rooms. Girls are going on one side. The boys and I were going on this side. And so they all came into this room and there was a man in bed and next to him was this woman.
And A quickly sized up that she was seeking to bring the gospel before him and they came in and said we have some calendars and he had one of those.
You know, those cocky looks on his face, like he was like he was out of sort of the world. And I just thought, you know, he's probably like that as a young man. He's still that way. And the woman there was just delighted that we were coming, bringing these Scripture calendars.
And so he said to me, I said my, I said, friend, I said God loves you. He says if God is a God of love, then what about Hurricane Katrina?
How do these things happen if God is a God of love? And I said, Sir, I'll tell you why. I said as one very simple reason, and the reason is sin. I said by one man, sin entered in the world. I said, who brought it in? Man brought it in. God didn't bring it in. Sin came into the world because of death came into this world and suffering and sorrow because of sin.
And I said, you don't see the love of God in these hurricanes and these what might be spoken of as acts of nature. I said, if you wanna see the love of God, look at the cross. I said, how dare you challenge the love of God? So he gave you the very best of heaven. He gave you his own Son to die. So here's my boy right here. I wouldn't give him to die for you. But I said God gave his Son to die for you. And what are you doing? You're sitting there challenging the love of God instead of saying God be merciful to me, a Sinner, and thanking him for that great gift.
You wanna challenge and defy it. And this woman, like she's just beaming and she said you, I said, Sir, you should say God be merciful to me as Sinner.
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He looked up to me and he said, God be merciful to me, a Sinner. And he turned to her and said, There I said it.
I hope it was in sincerity and truth. I don't know what the context was. The woman there was a friend of this man's wife, and he was going on, no doubt on his way to eternity, and she was seeking to bring the gospel before him. And all he would do is poke fun and challenge and throw out these arguments that he thought nobody could answer. Have you ever had that a little bit working in your soul where I think you're so smart and have all these arguments that God himself can't answer?
Your responses and your defiance of him. That's what Cain is. That's what we find here. Am I my brother's keeper? Yes, he is. Yes, you are. But he covers over his lie that he doesn't know where his brothers are by trying to take the aggressive stance, by challenging God. You know those and those in Ezekiel's day, they said the way of the Lord is not equal. The way of the Lord is not equal. What were they saying? It's not fair. He's not equal. He's not just. He's not righteous. Oh, he's the righteous God. He is just and all that he does is righteous.
And so he says, no, it's your ways. It's your ways that are not equal.
Well, that's point #4 begin defiant towards God.
Now he says in verse 13.
And Cain said to the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
So I alluded to that earlier where he says he challenges the justice of God. It's not, it's more than I can bear. It's more than I can handle. You know, in a certain sense, there's something very solemn and very true about that. Truer words in a certain sense were never spoken.
Because if we would turn again to the book of Jude, we find those there that to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness, forever, the unending, the unmitigated wrath of God, will fall upon all those that defy God and refuse the Savior. It matters not what your upbringing is, how many verses you can reel off, no matter how many snappy responses you can give to someone that's trying to reach.
Your heart and your soul, that's the eternity for those that are Christ rejecters. My punishment is greater than I can bear. I'll consider that solemn scene at the great white throne where earth and heaven flee away and John can see. I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and they were judged according to the things that were written in those books. And it ends with and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire to think of that.
The last sight to see is the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not now as that Savior, not now without one that had the look of love that broke Peter's heart down when the Lord looked upon him and wept. No, not then at face of August's majesty.
That dispenses a soul into a lost eternity.
My punishment is greater than I can bear. Oh, how God would work with your soul to bring you to the feet of your feet of the Savior. That there's more here.
He the Lord meets him in grace still in verse 14.
He's fearful that everyone that finds him shall slay him because he was a murderer. And verse 15 says the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold, and the Lord set a mark upon Cain.
Lest any fine in him should kill him, we read in Timothy that he is the Savior or the Preserver of all men. Here is a man that had defied God. Here is a man that refused every provision of his grace. And God puts a mark in him to protect him and to keep him all again. The heart of God lingering over this, this poor man, but but to keep him that he would be preserved. Know how many times, no doubt God has preserved you and He's preserved me from matters of going perhaps into a lost eternity, perhaps in other situations in life with his tender care as a Creator. Have you ever thanked Him for these things?
What a gracious God we have. But finally with Cain, after all that's been shown to him, the goodness of God in verse 16. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. He went out from the presence of the Lord.
What a solemn thing, I think, is Judas Iscariot there, one that had traveled, had served, had feasted, who had walked with the Lord Jesus for 3 1/2 years.
00:30:03
And that final scene that the Passover there where the Lord Jesus takes the SOP, the favored token of, of, of love and, and of care, and it gives us to Judas Iscariot and Judas takes this sign of highest favor.
And walks out and Scripture says, and it was night. It was night Satan himself would enter into him and Judas Iscariot as an eternal knight now. But he left the presence of the Lord. Cain left the presence of the Lord, not just briefly to notice.
Because you and I live in this world to see the character of the world in which we live. It all begins from a man that left the presence of the Lord. And so that we see it rightly, that we view things according to God. He builds a city again, this city.
I like the expression in one of JG Deck's hymns that speaks of the city whose glory is but congregated guilt, whose glory is but congregated guilt, where everything comes together in the big city, but their man and all that he is, is set up for display. And Cain, His name means a maker. He was a man that was making things. And now he builds a city, and he calls the name of the city after the name of his son. Turn to the 49th Psalm for a moment.
Verse 11 is what I have in mind, but let's start with verse 6.
They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. That's pretty straightforward that no man can speak, can answer, can redeem his brother. For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever.
Or has given up forever. When your soul leaves your body, it's given up and it's given up forever.
The redemption of their soul is precious or is costly and we will just again seek to entreat you that cost was so great. We sometimes sing in the hymn we are by Christ redeemed. The cost his precious blood. Oh, there's the measure of the love of God and the love of Christ in order that his blood was be shed that you might that you might be saved. Now verse 10 for he seeth that wise men die. Likewise the fool and the brutish person perish.
And leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever.
And their dwelling places to all generations. They call their lands after their own names.
Or, in the context of Genesis Four, they call the city after the name of their sons.
Enoch, his name means dedicated. How different from the Enoch of the next chapter that was devoted and dedicated to the will of God. Who? One that walked with God. This wasn't the purpose, the dedication of this Enoch. No, he was dedicated to the course and the superstructure of this world. He has a son named Irad, means a wild *** the character of rebellion that marks this world.
Mihuji Li understand means blotchy out that jaws God.
Look at the progression as one generation goes to another. Now the thought of any thought of God and of Jehovah is blotted out. We do not want to be reminded because we have other interests before us. Methuselah. One of the meanings of that name is they died inquiring. Why are there so many questions in this world that are very simple really to answer? Because man does not want the truth. Man wants these questions answered apart from the Word of God. That's the only place there is answers to these things.
They died inquiring how many questions there are in the sad, hurting world.
And then he begat Lamech, whose name means strength, through his name means overthrower. And so we see with Lamech he overthrew one of the institutions of God. He overthrew the institution of marriage by being a bigamist, taking two wives.
Here's man in his advancement, but it's really moral regression and and decline. But then he has three sons Jabil the father such as dwell in tents and as such as have cattle. Oh, we have commerce, we have the business world. We have real estate here we have all that line of things being developed. Verse 21 we have jubilee was the father of all such as handle the harp and the organ that which might be very pleasant to see, but again.
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At all or to hear, but it all began from the presence of man that left the presence of the Lord. It's the entertainment world in verse 22 Zilla she also Bartubalcaine an instructor. So there's the education world of every artificer and brass and iron. So technology and industry. The whole world lies in the wicked one. And so it might be ever so glamorous, but to see how God will look at it. This world. We know that this world came under judgment in the flood, but the moral elements are the same. It's a world that has left the presence of the Lord and all these things that might allure the heart and the mind.
Are that which left from a man that left the presence of the Lord. Now finally, in verse 23, Lamech addresses his wife's hear my voice. She wise of Lamech carpet into my speech. For I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
Lamech goes on to say that if Cain was going to be Avenged Sevenfold.
For first degree murder that Lamech would be, uh, would be revenge 70 and sevenfold because it appears here he acted in violence but it but it wasn't self-defense.
There's two points I would like to make. The 1St is despite what Lamech said, there was the the auspices of judgment that was hanging over it all, that he was fearful that somebody was going to get him. And you know, it may be one thing to go on and all the pleasure.
And all the enjoyment of that which the system of this world offers, which you can write over at all, reserved under fire. But now what's especially before me is not Lamech, but this young man.
Just thinking about this, the other day I was working. I said who is this young man? Here was some young man. What was the context of this situation? Here I have slain a man to or in my wounding and the young man in my hurt. Apparently they got into some fisticuffs, this young man in Lamech, and Lamech killed him.
You know, as many young men it's gotten out into this world, thought he could take care of himself.
In the prime of life, that he found that there's not only a corrupt side of this world, but there's a violent side of this world. And here is a young man he met, a man that he wasn't a match for. He took on Lamech and Lamech answered. This young man killed him. Oh, we live in a world, despite how it may be dressed up, it's violent and it's wicked.
So, brother.
Back home, that was, he and his wife were in a certain situation. They had, uh, visited. And he didn't tell me too much about the situation, but it was something where there was much corruption that was going around and then it broke out into violence. And he made the statement to me. He said, you know.
We want, sometimes we want the corruption without the violence. But they go hand in hand. Read the book of Proverbs and we find what marks this world in this corruption and violence. They're linked together. And so you say, well, I'm just going to go in for the corrupt side of the world. Be careful because there's a violent side of the world too. And there's a young man who thought he had the world on a string, as we say, or used to say, but he went out and was slain by Lamech.
Well, we come to a nice ending to this chapter, this 4th chapter of Genesis that is able.
Who was the?
Was in that line of promise as he is killed by Cain and Cain leaves the presence of the Lord. She has me bears another son, Seth.
Who to him is born a son? Enoch. Seth was appointed. Enos means man in all of his frailty. And isn't that a point that God would have every one of us to come to, to recognize our frailty, our weakness before God? It was Martin Luther that said there's two things every man must do alone. He must believe alone and he must die alone. Have you believed alone? There's no group think.
There's no group faith. Do you have faith in God? Have you trusted Him?
For your salvation have you put your trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ? He knows your heart. You must do it individually. You must do it alone. Because when you pass from time into eternity, it matters not. Even if there was a great, great explosion in many entered an eternity at the same time, we must go alone. We must each give account of ourselves to God. So His name means frail. Have you ever come to that point to recognize your frailty, your feebleness, your lack?
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And your failure in the presence of God.
Well, here I believe the picture is Enos. Then man begin to call upon the name of the Lord. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But until you come to that point, until you feel your need of Him, there won't be a turning. There's a going on. And so as we look through the course of those two men, there was that man able who in simple faith, he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. He was, he was.
He was received by faith and then came to see a man that charted his course away from God.
And whose eternity is the blackness of darkness forever before we close. There's just one more verse that comes to mind in Hebrews chapter 12.
I mentioned.
At least there's two that comes to mind, two references to Abel and two references to Cain in the New Testament. But Hebrews chapter 12, it speaks of those things that the Jewish believers had come to and in verse 24, and to Jesus, the mediator of the covenant and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. What did the blood of Abel, what did it speak of? It cried for vengeance. That's what God said. Thy brother's blood crieth to me from the ground.
And there is that certain sense in which the death of Christ at the hands of guilty sinful man has not yet been answered. And it will, because God is appointed in a day, a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath appointed, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and the hath raised him from the dead. The death of Christ, the blood of Christ is going to be answered by God exalting his beloved Son, and that day of his appearing, and all will be put down before him.
But as you find in Hebrews, his blood speaks of better things than Abel.
Because it Abel's blood cried for vengeance, the blood of Christ, it lays the foundation of peace and pardon with God.
Let's see him 21 in closing.
#21.
The.
Three Men
YP Sing Address—B. Knowles
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
I would like to look at.
Three different occasions.
Three different, I believe, Gentiles.
Uh, that sought the Lord.
And we know in John it tells us he came into his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons of God.
And we know there were those that did receive him. It says Anna Spake.
Of him to all those that looked for redemption in Israel.
But as a nation, he was rejected by Israel.
In Matthew chapter 2.
We'll see at the Lord's birth.
Some Gentiles.
And.
We call them the Wise Men or the Magi. They were men of the East.
There came I'm misreading parts because of time.
And.
There came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying verse 2.
Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to worship him.
Well, we know that.
Herod didn't know the answer.
So he goes to the chief priests and the scribes.
And they go to the Old Testament scriptures, the word of God.
And verse 5.
And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea. For thus it is written by the prophet.
And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the Princess of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor.
That shall rule my people, Israel.
So here come men of the East. I don't know how far they came from. Was it?
Somewhere by the river Euphrates, I don't know. It could have been Iraq, could have been farther to the east, I don't know.
But it seems they had come a journey to find this one that was born king of the Jews.
They went to Jerusalem for this information.
In Jerusalem they found indifference.
But the word of the Prophet.
Micah 5, verse 2.
Was given to them.
By the chief priests, and by the scribes and those men.
They didn't get up off their chair to go see this one that was born in Bethlehem.
The magi had come a long distance.
To find this one that was born king of the Jews.
Now I want to look for justice a moment at the effect.
That knowing this prophecy.
And being indifferent to it had.
On those that were indifferent.
Umm.
Down further in the chapter.
Verse 17 then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy.
Prophet saying in Rhema was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they are not. I just want to make this comment indifference to the word of God that he's given to anyone of us.
Has consequences.
And here it had consequences. They fulfilled the next prophecy. Now, this isn't the verse that they turn to.
To tell the magi.
They knew the Scripture, they knew where the Lord Jesus was to be born, and they sent them to the right place and they found the Lord Jesus. Those who were seeking him found him.
But to those who were indifferent.
What they what place they had was to fulfill this solemn prophecy? I would just like to share this too. Joseph and Mary were poor. They had taken 2 turtle doves to the temple.
The Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph right after the Magi.
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The Majidi part.
And the Angel of the Lord appears to him and says, flee into Egypt.
Well, they had just received from the Magi gold and frankincense and myrrh.
They had the means to take this baby Jesus.
This holy child into Egypt.
So there's the birth of the Lord Jesus. Now I'd like to look at one more.
Two more if I can.
Watch The Time with me. I'm sorry I.
John's Gospel.
And chapter 12.
The first was in connection with the birth of the Lord Jesus and now?
John's Gospel chapter 12 and verse 20.
And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast.
The same came therefore to Philip, which was of.
Beth Theoda of Galilee and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip cometh and telleth, Andrew and Andrew, and again Andrew.
And Philip tell Jesus, and Jesus answered them, saying the hour is come.
That the Son of Man should be glorified, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die.
It abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
We'll stop there now.
I understand there's a question as to whether these were Gentiles or whether they were Jews that lived.
And if one of my brothers that know better, I'd like to hear from afterwards, but I like to look at them as Gentiles. Where they were from I don't know, because there were in the Acts, there were the Jews that had come down to the feast there. I think some of it says Grecians so.
I'm not positive that this was Gentiles, but I, I like to consider it being that, so bear with me in that. And they came to see the Lord Jesus. They had heard the story of the Lord Jesus had gone, you know, it did spread and they came seeking Jesus, Sir, we would see Jesus and.
I believe and again if this is wrong I would like to have some correction, but I believe the next day the Lord Jesus was crucified.
This is John 12. And then we go to the Upper Room ministry.
And then we go to the garden and then we go to the trial by night.
And then we go to the mock trial by day in the early morning and then the cross.
So I would just make this suggestion.
As they had heard about Jesus and they wanted to see him.
Sir, we would see Jesus, and they had come, however far they had come.
From the north, perhaps from the northwest. Corinth is in Greece, I believe.
And I believe Athens is in Greece, so it could have been for.
Quite a ways, but anyway.
From the north, perhaps the northwest?
I believe they witnessed what the nation thought.
Of this one that was born king of the Jews.
Now I'd like to look at another one.
In Acts chapter 8.
Chapter 8, verse 26 And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying.
Arise and go toward the South, under the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza.
Which is desert. And he rose and went, and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch.
Of Great authority under Candace, Queen of The Ethiopians.
Who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem?
For to worship was returning and sitting in his chariot.
Read Isaias the Prophet.
Then the spirit said unto Philip, Gonier, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him.
And heard him read the prophet Isaiah and said, Understand this thou.
00:10:02
What thou readest? And he said, How can I except some man?
Should guide me. And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The place of the scripture which he read was this. He was led as a sheep.
To the slaughter, And like a lamb thumb before his shears sow.
Opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. And who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this?
Of himself or of some other man, then Philip?
Opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water in. The eunuch said.
See, here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized. And Philip said, If thou believe us with all thine heart.
Thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to sit down still, and they went down both into the water.
Both Philip and the eunuch. And he baptized him. So here's the eunuch.
Ethiopia S quite a bit South.
Down into Africa and he comes to Jerusalem after the resurrection.
So the first one is at the birth, it's the second one at the crucifixion, the third one after the resurrection.
They came and they found.
And I would just say there's not a seeking soul here.
That's not going to find.
And if you would be willing.
To take this precious book up.
As a treasure that God has given you.
You're going to find that it's a mine of wealth laid open to the poor.
Let's just pray.
Little Foxes
Address—R. Boulard
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I wonder if we could open our meeting this afternoon by singing hymn #24.
#24.
Nothing but cry.
Well, you know, I've been.
Really searching deep searchings of hard as to what to speak about this afternoon and thinking of how the Spirit of God has very graciously given us a portion in Second Timothy to have before our hearts and the practical instruction of what was given to Timothy to lay hold of and to take the word of God and to seize it for himself, as it were, and to live by it. I just wanted to look at some of the things in Scripture, some of the.
Portions.
That I've enjoyed in my own soul so often. But umm, something that would give us to know what those pitfalls are for each one of us. The pitfalls that the enemy has, the little distractions that might take and rob God of the fruit that could be for himself in our lives. But that's the work of Satan. It's the rob God of the fruit that could be in your life and mine. Let's just look at the Song of Solomon chapter 2 and we'll read a few verses there and then comment a little.
I'd like to talk about some foxes, some little foxes in life, and how the scripture just points them out as little warnings, and how, in contrast, our blessed Savior was not affected by any of those foxes. Not one.
The Song of Solomon.
Chapter 2.
And verse.
Let's read from verse 12. The flowers appear on the earth. The time of singing of birds has come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Oh, my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, and in the secret places of the stairs. Let me see thy countenance.
Let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the lions, for our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feedeth among the lilies until the Daybreak, and the shadows flee away. Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a rower, a young heart upon the mountains of Beaver. And then in John's Gospel chapter.
15.
And we'll turn back to the Song of Solomon.
But John's Gospel, chapter 15.
And verse 4.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me he can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered. And men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what you will and shall be done unto you. So we have these, this little portion in the Song of Solomon and how it brings forth the yearnings of the heart of the Lord Jesus to have your company in mind in this scene of His rejection. While we walk in this scene, while we wait for His coming. He doesn't just want us to walk through this scene and not have the enjoyment of himself.
While we wait, and so he says, there are secret places in the stairs. Let me see thy countenance. He wants to see your face and mine.
And hear your voice. He wants to hear our voices in prayer and Thanksgiving.
Unto him in our private lives and in our public ministry too, no doubt. But this is in connection with a private life. He wants to hear our voices. For sweet as thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. But then he says, you know, take the foxes. There's going to be little foxes that come in, and they're going to destroy the fruit that spoil the vines for your our vines have tender grapes. Well, you know, I often have told the story, and I'll tell it just as an illustration as we begin.
00:05:03
The looking at some of these scriptures, but in Hammer Bay, there's Grandpa Hammer, Fred Hammer planted a vine for grapes up on the rock right outside by the model tea shed. And those of you that know the location in Hammer Bay can envision it. And, and so the there are foxes in Hammer Bay. And so the vine is wonderful at this time of year. There's grapes on the vine and you can make grape juice and it's a lovely smell to walk up the hill and smell.
The grapes that are on the vine. But you know here it says take us the foxes to little foxes that spoil the vines.
And those little foxes in Hammer Bay don't like the grapes. That's not what they want. They want to come and suck on the vine. They want to chew on the vine. And the vine is connected to the fruit. And the fox, he doesn't care for the fruit. He just wants the vine. And he sucks the moisture out of the vine and he chews the vine. And, well, what's at the end of the vine is worthless as time goes on. And so, you know, that's the work of our the enemy of our souls.
Dear young believer, an older one too is the enemy of our souls, doesn't want us to be connected with that man in glory, not one who is the source of all of our nourishment, all of our blessing. In this scene, he wants that vine to be gnawed on. He wants some little fox to come along and to gnaw on that vine so that it doesn't bear fruit for Christ, so that God is robbed of the fruit in your life.
You know, when my little girl Annette was young, she was perhaps three or four years old.
And a fox, you know when he's one year old, he'll chart out a territory.
And you'll walk the same territory every day. And you can set your watch by the time that that fox will walk his territory, maybe one to three square miles. And he likes to walk on top of a Ridge. He likes to see everywhere. He likes to see what's going on. And he walks that bridge. And so this little fox, Annette, would go out, it was about 2:00 in the afternoon and, and she would see the little fox and she would run after the fox and try to scare the fox away.
And the little fox would run fast, and he'd run up the hill and.
Off you go. And so that happened one year, but then, you know, the fox grew bigger.
In the next year, Annette tried running after the fox and the fox wouldn't run any faster. He would look at her and he wouldn't budget. And you know, I just say this, young believers especially, there are little habits in your life, mine little habits that we form that become foxes. And they gnaw at the vines. And instead of being in communion with the Lord Jesus, there's a little fox that's latched onto the vine and chewing on the vine. And there needs to be spiritual energy to identify that there's a fox, something in your life or mine a habit a little.
Habit, perhaps, that is formed in youth that we need to judge and.
That we need to set aside, you know, you, you think that you can handle a sin, perhaps a little sin, you might say little disobedience to the word of God, but it's not so. And a little sin grows into a big sin. And you can read in the 19th Psalm and how there's just a well, let's just read it. I'm not gonna, I don't wanna misquote it.
It says uh in the 19th Psalm.
In umm verse 12.
Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. There's a little beginning, a little fox, a little beginning.
Keep act thy servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. And so you have a progression, a secret sin, a presumptuous sin that's really going against the Word of God, and in knowledge doing that which is disobedient to the Word of God.
And then there's a great transgression if it's continued on. And so the little fox grows bigger. Well, I want to talk about the first little fox that I think of in Scripture is in Genesis chapter. I think it's 18.
Now it's chapter 19.
00:10:00
And verse 20, now we all know these little stories and I don't want to take a lot of time to read all of the portions, but we'll just get the little glimpses. And maybe in your own meditation you can read those portions of Scripture and glean something else from for your own soul that might be of benefit. So here's the first little one here in verse 20, chapter 19 of Genesis, the lot was speaking. He says, behold, now this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one.
Oh, let me escape thither, for is it not a little one? And my soul shall live.
And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou have spoken haste the escape thither, for I cannot do anything till thou become thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar or little. Well, you know, beloved brethren, the city is really a community of individuals that are joined together for a common purpose and common betterment. That's really the description. If you look in the in a dictionary, you may be different dictionaries have different descriptions, but.
It's a community of individuals that have banded together in a certain location for their common betterment and, uh, for their, umm, for the purpose of just getting along together and assisting one another and that sort of thing. And so lot wanted to live in a city and he, the city life attracted that young man. And I wonder, you know, is it that which would attract my heart or your heart? Something about city life that would attract or distract my heart?
And the city would speak of confusion. We have entertainment in the city.
The we're the enemy of our souls has raised up systems of entertainment, systems of, uh, ball games and, and the music and all kinds of things to disrupt and to distract the heart of man and to form that little fox. And if you lay hold upon that little fox of the city and you want the city, the culture of the city, the life of the city, the entertainment of the city, why what suffers are the things of God.
And so, our beloved brethren, isn't it nice how the Lord Jesus that speaks of him going outside, He didn't live in the city he took it says that he moved to the city of Capernaum. That's in Matthew's Gospel and he called it his city. But we find that he lived in the fields, he lived upon the hilltop.
Birds of the air have nests, the foxes have holes, the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. And so isn't it lovely for us, each one, to have an exercise of heart, not to desire to enter into the city life, so to speak, of what this world is occupied with, but to see the Lord Jesus as that one that is rejected alone, a Sparrow upon the housetop, and how we can identify ourselves with Him and not.
Associate ourselves and take pleasure in what the world has raised up, what Satan has raised up as a world system.
And a city system, as it were, that would form a fox that would take and gnaw upon the vine.
And all the fruitfulness wouldn't be for Christ. And I say, you might say as a young person or maybe someone older that I can take a little bit of the city life. I'd like to just enjoy a little bit of it, a little bit of this world's culture and entertainment. But when it get, when you get older, when you get a little bit bigger in life, that little fox becomes so strong.
You can't, you can't let it go. You can't be released. You know, I have an uncle, had an uncle who is a real believer.
And he had two little foxes. He lived in Rockaway Valley. And his mother was a godly mother, godly woman. She was my grandmother. And she loved the Lord. She prayed for her children. And umm, but her son had two little foxes. They were smoke and drink. And that man was saved. He never came to the Lord's table. He would go to the gospel meetings, but he rarely ever went to a breaking of bread because that little fox.
Had stained his fingers, and he was ashamed to come into the presence of the Lord because his fingers were stained.
And I say the little fox of drink grew into a big fox and it eventually took his life.
And he died in a little cabin in Rockway Valley with $0.10 in his pocket.
And not even 65 years old. And so, you know, dear ones, these little foxes, the the enemy raises up desires to distract our hearts. We need to be so careful of now. We'll just turn to Proverbs chapter 6 and we'll look at another one.
00:15:28
Proverbs chapter 6 and verse 10.
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelled, and I want as an armed man.
You know, it's very instructive in scripture when averse of scripture is mentioned twice.
Very instructive, you know the Joseph could say to Pharaoh because that the Lord has doubled the dream. It was very important. God wanted him to know something. And so in Proverbs chapter 24, the same verse, I believe it's even at the end of the chapter exactly the same 2 verses are written, a little slumber, a little sleep, a little folding of the hands to sleep. You know the instruction was given to Timothy to study, to show himself approved unto God.
And he wasn't found sleeping, as it were, but he desired to rise early.
And to study the word and it, it spoke to his heart of Christ, and it spoke to him of the truth of God. And he knew what what the apostles doctrine was. And he walked in the apostles doctrine. I believe Timothy held fast until he went home to be with the Lord. He desired to hold fast those things that he learned. But you know that little fox of sleep is something it speaks to us of that which is.
When we're unconscious of that, which is going around, going about, going around, about around us, we're unconscious, insensitive to what is going on in our lives. When we're asleep, we have no idea what's going on. And so it's high time to wake out of sleep. The scripture says, you know, that little fox will grow into a fox that will gnaw the vine if we rather sleep and be insensitive to spiritual things.
Then there won't be that fruitfulness for Christ. What a blessing it is to be able to have courage and a desire, purpose of heart to cleave under the Lord, to rise up and to read the Word of God for ourselves. And beloved brethren, will never grow in the things of God, never grow beyond babes in Christ, unless we read the Word of God for ourselves. We study the Word of God for ourselves, We pray ourselves, we have a private time ourselves in the presence of the Lord.
And were awake to the voice of the Lord as he calls to us. What may it be so well, I just want to look at the Lord Jesus. You know, he wasn't one that slept much. And then Mark's gospel chapter one we find in verse 35.
In his life of perfect fruitfulness for his.
It says that.
Matthew Mark chapter one and verse 35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Oh, what power there was in his life as a result of prayer. What up? What communion with his Father, what fruitfulness for God as a result of his time.
He would rather sleep less and pray more. He would rather be in the presence of his God rather than sleep. Oh, what a smite my conscience as I think of how little I robbed myself of sleep, as it were, to be able to be in the presence of the Lord. And so, you know, it's a real privilege for us to recognize that the Lord Jesus as one that rose up early a great while before day.
That we ought to be following him in this point.
Want to just turn over a few pages to Ecclesiastes? We'll look at another fox. A third fox.
It's chapter 10.
And verse one.
00:20:01
Dead flies caused the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor. So doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor. A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
And then if we just turn to 1St Corinthians, I just want to read a couple of verses there about the Lord Jesus.
In UH chapter one and verse 24.
First Corinthians one and verse.
24 But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God.
And the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God hath chosen.
The foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things.
Of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And so we find that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. And if as we're occupied with the Lord Jesus, occupied with his life of power, occupied with the work that he accomplished on Calvary's cross.
Not finished holy work and occupied with himself as that one that's a glorified man, seated upon the right hand of the glory of God, who walked in perfect wisdom in this world.
Not a foolish word ever fell from his lips. Not a foolish act Not one.
Ever fell from his act, from his mouth, from his feet, from his hands. They could put nails through those holy hands and those holy feet that ever walked in wisdom of God and perfect, perfect obedience to his God and Father. But how is it with us? How is it with me? It says a little folly. Him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor. And so if you know the Lord Jesus as Savior as I do.
Our reputation is that we're what ought to characterize us as the same wisdom that Christ walked in.
We ought to follow the Lord Jesus, and our mouths ought to be characterized by the wisdom of God, the kindness of God.
The gentleness of God, the words of wisdom that are written in His Word, that's what ought to characterize our hearts.
In our lives. But you know that little fox of foolishness comes in.
Just a little foolishness, you might think. And what does God say? It stinks.
A stinking saver. So you know this, the flesh stinks in the sight of God. You know that's the meaning of Jericho. Is Jericho means a constant pleasant odor. But it was a city under the curse, a constant pleasant odor. And it was a constant pleasant odor to the flesh. And all that went on in that city in disobedience and rebellion against God was a stinking savor, as it were to God. But.
When it comes to the believer, why the life of the believer as he walks with his Lord and desires to bear fruit for Christ, as he is occupied with the Lord Jesus, as it abides with him and is occupied with him while he walks in wisdom and he sets aside the foolishness of this world and he goes on with Christ and there's fruitfulness. But you know, beloved brethren, this world has all kinds of foolish attractions, foolish things to get occupied with, whether it's foolish music or foolish.
Occupational things, just distractions, computer games and all kinds of things that maybe.
We might say in themselves are not really wrong and sinful, but they become foolish, sinful things to us when we get absorbed with them and we act in foolishness with our time. And it's just maybe just a little foolishness, but it impacts the fruitfulness and it's a little fox that can grow into a big fox in our lives. And then there isn't that fruitfulness for Christ who just encourage each one of us to search our consciences, search our hearts.
And to lay aside those little foolish things that we go on with, and perhaps we've just taken up some foolish thing.
That isn't going to benefit us internally, isn't going to benefit our brethren, isn't going to benefit our family.
That's just a little foolish thing and we've allowed it to come in and.
Where it needs to be judged or else it'll get to be a big thing, a big fox, a big habit, and then it won't be able to be broken, it won't be able to be set aside, and others will be harmed because of it.
00:25:12
Well, if we turn over to.
Haggai, we'll find another.
Little Fox, a little excuse.
Hagia chapter one.
Habakkuk, Zephaniah and then Hagia.
Chapter one and verse 2.
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying this. People say the time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.
Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the Prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your sealed houses, and this house lie waste. Now therefore, thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and have bring and bring in little. Ye eat, but ye have not enough. Ye drink, but ye not filled with drink. Ye clothe you, but there is none warm. And he that earneth wages, earnest wages, to put it into a bag with holes.
I just want to turn to Luke's Gospel chapter 2 as well, and we'll read just a little bit.
Of the Lord.
Here you know the the portion. I could have just quoted it.
Luke chapter 2.
And verse 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wish ye not that I must be about my father's business?
You know this little fox is one that gnaws the fruitfulness of the Christian life. It's a little excuse and you might have a different excuse than I have for not walking with the Lord. You might have a different excuse than I have for not walking in obedience to the word of God. But Haggai says in chapter one here in verse two, he says that the the Lord speaketh thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying this people say the time is not come the time.
That the Lord's house should be built, and you know the time to live for the Lord is now.
The Lord Jesus is coming and he's going to come very soon. We're going to leave this scene behind and the time of living for himself and living and associating ourselves with him in his rejection, the time is now.
And let's not make excuses to say I don't want to walk with the Lord just yet. I don't want to.
Spend time reading the word and not just yet. I have other things that I'd rather do.
Right now. And so these dear ones in Haggai's day, they'd come as a remnant testimony of come into the land and they'd settled instead of doing something for the Lord and building that temple, they had desired to make excuse that it might not be done. And it grew into such a fox, such a large fox, if I could put it that way, that they ended up building their own houses instead. They ended up looking after their own interests and instead of being like Timothy.
Who was like no other man that Paul had that would look after the things of Christ. Why, they looked after their own things. And it was something that distracted the heart and it wasn't fruitfulness for Christ in their lives. Now they they were stirred up and they took and began to do that work. But you know, in connection with the Lord Jesus, isn't it lovely? There was never any excuse on the Lord's part never to do a part of the work that his Father gave him to do.
He never made excuse, He never delayed. And you know, I've been impressed lately by how quickly the Lord acted when His Father gave him something to do. You know, we often think of Isaiah chapter 6 and how the Spirit of God records there that little conversation. Who shall I send and who shall go for us? Then said, I hear my send me. Oh, quickly He came to do the Father's will. Quickly He came to bless.
When the CRO, when the thief was on the cross beside him and said, think upon me, or Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom quickly the Lord Jesus forgave him, and there was that word today shalt thou be with me in paradise today quickly. Oh, he could look upon the leper that came to him in Mark's Gospel chapter one. And if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Oh quickly there was a touch that there might be blessing.
00:30:14
Quickly the blessing flowed from His heart of love. Oh, how He desires that our hearts would be engaged with Himself, and that as we know what His will is. That we would desire to be fruitful in His presence, and that we would quickly respond in our hearts to His desire to see us, to see our countenance, and to hear our voices. And that we would in obedience take the little foxes and judge them in His sight, and not allow them to become big foxes.
And to restore that fruitfulness in His presence.
We'll talk about First Corinthians chapter 5.
We'll just read one little verse there.
Verse 6.
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
You know, I often think in connection with this.
The uh, in first John, I'll just read it. It's first John chapter 3 and umm, verse five. You know that he was manifested, He was revealed to take away our sins and in him is no sin.
And so you know.
A little lawlessness. Sometimes when we're young, we think just a little lawlessness, a little sin.
Is all right Oh sin is hateful to God. It's he's a pure eyes that didn't then to behold evil. And so you and I that know the Lord Jesus as Savior. We've been redeemed with his precious blood cleansed from all sin. You know the Old Testament Saints couldn't say that there was atonement made and this the blood covered their sins. It covered them. But you and I because of the finished work of the Lord Jesus can say that our sins are cleansed the blood of Jesus Christ his son.
Cleanseth us from all sins.
But with the Lord Jesus, oh, the Spirit of God reveals that in him is no sin. And the apostle Paul says he did no sin. And Peter or I think it's Peter that says he did know sin. Neither was guile found in his mouth. And the apostle Paul says he knew no sin. And John says the apostles communion says in him is no sin. And so here once I speak perhaps more to the younger ones.
But the enemy is deceitful, and there's deceitfulness in connection with sin, and sin robs you of your enjoyment with Christ, Rob you have communion with Christ, robs you of the fruitfulness that could be for Christ. And it's a little fox, just a little sin. A little sin is leaven in the sight of God, and it grows into something big. And we read that in the 19th Psalm. And these things need to be judged early.
Young while they're young, while they're small and why we look for fruit in our children's lives. We look in that way and the Lord looks at us and he desires fruitfulness and he sees whether there's little sin, something that is hidden from the eye of our brethren, something that isn't going to be for his pleasure. You know, it says I'll just read in Exodus, refer to it in.
Connection with the.
Zipporah. Zipporah means a little.
Sparrow.
In verse chapter 4 of Exodus and verse 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me? So he let him go. Then she said, a bloody husband art thou because of the circumcision, while the Lord had met Moses in the inn by the way, and sought to kill him. And that Sapporo, just a little Sparrow.
That had to take.
The sharp stone and to circumcise her son there at the inn. Now I just say that because, you know.
00:35:01
The circumcision was something that no one saw but the Lord and so this child of Moses and Zipporah, just a little Sparrow, a little something of the flesh that was allowed and it wasn't for the fruitfulness that could be in Moses life. He was called to a great work and he was going to be used of God to deliver the children of Israel and the picture of the going through the Red Sea and Christ laying down his life and redemption, all that was going to be before Moses.
But God was not going to allow a little of the flesh to be a part of that work. And So what wasn't seen to the eye of man was seen of God. And so Zipporah speaks of just a little Sparrow, a little something of a flesh that would be allowed. But it wasn't for the glory of God and was going to rob fruitfulness. Well, there was fruitfulness in the Lord's life, perfect fruitfulness because there was no sin. And so we want to walk with the Lord.
And anything that is sin in our lives, we want to judge it and be in the presence of God that it might not grow into something.
That perhaps our brethren might have to judge what we need to be so careful that there might be anything that is hidden that we haven't. Perhaps it's not exposed to our brethren, it's exposed to the heart of God, to the eye of God and we need to judge it that it might not grow into a big fox and rob that the fruit that could be the Lord's. Let's look at James.
Chapter 3.
And verse 5.
Even so, the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. Behold, how great a matter is a little fire kindlet, and the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire, the course of nature, and it is set on fire hell.
Well, we'll look at the.
The Lord Jesus in connection with the I thought of this and enjoyed it for myself and John's Gospel, Chapter 7.
It says there we could just even quote it in verse 46.
Well, let's read verse 45. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said unto them, Why have you not brought him? The officers answered, Never man speak like this man Then answered They them answered them, the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Wasn't it nice that the Spirit of God could record this? Never man speak like this man never man speak. There wasn't another man that used his tongue.
And blessing.
It's like the Lord Jesus, there was never any fruit for God that could ever have been exhibited by anyone else in this scene but that perfect man sent from above, the man Christ Jesus, who loved you and I and gave himself for us, and who loved his Father and came in obedience to his Father's will. And on the cross he could say, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. When he was reviled, he reviled not again all when he threatened, he threatened not.
There was a blessing that flowed from the tongue of that blessed man and that has flowed through the pages of Scripture as we've been able to read the words that He's spoken. What blessing flowed? But you know, we're given this little illustration of a little fox, a little hindrance, something that would hinder the fruitfulness for Christ in your life or mine. And that is a little tongue, a little fire, a little something that we're engaged in, a little gossip, a little something that will.
Not exalt Christ, something that will perhaps exalt ourselves, something with our mouths that we might be singing or that we might be saying that we might be occupied with verbally that wouldn't yield fruit for Christ. Something that would be a fox to that fruitfulness that could be his. Oh what a just a lesson and a warning to each one of our hearts to follow the Lord Jesus even in the words that there might be.
Something in our tongues, something that the world could say, is something that our brethren could say.
Never a Christian spoke like this Christian instead of the other way around, that those words were hurtful. All we need to speak gently. The Lord Jesus spoke gently with his disciples. He spoke gently to those patiently to those that offered foolish questions. He spake gently to the young man that came to him and said what must I do to inherit eternal life? Always spoke gently and kindly. And so that's how we need to speak with one another and as we speak of Christ that there might be fruitfulness born not only in our lives but in other lives as well.
00:40:28
Well, let's look in John's gospel at the last little Fox in.
Chapter 21 I think it is.
And let's uh.
Freed in verse, uh, from verse six. Uh, from verse 5.
Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. And they cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loves saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he Gert his fishes fishers coat unto him, for he was naked, and did cast himself into the sea.
And the other disciples came in a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were 200 cubits, dragging the net with fishes. As soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon and bred.
Well, you know we have with the Lord Jesus.
I'm just reading the verse in John's Gospel. 17 We know it. I have glorified Thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou gave us me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were and thy, and Thou gavest them me, and they have kept my word, while the Lord Jesus could say, I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work.
Which thou gave us me to do. And so you know we have this little ship and Peter.
Was perhaps discouraged, perhaps just, uh, after all that had taken place at the Cross and all that.
He gets the ones on the road to Emmaus. Could say art though. But a stranger in Jerusalem?
Oh, they wondered why he spoke the way he spoke with them. And Peter after the cross and after all that had taken place could say, I go fishing. In verse 3, Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also will go with we also go with thee. And they went forth, and there wasn't fruitfulness for for themselves.
You know, maybe the Lord has given you just a little work to do for himself, just something to occupy.
Till he comes some little vineyard, some little fruit for himself and umm, maybe there's a little difficulty and something comes in to discourage the heart. And then we just say, well, I'm just going to go fishing again. I'm just going to take a little ship and I'm just going to go off and do something else. And our brother mentioned a little island, Christian island, a little island Christian that wasn't going to do a whole lot. I'm just not going to walk with my brethren the way I walk before. I'll just go and.
Take up with a little ship, as it were. Oh, the Lord Jesus would desire, you know.
That there would be blessing and how he dealt in patience with Peter and with these disciples.
As they were discouraged and they took up with a little ship, a little something, a little, if I could say, a little job, a little employment, a little something that they were earning a living with before the Lord called them to do the work for for him. He called them to be fishers of men. And then they got discouraged and they said we're going to give it up and we're going to take up with our occupation again and we're just going to go off. And we were doing all right before perhaps. And and so they were discouraging. The Lord met them in their discouragement. Not lovely.
He met them in their discouragement, and while they didn't bear fruit for himself, they didn't bear fruit for themselves.
They didn't catch any fish all night long. Why? He came and he told them to cast on the other.
Side and yet there was a blessing. And so I just say that we ought to be occupied in a way that we can glorify the Lord in what we're doing to make a living. And sometimes, dear young ones especially I say sometimes we do take up or desire to take up a line of work that isn't going to be a glorifying occupation for the Lord that isn't going to be able to allow us to get to the meetings.
00:45:26
On time, perhaps it's going to rob us of our fellowship with our brethren, something that's going to hinder us. Perhaps that we just love to do a certain type of work and it takes us away. It becomes a distraction to the heart and it takes us away from Christ and that little fox. And there isn't that food, that fruit for God. The little ship comes in and perhaps it grows into a big ship and you make lots of money and you make a great success in this world and you have the biggest house there is.
And the world would look at your life and say it's a great success. But spiritually?
There would be that fox that had been a small fox, a little ship, and it grew into a big ship.
And Christ didn't have his place and he was left on the sideline, so to speak. And then at the end of life, what would there be but just that? All that money and all that wealth and all that was going to have to be left behind. You know, I often quote in business Jeremiah chapter 45. I suggest, you know, every one of us needs to read this frequently. It's the shortest chapter in Jeremiah.
And it says in verse five, we won't read the whole thing that.
In verse five it says, uh and seeketh thou great things for thyself.
Seek them not, for behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord. That thy life will I give unto thee, for a prey in all places whither thou goest.
No one was young.
My father went on for the Lord in some measure. Some of you perhaps met him.
And he had a little ship.
And he went to the meetings. But that ship grew into a big ship and.
It occupied all of his time to the point where he began to work on the Lord's Day and he began to think nothing of working on the Lord's Day. And after a while he wasn't at the Lord's table anymore and it robbed him of his fruit for Christ. It robbed the Lord of having him in his presence on the Lord's Day morning, on the reading day, reading meeting night, and prayer meeting night.
And it became a fox that ruined his life. And it can ruin your life. The enemy has these 7 little foxes, perhaps more we could speak of that would chew on the vine and rob him as a fruit that could be his. And so we need to consider that the work that we do, we, you know, our brother once told me and I, I like the saying, he says our work, our job is just the camel to get us through the desert. Sometimes we have to switch camels.
And but we have to ride a camel through this desert, through the wilderness scene. And it's just a camel. Just walk through this scene and don't set your heart upon the wealth of this world. And don't set your heart, don't seek, uh, great things for thyself in this world because the Lord is going to judge it all. The only thing you're going to bring out of this world is that which is connected with Christ. And thank God for it. Thank God that we're only going to bring that which is done for Christ out of this scene. Everything that is done to please ourselves and to occupy ourselves and.
All those little foxes that stole our time and that perhaps robbed the fruitfulness that could have been his. We'll look back with regret and wish that we had judged them in the presence of our God. Wished that there was just a little bit more fruit for himself. Wished that we could just have lived more acceptably to Him while we waited for his coming. Wish that we could have been associated with Himself in his rejection while we walk through the scene.
We will wish that we had walked and not made those little excuses and not had those little foxes. Beloved brethren, let's just as we have the word of God before us and we see that in Second Timothy, there's a releasing of those things, that of the truth, a releasing of the grip, and a releasing of the heart's affections for the truth of God. Let's just desire with spiritual energy to grasp the things of God and grasp the things that have to do with the person and the work of the Lord Jesus.
That's all we're bringing out of this scene. Everything else will be left behind. Well, let's, uh, thing #46 in the appendix.
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#46 in the appendix.
Kingdom Truth, Honey, Be Strong in the Lord
Open—H. Brinkmann, A. Scharf, R. Waddle
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.
There's a verse in the epistle and I just quoted.
The blessed hope and the glorious appearing.
And we as Christians most often think of the blessed hope that is we're waiting for the Lord Jesus to take us home. But what about the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? We ought to look for both.
And be interested in the truth of both.
And it's so important that we familiarize ourselves.
With Kingdom truth.
You know there's going to come a day.
When the Lord Jesus comes back in power and glory and will reign.
In the very scene where he was.
Rejected and despised.
And we find that John the Baptist in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 3.
In verse two says Repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven.
Is at hand.
And then we find the blessed Lord also makes the same statement in chapter 4. I believe Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now.
That was no doubt referring these versus referred to him coming to reign in power and glory. Heavens rule on the earth.
The Kingdom of Heaven.
But what we do find the king is rejected.
And then the Kingdom takes on a mystical form.
There is a Kingdom.
But.
The Lord is not recognized.
And as I think was mentioned in these meetings, the Lord is not our King.
But he is the King of glory.
And he will come back to reign in power and glory.
And there are parables in Matthew's Gospel that tell us about the Kingdom.
And it's very interesting that it is in Matthew's Gospel.
Because Matthew's Gospel presents the Lord Jesus as King.
Luke's Gospel presents him as the man Christ Jesus.
Mark's Gospel presents him as the servant.
And in John's Gospel, he is presented as the Son of God.
That's why you have no genealogy in John's Gospel. In the beginning was the word. That is as much to say the word at no beginning.
And in Mark, where he is the servant, it is an important where a servant is from. That's why you don't have a genealogy in Mark. But in Matthew, the Gospel of the Kingdom presents our blessed Lord as the King.
And he's rejected.
And then as I already mentioned.
The Kingdom takes on a mystical firm.
And we have these parables, especially in Matthew 13.
The parables of the Kingdom of Heaven.
And uh.
But it was not for everybody to understand.
These things, that's why the Lord says in verse 11.
In verse 11 he says.
Unto them, because it is given unto you, the disciples, to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
And so.
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How wonderful that we have these parables in Matthew that speak of the Kingdom of heaven.
As a young man, I became very much interested in that aspect of the truth.
You know.
I grew up in Germany under this wicked ruler Adolf Hitler, who persecuted the Christians, forbade the brethren to meet. Had he won the war, he would have dealt with us just like he did with the Jews.
You know, but he needed the Germans to help fight the war.
But how wonderful the time is going to come.
When the Lord Jesus comes back as King, and he will reign in power and glory.
But at the present time, while there is a Kingdom.
He is not reigning in power and glory, but there is a sphere where his authority is recognized.
That's the Kingdom of heaven.
In mystical form.
And so we have these parables in Matthew 13.
And so we have.
Verse 24.
Of Chapter 13.
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sought good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sought, sought tears among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in the field somewhere, and stand has a tears?
He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servant said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
And he said Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest.
I will say to the reapers, gather it together first the tares and find them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into the barn.
So the tiers are those who are not real in the Kingdom.
And but at the present time, from this explanation of the law, it is not for his followers to deal with the tears.
In the coming day the Lord will take care of the tares.
And he will gather them out of the Kingdom.
You know, I think that will happen after the church is gone.
There will be still a Kingdom and he will then, in a physical way, deal with the tears.
And but at the present time, it's not for us to deal with, deal with the heretics as the Church has felt responsible to do. And what they actually did is what the Lord said, they killed the real believers.
All you have to do is read the church history.
The Paulinians, how they were treated and why were they called Paulinians?
I believe they were called Paulinians because they were known to take heed and pay attention to Paul's doctrine.
Where do you get the truth of the church in Paul's writings? You know they apparently paid attention to church truth.
They were exterminated, persecuted, wiped out, just about.
But.
We AS2 believers and followers of the Lord Jesus, it's not our business to deal with those who are false.
Now the Kingdom is not church.
You know, and the Kingdom is the real and the false, but when it comes to church truth.
00:10:02
It's a fellowship of Saints. We have to discriminate.
When anybody wants to be in fellowship in the assembly.
That's why we have oversight in the assembly. There are those who have the responsibility to talk to the person. We are not an open fellowship where anybody can come and break bread. There is such a thing as reception to the Lord's Table or being put away from the Lord's Table. We have that in First Corinthians 5.
You know there was a wicked person in First Corinthians 5A moral man.
And it's very interesting that it doesn't say put away the brother.
Put away the wicked person.
It is left open as a question whether he is a brother.
He was dealt with as a wicked person. Not put away the brother put away the wicked person. Thankfully we find from the 2nd Epistle that there was repentance and they were admonished to show grace to this person and take him back in. But when it was necessary to deal with him, he was dealt with as a wicked person. Put out from among yourself that wicked person.
Discipline in the assembly is important, and it is sometimes not a pleasant thing to have to deal. It's never a pleasant thing to deal with evil.
But for the glory of the Lord, it is a necessity to deal with evil.
But in the Kingdom aspect of the truth, the good and the bad are to grow up together.
And in the coming day, the Lord will have the bad seed dealt with. And then there is that which is real.
They will go into the Kingdom.
And in.
Verse 41.
We read, The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom the things that offend, and them which do iniquity. Notice it is the Son of Man will send forth.
Our relationship with the Lord Jesus is with the Son of God who loved us.
And gave himself for us. That's how we know Him. That doesn't mean that we do not know that He is the Son of Man, but He is presented as the Son of Man in connection with the Kingdom.
And he will send forth.
His angels and they will deal with the faults.
And cast them into a furnace of fire that shall be railing and gnashing of teeth.
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear. Let him hear. Notice here it isn't the Kingdom of the Son of Man, it's the Kingdom of the Father. A chose the real reality of true believers. In that coming day. You know there will be true believers even after the Church is gone.
We know that the gospel of the Kingdom will be preached and people will be saved.
But then we also find that in these parables, in Matthew 13, we have that which has to especially deal or is dealing especially with those in the sphere of profession.
All have to do with the peer profession, but.
Then we also find that there is that which is real, and then we find.
There is a treasure hit in the field.
To which when a man has found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he has.
And buy us that field.
You see, that treasure in the field are the true believers, and we can apply that at the present time. But what does he do with the true believers? That treasure? He hides it in the field.
00:15:07
That's our position as Christians in the Kingdom aspect of the truth. We are hidden in the field. We are not expected to be in political power, in control at the present time.
The time will come that we will reign with him, but not at the present time.
We had the treasure hit in the field.
And this is especially presenting what we are to him.
The treasure.
Isn't that wonderful?
That the grace of God has made us part of the treasure, if we are real, if we really know the Lord Jesus as Savior.
And then he buys the field.
Isn't it his?
As the creator.
Certainly as a creator he has claimed on everything, but he has a second claim as the Redeemer and that's how it is presented in Revelation. Who is worth it to open the book?
Or to take the book and open the sale, the Lamb. He has a second claim as the Redeemer, and that claim is made known by Him in Revelation, and he takes the book. And then through judgments the earth is going to be prepared for the glorious reign of Christ.
You know he at times judges nations today.
I believe he did that in Germany.
You know the awful thing that was done by that nation?
Killing six million Jews, one and a half million Gypsies.
Awful, isn't it? Man, you'd think women and children.
I was living there at the time. We didn't know much of what he was doing.
They did cap that quite quiet, you know, it wasn't published all over what he was doing. We found that out after the war.
I found it particularly out when I worked for the Jewish Hospital in Chicago.
You know, there was a lady in the office. She was a neighbor to Hermann Goering, the head of the Air Force. She got out before they could, arrested them. They were rich. And she was managing the office where I was working in Chicago. And I learned from her. And there was another lady there who had been in a concentration camp and survived. I found out from those people what happened.
The Germans even kept that very low. They didn't spread very much about that even after the war. I think they were ashamed of what has happened.
But you know today is going to come when the Lord Jesus will deal.
With all wickedness, and he joined the Kingdom will judge evil every morning.
People won't get away with anything.
Homosexuality, you know, isn't that shameful how they justify it? And if you speak out against it, you're the one that is the bad guy, you know, and many other things.
Well, the day is going to come.
When the Lord Jesus will be the judge and he will judge evil every morning.
And the desire of the nations will have come. What does that mean?
People in the world generally desire peace and the desire that those in government rule righteously. That's generally the desire of people and the desire of the nations will have come when the Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness. At the present time, grace reigns to righteousness. God is able to show grace because of the work of the Lord Jesus.
And grey strains. God has a righteous basis to show grace.
Because of the work of Calvary's cause. But in the Kingdom righteousness will reign.
00:20:01
Evil will be judged.
But in the eternal state, righteousness will dwell. Isn't it wonderful? Is it there wonderful? There is gonna be time on this earth when righteousness will dwell. No evil will come. O pride and blessed scene where sin can never come. Whose side our longing spirit reigns from earth to Iran.
Yes, it is a wonderful thing that the work of the Lord Jesus has not only secured heaven for us, but has also secured a glorious future for the people of Israel and a glorious future for this earth. A new heaven and a new earth will be created, but even in the Millennium, what a wonderful time that will be.
You know who doesn't follow with interest what's going on in the Middle East?
Don't you pity the people, the women and children, what they have to endure.
What we had to endure during the war, not only in Germany.
All over Europe, millions and millions of people being perished.
Starving to death.
After the war especially because of lack of food.
You know, we were living in a city.
We didn't have any land.
And in the spring, when new growth was coming up, my dad would go and gather up.
Something that my mother could use for soup, making soup. She had four boys to feed and my dad.
And I still see her standing there by the stove, making soup, weeping.
Because of the little she had to give to us to eat. Fortunately, things improved. The Marshall Plan helped the German people, you know, it made me respect the Allies. Germany had started an unprovoked war, causing a lot of suffering. And here the winners fed the German people.
And made sure that we wouldn't starve to death.
Well, but in that coming day, there's going to be a Kingdom.
But at the present time, the mystical form of the Kingdom is so important.
And that we especially keep in mind what we find from verse 44 on the treasure hit in the field.
And that's those who are real at the present time.
And then also the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls.
And when he had found one Pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Another picture of the Church, I believe the Pearl of great price, and in order to possess that field, or to possess the Pearl, the Lord Jesus had to suffer.
He sold all.
That he had and fought it in order to have that treasure, in order to have that Pearl.
The Lord Jesus, who was rich for our sakes, became poor that we through his poverty would be made rich. He sold all that He had in order to possess us, to be part of that treasure, to be part of that Pearl, a Pearl of great price.
You know, there are not many ladies that wouldn't like to have a nice Pearl.
I don't find fault with that. Not that we want to overdo it, you know, and.
But I don't think there's anything wrong in having some jewelry.
We wanna, we don't wanna overdo it, but.
The Lord Jesus has a treasure, and he has a Pearl.
But that is his own.
And in order to possess that, he had to sell all that he had.
But then how wonderful the Kingdom of heaven is, like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind.
00:25:12
That's the gospel, isn't it?
And which when it was full, that drew it to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, and cast the bad away.
You know what is the result of the gospel being preached.
We have experienced that, uh, maybe not as much in the Western world as we have experienced it in Malawi and poor countries. You know, uh, gospel is preached, the net is cast out and people want to join and want to be part of this because of what they get out of it.
You know, and they even want to be in fellowship.
And what doesn't always know for sure? Is a person real, or is he only a nominal Christian?
But as time goes on.
The unreal will become manifest.
You know, we have had the painful experience to see people coming in, in Egypt and in Africa.
And we were so happy that they had come in.
But then, as time went on, they proved to be false.
You know they were in for what they could out get out of it.
You know.
And in some cultures.
It is perfectly alright to bake.
You know when they have needs, they contact those that can help them in their need and you have a moral obligation to help them.
That's what Jesse Backton explained to me. That's the culture in India. If you have a need, you go to the person that can help you and he has a moral obligation to help you. Well, I said to him, please try to remember that that's not the way the people in the West look at it. The people in the West look at that as begging. That doesn't mean that we are insensitive to needs, but there are ways in which needs can be made known. Instead of you coming and saying I have a need, give me some.
You know we have an obligation to help.
And what really grieved me very much, not long ago I found out there was a brother gathered to the name of the Lord in Malawi who starved to death.
He starved to death. He didn't have enough to eat.
I would have liked to have known that.
You know, and we had sent things there, but the brother that was handling things apparently didn't know of that particular need.
You know, they don't have the means of communication over there as we have here, you know.
So people starve to death. Christians are starving to death in the world.
Thankfully not many you know, but there are many who are not Christians that are starving to death.
And what grieved me so much?
In Malawi was to see children running around there with their stomach sticking out. You know why they stick out?
Undernourished.
Don't get enough to eat?
You know, and you would like to help them all and you don't have enough.
To help them all, you do what you can.
But.
Well, to our needs.
And.
But the main responsibility we have is not too much feeding the hungry, although that's part of our Christian responsibility. It is to meet the spiritual needs.
And what we have also found is when people get to be Christians.
They also understand what it says in the New Testament. If a man doesn't provide for his own, he has denied the faith in his worse than an infidel.
You know, in some of these cultures, the men don't do a thing. The women have to go to work. They have to work on the fields. The men sit around, do nothing.
Or practically nothing.
But if a man doesn't provide for his own, he has denied the faith and is worse than infidel. David Whittaker quoted that when he was with us there many times. If a man doesn't provide for his owning as denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.
00:30:10
It's the husband's responsibility especially to provide for his own. There might be times when, for health reasons or whatever, he can't.
And then she might have to go to work.
And provide, but that is really the main responsibility.
Fellows, listen, are you preparing yourself for your responsibility in the future? If you wanna get married and have a family, would you be able to provide for them? You have no business getting married if you're not in a position to provide for your own.
You know.
Learn a trade.
Qualify or get into a position to qualify.
For some kind of work.
But how wonderful. Our biggest responsibility.
Is to work for the Lord to have part.
In catching fish.
There is in Wausau, WI a Christian publishing place.
And the title is Five floors and Two Fishes. It's nice, isn't it? 5 loaves and two fishes. That's what the Lord had to feed the multitude. And they used that to advertise their Christian book room.
But there's hell. There is a hell.
Was 50.
Offers 49. The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire.
There shall be veiling and gnashing of teeth.
Hell is a reality.
Some people argue and say a God of love does not cast anybody into hell.
Well, read the Bible.
We had a warm diet nut and the fire is not quenched. Do you need anything more clear?
You know if there's anybody that is unsafe in this room, If you want to know what hell it's like, put your finger for just a short time into a flame. You know what hell is going to be like. You're not only with a finger in hell with a whole body, and the body will not be burned up.
We had a warm diet nut and a fire is not quenched.
Well.
The Lord says, have he understood all these things? They say unto him, Yeah, Lord.
And said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed into the Kingdom of heaven is like unto a man, that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure thanks new and old.
You know, we should have a treasure and gather up things that we can use.
And things do. And all that doesn't mean we're looking for new revelations.
But is there anybody in this room that knows it all, that doesn't have to do some gathering in?
Things new doesn't mean new revelations, but for that individual there are things that are new.
And to have a treasure.
You know the Word of God is a treasure, and the more you come to know and enjoy of it, the greater your treasure is. And what's the subject of that treasure of that book? The Bible, our blessed Lord.
In one way or another, all scripture has to do with the Lord Jesus.
Find Christ in the Scriptures, even in the Old Testament.
00:35:00
You know the offerings.
You know there is this publication Christ has seen in the offerings.
You know, I came to enjoy that so much to see Christ in these offerings. When God introduced these sacrifices, he gave pictures of what is perfectly demonstrated in the person of the Lord Jesus. He's the burnt offering. That's what he has forgotten. That was completely burned up. Nothing was for the priest. The only thing that was for him was the skin. You know, that speaks of the garment of righteousness.
You know, but then you have the meal offering.
You know, there was a handful given to the Lord, and the rest was food for the priestly family. And as Christians, we're all priests.
And I hope we enjoy Feeding on Christ, the meal offering.
You know, and then he is the sin offering, you know, and all these various aspects of the death of the Lord Jesus. You know, if you want to come to understand more of what took place when the Lord Jesus went to the cross, get into the typical teachings of the Old Testament. That illustrates a lot of New Testament truth.
If you get the spiritual lesson.
Do you read the Old Testament?
Or do you say, well, that was for the Jew, you know?
Timothy from a child knew the Holy Scriptures. There was number New Testament scripture at that time.
Which would have came wise unto salvation. You can get saved by reading the Old Testament.
If you come to see Christ in it, you know, the typical teachings of the Old Testament, you know, uh, I don't want to boast and please don't take it that way. But we met people through my work that were Christians. And then when I took care of their son who needed my services, then I would always make a few comments. I wouldn't overwhelm them of Christian truth, you know?
And.
To then.
They said, you know, why don't we have some Bible study? We like to get into the Old Testament. You know, they had not. They belonged to a New Testament church.
That's how some people call it. You know, they neglected the Old Testament and they came to see through the little contact that they had. There was a lot of wonderful things in the Old Testament, and that's what we did for six years. We went through the Old Testament.
You know, I benefited very much from that for myself. Why? Because I had to be able to explain it, you know, and I meditated on it. I read helpful ministry.
Young fellows here and ladies, do you make use of the written ministry that we have?
Do you make use of it?
I hope you do.
What I have to present is not what I have all personally dug up.
I had the privilege of growing up amongst brother and so-called my grandparents were there already and I learned a lot from those men, from those people and I owe much to them. I still love them. I'm sorry I can't walk with some of those that I grew up among.
But I still love them and I appreciate it, the help that they were to me. But we have in English much more help available than what we had in Germany.
We had Macintosh.
You know.
And Macintosh is very nice, especially for those who are new in the faith, you know.
He does all the chewing for you.
When you read Darby, you know, you better know something of the subject that he is talking about, or it goes over your head, you know. And when you read Kelly.
You know he has been called the Irish St. and Scholar.
Kelly has made Darby simple.
Standard is another one.
00:40:00
Edward Dennett. He has written as much, but what he has written is very easily understood.
Bible Truth Publishers still has these writings available.
Get him.
It will help you come to a fuller enjoyment of the truth and perhaps helps you to share the truth with others you know.
We learned from others, but.
How wonderful.
That we have not only church truth, that we have Kingdom truth. And there is a side to the Kingdom that is clearly shown in Matthew's gospel. That's the gospel of the Kingdom, you know, presents the Lord Jesus as the king.
Well, I hope.
Some of what was pointed out will be a help or perhaps even encourage some of us to look into things more thoroughly. You know, and I hope we all have the habit of reading the Bible every day for ourselves. What about the family? Do you have a family altar?
Do you sit down with the family and read the scriptures and pray with them?
It's our responsibility as parents to share the truth.
It's wonderful that we can go to meeting with the kids and that they can go to Sunday school.
But you heard me say that before. If you would only have two meals a week, how long would you live?
You know you have to feed your soul every day.
And you, as parents, have the responsibility to feed your children with spiritual food.
You know, I'm so thankful that.
I was exposed from a little boy aunt like Timothy to the Holy Scriptures.
You know, and there never was a time, I can honestly say that, that I resented that the scriptures were read in our home. I never resented that.
And it was early in my life that I wanted to understand more of the scriptures.
And, you know, during the war.
There was a lot of turmoil in the industrial area where I lived and that affected.
Our Christian life, even in the family.
And we were forbidden to meet.
And.
There were relatives, all of our relatives met secretly, you know, and but we couldn't always go along. Sometimes the parents would go alone, but most of the time they took us along. And so how thankful it is one can be that like Timothy from a child, we know the Holy Scriptures will make.
Which will make us wise unto salvation. So be thankful fellows and girls.
That you're exposed to the viable. Do you ever thank the Lord that you have been and that you are exposed to that and then.
Ask the Lord, please help me understand what is being read. And when you read the scriptures for yourself, ask him, please help me to understand, you know, line up online, hear a little, hear a little, you know.
But spiritual laziness is not going to be blessed.
There has to be diligence, spiritual diligence.
You know, it's just like a man has to provide for his family in a material way, but he has to also provide in a spiritual way, you know, and the mother.
You know, sometimes.
The man in the house doesn't have what it takes.
To expand the scriptures, but hopefully the mother has it, you know?
I had a godly mother.
And what we have as boys, we owe more to our mother.
She would bring the scriptures before us. She would quote the scriptures and bring the light of the scriptures in any situation.
That would arise. My father had a brother.
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Who, like himself, had grown up in a Christian home. Grandpa was much used of the Lord to teach the Scriptures, but he was not saved and he lived in sin. He lived in immorality with somebody else's wife.
You know, and then there was a bombing rate.
And he went out to fight the fire.
And a bomb dropped near him and he was cut to shreds and I was evacuated in Beguidus village. My uncle lived there.
My mother wrote us.
Uncle Fritz was killed in a bombing raid, she says. I cannot help but think of the Scripture. He that is often rebuked, hardening his neck, shall be suddenly destroyed and dead without remedy. That Scripture fit that situation to a tee, didn't it?
Well, I hope there's nobody here that like my Uncle Fritz.
Will turn away completely from it and not get saved and then live in the world. Live in sin.
He had all the opportunity.
To get saved, he visited my father shortly before he was killed in a bombing raid.
And my father once more tried to reach him, reach his conscience. He brushed it all aside.
That was, you might say, the last opportunity that he had to hear somebody try to reach his conscience.
Well, here he grew up in a Christian home. Well, how sad.
That's not an isolated case, unfortunately.
You know, to grow up.
In a Christian home under Christian influence. Go to meeting from a little boy on go to Sunday school.
You know, I went to Sunday school as a little boy.
But I was a teenager before I had assurance of salvation. Of course the war came in, and then there wasn't.
Much going on in the way of meeting for some time, but anyway, we don't know whether we will have tomorrow in our life. Today is the day of salvation. Today when we hear His voice. Do not harden your heart. You know that's what the scripture tells us so well.
But to come back, the Kingdom truth is so important.
Familiarize yourself with it.
The Lord Jesus is the King. He is the Lord. He is the Bridegroom. You know we know him as the bridegroom. We know him as our head, as Christians, but he is also Lord, the Lord of our individual lives. To say that he is my King is not Christian truth. He is my Lord. You know He is in control.
But he is also king, and we look forward to the day when he will come back to reign in power and glory.
And bring us along. Isn't it wonderful that He will have a place of power and rule in the very place where He was rejected and despised? We will rejoice to see it all and have part in it, even Mother Grace, not only to save our souls but to also share the Kingdom glory with us. We will reign with Him. But there is a difference in the Kingdom.
There is no difference in heaven.
We are all gonna be there because of the work of the Lord Jesus.
But in the Kingdom, some will be over 10 cities, some will be over less cities. According to faithfulness, there will be a greater or smaller position in the Kingdom.
And there will be crowns given.
And what do we find the Saints doing with the crowns in Revelation? They cast them at the feet of the Lord Jesus, as much as to say, if there was anything in my life that was for the glory of God, it is because of the grace of God that enabled it.
And to enable me to live for him. So may the Lord bless His word.
I'd just like to preface my remarks by underscoring something that was said yesterday.
Regarding honey, and that is the honey was not found in the offerings.
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And that's found in Acts.
Chapter 17 and the reason for this practice is just to.
Umm, prevent misunderstanding in what I'm about to.
Present, and that's in Acts chapter 17.
And verse 24.
Follow whenever he is, uh, presenting Jesus to the Athenians, declares to them in verse 24, God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with man's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing He giveth to all life and breath and all things.
Today there is much confusion, I believe, in the differentiation between service.
And worship.
When it comes to worshipping the Lord, there is no honey in the offering simply because He doesn't need it. However, the Lord has given us honey in our lives, and I think that's important to realize that we don't.
Become, as sometimes Christians are accused by the world of being unhappy or morose people of sorrow. That is not what should characterize us as believers. We should be characterized by joy.
Joy, as is often pictured in the Word of God by honey or wine.
And honey is what I'd like to look at today.
And I would just like to look at a couple passengers, first of all in Exodus chapter 16.
This is the passage where mana is given to the children of Israel as a source of sustenance for their journey through the wilderness. And certainly we are in a wilderness journey today, and the Lord has given us manna.
The Word of God, something that if we partake of each and every day, we will find joy and contentment in our journey. Surely all of us have discovered that whenever we neglect that, joy disappears very quickly. And there's just one aspect of manna that I'd like to look at in verse.
31 The House of Israel of chapter 16 of Exodus.
And the House of Israel called the name thereof Manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
It was pleasant, it was joyful. You might say it was something that they could.
Enjoy in their daily life. I think you could say that in the wilderness journey there was a lot of problems. That becomes quite evident as you read through the story. And they complained a lot and they had a lot of difficulties, real difficulties.
And difficulties that caused them to stumble in disbelief, stumble and.
Really blaming the Lord for their difficulties, when in fact it was their unbelief that brought them into those difficulties.
But nevertheless, each and every day, without fail, the Lord provided them manna.
And this manna tasted like wafers made with honey sweetness.
Joy, even in the midst of a difficult pathway.
The second passage I'd like to look at is in First Samuel.
Chapter 14.
And I won't read the whole story, but this is the story of the same old story, you might say, of the Israelites in battle with the Philistines.
It happens over and over again, and certainly in our life the same battles happen over and over again. We wake up in the morning and we think, well, surely the thing that we struggled with yesterday, we will no longer have to struggle with that today because we destroyed that enemy. But it's not too long and we're trudging down the path and lo and behold, boom, that same old energy, that same old enemy pops up in our path. The Philistine certainly is a picture of that in the Old Testament.
In fighting against God's people.
In.
1St 24 of First Samuel 14 The men of Israel were distressed that day in their battle against the Philistines.
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For Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may, that I may be avenged on mine enemies.
So none of the people tasted any food.
Now, it doesn't take much of A military mind to realize that this is not a very good idea.
When it comes to military battle, you need energy, you need food, you need something to sustain the body as it's being put under the ravages of war.
And verse 25 And all they of the land came to a wood, and there was honey upon the ground.
And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
But Jonathan heard naughty when his father charged the people in the oath, wherefore he put forth.
Wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in on honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth.
And his eyes were enlightened.
Then answered one of the people and said, Thy father straightly charged the people with an oath, saying, cursed be the man that eateth any food this day.
And the people were faint. Then said Jonathan, my father hath troubled the land. See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
And much more, if happily, the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found.
For had there not been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
And there are several applications that can be taken from this passage.
But today I would I What I was struck with this passage recently was that.
Jonathan, Really.
Won the battle that day because he partook of the honey that the Lord provided for the people.
So you might say in a.
In an overhanded manner, had told the people not to eat of anything. They were strictly to be in battle. They weren't to eat anything that day except fight against the Philistines.
But they needed sustenance. They needed joy for their journey.
They couldn't defeat the Philistines apart from that which the Lord had provided them, in this case the honey dropping upon the ground.
Sugar in a very practical means.
But in a spiritual means, in spiritual things, there is much joy to be found in the Word of God.
Much, honey, that even when we're traveling through a land full of sorrow, certainly we look around the world today and we see much sorrow, much difficulty, things that really discourage us throw us down.
Put rounds upon our faces at least many times. I find that for myself.
But that's not the way the Lord wants us to be. The Lord wants us to have joy in our life. He wants us to have.
Victory.
He wants us.
To go and fight the Philistines. But he wants us to do that with sustenance in our belly, so to speak. He wants us to have spiritual sustenance.
It's also interesting that the land of Cain and the land that they were the children of Israel were to umm.
Conquer and take for themselves was allowed, characterized by the land flowing with milk and honey, while certainly the rivers weren't, you know, milk rivers, nor were there streams of honey.
But that metaphor is something that speaks of a land that even in the midst of battle and discouragement.
Bickering, fighting, complaining against the Lord. The Lord still provided those things for His people.
He still provided joy for the journey.
There's just one more passage I'd like to look at and it's umm.
Really ties in with the glorious appearing of the Lord when he sets up his Kingdom.
And that's found in Isaiah Chapter 7.
Isaiah Chapter 7 and verse 21.
And it shall come to pass in that day that a man shall nourish a young cow in two sheep. And it shall come to pass for the abundance of milk that they shall give that.
That they shall give, that he shall eat butter. For butter and honey shall everyone eat that is left in the land. My dad likes this purse. He likes to eat butter and honey with a little bit of bread.
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And I think that's really what in a spiritual sense, what this verse brings before us. The Lord in the in the coming day, in the millennial reign will provide much milk and honey, butter and honey, fatness and joy for those people that are left in the land after a period of time.
That, the Word of God says, will be unlike anything before or after a period of judgment and.
And terrible.
A terrible day, but nevertheless, following that day there will be a land flowing with milk and honey once again.
But we have honey today. I believe in the word of God, much of it. Much honey, much joy.
But we must be careful and as we discern as we divide the word of truth in a in a right manner that we don't mix up the honey that the Lord has given for us to enjoy in our in our walk through this life.
With what He requires of us in worship to Him, He does not need the honey given back. He does not want that. That extra bit that really titillates our own flesh and makes us feel good.
He has given us much joy, much many things that make us.
Gives us hope in this journey.
But we must be careful not to.
Confuse the difference between what He requires of us and what He gives to us.
By God's grace and help.
We want to look at a few scriptures. We've talked about the New Testament and the New Testament. We've talked about the Old Testament.
And what came before me was a verse in Romans, Romans chapter 15.
Romans chapter 15 and verse 4.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.
That takes in the Old Testament too, isn't it? The Word of God, God's written word. And as we've already talked a little bit about the Old Testament, the children of Israel, I had a few thoughts brought before me.
Concerning.
Us here today.
The young people, the older people, the middle-aged, everyone of us, the children.
Let's look in Exodus chapter 3.
The children of Israel there were many lessons to be learned as we follow their.
Their pathway and it's been very touching to my own soul.
And exercise to my own soul that I might trust wholly in the Lord.
For my life down here.
The children of Israel were chosen people, God's chosen people.
And we're chosen too, aren't we?
Were chosen in him before the foundation of the world.
What a portion that is to just lay hold of, meditate upon. Chosen him before the foundation of the world. Why did he choose me? Why did he choose you? There's nothing good in me, but God loved you and God loved me. And God wanted to bless us, to bring us in the blessing, not for only time, but for all eternity. And so we read here concerning the children of Israel in chapter 3 and starting with verse 7.
And the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my people.
Which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters.
For I know their sorrows, and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
And to bring them up out of that land, onto a good land, and a large onto a land flowing with milk and honey.
And on to the place, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorite, the Parasites, the Hibites and the Jebusites.
Now, therefore, behold the choir, the children of Israel.
And I have also seen the pressure wherein the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send them unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. Oh, isn't it wonderful?
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Here they were, sorrowing, suffering from the hands of Egyptians, their taskmasters. But here's a word from God. He was going to bring them out, He said. I will. I've seen your affliction. I've seen what you're going through.
And I'm hearing, and I'm going to bring you out unto a land the flows with milk and honey. That's a promise of God to them. Well, let's turn over to numbers.
We know that here afterwards Pharaoh would not let them go in between this time, but God made him let them go. He made him willing to let them go. So Numbers chapter 13, we're not read all the chapter for for times sake.
Numbers 13, verse one.
And the Lord speaking to Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I given on the show of Israel of every tribe of their fathers.
Shall you send a man, everyone, a ruler among them, and Moses by the commandment of the Lord?
Sent them from the wilderness of Perrin. All those men were heads of the children of Israel.
And so everyone from every tribe were picked, and we see that in verse 17 now.
Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, get you up this way southward and go up into the mountain.
And see the land what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many, and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad. And what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents or in strongholds. And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether it be wood they're in or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring her the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes. So they went up and searched the land for the wilderness of sin.
Unto rehab.
As men come to Haman.
And they ascended. By the South came the Hebron, and so forth. Verse 23.
And they came under the brook of Esco, and cut down from thence branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bear it between two upon a staff. And they brought to the pomegranates and of the figs. The place was called the brook Esco, because of the cluster of grapes with the children of Israel cut down from dents. Oh, here they are told to spy out the land.
And so they go forward and they come to the vineyard, and here this great large cluster of grapes.
They cut it down and they brought it.
And they returned in verse 25 from the searching of the land after 40 days.
And they went and came to Moses and Aaron, and all the Congress of the cure of Israel under the wilderness of Peron Kadish, and brought backward unto them unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.
And they told him, and said, We came up, came unto the land.
Without sentence us, and surely it flowed with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it.
They saw it, didn't they?
We just had it brought before us about the milk and honey from our brother.
And they went, and they saw this wonderful land that God had told him about.
What was the answer? Verse 28?
Nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled and very great, and moreover, we saw the children of Anak there.
Giants. Giants of the land. They got their eyes off looking around.
God said he would bring them into that land God had promised them.
Nevertheless, they look around, they see all these obstacles.
In the way And don't we do that sometimes? Or how sad sometimes we obstacles are brought before us by the enemy?
And we forget for a moment what God can do and what God has done in our lives.
How is redeemed with his precious blood at such a cost?
Well, here the people look, and not only that. Verse 29. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South, the High Kites, the Jebusites, the Amorites dwelling in the mountains, and the Canaanites dwell with this sea and the coast of Jordan. Oh, what a confusion.
All of these enemies, they were in the mountains, they were down, they were here, they were there, they were all around.
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Children of giants, the great large giants, they were afraid.
They looked around.
Oh, God wants us to look up. Look up to the Son of God.
Who can do all things well?
Oh, in verse 30 we see Caleb still the people before Moses.
And said, let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able.
To overcome it.
How was he well able?
Was he counting upon his strength?
God had told him.
That he would bring them into that land.
And he believed God, you know, he came out of came out there from.
In that wilderness, Joshua and Caleb, they came out later on in that wilderness.
They were the only two that were alive, that were older, that came out alive because they believed God.
He says we are able to overcome it.
Oh, how sad, read the 31St verse. But the man went that went up with him, said we are not able.
To go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.
All, beloved, we're weaker than water spill on the ground that cannot be gathered up. We cannot trust ourselves. We trust in the Lord.
Who sought it pound us and brought us to Himself? Our strength is in the name of the Lord.
How sad the enemy came in.
And it's sad to see that they said we're not able, Caleb said. We are able.
When God is in it, everything goes well.
If God be for us, who can be against us? Oh, isn't it wonderful?
Here it is brought before him, the man of God, Caleb said. We are well able.
Verse 32.
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched under the tour of Israel, saying.
The land through which we have gone to search it, it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great statue. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come out of the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. So we were in, so we were in their sight.
You know.
When you think about it.
They had no power within themselves.
They said we're not able, no power in themselves, but Caleb said we are able because he trusted in the word of God.
Do you trust in the Word of God? You know we're living in a day where many are giving up.
Throwing up their hands and saying what's the use?
Oh dear young people, and each one of us.
If God be for us, who can be against us? We have the power of God. We who know the Lord Jesus our Savior have the Spirit of God indwelling in US.
And we can go forward in that power. Not my own, not your own.
But it's the power of God, and so I urge you to trust in the living God.
My dear brother, one time he said, spread it before the Lord, or spread it all out before the Lord, and tell the Lord your weakness.
In your need of help And he'll help you and you'll be strong. You'll be an overcomer.
Here.
They fell short.
Because they were looking at the men there, the giants.
And they forgot what God had said.
Caleb told them We are well able.
Caleb stressed that before them, Caleb did.
And they were, because God could take them through.
But uh, the enemy is subtle and he sneaks in and he works in our hearts so quickly and it's our belief. And that's why they couldn't come into the land. You know, they were only 11 days journey to Canaan, 11 days.
40 years it took them to get to that point.
Because of unbelief.
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And that's all. And we lose all of our blessings because of unbelief. And I have to point to myself.
I'm loose, I I lose blessings of the Lord because upon belief, oh, may we trust the Lord fully, May I trust the Lord fully because what the Lord Jesus says he will do.
Well, just another quick verse or time is almost gone then Joshua.
Chapter One.
Moses had died in the wilderness, and now Joshua.
Was going to leave lead them into Canaan's land.
Verse one Joshua 11. Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass.
That the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun Moses minister, saying.
Moses, my servant is dead. Now therefore rise. Go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, and the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread, upon that have I given you, as I said unto Moses. Now down in verse six, Be strong and have a good courage. For unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance of land which I swear to their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and courageous.
Only beta, strong and courageous.
Where were they going to get their strength?
From the Lord, Joshua is going to be their leader.
And so they were given a word of encouragement there to be strong and very courageous.
Well, you know, the blessing of the Lord make the rich, and he has no sorrow to it. We read that in in Proverbs 10/22. And that's what the Lord wants to do to every one of us in this audience today. He wants to bless us.
He wants to bless us. Do you want the blessing of the Lord, or do you want sorrow in your life?
It's up to you, dear one.
It's up to you to humble yourself. It's up to me to humble myself. Take that low place.
Of nothingness and trust the Lord Jesus, who is everything.
If God be for us, who can be against us? If God be for us, who can be against us?
You know, we're living in trying days now and it's not gonna get any better. The Lord's coming is perhaps even yet today.
We're looking for him, aren't we? But if the Lord should leave us here a little longer, it's not going to get any better.
What are we gonna do with our life? Are we going to listen to the enemy, the giants of this world?
Those that would try to pull us down, we are going to listen to the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior in heaven and live for Him. You know when I was growing up in my home, we had one little verse that wasn't a plaque.
But if said.
Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last.
What are you doing for Christ today? What am I doing for Christ? It exercises my heart.
This is the word of God, and it should exercise each heart. It's not my word, it's God's word, God's word. We have only one life to live. Are we living for self? Are we living for the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who bought us with his precious blood? The cost in those hours of darkness? Well.
That's a little that I had laid on my heart this afternoon as these other thoughts were brought about with the two other brothers From the Word of God. Because it's from the Word of God.
So let's trust him wholly. Let's receive the blessing the Lord has for us.
Because He blesses us richly.
He wants to bless us, He wants us to live for Him.
Shine for him while we wait for His coming. All may I do that, may you do that, and we might receive the blessing of the Lord with no sorrow added.
Jesus & Pilate
Gospel—R. Klassen Jr.
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A brother asked at a Sunday school many years ago. He said what's the best time?
To accept Jesus as your savior. And he said, I figured that the answer would be right now, and that's a good answer.
But he said to his surprise, a little girl in the room raised her hand and she said the best time to receive Jesus is the first time you hear about him.
And then she went on to say, that's what my dad and my mom and my brother and I did. The first time we heard about Jesus, we accepted him as our Savior. Let's turn to Matthew chapter 27. I'm going to read a number of scriptures tonight and I ask your pardon. And if you get tired of following along, just listen.
Matthew 27 and verse one. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel.
Against Jesus to put him to death. When they had bound him, they led him away.
And delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Let's skip down to verse 11. And Jesus stood before the governor, And the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
Then said Pilate unto him, Herest thou not how many things they witnessed against thee?
And he answered him to never a word, in so much that the governor marvelled greatly.
Now at that feast, the governor was won't to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would.
And they have then a notable prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them.
Whom we whom will ye that I release unto you Barabbas, or Jesus, which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man? For I've suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Abbas.
And destroy Jesus, the governor answered, and said unto them, Whither of the twain will ye that I release unto you?
They said Barabbas, Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?
They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified, when Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing.
But that rather a tumult was made. He took water and washed his hands before the multitude.
Saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person, see to it. Then answered all the people, and said, his blood be on us and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him.
To be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe, and when they had planted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head in a Reed in his right hand.
And they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying Hail King of Jews. And they spit upon him, and took the Reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him.
And led him away to crucify him.
Verse 37 And he set up over his head, his accusation written, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and the other on the left?
And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroy us the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Verse 44. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
Now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the land until the 9th hour and about the 9th hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli, Lama Sabachthani. That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
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Verse 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And then let's turn to Luke chapter 23. We know that this account is in all four of the Gospels.
There are a few points that I do want to pick up at the different ones.
Luke chapter 23 and verse four then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people.
I find no fault in this man. And they were more fierce, saying he stirreth up the people teaching throughout all jewelry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean, and as soon as he knew that, he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction.
He sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he'd heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned him in many words.
But he answered him nothing, and the chief priests and the scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
And Herod with his men of war, set him at Naughty and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe.
And sent him again to Pilate.
Let's read one more verse for right now in Matthew chapter 12.
Read a couple of verses, Matthew chapter 12 and verse 30. This is the Lord Jesus speaking, He that is not with me.
Is against me, and he that gathereth gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
And then in verse 36. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the days of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words.
Thou shalt be condemned.
Well, the person that we want to speak up tonight is the Lord Jesus Christ. And you know, we're we read of the day when he was on trial in this world.
I don't know how many of us have been on trial, maybe for a traffic ticket or something, but I think we know the order. There's a judge, there's the accused, there are those that are prosecuting, those are defending usually, but not in this trial.
And the man that was over this trial, the judge, was a man named Pilate.
A man named Pilot who apparently had a wife that he valued. You know, when men climb in this world, they they often have a wife. I think the same. I don't know exactly how it goes, but something like behind every successful man is is a successful woman or a tremendous woman, a woman that helped him get there. And so in this trial, when the Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God stood before the.
This multitude that hated him.
He got a message.
And perhaps this wasn't uncommon. In the middle of everything, he was handed a note.
A note from his wife and we read it. It said have nothing to do.
With this, with that, just man Speaking of Jesus.
For I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
But you know, Pilot no doubt had followed her counsel because those of us that are married know that our wives are a tremendous health. They have an intuition. They have an insight that we don't have. We may have logic and and objective thinking sometimes and we overlook things. And so A-Team, A-Team of a man and a wife and this man in the middle of the trial or perhaps at the beginning of it, I don't know when it was got this note, have nothing to do.
With this just man, and you know, as we read through here, we see that Pilate tried to follow that advice.
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He valued his wife's advice.
But it was fatal advice. And if you're here tonight?
And you've more or less had nothing to do with the man that you've been told so much of, the Lord Jesus.
Perhaps it's because you want to leave that alone.
I'm glad you're here. This was a happy day, wasn't it? And the Lord gives his people happy days.
He's so good.
But again, my concern tonight is for you. Have you ever?
Yourself. Personally.
Come to the Lord Jesus Christ.
In regard to your sins and accepted him as your savior.
I'm not asking you if you followed a formula. You know Pilate. I think if you gave him a formula that day you would have been so thankful for it, but he couldn't.
And all the while he tried to avoid having to do with Jesus.
But he couldn't, you know, the first time when he heard that he was from Galilee, he thought, ah.
Herod's here in town, and that's his jurisdiction. Herod can settle that answer.
And some perhaps.
If we're children and we were raised in a Christian home.
You've been told many times that your dad and mom can't believe for you.
They've done a lot for you and they love you, but they can't believe for you. You personally have to do with the Lord Jesus Christ and you can't get out of it.
You may think you have and maybe today to date this date you feel you have, but you know we read in that in Matthew 12, the Lord Jesus said he that is not with me.
Is against me.
When it comes to the Lord Jesus, you can't be neutral. You can't be.
And it's remarkable that everybody that had to do with the Lord Jesus on that day.
They didn't stay neutral. Everyone of them were affected.
When the Lord Jesus went to Herod.
Which pilot was so glad to hand him off to Herod? Well, Herod was looking forward to seeing him. I don't know why he never saw the Lord Jesus, for we know that the Lord Jesus for three years did many miracles.
And he covered many miles, but he had never seen the Lord Jesus. He'd heard about him just like you have.
And he was just curious. He wanted to see the Lord Jesus do a miracle.
And so in the Lord Jesus appeared before him. He began to question him.
And the Lord never answered him a word. Can you imagine that scene? A scene where a dignitary and he's asking questions of a person?
A man that's accused and he doesn't say a word.
I think it would have been kind of hard to be in that room. It would have been most uncomfortable to just see the Lord Jesus, the Son of God.
Stand and look while you asked him questions and not say anything. Why didn't he say anything?
Didn't he care about Herod?
Ah, Herod didn't care about him.
Herod had had a man tell him about Jesus.
John the Baptist.
And he'd heard. He'd heard it more than once. And Herod had been told about his wicked life.
And how he needed his savior.
And you know what he did? He silenced that voice in death. He cut off John the Baptist's head.
He was unaffected, he was unmoved by what he heard, and the Lord Jesus wasn't going to say anything to him.
That song you know if you're here tonight.
And you're hearing about the Lord Jesus, the one that we sang tonight is the Savior of sinners.
You're accountable for how you accept this message, and you will either reject it or accept it.
You say I'll ignore it. You can't.
Can't. You can't remain neutral either. You're with him.
Or you're against him.
But Herod wasn't the only one.
You know when he was at Herod's and the Lord never said anything. Before he left, we read how Herod's soldiers dressed him up in a robe and mocked him.
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They marked the Son of God.
You see, they couldn't remain neutral.
No, and neither can you. And that's what song to my own soul tonight, if you're here and you know the message just as well as I do.
But you haven't come. You won't stay static.
You will progress.
You know, it's, it's remarkable to me.
Because even the thieves that were crucified with the Lord Jesus.
They weren't unmoved either.
It's hard to imagine men, they're on their way out to die and to die at death.
It's horrible, I guess the most horrible death that man ever thought up. That's the death he awarded to the Lord Jesus Christ.
But why would these men who know they're going to be dead by the end of that day?
Who are who are headed for torture and suffering?
Why would they spend any breath turning to cast those same words of mockery?
And cursing that the Lord Jesus Christ.
Was it because he had done anything?
You know, Pilate said more than once as he examined him and cross examined him.
As he listened to all these false accusations and you know, of Pilate, this isn't the first trial he'd had.
He marvelled. He never seen a man.
Who is being falsely accused time after time? And Pilate knew that they were false accusations, and he observed the Lord Jesus, and to see that he never said anything then either. And yet he well knew that.
His life was on the line.
Pilate asked the Lord. Can't you hear what they're saying about you?
But you know the Lord Jesus.
He'd been the night before in the Garden of Gethsemane.
And he knew what was before him.
And he knew the awfulness of it. Sometimes we dread something that's in front of us, but we don't really know.
What all it will involve, We're just afraid of it. But the Lord Jesus knew what was ahead of him as he went to the cross and that night.
That night, with all of that weighing upon him, he bowed to God and said, Nevertheless, not my will be done with thine.
And so as he goes, Isaiah says he went like a sheep to the slaughter.
You know sheep, they just follow the one in front of them.
The Lord Jesus didn't go as a sheep to the slaughter and ignorance, but He went as a sheep to the slaughter in willingness.
In submission and if you think of that day, how many times he was.
I don't want to say drug because he wasn't drug, he followed them, but how he went to, first of all, the high priests.
Palace and there was abused you know they put a blindfold over his eyes and then they.
Hit him as hard as they could, I'm sure on the side of his face. And then they said prophecy.
Who struck thee?
I think it was because they couldn't look in his eyes.
But again.
These thieves.
Why? Why would they bother?
Why wasn't there any sympathy with them to say?
You know he's in the same boat as we are.
Poor man.
But it shows who he was. It shows that you can't remain neutral. And thank God one of those thieves he turned, but at first he cast the same at his teeth.
But I think he got in on the little visit that Pilate and the Lord Jesus had.
And I say that because of what he said. But you know, we read about the passers by.
Two and verse 30 they that pass by reviled him.
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Wagging their heads. You know somebody is just passing by.
They usually don't bother with what's going on around them. They may have been walking along, visiting, engrossed in what they were doing, but as they came to that scene of the Lord Jesus on the cross, they couldn't pass by.
Without chiming in, isn't that remarkable?
They too.
And seeing thou that destroyeth the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
And perhaps they went on their way.
And so you see tonight, dear one.
You can't remain neutral.
You will make a decision.
Then all don't be. Don't listen to pilots wife.
Have nothing to do.
With this righteous man, this just man, you have to do with him. We heard about it last night.
All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven.
Given among men, whereby we must be saved.
We think sometimes this hymn.
I see the crowd in Pilot's Hall, their furious cries. I hear.
Their shouts of crucify appall their cursing fills my ear.
And in that.
Forget it here for a moment.
Yeah, I'm sorry. And in that Dana voice is rude. I recognize my own. I've skipped a line. But then it says I see the scourgers Wren flesh of God's beloved Son, and as thy smite I feel afresh that I of them AM 1.
I see that throng around the cross.
That mocked the sufferers grown, yet still my voice, it seems to me.
As if I mocked alone, I crucified the Christ of God.
I joined the mockery.
You know, it's a wonderful moment. It's a solemn moment.
When I come to the realization that went on that day, the crucifixion.
The judgment, the condemnation of a man.
Who, how many times was it said, and it was said from an array of people, different perspectives. The man that betrayed him said I betrayed innocent blood. And that's something the one that betrayed him to death, his testimony and he walked with the Lord Jesus for three years, 3 1/2 years, He said I betrayed innocent blood.
Pilot's wife said. Have nothing to do with that, just a righteous man, Pilate himself, as he examined the Lord Jesus said.
I find no fault in the other translation says whatever.
And him Isn't that remarkable. Have you ever known anyone that no one could find any fault with him?
Wouldn't that make a wonderful savior?
One that's absolutely pure and holy.
One who, when he was here, went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed.
Why was he on trial then?
You know the thief, said this man, the one that turned to the Lord Jesus at last.
He said, this man hath done nothing amiss.
Could that be said of anyone else in this world? You know it couldn't.
Why then, was he crucified?
You know, says and Isaiah that he was taken from judgment.
He was taken from prison and from judgment.
What does that mean?
Well, we know what it means. He was taken from judgment because we've been speaking about that. They brought in false accusers.
But the testimony from that array of people, a criminal from a man that walked with him.
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From the judge himself.
All to testify is to his.
Really to his perfection, but certainly to his guiltlessness.
But it was a kangaroo court.
They'd already decided before they started, and so he was taken from judgment. But I understand that even if a man was condemned to death, they always kept him in jail overnight.
Just in case.
I understand since they can track DNA that they've realized that.
They've punished men that weren't really guilty of the crime that they were punished for.
But you know, there's never been a travesty of judgment like this. Never.
There's none that could have ever been said about them. They've done nothing amiss.
No, they were suspect enough that they were condemned, but the Lord Jesus.
Perfect. Pure.
Holy spotless, he was condemned to death and I don't think that that day was a normal execution day because it seemed to cause real trouble for them. They couldn't go certain places and they wanted to make sure that the those were being crucified. They had to hurry up their torture and kill them because this the Sabbath was drawing on. But when it came to the Lord Jesus.
They didn't want to take a chance that they'd lose him.
And so they made a special day.
And they made a.
An absolutely unjust trial. And then they hurried him out there as quick as they could.
To hang him on the cross.
I wanted to I want to read in John.
Pilate was in a difficult place, even though he said to the people.
I can't find any fault with him. And you know what? He offered. He offered.
To scourge him, to whip him.
And another goal.
We read.
By thy words shalt thou be justified, and by thy words.
Shalt thou be condemned?
You may not remember all the words that you have spoken, but if you have been raised in a Christian home.
I'm sure tonight that you've said enough words whereby you're condemned tonight.
In connection with the Lord Jesus.
Want to be something if you remain in your sins and one day you stand before none other.
Than the one that was standing on trial this day, the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
As we heard last night, the one that God has appointed to judge this world, and he takes your words.
And condemns you with him. What could you say?
You know what it says about Pilate that he knew that for envy they delivered him up.
He never said that.
But God tells us that He knew that.
And God knows what you know tonight.
Certainly being raised in a Christian home, you know a lot.
And it tells us, I believe it's in Matthew, that he that knew his Lord's will.
And did it not shall be beaten with many stripes to tell us that you and I are accountable for what we know?
And Pilate was too.
And so he's struggling. He doesn't want to have anything to do with this righteous man.
But after all, he's underoath to be just and fair, and yet he knows that the accusers.
The whole reason why they brought the Lord Jesus in that day is because they were envious of Him.
What a place to be in.
Maybe what you know tonight is the very thing that has given you to go on with a measure of peace, even though you've never accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
That's a solemn thing, isn't it?
Perhaps because I I wanna tell you that I did the same. I went on for years and never, never myself. I knew how to be saved. I even told other people how to be saved. But myself, I had never decided for Christ. I had never said I want to be on the side of the Lord Jesus.
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You know, as Pilot went on in this trial, he realized that if he did.
He'd be all alone.
And so will you, in one sense. Oh, not that your mom and dad aren't there.
And that no doubt they prayed for you for years. Perhaps you've concerned them because as we heard last night, if you have new life, it shows. You know I plant little seeds every year.
And the assurance I have that when they're alive is I see them springing out of the ground and they're green and they're growing. Life expresses itself.
But I want to get to this visit that the Lord Jesus had with Pilate.
In John chapter 18.
It's hard to tell any other scriptures and the other accounts, but I think it's evident here that Pilot had time with the Lord Jesus alone. Let's look in John chapter 18 and verse 28. Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment, and it was early, and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might.
Eat the Passover.
And Pilot went out onto them and said, what accusation bring you against this man? For time, let's go down to verse 33.
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus and said unto him.
Art thou King of the Jews?
Jesus answered him, saying.
Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell thee it of me?
Pilon answered, Am IA Jew Lino, nation of the chief priests have delivered thee unto me.
What hast thou done? Jesus answered. My Kingdom is not of this world.
If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews? But now is my Kingdom not from hence? Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king? Then Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into this world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him.
What is truth and when he had said this?
He went out again to the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him.
No fault at all.
If you're here tonight and you have never, definitely.
And openly take in the Lord Jesus for your own Savior.
You've never had to do with him directly, personally.
I I'm assured of this that he's visited with you.
There's times in our life, maybe it's when we face death, when we almost ourselves perhaps were killed.
Or maybe when we're at a funeral of someone that was close to us.
We stared at that unmoving body, and we realized how real death is.
You know we live in an unreal world, the media and the entertainment.
Has gotten it so people hardly know what is true anymore it seems.
And after a while, it seems like they don't even care if they know what's true.
But all the Lord Jesus had this talk with Pilate, because God speaketh once.
Yeah, twice. Yet man perceiveth it not.
He's spoken to you, dear one, but what did you do?
And I love how the Lord Jesus says to Pilate, he says to him, are you the King of the Jews? And he said, did you say that?
And Pilate says, well, I'm not. It's your people. I'm not a Jew.
And then the Lord Jesus tells him, yes, I am the King, but my Kingdom is far greater than the Jews.
It's not even of this world. Oh, can you see Pilate listening to him?
And then he says to him, in the face of all that facade and what Pilate knew.
He says to him, Everyone that's of the truth hears my voice.
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Are you willing for the truth to come into your soul?
Are you willing to realize that your heart isn't any different than those that crucified the Lord Jesus? What a moment to realize.
That we can hear our voice there, you say. I wasn't there, you were there.
And if you stand there, you can hear your voice. You can see the wretchedness of your own heart.
To take that blessed man.
Why?
No answer.
Only one answer because God sent him as a Savior of sinners.
You know Pilate, I don't know how long he stayed there, but he said to the Lord in trying to deflect him, what is truth?
But then he went out.
He couldn't stand to face the truth.
Can you?
I want to plead with you tonight, whatever the light of God as it shines on your guilty soul tonight.
And you feel, you feel your wretchedness, awe turn to him.
I so appreciate the Lord Jesus striving with Pilate's soul that day in spite of.
Pilot's fickleness in spite of him dodging and trying.
Every way not to have to do with the Lord Jesus again, I want to say tonight.
I'm not going to give you a formula to be saved because it's having to do with him.
You know Thomas, we call him Doubting Thomas.
Says who is called dynamis, which means twin.
Thomas perhaps was much like you. If you've never openly confessed to Lord Jesus as your own Savior, if you've dodged every way, you've maybe said, well they say if you do this, I'll be saved and not really had to do with him.
I think that was Thomas problem. You know the Lord Jesus said to him, Thomas.
He said to all the disciples that the way that he was going to go, they knew.
Not quoting exactly right where I go, you know, and the way you know.
And Thomas said to the Lord Jesus, we don't know where you're going and how can we know the way?
And the Lord Jesus said I am the way.
I'm the way.
You see tonight, if you don't have peace, and perhaps you want to have peace.
Could I suggest it's because you've tried every way except to have to do with him?
The only one that can give you peace.
Job tells us Acquaint now thyself with how to be saved, Know with him, acquainting all thyself with him. And this was Pilate's chance.
And he went out.
Don't go out tonight. You know this world and it was mentioned in the prayers tonight. It's getting darker.
There's so much falsity, there's so much darkness of opacity.
Apostasy. You dare not go any longer if you haven't openly and decidedly decided for Christ. You know they Pilate tried another guy's He was a gracious person. Every year he would release to the Jews the one of their choice, guilty men. And you know that day he thought this might be an opportunity. I still could not have to do with Jesus, and yet I could get out of this decision.
And so we offered them a bad man. You know what? I'll let Barabbas go.
You got to choose between the two, and we read the Bravos was a murderer.
And he was a thief.
And he was a rebel.
And you know what they said, and I don't know if they trembled to think of that man out on the streets again.
But they saw unto the blood of the Lord Jesus. They said, Well, take Barabbas.
And you know, I think of Barabbas.
I think of what was open to him that day. He was on death row.
And to think of them going that day and turning the key in his cell.
Perhaps he thought, this is it.
And have the man say we are free now.
And have him say, what do you mean I'm free?
And to have him be told that the choice was between him.
In Jesus.
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He could have asked who Jesus was. What did he do?
Can you imagine that question? What did he do?
I don't know, maybe we should go out and see what's over his cross.
I'm sure the Lord would have told us.
Perhaps it'll be a surprise in heaven, but you know what Pardon has offered you tonight.
We read in Luke chapter 13 there apparently was a shock. There were some that told the Lord Jesus that Pilate had mingled the blood of these certain persons with their sacrifice and.
And it seemed to shock them enough that they told the Lord about it. Pilate had that on his conscience.
And you know you're a Sinner tonight.
Yes, you are. The Word of God tells us that each and everyone of us are sinners.
But we sang that the Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners.
And the Word of God tells us that Christ Jesus came into the world to save.
Sinners. And then the chief said, And he saved me.
And so that guilty man Barabbas.
He could have walked out.
To see the man that took his place.
He was pardoned. Imagine being on death row and anticipating any moment.
The kind of death that the Romans like to give bad people to teach them a lesson.
And to suddenly be free the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Our Lord and you know, he could have gone out and looked up.
And seeing the one that died in his place.
Because God isn't going to overlook sin, and you know that tonight. No, He won't. Every sin and every disobedience.
Is going to see receive it's just recompensive reward, but that's why Jesus came. We heard about it this morning.
Propitiation and substitution and he took my place.
At Calvary.
You know what Barabbas means.
The son of the Father.
And that's how good God is. Not only is he willing to forgive, for thou, Lord art good and ready to forgive.
And plenty ascend, immersed in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Not only is he willing to forgive, but it doesn't stop there. No, He wants to take you and make you one of His own children. Can you resist that kind of love?
Thank God I couldn't. And so many in this world, in this room couldn't.
So many. He broke us down by that love.
Yes.
He took my place so that I might have his place.
With the Father that could be made one of God's own children.
And have you delayed that tonight? Have you tried every way not to have to do with him?
I want to tell you tonight in order to have peace.
You must have to do with him, but he wants to like Pilate. He'll take time for you like Cain. Last night, think of Cain and his rebellion. And God took the time to reason with Cain and even to assure him. Cain, you won't lose anything. I'll even make it that you'll still be the Big Brother.
And yet he turned away.
The Lord Jesus said to those who well knew him, Ye will not come to me.
You will not come to me. Ah, but he wants you to.
He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should be saved.
All should come to repentance and.
So I want to encourage you tonight, come to the Lord Jesus. You know, I believe that Thomas loved the Lord Jesus, that he had life, but he didn't have peace. And so he had doubts and doubts. When the Lord Jesus said that he was going to go to a certain place, Thomas said, well, let's go and die with him. He didn't have peace.
Because the Lord Jesus said Thomas, you're unbelieving.
You know it's me. He that answer was to Thomas that day. I'm the way, I'm the way, the truth and the life. And I want to say again, if you're trying to find the truth apart from the Lord Jesus, apart from the word of God, you'll never find it.
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And you're going to school again now, and they'll tell you that you can't know anything for sure. There's no such thing as absolute truth. All the Word of God tells us there is. And you know what? It's never changed. Your textbooks change. The thoughts of men have changed. Philosophers have come and gone, But the Word of God has never changed. It's forever settled in heaven. And you can rest your soul on what God has said tonight, and you can have peace.
Because that was the issue in Thomas's life. Who is Lord?
And when he saw the affection of the Lord Jesus for him, the.
Maybe even the hurt that Thomas didn't want to have to do with him.
And yet he was still said to Thomas, You come. If it takes putting your finger in my hand, you come and do it.
It takes thrusting your hand in my side. I want you to do it.
But I want you to know. I want you to know.
And you know.
Thomas knew.
He said my Lord and my God.
I want to suggest to you tonight our time is up. We could follow Pilot on.
That he struggles not to have to do with the Lord Jesus.
And you know, he was told you're not going to be friends with Caesar. I'd probably mean his job.
I'm going to suggest tonight that if you've never made an open decision for the Lord Jesus, if you don't have peace.
Your friends could well have to do with that.
But you know, Pilot is one day.
The roles are going to be reversed. As I've sat in the room here, I think of this curtain.
You know, it almost looks like a throne. And I thought, what if that curtain separated tonight?
And there, behind that curtain, was the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he looked at you.
Would you look at him with joy to see his face or would you be in terror?
Because you're still in your sins.
One day these roles will be reversed.
And the Lord Jesus will be on the throne. Yes, he will, God's Word tells us.
And Pilot.
Will stand is the one that's going to be under judgment.
The one that said I find no fault in this man.
Yes. Oh, don't stand there with him. Where will Caesar be then? All the dead, small and great are going to stand before God. And you know all those things you're so used to? The world, your house, the earth, your school will be gone.
And he'll stand alone.
Before the one that pled with your soul tonight.
Or if you wait until then.
You'll see no grace in his eyes that day. His eyes will be as a flame of fire.
And you won't have anything to say.
He'll have to cast you an outer Darkness.
The trial will be definite. There's no appeal, but don't wait till then.
And I want to encourage you.
Know our time is up. We've had in the meetings as Paul wrote to Timothy, and I wanted to spend more time on this.
He wrote the first epistle, and as we had it was a young man.
That love the Lord Jesus Christ, and he loved his people and he was going on.
And as Paul told him of the pitfalls of material wealth and gain.
He said to him, he brought before him that scene that day when Pilate.
When the Lord Jesus confessed before Pilate the good confession.
Yeah, pardon me, I want to. I want to read that because I want to leave you with that. And I trust that it is something for each and every one of our consciences, particularly those of us that no one loved the Lord Jesus and want to please Him.
He says in verse of First Timothy chapter 6 and verse 11, after he's told him of his sorrows and the pitfalls, he says, but thou, O man of God, flee these things and follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal land, all that was a land that was brought before us today.
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That belongs to us, but all God wants us to be in the enjoyment of it. To whereunto thou art called and as professed a good profession or a good confession before many witnesses.
I give thee charge on the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed.
A good confession that they'll keep this commandment without spot unrebucable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in His time this is the King we had before us shall show who is the blessed and only potentate.
The King of kings and the Lord of Lords, who only have immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach, unto whom no man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
We're going to leave here tonight. I think it's the burden in each one of our hearts that know the Lord Jesus that we want to go back and we want to be for Him.
We want to go back a different way than what we came. And as Paul is admonishing his son whom he loves.
He says to him, Don't forget the Lord Jesus that day.
In spite of tremendous pressure, in spite of all odds, in spite of what lay before him.
In spite of the judgment of God that was before him.
He confessed the good confession before Pilate and if you get with your friends.
And you're going to hide your identity.
If you're thinking of dishonoring the Lord Jesus, just remember in their astounding before Pilate with everything against him and standing true standing firm for you, for me.
And I believe it will help us. And let your light shine. Let them know whose side you're on.
The Lord knows those that are His, and may this world know those that are His. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Let's pray.
Deliverance and Blessing
Address—B. Waddle
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.
By by God's grace and help, we want to look at a few Scriptures. We've talked about the New Testament in the New Testament. We've talked about the Old Testament and what came before me was a verse in Romans, Romans chapter 15.
Romans chapter 15 and verse four for whatsoever things were written before time were written for our learning that we through patience.
And comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
That takes in the Old Testament to isn't it? It's a word of God, God's written word. And as we've already talked a little bit about the Old Testament, the children of Israel, they had a few thoughts brought before me.
Concerning.
Us here today.
The young people, the older people, the middle-aged, everyone of us, the children. Let's look in Exodus chapter 3, the children of Israel, there were many lessons to be learned as we follow their their pathway. And it's been very touching to my own soul and exercise to my own soul that I might trust wholly in the Lord for my life down here, the children of Israel.
Chosen people, God's chosen people. And we're chosen too, aren't we?
Were chosen in him before the foundation of the world. What a portion that is to just lay hold of, meditate upon. Chosen him before the foundation of the world. Why did he choose me? Why did he choose you? Nothing good in me, but God loved you and God loved me and God wanted to bless us, to bring us in the blessing, not for only time.
But for all eternity. And so we read here concerning the children of Israel in chapter 3.
And starting with verse seven. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people.
Which are in Egypt, and I've heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land, onto a good land, and a large onto a land flowing with milk and honey.
And on to the place, the Canaanites, the Hittites, Amorites, the Parasites, the Hiveites and the Jebusites.
Now, therefore, behold the cry of the children of Israel, and I have also.
Seen the oppression, where in the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send them unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.
Oh, isn't it wonderful?
Here they were, sorrowing, suffering from the hands of Egyptians, their taskmasters. But here's a word from God that he was going to bring them out, He said. I will. I've seen your affliction.
I've seen what you're going through.
And I'm hearing and I'm going to bring you out onto a land flow with milk and honey. That's a promise of God to them. Well, let's turn over to numbers.
We know that here afterwards Farrell would not let them go in between this time, but God made him let them go. He made him willing to let them go. So Numbers chapter 13.
We're not read all of the chapter for for times sake. Numbers 13 verse one.
And the Lord speaking to Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give another show of Israel, of every tribe of their fathers, shall you send a man, everyone a ruler among them? And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran. All those men were were heads of the children Israel. And so everyone from every tribe were picked.
And we see that in verse 17. Now Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, get you up this way southward and go up into the mountain.
And see the land what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many.
And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad, And what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents or in strongholds. And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether it be wood they're in or not. And be of good courage, and bring her the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes. So they went up and searched the land for the wilderness of sin unto rehab as men come to Haman.
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And they ascended by the South, came to Hebron, and so forth. Verse 23 And they came under the brook of Esco, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bear it between two upon a staff. And they brought of the pomegranates and of the figs. The place was called the brook Esco, because of the cluster of grapes with the children of Israel cut down from them.
Well, here they are told to spy out the land.
And so they go forward and they come to the vineyard and hear this great large cluster of grapes.
They cut it down and they brought it.
And they returned in verse 25 from the searching of the land after 40 days.
And they went and came to Moses and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel under the wilderness apparent Kadish.
And brought back word unto them, unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.
And they told him, and said, We came up, came unto the land without, sentenced us, and surely it flowed with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it.
They saw it, didn't they?
We just had it brought before us about the milk and honey from my brother.
And they went, and they saw this wonderful land that God had told him about.
What was the answer? Verse 28?
Nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled and very great. And more we saw the children of Anak there.
Giants. Giants of the land. They got their eyes off looking around.
God said he would bring them into that land God had promised them.
Nevertheless, they look around, they see all these obstacles.
In the way. And don't we do that sometimes? Oh, how sad. Sometimes we obstacles abroad before us by the enemy.
And we forget for a moment what God can do and what God has done in our lives, how He's redeemed us as His precious blood at such a cost.
Well, here the people look, and not only that. Verse 29. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South, the high tides, the Jebusites, the Amorites dwell in the mountains, and the Canaanites dwell with the sea and the coast of Jordan. Oh, what a confusion.
All of these enemies, they were in the mountains, they were down, they were here, they were there, they were all around.
Children of giants, the great large giants, they were afraid.
They looked around.
Oh, God wants us to look up. Look up to the Son of God.
Who can do all things well?
Oh, in verse 30 we see Caleb still the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it.
How was he well able?
Was he counting upon his strength?
God had told him that he would bring them into that land.
And he believed God, you know, he came out of came out there from in that wilderness. Joshua and Caleb, they came out later on in that wilderness. They were the only two that were alive, that were older, that came out alive because they believe God.
He says we are able to overcome it. Oh how sad to read the 31St verse.
But the men went that went up with him said We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.
All beloved, were weaker than water spill on the ground that cannot be gathered up. We cannot trust ourselves, we trust in the Lord.
We saw it and pound us and brought it to himself. Our strength is in the name of the Lord.
How sad the enemy came in.
And it's sad to see that they said we're not able, Caleb said. We are able.
When God is in it, everything goes well.
If God be for us, who can be against us? Oh, isn't it wonderful?
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Here it is brought before him, the man of God, Caleb said. We are well able.
Verse 32.
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched under the tomb of Israel, saying, The land through which we have gone to search it, it is a land that eateth up inhabitants thereof. And all the people that we saw in it are men of a great statue. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come out of the giants.
And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, so we were in, so we were in their sight.
You know.
When you think about it.
They had no power within themselves.
They said we're not able no power themselves, but Caleb said we are able because.
He trusted in the Word of God.
You trust in the Word of God. You know we're living in a day where many are giving up.
Throwing up their hands and saying what's the use?
Oh dear young people, and each one of us.
If God be for us, who can be against us? We have the power of God. We who know the Lord Jesus our Savior have the Spirit of God indwelling in US.
And we can go forward in that power. Not my own, not your own.
But it's the power of God, and so I urge you to trust in the living God.
My dear brother, one time he said, spread it before the Lord, or spread it all out before the Lord, and tell the Lord your weakness.
And your need of help. And he'll help you. And you'll be strong. You'll be an overcomer.
Here.
They fell short because they were looking at the man men. They're the giants, and they forgot what God had said.
Caleb told them were we are well able. Caleb stressed that before them Caleb did.
And they were, because God could take them through.
But.
The enemy is subtle and he sneaks in and he works in our hearts so quickly and it's unbelief. And that's why they couldn't come into the land. You know, they were only 11 days journey to Canaan, 11 days.
40 years it took them to get to that point.
Because of unbelief. And that's all. We lose all of our blessings because of unbelief.
And I have to point to myself.
On loose I lose blessings of the Lord because of unbelief. Oh, may we trust the Lord fully. May I trust the Lord fully because what the Lord Jesus says he will do.
Well, just another quick verse or time is almost gone then Joshua.
Chapter One.
Moses had died in the wilderness and now Joshua was going to leave, lead them into Canaan's land.
Verse one Joshua 11 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun Moses minister saying.
Moses, my servant is dead. Now therefore rise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, and the land which I do give to them, even to the children, Israel, every place that the sole of your foot shall tread, upon, that have I given you, as I said unto Moses. Now down in verse six, Be strong and have a good courage. For unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance of land which I swear to their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong.
And courageous.
Only be thou strong and courageous.
Where were they going to get their strength?
From the Lord, Joshua was going to be their leader.
And so they were given a word of encouragement there to be strong and very courageous.
Well, you know, the blessing of the Lord make the rich, and he has no sorrow to it. We read that in in Proverbs 10/22. And that's what the Lord wants to do to every one of us in this audience today. He wants to bless us.
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He wants to bless us.
Do you want the blessing of the Lord, or do you want sorrow in your life?
It's up to you, dear one.
It's up to you to humble yourself. It's up to me to humble myself. Take that low place.
Of nothingness and trust the Lord Jesus, who is everything.
If God be for us, who can be against us? If God before us, who can be against us? You know, we're living in trying days now and it's not going to get any better. The Lord's coming is perhaps even yet today. We're looking for him, aren't we? But if the Lord should leave us here a little longer, it's not going to get any better. What are we going to do with our life? Are we going to listen to the enemy, the giants of this world, those that would try to pull us down?
We are going to listen to the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior in heaven.
And live for him. You know, when I was growing up in my home, we had one little.
Verse It wasn't a plaque.
But it said only one light will soon be passed.
Only what's done for Christ will last.
What are you doing for Christ today? What am I doing for Christ? It exercises my heart. This is the word of God, and it should exercise each heart. It's not my words, it's God Word, God's word. We have only one life to live. Are we living for self? Are we living for the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who bought us with this precious blood? The cost in those hours of darkness?
Well.
That's a little that I had laid on my heart.
This afternoon as these other thoughts were brought about with the two other brothers from the Word of God.
Because it's from the word of God.
So let's trust him holy.
Let's receive the blessing the Lord has for us.
Because He blesses us richly.
He wants to bless us, He wants us to live for Him.
Shine for him while we wait for his coming. Oh, may I do that, May you do that, that we might receive the blessing of the Lord with no sorrow added.
Three Wise Men
Address—B. Knowles
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I would like to look at three different occasions, 3 different, I believe Gentiles.
That sought the Lord, and we know in John it tells us He came into his own, and his own received him not, but as many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons of God. And we know there were those that did receive him. It says Anna Spake of him to all those that looked for redemption in Israel.
But as a nation he was rejected by Israel in Matthew chapter 2.
We'll see at the Lord's birth.
Some gentiles, and we call it them the wise men or the Magi, they were men of the East. There came. I'm just reading parts because of time and.
There came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, verse 2 Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Well, we know that.
Herod didn't know the answer.
So he goes to the chief priests and the scribes, and they go.
To the Old Testament scriptures, the word of God.
And verse 5.
And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea.
For thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah.
Art. Not the least among the Princess of Judah. For out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. So here come men of the East. I don't know how far they came from. Was it?
Somewhere by the Everett River, Euphrates, I don't know. It could have been Iraq, could have been farther to the east, I don't know. But it seems they had come a journey to find this one that was born king of the Jews.
They went to Jerusalem for this information.
In Jerusalem they found indifference, but the word of the prophet Micah 5, verse 2.
Was given to them by the chief priests, by the scribes and those men.
They didn't get up off their chair to go see this one that was born in Bethlehem.
The Magi had come a long distance to find this one that was born king of the Jews. I want to look for just a moment at the effect.
That knowing this prophecy.
And being indifferent to it had.
On those that were indifferent down further in the chapter.
Verse 17 then was fulfilled.
That which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying in Rhema was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they are not. I just want to make this comment indifference to the word of God that he's given to any one of us.
Has consequences.
And here it had consequences. They fulfilled the next prophecy.
Now this isn't the verse that they turn to, to tell the Magi. They knew the Scripture. They knew where the Lord Jesus was to be born and they sent them to the right place and they found the Lord Jesus. Those who were seeking him found him. But to those who were indifferent, what they what place they had was to fulfill this solemn prophecy. I would just like to share this.
Too, Joseph and Mary were poor. They had taken 2 turtle doves.
To the temple the Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph right after the Magi.
Imagine I depart and the Angel of the Lord appears to him and says, flee into Egypt. Well, they had just received from the Magi gold and frankincense and myrrh. They had the means to take this baby Jesus, this holy child into Egypt.
So there's the birth of the Lord Jesus. Now I'd like to look at one more. Two more if I can.
Watch the time with me. I'm sorry, I John's Gospel and chapter 12. The first was in connection with the birth of the Lord Jesus. And now John's Gospel chapter 12 and verse 20 and there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of.
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Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew and Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die. It abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. We'll stop there now.
I understand there's a question as to whether these were gentiles.
Or whether they were Jews that lived.
And if one of my brothers that know better, I'd like to hear from afterwards. But I like to look at them as Gentiles. Where they were from, I don't know because there were in the acts, there were the Jews that had come down to the feast there. I think some of it says Grecians. So I'm not positive that this was Gentiles, but I I like to consider it being that.
So bear with me in that. And they came to see the Lord Jesus they had heard.
The story of the Lord Jesus had gone. You know it did spread.
And they came seeking Jesus, Sir, we would see Jesus and.
I believe, and again if this is wrong, I would like to have some correction, but I believe the next day the Lord Jesus was crucified. This is John 12. And then we go to the upper room ministry, and then we go to the garden, and then we go to the trial by night. Then we go to the mock trial by day in the early morning, and then the cross.
So I would just make this suggestion.
That they had heard about Jesus.
And they wanted to see him, Sir, we would see Jesus. And they had come, however far they had come from the north, perhaps from the northwest. Corinth is in Greece, I believe, and I believe Athens is in Greece, So could have been for quite a ways. But anyway, from the north, perhaps the northwest, I believe they witnessed.
What the nation thought of this one.
That was born King of the Jews. Now I'd like to look at another one.
In.
Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8, verse 26. And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the South, under the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he rose and went, and behold a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace.
Queen of The Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure.
And had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning and sitting in his chariot, read Isaiah the prophet.
Then the spirit said unto Philip, Gonier, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him.
And heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understand this, thou what thou readest. And he said, How can I except some man?
Should guide me. And he desired Philip, that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the Scripture which he read was this. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb thumb before his shears, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. And who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this of himself?
Or of some other man. Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, And the eunuch said, see, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered, and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to sit down still, and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. So here's the eunuch. Ethiopia South.
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Quite a bit S down into Africa and he comes to Jerusalem after the resurrection. So the first one was at the birth, the second one at the crucifixion, the third one after the resurrection they came.
And they found and I would just say there's not a seeking soul here.
That's not going to find, and if you would be willing to take this precious book up as a treasure that God has given you, you're going to find that it's a mine of wealth laid open to the poor. Let's just pray.
You Cannot Remain Neutral
Gospel—R. Klassen
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A brother asked to the Sunday school many years ago, he said, what's the best time to accept Jesus as your Savior? And he said, I, I figured that the answer would be right now. And that's a good answer. But he said to his surprise, a little girl in the room raised her hand and she said the best time to receive Jesus is the first time you hear about him. And then she went on to say, that's what my dad and my mom.
And my brother and I did the first time we heard about Jesus.
We accepted Him as our Savior. Let's turn to Matthew chapter 27. And I'm going to read a number of scriptures tonight and I ask your pardon and if you get tired of following along, just listen. Matthew 27 and verse one. When the morning was hung, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus who put Him to death. When they had bound him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
Let's skip down to verse 11. And Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priest and elders, he answered nothing then said pilot unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word. It's so much that the governor marveled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was want to release under the.
People a prisoner whom they would, and they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom we whom will ye that I release unto you Barabbas, or Jesus, which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have now nothing to do.
With that, just man, for I've suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whither of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done?
But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing but that rather a tumult was made, He took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person. See to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us and on our children. Then released Hebrew Abbas unto them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers, and they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had planted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head in a Reed in his right hand.
And they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying Hail King of Jews. And they spit upon him, and took the Reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him.
And led him away to crucify him. Verse 37. And he set up over his head his accusation written, This is Jesus the King of the Jews. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and the other on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their hand heads, and saying, Thou that destroy us the temple, and build us it in three days.
Save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down.
From the cross verse 44 The thieves also which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the land unto the 9th hour and about the 9th hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani.
That is to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Verse 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And then let's turn to Luke chapter 23. We know that this account is in all four of the gospels, and there are a few points that I do want to pick up at the different ones, Luke chapter 23 and verse 4.
Then said Pilot to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault.
In this man And they were more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all jewelry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
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And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he'd heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned Him in many words, but he answered him nothing.
And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war, set him at naughty, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. Let's read one more verse for right now. In Matthew chapter 12, read a couple verses. Matthew chapter 12 and verse 30. This is the Lord Jesus speaking. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth, gathereth not with me.
Earth abroad. And then in verse 36. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the days of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Well, the person that we want to speak up tonight is the Lord Jesus Christ, and you know.
We read of the day when he was on trial. In this world, I don't know how many of us have been on trial, maybe for a traffic ticket or something.
But I think we know the order. There's a judge, there's the accused, there are those that are prosecuting, those are defending usually, but not in this trial. And the man that was over this trial, the judge was a man named Pilot, a man named Pilot who apparently had a wife that that he valued. You know, when men climb in this world.
They they often have a wife.
I think the scene, I don't know exactly how it goes, but something like behind every successful man is, is a successful woman or a tremendous woman, a woman that helped him get there. And so in this trial, when the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God stood before the this multitude that hated him, he got a message. And perhaps this wasn't uncommon.
In the middle of everything, he was handed a note. A note from his wife.
And we read it, it said have nothing to do with this, with that just man Speaking of Jesus for I've suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But you know, Pilate, no doubt it followed her counsel because those of us that are married know that our wives are a tremendous help. They have an intuition. They have an insight that we don't have.
We may have logic and and.
Objective thinking sometimes and we overlook things and so A-Team, A-Team of a man and a wife and this man in the middle of the trial or perhaps at the beginning of it. I don't know when it was got this note have nothing to do with this just man. And you know as we read through here, we see that Pilot tried to follow that advice. He valued his wife's advice, but it was fatal advice. And if you're here tonight and you've more or less.
Had nothing to do with the man that you've been told so much of, the Lord Jesus. Perhaps it's because you want to leave that alone. I'm glad you're here. This was a happy day, wasn't it? And the Lord gives his people happy days. He's so good. But again, my concern tonight is for you. Have you ever yourself personally come to the Lord Jesus Christ?
In regard to your sins and accepted him as your savior.
I'm not asking you if you followed a formula. You know, Pilate, I think if you gave him a formula that day, you would have been so thankful for it. And all the while he tried to avoid having to do with Jesus, but he couldn't, you know, the first time when he heard that he was from Galilee, thought, ah, Herod's here in town and that's his jurisdiction. Herod can settle that answer. And some perhaps if we're children and we were raised in a Christian home, you.
Been told many times that your dad and mom can't believe for you. They've done a lot for you and they love you but they can't believe for you. You personally have to do with the Lord Jesus Christ and you can't get out of it.
You may think you have and maybe today to date this date you feel you have, but you know we read in that in Matthew 12, the Lord Jesus said he that is not with me is against me. When it comes to the Lord Jesus, you can't be neutral. You can't. And it's remarkable that everybody that had to do with the Lord Jesus on that day, they didn't stay neutral.
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Every one of them were affected.
When the Lord Jesus went to Herod, which Pilate was so glad to hand him off to Herod, well, Herod was looking forward to seeing him. I don't know why he never saw the Lord Jesus, for we know that the Lord Jesus for three years did many miracles and he covered many miles, but he'd never seen the Lord Jesus. He'd heard about him just like you have, and he was just curious.
He wanted to see the Lord Jesus do a miracle, and so in the Lord Jesus appeared before him.
He began to question him, and the Lord never answered him a word. Can you imagine that scene, a scene where a dignitary and he's asking questions of a person, a man that's accused and he doesn't say a word? I think it would have been kind of hard to be in that room. It would have been most uncomfortable to just see the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, stand and look while you asked him questions.
And not say anything. Why didn't he say anything? Didn't he care about Herod?
Didn't care about him. Herod had had a man tell him about Jesus.
John the Baptist and he'd heard. He'd heard it more than once. And Herod had been told about his wicked life.
And how he needed his savior.
And you know what he did? He silenced that voice in death. He cut off John the Baptist's head. He was unaffected. He was unmoved by what he heard. And the Lord Jesus wasn't going to say anything to him.
That song you know if you're here tonight.
And you're hearing about the Lord Jesus, the one that we sang tonight is the Savior of sinners.
You're accountable for how you accept this message, and you will either reject it or accept you say I'll ignore it. You can't. You can't. You can't remain neutral. Either you're with him or you're against him. But Herod wasn't the only one.
You know when he was at Herod's and the Lord never said anything. Before he left, we read how Herod's soldiers dressed him up in a robe and mocked him.
They mocked the Son of God.
You see, they couldn't remain neutral.
No, and neither can you. And that's what solemn to my own soul tonight, if you're here and you know the message just as well as I do.
But you haven't come. You won't stay static.
You will progress.
You know, it's, it's remarkable to me because even the thieves that were crucified with the Lord Jesus, they weren't unmoved either.
It's hard to imagine men, they're on their way out to die and to die a death that's horrible. I guess the most horrible death that man ever thought up, that's the death he awarded to the Lord Jesus Christ. But why would these men who know they're going to be dead by the end of that day, who are, who are headed?
For torture and suffering, why would they spend any breath?
Turning to cast those same words of mockery and cursing at the Lord Jesus Christ.
Was it because he had done anything?
You know, Pilate said more than once as he examined him and cross examined him, as he listened to all these false accusations. And you know of Pilate, this isn't the first trial he'd had, he marveled. He'd never seen a man who is being falsely accused time after time. And Pilate knew that they were false accusations and he observed the Lord Jesus.
And to see that he never said anything then either.
And yet he well knew that his life was on the line. Pilate asked the Lord. Can't you hear what they're saying about you?
But you know the Lord Jesus.
He'd been the night before in the Garden of Gethsemane, and he knew what was before him.
And he knew the awfulness of it. Sometimes we dread something that's in front of us, but we don't really know.
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What all it will involve, we're just afraid of it. But the Lord Jesus knew what was ahead of him as he went to the cross. And that night, that night, with all of that weighing upon him, he bowed to God.
And said nevertheless not my will be done with thine.
And so as he goes, Isaiah says he went like a sheep to the slaughter. You know, sheep, they just follow the one in front of them. The Lord Jesus didn't go as a sheep to the slaughter and ignorance, but he went as a sheep to the slaughter in willingness, in submission. If you think of that day, how many times he was, I don't want to say drug, because he wasn't drug, He followed them, but how he went to, first of all, the high priest.
Palace and there was abused you know they put a blindfold over his eyes and then they hit him as hard as they could I'm sure on the side of his face and then they said prophecy who struck thee. I think it was because they couldn't look in his eyes but again these.
These thieves, why? Why would they bother? Why wasn't there any sympathy with them to say?
You know he's in the same boat as we are.
Poor man.
But it shows who he was. It shows that you can't remain neutral. And thank God one of those thieves he turned, but at first he cast the same at his teeth.
But I think he got in on the the little visit that Pilate and the Lord Jesus had. And I say that because of what he said. But you know what we read about the passers by in verse 30. They that pass by reviled him wagging their heads. You know, if somebody's just passing by, I usually don't bother with what's going on around him. They may have been talk walking along visiting.
Engrossed in what they were doing.
But as they came to that scene of the Lord Jesus on the cross, they couldn't pass by.
Without chiming in, isn't that remarkable?
They.
Too and seeing thou that destroy us, the temple and build us in three days. Save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. And perhaps they went on their way. And so you see tonight, dear one, you can't remain neutral. You will make a decision then all don't be, don't listen to pilots wife have nothing to do with this righteous man, this just man.
You have to do with him. We heard about it last night.
All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
We sing sometimes, this hymn. I see the crowd in Pilot's Hall. Their furious cries I hear.
Their shouts of crucify appall their cursing fills mine ear. And in that, yeah, I'm sorry. And in that den a voice is rude. I recognize my own. I've skipped a line. But then it says I see the scourgers Wren the flesh of God's beloved Son, and as thy smite.
I feel afresh that I of them AM 1.
I see that throng around the cross.
That mock the sufferers groan, yet still my voice. It seems to me as if I mocked alone. I crucified the Christ of God. I joined the mockery.
You know, it's a wonderful moment. It's a solemn moment.
When I come to the realization that went on that day, the crucifixion.
The judgment, the condemnation of a man who how many times was it said, and it was said from an array of people, different perspectives. The man that betrayed him said I betrayed innocent blood. And that's something the one that betrayed him to death, his testimony and he walked with the Lord Jesus for three years, 3 1/2 years, He said I betrayed innocent blood.
Pilots, wife said, have nothing to do with that, just a righteous man.
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Pilate himself as he examined the Lord Jesus said I find no fault and the other translation says whatever and him.
Isn't that remarkable? Have you ever known anyone that no one could find any fault with him?
Wouldn't that make a wonderful savior?
One that's absolutely pure and holy.
One who when he was here went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed. Why was he on trial then? You know the thief said this man, the one that turned to the Lord Jesus at last he said, this man hath done nothing amiss. Could that be said of anyone else in this world? You know it couldn't. Why then was he crucified? You know it says in Isaiah.
That he was taken from judgment. He was taken from prison and from judgment.
What does that mean?
Well, we know what it means. He was taken from judgment because we've been speaking about that. They brought in false accusers. But the testimony from that array of people, a criminal, from a man that walked with him, from the judge himself, all to testify is to his.
Disciples Mistakes
Address—B. Anstey
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I'd like to speak this afternoon on the chapter of the Disciples mistakes.
Let's turn to Luke Chapter 9.
It's a long chapter, we won't read all the verses.
But to introduce the subject, I'll read the 1St 2 verses.
Luke Chapter 9 verse one. Then he that's the Lord Jesus called his 12 disciples together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases.
Sent them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
This is an amazing chapter. And as we know the gospel of Luke, the Spirit of God has given the loop, the evangelist here to put things in a moral order rather than a chronological order. And So what we find in Luke's gospel is he departs from chronological order, puts things in a moral order so that we may be taught certain lessons and be instructed.
In the path and so we find in this chapter as I said.
Many of the disciples mistakes, I've counted about a dozen of them and I'd like to look over them this afternoon and see how that the Lord met each one of those shortcomings and brought a little lesson out for the disciples out of their shortcomings and their failures. I would say also though, that these shortcomings that we're going to look at are not exactly positive willful sins, but rather just missing the mark.
And not being in communion with the Lord and our.
More on the class, I suppose we could say of shortcomings and mistakes.
To give perhaps a little bit of the context of what we're seeing here, in the 8th chapter we have the Lord Jesus demonstrating the power of grace perfectly in his life and in his ministry. We find there in the 8th chapter that the Lord Jesus is.
Demonstrating power and discourse where you have the parable of the sower.
And his ministry is such that it brings forth fruit.
30 fold, 60 fold and 100 fold. Then the next incident in the 8th chapter we find the Lord demonstrating power over disaster and there we have an incident before us about a storm on a lake. The ship that the disciples were in with the Lord was about to be capsized and he made a great calm and showed his power over the elements that he created.
And then we have after that another incident, and there we find the Lord Jesus demonstrating his power over demons.
In casting out the many demons from that poor person of whom we call legion, After that we find that he demonstrates his power over disease with the woman that comes to him and has a issue of blood for 12 years. Then the last incident in the late chapter we have the Lord's demonstration of power over death, and there he raises Jarius's daughter.
Power and discourse over disaster, over demons.
Disease and death a perfect demonstration of the power and grace of God.
Then in the 9th chapter we find he calls his disciples together and He confers that same grace upon them and empowers them to go out and to multiply that grace in the land of Israel. And He sends them forth as we have read to us already. But it's interesting that when they return there is no mention of any significant results of their mission. It does say that they healed some, but we don't have any mention of any conversions or any coming to acknowledge the Lord as.
Messiah and I suspect that one reason is that the nation was hardened against Him in unbelief. But also I believe that the disciples had much to learn with regard to ministry if there was going to be power and what they did and what they said for the Lord. And so the Spirit of God takes a number of incidents and brings them all together in this 9th chapter to instruct us as to certain things that we need in our lives as disciples that we might have a more powerful.
More effective and more fruitful ministry. And so we have these various mistakes and shortcomings before us. Let's look at them together and see the lesson that God would have that the Lord taught each of his disciples and he would have as a lesson for us as well. Let's look at verse 12.
When the day began to wear away, then came the 12 and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and the country around about 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 we should go and buy meat for all these people.
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For they were about 5000 men.
And he said unto his disciples, Make them sit down in by 50s in a company, And they did so, and made them all sit down. And he took five the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and break gave to his disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were fulfilled, and were taken up of fragments that remained to them 12 baskets.
Here we have the first shortcoming of mistake of the disciples and that was.
To send the multitude away. They had been with the Lord Jesus all that day and they knew within their own resources that they had no way of feeding the people. And so they handled the situation by mere human. And they said, let's send them away to the villages, that they may get something to eat. But the Lord said don't send them away, you'll give them something to eat.
And when they looked over their their resources, they realized there's no way that they could do that.
All they had was 5 loaves and two fishes, but the Lord showed them that if they would put that in His hands, He could make it a blessing to the multitude, regardless of how many or how few there were. And so we have a good lesson here for us, and that is that we might be willing to let the Lord use.
US and what we have, little as it may be in our hands for His.
Service and for His glory. Many of us have the idea that we could never be a help to any of God's people because we don't feel we have any distinctive gift or any great knowledge of Scripture. And our ways with men are a little crude perhaps, and so on. But the Lord would have us to know that He is not necessarily looking at our abilities. It's not a question of our abilities or our inabilities. It's a question of making ourselves available to Him.
To use for his glory and for his praise. And so when he calls his disciples together, we find that they give this little lunch that they had there, and he multiplies it and makes it a blessing for the people. And so the lesson for us is that we need to be willing to let the Lord use us if we are going to be effective in our Christian service.
Many Christians.
Are.
Not even open to letting the Lord use them. They think, well, we should just leave that to our minister or to a preacher or to an evangelist or to a missionary. But that's not what the Lord wants us to do. Not too long ago in our meeting we had a couple of that came all the way from Romania from an open brethren gathering, and they were very happy to be among us in our meetings and drinking in the things. Anyway, a younger brother had been visiting with him who had been carrying them back and forth to meeting.
Found out that they were a little weak on the subject of eternal security of the believer. There have been some.
Of the Romanian believers that have imbibed that false doctrine, these people had not exactly imbibed that doctrine, but.
They were weak on it because there was so much exposure to it and they didn't really know how to handle it. And they were asking him certain questions. And when he heard that, do you know what he did? He said, just a minute, I'll go get Uncle Bruce.
No, give he them to eat.
So when he came to me, I said, Oh well, just tell them the truth of that. Just go right ahead.
Well, he looked into his basket or his bag and he saw only 5 loaves and two fishes and he said OK, So he went back to speak with him and he gave him a couple of verses and I think that the Lord made it a blessing. It wasn't until a little bit later that we had some special meetings on the subject and we took up the subject in detail, not only showing what scripture teaches, but looking at some of those verses that are erroneously used to support the false doctrine and explain what they really do mean. So that there is.
We left. No, we tried to leave no stone unturned, so to speak. But I just used that as an illustration here because you're going to be faced with situations. And if you leave it to your own human reason, you think, oh, well, I could never answer. I'd better call some older brother. No, the Lord is saying, I want to use you. Dear brother, dear sister, I want you to have the privilege of letting my power and grace work through you to be a blessing to another. You know the Lord doesn't need anyone of us.
But he's pleased to use us, and if we keep in a state of communion with the Lord, he will use us for the blessing of his people. And look at the blessing that came here. There were 100 groups of 50 at least that were here seated.
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And they all got something to eat because the disciples, though reluctant, but they were willing to put that into the hands of the Lord and he used it. And so, dear young person and older person, let's be willing to let the Lord use us in his service as the opportunities come. For those who are a little bit older. Do you ever go and visit? Of course you do. And the brother and I are just longing to have someone get up and speak, maybe take the gospel. What do you say? Well, actually I was thinking about going.
Before the meeting, how many times have we heard that That's not being willing to let the Lord use us even if we feel we're incompetent. It's something to encourage the hearts of the Saints to hear and see someone come from a distance from another gathering and open the scriptures and give a little something. It's not necessarily a question of gift. As I say, it's not the question of ability or inability. It's the question of availability, making ourselves available that the Lord may use this.
Well, let's look at another one, number two, verse 18. And it came to pass that he was alone, praying at his disciples with them.
I see a little short coming here.
The Lord was alone praying. His disciples were with Him, but there is no mention that they were praying.
You know, as a brother back home says, you know, prayer is not a spectator sport. We don't stand around and watch other people pray. Prayer is something that he wants that all of us should be engaged in.
And it's quite interesting to see here that the Lord was praying and the disciples were.
Doesn't say that they were. So I was assumed from this that they were sort of standing around or standing around watching the Lord pray.
You know, there's no substitute for prayer and communion. We need to be in communion with the Lord and we'll find as we stretch through the go through the chapter that many of these mistakes and shortcomings that they.
Are have are related to these opening points of not necessarily being willing and not being in communion with the Lord. So the lesson here, of course, is that we might be in communion.
How can we expect the Lord to use this for any appreciable way if we are not found praying to the Lord?
Not too long ago I was reminiscing with a brother about Otter Lake. I was doing it here yesterday was Steve. But this is to do with the men's group. I had never been to that group. But years ago Gordon, as when he would shut up his cottage, he would call some of the men along, as you know, most of you know, and he would ask them to help them, you know, close it up, bring the dock in and whatever they did.
You probably could have got the work done in a day or 1/2 or so, but they stretched it into about 10 days because they used the opportunity to get into the Scriptures. At any rate, this brother said that Gordon, for some reason didn't sleep in the house like he used to do when the young people were there. He was sleeping the cabins with the men. And so at the end of the day, around 10:30 to 11:00 at night, they would go up to the cabins and they would pray and they'd get into the bed.
Well, this brother was fast asleep and he had to get up in the middle of night to.
I think use the bathroom outhouse is what it was. And as he rustled around a bit, he looked in the dark.
And he saw a figure kneeling beside his bed. He looked closer. It was Gordon Hale. He was spraying. He looked at his watch. 3:00 in the morning. What, he thought to himself, We all prayed and got into bed.
Was he praying all that time? He said, I don't know if he got up in the middle of the night to start to pray or he had continued on from the time when the rest of us were. But when I heard that, I said to myself, now I know why that man had such power in his ministry. There was a life of prayer that was behind it and that was a real exercise for my own soul that if I want to be effective in what I teach and preach from the Word of God, that there might be an inner life.
With the Lord of prayer and communion. Now the Lord quizzes or at least asks the disciples who do the people think I am? And you can see how that the Lord was rejected and their ministry never didn't seem to affect much result because they all had different opinions. Some said they thought well he's John the Baptist. Some said maybe it's Elijah, maybe one of the other prophets. Yet they had gone forth ministering that.
Of course, the other reason why was the nation was full of unbelief and they would not receive the Lord Jesus.
But the point is, when he asks Peter, well, whom do you say that I am? And he said, O thou art the Christ of God.
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Peter was crystal clear as to his theology, but that's not going to make your ministry powerful.
It doesn't appear from the record here that anybody from their ministry that when they went out ever acknowledged that I received the Lord as the Messiah. And so the Lord explains that there is another reason for the the the failure to get results in ministry, and that is that the nation was filled with unbelief. And so he speaks and announces his rejection and his eventual.
Crucifixion upon the cross. That's verses 2122. In the heels of that he speaks about.
The terms of discipleship, the need for everyone taking up the cross, denying themselves and taking up the cross and following Him. You know discipleship is different from salvation. He says in another place Matthew 11 Come unto me. And here he says, come after me. There are two different things. One is to come to the Lord for salvation. The other is to come after Him in the path of discipleship.
And if we're going to have a life, a heart rather, that is willing to surrender our lives to the cause of Christ and the path of discipleship, it will be born out of a life of prayer.
Prayer makes us more devoted Christians. Reading the scripture makes us knowledgeable Christians. But prayer makes us devoted Christians. And I believe that the reason why there is such a lack of devotion among Christians today is because we don't have the prayer life.
Of ones like Mr. Hajo and I think we need to consider that and be exercised about that. And so the Lord speaks about the need for denying ourselves and taking up the cross, identifying ourselves with rejection because the cross is what the world gave the Lord and following him in that path. He speaks in the next series of verses of the hindrances to that wanting to hold on to our life, to use it for our own selves rather than to.
To the Lord for his cause and to be used for His glory. We're all like that. I heard a young person say. No one's going to get my youth off of me.
You want to give your youth to the Lord.
Give him the blossom of your life, dear young person, not the fallen leaves.
Here we find that there is the temptation or the hindrance of wanting to retain our lives for ourselves.
You know, people of this world understand what discipleship is more or better than Christians do. For some reason. If you explain to a person of the world that you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior and you want to live your life for him, you know they're going to say, oh, you're throwing your life away. But you know what? That's exactly what discipleship is. You're going to give your life to the Lord Jesus.
And not retain it for your own selfish interests and whatever that may please you, you're going to give it to the Lord.
And then material wealth in verse 25 and also the fear of shame is addressed in verse 26. These things are a hindrance that we need to take care of. And then he speaks of coming glory and the reward of one who would take up with the past of discipleship. I particularly enjoyed the comment that was made in the gospel meeting last night about, well, when are you then going to?
Devote your life and give your life to the Lord. It's all very well indeed to say, well, I think I should do this and I know that it would be a good idea. It reminds me of the Reubenites. Remember there in Judges 5, the Reubenites were called with other tribes to come down and help in the battles of the Lord.
There was a need in Israel. The enemy was coming in. Well, it says there in chapter 5 that the Reubenites were talking to each other and they were saying, you know, we really should go. I think we should do it would be a good idea. But they never got around to it. The battle came when we left and the Lord affected a victory and they never even got away from breaking away from their.
Personal lives and their homes and so on. We can be that way too, the prodigal son said. I will. I will arise and go to my father. And then it says, then he arose and went to his father. It wasn't just a promise or a desire. He backed it up with action.
And he went to his father. And so there's a call for discipleship today, and perhaps more than ever before. Every man, woman and child is needed in this warfare.
And Christ is going to reward you for everything that you sacrifice for his glory. Well, let's go on. Now we come to another one, a third one, verse 28. And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings that he took Peter, James and John and went up to a mountain to pray. And as he prayed.
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The fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening.
And behold their talk with them two men, which were Moses Elias.
Who appeared in glory, and spake of his deceit, or deceased, or his departure, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy, were sleep, and when they were awake they saw his glory.
And the two men that stood with him here, I see another short coming, and that is sleeping when they should have been awake. This is a nice little picture here for us. There was a little meeting on the top of the mountain and there were seven persons there. There was the Lord Peter, James, and John, there was Moses and Elias. And we'll find in a minute here that the Father was there too, and made his voice known. Nice little group of seven that shouldn't be of any surprise to you as you go through the book of Luke.
Groups of seven all the way along in the previous chapter we had that in Psoriasis House. There was the Lord Peter, James and John, the mother and the father and the little girl. And isn't that beautiful? You can find them scattered through the Gospel. Look, I don't necessarily have any teaching connected with it, but these little groups here we have one, a little meeting place they were called to at the top of the mountain.
And we find there that there was a scene of glory of the Lord Jesus that was before them. And here we find the disciples were fast asleep.
They were asleep. And so here we have the lack of vigilance.
We had first of all, the lack of the sense of the Lord's sufficiency. The second one we have the lack of prayer. Third one perhaps we could say is a lack of vigilance. They were asleep in the presence of this wonderful scene of the Lord's glory. And you know, he's been giving us little special meetings where we can be with him to observe his glory too. You know, the Bible says where two or three are gathered together into my.
There am I in the midst, and we had a privilege of that very thing this morning. It was a mountaintop experience. We saw His glory.
This morning it wasn't His Kingdom glory. We were looking at His redemption glory and oh, He showed us His hands and His side and what He paid as a price to redeem us. And it says here that they were asleep and missed that little scene. Is it possible that we could be asleep in the presence of the Lord when He would be showing us, when God would be showing us the glory of His Son? Yes.
Began. I've heard stories of young people playing with a cell phone in the middle of the meeting. If that's what you're doing, I'll tell you this right now. You are asleep on the mountain. You may be at the mountain, so to speak, but you're asleep. And it says when they were awake they saw his glory. And if you're asleep, you're going to miss it. A brother was speaking to me one time years ago. I guess he wasn't in communion as he ought to have been at the meeting. Anyway, the president were really enjoying.
We're speaking about it after the meeting. Wasn't that a wonderful meeting? He said to me. He said. I had a sense that there was something really good going on there, but I didn't get a whiff of it. He was confessing that his state was so low that he missed what was going on. Oh, brethren, could it be possible that we could be in the presence of the Lord and his redemption glory and to be asleep?
Playing poker on a cell phone.
Well, what's the lesson here for us? What's the lesson? Well.
Be attentive at such occasions, we're going to miss something that will never have a chance again to get you. Find here with the disciples.
There wasn't a second mount of transfiguration. They didn't have another opportunity later. There was that one opportunity and they needed to be a tentative at such times and so do we. If we're going to have power in our ministry, we need to be attentive to drink in those things of the glory of the Lord. Now let's move on verse 33 and it came to pass as they departed from him. Peter said unto Jesus, master, it is good for.
To be here let us make 3 tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias, not knowing what he said. And whilst he spake, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and 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 he kept it close, and told man, no man in those days any of those things which they had seen. Well here we have.
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Shortcoming, it comes out of the mouth of Peter. Master, I think we should build 3 tabernacles not knowing what he said. And here we have a lack of discernment. A lack of discernment on Peter's part. He thought it would be a good idea and he did it with all good intention. He was well meaning. He thought, let's build 3 tabernacles, one for the Lord, one for Moses, one for Elijah. It would be a great idea.
No, the father steps in and says, This is my beloved son, Hear him.
He distinguishes him, he sets him apart, and you know, there's.
There's times when we can do the very same thing, you know, not give the Lord.
His rightful place to lower him to the level of mere men, even if they may be gifted and godly men, still it's lowering him to the level of men. We must always seek opportunity to exalt the Lord Jesus as He is in all his glory. But that's what Peter thought he should do, and we can do that sometimes too. And so the lesson here for us is that we should never lower the.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ to the love of men. We need to be reverent and give him that rightful place and to show the needed respect that there should be given to Himself. I see it from time to time and sometimes in the way we hear people pray, we'll find that they address the Lord in a familiar way that sometimes you wonder if they are seeking to. I don't say they try to bring them down, but it just sounds.
Me at least that they're bringing him down to the level of mere men as you talk to another person. And that verse comes before me in Psalm 50. It says Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such as thyself. No, the Lord is not such as men and He needs to be addressed in reverence and with respect. I see it also in the ways we come to meet the Lord. We come sometime to the some of us come sometimes in a way that looks like we're ready to go to the beach or something.
Not understanding or not knowing really whose presence we are in. And so we have an opportunity to meet with him and we're very thankful for it, but we need to show some reverence and respect.
With regard to himself, now, I'm not saying for a minute that we brethren have a have a dress code.
The brethren where I come from never insist that anybody wear a tie, but they do leave it in the conscience for the conscience of the individual before the Lord, And they usually say something like, well, we.
We are going to go show our respects to the Lord and try to honor Him and therefore would be right that we would.
Dress in a respectful way. We leave that to the conscience of an individual as to what they may think that is.
I think that's good.
Just about a week ago, Lance Ferbert and his wife Margo were in our assembly. They were up that way and we enjoyed them. It's a black couple from the assembly in Bermuda. That's a British colony, you know. And he told me an interesting story with regard to respect for the Lord. And he had been going to the meeting dressed in a certain way. But anyway, what happened? Being a British colony in Bermuda, they had a visit from none other than.
Queen of England, she showed up in a big entourage. People went to the side of the road, he told me and he chuckled under his breath and he said to one of the brothers that was there with him, he said, I better go back inside the house and get my jacket, my sports jacket, because he said, you know, they've come to meet the queen and everybody's doing it. So he went back to the house. He got his sports jacket on to go out, stand beside the road to meet the queen. An older brother saw that and said, Lance, how is it that you get a sports jacket on to meet the queen, but you won't do that to meet?
Lord, oh, he said. That went through me like a knife. But when he was saying that, he didn't realize it was going through him, but was going through me too.
Because I at times have not used a jacket either when I come to meeting. In fact, in the summer months, it's very much a temptation. Now, I'm not going to give anybody a dress code here as to what you should wear, but you know, we do need to be presentable to the Lord. We're going to present ourselves in our basket of firstfruits to the Lord and we need to be presentable and we come into His presence. Now, I can just hear some of you young people saying, but it's just not what counts.
What's in the inside is where your heart is, is what counts. It's not the outside. I would say to you, yes, but you don't have all the truth. Now there is a line of truth in the Scriptures, John's ministry, that takes up the side of relationship and communion, and that certainly is very important. We must have that inward life with the Lord of communion. But there is the House of God's side of things which we had in our meetings.
00:30:16
What sets before us another side? JC asked the question with regard to what the House of God was the meeting gone on? I didn't have my chance to.
Let's say what I thought believe from Scripture what the House of God is. Now I've got my chance. JC OK. The House of God, as I understand it, is the church. It's not different from the church. It's not something separate. It is the Church of God in a certain aspect. It is the church in an aspect of being a vessel of testimony in this earth, a place where God is known and therefore order and holiness is required.
To demonstrate what God is, this world should be able to look at the House of God and know the character of God.
And the epistles that take up the House of God take up the public testimony of the Church.
That is what we are before the eyes of men in this world. And those pistols, It's very interesting that it gets right, very, very practical and it gets right down to even the way we dress.
Because it's important how we carry ourselves in the House of God.
And so while there is true that there needs to be the inward communion with the Lord, we need to understand that we are set in this world as a public testimony. I'm not talking about just when we come to meeting, but seven days a week. We are the House of God, and we are to represent Him here in order in our conduct and so on.
So that they look at us and they know God. That is, that is, they know God's character. That's the aspect of the House of God.
Now, if you still say, I don't know if I'd go for that, I want you to do this next time you go looking for a job. When you go looking for a job and they you, they, you submit your resignation. What do you call it? Your, your resume, your resume. And on the second interview when you look pretty good that they're going to get, you're going to hire you when you go. This is what I want you to do. You make sure to get a pair of flip flops on a pair of cut offs.
You wear a T-shirt, preferably older. It says something like just do it, a hat on backwards. You go in, you go into the office where the man is and you have the interview.
I want to know what happens.
Just present yourself that way. Now, what's wrong with that picture? You know very well you'd blow the interview and you'd lose the job.
Isn't it what's in the inside? What counts?
You may very well be qualified too for the job, but the man is going to look at you and wonder what and earth is going on.
So when we present ourselves to the Lord, let's seek to look respectable as we would give him our basket of first fruits. Well, let's go on verse 37. It came to pass that on the next day, when they were come down from the hail of the mountain, much people 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.
And lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out, and it teareth him, and he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departed from him, abesat thy disciples to cast them out, and they could not.
And Jesus answered and said, Oh faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you and suffer you? Bring me. Hit her, thy Son. And while he was yet coming, the devil threw him down and tear him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his Father. Here we have another, and that is a failure with the disciples to cast out a demon. The lack of power, lack of power.
Isn't this interesting? Remember I read in the first verse that the Lord gave them power to cast out demons, but here we find they can't do it.
This must have been awfully embarrassing for the disciples when they sought to cast out this demon and they could not do it. But you know, it just shows us that we cannot carry out our service for the Lord in mere formality. There must be our hearts involved, engaged rather with faith. And I take that because the Lord said, O faithless generation, it seems that they attempted to deal with the problem without really.
Having faith in what they were doing.
We find that they could not cast out the demon.
What a scene this was. You know, the Lord had just come down from the top of the mountain where there was a father and a son.
In perfect harmony with one another. It comes down to the base of the mountain and here's another father and his only son. And there is this terrible scene. What a picture. And the father, he cries out for compassion from the Lord when he says just look upon my son. And I think this is what was missing in the disciples attempt to cast out the demon. They did it more, I believe for more from a formal standpoint rather having their compassion.
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For the individual, and you know, if we miss compassion for those of our objects that we seek to reach, it is not going to have much power. Our ministry will be powerless. It is so very important that there is that in our hearts and in our exercise. And so they lack faith. I would take it and they failed in this regard.
And so let's turn on to another verse 40.
443 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God, but while they wondered everyone at all things which Jesus did and said unto his disciples.
Let these things sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying.
It was and it was hid from them and they perceived it not and they feared to ask him of that, saying, OK, here we have another, we have the lack of understanding. Now the lack of understanding and our understanding was born of the traditional Jewish beliefs with regard to the Messiah. You see, Peter speaks about the two parts of the Scriptures that would refer to the Messiah he speaks about.
Of his epistle The Spirit of God Testifying and the Old Testament Scriptures of the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow, and all of the Old Testament passages to do with the Messiah. They could be divided in one or the other. Those two categories, those things that pertain to His sufferings, those things that pertain to his glories.
Now the Jews.
Reveled in those ones that speak of the glory of their Messiah, and how that their Messiah was going to come and set the nation above all the Gentiles and bring prosperity and healing and all those many blessings. And they would read those passages of scripture for every Sabbath day in their synagogues, and that was their hope and so on. But they passed over the other side of the Scriptures. They did not see in their very scriptures their own scriptures.
That there was such a thing that the Messiah would suffer first before those glories would take place.
Sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow. And this led them to make mistakes in their life. I'm thinking now of the two that went down the road to Emmaus. You know, they were very discouraged because they were looking for the Lord after that one side. And when he died on the cross, they were dismayed. They didn't know what to make of it. And the Lord met them on the road. And what did he say? Oh, fools and slow of heart to believe.
All the prophets, what they said they had believed part of the prophets, that is the part to do with the glorious Messiah, but they hadn't believed the other side.
And understood the other side to do with the Messiah, and how that He would suffer, going to death, rise again, and so on. And so the Lord, it says he beginning at Moses and the prophets and so on, He expounded into them the things concerning Himself, and He took up both parts. And He said, ought not Christ to have suffered? There's the one, and entered into his glory, there's the other. And so He set things in their proper order for them. He rightly divided the word of truth, as we had in our meetings.
Paul was saying to Timothy, he said it in its right order. And so the lesson now here for us from this.
To be careful to rightly divide the Scriptures, otherwise we're going to come into misunderstandings as they did. Isn't that simple? You know, probably the greatest example in the day in which we live of not rightly dividing the word of truth would be those who are trying to take the Jewish blessings and mix them with the church. And I think that the church is some spiritual Israel and so on.
And it is really overtaking the Christian profession today.
And many seminaries, they are given up dispensational teaching and have imbibed covenant theology, what we call.
Covenantal interpretation of Scripture, which is not rightly dividing the word of truth. Well, let's be careful then that we understand where we are and what we're doing I was talking to Nick here yesterday he was talking about, you know, learning the truth is like building a house and we need to put up a framework and understand some basic principles and then we build the walls and so on and then finally we.
00:40:13
The house with the various pieces of furniture that would be fitting to the room. And there are those divisions in Scripture that we need to understand and to put the furniture that belongs in those rooms in their rightful place. What would you think if I invited you to my house? I had a toilet and the living room.
OK, now let's go on.
Verse 46. Then there arose a reasoning among them. Which of them?
Should be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child and sent him before him.
And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me, and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me. For he that is least among you, the same shall be great. Well, here we have another shortcoming and failure, the disciples, and this one here is a lack of humility. And the lesson of course here is that we need to.
Be humble. What was the problem here? Well, I believe that the disciples, they had seen a glimpse of the coming Kingdom glory, and they got to thinking, well, I wonder what place I'll have there. I bet I'll have a good place. And you could just see them going back and forth about this. But this only created strife among them. And how careful we have to be, and what a danger this is, and a hindrance from being effective in our ministry is that we have some notions of wanting to be great.
In this world, and I've told this story before, but Brother Kohler, I never met him from New York. Some perhaps have a long time with the Lord. You've saved out of the world. When he was in the world, he said my ambition was to make something of myself in the world. When I got saved, I had the idea that I wanted to make something of myself among the brethren. And he said I had to find out that both were wrong.
No, and the Lord teaches a very interesting lesson here by way of an example.
And he has a lesson here for them in this child that he takes. And he says here, if you be willing to receive a child in my name, that's what God is going to identify with and is going to be happy with and will reward you in that coming day.
And so there we have the lesson of being content to do small things.
Be content to do small things, receive a child, help a little child. He said, well, what's that? But the father up above sees that and he will reward accordingly. And that shows that our faith and our service is real because God looks at those little ones and they're real to him. They mean something to him. You know, we're naturally, we want to do something that brings us before the public eye. We don't want to do something that nobody's going to notice. We want to do something that will.
Before the public eye and how dangerous that is, wanting to be great, how careful we have to be.
You know, years ago when I was in my father's business, wholesale craft business.
There was a man that my father told me about it. He had met at a mutual client's place in selling and his name was morally brown and he would tell us stories about this man and we were fascinated with him because he was such a an individual. He was a big imposing figure, loud voice and he thought a lot of himself. He was full of self importance.
And he worked for a competitor's company and.
As I heard these stories and years went by, I secretly wanted to meet this fellow because I wanted to see what he was like for and real.
But I never had the opportunity. But at any rate, what happened was that the company that he was working for went bankrupt.
And we heard about it. So we made contact with the receiver and we went over there and bought up a lot of their inventory at 25 and 30 cents on the dollar. So it was a good deal for us. At the time when we went there, there was just the receiver and there was the old head warehouseman that had been with the company for 40 years, as long as morally brown. And so as we were working together, I thought about Morley Brown and I thought, here's my chance. I'm going to ask that man about this fellow.
And so I asked him about Morley Brown. He looked at me and he said Morley Brown.
We all hated him, he said. We had a work name for him behind his back, he said. We used to call him Big Fat Big Shot Brown. Everywhere he went, he thought he was some real big shot. And I'm sure he would have been mortified to think that people actually thought that of him, because he thought of himself as being a real, important and popular person, in his own eyes at least.
00:45:10
That behind his back there were just big, fat, big shot Brown. Yeah, I thought about that. Is it possible that we could carry ourselves among our brethren in such a way as that? They say behind our back there goes big shot brother so and so.
Oh, what a thing that would be. How careful we have to be.
That we don't seek to put ourselves forward. It is only going to be the flesh in US. It surely will hinder the blessing that we would seek to accomplish. And as we reach out to others. And so let's be careful here and learn the lesson that the Lord Jesus lays down here. And that is to be content to do little things. Be content to do little things. You know, you have a conference. We hadn't too. And it's very interesting to me when you have a conference.
Rather than get together who it is that volunteers to want to do the public job.
Very interesting.
I'm not saying anything about the conference here, I have enjoyed it immensely, but it is just interesting how that our natures are such that we seem to volunteer for those things that people are going to see. But the Lord is saying if you want to be great in the Kingdom of God, be content.
To do little things for the Lord. He sees it, and he will reward accordingly. Let's move on. We have another one in verse 49 and 50. John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he followed not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not, for he is that, for he that is not against us is for us.
Here we have yet another shortcoming of the disciples.
Here we have the lack of tolerance toward another that we're seeking to serve the Lord and to cast out devils in the name of the Lord himself. And I suppose John looked at this individual and he wanted to tell the Lord what he had done in forbidding this individual because he thought that the war was going to probably pat him on the back and say, that's good, John.
But the Lord said something a very opposite. He said forbid Him not for he that is not against us.
Is for us, and this is important, that we don't have this spirit.
Of.
Criticism toward other Christians.
That may be doing service for the Lord, whatever it may be. You see behind this, it was very, it was, it was particularly embarrassing because as I just said from verse 39 and 40, that the disciples were asked to cast out a demon and they couldn't do it. And now they turned around and they run into a man who could do that. You can imagine how embarrassing those must have been. And so they found something wrong with them.
Isn't that the way our hearts are when we find excellence in another person?
Well, then we find something wrong with what? The way they did it or the way they said it and so on. And that reminds me of a story that Dwight Al Moody used to tell on himself years ago. And he preached in Chicago and he had a church there where he preached. But anyway, he went on missions and tours around and he went into England with Sankey as his partner who did the music side of things, and they preached through.
England, and I suppose Scotland as well. But anyway, they came across a young preacher.
His name was Henry Morehouse. And they said, well, yeah, if you ever in America, you know, look us up. We're glad to have you preach with. Moorhouse was a preacher, too, but he was a young fellow at the time. And so they went on their ministry, their mission, preaching. And when they got back to America and in Chicago, it wasn't too long after that, a few months later, that he got a telegram from New York. Moorhouse was in America.
And he was wanting to come to Chicago to preach as he was invited by Moody. And he thought, what did I ask this full of four? But anyway, he said, OK, we'll bring him. And so he.
Told him in the telegram back that he would not be there the week that he could preach in Chicago because.
He had previous engagements in another city, but he said very welcome on. So the man came and they gave him a week of meetings where he preached in Chicago in that church and he preached on the love of God. John 316 was his text. He took it up every night and preached on the love of God. And it was not without little results. There were many that were converted and there was had a profound effect upon the audience.
Moody got home. He asked his wife. So how's the Englishman doing?
She did not answer it, so she said, well, he doesn't preach like you do.
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See, Moody was known for Hellfire preachings and he would hold a Sinner over hell.
And Murhaus was entreating them by the love of God. So she said, well, he doesn't preach like you do, He said immediately, I didn't like him. He didn't preach like me.
He didn't like him, so he said, I went to meeting with us, thought that I didn't like him. So I went to the meeting that night and I heard him preach. And the man made such an effect on Dwight Al Moody that it changed his preaching for for his life, for the rest of his life. And he became known as the man who shook the man who shook the world with his preaching. Moody was often known as the man who shook the world, but this was the man who shook the man who shook the world.
Henry Moorhouse He was among the brethren, actually amongst the open and.
But I just thought of that when Moody heard that he didn't preach like him, he said immediately I didn't like him. And that's just our hearts, brethren, just our hearts. Do we see someone that doing some work for the Lord that doesn't walk in the path we are?
Well, should we criticize them? Should we call them down? No, the Lord says just leave them alone and leave them with God. Notice the Lord didn't say well go join him. No, we have to walk in the path and in the light that God has given to us. But there are Christians all around us. If you don't know that are doing things for the Lord that I don't know if I could do. But nevertheless, we must leave them with the Lord and not seek to attack them because they follow not with us. And as you read this 49th verse, you can see.
What was at the bottom of it? They said we, we and us. They had the focus of the center of gathering all wrong. They had themselves at the center, not the Lord. They had lost sight of the Lord being at the center of their of their company of disciples. And they saw themselves and when anybody wasn't with them while they forgot them. Oh, brother, let's not get like that. I know there's such a thing as being zealous for our ecclesiastical.
And I want to uphold and to stand for the truth of gathering. And those of you who know me here would not want to compromise one ODA iota of the truth of gathering. But we don't want to get offensive toward those who have little or no light concerning this truth. We must leave them with the Lord. And so the answer here is we need to be tolerant toward others who are seeking to serve the Lord with the light that they have.
I didn't say be tolerant towards sin, I said just be tolerant with regard to those and to leave them with the Lord.
There's a lesson here for us because we can be zealous.
But in a wrong way and be offensive. And I know what I'm talking about. I'm talking from experience. Talking from experience.
Now let's go on to verse 51. And it came to pass that when they, when the time was come that they should be saved up, that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem and sent messengers before his face. And they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples, James and Josh saw this.
They said, Lord, wilt thou that we should command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias? And he turned and rebuked them and said, You know not about spirit, manner of spirit, you're of. For the Son of Man has not come to destroy man's lives, but to save them. And they went on to another village. Here we have another one, and here we have the thought of the lack of grace. The Samaritans rejected the Lord. The disciples said, I'll get them, Lord.
Send fire down from heaven and judge them on the spot.
Oh, that's not the spirit of a disciple.
Were to be characterized by grace, not vindictiveness. And so we find here that they lack the spirit of grace toward those who reject them. You see, what was happening here is that when the Samaritans learned that the Lord was going to Jerusalem and he wouldn't come and honor their place of worship and gerism.
They were bigoted and they were prejudice, and when they found out that the Lord was not going to honor Gearism.
They didn't want them, and so the disciples were jealous for the Lord and they wanted to.
This can't be. And so they've asked the Lord to consume them in judgment. But that wasn't the mission of the Lord, and it is not ours either. If someone rejects the truth that we give them, rejects what we have to say, we're not to take it personally.
It's the Word of God they're rejecting, not us. We need to turn it over, as the Lord Himself did in His ministry to the Father.
And say Even so, Father, for a nice sight, it seems good, a nice sight. And so we just leave it with God and don't reject you. They're rejecting the Lord now. We need to be grieved for it. Yes, that's true. But we don't want to get vindictive. I see our time is over. We have three more at the end of the chapter 3 disciples of the Lord, though they are not apostles, they were one would be disciples and these three men.
00:55:25
Come and offer their.
Desire to follow the Lord in the path of discipleship. And there is a failure in connection with them, or at least something lacking, shall I say, in regard to them. And the Lord sets those things right too. But we don't have the time to get into it here this afternoon. But what we have had before us is a grouping, a moral grouping of various failures and shortcomings of the disciples and the Lord graciously taking each one of them and turning around and giving them a lesson and recording it in Scriptures.
We can learn something from it too, because we're just like the disciples. And that's why I thought we should sing that hymn that says that our sinful wanderings thou hast borne with grace and.
Anyway, we need to pray.
That's.
With love and patience, all divine. Isn't that so wonderful? The Lord is so patient with us. Let's bow our heads and thank Him.
Honey
Address—A. Scharf
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2 Timothy 2:1-7
Reading
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Second Timothy, chapter 2.
1St.
Now there, my son.
He's strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that Thou has turned me among many witnesses, the same commit Thou the faithful man, that we shall be able to teach others also.
Now, therefore, endure pardon as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Command that wore it entangled himself with the affairs of this life.
That he may choose him. To his children he would be a soldier.
And if a man also prescribed for mass trees and if you're not crowned 50 striped lawfully.
The husband resident laborers must be first partaker of the truth.
Consider what I say and the Lord give the understanding and all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even under bonds, but the word of God is not bound, 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 where it would 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 Yet He abided faithful. He cannot deny Himself.
Of these things but the men remembrance, charging them before the Lord.
That they strive not about words to no prophet, but to the suburban of the ears.
Studies to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Let's shine propane and vein babbling and they will increase them to more ungodly and their word will eat as a tanker.
My phone is timeliness and bullied through concerning the truth of the earth, sustained that resurrection is passed already and overthrow the faint of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal.
The Lord knoweth them that are good, and let everyone that name it the name of Christ impart iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of curtains, some to honor.
Some to this If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master Jews, and prepared under every good work. Plea also useful us, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace.
Within the color of the Lord, out of pure heart the foolish unrest questions avoid.
Knowing that they do, gender strikes, and the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all. Men have to teach patience in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. If God for adventure will give them repentance, could He acknowledge you know the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil? You are taken by him at his will.
Just to compare.
First Timothy and Second Timothy.
The House of God is the subject.
And in the 15th verse of chapter 3, in first Timothy we read But if I carry long, that thou mayest know how thou orders to to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth, So it presents things.
00:05:06
On God's side, in order, you know.
In the second epistle, it's in ruin. You know, there is a ruined state depicted. But in spite of this picture that is painted very faithfully there by Paul, he mentioned things that abide.
For instance in verse one of chapter one.
He speaks of the will of God, he being an apostle according to the will of God.
According to the promise of life, which is in Christ Jesus, that remains, and grace, mercy and peace.
That remains, and God the Father and Christ Jesus. There are even in the day of ruin, things that we can cling to by things we find ourselves.
In ruined condition in the Christian profession.
And we have contributed to that. We're part of it.
We cannot say that we have nothing to do with that. We have contributed to it. Just think of what has happened amongst the gathered Saints. We have contributed to the ruin in the Christian profession. But there is a path for faith, and that is what is shown here in the second chapter especially.
The latter verses you know.
But it begins with individual separation.
But we are not expected to go as individuals through this world with them that call upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart. There is a collective path even in the day of ruin, and that is so beautiful that that is clearly presented here in the second chapter, especially towards the end. And then God abide faithful. How wonderful.
He abided. Faithful, we are unfaithful.
But he abides faithful, he cannot deny himself. So it's wonderful to see, in spite of the ruin that is clearly presented, there are things to which faith can claim and rest in.
The setting of the epistle.
Is an old servant of God who has come to the end of his path of service for the Lord, as he indicates in the 4th chapter. And he's encouraging a younger servant of the Lord in the path to carry on and to carry the torch, to be faithful. And so it's a beautiful exhortation for those who have an exercise to serve the Lord and to be faithful.
In a day like we live, some have thought that the epistles to Timothy are good for our young people.
Which they certainly are, because we have many young and many of them perhaps are careless and indifferent. Others are maybe lukewarm, not that particularly interested. But really the subject that's before us in the second epistle is that he's addressing his remarks to one who is very exercising concern. Timothy was not a loose and indifferent young person.
A younger brother, he was a servant of the Lord and he was seeking to press on and Paul gives him some helpful advice here as to how to meet the day in which he was living. The 1St chapter is Heinz's mention. Really gives us the setting and that is the rune of the Christian testimony. You get that in verses.
A number of places, but verse 15 and so on tell us that the sphere where Paul spent most of his laborers in Asia.
That most had turned away from him. In fact, he says all they which be in Asia be turned away from me. And so there was a great giving away from the teachings that the apostle had labored for. And so the first chapter really gives us the setting, the ruin of the Christian testimony. But then the second chapter gives us the right needed spiritual condition to live in that day. And so we have some beautiful exhortations here.
In the second chapter.
I just mentioned that because often you think that the epistle could be used for exhorting young and indifferent and careless young people. But though we can certainly make our remarks to that end, the subject here is toward one who is extremely exercised in the past. Timothy, as we read from Philippians chapter two, was a man that had a sterling character.
00:10:17
And a care for the people of God. I just read a verse in Philippians 2.
And verse 19 and 20 I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort. And I know your state, for I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state.
Or it could be translated who has a genuine feeling on how you get on for all seek your own and not the things which are Jesus Christ.
That was Timothy character.
Just a couple more things about Timothy. I just want to read verses and not expound on them because sometimes we have the question, well, where do you get this from the book? Where do you get that he was a young man? Well, first Timothy 4 verse 12, let no man despise thy youth. To get a sense that he was perhaps a timorous young man. You know, he wasn't a perfect young man. He needed a little encouragement, but he wasn't a young man, as has been mentioned, that was.
The next chapter.
First Timothy 5, verse 23.
This bus can obviously be mistaken, but drink no water. No longer water, but use a little wine for the stomach sake. He wasn't a particularly healthy young man, not an athlete, someone that would perhaps naturally draw attention to himself. By his physique. He was timorous, unhealthy.
Second Timothy verse one chapter one verse.
6 Wherefore I put the remembrance that they'll stir up the gift of God, which is in thee. He needed a little encouragement. Stir up that gift that's within you, Timothy. And then it was brought out, changing subject here, the 1St chapter, the first book of Timothy. We have the House of God in order. And Brother Haynes, read that post where it says that thou know how their orders behave myself in the House of God.
Well, how do we know that second sympathy the House of God is in disorder. Well there we read the book just read it. But one vote that comes to mind in particular is verse 20. It's now of chapter 2, the chapter we read but in a great house there are not any vessels that go in the silver roasted water of earth and some on and some of the dishonor. So we have the House of God in the first foot and how this young man Timothy was to behave himself and that it was.
A killer.
Which is the Church of the living God, the piling ground of truth. But in the second book to Timothy we find out that it's a great house and there are not only a vessels on, but sadly also dishonor them.
Could someone explain what's meant by that term? The House of God has been used a few times. What does that mean in comparison with, say, the Church of God or the family of God? So we can get the context?
It's the sphere of Christian profession, you know. Only true believers are members of the body of Christ.
But everyone who is baptized.
Is in the House of God by now, and he becomes nominally a Christian through baptism. They even use the term Christianing in connection with baptism. Yes, publicly you take the place as a Christian to baptism, but then you are in the House of God. But.
You're not necessarily a member of the body of Christ. Only true believers are members of the body of Christ.
By 1 Spirit I'll be all baptized into one body. Only true believers belong there, and we are the bride of Christ, you know. But the House of God is larger than the body of Christ. There are the true and the false, the good vessels and the vast vessels in Matthew. That's all Speaking of the same thing, you know, those who nominally are part of the Christian profession, but.
Hopefully.
Once one is in that position, one comes to realize that it is more important to be a true Christian. How do I become a true Christian?
To personal faith in the Lord Jesus and what makes you and me a Christian is not that we are born again. We couldn't be a Christian without being born again. We need more than new birth. The Spirit of God takes a vote in our body and that makes us Christians and makes us different from any believer that ever lived before the day of Pentecost.
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You know, we become Christians through the indwelling of the Spirit. He couldn't indwell us unless we had new life. He doesn't seal a dead professor, but we have to have new birth. And then the Spirit comes to indwell that individual and we better remember that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that is used to exercise the conscience of the Saints.
Would you sin with that body and with the Holy Spirit? Dwelt you're a Christian.
And remember that and act like that. We can't do it in our own strength.
But the Lord has given us what it takes to live Christian lives if we walk in dependence upon the Lord Jesus and allow the Spirit of God to control us.
And the Spirit dwells in US individually and in the assembly collectively, you know, so we become Christians through the indwelling Spirit. And the Spirit dwells in the assembly and he is to be in charge. You know, it's really a terrible thing when they hire a man to head up a local church.
You know, that is really replacing Christ and ignoring the fact that the Spirit is there. You know, there's a difference between the Spirit being amongst believers and the person of the Lord Jesus to whom we are gathered by the Spirit of God whenever Christians come together.
They do not have to pray as some do, that the Spirit would come. He is there. All they have to do is let Him control and if He is in control, He will magnify Christ and make people to come to realize the most wonderful thing on earth today is to be truly gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus where He is in the midst recognizing Him as.
And let him be in control by the Spirit. But we had two that Brother Heinz at the House of God has seen in two different ways, is it not? One is Christ as the Builder in which He puts in living stones, which we see the work of Christ going on and all of His perfection. But there is also the House of God committed to man in responsibility. And we know from first Peter that judgment must first begin at the House of God.
That which bears the name of God, and of Christ and testimony.
And we see that in a little example in the seven churches, admittedly there is the 7 golden candlesticks, but we see the Lord among his people as a judge because there was things that had come in into the way of testimony that were not according to his mind and according to his will. But there still is that work where Christ is the builder, where all is according to God. We know from Paul's ministry too, that the two main aspects of the assembly that he brings out are the House of God in those two aspects, and also the.
Of Christ, but our brother mentioned the family of God that's primarily John's ministry, isn't it? Because you read in first John 3. Behold the manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons, or more properly the children of God because John brings out the fact that we all have eternal life and that was what is what brings us into the family of God. We have that same life and that same nature whereas John does not develop the truth of the assembly and either it's.
Of the House of God or the body of Christ. And so as we go to this second epistle of Timothy, we do see the House of God. It's still the House of God. But such confusion has come into it is likened to a great house where there is all sorts of things that are not according to his mind, nor according to his will. And so in that context, how wonderful that we have guidance and principles for us to go through.
The Christian pathway, not only individually but collectively.
According to the will of God.
That goes, I think it's something like this, he says in these days, it is all important that Christians should understand that they are to be Christians. And I just I've always taken that quite the heart because it's it comes right back to one. How do we walk in the world? How do we present ourselves? How do we appear for those in the world around us?
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Do we represent as ambassadors for Christ, we represent him and all that we encounter in the world around us and our dealings and our association Vitally important, especially if it was true in Darby's day that he could make such a quote. How much more so in our day today when we see so much it is contrary to Christian principles, contrary to Christian behavior.
How? Another has said.
You know, in our day that we Live Today, we don't need to say much. We don't need to say much, but we desperately need to live like we're Christians. We need to be Christians because more what we observe by those around us as to what we do, how we behave, possibly more than what we can say in this difficult day that we live.
And you know, that's so good to put that out. The secular world has a word for the great house. It's called Christendom, meaning the Kingdom or the dominion of Christ. And how do Christians act if they recognize that they are under the dominion? Back to our chapter.
Where does the Therefore? What is the point from which Paul is saying, Thou, therefore my son, be strong?
Is it the 15th 1St I'm not answering my question. I am asking further this. I'll know us that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace, not a neglect of of that which is vital in life and is brought out in in this trap in these chapters, the first verse of the book.
Speaks of the promise of light. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, according to the promise of light.
Which is in Christ Jesus that reality, isn't it? And then in the the 10th verse.
We have the presentation of life, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light life through the Gospel.
Then you have the participation of life in the second chapter in the 11Th verse.
It is a faithful thing, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.
Then in the third chapter in the 12Th verse, I'm going to given this to me and I I'd like to share it and I think it's very apropos in the sense that there has to be reality. Now we have the pattern of life, yay and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Then in the 4th chapter.
We have the purpose of life. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who shall judge the quick and the guarantee at His appearance and His Kingdom preached the word, et cetera, and so on, the purpose of life.
So in this great House, there's that which should continue on and invite vitality. In other words, there's no excuse for giving up.
And it's grace that needs to be emphasized, you know?
It's strong in the grace.
You know, God is willing to give this kind of grace to everyone to live for Him. You know, as I already pointed out, we have no excuse for sin. We have been given everything we need to live Christian lives. But it is the grace of God that has given it to us, and so we should be strong.
In the grace the law was given to men in the flesh.
And it was testing man in the flesh. You didn't have to be born again to be on the ground of the law. Every Jew was on that ground. There were those who had true life. You know, they weren't Christians, but it was given to men in the flesh. But in Christianity, we're underground of grace. And be strong in the grace. Let that grace be demonstrated.
In your life.
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And.
We are not Speaking of physical strength as it was with the Jew. When he was to overcome his enemies, he was to kill him. That's not the kind of a strength that is given to the Christians. What is given to us as Christians is to suffer for the Lord, suffer for the truth, and to be strong in demonstrating.
What the grace of God has made us to be.
There's another portion or another portion that we should turn to in first Timothy chapter one gives us another little insight as to what the apostle Paul was trying to save Timothy and the force of what was going on in the day that Timothy lived. In first Timothy chapter one and verse three it says.
In verse three there as I besought the to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine. And so there was the tendency.
In the natural heart, perhaps in, in the church, in the early church, even in Ephesus. You know, we read that there were 12 Persons there when that assembly began in Ephesus, in, in the book of Acts.
And he had to exhort them that they would teach no other doctor. Now doctrine just means that it's an old English word to to really means the teaching. And the apostle Paul uses this word doctrine or teaching throughout the epistles to Timothy and and both first and second Timothy and in Titus particularly, he uses this word and he says here.
Here to take heed of the doctrine. But if you turn, turn back to.
First Thessalonians chapter 4 you find chapter 5. I'll just read one verse there in verse 21.
First Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 21, it says prove all things, hold fast that which is good. And what is it that we're going to use to prove what is good? It's the Word of God. And so This is why he says here in Second Timothy.
In chapter one he says, Hold fast the former, the outline of sound words which thou has heard of me, with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. And so he speaks of those that had forsaken him. They had left off the apostle Paul. Now what have they left? Had they ceased to be his friend, so to speak? No, it was really they were laying aside his doctrine, his teaching, and they were going on with something other than what they had originally.
Delivered and so the Spirit of God just very carefully would desire to give the instruction that the doctor and the apostles doctrine is that which is of exceeding value in connection with the Church of God, the bride of Christ the body and it's the entire teaching that the apostle Paul brought out. But there was that which they would desire to have in its replacement and so he says it's something that the apostle Paul brings out partic.
He says hold fast in verse 13, hold fast the form of sound words and it's the the thought is two thoughts is that I'm to grip it with tenacity that I'm not to let it go and I'm to hold it dearly to my heart. Those two things and the tendency in Timothy's day in second Timothy was to release the grip just to loosen the hand as it were and to let it slip away.
And so now he says in verse two of our chapter.
The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful man. He said don't change anything. I've I've got what I received from the word from the Spirit of God and don't change anything. And so that's the tendency our brother Bruce mentioned that there were some he gave a little bit of background that Timothy was a man that had a desire to please the Lord to walk in the truth of God.
And he's now he's being encouraged to hold fast and not to let it slip away.
Because it was an exceeding value and he was going to test everything that he had there by the word of God and the apostles doctrine was going to be something that he withhold and dearly to his heart. He doesn't say give it to smart men. No, you know, intelligent, mentally intelligent people, faithful men. A faithful man is one who.
Accepts the truth and walks in a you know, and that is to be our exercise.
But you cannot hold anything. You don't have young people. Do you have it? Do you have it? You know, I'm so thankful when I look back on my life, I had grandparents already that loved the truth, you know, and what a privilege to grow up under that influence.
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You know, there might be people here who didn't have that kind of a background.
You know, but what a privilege to go to meeting.
You know, are we going to attempt the meetings? Are we faithful in attending the meetings?
Well, the first thing is we believe the Lord is there.
Would you want to miss the opportunity to meet the Lord? And then of course, by the Spirit the truth is presented. You know, of course, if we only limit our.
Influence or being influenced by the Word of God on Lord's Day and on Wednesday. We don't grow very much. You have to expose yourself to it every day. Read the Bible, have a time.
Every day to read the Bible for yourself and begin early, you know, begin early to get into that habit. And then when you're reading, ask the Lord in humility, please help me to understand it. And then you will have questions and go to some brother and say what about that question? I don't understand that I read this. The brother will be pleased.
And he sometimes might not have an answer for you.
That might even lead to that brother looking into the Scriptures to get the answer, you know, but that there's nothing like feeding on the Word of God individually. You know, if you only had two meals a week, you wouldn't live very long. Speaking of natural food, you don't survive spiritually if you only go to meetings. You know, you need to get into the habit of reading prayerfully the Word of God for yourself.
And then?
Prayerfully read it and you will grow spiritually. And it will.
Divert if I hit in my heart, not in my head. The scripture says, you know, let it penetrate your heart when your heart's affections for the Lord, you know, of course, if you would never mind. We couldn't take anything in any way but but it's important is that the Spirit of God uses the mind, you know.
As a tool, the power is the Spirit, not the mind, And so read the scriptures prayerfully and get into that habit early.
At Gotomeeting you know, and hopefully.
Brothers in the meeting that will take part will remember that there are young people in the BT2 That don't know very much, you know, and that they don't always talk over their heads, you know, to present things that they can get ahold of, of Sunday school is nice, you know, but of course, if children wouldn't get anything at all.
They won't benefit even from going to Sunday school, not very much by going to Sunday school once a week. Sunday school is wonderful, you know, but it wasn't started for the children of the same that was started for the children of the world. You know, I'm not against Sunday school, but remember it was started to reach the children of the world. You know, it's a nice thing that we have Sunday school and but hopefully the children are not limited.
Learning the scriptures in Sunday school. Learn it at home.
Second verse is really God's Bible school, isn't it? On the corner of Hamden and University here in Denver.
A beautiful piece of property. It used to be called the Denver Seminary or some such. Well, some businessmen recognize that that piece of property could be used for much greater value and so they bought it out and a few miles down Santa Fe.
They purchased 20 acres and now they can advertise that their Bible school has this, this new facility of 20 acres just just pristine. They must have gotten a handsome price for it. But you know God has his way. The things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit out of faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. This is God's seminary.
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God's Bible School, because we are in God's school, aren't we? How important. And and I'm thankful that that not too far up university a little further is another seminary. And I overheard a conversation that the one further off on the campus of the University of Denver is modern.
And the one down by Hampden was what we would call evangelical. But you know.
God doesn't want either one of them. He wants us to learn in consort with the Spirit of God and His people. This is God's training school, isn't it? The things that Dallas heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit out of faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. This is the only type of training and school that Timothy got, wasn't it?
4 generations there isn't there?
Tell us. Well, you probably could tell us better, but if you have in that second verse the things which thou has heard of me, so you have it from Paul. And then it was given to Timothy among many witnesses. Then he was to take it and pass it to faithful men. That would be the third who were able to teach others also there will be to the 4th. And so that's how the truth is passed on.
And So what he's saying here to Timothy, as I understand it in these opening verses of the second chapter, is in view of the great giving way.
Which he's mentioned in the first chapter. Great giving up of his doctrine in view of that Timothy was to be involved in disseminating Pauls doctrine and he tells them the way. Not set up the school as you were saying, not set up some university and have a classroom so to speak.
But that he should seek out faithful men that we're going to walk in the truth.
And then pass it on to others. That's the thought you're able to teach others also is not referring to gifted men or gifted teachers, but the idea of competency, of wanting to pass it on. If that were the, if that were the what the mean, the verse meant. You might take from this that Timothy was to go look for teachers and have a teacher's conference or a teacher's meeting that you teach these ones and they would go out and teach others. That's not the thought. He was not to look for gifted men. He was not to look.
Intellectual men, he was not to look for anything that perhaps the world might seek after, but for faithful men. And then he used to commit what Paul had given to him, or entrust that word should read the very same things that Paul gave him. You know, the danger today in passing on the truth is to not give it in the same way in which we have heard it or received it. Now how is that possible?
Well, we take our own thoughts and we add to it a little bit, and then we pass it on. And if each one of us did that after a few generations, you can imagine that it wasn't hard to resemble what was first given.
And so we have to be very careful to do as he says here, the same commit thou to faithful man, not take it and give it a little twist of your own, and then pass it on. Things would be lost quickly, wouldn't it?
I might add to that in First Chronicles chapter 29, I believe we have a beautiful parallel passage, because in Second Timothy we have the heart of the apostle desiring that this young man, who he could call my son, that would go on in the blessedness and the enjoyment of the truth, that the House of God might be further.
You know that Timothy's father, according to the flesh, was a Gentile, perhaps not even a believer, but the heart of the apostle went towards him. And in First Chronicles 29 we have a similar scene in that we have one generation going off the scene and another generation coming on regarding Solomon and David. Just to read the first few verses there First Chronicles 29.
Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregations.
Solomon, my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great. For the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. We can understand the House of God, It's for God, it's the House of God. Everything should be according to the mind and will of God. It's not for man, it's for God. Now verse 2.
Now I have prepared with all my might for the House of my God.
The gold for the things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass. The iron for things of iron and wood for things of wood. Onyx stones, and stones to be set blistering stones that have divers colors in all manner of precious stones, and marble stones of abundance in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the House of my God, I have of my own proper good of gold and silver.
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Given to the House of my God over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house. Well, just a couple points here. One is David had set his affection to the House of his God. Is there love for the Church of God and his character is the House of God. If the affection is not there, it's going to be an empty, sterile thing. But further in verse two, we see the energy of David to lay up for the next generation He had prepared with all his.
Light and Solomon might build this temple, but this comes to mind with respect to what we read about the same. There was gold for the things of gold, and there was silver for the things to be made of silver. It wasn't silver for the things to be made of wood, or brass for the things to be made of iron, or something of the sort. There were certain things that were to be made of gold, and he given him gold to make the things with gold, not to make things that were should be made out of gold, to make them out of silver.
Mix and match to change things. There was things that were to be made according to certain material and it was designated that this material is for that. And so how important it is that we rightly divide the word of truth. We cut it in a straight line that we commit the same to faithful men that there is a proper understanding of what becomes the House of God. And then to to recognize it only not only needs a receptive heart to take in the truth.
But a willing heart to share it and give it forth for that generation coming on and remember, it's not always easy to be a Christian except that as a fact and that's what's indicated in verse three. Doubt therefore endure sufferings. Mr. Darby renders it is a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
You know, it's not always easy to be a Christian.
In our land here we don't have to be afraid of physical suffering. We might be ridiculed, made fun of, and so on. But never mind our brethren in Muslim land and in North Korea, in places that killed for the Lord, and they are faithful unto death.
You know, but there is still suffering connected with being a Christian.
Even in the West here, you know, when students are in school and they don't get involved in things that other students want them to be involved in, they might be ridiculed, made fun of, you know, never mind. That is part of the Christian life. So endure sufferings. We are soldiers.
There's a war going on and a soldier is not expecting.
To have a picnic, you know a soldier is expected that he will be shot at, you know when he is in the front line. So expect.
Difficulties. But we are not going through these difficulties alone. The Lord is with us, you know, and he strengthens us and helps us to endure whatever he allows. And it is for his glory if he suffer.
With him and for him, you know, so we find some of these things explained in Matthew, you know, so we have to be willing to suffer.
And be a soldier.
And.
Don't surrender.
You know the soldier keeps on fighting until the Lord relieves him of the conflict is to go back to verse one for a minute saying it's strong my son, to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. It doesn't say be strong and intestinal fortitude so you can endure or be strong and knowing all these things, let's be strong in the grace.
That is in Christ Jesus. Well, that's not grace. That's inside of us.
Being gracious to others, I believe it's the fact that we depend on the grace of the Lord Jesus to help us. And if we read biographies of people that have done great things for God, we find out that they feel that they're not able, but they depend on the grace of God to help them in each situation. And so as we're enduring hardness, we might say, I'm not.
00:45:17
Capable of this. It's it's too much for me. But we, like Timothy, can be encouraged to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. We can depend on his grace.
To help us and so as we think of things like the doctrine and we say, well, it might be more than I feel I'm capable of to correctly lay out everything and I have someone that school or work has asked me a question and do I just kind of dock or or what we say, well, no, we can be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and we can say I'm I'm not capable of this, but we can look to the Lord.
Give an answer and it's not that we're each going to be superheroes and and perfect soldiers and knowledgeable and all the doctrine. No one achieves that status. All of us have to depend on the grace, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. So no matter what level you might say we might feel we're at, we can do this for the Lord.
Depending on him, His grace to help us.
And there's going to be a cost involved, isn't there? But it's going to be worth it all.
The truth and sell it, not in the cost. And here it says in J&D, take thy share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ is going to be something connected with it. But it's going to be worth it all, isn't it? And so I'd just like to encourage the young people, and as we're older too, to buy the truth. Don't sell out, go forward.
Encouraged. Take the suffering. It's going to be worth it all.
And we see Jesus.
It says in Revelation chapter 22 and verse 12, Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me.
With me to give every man according as his work shall be. And so the Lord Jesus uses that term with me so often in his in the Gospels and here in the Book of Revelation. And he says, as it were, I'm going to appreciate it if you suffered with me, if you were partakers of the sufferings of Christ. And you know the apostle Peter.
He didn't want to suffer with the Lord Jesus that he.
He denied the Lord and he it's as if he got to the point where he was going to have to suffer and he said it's not worth it. I'm going to just deny that. I know the man and but you know, sweet in first and second Peter, the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter uses that word suffering. He uses it and he uses it and he uses it and he says, you know, it's worth suffering for the Lord. And so you know, beloved brethren, there's only this time that we live in this scene that we're able to suffer for the Lord when we.
To the glory, the suffering time is going to be over, and now He says my reward is with me. Is He going to appreciate it if we have associated with Him in His rejection? When He comes for us and receives us unto Himself, He's going to appreciate it and we're going to be thankful that we were associated with Him in His rejection. May I also say suffering for Him and suffering with Him?
You know, suffering for him is if we go out with the gospel and.
We are attacked. That's suffering for him.
But when we see the condition amongst God's people.
And we grieve over it. We're suffering with him. We have feelings like he has, you know, and have fellowship with him, seeing things the way he sees it. You know, it's really sad when you see the divided state among God's people. They ought to be one. That's what we find in the high priestly prayer, that they may be one.
Even as we are one. But what a shameful course has been.
Manifested among so-called Christians. And I'm Speaking of two Christians.
You know, and we ought to be exercised to feel these things the way the Lord does, you know, and not get proud and say, oh, we are faithful, you know, we are to feel the shame that has come upon the name of the Lord to the divided state.
00:50:09
Say through your gathered we have had several rifts amongst the God of things, you know, do we really feel these things, humble ourselves, you know, and suffer with him. You know, what does he think when he looks down and sees these things? You know, He is grief, He suffers and we can suffer with him.
In verse four, there is a battle line drawn here.
The Christian soldier. Perhaps someone can speak to where that line exactly lies.
Would you repeat your point in verse four? In verse 3 where?
The metaphor of being a good soldier, Jesus Christ suggests a warfare here, but then there's a line drawn in four that that warfare is limited to a certain sphere, if you will. Maybe someone could speak to that.
Well, you have to be asking yourself.
Will this interfere with my life for Christ? You can get married. That doesn't necessarily interfere with your life for Christ. You can together live for the law. But there are also things that we can get involved in that.
Is entangling ourselves in the affairs of life. It is not that what we are involved in then can be for the glory of the Lord Jesus.
You know, so marriage, there's nothing wrong with it. You know, if you have a marriage partner that is a help to you in a spiritual way, what a wonderful thing that is. And to be exercised to give a demonstration in our own feeble way of what is true of Christ and the church. Husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church.
Does any of us that is married?
We say that we have loved our wives like Christ loved the church, but that is nevertheless.
The standard foot before us, you know. In our own feeble way we can demonstrate in our marriage relationship. But we better be careful that some of these natural relationships are not predominant.
We are in these relationships for the Lord, you know, and then we can glorify Him in these relationships.
And I won't interfere with our responsibility as a soldier. You know, the wife can be a tremendous help and assistance in fighting that war.
In verses three and four, he uses the figure of a soldier here, and there's two things that he's really bringing out. The third verse, as we've already commented on, the the need for enduring hardness and being prepared to suffer for Christ. But then the fourth verse we have another side of things, and that is that the soldier needs to be careful to keep himself.
Free from getting entangled in things of this world.
So that he may be free to serve the Lord. And we have to be careful that we don't bring things into our lives that are only going to tie us down and get us occupied with the world and the earth so that we will not be free to use our time and our energy for the Lord. And so he's warning Timothy, be careful here at this point because it's so easy to get entangled with the fares of this life and therefore not be able to be as free as we should be to.
To answer the call of the our commander and you're the one who has enlisted us.
Are there affairs of this life that seemeth right unto a man seem justifiable in the course of Christian warfare that when you look a little closer, really aren't Amen at the work of the enemy to try to introduce things into our lives that look very things that you should be looking after responsibilities. They may take a certain form.
And we bring them into our life and then we realize that afterwards we pay the price and get entangled so that they're not as free as we should be. It's an exercise that we should all be concerned about who live in North America when there's so much that we could bring into our lives because there's so much that offers it is offered to us as far as things of this life are concerned. You know, those who live in 3rd world countries where there isn't the same opportunities.
00:55:02
We have have an advantage over us in some sense, and this is one, it's huge. An example. There's nothing wrong in having a house, right?
But do you have the idea of building a mansion that is way beyond your means and you have a hard time even though meeting your expenses? You know, there's nothing wrong in having a house, but you better live within your means. What about a car? There's nothing wrong to have a car. We couldn't hardly get anywhere in the United States without a car. You know, unless we live in New York, then you can have public transportation.
But so there's nothing wrong in having some of these things, but these must not be the purpose in our life, you know. So we have to be careful. And then of course, we have three things here. We have the affairs of life, Then we have an athlete, and then we have a farmer. These are three types used to explain the Christian life.
You know.
When you're running.
A raise you better don't step out of line even though you may end up the first crossing the winning line. You're not crowned because you stepped out of the line, you know in other words, stay in line as an athlete and then.
The husband man has to later before he can partake. That's the better rendering.
This rendering is misleading the husband and that laborers must first be partakers. No, he has to labor before he can't partake. That's the thought that is expressed in verse 6. So we are.
In all of these different ways for the Lord, hopefully, the affairs of this life.
He has chosen us a soldier. Let's be a soldier and.
Then let's be running the race according to the rules. There are rules even for a Christian. We're not under law, but there are regulations for us as Christians. And then we better labor, and we have to labor before we can expect.
Fruit of our labor, you know. Hopefully, whatever we do, we do it in the strength that he provides.
Appropriate portion. I'll just read it in First Corinthians 7. But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoice not, and they that buy as though they possess not.
And they that use this world as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away. And they that use this world as not abusing it. How appropriate. Isn't it wonderful? Yeah. Fits in very rough, the word of God.
Mark's Gospel chapter 10 and the Lord Jesus spoke the same thing really to a young man there. And there's 21.
Well, let's read verse 20, Mark 10, and verse 20. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. This is particularly a snare in youth, isn't it? What we're talking about here is the acquiring of wealth and the acquiring of the goods of this world, and setting our hearts upon a career that would get us farther in this world, and so on. And so the Lord Jesus said to him, then Jesus.
Holding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest, there was just one thing missing. He had everything that life could possibly provide him with. But he said gold eyed way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. And come take up the cross and follow him. And he was sent that thing and went away Greece, where he had great possession. And so what's a danger to us to have possession?
And so the world is just taken up with the things that manufacture, that manufacturers, and it takes and polishes them up real well. And the heart is distracted. It's divided from Christ. And that's what idolatry is. It's something that comes in between my heart and the Lord and my heart is distracted. And the Lord said to this young man, he just was missing just one thing and he needed to go and sell all that he had, and then there wouldn't be that hindrance. And.
01:00:06
So it's a warning to each one of us as brothers said, that we need to just war and not entangle ourselves. Otherwise it's the spiritual conflict that we have that will take that will suffer. We're not going to have that success as it were, in the spiritual realm of things. There's going to be the enemy will gain an advantage.
And so we need to be aware of his tactics in that way.
There's nothing wrong for a Christian to have things, but what he holds in a material way is only a steward that belongs to another. Luke chapter 16. If one isn't faithful in that which is another, that's the material things. The true riches will not be entrusted to him. I have related that at different times.
My grandpa was taking a laborer to visit.
The homes of the Christians, you know, and he went to a home of a man and a brother that was taken to, Labor said. Now we're coming to the House of a brother who is rich, but he's poor.
You see, he didn't look at the possessions he had in the right way. And then they came at a House of another brother and the brother said, now we're coming to a brother who is poor, but he's rich. He was rich in the things of God. Well, there's nothing wrong in having things, but do we look at it in the right way? Are we faithful stewards? It belongs to another.
You know, we're only stewards.
And we better conduct ourselves in such a way that we can get his approval.
We said that verse five is the figure of an athlete being used here. You would better see that if you looked at the James Darby translation or made something like this. And if a man also strives in the games, it adds for masteries. Let's talk about it's an allusion to the Olympic Games, whether they're athletes striving for the medals or the crown or whatever that was given.
And the point here, as we know the context of the chapter, is serving the Lord.
As this young labor was to do and the point is Heinz is mentioned is that he was to serve him according to the rules of the of the game, so to speak. And so God has principles in his word the way in which we are to serve him if we're going to meet his approval and get rewarded in the coming days is possible for a person to not serve along the lines of the.
The Word of God and we're going to lose our reward. We'll bring into the House of God wood, hay, and stubble with our energies and with our laborers. And so it's important that we would strive lawfully, as He says, or according to the principles of His Word. There are many. I'm not picking on any Christian groups or anything, but I'm just saying there are many Christians who do things in their service as they seek to serve God that I just don't feel with my conscience before God and with an open Bible that I could.
And we leave them with the Lord, and he will weigh that in the coming days. But with the light that I have, I just don't feel that I should bring to my gospel service or work that I seek to do for the Lord a electric guitar and a rock band or whatever to try to win souls for Christ.
I for my own conscience, I believe that I would not be striving lawfully. I would not be serving according to the principles of God's Word and bringing what is of the world and what is of nature to draw upon and to work upon the senses of the audience to create some effect. I want to leave it open for the Spirit of God's work in a soul. So I present the Word of God and that only and Christ from the Scriptures. I give that as an example of.
Striving lawfully in our service.
But music hath charm.
And it does.
I mean, I I could envision myself.
In a group like you mentioned, or overhearing a group and it has a charm, I may not enjoy it in that particular piece, I may not enjoy that particular piece. But music has charms. But what does the Spirit of God want to use to charm? If we can use that word, charm our hearts.
The person of his beloved son.
No substitute for.
01:05:03
Condition of the heart is so important, you know. Why don't we as brethren have to do music to instruments?
That was acceptable under Judaism, right? Because it was a worship for men in the flesh.
But in Christianity.
It's the Spirit of God that needs the singing as to him, Raja says join the singing that he leadeth is an expression in one of the hymns, you know. So there's nothing wrong in singing as good as we can sing, but we are not.
Introducing things that were acceptable in Judaism, you know about singing is what will even be in heaven. Our portion, they sing a new song. Wasn't there a little bit of honey in the offering? What's that? There was no honey, no honey in the offerings to bring sweetness, wasn't there?
And we're not saying that we decry music.
We're not saying that music is wrong for a Christian. What we're saying is using it in our service for the Lord to draw souls to Christ, or as Heinz is alluded to, even worshipping the Lord.
I have very much enjoyed to listen to the Messiah.
You know, Beautiful is a scripture put in melodies, you know, and I feel personally the tunes fit with what is expressed in the song, you know, but we wouldn't introduce that kind of a thing in the meeting. But I can enjoy it and we have listened to it in the car, you know.
And it's an enjoyable thing, but.
To be better, remember that in the meeting the Spirit of God is there to leave the Lord Himself in Hebrews 2 in the midst of the church will I sing that praises, you know? And He leads the singing. Join the singing that He leadeth.
Philippians love the sense of reason to consume.
Philippians 3 Three, We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Worship God by the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Adding music to our service for the Lord is only one thing that we could mention with regard to perhaps not serving according to the principles of God's Word. Music, as you know, does stir the emotions. I think of. You mentioned handle, but I think of.
Largo by I got married to that when they we walked down the aisle. Every time it's played and I listen to it.
Still a tear to my eye. It is so an emotional.
Music. But is emotion what we should be seeking to use to reach souls? It's possible even to to preach in such a way as we use the emotion to to create an effect in our audience, maybe stories or whatever. No, I think that if we would rely upon the power of the Word of God as used by the Spirit of God.
That would be striving lawfully, and God would use it, and there would be a real work in a soul. But if a person gets saved or converted by some other means?
You know, we can't ever hinder the Word of God as it says in this chapter. The word of God is not bound. He God uses His word wherever it it is proclaimed. But for the servant of the Lord, he needs to be an exercise before God as to serving according to the principles of God's Word.
Some may have more light as to this than others. We have to leave them with the Lord. As we said, we're not here. You're trying to bash other Christians or anything like that, what they may do, but.
But each one of us is our conscience before God with regard to our service for the Lord. The Lord gives a little light on that in Deuteronomy chapter 22, and it's worth reading. And it says in Deuteronomy 22 and verse nine, I'll just read that verse 9. Thou shalt not sell thy vineyard. That's a place of fruitfulness for Christ, your own work for the Lord.
01:10:04
Thou shalt not sold thy vineyard with diverse seeds, two different kinds of seeds.
In the spirit, perhaps we could say, lest the fruit of thy seed which thou has sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled. Mr. Darby Translation. He uses the word forfeited. And so you could read it this way, that unless the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard be forfeited. And so someone might get saved if.
I bring musical instruments and we preach the gospel of grace and kindness of God and so on.
And thank God that souls are saved. The word of the Lord is not found, and the Spirit of God is at work. And yet if I work in disobedience to the Word of God and the principles of the truth of the Word of God, the Lord says I'm going to forfeit that. That reward. You won't get the reward. You could have got it if you striven lawfully. You knew what the truth was, but you didn't walk in it. And so isn't it lovely? The the apostle Paul here just encourages Timothy to strive lawfully.
And we just need to encourage one another, brethren, to strive lawfully according to the truth of God. And we may not understand the way we ought to understand. And if we just have someone just come to us and come up to the side and say, you know, you might see things a little bit differently. But I just suggest a word of Scripture that would give you a little light to help you in that little work that you're doing in your vineyard for the Lord. And then, you know, there's we might correct one another. And what grace, what kindness?
Say a word to one another. And so this is what the apostle Paul was saying to Timothy. Don't just do a work for the sake of doing the work for the Lord. That's not what he wants. No, he wants it done in accordance to His word. He had to be patient and allow people to grow, you know.
We have had the experience that a couple came to meeting, they were saying, but she wouldn't cover her head. But we didn't pressure her and say, listen here, you're not scriptural. We just left it up to the Lord. But it didn't take long and she came with her head covered. You know, I'm using that as an example. Just give people an opportunity to see things.
Without making it a rule, you know.
But at the subject come up, you know, we would have faithfully pointed it out, but still we have to give people a chance to grow in their understanding, you know, and the Spirit of God will give them more light. We still need more life every one of our side. I believe This is why the Spirit of God uses this word in in first in the verse 7.
Consider what I say.
The Lord will give the understanding in all things.
So we're to be spiritually exercised about those things that are brought to our attention and those principles that would give us more light or to consider those things. And I'm thankful we can be for those that will consider and then walk in a clean path with the Lord in connection with head coverings.
I won't give you all the circumstances of it, but there's a brother in fellowship that.
I wanted to remarry because his wife had died and he had this Christian friend that just couldn't see head covered. And so he what did he call? He went, he went to the Internet and there he found an 18 page article by a Presbyterian minister. That was the finest presentation.
That he had ever read, and the brethren that he showed it to said it was absolutely the finest.
Of the fine in cash with a head covering. Presbyterian minister. 18 pages and also he found and this strikes very close to home. I even forget the family name but this sister meets in Buena Park and it's 6 pages and she is a triplet.
So you know them far better than I and.
She.
Came to the point apart from the 18 pages of the Presbyterian minister. She came to the point that she said I must bow to the word of God and that was her testimony and some of you know her personally.
So God has his representatives and has his truth that is adhered to, and we can be thankful for it.
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Be faithful what you know in what you know and He will give more life.
As thou goest step by step, I will open up the way before you.
2 Timothy 2:8
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Second Timothy, Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse 8.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Where I suffer trouble as an evil doer.
Even on the bomb, but the word of God is not found.
Therefore I endure all things for the elect state, that they may also obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
It's 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 yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself.
Of 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 be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun for fame and vain babbling, they will increase under more ungodliness.
And their words lead as duffer. Canker whom?
To concerning the truth have aired say that the resurrection is passed already and overthrown the faithful. Some nevertheless the foundation of God stand assured having this seal Lord know of them that are His, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only the vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and a bird.
And some to honor and some to dishonor.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel under honor, sanctified, and meet for the master Jews, and prepared unto every good work.
Plea also youthfulness, but all righteousness.
Faith, charity, peace with Sam Nicole from the Lord out of a pure heart.
The foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender stress.
Servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men.
Have to teach patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves to God for adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
And that they may recover themselves of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Why does he bring up the need to remember Jesus Christ, the seed of David raised from the dead?
Sounds like he's changing the subject.
Is it not the thought that he's saying that what's going to give a person the perseverance to continue on a day of ruin and failure in their service is to remember that the results are to be seen in another day and to remember the Lord Jesus ministry as He was the seed of David, He came to present himself to Israel as their Messiah. And you read from Isaiah 49 that.
He had spent his strength for not, and that Israel did not return unto God, and outwardly his ministry looked like a failure.
But what was it in resurrection? There was much fruit. It was came out of that labor of the Lord Jesus, but it was only seen after his resurrection. You know that there were many that turned to him after the Spirit came. And I believe that what he's saying here to Timothy is the same thing that if we're looking for results where we're now, we're here in this world now in a day of ruin like this which he speaks.
A person could get discouraged, but if he looks on to another day?
And remember that the rewards and the fruit of all that our laborers have been will be disclosed at that time. And if we keep our hearts and our minds focused on that time, it will give us the energy to continue at this time.
00:05:13
Helpful to see that it in that I think the Darby translation remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David raised from the dead according to my gospel, leaving out the words that and what.
Only Amen to what you've just said about the earth.
Can you quote the rest of that verse from Isaiah?
I spent my strength in vain, yes, and but.
Though Israel will not know what's Isaiah 49 three, I believe 4.
This was the sum total of the Lord's ministry, his three years of ministry here. And he says to his Father, Isaiah 49, four, I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for not and in vain. Surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God committed the whole thing to God. Beautiful, beautiful.
John the Baptist said repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. And that is the same message that we find in the next chapter. Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
That was not the way we understand the word Kingdom of Heaven.
They were referring these two verses were referring to him coming to reign in power and glory, but then the king was rejected. And then we have a mystical form. There's a mystical form of the Kingdom. There is a Kingdom, but.
It is in a different way. There is a spiritual sense to it and.
So. But he is not our King, He is our Lord. We enter into the Kingdom of the Son of his love.
And that's the spiritual Kingdom to which we belong. And then when Paul says, according to my gospel, you know, he presents the gospel of the glory of Christ, you know, that's characteristic of false gospel, you know, and all of our blessings are connected with the risen and glorified Christ.
Not with the King of Israel.
You know, and there is a Kingdom to which we belong and there is going to be a Kingdom when he comes back to earth, an earthly Kingdom, and he will even bring us along and have a share in the glory of that Kingdom. We shall reign with him, the Bible says, but we will be reigning over the earth, not on the earth because.
Consistent with our heavenly position, we will be maintaining that position.
Even when we rail reign with him over the earth. So.
Paul's gospel has to do with the glory of Christ. It's the gospel of the glory of Christ. And how wonderful that this has been known to us and that we can be associated with Him in this new way. As we already indicated before, we are in a relationship to God and to our blessed Lord that nobody enjoyed before he rose.
And sent the Spirit even to disciples in Acts chapter one that was still connected with Israel. You know that they would see him come back again to sit, stand on the Mount of Olives that was still in connection with the hope of Israel. But then the Spirit comes and joins.
Those that were followers of the Lord Jesus to a risen, glorified Christ by the Spirit.
So how wonderful the gospel of the glory of Christ is and that we can accept that by faith and know ourselves associated with a glorified Christ in connection with what you brought out brother Bruce. And regarding Isaiah 49, believe we have a similar thought in the ninth of Daniel where it speaks to the Messiah being cut off, but not for himself or his new translation renders it and she'll have nothing.
Nothing. In regard to what?
Well, in regard to Israel he came and had nothing with respect to them.
I think we have a beautiful picture in the 22nd, 3rd and 4th of Genesis there where of course Genesis 22 we have Abraham and Isaac, picture of the Father and the Son there and the type of the death of Christ there in the 24th chapter, of course we're familiar with the call of the bride where Isaac goes to Rebecca.
00:10:19
The servant rather brings the Rebecca to him. But in the 23rd chapter what we have is the death of Sarah, and I think of that in regard to that expression.
The Messiah shall be cut off and have nothing.
Yes, Sir, there is a type of Israel. There was nothing there. And so that following that we find the call of the bride, where the Spirit of God, typically there in age, although he's not named, brings her across the wilderness to Isaac. And then Isaac brings Rebecca into his mother's tent and he loves her. And so while this present day the Lord has nothing with regard to Israel, the church, the assembly, the bride of Christ has now come into the affections of Christ.
But we know from Genesis 25 that Abram he married again and took up Katura and the picture of the Gentiles coming into a blessing in the coming day, but it just holds true there for the Lord came had nothing with guard to Israel. The church has now come into his affections. The present place a blessing, but his counsels as it relates to Israel will still be fulfilled and that's why in Isaiah 49 he can say.
It is a light thing that thou should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob.
And to restore the preserved Israel, I will also give the alight to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. We know that the Gentiles have even now come in to bless you. But in connection with the body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, in the coming day the Gentiles will be blessed with the Jews as Jews and Gentiles alike. And that will really be the answer of the fulfillment of.
What? What God has purpose for his sin?
We all have no talent in joy, Isaiah 53, but what it is really expressing is Israel repenting Israel, acknowledging who He is and what they have done. They considered Him stricken of God and afflicted, but He brought their iniquities, you know. So the first application of Isaiah 53 is for the Jew. That's a prophetic scripture.
What they will express at that time, we can apply that to ourselves, because this death of this Blessed One is also the basis for our blessing, but it is also the basis for fulfilling the promises that were made to God's earthly people and are not yet fulfilled.
The work of Christ is the basis for it to fulfill what couldn't be fulfilled when it was underground of the law. You know, they had to keep it all or guilty if they transgressed in one, they were guilty of it all. And so they were transgressors. They forfeited everything. But Isaiah 53 will show and does show that the basis of the work of Calvary's cause is the basis for Israel to.
Blessed, you know, we can claim that for ourselves. It's the basis for our blessing, but we may have much greater blessings than Israel will ever have blessings fulfill that were promised of an earthly nature. Nature, you know, we have heavenly blessings, but the work of Christ is the basis for our blessing like it is the basis for that which will yet be enjoyed by Israel.
Every blessing.
I'm reading this in the back of my Bible. Every blessing God has purposed for Israel, or for the Church, or for the nations in the Tribulation and or the Millennium is based on the sacrifice of Christ as determined in the councils of the Trinity from past eternity. End of quote.
We will be so happy to see the blessings fulfilled to Abraham. Abraham, see, we will rejoice in that. Why? Because the Lord is glorified in it. You know, can a Christian really be an anti-Semitic person? Better not be, no. Well, I used to work for a Jewish hospital, former Hitler, He was working for a Jewish hospital. I told them, how can I be anti-Semitic? My savior is a Jew.
You know how can a Christian be anti-Semitic?
Out of communion with the thoughts of God. But the Spirit of God always brings before us Christ. And so he endured, it says in Hebrews chapter 12. For consider him that endure such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary than faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin. And so if he did resist against evil, and he lay down his life, the Lord Jesus would rather obey.
00:15:17
And endure and die rather than disobey. And so the trend here in in Second Timothy was the the letting go and the giving up.
And the setting aside of what was the truth of God. And so he says, here's the remedy. Remember, remember.
And we are natural hearts, we would forget, but what is it that will bring us into tune with the thoughts of God? It's remembering how the Lord Jesus conducted himself in this scene. He could say, I do always those things that please my Father. And so he endured. He had the end in view and he endured. He could see that the fruit was going to be.
God were an abundance of fruit, and so our lives can be that same abundance, can't they?
Well, we may not be able to expect to see the fruit of our labor as well. We're here in this world and should be content to leave it for another day. As we've been saying, this eighth verse does speak of the ninth verse goes on to say that what we will expect should expect, and that is opposition. Opposition if we think that, as you say, Heinz, that the Christian life of serving the Lord is a picnic.
We've got to get mysterious adjustment in our understanding of things. We're following a rejected Savior. We're preaching an unwanted gospel.
We're standing for things that this world doesn't want rise against their conscience, and so therefore there is going to be suffering and trouble. And Paul was mistaken here as being an evildoer. But he does add though that even though he wasn't bombed, the Word of God is not found. God's word is still producing blessing and fruit wherever it is used.
And we thank God for it.
So use it.
The Word of God is like a hammock. Use it.
Memorize it so that at a certain time the Spirit can bring a scripture to your mind and quote it. Remember, that is what God has decided to use the Word of God, not our convincing arguments. It's the Word of God. Quote the scriptures and that is what God has decided to use for the blessing of men. Faith is based on the Word of God.
Chapter 4 he says to Timothy, preach the word.
There you have the idea of using the word of God.
I remember hearing a younger, an old brother talking to a younger brother encouraging about the gospel he was about to take and he said make sure to open the word when you get up there soon. Some people get up there and they try to tell a few stories. If the people to laugh a little bit, it's like it's an entertainment or something. And slowly but surely they turn to the scriptures. No preach the word. It's the word of God that has power to affect blessing and souls, not your stories or antidote to whatever else.
We may have, like you say, clever arguments. It's the word. And so in the in the last days, which is what this epistle is all about. The emphasis here is to preach the word, layout, the truth of God. The Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. It will accomplish what God would have accomplished. It's in our hands and we're to use it as Brother Heinz has been saying.
In 1948, in this city there was a conference.
Bob Brimley Father preached the gospel and I never before or after have heard so many Bible verses quote.
Stories which he probably could have told, but he quoted and read the word of God.
Still remember?
Didn't need it for salvation, but certainly needed it for a refreshment appreciation, he quoted and read the Word of God.
Stories might illustrate a point and that's what we find even in the Scriptures, right and but it's the Word of God that is to be used and so sufferings is connected with Christian service, but.
Paul said he endured all things for the elect's sake. Who are the elect?
00:20:00
I don't know who they are, Neither did Paul know who they were.
That's why he preached to all, but he knew that the elect would be reached.
So whatever suffering was connected with his preaching, he did it for the elect sake, because the gospel has this purpose, to draw in the elect. To me this is overwhelming.
In the eternity past, God has chosen me in Christ before the world was. Isn't that amazing? He knew that there were behind Franklin born in 1930 and he said I want that Heinz to be mine. And that's true of every one of us here in the room that is safe. In the eternity past, God has chosen us. We are elected in him before the world Foundation. Amazing.
There was nothing in US why he would pick us, you know, if anything.
What we deserved was to be condemned. You know, we were alienated from God through sin.
We were heading for hell. That's what we were deserving. But.
He is loved and He is gracious, you know, and in his love He gave us the Savior. In his grace He has brought us to himself as sons. Isn't that wonderful? Because sons of God, through faith in the Lord Jesus, in the family of God, we have been brought and know Him as Father.
I mentioned that before nobody knew him as Father in the Old Testament. The Lord Jesus revealed him as Father. To faith in Him became God to know His Father.
You know, and to know him in that intimate way and to say ABBA father, what does ABBA mean?
Well, if you ever would have traveled in the Middle East, you know, if you hear a little boy address his father, he wouldn't say daddy, he would say.
You see, I'm not saying we should say daddy to God, but when we say ABBA, that's what is conveyed. Like what a little child would say to his father in the intimacy of a little child. We can say ABBA, Father. That's the beautiful point, isn't it? Intimacy, nearness.
I don't have to be afraid.
We don't have to be. We don't have to be afraid of him.
You know he loves us.
And you believe it. I think you're our Father's house only today. Amen. I believe that there are dear Saints of God here, as there are elsewhere, that have been raised with the beauty of Jesus loves me. This I know. And their immediate response today as a young adult, middle-aged adult is Jesus.
But the father himself loveth.
And so it's wonderful that Jesus loves me this. I know we should never forget it and the closeness and the dearness. But to think of what relationship we've been brought into and to think of how much is missed by not enjoying the relationship that we have with the Father and the nearness that should express itself.
In prayer and meditation.
But we had to die.
We had to die.
You know that's not his expressive baptism.
Buried with him in baptism.
The Sinner belongs in the grave, and that's what is expressed in baptism.
But how wonderful race with Him in glory. You know it would be only married with Him in baptism. That would not be that encouraging, would it? But we are raised with Him, and we're seated in Him in glory.
That's what that term in Christ refers to in Paul's writings, as we have in the latter part of verse 10, salvation, which is in Christ Jesus. That's the position that every one of us stand in today as believers, regardless of how we may be going on practically in our souls. Some may be careless, some may be very diligent. We are all equally in that place of acceptance of being in Christ, and it's salvation that puts us in that place before God.
It literally means to be in Christ's place before God.
That's my place. All the acceptance that God Christ rests in stands in it as he is before God, and the favor of God that rests on him is mine. That's the same place that I'm in, and you too. So it's beautiful to see how he speaks about the salvation that it is in Christ Jesus. And as Heinz has said, all of our distinctive Christian blessings are in that position, in that man that is there at the right hand of God.
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So not only is our place there, but our blessings are there. Ephesians chapter one and verse three says that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places.
In Christ Jesus not beautiful. Notice that he uses this the names and titles of our Lord Jesus in a different way here than he did in verse eight. In verse eight he said Jesus Christ. Verse 10 he says Christ Jesus. This isn't a haphazard thing. Spirit of God has laid this oath because when it's when it's Christ Jesus as we have in verse 10, it's referring to the man that has risen and gone back to heaven and that place that he has now.
But when it's Jesus Christ, it's referring to the one that's come here.
For the glory of God. And as we were mentioning in verse eight, that's the thrust of that verse, the Lords earthly ministry here. And as the seed of David, he came as we said that his life and ministry looked like it really didn't accomplish anything for the glory of God. It wasn't until a resurrection that we see the fruit, as we said, yeah, common comparison that might bring that out. It's a distinction between the president-elect and the president.
They're the same man and one will have the office, Jesus Christ, but Christ Jesus is the one recognized in office is that.
You'll find that the term Christ Jesus, as we have in verse 10, is not Even so much as found anywhere else in your Bibles but this, but the Epistles you don't read about in the Gospels of the Acts.
It has made him both lost in Christ is in Acts, you know, in resurrection. He was Lord before, but he isn't in a new position now as a result of the work of Christ on the cross. You know, he has made him both Lord and Christ and what a wonderful thing to know here.
Do you know him? Does everybody in this room know him? I hope you do.
Even the boy there were there, you know, he can't know him. A little child of seven or even three or four may enter into heaven through Christ, the open door. I had a brother say once and I wasn't happy about that. He said a little child of seven or eight or nine or more, may I do it to have a law. I said I don't like that. I like the way it is in the hip.
Little child of seven or even three or four. One of our granddaughters got saved when she was three. My dad died. They came to the funeral and here he was in the coffin. I took her by the hand. You know, I didn't want her to be scared. I said, you know, this isn't really opaque. That is the house in which OPA OPA is vampire, You know, in which OPA dwelt while he was on earth. Oppa is in heaven.
She couldn't get that out of her mind. OPA is in heaven.
And when they were back where they were staying, she said, how can I make sure to be in heaven? You know, she wanted to make sure to be in heaven. Well, my daughter said to her, heaven is a clean place.
And you cannot have any dirt in heaven. And sin is like dirt. And the only way that the dirt of sin can be wiped away is when you come to the Lord Jesus. And in childlike simplicity, she did that right then, and she clinks to that even now. She's a young lady now, but she clinks to that, that at that time she accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior. That's why a little child of seven or even 3 or 4.
May enter into heaven.
You know we don't have to be 20 years old before we can get saved.
Speaking of what you were saying about baptism in verse 11. For if we be dead with him.
A faithful saying Reckon yourselves indeed.
That unto sin, it says it is a faithful saying in their King James Version, but I think it reads the word is faithful. He's been speaking about how that he is bound, but the word of God was still bringing blessing. And that is an important point for us to understand as we serve in this day. Listen, brethren, the Lord doesn't need any one of us. Regardless of how gifted you may be and your brother and pat you on the back. The Lord doesn't need you.
He's pleased to use you.
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And we're thankful for that. But even a man is as gifted as this that we're reading of the apostle was bound and blessing was still going on, and he wasn't offended with it either. And so the Word is faithful because it's the Word of God that's bringing the results by the power of the Spirit, not the gift.
But there is going to be a difference, not in heaven, but on earth, according to the measure of faithfulness.
We will give, be given a place to reign with him, you know, reign over the earth. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. That's the Millennium in heaven. You know, we are not going to be reigning in heaven.
But there is going to come a Kingdom, and we will have part in that Kingdom. And according to what we have endured for our blessed Lord, there is a difference on earth.
In connection with the Kingdom, some will be over so many cities, some will be over so many cities. There is a difference in the Kingdom, you know. And then there will be crowns given. We find that in Revelation. And what do the Saints do with their clowns? They cast them at his feet as much as to say, if there's anything in my life that deserves to be recognized, that is because of the grace that you.
Given me And that's why they cast the ground at his feet, giving him credit for it all well anyway, but wouldn't it be nice to have some crowds to cast at his feet given the.
Just an addendum to what our brother Bruce has said and certainly say Amen, that God doesn't need us, but he does use us.
According to Second Corinthians 76, I remember this verse and I'm not going to quote it incorrectly, but I'm going to quote it just as it was on the calendar and it left 1234 left 5 words at the end of the verse off. Let me read it. God that comforted those that are cast down, comforted us.
That's a true statement because it's Scripture. But what's the rest of the verse? By the coming of Titus, God delights to use his own, but he can't use a vessel that's not fitted. So let me read it again. God that comfortes those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus. Beautiful to think that a Titus could be thus used.
In a marvelous.
The grace of God that any of us in any capacity can be used.
There are two reasons perhaps we could say why God is pleased to give us the truth through our brethren as we've been speaking in verse two while passing it from 1 to another, and one of them would be that it keeps us humble.
You know, I, I may say something or you may say something and when somebody gets blessed or helped say, brother, where did you get that?
Well, I got it from old brother so and so it wasn't mine. And So what happens is that it keeps us humble. We can't take any credit for it because it's been most of it's been handed to us by others. If we've been diligent to gather it and we're honest, you know the Lord has given it to us through other brethren. What hast thou that thou hast not been given? 1St Corinthians 4 But there's another reason why is please the Lord to give us the truth.
Through passing it one to another and that is to promote fellowship.
To promote fellowship, it is important that we get bound up together in a practical expression of walking together. You know, it is possible to read books at home and not to even walk in fellowship with Christians and learn the truth. But we're going to miss some aspects of the truth if we do that. There are certain things that we need, that we do acquire that can only be gotten through the fellowship of the Lord's people. You know, we talk about those kind of people who call them island Christians.
They're just off by themselves as an entity by themselves.
And but they miss a lot when it comes to the coming day. It'll be manifest at that time that they have missed because there's much that we learn in the education and the school of God that he teaches us through our brother, As he's been saying, what Titus was there at the right time at the right place.
Most of us have heard about the story of Robinson crucial living all by himself on the island there for many years. But in God's mind, there are not to be any Robinson crews of Christians. We ought to have fellowship. We ought to look for fellowship. That's God's way for God's people. You know he doesn't want us to go on.
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As individuals.
You know, the truth of the body of Christ very clearly illustrates that, you know, and we need each other and we benefit from contact with each other, you know, and not just in the assembly meetings.
You know, when we have contact in our homes, how do we spend the time?
When we visit each other, I believe there ought to be always something of the law.
Being brought out, you know, something that we can enjoy as fellow Christians. I'm not saying that we should overdo it and harm our children, you know, and preach to them for hours, you know, that turns them off. But there ought to be something of Christ coming out in our contact even when we visit as families, you know, and.
We have Christian fellowship, not just limiting.
It to assembly meetings when we have contact with one another.
Would you suggest on the basis of what you said, that if I'm invited to your home and my wife and I that?
You're going to bring out a Bible and and and we've forgotten to bring ours and give us the Bible so that we can read together. Is that all right? Yes, but I was hoping you'd say it was I I, I don't think you should overdo it, you know, but there are some time be set aside for that, especially when their children involved, you know, you don't want to turn them off, but.
Children learn from their parents when they really see what the parents enjoy. Children generally want what their parents enjoy.
So the family alter doesn't need to be altered merely because there is company.
Have to be maintained to.
And it's worth looking at in Acts chapter 18, you know, it says of the overseer in in I think it's both times and one of the first company and once and Titus, he says that that overseer would be given to hospitality because there's a work that can be done with the others that is only done privately in the home. And it's wonderful thing to just have someone in the home and just enjoy their fellowship and and maybe.
A casual but reverential way. Take up the Word of God and set things a little straight sometimes and just help one another, encourage one another. Perhaps someone is downcast and I'm just referring in Acts 18 to Aquila and Priscilla and they saw Apollo's there and he was born at Alexandria in verse 24. An eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures. He came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord as being fervent in the Spirit. He spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord.
Only the baptism of John and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, who went quill, and Priscilla had heard. They took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. What a blessing. And then he went out in verse 28. He mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ. And so there was fellowship in with other believers and fear. He wanted to go on in the truth he had.
Desire, he was fervent, but equivalent facility didn't work in their home. That might not have got done if it wasn't done in the home. And Priscilla assisted Aquila in teaching this great man of God. I'm sure she kept her place as a lady, but she did it, you know, but she had part in there. But if it wasn't intended, as you say, it would have said.
Priscilla, it would have only said a quote. Yeah, it would have left out for someone.
So whatever measure in which she was sharing, she may have just been sharing by encouragement, but the Spirit of God brings them both together.
The ladies are in danger to think. Well, the men in the meeting have to do the talking, so they better know the scriptures, you know. But the ladies ought to read the scriptures prayerfully for themselves and meditate on it. And who has more influence on the kid, the husband or the wife?
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The father or the mother? The mother, you know. So mothers have a tremendous place to play in the family, you know, and a godly mother. What a tremendous blessing it is. I have three brothers, and they're all going on in a Christian way. And what we as boys have, we owe to our mother. She will bring the Scriptures before us.
In whatever situation arose.
Problems or difficulties, she would bring the light of the scriptures into it. That gave us to understand you have to bring the scriptures into every situation that arises. So what a wonderful thing it is to have a godly mother, have a godly wife, you know, and to have her read the scriptures for herself prayerfully.
You know, it's very important. Of course we know they are more busy than we men, you know, we go to work, maybe now we only have to work 8 hours. They used to have to work more hours but but they are working from morning until night, you know. But they should still have time to read and to pray.
And for themselves and.
What a wonderful thing as we travel and visit the Saints to come across a well taught sister you know that knows the scriptures. A lot of pleasure this and every godly king in the Book of Kings. Wasn't it true the only mention of mothers?
When you search this, I haven't searched this out completely for myself, but I believe everything goes either godly or else turned out godly. The mother was mentioned.
Women have a more affectionate nature, you know, and that comes across better than the way we meant sometimes. Try to bring things across to the children in a more authoritative way, you know, the mothers have a lovely way about them, generally speaking.
What's the sense in the 13th verse of not believing?
Genuinely, I I need help on that. I think it's translated if we are unfaithful, he abides faithful and it's in context with the Timothy saying, you know, if Timothy if there is failure or weakness or you're not going to be courageous as you need to be to carry on the service in such a difficult day as this. Well, if you're unfaithful, God's not going to be.
He abides faithful, He cannot deny himself.
Helpful.
But oftentimes we're unfaithful because there's unbelief in our heart. And so he says, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily to set us, and that's the sin of unbelief of the goodness that's in the heart of God. And so if we believe that we walk by faith and we believe that it's worth the effort to be faithful, it's worth.
And in the eyes of God, to walk in an acceptable way and not deny him the pleasure of seeing Himself.
Seeing us suffer with him and for him, we can deny him that pleasure, if I could put it that way, that he looks down and he sees his sons and daughters and what a pleasure it must be to his heart to see us want to identify ourselves with Him and to walk faithfully. But we can deny Him that in the scene. So this is what is brought out here. He's not going to deny us. He's not going to.
Be unfaithful, the word is going to be kept. What a privilege we have.
May I say something for the boys here?
What attracts you to a girl?
Of course, we do not expect that you're attracted to a girl if you don't.
Naturally are attracted to her.
If you're a Christian and one of please the Lord, you look for more than just whether she's pretty, whether she has a nice personality. All of these are nice things You look whether she is spiritually exercised because that's the kind of health meet you want and.
So.
Sisters.
Be exercised to be.
Controlled and guided by the Word of God.
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And that the Word of God is demonstrated the truth of it in your life and.
Hopefully the Lord will bring somebody in your life who also is spiritually exercised. You know now sometimes the Lord has allowed somebody to marry somebody who was not spiritually exercised. And then the Lord in His grace came in and brought spiritual exercises into the life of that individual. But we ought to look for that before we.
Show an interest in a person or accept attention from a person so hopefully.
The things of the law will have a great influence on our life and also what we are looking for, even when it comes to a partner for life and to walk together except maybe agreed. Amen.
Walk together.
In the 14th verse, he warns Timothy that there's a wrong way of trying to disseminate the truth of Paul's doctrine, and all you're going to do is create a lot of damage.
And that is by our dream.
Trying to subvert your hearers by a lot of clever arguments. You may not just get that out of the 14th verse, as it is in the King James Version, but I would like to now read it in the Darby translation of these things. Put in remembrance, testifying earnestly before the Lord, not to have disputes of words profitable for nothing to the subversion of the years.
Then on the flip side of it he goes on the next verse and says, But strive to diligent people, present thyself approved unto God.
A Workman that right needs not be ashamed, but rightly dividing the word of truth. And So what he's saying is don't try to give people the truth of my doctrine by arguing with them. And all this clever way of presenting it, to try to subvert your hearers into accepting it. Present the word of God, rightly divide the word of truth. There's where the power lies, not in our clever argument, but in the exposition of the Scriptures.
And rightly divided, I think it says in the other translation cutting in a straight line the truth. So these two verses 14 and 15 go together.
One, is that what he's telling him not to be doing in verse 15? He's telling him what he should be doing.
In political district, district team, there is a word called gerrymandering. And if you want of your particular political party, you go this way and then you swing around and catch some more and so on. So so that you gained your end. But cutting in a straight line, we don't gerrymander through scripture to to gather out the things that prove a certain.
Point we've cut in a It's a straight being a straight cutter, isn't it? That's what we should be. It's straight cutters of scripture.
Plea youthful us. And what is it that we should follow?
Responding to righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Yes, we have to discern them has been given to us to recognize those that we can do these things with because they're calling out of upon the name of the Lord.
Out of a pure heart.
You know, and so that begins with us as young people.
You know, when we get safe and have assurance of salvation. Who do you keep company with?
Look out for young people that mean business with the Lord.
You know if you associate and keep company with those that are not spiritually exercised, they pull you down.
You know.
There are those, thankfully, that mean business with the Lord that you can have company with.
Now in my own case.
What I found out is that I could join with young people. They usually were older than I was, you know, those of my age at that time, most of them didn't have much of A spiritual exercise, but there were those that did have spiritual exercises and what actually happened, and I'm not trying to be.
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Boasting, but to shall tell you my spiritual exercises.
I went to a brother that helped me come to faith in Christ and I said, could you have Bible studies with us boys? There were a number of us about my age.
That wanted to get to understand the scriptures better.
And this dear man did have Bible studies with us, and all of those who took part in those Bible studies ended up ministering the Word when they were older.
You know so.
It's a very important thing to have spiritual exercises seek company.
Of those that have spiritual exercises, you know, and then the Lord will use that to be an encouragement to you, and perhaps even you are an encouragement to others.
In that connection, brother, I would like to avoid too much of a personal reference, but I will bring it into this extent. When I was a boy, I anyone that knew my father. Of course he probably knew him when he was much older, but I never thought of him as a legal brother.
And maybe by example, maybe by precept.
I was given to feel that the first day of the week was not Sunday. It was Lord's Day and even to this day.
I park my bicycle in the garage and I may go out early in the morning on other days, but I don't use that bicycle on the Lords day. And I would take this young people from the Lord. If you can't take it from me, then then don't take it, take it from Him. I believe that the spirit in which we conduct ourselves.
Relative to the Lord's Day is an indication of where we are.
In our soul, so you don't go boating on Lord's Day.
If you had run, there are some questions. Your Dave Whitaker years ago told me there's some questions you don't need to answer.
Your answer is already given.
Well, it's it is. It takes a real exercise to.
Do not get drawn into arguments, as verse 14 and 15 are talking about, because oftentimes in a day of ruin, when the bad doctrine is everywhere, there are those who want to argue for their bad doctrine and they've got their clever arguments. And as you listen to it and you come back with trying to present the truth, slowly but surely you can get drawn back, drawn onto the level that they're on and end up arguing and you'll never produce anything.
For God through the.
Energy of the flesh, even if it's seeking to argue for the truth. You know, it says in James One that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. We can get angry, in trouble or whatever, and try to, in the energy of the flesh to present the truth and to argue that person and to present our arguments from the truth so cleverly that they can't deny it. But the Lord may not be in it. The Spirit of God may not be in it.
Has to be the opening of the word of God and and it's the power of the word by the Spirit that is going to make things good in a soul. And so the Workman needs to be.
Well.
Versed, or shall we say diligent, and so that he can rightly divide the word of truth, and to set things out in an orderly way so that it will.
Condemn the the gainsayers notice it also says.
A Workman started to show thyself approved unto God, A Workman not approved unto the brethren.
Proved unto God.
So what you're seeing, brother, is really First Corinthians chapter 3, the discernment that the apostle Paul had in connection with the Corinthians. He says in verse one my brethren could not speak unto you as under spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. So there were some things that he couldn't go into with them.
In connection with the truth of God, because they were unable to bear. And so he gave them up. He could give them and then he left the rest, as it were, and didn't get into an unprofitable argument. And so he's really giving them, giving Timothy that same advice, isn't he?
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That they strive not about words to no profit, but to submit to the subverting of the years. And so all of these questions that come up that don't exalt Christ, we ought to lay a light touch to, if it exalts Christ.
We can speak of Christ, we can enjoy himself and the person in the work of the Lord Jesus. Why? Those are words of profit. But the enemy would seek to introduce those things that would distract our hearts from Christ and take us off into some other territory that would just be worth of no profit. And so, you know, I've often enjoyed Deuteronomy chapter 2929 on that point because, you know, we have so much revealed to us in the Scriptures that we can enjoy.
Need to go into these questions that have no profit. And so it says there in the last verse of Deuteronomy 29. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God. There are some things he hasn't told us about. Let's not go and try to find out what they are, but those things which are revealed belonging to us and to our children forever. But we may do all the work of this law. So isn't it lovely? We have the whole word of God and we have those things that are revealed that says that.
I have not seen or you heard.
Neither have entered in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them that love God, but God hath revealed them unto us. And so we have the truth of God, we have the word of God, and let's occupy one another with those words that will have profit and will resolve Christ.
We could anticipate to verse 25 of our chapter. I think we see something else that's needful. It's not simply a matter of more information.
Verse 25 in meekness instructing those that oppose. It's not here opposing themselves. If they're opposing the truth, you know, strike that word for themselves, if God for adventure will give them repentance.
For the acknowledging of the truth.
It's a moral issue.
It doesn't mean weakness. Meekness is not weakness. We don't cave in, we don't blink. We say, well, I guess that wasn't the truth after all. No, we have a spirit and a tone that's conducive of one that's a servant of God. But to recognize that more information is is not going to necessarily solve the matter here. If there's a moral issue at work, what is needed is repentance on the part of 1 supposing. And so I'd like to read this in the new translation because it puts.
If God perhaps may sometime give them repentance to acknowledgement of the truth, maybe they will, maybe they won't, maybe not now, maybe later. But we stick with the truth laid out in meekness that God can come in and work a work of repentance that that one might be blessed.
Through their vessels to dishonor from which we have to purge ourselves. Vessels are people.
And their separation necessary. But this verse that you referred to in 25 refers to.
To Joshua, you might say in fellowship, you know, and unfortunately at times there are things voice that are not scriptural.
And that's where that verse comes in, you know, in meekness.
Instructing those that oppose themselves. So we trust that the Lord gives us grace to do it in a way that is not making enemies of the people. Although unfortunately sometimes no matter how gently things are presented if it is in form of correction.
People do not always appreciate that.
Their pride is heard and but the scripture in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, you know hopefully that they will accept whatever truth is presented to them.
Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth.
So if anybody has made any statement contrary to the truth and the brother in meekness instructs him, hopefully they will accept the truth. Because what is important is not whether we accept the person that presents the truth. Will we accept the truth that he presents? You know, that's the point. If you reject what he presents, if it is the truth, it's the truth we are rejecting.
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You know, it's bad enough if we reject the person and have feelings against him.
When he brings in correction. But what is much worse is that if we object to the truth that is presented and rejected, that's a serious matter, you know, do you want to reject the truth of God?
You know, just look what happened among so-called brethren.
And the Lord has raised them up to recover. Much true that was never known by the reformers or even other broadly people afterwards. God has given more light after the Reformation.
Got a testimony throughout the ages? That book gives you a real good insight into the work of God.
Even long before he raised up so-called brethren. But if the truth is rejected.
It's not so much the person that they reject, it's the truth that is rejected. And that's a serious matter. If it is the truth of God, we have to bow to it. You know, we have to bow to it.
Acknowledge it, even if it humbles us because we needed correction.
Father years gone by, he rejected the truth of the security of the believer.
And he fought 2 Commands, weeks, months and.
So truth was presented to him time and time again by the party brother, Brother GAIL.
And so later on you have an exercise. And so they took a trip up to Omaha, NE on a large day.
Is there to remember the Lord. You know they were not together for the Lord's name at that time, but.
They argued tooth and nail all the way for 50 miles with a sister.
And so, Needless to say, there was a lot of distress and so forth, and they sat there to remember the Lord.
There and in Omaha, NE many years ago.
My father was still.
Framing against the truth of the word of God. And so after it was all, after the remembrance was all over with, my father got up.
Turn to the scripture, he says.
Ought way to obey God rather than man?
And ask for their place at the Lord's table, brethren, that's what the word of God-given in love and waiting upon him to do the work. And then it's going to be profitable to each and everyone. And bring another one into that place where He's appointed, gathered under his precious name. So there is such a condition in our lives.
What we rejected and rejected until we find out.
The Lord is really saying, well, you're not, you're rejecting me, You're rejecting my word. And we have to bow to it. And then there will be real blessing in our lives, and there was great blessing. Bowing to the word is really what it means when it says a pure heart.
Here, because let's just read it. It says follow righteousness, faith, charity or love, peace with them that call on the on the Lord out of a pure heart. And so a pure heart, the word of God is presented and the will is set aside, the will of man, Our brother Bruce quoted the wrath of man worketh not the Lord of the righteousness of God, and so the wrath of man.
Connected with the will of man. And so he sets it aside and the pure heart hears the word of God, reads the word of God, believes the word of God and wants to walk according to the truth of the word of God. That's one that's in a pure heart, an unpure heart hears the word of God, reads the word of God. But the will is at work and will not in one way or another will not bow to it. And so the heart isn't pure and there's something mixed with.
If you could use that terminology, and so the Lord works to if we walk tenderly before him and in gentleness. This is one of the words that is used here. The apostle Paul uses it in verse 24. Be gentle unto all men. And so it's not if we're going to put more force to it, we're going to get our own way, so to speak, and we're going to win the argument. That's really not the point. It's to present the word of God. The word of God is going to.
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Be used of the Spirit of God.
To bear fruit for God.
So there are times when we have the responsibility of receiving somebody at the Lords Table. There is such a thing as reception to the Lords Table. It's not an open fellowship where everybody decides for himself whether he's in fellowship or not. There is such a thing as reception. But sometimes we have the obligation to receive a person that doesn't understand certain aspects of the truth.
You know, we do not expect them to reach a certain level of understanding before they can come into fellowship. They don't have to study the Catechism of Brethren before they can be received. But if there is a pure heart, you know, when there is a sincere desire to please the Lord, although there might be still quite a bit of ignorance, we have no reason to keep them out, you know.
Of course, if they're serious doctrinal error, that's different. You know, there's such a thing of ignorance to be born with.
It's very plain in Scripture. We cannot tolerate that, you know. But ignorance, you know, how much did we understand when Britain embraced, took us in? How much do we know now? How much do we still have to know and have to learn, you know?
But there are things that are conditions that need to be met.
You know, we cannot accept anybody that denies the eternal sonship, you know, and other things, fundamental truth. We cannot have fellowship with such a person.
But there are a lot of people that have not been exposed to as much sound teaching as most of us growing up amongst so-called graduate.
You know, I had that privilege in Germany. I learned a lot from these brethren. I'm thankful for what I learned from them. I still love them. But the time came that I realized I couldn't go on with them anymore. And it was a painful thing. You know, I didn't enjoy that and I had to separate from them. But.
There are those that serve the Lord according to the measure of life they have and leave it to the Lord to judge them in their service for the Lord, you know. But we have to go on according to the light that in grace He has given to us. And then when we come in contact with somebody who doesn't understand some of the things the Lord in His grace has given us to understand, let's be careful.
How we come across, you know.
And then?
Do not.
Alienate them, try to win them.
Before the hour our time is up, could we have something on the two seals at verse 19 and the great house verse 20 and what it says in verse 21 to purge himself from these?
I think that.
We need to complete what the chapter has. Covers 19. That shouldn't be too much of A difficulty. The Lord is the only one that knows the heart, right?
We don't 2 seals.
Yeah.
One is the Lord know them that are his yeah. Other is.
Let everyone that name it the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. Yeah. What? I mean the first seal. Surely we we know the Lord knows the heart. We don't. And that's a comfort, you know. But what governs us?
Is we have to responsibility to withdraw from iniquity?
And what is iniquity?
Well, you have a more modern word. No, I'm not trying to catch anyone. No, what I mean, can you think of a word? Iniquity is not going to be used in everyday English today.
If I remember what Mr. Lundeen said, and I may not have someone remembers, feel free to correct me. Iniquity is evil in in spiritual things.
01:10:11
But I've heard another definition and that is sin is often called missing the mark.
Iniquity is deliberately missing the mark.
Is a graver thing, isn't it?
And then wickedness would be.
I don't know.
You tell us. I don't know, because that's kind of as reserving wickedness for, but I see.
But it's probably very close then, isn't it?
I've been searching through this for a while. Me too.
You have those words in Daniel Chapter 9 and God never wastes a word. He doesn't use it out of I I know that these I think this was written in Hebrew or Armaic yet but in Daniel Chapter 9 and verse five, he says we have sinned, we have committed iniquity.
Have done wickedly, and have rebelled even by departing from thine precepts and from thy judgments.
And so.
A sin is really to transgress the commandment of the Lord or to lawlessness, I think is really the proper thought there. And so the whole human race is charged with lawlessness. And then I've understood that iniquity has to do with the moral perverseness of the 2nd or the 1St atom that, you know, the fallen nature of man is morally perverse in every way.
And so when we sin in lawlessness, there's moral perverseness connected with it oftentimes. And then we've done wickedly. And that's the wicked intent of the heart of man. And so he says that I'm not going to be able to quote it. I guess it's Jeremiah chapter.
17 is it?
Yes, verse 10.
12 verse 9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it by the Lord? Search the heart and try the reins. And so he uses these words and doesn't waste any words. And there's a specific reason why everyone is used, and perhaps you might even say the order of it is instructive as well.
The lawlessness of man doesn't stop there.
It goes into moral perversity and then wickedness. Absolute depravity is the natural. Man comes in and there's a progression. And so the sin was really of departing first. And what do we depart from first? We depart from the Word of God. It was so in the garden of the Lord. The Word was given and there was a departure from the Word. And it didn't stop there. It progressed in evil.
And so it's a lovely thing for us to take up the word of God, to believe the word of God, to have faith in the word of God, to trust us.
And not to depart from it. And we won't have to live with some of the other things that go along with sin or lawlessness, if we will just accept the word of God and obedience, walk with the Lord. Let me also point out in verse 19 into more accurate critical rendering, as somebody has called Harvey's rendering. Another scholar put it that way, The most accurate critical rendering, It doesn't say the name of Christ.
It says the name of the Lord.
You know, it's a question, question of the lordship of Christ.
You know, our being in Christ that's a correct that to use Christ, you know, it doesn't say we're in the Lord, you know, we're in Christ, but he is the Lord, you know, and we better recognize it. I think I mentioned that before he's the Lord of our lives and we better submit, you know, and.
Let everyone that name it the name of the Lord depart from a dignity. Do we really acknowledge Him as Lord? Then separation from evil is a must. You reject evil.
You know, and that is expected over to question and the spirit within gives us a sense of even if you cannot always put your finger on what is wrong.
01:15:03
But he gives us a sense something is wrong here, you know, and we better keep our distance.
And depart from iniquity.
And then that great house, as we already have heard.
It's no longer the pillar and ground of the truth as it is presented in the first epistle. Has become a great house, you know, and there are a mixture has come in, you know, and there are the real and the full.
Vessels to honor, vessels to dishonor becomes necessary, a must to separate the vessels to this time. And he gives us the discernment to know who we have to separate from if we're spiritually exercised.
Great point that in the 20 twentieth verse with some.
Said, well, which ones are real, which ones are not real, but that this is the whole point of the passage. There might be a gold vessel that's unclean. We think of Belshazzar. How you that's the holy vest of the Lord in a very corrupt way.
We read in Leviticus 11 of a wood vessel and an earthen vessel that were cleansed. They were clean, they were serviceable. So it's not the quality of the vessel. The question is whether they're clean or not. And so the question for separation is not, well, is that one a real believer or not?
As we just have before us. The Lord knows them that are his. It's not up for us to figure that out in certain instances, but it is for us to understand that one of the names in the name of the Lord must depart from iniquity. That's the criteria. That's what we do know. We can't look into the recesses of their heart. The Lord knows that, but we do have the responsibility to judge according to the the conduct and so on. Verse 21 and therefore a man therefore purged himself from these.
Haven't we often been instructed and noted that?
The only other time this word purge is mentioned in scripture is in First Corinthians 5 where the assembly is told to purge out the old Lebanon. There's for the assembly acts to purge it out that the assembly might be a new loan. Well in this situation here there's no purging of it and so the man must purge himself from the the corruption that is there.
So this brings before us not the assembly's responsibility to put out evil, but the individual's responsibility.
To get himself out and away from that evil.
So what does the vessel?
Wooden pizza.
Is it a true believer?
Could be, I'm thinking a second Corinthians 4. We have this treasure, an earthen vessel that's certainly to be a believer. But I take it here, it's not the point of whether it's the real or not the real, the Lord knows that, but rather is it clean or is it unclean? No, I learned from reading that new descriptions better than me that the wood and earth are not real, at least fit for the House of God, you know?
I'm just telling you what I was taught and the gold and silver.
God speaks of righteousness.
Silver speaks of.
Yeah, so that speaks of what is real, you know what the believer is in Christ.
I personally take it that way that would an earthen vessel are not really real or usable for the House of God.
Brother Heights, the only thing that I can refer to would be about the vessels that were in the Tabernacle. And we find that many of them were covered with gold. And so that's divine righteousness. So these earthen vessels can be covered with divine righteousness, the silver and the gold, and of course, the tarnishing that's visible outwardly, the tarnishing can be visible.
But all the vessels that were in the Tabernacle were covered with.
With gold.
Golden candles, sticks and the ark for the covenant and those, those things that were in inside the temple, they were all covered with gold, that divine righteousness. So we're looking towards perfection, isn't it? That we're looking for? And in order to get perfection, it takes the redemption, which is silver.
But gold is divine righteousness, and that does not perish. You know what in earth perishes.
Vessel unto honor, sanctify, and meet to the masters youth, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2:8
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Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse 8.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Where I suffered trouble as an evil doer even on the bomb, but the word of God is not found.
Therefore, I endure all things for the election, that they may also obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
It's 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 yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself.
Of 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 years.
Study to show myself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But Sean profane and vain babbling, they will increase the more ungodling, and their words lead as Duff a canker whom is harmonious and pilitas.
Concerning the truth of Aaron, say that the resurrection is passed already and overthrown the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God stand assured, having this seal, Lord know of them that are his, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only the vessels of gold and silver.
But also a wood and a bird, 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 Master of Jews, and prepared unto every good work.
Also usefulness, but all righteousness, faith, cherry, peace with them. That falls on the Lord out of a pure heart.
But foolish and unlearned sex and avoid knowing that they do gender strife. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle. Under law, men have to teach Asian and meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves.
God for 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. Why does he bring up the need to remember Jesus Christ, the seed of David raised from the dead? Sounds like he's changing the subject. Is it not the thought that?
He's saying that what's going to give a person the perseverance to continue on a day of rune and failure in their service?
Remember that the results are to be seen in another day and to remember the Lord Jesus ministry as He was the seed of David, He came to present Himself to Israel as their Messiah. And you read from Isaiah 49 that he had spent his strength or not, and that Israel did not return unto God, and outwardly His ministry looked like a failure.
But what was it in resurrection? There was much fruit that came out of that labor of the Lord Jesus, but it was only seen after his resurrection. We know that there were many that turned to him after the spirit came and I believe that he what he's saying here to Timothy is the same thing that if we're looking for results where we're now, we're here in this world now in a day of ruin like this which he speaks. A person could get discouraged but.
Looks on to another day and remember that the rewards and the fruit of all that our laborers have been will be disclosed at that time and if we keep our hearts and our minds focused on that time, it will give us the energy to continue at this time. Helpful to see that it I think the Darby translation. Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David raised from the dead according to my gospel.
00:05:13
Leaving out the words that and what?
Only Amen to what you just said about the earth.
Can you quote the rest of that verse from Isaiah?
I spent my strength in vain, yes, but though Israel will not know what Isaiah 49 three I believe 4. This was the sum total of the Lords ministry, his three years of ministry here, and he says to his father. Isaiah 49 four. I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for not and in vain. Surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work.
With my God committed the whole thing to God, beautiful John the Baptist.
Said Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. And that is the same message that we find in the next chapter. Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
That was not the way we understand the word Kingdom of Heaven.
They were referring these two verses were referring to him coming to reign in power and glory, but then the king was rejected. And then we have a mystical form. There's a mystical form of the Kingdom. There is a Kingdom, but.
It is in a different way. There is a spiritual sense to it.
And so, but he is not our King, He is our Lord. We enter into the Kingdom of the Son of his love.
And that's a spiritual Kingdom to which we belong. And then when Paul says, according to my gospel, you know, he presents the gospel of the glory of Christ, you know, that's characteristic of false gospel.
You know, and all of our blessings are connected with the risen and glorified Christ, not with the King of Israel, you know, and there is a Kingdom to which we belong, and there is going to be a Kingdom when he comes back to earth, an earthly Kingdom, and he will even bring us along and have a share in the glory of that Kingdom. We shall reign with Him, the Bible says.
But we will be reigning over the earth, not on the earth, because consistent with our heavenly position, we will be maintaining that position even when we rail reign with him over the earth. So.
Pauls gospel has to do with the glory of Christ. It's the gospel of the glory of Christ.
And how wonderful that this has been known to us.
And that we can be associated with Him in this new way. As we already indicated before, we are in a relationship to God and to our blessed Lord that nobody enjoyed before He rose and sent the Spirit, even the disciples in Acts chapter one that was still connected with Israel, you know.
That they would see him come back again to sit stand on the Mount of Olives.
That was still in connection with the hope of Israel. But then the Spirit comes and joins those that were followers of the Lord Jesus to a risen glory by Christ, by the Spirit. So how wonderful the gospel of the glory of Christ is. And that we can accept that by faith and know ourselves associated with a glorified Christ.
Connection is what you brought out with a person regarding this idea 49.
We have a similar thought in the ninth of Daniel, where it speaks of the Messiah. Then you cut off, but not for himself, or his new translation renders it, and shall have nothing. Nothing in regard to what? Well, in regard to Israel He came and had nothing with respect to them. I think we have a beautiful picture in the 22nd, 3rd, and 4th of Genesis. There where 4th Genesis 22, we have Abraham and Isaac.
Picture of the father and the son there.
And the type of the death of Christ there in the 24th chapter. Of course, we're familiar with the call of the bride, where Isaac goes to Rebecca.
The servant rather brings the Rebecca to him. But in the 23rd chapter what we have is the death of Sarah, and I think of that in regard to that expression.
00:10:08
The Messiah shall be cut off and have nothing.
Yes, Sir, there is a type of Israel. There was nothing there. And so that following that we find the call of the bride where the Spirit of God typically there in Elijah, though he's not named, brings her across the wilderness to Isaac. And then Isaac brings Rebecca into his mother's tent and he loves her. And so while this present day the Lord has nothing but regard to Israel, the church, the assembly, the bride of Christ has now come into the affections of Christ.
We know from Genesis 25 that Abram, he married again and took up a patura and the picture of the Gentiles coming into blessing in the coming day, but it just holds true there. But the Lord came had nothing with dark Israel. The church has now come into its affections, the present place of blessing, but his counsels as it relates to Israel will still be fulfilled. And that's why in Isaiah 49 he can say.
It is a light thing that thou should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob.
And to restore the preserved visual, I will also give the alight to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. We know that the Gentiles that even now come in to bless you. But in connection to the body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, in the coming day the Gentiles will be blessed with the Jews as Jews and Gentiles alike.
And that will really be the answer of the fulfillment of what what God has purpose for his.
You all have locality and join Isaiah 53.
What it is really expressing is Israel repenting, Israel acknowledging who He is and what they have done. They considered Him stricken of God and afflicted, but He brought their iniquities, you know. So the first application of Isaiah 53 is for the Jew. That's a prophetic scripture.
Expressing what they will express at that time, we can apply that to ourselves.
Because this death of this Blessed One is also the basis for our blessing, but it is also the basis for fulfilling the promises that were made to God's earthly people and are not yet fulfilled. The work of Christ is the basis for it to fulfill what couldn't be fulfilled when it was underground of the law. You know, they had to keep it all or were guilty if they transgressed.
Guilty of it all. And so they were transgressors. They forfeited everything. But Isaiah 53 will show and does show that the basis of the work of Calvary Cross is the basis for Israel to be blessed. You know, we can claim that for ourselves. It's the basis for our blessing. But we may have much greater blessings than Israel will ever have.
The blessings fulfill and were promised of an earthly nature.
Nature, you know we have heavenly blessings, but the work of Christ is the basis for our blessing like it is the basis for that which will yet be enjoyed by Israel. Every blessing I'm reading this in the back of my Bible. Every blessing God has purpose for Israel or for the church or for the nations in the tribulation and or the Millennium is based on the sacrifice of Christ as determined in the counsel for the Trinity.
Past eternity, End of quote. You will be so happy to see the blessings fulfilled through Abraham. See, we will rejoice in that. Why? Because the Lord is glorified in it. You know, can a Christian really be an anti-Semitic person? Better not be, no. Well I used to work for a Jewish hospital.
Former Hitler. He was working for a Jewish hospital. I told them how can I be anti-Semitic? My savior is a Jew.
How can a Christian be anti-Semitic out of communion with the thoughts of God? The Spirit of God always brings before us Christ. And so he endured it says in Hebrews chapter 12. For consider him that endure such contradiction, or sinners against himself, lest ye be weary than faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted under blood striving against sin. And so he did resist against.
Evil. And he laid down his life. The Lord Jesus would rather obey.
And endure and die rather than disobey. And so the trend here in Second Timothy was the the letting go and the giving up and the setting aside of what was the truth of God. And so he says, here's the remedy. Remember, remember.
00:15:15
And we are natural hearts, we would forget, but what is it that will bring us into tune with the thoughts of God? It's remembering how the Lord Jesus conducted himself in this scene. He could say, I do always those things that please my Father. And so he endured. He had the end in view and he endured. He could see that the fruit was going to be God word and abundance of fruit.
And so our lives can be that same abundant as, can't they?
May not be able to expect to see the fruit of our labor as well. We're here in this world and should be content to leave it for another day. As we've been saying this eighth verse does speak of the ninth verse goes on to say that what we will expect should expect and that is opposition. Opposition. If we think that as you say, Heinz, that the Christian life of serving the Lord is a picnic. We've got to get a serious adjustment in our understanding of things. We're following a rejected Savior.
We're preaching an unwanted gospel, we're standing for things that this world doesn't want, but it rise against their conscience. And so therefore there is going to be suffering and trouble. And Paul was mistaken here as being an evildoer. But he does add though that even though he wasn't bombed, the word of God is not bound. God's word is still producing blessing and fruit wherever it is used.
We thank God for it.
So use it.
The Word of God is like a hammock. Use it.
Memorize it so that at a certain time the Spirit can bring a scripture to your mind and quote it. Remember, that is what God has decided to use the Word of God, not our convincing arguments. It's the Word of God. Quote the scriptures and that is what God has decided to use for the blessing of men. Faith is based on the Word of God.
Chapter 4. He says to Timothy.
Preach the Word. There you have the idea of using the Word of God.
I remember hearing a younger, an old brother talking to a younger brother encouraging about the gospel he was about to take and he said make sure to open the word when you get out there. Soon. Some people get up there and they try to tell a few stories. If the people to laugh a little bit, it's like it's an entertainment or something. And slowly but surely they turn to the scriptures. No preach the word. It's the word of God that has power to affect blessing and souls.
Your stories or antidotes or whatever else that we may have, like you say, clever arguments, it's the word. And so in the in the last days, which is what this epistle is all about, the emphasis here is to preach the word, layout the truth of God. The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. It will accomplish what God would have accomplished. It's in our hands and where to use it.
His brother Heinz has been saying in 1948.
In this city there was a conflict. Bob Brimelow's father preached the gospel, and I never.
Before or after have heard so many Bible verses, quote stories which you probably could have told. But he quoted and read the word still new, didn't need it for salvation, certainly needed it for a refreshment appreciation. He quoted and read the Word of God.
Stories might illustrate a point, and that's what we find even in the scriptures, right?
And but it's the word of God that is to be used and.
So suffering is connected with Christian service, but.
Paul said he endured all things for the elect's sake. Who are the elect? I don't know who they are. Neither did Paul know who they were. That's why he preached to all. But he knew that the elect would be reached.
So whatever suffering was connected with his preaching, he did it for the elect's sake, because the gospel.
Has this purpose to?
Draw in the elect. To me, this is overwhelming. In the eternity past, God has chosen me in Christ before the world was. Isn't that amazing? He knew that there were behind Franklin, born in 1930, and he said I want that Heinz to be mine. And that's true of every one of us here in the room that is safe in the eternity past, God has chosen us. We are elected in him before the world's foundation.
00:20:19
Amazing. There was nothing in US why he would pick us. You know, if anything, what we deserved was to be condemned. You know, we were alienated from God through sin. We were heading for hell. That's what we were deserving. But.
He is loved and He is gracious, you know, and in his love He gave us the Savior. In his grace He has brought us to Himself as sons. Isn't that wonderful? Sons of God? Through faith in the Lord Jesus, in the family of God, we have been brought and know Him as Father.
I mentioned that before. Nobody knew him as Father in the Old Testament. The Lord Jesus revealed him as Father. To faith in him became God to go as Father, you know.
And to know him in that intimate way and to say ABBA, Father, what does ABBA mean? Well, if you ever would have traveled in the Middle East, you know, if you hear a little boy address his father, he wouldn't say daddy. He would say ABBA. You see, I'm not saying we should say daddy to God, but when we say ABBA, that's what is conveyed.
Like what a little child would say to his father in the intimacy of a little child. We can say, ABBA, father, that's the beautiful point, isn't it? Intimacy, nearness. It don't have to be afraid. We don't have to be. We don't have to be afraid of him, you know.
He loves us and we believe it. I love your heart of Father's house only today. Amen. I believe that there are dear Saints of God here, as there are elsewhere that have been raised with the beauty of Jesus loves me. This I know, and their immediate response today as a young adult, middle-aged adult is Jesus.
But the father himself loveth.
And so it's wonderful that Jesus loves me this. I know we should never forget it and the closeness and the dearness. But to think of what relationship we've been brought into and to think of how much is missed by not enjoying the relationship that we have with the Father and the nearness that should express itself.
In prayer and meditation. But we had to die. We had to die.
You know, that's not as expressive baptism buried with him in baptism. The Sinner belongs in the grave, and that's what is expressed in baptism. But how wonderful. Raised with him in glory. You know, if it would be only married with him in baptism, that would not be that encouraging, would it?
But we are raised with Him, and we're seated in Him in glory.
And that's what that term in Christ refers to in Pauls writing, as we have in the latter part of verse 10, salvation, which is in Christ Jesus. That's the position that every one of us stand in today as believers, regardless of how we may be going on practically in our souls. Some may be careless, some may be very diligent. We are all equally in that place of acceptance of being in Christ, and it's salvation that puts us in that place before God.
It literally means to be in Christ's place before God. That's my place.
All the acceptance that God, that Christ, rests and stands in as he is before God.
And the favor of God that rests on him is mine. That's the same place that I'm in, and you too. So it's beautiful to see how he speaks about the salvation that it is in Christ Jesus. And as Heinz has said, all of our distinctive Christian blessings are in that position, in that man that is there at the right hand of God. So not only is our place there, but our blessings are there. Ephesians chapter one and verse three says that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.
Jesus isn't that beautiful. Notice that he uses this the names and titles of our Lord Jesus in a different way here than he did in verse eight. In verse eight, he said Jesus Christ. Verse 10 he says Christ Jesus. This isn't a haphazard thing. Spirit of God has laid this oath because when it's when it's Christ Jesus as we have in verse 10, it's referring to the man that has risen and gone back to heaven and that place that he has now there on high.
00:25:19
But when it's Jesus Christ is referring to the one that's come here for the glory of God. And as we were mentioning in verse eight, that's the thrust of that verse, the Lords earthly ministry here and as the seed of David, he came as we said that his life and ministry looked like it really didn't accomplish anything for the glory of God. It wasn't until a resurrection that we received the fruit as we said.
Yeah, common comparison that might bring it out. It's a distinction between the president-elect and the president.
They're the same man and one will have the office, Jesus Christ, but Christ Jesus is the one recognized in office.
Is that you'll find that the term Christ Jesus, as we have in verse 10 is not Even so much as found anywhere else in your Bibles but but the epistles.
You don't read of that in the Gospels of the Acts. He has maintained both Lord and Christ and is in Acts. You know, in resurrection. He was Lord before, but he isn't in a new position now as a result of the work of Christ on the cross. You know He has made him both Lord and Christ and what a wonderful thing to know Him.
Do you know him? Does everybody in this room know him? I hope you do. Even the boy there, over there, you know.
A little child of seven or even three or four may enter into heaven through Christ, the open door. I had a brother say once and I wasn't happy about that. He said a little child of seven or eight or nine or more, they had to have a low. I said I don't like that. I like the way it is in the hip. Little child of seven or even three or four. One of our granddaughters got saved when she was 3.
My dad died, they came to the funeral.
And here he was into coffin. I took her by the hand. You know, I didn't want her to be scared, I said, you know, this isn't really open.
That is the house in which OPA OPA is vampire, You know, in which OPA dwelled while he was on earth. Oppa is in heaven.
She couldn't get that out of her mind. OPA is in heaven and when they were back where they were staying, she said how can I make sure to be in heaven? You know, she wanted to make sure to be in heaven. Well, my daughter said that her heaven is a clean place and you cannot have any dirt in heaven and sin is like dirt.
And the only way that the dirt of sin can be wiped away is when you come to the Lord Jesus.
In childlike simplicity, she did that right then and she clinks to that even now. She's a young lady now, but she clinks to that, that at that time she accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior. That's why a little child of seven or even three or four may enter into heaven. You know, we don't have to be 20 years old before we can get saved. Speaking when you were saying about baptism in verse 11.
For if we be dead with him.
A faithful saying, reckon yourselves. Indeed, it says it is a faithful saying in the King James Version, but I think it reads the Word is faithful. He's been speaking about how that he is bound, but the word of God was still bringing blessing. And that is an important point for us to understand as we serve in this day.
Listen.
Brethren, the Lord doesn't need anyone of us, regardless of how gifted you may be and your brother and pat you on the back, the Lord doesn't need you. He's pleased to use you and we're thankful for that. But even a man is as gifted as this that we're reading of the apostle was found and blessing was still going on and he wasn't offended with it either. And so the word is faithful because it's the word of God that's bringing the results by the power of the Spirit, not the gift.
But there is going to be a difference, not in heaven, but on earth, according to the measure of faithfulness we will give, be given a place to reign with Him, you know, reign over the earth. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. That's the Millennium in heaven.
You know we are not going to be raining in heaven.
00:30:01
But there is going to come a Kingdom, and we will have part in that Kingdom. And according to what we have endured for our blessed Lord, there is a difference on earth in connection with the Kingdom. Some will be over so many cities, some will be over so many cities. There is a difference in the Kingdom, you know, and then there will be crowns given.
We find that in Revelation. And what do the Saints do with their crowns?
They cast him at his feet as much as to say, if there's anything in my life that deserves to be recognized, that is because of the grace that you, Lord, have given me. And that's why they cast the ground at his feet, giving him credit for it all. Well anyway, but wouldn't it be nice to have some crowds to cast at his feet of thine own?
Of thine own have we Yeah, given the.
Just an addendum to what our brother Bruce has said and certainly say Amen, that God doesn't need us, but he.
Does use us according to Second Corinthians 76? I remember this verse and I'm not going to quote it incorrectly, but I'm going to quote it just as it was on the calendar and it left 1234, left 5 words at the end of the verse off. Let me read it. God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us.
That's a true statement because it's Scripture. But what's the rest of the verse? By the coming of Titus, God delights to use his own, but he can't use a vessel that's not fitted. So let me read it again. God that comfortes those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus. Beautiful to think that a Titus could be thus used, and marvelous.
God, that any of us in any capacity can be used. There are two reasons perhaps we could say why God is pleased to give us the truth through our brethren as we've been speaking in verse two while passing it from 1 to another, and one of them would be that it keeps us humble.
You know, I I may say something or you may say something. Somebody gets blessed or helped say, brother, where did you get that?
Well, I got some old brothers so and so. It wasn't mine. And So what happens is that it keeps us humble. We can't take any credit for it because it's been, most of it's been handed to us by others. If we've been diligent to gather it and we're honest, you know the Lord has given it to us through other brethren. What hast thou that thou has not been given? 1St Corinthians 4 But there's another reason why is please the Lord to give us the truth.
To passing it one to another, and that is to promote.
Fellowship.
To promote fellowship, it is important that we get bound up together in a practical expression of walking together. You know, it is possible to read books at home and not to even walk in fellowship with other Christians and learn the truth. But we're going to miss some aspects of the truth if we do that. There are certain things that we need that we do acquire that can only be gotten through the fellowship of the Lord's people. You know, we talk about those kind of people who call them island Christians. They're just off by themselves as.
By themselves and but they miss a lot when it comes to the coming day. It'll be manifest at that time that they have missed because there's much that we learn in the education and the school of God that he teaches us through our brother. As he's been saying with Titus was there at the right time at the right place. Most of us have heard about the story of Robinson crucial.
Living all by himself on the island there for many years. But in God's mind, there are not to be any Robinson Crusoe Christians. We ought to have fellowship. We ought to look for fellowship. That's God's way for God's people, you know, He doesn't want us to go on as individuals, you know, The truth of the body of Christ very clearly illustrates that, you know.
And we need each other, and we benefit from contact with each other, you know, and not just in the assembly meetings, you know, when we have contact in our homes, how do we spend the time when we visit each other? I believe there ought to be always something of the law.
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Being brought out, you know, something that we can enjoy as fellow Christians.
I'm not saying that we should overdo it and harm our children, you know, and preach to them for hours, you know, that turns them off. But there ought to be something of Christ coming out in our contact, even when we visit as families, you know, and we have Christian fellowship, not just limiting.
It to assembly meetings when we have contact with one another.
Would you suggest on the basis of what you said, that if I'm invited to your home and my wife and I that?
You're going to bring out a Bible and and, and we've forgotten to bring ours to give us the Bible so that we can read together. Is that all right? Yes, but I was hoping you'd say it was. I, I, I don't think you should overdo it, you know, but there are some time be set aside for that, especially when they're children involved, you know?
You don't want to turn them off, but the children learn from their parents when they really see what the parents enjoy. Children generally want what their parents enjoy. So the the family altered doesn't need to be altered merely because there is company that should be maintained.
In Acts chapter 18, you know, it says that the overseer in in I think it's both times and.
One of the 1St and once in Tigers, he says that that overseer would be given the hospitality because there's a work that can be done with the others that is only done privately in the home. And it's wonderful thing to just have someone in the home and just enjoy their fellowship and and maybe in a casual but reverential way, take up the word of God.
And set things a little straight sometimes and just call one another.
Encourage one another. Perhaps someone is downcast. And I'm just referring in Acts 18 to equivalent Priscilla. And they saw a Polish there. And he was born at Alexandria in verse 24, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures. He came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the Spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue.
Who went? Quill and Priscilla had heard. They took him unto them.
And expounded unto him the way of God, more perfectly, What a blessing. And then he went out.
In verse 28 he mightily convince the Jews and that publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
And so there was fellowship in with other believers and here he wanted to go on in the truth. He had a desire. He was fervent. But equivalent facility didn't work in their home. That might not have got done if it wasn't done in the home. And Priscilla assisted Aquila in teaching this great man of God. I'm sure she kept her place as a lady, but she did it, you know. But she had parted that if it wasn't.
As you say, it would have said Priscilla, it would have only said a caller. Yeah, it would have left out for someone. So whatever measure in which she was sharing, she may have just been sharing by encouragement, but the Spirit of God brings them both together.
The ladies are in danger to think well, the men in the meeting have to do the talking, so they better know the scriptures you know. But the ladies ought to read the scriptures prayerfully for themselves.
And meditate on it. And who has more influence on the kid, the husband or the wife, the father or the mother? The mother, you know. So mothers have a tremendous place to play in the family, you know, and a godly mother, what a tremendous blessing it is. I have three brothers.
And they're all going on in a Christian way, and what we as boys have, we owe to our mother.
She would bring the scriptures before us in whatever situation arose.
Problems or difficulties, she would bring the light of the scriptures into it. That gave us to understand you have to bring the scriptures into every situation that arises. So what a wonderful thing it is to have a godly mother, have a godly wife, you know, and to have her read the scriptures for herself prayerfully.
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You know, it's very important. Of course we know they are more busy.
And we men, you know, we go to work, maybe now we only have to work 8 hours. They used to have to work more hours but but they are working from morning until night, you know. But they should still have time to read.
And to pray.
And for themselves and what a wonderful thing as we travel and visit the Saints to come across a well taught sister, you know, that knows the Scriptures. A lot of pleasure it is. And every godly king in the book of Kings, wasn't it true the only mention of mothers And he searched this. I haven't searched this out completely for myself, but I believe everything goes either godly or else turned out godly.
The mother was mentioned. Women had a more affectionate nature, you know, and that comes across better than the way we mend sometimes. Try to bring things across to the children in a more authoritative way, you know, the mothers have a lovely way about them, generally speaking.
What's the sense in the 13th verse of not believing?
Genuinely, I need help on that. I think it's translated if we are unfaithful, he abides faithful and it's in context with the Timothy saying, you know, Timothy, if there is failure or weakness or you're not going to be courageous as you need to be to carry on the service in such a difficult day as this. Well, if you're unfaithful, God's not going to be.
He abides faithful, He cannot deny himself.
Help.
Oftentimes we're unfaithful because there's unbelief in our heart. And so he says, let us lay aside every weight and a sin which does so easily beset us, and that's the sin of unbelief of the goodness that's in the heart of God. And so if we believe that we walk by faith, and we believe that it's worth the effort to be faithful, it's worth it in the eyes of God to walk in an acceptable way and not deny him the pleasure of.
Himself seeing us suffer with Him and for Him, we can deny Him that pleasure, if I could put it that way, that he looks down and he sees his sons and daughters and what a pleasure it must be to His heart to see us want to identify ourselves with them and to walk faithfully. But we can deny Him that in this scene. So this is what is brought out here.
He's not going to deny us. He's not going to be unfaithful. The word is going to be kept. What a privilege we have.
May I say something for the boys here?
What attracts you to a girl?
Of course, we do not expect that you are attracted to a girl if you don't.
Naturally are attracted to her, but if you're a Christian and want to please the Lord, you look for more than just whether she's pretty, whether she has a nice personality. All of these are nice things. You look whether she is spiritually exercised, because that's the kind of health meat you want.
And.
So.
Sisters.
He exercised to be.
Controlled and guided by the Word of God.
And that the Word of God is demonstrated the truth of it in your life.
And hopefully the Lord will bring somebody in your life who also is spiritually exercised.
You know, now sometimes the Lord has allowed somebody to marry somebody who was not spiritually exercised, and then the Lord in His grace came in and brought spiritual exercises into the life of that individual. But we ought to look for that before we show an interest in a person or accept attention from a person.
So hopefully.
The things of the Lord will have a great influence on our life and also what we are looking for, even when it comes to a partner for life and to walk together except maybe agreed. Amen.
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Walk together, beautiful.
In the 14th verse, he warned Timothy that there's a wrong way of trying to disseminate the truth of Pauls doctrine and all you're going to do is create a lot of damage.
And that is by arguing trying to subvert your hearers by a lot of clever arguments.
You may not just get that out of the 14th verse, as it is in the King James Version, but I would like to now read it in the Darby translation of these things. Put in remembrance, testifying earnestly before the Lord, not to have disputes of words profitable for nothing to the subversion of the years. Then on the flip side of it, he goes on the next verse and says the strive to.
Diligently present thyself approved unto God.
When the right needs not be ashamed, but rightly dividing the word of truth. And So what he's saying is don't try to give people the truth of my doctrine by arguing with them. And all this clever way of presenting it. Try to subvert your hearers into accepting it. Present the word of God rightly, divide the word of truth. There's where the power lies, not in our clever argument, but in the exposition of the Scriptures and rightly.
It says in the other translation cutting in a straight line the truth. So these two verses 14 and 15 go together. One is the what he's telling him not to be doing. In verse 15, he's telling him what he should be doing.
In political district.
Team there is a word called gerrymandering and if you want of your particular political.
Party you go this way and then you swing around and catch some more and so on. So so that you gained your end. But cutting in a straight line, we don't gerrymander through scripture to to gather out the things that prove a certain point. We cut in a it's a straight being a straight cutter, isn't it? That's what we should be a straight cutter subscription.
Play you for last. And what is it that we should follow?
Corresponding to righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Yes, we have to discern them has been given to us to recognize those that we can do these things with because they're calling out of upon the name of the Lord.
Out of a pure heart, you know, And so that begins with us as young people.
You know when we get saved and have assurance of salvation, who do you keep company with?
Look out for young people that mean business with the Lord.
You know if you associate and keep company with those that are not spiritually exercised, they pull you down.
You know, but.
There are those, thankfully, that mean business with the Lord that you can have company with.
Now in my own case.
What I found out is that I could join with young people. They usually were older than I was, you know, those of my age at that time, most of them didn't have much of A spiritual exercise, but there were those that did have spiritual exercise.
And what actually happened, and I'm not trying to be boasting, but to shall tell you my spiritual exercises. I went to a brother that helped me come to faith in Christ and I said, could you have Bible study with us boys? There were a number of us about my age.
They wanted to get to understand the scriptures better.
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And this dear man did have Bible studies with him.
And all of those who took part in those Bible studies ended up ministering the word when they were older, You know, so it's a very important thing to have spiritual exercises. Seek company of those that have spiritual exercises, you know, and in the Lord will use that to be an encouragement to you.
And perhaps even you are an encouragement.
To others.
In that connection, brother, I would like to avoid too much of A of a personal reference, but I will bring it into this extent. When I was a boy, I anyone that knew my father. Of course they probably knew him when he was much older, but I never thought of him as a legal brother.
And maybe by example, maybe by precept, I was given to feel that the first day of the week was not Sunday, it was Lords Day and even to this day.
I park my bicycle in the garage, and I may go out early in the morning on other days, but I don't use that bicycle on the Lord's Day.
And I would take this young people from the Lord. If you can't take it from me, then then don't take it, take it from Him. I believe that the spirit in which we conduct ourselves relative to the Lords day is an indication.
Of where we are in our soul. So you don't go boating on Lords Day if you had one. There's some questions. Dear Dave Whittaker years ago told me there's some questions you don't need to answer.
The answer is already given.
Well, it's it is. It takes a real exercise to.
Do not get drawn into arguments, as verse 14 and 15 are talking about, because oftentimes in the day of ruin, when bad doctrine is everywhere, there are those who want to argue for their bad doctrine and they've got their clever arguments. And as you listen to it and you come back with trying to present the truth, slowly but surely you can get drawn back or drawn onto the level that they're on and end up arguing and you'll never produce anything.
For God through the the energy of the flesh, even if it's seeking to argue for the truth.
You know, it says in James One that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. We can get angry in trouble or whatever and try to in the energy of the flesh to present the truth. And I would argue that person and to present our arguments from the truth so cleverly that they can't deny it. But the Lord may not be in it. The Spirit of God may not be in it has to be the opening of the word of God. And and it's the power of the word by the Spirit that is going to make things good in a soul.
So the Workman needs to be.
Well.
Versed, or shall we say diligent, and so that he can rightly divide the word of truth and to set things out in an orderly way so that it will condemn the the game Sayers notice it also says.
A Workman started to show thyself that proved unto God. A Workman not approved unto the brethren.
Proved unto God.
So what you're saying, brother, is really First Corinthians chapter 3, the discernment that the apostle Paul had in connection with the Corinthians. He says in verse one, my brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babe in crisis. There were some things that he couldn't go into with them in connection with the truth of God because they were unable to bear. And so he gave them what he could give them, and then he left the rest as it were and didn't.
Unprofitable argument. And so he's really giving them, giving Timothy that same advice, isn't he?
That they strive not about words to no prophet, but to submit to the subverting of the hearers. And so all of these questions that come up that don't exalt Christ, we ought to lay a light touch to. If it exalts Christ, we can speak of Christ, we can enjoy himself and the person in the work of the Lord Jesus. Why, those are words of profit.
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But the enemy would seek to introduce those things that would distract our hearts from Christ and take us off into some other territory that would just be worth of no profit. And so, you know, I've often enjoyed Deuteronomy chapter 2929 on that point because, you know, we have so much revealed to us in the Scriptures that we can enjoy. We don't need to go into these questions that have no profit. And so it says there in the last verse of Deuteronomy 20.
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God. There are some things He hasn't told us about. Let's not go and try to find out what they are. But those things which are revealed, belonging to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the work of this law. Isn't it lovely? We have the whole word of God, and we have those things that are revealed that says that I have not seen, or you heard, Neither have entered in the heart of man the things that God have prepared for them, that love God, But God has revealed them unto us.
And so we have the truth of God, we have the word of God, and let's occupy one another with those words that will have profit and will resolve Christ.
We could anticipate to verse 25 of our chapter. I think we see something else that's needful. It's not simply a matter of more information.
Verse 25 in meekness instructing those that oppose. It's not here opposing themselves, it's they're opposing the truth, you know, strike that word for themselves, if God for adventure will give them repentance.
For the acknowledging of the truth, it's a moral issue.
It doesn't mean weakness. Meekness is not weakness. We don't cave in, we don't blink. We say, well, I guess that wasn't the truth after all. No, we have a spirit and a tone that's conducive of one that's a servant of God. But to recognize that more information is, is not going to necessarily solve the matter here. And there's a moral issue at work. What is needed is repentance on the part of one that's opposing. And so I'd like to read this in the new translation.
Puts it this way, if God perhaps may sometime give them repentance to acknowledgement of the truth, maybe they will, maybe they won't, maybe not now, maybe later. But we stick with the truth, lay it out in meekness that God can come in and work a work of repentance that that one might be blessed.
So there are vessels to this honor from which we have to hurt ourselves. Vessels are people.
Separation necessary, but this verse that you referred to in 25 refers to Joshua, you might say in fellowship, you know, and unfortunately at times there are.
There are things voiced that are not scriptural, and that's where that verse comes in, you know, in Meet This.
Instructing those.
That oppose themselves. So we trust that the Lord gives us grace to do it in a way that is not making enemies of the people. Although unfortunately sometimes no matter how gently things are presented, if it is in form of correction, people do not always appreciate that.
Their pride is hurt.
But the Scripture in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, you know hopefully that they will accept whatever truth is presented to them.
Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth.
So if anybody has made any statement contrary to the truth and the brother in meekness instructs him, hopefully they will accept the truth. Because what is important is not whether we accept the person that presents the truth. Will we accept the truth that he presents? You know, that's the point. If we reject what he presents, if it is the truth, it's the truth we are rejecting.
You know, it's bad enough if we reject the person.
And have feelings against him when he brings in correction. But what is much worse is that if we object to the truth that is presented and rejected, that's a serious matter. You know, do you want to reject the truth of God? You know, just look what happened among so-called brethren.
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And the Lord has raised them up to recover much truth that was never known by the reformers or even other broadly people afterwards. God has given more like after the Reformation.
God's testimony throughout the ages. That book gives you a real good insight into the work of God.
Even long before he raised up so-called brethren. But if the truth is rejected.
It's not so much the person that they reject, it's the truth that is rejected. That's a serious matter. If it is the truth of God, we have to bow to it. You know, we have to bow to it.
And acknowledge it, even if it humbles us because we needed correction.
Father years gone by, he rejected the truth of the security of the believer.
And he fought tooth and nails, weeks, months and.
So truth was presented to him time and time again by our departed brother, Brother Gill.
And so later on, you have an exercise. And so they took a trip up to Omaha, NE on the Lord's Day.
To be gathered there to remember the Lord, though they were not together for the Lord's name at that time, but.
They argued.
Tooth and nail all the way for 50 miles with a sister.
And so, Needless to say, there was a lot of distress and so forth, and they sat there to remember the Lord.
There in in Omaha, NE many years ago.
My father was still.
Against the truth of the word of God. And so after it was all the remembrance was all over with my father got up and he turned to the Scripture. He says odd way to obey God rather than man and ask for their place at the Lord's table, brethren.
That's what the word of God-given in love.
Waiting upon him to do the work, then it's going to be profitable to each and everyone and bring another one into that place where He's appointed, gathered under his precious name. So there is a such a condition in our lives where we rejected and rejected until we find out that the Lord is really saying.
Well, you're not. You're rejecting me. You're rejecting my word. And we have to bow to it. And then there will be a real blessing in our lives. And there was great blessings.
Bowing to the word is really what it means when it says a pure heart here, because let's just read it. It says follow righteousness, faith, charity or love, peace with them that call on the name on the Lord out of a pure heart. And so a pure heart, the word of God is presented and the will is set aside, the will of man.
Of Brother Bruce quoted, that the wrath of man worketh not the word of the righteousness of God.
And so the wrath of man often is connected with the will of man, and so he sets it aside. And the pure heart hears the word of God, reads the word of God, believes the word of God, and wants to walk according to the truth of the word of God. That's one that's in the pure heart. An unpure heart hears the word of God, reads the word of God, but the will is at work and will not.
In one way or another will not bow to it, and so the heart isn't pure.
And there's something mixed with faith, if you could use that terminology, and so the Lord.
Works to if we walk tenderly before him and in gentleness. This is one of the words that is used here. The apostle Paul uses it in verse 24. Be gentle unto all men. And so it's not if we're going to put more force to it we're going to get our own way so to speak and we're going to win the argument That's really not the point It's to present the word of God the word of God is going to.
Be used of the Spirit of God to bear fruit.
For God.
So there are times.
When we had the responsibility of receiving somebody at the Lords Table, there is such a thing as reception to the Lords Table. It's not an open fellowship where everybody besides for himself, whether he's in fellowship or not, there is such a thing as reception. But sometimes we have the obligation to receive a person.
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That doesn't understand certain aspects of the truth. You know, we do not expect them to reach a certain level of understanding before they can come into fellowship. They don't have to study the Catechism of brethren so before they can be received. But if there is a pure heart, you know when there is a sincere desire to grease the Lord, although there might be still quite a bit of ignorance.
We have no reason to keep them out.
You know, of course, if they're serious doctrinal error, that's different. You know, there's such a thing of ignorance to be born with doctrine. It's very plain in Scripture. We cannot tolerate that, you know. But ignorance, you know, how much did we understand when Britain embraced took us in?
How much do we know now? How much do we still have to know?
I'd have to learn, you know?
But there are things that are conditions that need to be met. You know, we cannot accept anybody that denies the eternal sonship, you know, and other things, fundamental truth. We cannot have fellowship with such a person.
But there are a lot of people that have not been exposed to as much sound teaching as most of us.
Growing up amongst so-called graduate, you know, I had that privilege in Germany. I learned a lot from these veterans.
I'm thankful for what I learned from them. I still love them. At the time came that I realized I couldn't go on with them anymore and it was a painful thing, you know, I didn't enjoy that, that I had to separate from them, but.
There are those that serve the Lord according to the measure of life they have and leave it to the Lord to judge them in their service for the Lord, you know. But we have to go on according to the light that in grace He has given to us. And then when we come in contact with somebody who doesn't understand some of the things the Lord in His grace has given us to understand, let's be careful.
How we come across, you know.
And then?
Do not.
Alienate them, fight to win them before the hour. Our time is up. We have something on the two seals of verse 19 and the great house in verse 20 and what it says in verse 21 to purge himself from these.
I think that.
We need to complete what the chapter has.
Verse 19 shouldn't be too much of A difficulty. The Lord is the only one that knows the heart, right?
We don't 2 seals.
Yeah, one is the Lord N under his, the other is.
Let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. Now what I mean the first seal. Surely we we know the Lord knows the heart. We don't. And that's a comfort, you know. But what governs us?
Is.
We have the responsibility to withdraw from iniquity.
And what is iniquity?
Well, you have a more modern word. No, I'm not trying to catch anyone. No, what I mean, can you think of a word? Iniquity is not going to be used in everyday English today.
If I remember what Mr. Lundy said and I may not. If someone remembers, feel free to correct me. Iniquity is evil and and spiritual things.
But I've heard another definition and that is sin is often called missing the mark, but iniquity is deliberately missing the mark.
01:10:06
Is a graver thing, isn't it? And then wickedness would be.
I don't know. You tell us. I don't know, because that's kind of why I was reserving wickedness for. But I see it's probably very close then, isn't it?
I've been searching through this for a while.
You have both words in Daniel Chapter 9 and God never wastes a word, doesn't use it out of I I know that these I think this was written in Hebrew or Arma yet but in in Daniel Chapter 9 and verse five, he says we have sinned, we have committed iniquity.
Have done wickedly.
And have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments. And so a sin is really to transgress the commandment of the Lord, or to lawlessness. I think it's really the proper thought there. And so the whole human race is charged with lawlessness. And then I've understood that iniquity has to do with the moral perverseness of the 2nd or the 1St atom.
You know, the fallen nature of man is morally perverse in every way. And so when we sin in lawlessness, there's moral perverseness connected with it oftentimes, and then we've done wickedly. And that's the wicked intent of the heart of man. And so he says that.
I'm not going to be recorded. I guess it's Jeremiah chapter 17.
Yeah, verse 10.
12 verse 9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it by the Lord? Search the heart and try the reigns. And so he uses these words and doesn't waste any words. And there's a specific reason why everyone is used, and perhaps you might even say the order of it is instructive as well.
The lawlessness of men doesn't stop there. It goes into moral perversity. And then?
Wickedness, absolute depravity of the natural man comes in and there's a progression. And so the sin was really of departing first. What do we depart from? First? We depart from the Word of God. It was so in the garden of the Lord, the Word was given and there was a departure from the Word and it didn't stop there. It progressed in evil. And so it's a lovely thing for us to take up the Word of God, to believe the Word of God, to have faith in the Word of God, to trust us.
And not to depart from it. And we won't have to live with some of the other things that go along with sin or lawlessness if we will just accept the word of God and obedience, walk with the Lord. Let me also point out in verse 19 into more accurate critical rendering, as somebody has called Darby's rendering. Another scholar put it that way, the most accurate critical ending. It doesn't say the name of Christ.
It says the name of the Lord, you know, it's a question, question of the Lordship of Christ. You know, our being in Christ. That's a correct there to use Christ, you know, it doesn't say we're in the Lord, you know, we're in Christ, but he is the Lord, you know, and we better recognize it. I think I mentioned that before. He's the Lord of our lives.
And we better submit, you know, and.
Let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. Do we really acknowledge Him as law? And separation from evil is a must. We reject evil, you know.
And that is expected of a true Christian. And the Spirit within gives us a sense of even if he cannot always put the finger on what is wrong.
But he gives us a sense something is wrong here, you know, and we better keep our distance and.
Depart from iniquity.
And then that great house, as we already have heard, it's no longer the pillar and ground of the truth as it is presented in the first epistle, has become a great house, you know, And there are a mixture has come in, you know, and there are the real and the false.
01:15:18
To dishonour becomes necessary a must to separate from vessels to this, and he gives us the discernment to know who we have to separate from if we're spiritually exercised.
Great point that in the 20 twentieth verse or something said, well, which ones are real, which ones are not real, but that this is the whole point of the passage. There might be a gold vessel that's unclean. We think of Belshazzar, how you that's the holy best of the Lord in a very corrupt way.
Well, I read in Leviticus 11 of a wood vessel and an earthen vessel that were cleansed. They were clean, they were serviceable. So it's not the quality of the vessel. The question is whether they're clean or not. And so the question for separation is not, well, is that one a real believer or not, as we just have before us? The Lord knows them that are His. It's not up for us to figure that out in certain instances, but it is for us to understand that one that names the name of the Lord must depart from iniquity.
That's the criteria, that's what we do know. We can't look into the recesses of their heart. The Lord knows that, but we do have the responsibility to judge according to the the conduct and so on. Verse 21 and therefore a man therefore purged himself from these. Haven't we often been instructed and noted that?
The only other time this word purge is mentioned in Scripture is in First Corinthians 5, where the assembly is told to purge out the old leaven.
There's for the assembly acts to purge it out, that the assembly might be a new lump. Well, in this situation here, there's no purging of it. And so the man must purge himself from the the corruption that is there. And so this brings before us not the assemblies responsibility to put out evil, but the individual's responsibility to get himself out and away from that evil.
So what does the vessel?
Wooden pixel.
Is it a true believer?
But beyond thinking a Second Corinthians 4, we have this treasure, an earthen vessel that's certainly to be a believer. But I take it here, it's not the point of whether it's the real or not the real. The Lord knows that. Or rather, is it clean or is it unclean?
Scriptures better than me.
That the wood and earth are not real, at least fit for the House of God. You know, I'm just telling you what I was taught.
And the gold and silver. Gold speaks of righteousness. Silver speaks of.
Yeah, so that speaks of what is real, you know what the believer is in Christ.
I personally take it that way that would an earthen vessel are not really real or usable for the House of God.
My brother Heights, the only thing that I can refer to would be that the vessels that were in the Tabernacle, and we find that many of them were covered with gold. And so that's divine righteousness. So these earthen vessels can be covered with divine righteousness, the silver and the gold and of course the tarnishing that's visible.
Outwardly, the tarnishing can be visible, but all the vessels that were in the Tabernacle.
Were covered with gold golden candlesticks and the the ark of the covenant and those those things that were in inside the temple they were all covered with gold that divine righteousness. So we it's working toward perfection, isn't it that we're looking for and in order to get perfection it takes.
Redemption, which is silver.
Glow this divine, and it does not perish. You know what in earth perishes.
Vessel unto honor, sanctify, and meet for the masters youth, and prepared unto every good work.
I'll refresh it.
01:20:09
I.
We're seeing #22 in the attendance #22.
Kingdom Truth
Address—H. Brinkmann
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.
There is a verse in the epistle and I just quoted.
The blessed hope and the glorious appearing, and we as Christians.
Most often think of the blessed hope that is we're waiting for the Lord Jesus to take us home. But what about the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? We ought to look for both.
And be interested in the truth of both.
And.
It's so important that we familiarize ourselves.
With Kingdom truth.
You know.
There's going to come a day.
When the Lord Jesus comes back in power and glory and will reign in the very scene where he was.
Rejected and despised.
And we find that John the Baptist in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 3.
In verse two says repent ye, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
And then we find the blessed Lord also makes the same statement.
In chapter 4 I believe repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now.
That was no doubt referring. These verses referred to him coming to reign in power and glory. Heavens rule on the earth.
The Kingdom of Heaven.
But what we do find the king is rejected.
And then the Kingdom takes on a mystical form.
There is a Kingdom.
But.
The Lord is not recognized.
And as I think was mentioned in these meetings, the Lord is not our King.
But he is the King of glory.
And he will come back to reign in power and glory.
And there are parables in Matthew's Gospel that tell us about the Kingdom.
And it's very interesting that it is in Matthew's Gospel.
Because Matthew's Gospel presents the Lord Jesus as King.
Looks Gospel presents him as the man Christ Jesus.
Mark's Gospel presents him as the servant.
And in John's gospel, he is presented as the Son of God. That's why you have no genealogy in John's Gospel. In the beginning was the Word. That is as much to say. The Word had no beginning.
And in Mark, where he is a servant, it is an important where a servant is from. That's why you don't have a genealogy in Mark. But in Matthew, the Gospel of the Kingdom presents our blessed Lord as the King.
And he's rejected.
And then as I already mentioned.
The Kingdom takes on a mystical fur form.
And we have these parables, especially in Matthew 13.
The parables of the Kingdom of Heaven.
And.
But it was not for everybody to understand these things. That's why the Lord says in verse 11.
In verse 11 he says.
Unto them, because it is given unto you, the disciples, to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven.
But to them it is not given.
And so.
How wonderful that we have these parables in Matthew.
00:05:04
That speak of the Kingdom of heaven.
As a young man, I became very much interested in that aspect of the truth.
You know.
I grew up in Germany under this wicked ruler out of Hitler.
Who persecuted the Christians, forbade the brethren to meet?
Had he won the war, he would have dealt with us just like he did with the Jews.
You know, but he needed the Germans to help fight the war.
But how wonderful the time is going to come.
When the Lord Jesus comes back as King.
And he will reign in power and glory.
But at the present time, while there is a Kingdom.
He is not reigning in power and glory, but there is a sphere where his authority is recognized. That's the Kingdom of Heaven.
In mystical form.
And so we have these parables in Matthew 13.
And so we have.
Verse 24.
Of Chapter 13.
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sought good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sought, sought tears among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed?
In the field from when Stan has a tears.
He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servant said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
And he said Nay, lest while ye get up the tears, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest.
I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares.
And find them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into the barn.
So the stairs are those who are not real in the Kingdom.
And but at the present time, from this explanation of the Lord, it is not for His followers to deal with the tears.
In the coming day the Lord will take care of the tares, and he will gather them out of the Kingdom.
You know, I think that will happen after the church is gone.
There will be still a Kingdom.
And he will then, in a physical way, deal with the tears.
And but at the present time, it's not for us to deal with, deal with the heretics as the Church has felt responsible to do. And what they actually did is what the Lord said, they killed the real believers.
All you have to do is read the church history.
Napoli Nians, how they were treated.
And why were they called Paulinians?
I believe they were called Paulinians because they were known to take heed and pay attention to Paul's doctrine.
Where do you get the truth of the church in Paul's writings? You know they apparently paid attention to church truth.
They were exterminated, persecuted, wiped out, just about.
But.
We as true believers and followers of the Lord Jesus, it's not our business to deal with those who are false.
Now the Kingdom is not church.
You know in the Kingdom is the real and the false, but when it comes to church truth, it's a fellowship of Saints. We have to discriminate.
00:10:07
When anybody wants to be in fellowship in the assembly.
That's why we have oversight India. Simply they there are those who have the responsibility to talk to the person. We are not an open fellowship where anybody can come and break bread. There is such a thing as reception to the Lord's Table or being put away from the Lord's Table. We have that in First Corinthians 5.
You know there was a wicked person in First Corinthians 5A moral man.
And it's very interesting that it doesn't say put away the brother.
Put away the wicked person.
It is left open as a question whether he is a brother.
He was dealt with as a wicked person, not put away the brother.
Put away the wicked person. Thankfully we find from the 2nd Epistle that there was repentance, and they were admonished to show grace to this person and take him back in. But when it was necessary to deal with him, he was dealt with as a wicked person. Put out from among yourself that wicked person.
Discipline in the assembly is important, and it is sometimes not a pleasant thing.
To have to deal, it's never a pleasant thing to deal with evil.
But for the glory of the Lord, it is a necessity to deal with evil.
But in the Kingdom aspect of the truth, the good and the bad are to grow up together.
And in the coming day?
The Lord will have the bad seed dealt with. And then there is that which is real.
They will go into the Kingdom.
And in.
Verse 41.
We read. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom the things that offend.
And them which do iniquity, notice it is the Son of man will send forth.
Our relationship with the Lord Jesus is with the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. That's how we know Him. That doesn't mean that we do not know that He is the Son of man, but He is presented as the Son of Man in connection with the Kingdom.
And he will send forth.
His angels and they will deal with the false.
And cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be railing and gnashing of teeth.
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of.
Dear Father, who has ears to hear, let him hear. Notice here it isn't the Kingdom of the Son of Man, it's the Kingdom of the Father. A chose the real reality of true believers.
In that coming day, you know there will be true believers even after the church is gone.
We know that the gospel of the Kingdom will be preached and people will be saved.
But then we also find that in these parables, in Matthew 13, we have that which has to especially deal or is dealing especially with those in the sphere of profession.
All have to do with the fear of profession, but.
Then we also find that there is that which is real, and then we find.
There is a treasure hit in the field.
To which when a man has found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he has, and buy us that field.
You see, that treasure in the field are the true believers, and we can apply that at the present time. But what does he do with the true believers? That treasure? He hides it in the field.
00:15:06
That's our position as Christians in the Kingdom aspect of the truth. We are hidden in the field. We are not expected to be in political power, in control at the present time.
The time will come that we will reign with him, but not at the present time.
Where the treasure hid in the field.
And this is especially presenting what we are to him.
The treasure.
Isn't that wonderful?
That the grace of God has made us part of the treasure, if we are real, if we really know the Lord Jesus as Savior.
And then he buys the field.
Isn't it his as to create Tre?
Certainly as a creator he has claim on everything, but he has a second claim as the Redeemer, and that's how it is presented in Revelation. Who is worth it to open the book?
Or to take the Book and open the seal, the Lamb. He has a second claim as the Redeemer, and that claim is made known by him in Revelation, and he takes the Book. And then through judgments the earth is going to be prepared for the glorious reign of Christ.
You know, he at times judges nations today. I believe he did that in Germany.
You know, the awful thing that was done by detonation, killing six million Jews, one and a half million Gypsies.
Awful, isn't it, when you think women and children?
I was living there at the time. We didn't know much of what he was doing. They did kept that quite quiet. You know, it wasn't published all over what he was doing. We found that out after the war.
I found it particularly out when I worked for the Jewish Hospital in Chicago.
You know, there was a lady in the office. She was a neighbor to Herman Goering, the head of the Air Force. She got out before they could, arrested them. They were rich. And she was managing the office where I was working in Chicago. And I learned from her. And there was another lady there who had been in a concentration camp and survived.
I found out from those people what happened.
The Germans even kept that very low. They didn't spread very much about that even after the war. I think they were ashamed of what has happened. But you know today is going to come when the Lord Jesus will deal with all wickedness and he joined the Kingdom, will judge evil every morning.
People won't get away with anything.
Homosexuality, you know, it's not shameful how they justify it. And if you speak out against it, you're the one that is the bad guy, you know? And many other things.
Well, the day is going to come when the Lord Jesus.
Will be the judge, and he will judge evil every morning, and the desire of the nations will have come. What does that mean?
People in the world generally desire peace and the desire that those in government rule righteously. That's generally the desire of people, and the desire of the nations will have come when the Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness. At the present time, grace reigns to righteousness.
God is able to show grace because of the work of the Lord Jesus.
And grace reigns. God has a righteous basis to show grace because of the work of Calvary's cross, but in the Kingdom, righteousness will reign.
00:20:00
Evil will be judged, but in the eternal state righteousness will dwell. Isn't it wonderful? Is it wonderful? There is going to be time on this earth.
When righteousness will dwell, no evil will come. O bright and blessed scene where sin can never come. Whose side our longing spirit means. From earth we're yet we roam.
Yes, it is a wonderful thing that the work of the Lord Jesus has not only secured heaven for us, it has also secured a glorious future for the people of Israel and a glorious future for this earth. A new heaven and a new earth will be created, but even in the Millennium, what a wonderful time that will be.
You know who doesn't follow with interest what's going on in the Middle East?
Don't you pity the people?
Women and children, what they have to endure.
What we had to endure during the war, not only in Germany.
All over Europe, millions and millions of people being perished.
Starving to death after the war, especially because of lack of food.
You know, we were living in a city.
We didn't have any land.
And in the spring, when new growth was coming up, my dad would go and gather up.
Something that my mother could use for soup. Making soup. She had four boys to feed and my dad and I still see her standing there by the stove making soup, weeping.
Because of the little she had to give to us to eat. Fortunately, things improved. The Marshall Plan helped the German people. You know, it made me respect the Allies. Germany had started an unprovoked war, causing a lot of suffering. And here the winners.
Fed the German people.
And made sure that we won't starve to death.
Well, but in that coming day, there's going to be a Kingdom.
But at the present time, the mystical form of the Kingdom is so important.
And that we especially keep in mind what we find from verse 44 on the treasure hit in the field.
And that those who are real at the present time.
And then?
Also, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls.
And when he had found one Pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Another picture of the Church, I believe the Pearl of great price, and in order to possess that field, or to possess the Pearl, the Lord Jesus had to suffer.
He sold all.
That he had and bought it in order to have that treasure, in order to have that Pearl.
The Lord Jesus, who was rich for our sakes, became poor that we through his poverty would be made rich. He sold all that He had in order to possess us, to be part of that treasure, to be part of that Pearl, a Pearl of great price.
You know.
There are not many ladies that wouldn't like to have a nice Pearl.
I don't find fault with that. Not that we want to overdo it, you know, and but I don't think there's anything wrong in having some jewelry.
We want to, we don't want to overdo it, but.
The Lord Jesus has a treasure, and he has a Pearl.
But that is his own.
And in order to possess that, he had to sell all that he had.
But then how wonderful the Kingdom of heaven is, like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind. That's the gospel, isn't it?
00:25:15
And.
Which when it was full, they drew it to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, and cast the bad away.
You know what is the result of the gospel being preached.
We have experienced that.
Uh, maybe not as much in the Western world as we have experienced it in Malawi and poor countries, you know.
Gospel is preached, the net is cast out and people want to join and want to be part of this because of what they get out of it.
You know, and they even want to be in fellowship.
And what doesn't always know for sure? Is a person real, or is he only a nominal Christian?
But as time goes on.
The unreal will become manifest.
You know, we have had the painful experience to see people coming in, in Egypt and in Africa.
And we were so happy that they had come in.
But then, as time went on, they proved to be false.
You know they were in for what they could out get out of it.
You know.
And in some cultures.
It is perfectly all right.
To beg.
You know when they have needs, they contact those that can help them in their need and you have a moral obligation to help them.
That's what Jesse back then explained to me. That's the culture in India, if you have a need.
You go to the person that can help you, and he has a moral obligation to help you.
Well, I said to him, please try to remember that that's not the way the people in the West look at it. The people in the West look at that as begging. That doesn't mean that we are insensitive to needs, but there are ways in which needs can be made known. Instead of you coming and saying I have a need, give me some, you know?
We have an obligation to help.
And what really grieved me very much, not long ago I found out there was a brother gathered to the name of the Lord in Malawi who starved to death.
He starved to death. He didn't have enough to eat.
I would have liked to have known that.
You know, and we had sent things there, but the brother that was handling things apparently didn't know of that particular need. You know, they don't have the means of communication over there as we have here, you know.
So people starve to death. Christians are starving to death in the world.
Thankfully not many you know, but there are many who are not Christians that are starving to death.
And what grieved me so much?
In Malawi was to see children running around there with their stomach sticking out. You know why they stick out?
Undernourished.
Don't get enough to eat?
You know, and you would like to help them all and you don't have enough.
To help the mall, you do what you can.
But.
Well, there are needs.
And.
But the main responsibility we have is not too much feeding the hungry, although that's part of our Christian responsibility. It is to meet the spiritual needs.
And what we have also found is when people get to be Christians.
They also understand what it says in the New Testament. If a man doesn't provide for his own, he has denied the faith in his worst than an infidel.
You know, in some of these cultures, the men don't do a thing. The women have to go to work. They have to work on the fields. The men sit around, do nothing.
Or practically nothing.
But if a man doesn't provide for his own, he has denied the faith in his worst and infidel. David Whittaker quoted that when he was with us there many times.
00:30:03
A man doesn't provide for his owning as denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. It's the husband's responsibility especially to provide for his own.
There might be times when for health reasons or whatever, he can't.
And then she might have to go to work.
And provide. But that is really the man's responsibility. Fellows, listen, are you preparing yourself for your responsibility in the future? If you want to get married and have a family, would you be able to provide for them? You have no business getting married if you're not in the position to provide for your own.
You know.
Learn a trade.
Qualify or get into a position to qualify for some kind of work.
But how wonderful. Our biggest responsibility.
Is to work for the Lord to have part.
In catching fish.
There is in Wausau, WI a Christian publishing place.
And the title is Five Loaves and Two Fishes. It's nice, isn't it?
5 loaves and two fishes. That's what the Lord had to feed the multitude, and they used that to advertise their Christian book room.
But there is hell. There is a hell.
Verse 50.
Or verse 49, The Angel shall come forth and sever the wicked from the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire.
There shall be veiling and gnashing of teeth.
Hell is a reality.
Some people argue and say a God of love does not cast anybody into hell.
Well, read the Bible.
Where the warm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Do you need anything more clear?
You know if there's anybody that is unsafe in this room if you want to know what hell is like.
Put your finger for justice a short time into a flame. You know what hell is going to be like. You're not only with a finger in hell with a whole body, and the body will not be burned up.
We had a warm diet not and the fire is not quenched.
Well.
The Lord says, have you understood all these things? They say unto him, Yeah, Lord.
And said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed into the Kingdom of heaven is like unto a man, that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure thanks new and old.
You know, we should have a treasure and gather up things that we can use.
And things do. And all that doesn't mean we're looking for new revelations.
But is there anybody in this room that knows it all, that doesn't have to do some gathering in?
Things new doesn't mean new revelations, but for that individual there are things that are new.
And to have a treasure.
You know the Word of God is a treasure, and the more you come to know and enjoy of it, the greater your treasure is. And what's the subject of that treasure of that book? The Bible, our blessed Lord. In one way or another, all Scripture has to do with the Lord Jesus.
Find Christ in the Scriptures, even in the Old Testament.
You know the offerings.
You know, there's this publication, Christ, as seen in the offerings. You know, I came to enjoy that so much.
00:35:05
To seek Christ in these offerings. When God introduced these sacrifices, he gave pictures of what is perfectly demonstrated in the person of the Lord Jesus. He's the burnt offering. That's what he is for God. That was completely burned up. Nothing was for the priest. The only thing that was for him was the skin, you know, that speaks of the garment of righteousness, you know.
But then.
You have the meal offering, you know there was a handful given to the Lord, and the rest was food for the priestly family. And as Christians, were all priests.
And I hope we enjoy Feeding on Christ, the meal offering.
You know, and then he is the sin offering, you know, and all these various aspects of the death of the Lord Jesus. You know, if you want to come to understand more of what took place when the Lord Jesus went to the cross, get into the typical teachings of the Old Testament. That illustrates a lot of New Testament truth.
If you get the spiritual lesson.
Do you read the Old Testament?
Or do you say, well, that was for the Jew?
Timothy from a child knew the Holy Scriptures. There was number New Testament scripture at that time which would hear him wise unto salvation. You can get saved by reading the Old Testament if you come to see Christ in it. You know the typical teachings of the Old Testament. You know I don't want to boast and please don't take it that way, but we met people.
Work that were Christians and then when I took care of their son who needed my services.
Then I would always make a few comments. I wouldn't overwhelm them of Christian truth, you know, and then.
They said, you know, why don't we have some Bible study? We like to get into the Old Testament. You know, they had not. They belong to a New Testament church. That's how some people call it. You know, they neglected the Old Testament and they came to see through the little contact that they had. There was a lot of wonderful things in the Old Testament. That's what we did for six years. We went through the Old Testament.
You know, I benefited very much from that for myself. Why? Because I had to be able to explain it, you know, and I meditated on it. I read helpful ministry.
Young fellows here and ladies, do you make use of the written ministry that we have?
Do you make use of it?
I hope you do.
What I have to present is not what I have all personally dug up. I had the privilege of growing up amongst brother and so-called. My grandparents were there already and I learned a lot from those men, from those parents and I owe much to them. I still love them. I'm sorry I can't walk with some of those that I grew up among.
But I still love them and I appreciate it.
The help that they were to me, but we have in English much more help available than what we had in Germany.
We had Macintosh, you know.
And Macintosh is very nice, especially for those who are new in the faith, you know.
He does all the chewing for you.
When you read Darby, you know you better know something of the subject that he's talking about or it goes over your head.
You know, and when you read Kelly.
You know he has been called the Irish St. and Scholar.
Kelly has made Darby simple.
Tenant is another one, Edward Dennett. He has written as much, but what he has written is very easily understood.
00:40:03
Bible Truth Publishers still has these writings available. Get them.
It will help you come to a fuller enjoyment of the truth and perhaps helps you to share the truth with others you know.
We learn from others.
But.
How wonderful.
That we have not only church truth, that we have Kingdom truth. And there is a side to the Kingdom that is clearly shown in Matthew's Gospel. That's the gospel of the Kingdom, you know, presents the Lord Jesus as the king. Well, I hope.
Some of what was pointed out will be a help or perhaps even encourage some of us to look into things more thoroughly. You know, and I hope we all have the habit of reading the Bible every day for ourselves. What about the family? Do you have a family altar?
Do you sit down with the family and read the scriptures and pray with them?
It's our responsibility as parents to share the truth.
It's wonderful that we can go to meeting with the kids and that they can go to Sunday school, But you heard me say that before. If you would only have two meals a week, how long would you live?
You know you have to feed your soul every day.
And US parents have the responsibility to feed your children with spiritual food.
You know, I'm so thankful that.
I was exposed from a little boy aunt like Timothy to the Holy Scriptures.
You know, and there never was a time, I can honestly say that, that I resented that the scriptures were read in our home. I never resented that.
And it was early in my life that I wanted to understand more of the scriptures.
And, you know, during the war.
There was a lot of turmoil in the industrial area where I lived and that affected our Christian life, even in the family.
And we were forbidden to meet.
And.
There were relatives, all of our relatives met secretly, you know, and but we couldn't always go along. Sometimes the parents would go alone, but most of the time they took us along. And so how thankful it is one can be that like Timothy from a child, we know the Holy Scriptures will make.
Which will make us wise and to salvation. So be thankful fellows and girls, that you're exposed to the Bible. Do you ever thank the Lord that you have been and that you are exposed to that and then.
Ask the Lord, please help me understand what is being read. And when you read the scriptures for yourself, ask him, Please help me to understand you know.
Line up online, hear a little, dare a little, you know.
But spiritual laziness is not going to be blessed.
There has to be diligence, spiritual diligence.
You know, it's just like a man has to provide for his family in a material way, but he has to also provide in a spiritual way, you know, and the mother.
You know, sometimes.
The man in the house doesn't have what it takes to expand the Scriptures, but hopefully the mother has it. You know, I had a godly mother.
And what we have as boys, we owe more to our mother.
She would bring the scriptures before us, She would quote the scriptures and bring the light of the scriptures in in any situation.
That would arise. My father had a brother.
Who like himself, had grown up in a Christian home. Grandpa was much used of the Lord to teach the scriptures, but he was not saved and he lived in sin. He lived in immorality with somebody elses wife.
00:45:13
You know, and then there was a bombing rate.
And he went out to fight the fire.
And a bomb dropped near him and he was cut to shreds and I was evacuated in Begettis village. My uncle lived there.
My mother wrote us.
Uncle Fritz was killed in a bombing raid, she says. I cannot help but think of the Scripture. He that is often rebuked, hardening his neck, shall be suddenly destroyed and dead without remedy. That Scripture fit that situation to a tee, didn't it?
Well, I hope there's nobody here that like my Uncle Fritz.
Will turn away completely from it and not get saved and then live in the world. Live in sin.
He had all the opportunity.
To get saved. He visited my father shortly before he was killed in a bombing raid. And my father once more tried to reach him, reach his conscience. He brushed it all aside. That was, you might say, the last opportunity that he had to hear somebody try to reach his conscience. Well, here he grew up in a Christian home.
Well, how sad. That's not an isolated case, unfortunately.
You know, to grow up.
In a Christian home under Christian influence. Go to meeting from a little boy on go to Sunday school.
You know, I went to Sunday school as a little boy.
But I was a teenager before I had assurance of salvation. Of course, the war came in and then there wasn't much going on in way of meeting for some time. But anyway, we don't know whether we will have tomorrow in our life. Today is the day of salvation. Today when we hear His voice, do not harden your heart. You know that's what the scripture.
Tells us so well.
But to come back, the Kingdom truth is so important.
Familiarize yourself with it. The Lord Jesus is the King. He is the Lord. He is the bridegroom. You know, we know him as the bridegroom. We know him as our head as Christians, but he's also Lord, the Lord of our individual lives. To say that he is my King is not Christian truth. He's my Lord.
You know he's in control.
But he's also King, and we look forward to the day when he would come back to reign in power and glory and bring us along. Isn't it wonderful that he will have a place of power and rule in the very place where he was rejected and despised? We will rejoice to see it all and have part in it even. What a grace not only to save our souls, but to also share.
The Kingdom glory with us.
We will reign with him, but there is a difference in the Kingdom.
There is no difference in heaven.
We're all going to be there because of the work of the Lord Jesus.
But in the Kingdom, some will be over 10 cities, some will river less cities. According to faithfulness, there will be a greater or smaller position in the Kingdom.
And there will be crowns given. And what do we find the Saints doing with the crowns in Revelation? They cast them at the feet of the Lord Jesus. As much as to say, if there was anything in my life that was for the glory of God, it is because of the grace of God that enabled it.
And to enable me to live for him. So may the Lord bless His word.