Des Moines Conference: 1973
Table of Contents
All-Sufficiency of Christ
Address—G. Hayhoe
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973, addressed by Gordon Hayhoe.
Shall we stay together #187?
#187.
Oh Jesus, gracious Savior upon the Father's throne, whose wondrous love and favor has made our cause, thine own thy people to the ever for grace and help repair for thou they know will never refuse their griefs to share.
187.
Jesus Christ shall.
Save.
Her.
We ask the Lord's blessing and prayer.
To turn with me to 2nd Kings Chapter 4.
Second Kings chapter 4.
And verse 38.
And Elijah came again to Gilgal, and there was a dearth in the land, and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him. And he sat unto his servant, set on the great pot, and seized pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered there are wild gourds, his lap full.
And came and shred them into the pot of cottage, for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat.
And it came to pass as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, That all thou man of God, there is death in the pot, and they could not eat thereof. But he said, Then bring meal, and he cast it into the pot. And he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat, and there was no harm in the pot. And there came a man from Bill Chalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, 20 laws of barley, and fulliers of corn in the husk thereof.
And he said, Give unto the people that they may eat. And his surrender said, What shall I set this before 100 men? He said, again, Give the people that they may eat. For thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he did set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord.
Now, will you also turn with me to Matthew chapter 14?
Matthew, Chapter 14.
And the 15th verse.
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time has now passed. Send the molecule away, that they may go into the villages, and by themselves vittles. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart, give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but 5 loaves, and two fishes. And he said, Bring them, Hit her to me.
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves and the two fishes.
And looking up to heaven, he blessed and break, and gave the laws to his disciples.
And the disciples to the multitude, and they did all eat and were filled.
And they took off of the fragments that remained 12 baskets full, and they that had eaten were about 5000 men beside women and children.
On the 24th verse. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with the waves, for the wind was contrary.
00:10:06
And in the 4th watch of the night Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, there were trouble, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I.
Be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come. When Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink. He cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand.
And caught him, and said unto him, For thou little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were coming to the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth, Thou art the Son of God.
Tell her, young people, my thought in reading these verses this afternoon is that perhaps they bring before us in some little way how the Lord is sufficient for every circumstance. We find all different circumstances brought before us, and we find poison in the pot.
In the beginning of the 4th chapter of Second Kings we have a little boy who had died. In the end we find shortage of food and it was multiplied. And the other story we find of a young man who had just a very little and it was sufficient to feed 5000 when given to the Lord. And then we find storms and the Lord was able to steal the storms. And so as I look over the group of young people here.
I know that you're in very circumstances of life. Each one has a different home background, each one a different assembly, each one different personal characteristics. But the Lord is sufficient for you. He's the one who made this world, and He made you. When he put Adam in it, it tells us that he looked upon the whole scene and said it was very good. We know how sin came in and spoiled it.
Didn't spoil the heart of God. Sin spoiled man. Sin spoiled this world, but it didn't spoil the heart of God. It only brought out in fuller and greater relief what was in the heart of God. His sufficiency for the need of man and sufficiency for our need.
And I think it's very lovely as we read the Bible, that God not only gives us instruction, he could just write down precepts for us, precepts to which we should hearken, precepts which would direct our pathway. But there's more than this. There are living examples. There are people, men of light, passions as ourselves, young people, sons of the prophets, all brought before us in these varied set of pictures that God has given us.
Saw that we might see that others have passed away before us, and above all, the Lord Jesus Himself, the Captain of our salvation, went through every form and kind of suffering, sin apart, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest.
That he might be able to suffer us, to help us in our trials and in our problems.
And so I just like to speak a little of these different things that are brought before us in what we have read. First of all, before beginning at the verse where we began, I'd like to mention about this child that had died. Here was a family and they only had one child.
And the Lord had seen fit to take away this one child. It was a family where there was faith. Because the dear mother could say all is well, all is well. Oh, how wonderful when sorrows hit our lives, when troubles come to know that all is well.
So know that God has allowed it, but I think it's very lovely to see the activity of this servant of God, Elijah, and the way in which God used to raise this boy who had died back to life again. Perhaps we could think of it as an illustration of how we could help a child, perhaps someone very much younger than ourselves. And here we find this man of God not occupied with his own importance.
00:15:00
Again, Hazie was Gehazi was occupied with his own importance, but not Elijah. Elijah had a heart for this woman. He said that she was in trouble and the Lord hadn't shown him what it was that was the trouble. And then we find Elisha, how he went and prayed, and how it tells us that he stretched himself upon the child. And perhaps I could just pass on this little word to some who are older now. This is a day when.
We hear a lot about the generation gap, we hear a lot about the differences between old and young. But I think it's very lovely to see. See Elisha here coming and stretching himself upon the child. Oh, if there was any such thing as bridging the gap, here it was.
This great servant of God coming down, putting his mouth on the mouth of the child, putting his hands in the hands of the child and putting his feet on the feet of the child. Why does it say it's he stretched himself well, as another has put it, And I think it's very true. And it's easy for us to talk to people who are our contemporaries of our own age, but an older person needs to stretch himself a little bit to bring himself down.
To the possession of young people today, to see that just the spot in which they're in, in this world. And sometimes it takes a great deal to be able to bring ourselves, to put our hands upon their hands and know just what they're touching, just what they're seeing, just what they're feeling in this day. Well, God honors this activity on the part of Elijah, and it tells us it didn't all come at once, you know?
He did it once and nothing seemed to happen. It says here when he first did it, the flash of the child waxed warm. I think this is lovely. A warm between a young person and an old person. Wasn't this nice? There's a there's a tendency perhaps not to be that warmth between young and old, but.
Here, as Elijah stretched himself upon the one who was young, it says the flesh of the child waxed warm. The life didn't just come, though. But then he went away, and he did it again the second time. And then life came. Yes, life, and the manifestation of that life.
Perhaps not in the way that Elijah might have expected it. He manifested his life and perhaps might have seen the strange way it says the child sneezed 7 times. And as another has put it, I think very nicely, if we're really watching for signs of life, we'll see them. They may not just be in the way we expect. We were older often want to see a sign of life as though it included in men maturity, but not necessarily.
The child sneezed 7 times, but the man of God recognized that this was life and he was given back to his mother. And know how lovely this is. So here we find the Lord was sufficient for this situation and death had come in sorrow had come into this home. The great breach between young and old, how could it be bridged? The Lord was sufficient. And dear young people, I say the Lord is sufficient today.
He wants to bless our children. He wants to bless our young people. He wants them to.
First of all, no. The most important thing Have you received divine life?
Do you know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior? That's the very beginning of everything.
Apart from math, there's nothing. You may be the nicest character in this whole room this afternoon.
But if you haven't Christ your dad in trespasses and sins, it's new life you need, and there's only one who can communicate that new life, and that is the Lord. He is the one who can give that new life. And Jesus said to Nicodemus, he must be born again so that there's one here who's not saved. May God give you to realize your true condition, that you might be brought to the Lord.
To put your trust in Him as your savior. Well, where we began then we find.
38th verse Elisha came again to Gilgal. It was a little mention made this morning about Gilgal. That was the place, as our brother remarked in the meeting, as soon as they had crossed the Jordan to enter the land and take possession of it. The 1St place that they came to after they had taken Jericho was Gilgal. Gilgal, and they're in Gilgal. What happens?
00:20:02
That they had to, they had to lift the sword upon themselves. Yes, they had to lift the sword upon themselves. And so it represents to us self judgment, self judgment. And we need to practice this in our lives.
And we just read a verse this morning in our own personal reading, and that is it says, so then death worketh in us, but life in you. Now that is, if we want to be a help to anyone else, death has to work himself. If we're going to be watching all the time, what people say or think about us will never be very much use in the things of God. We have to be content to be nothing, to have a sentence of death in ourselves, as Paul said.
And we might not trust in ourselves that we might know what it is to have death working himself. Then life works in the others because they're not attracted to us personally, but to the Lord. And that's the important thing. Dear young people, what I desire for you is that you would be attracted to the Lord Jesus, that He would be the sufficient one for you. And if you were going to be some use to other young people, there needs to be that Gilgal in your life.
There needs to be that putting of a knife upon self, as we had in our chapter this morning.
Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in his present world.
And then when I was reading on here, it says there was a dearth in the land. And surely that's the day we're living in today. Early in the chapter, we have death. Now we have a dearth in the land. And if we were to look more carefully into Israel's history, we would find it was a time when the 10 tribes had separated from the two. It was a time when there had been a breakdown in the testimony of God's people.
They were no longer presented to the world as one nation, but they were separated. And even the Spirit of God has to speak about Judah and Israel. There was a king in Judah. There was a king in Israel. Failure had come in. But I say again, the Lord was still the same.
He was still sufficient for every circumstance, and he was sufficient for the day of Israel's division. He was sufficient for a time when there was a dearth in the land. And if there's a dearth in your soul, if there's a dearth in your assembly, if there's a dearth in other things, perhaps even your health, or some things, perhaps in friends, there can be a dearth about many things in our lives.
And there was a dearth in the Lamb. And perhaps I hear some young people say, oh, I want this, if only this would happen, if only this would work out. Well, it was the dearest in the land, and there was a dearth at this time. So what did the sons of the prophets do?
Did they just sit at home and nurse all their sorrows and troubles? Oh, I think there's a very beautiful picture here. And frankly, this is the reason I think it came before me. I thought of the sons of the prophets sitting before Elisha, and I thought of all the young people who have come here today, sitting in the Lord's presence. And here they had come. They had come with no doubt, very.
Feelings they have. They were, shall I say, a motley group because.
We learn a little in other places about the sons of the prophets, and some of them weren't very faithful in the things of God. In the second chapter. Some were dwelling in Jericho, some know very intelligent, had no desire to follow Elijah. But here we find a very happy occasion.
They came and they sat before the Lord in the presence of this man of God.
And dear young people, were glad you're here today. You may have come with varied feelings in your heart.
Perhaps some of you have been going on with the world human living in Jericho. Perhaps some of you have not been diligent in your life. But we're still glad you're here. We're still glad you've come to sit here with a great pot, as it were, where we can be fed, where we can get something for our souls.
Because the Lord delights to feed us. And so here was the great pot, and Elijah had it already. What did he have the great pot for? Well, he was just so glad that a large group came together, and so he was prepared for them. And so here we find perhaps a little picture of just what is happening at these three days of meetings set on the great pot. And seize pottage for the sons of the prophets.
00:25:19
Because I remark again that I believe the sons of the prophets represent to us the children of believing parents, those who have come to the meetings, because they have perhaps been brought here by their parents. They've been brought up under this kind of influence, and so they come.
And so here they were, and they were now going to get this ready. And it says one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof a wild gourds, his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage, for they knew them not. Yes, here was a very active person who went out, and he gathered his lap full of wild gourds. No, wild gourds are very pretty.
I suppose some of you may have them in your home and varnish them and paint them and they really look very attractive. They look nicer than some of the things that we eat. But they're poisoned. They're poisoned. There's many attractive things in this world, dear young people, that are poisonous.
But this person, whoever he was, he didn't know it. He didn't perceive it. And perhaps you're playing with things that look very attractive, but all how dangerous they are. Oh, how dangerous they are. And as we know and hear of young people who play with things that look so attractive and so nice, and then first thing you know, you hear they've got away. They wrecked their lives.
They spoil their testimony. And why? Well, they were playing with the wild gourds. They looked so nice and so attractive. All dear young people, I played with you. You need to have discernment. The book of Proverbs. Proverbs gives us warnings about this world in which we live.
And the dangers that constantly beset us, dangers that don't seem like dangerous things that are so nice and so attractive, but we don't realize the poison that they bring. We don't realize how they can spoil our life and testimony. And I just say here to you, make the word of God your guide. Remember that morning in Proverbs?
Speaking of the path of those who turn away, it says avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away. Oh, how many warnings there are of this path of danger and where it leads. It's such a slippery path. It seems so pleasant, but it's not the ways of pleasantness, the path of following Christ, as it tells us.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness.
And all her paths are peace to go on with the Lord. It may mean self denial, It may mean Gilgal putting the knife upon himself. But the end of the Lord is blessing. The end of the Lord for you, dear young person, is blessing. And I beseech you to go on with the Lord. But this is a very strange thing, the way it's brought in here. What happens? Well, this great pot was set on to feed the people.
And this person, I suppose one of the sons of the prophets, went out and brought these wild gourds and put them right into the pot. And I just like to give a little warning to you. Just because you're here with other Christians and over the Word of God doesn't mean that you're out of danger. There's a verse in Proverbs that says I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
That's the phone words, isn't it? I'm going to repeat it. I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. Now this person didn't bring the wild cords and put them into some pot for people who were not before the Lord and who were among the sons of the prophets. No, he mixed it in with the good food. And maybe you come here for Christian fellowship. Maybe you come here to sit under the sound of God's Word.
And you know that you can get a blessing, but you need to be on guard.
00:30:04
Even on such occasions as this, you need to be watchful because you need to have the Lord before you, and you need to make Him, and not any other young person, the example for your Christian life. You can get help from others, but remember there's only one perfect example. Godly men have often turned aside and have let others astray too. We're only safe as we cleave to the Lord.
With purpose of hearts. So they started to eat, and here there was poison in the pot.
This great plot that was intended to feed them. Now they find out there's poison in the pot. What can they do? Is it possible to put their hand in and take it out? No. It's all mixed up. It's all mixed up. And so it is. We're living in serious days.
We're living in days when the world creeps in, saw insidiously, and we can't remove her. We can't remove it. How? That is, we can't remove it collectively. We can judge ourselves individually, but we find these things creep in and we find that even here on this very wonderful occasion when the good food was prepared for the sons of the prophets, how there was that There were these wild gourds. And So what are you going to do?
Stay away from such occasions as this because there might be some worldly person, some person who might try to stumble you who's here. Oh, no, I think there's a very, very lovely answer here. What did the man of God do when he heard this? When they shouted out and said, oh, there's, there's death in the pot and they could not eat their own. But he said, then bring meal.
And dear young people, I believe this is a word for us. It's a word for you and for me. And that is how we can come to these meetings. And we may find all kinds of influences here. We may find young people who help us and young people who hinder us. We may find food for our souls, or we can find distraction for our souls. But what was the answer here? And all distracting influences couldn't be taken out. They were all mixed up.
But the man of God said bring meal, and when he put the meal into the pot, then there was no harm in the pot. And isn't it lovely that you and I can be here on such occasions as this instead of getting under the state of things? Instead of getting so distressed and discouraged that we say it's no use, and that we can enjoy the Lord in our own souls on such an occasion as this?
We can get a rich real blessing by being here and I'm sure.
That there are young people who have come to these three days meetings who are going to go home and say.
I got a rich blessing for my soul, and the poison wasn't taken out of the pot, but still they got a rich blessing. Why? Because Neil was brought to them. Because they fed upon Christ and saw her. Lovely to see the Lord was sufficient. And we hang our heads in shame and confess the days in which we lay out. But I say again, the Lord has not changed. He is sufficient for 1973.
He is sufficient for the circumstances that exist in our meetings, in our assemblies, in our general meetings. He is sufficient and you can get the blessing that your soul desires. I remember hearing about two people who had gone out to Africa. One was a hunter and the other was a missionary, and they were talking together. The Hunter's study had come out to hunt for wild animals.
And he said to the missionary, have you seen any? No, he said, I, I haven't seen any since I came here.
Well, he said, that's strange. Well, the missionary turned to the Christian, to the hunter, and he said, well, have you met any Christians yet? Now he said, I, I haven't, I didn't know there were, I thought there were heathen out here. Well, he said, I guess we get, we get what we're looking for. You were looking for wild animals and you found them. And he said we were looking for souls for Christ and we found them. And so it is, dear young people, if you come here to get a blessing, you're going to get a blessing.
00:35:00
There's mail, there's food for your soul. And the circumstances don't all have to change. Everything doesn't have to get straightened around before you can get any food. There was food here even though the wild gourds had been put into the pot. And so they ate and they got a blessing. And I trust that you're going to get a blessing from these meetings. One thing I'm absolutely sure of, and that is if.
Your return from others to Christ.
If your eyes are fastened upon Him, no matter who you may see or meet that stumbles you or says or does something unkind or hurtful, you'll find if you turn to the Lord, he's the same and He is able to give you a blessing from being here. He wants to bless you. He wants you to go home with food in your soul and strength for the Christian journey. Now we find again at the end of this chapter.
And there came a man from bail, Shalisha, and brought the man of God.
Bread of the first fruits, 20 laws of barley, and full years of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people that they may eat. Isn't this lovely? After this disturbing situation that took place in the beginning where these wild gourds had been put into the pot, now we find this man of God comes with food. And so there is progress and there is growth.
And we're told who this man God was. The Spirit of God hasn't seen fit to record his name because in reality, it doesn't matter who the person is, whom God uses. The important thing is that we got the blessing. You know, we're too much occupied with man.
So see she from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for we're in his heat of the accounted up. Sometimes you want to know who did this or who helped you? Well, it doesn't matter. The main thing is you got helped. And so God didn't tell us here who the person was, but He brought a good generous supply. Then I say it was very generous because it was a time of famine. And for this man to bring 20 laws of barley.
And full ears of corn in the husk around it shows that here was a man who valued that which God did give to his people even in times of famine. And more than this, he was willing to share it. He was willing to share it. And he brought this down for the people to eat and so on. The servitors thought, he said, what should I set this before 100 men? He couldn't see that this amount was sufficient for 100 men.
He couldn't see how there would be food that would satisfy them, but Elisha said, He said, Give unto the people that they may eat, and thus, saith the Lord, they shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
So we see that even although there was a shortage of food and that still.
The Lord said give to the people, and perhaps I could speak a little word of encouragement in this.
Perhaps when you go to the little assembly where you are back at home, you feel that there isn't much food and perhaps someone says, what should I set this before the people? Or there's not, There's nothing here really to feed us. It's not worth making the effort to go to the meeting for the little bit that you get.
Well tells us here that they received enough and something was over. And so it is, you know, if we go with the Lord before us, He's able to bless us. He's able to satisfy the longing souls. He's able to fill the hungry soul with goodness.
This man too, came from Bail Shalisha. Now this shows us that it was a place that was associated with heathendom because Baal was a heathen God. But it doesn't matter where you live outwardly, it's where your soul is. It's where your soul is. Maybe you'll live in some place where there's a lot of bad influence. Maybe you work in some place where there's a lot of bad influence, but you can still be gathering food for your soul.
Our dear old brother Dunlop was with the Lord many years. He said that when he was a young man he had to learn. He was, he was saved when he was in the army. And he said when he was saved he had to learn to be able to be in the in the barracks with all those ungodly men. And he said I could be like a covered vessel. He said I could get off in some corner.
00:40:14
Even a lie within such an ungodly place and I could get a blessing for my soul. And so it is, dear young people, you may have to work in an ungodly place. Perhaps some of you, dear young people, come from home where there isn't even Christian influence. But still, even if you dwell in bail Shalisha, even if you dwell on the place where everything seems to be contrary, there's still food for your soul. May the Lord grant that you will know.
It is to use the good food that God gives. And I tell you, if you feed upon it, there'll be something over. There will be something to give. You will have something to pass on to others. Because God never makes us selfish when he feeds our souls. It's always this way. There's more, there's something to share. And so it was that after they had all eaten, there was still something to share with others.
Now let us turn to this portion in Matthew 14.
And the 15th verse.
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him saying, This is a desert place, and the time has now passed. Send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and by themselves. Vittle Well, it was evening. They had had a busy and hard day, and now we're a great multitude of people there. And they didn't see how they could feed these people. They said they'll have to go and hunt for themselves.
They'll have to go into the villages roundabout and buy riddles for themselves.
And so it might be with us too, but because of the weakness of things, because we feel that we're kept so busy in everyday life, today we come home from work so tired, we have to press through the traffic. And by the time we get home, I think we are very likely to take the same attitude that these disciples took. They said it's evening, the day is gone.
What can I do now? I just got to take it easy for myself. And so this was the feeling. They said let other people hunt for themselves. Did you ever feel that way? But you know, it's often said that the Lord calls busy people. The Lord calls busy people. Yes, He called Moses when he was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law. He called Elisha when Elisha was plowing in the field.
12 yoke of oxen, seemingly to suggest that he was no small farmer. He was a person that was doing things in a big way. Levi was sitting at the receipt of custom. Peter was fishing. No, God calls busy people. And dear young people, just because you're busy shouldn't be a reason for you to feel that you can't do something when you're busy. The Lord calls you because he can give you strength.
To do just that little extra at all. What a blessing it is to do just that little extra. I'm sure some of you have tried it. And when you were just tired out and when you just felt it was absolutely useless and unappreciated, you did that little extra. And now you're thanking God you did it. The Lord blessed it. The Lord was pleased to use your efforts when you didn't feel like doing it at all.
But what about the heart of the Lord? The disciples were discouraged, they were tired out. Isn't this lovely? But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart again. I say what I have mentioned before, the Lords heart was unchanged. There is no circumstance that ever changes his heart. That doesn't matter what it is, Death might come in, there might be, there might be poison in the pot, there might be insufficient food, there might be tired disciples, whatever the situation.
The Lord's always the same. All dear young people, service, encourage your heart.
Because if you're saved, you're a savior is my savior and my savior is yours and he's always the same. He's sufficient for every situation that can come in your life or mine. They need not depart, give ye them to eat. The Lord could have said they need not be part. I'll give them to eat. Why does he add this little expression? Give ye them to eat. Well, he wanted to test them.
00:45:22
He wanted to test them as to their willingness, he wanted them to prove his all sufficiency. And so when he said give ye them to eat, as they looked over their resources, they looked down and it wasn't 20 laws.
And handfuls of.
Firstfruits of corn.
Like we have in kings and perhaps 100 men, but here were about 5000 men beside women and children, and they look at their resources, 5 barley loaves and two small fishes. And we're told in in John's gospel that it was a boy, a little lad who had come there with that small lunch. He had come to follow the Lord Jesus that day.
And perhaps his mother said, well, you're going to be away for the day following the Lord Jesus, here's the lunch for you. And now he had this lunch, perhaps figuring that when he was tired out and the day was done, he'd sit down and eat the lunch. But isn't this lovely?
He was apparently, according to what we read in John, willing to turn over this little lunch to the disciples so that they might use it for the Lord. You have some little thing that you hold very dear, some little thing you say. I just couldn't part with that. That's everything to me. Are you willing to put that in the hands of the Lord? Are you willing to take that little thing that you think is nothing? A Lord may seem important to you and put it into the hands of the Lord.
Or do you throw up your hands and say I'm no use, What could I do? Perhaps you've said that. What can I do? I'm just one person.
One person.
And 5000 men beside women and children presumably, perhaps 10,000 people and one person. What good was he? Well, it wasn't a question of what good he was, but what could the Savior do with what he had? What could the Lord Jesus do with what one boy had? Is there a lad here that has five barley loaves and two small fishes? Is there a boy here? And you know the Lord is your Savior.
You have him for your own heart, you have sufficient for yourself, but are you desirous to be some use for the Lord? Is there a young person here who says, well, I'd like my life to be useful for the Lord? What did the Lord Jesus say? Bring them, hit her to me. Bring them, hit her to me. When you take what you have and put it in the hands of the Lord when you take whatever it may be.
Perhaps it's a little bit of ability, perhaps it's a little bit of money, perhaps it's a little bit of time.
I don't know what it may be, but I ask you, are you willing to take it and put it into the hands of the Lord and without any thought of being recognized? Because again, I say, as I mentioned before, the Spirit of God doesn't mention the name of this lad. I believe it's on the record in heaven, but it doesn't mention his name. And you say, oh, I can, I can come to be something in this world, but I'm just unnoticed. Nobody realizes.
That I want to do anything and if I did I don't think I'd get any. Thanks for it. God always has the record strength. God hasn't written down properly up in heaven and you'll never do anything for the Lord Jesus. That he won't write your name in his book of remembrance. Even a thought upon his name will be written there. Oh dear young person, will you take your 5 barley loaves? 5 in scripture figures weakness.
And these two small fishes, and will you just give them to the Lord? He said, bring them to me. He didn't say what he was going to do with them. He just said bring them to me. And they brought them to the Lord. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass. I've always enjoyed this little expression. He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass. You know, it's lovely to see this. The Lord made the people comfortable.
The Lord made the people comfortable. You know, I think that sometimes we forget this. We don't set people at ease. We don't set people at ease. And we need to know how, with the wisdom that comes from above, to send people at ease. Because when they're at ease, then they can receive what the Lord has for them.
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But if we're not careful in our approach, we get them on edge right away. And the scripture says he that winneth soul is wise. And I think this is so lovely about the Lord giving the people to sit down. And then it tells us in another place they sat down in ranks, so everything was done in an orderly way. And then it tells us that He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and break, and gave the laws to his disciples.
And the disciples to the multitude, oh, I think this is so beautiful because the Lord could have fed these people without using the disciples at all, because the disciples had so little faith. And they said, what are they among so many? What can we do? And when we think that we can't do anything, why we might think, well, the Lord just says that person's no use.
But I think this is so touching, it speaks to my own heart. After they had displayed this lack of faith, the Lord turned around and puts the loaves and fishes into their hands and said, Now you feed them and perhaps you say, Oh, I have no use.
And my faith is so small, but not only does the Lord take the five loaves and two fishes that they had, but he used the disciples to carry out his purpose. And here, young person, you're useful to the Lord. You're useful. Don't say to yourself, I'm no use. You are useful to Him. And if you're just willing, how the Lord can use you. And sometimes we think we have to have a big show and do a great deal to be useful.
I was speaking at the funeral of a young man and a Keith Turner in Scranton, 19 years of age, and was called suddenly with a heart attack and just buried about a week ago. And his parents couldn't understand why a useful young man, a bright testimony for the Lord has called away suddenly like that. Well, dear young people, we don't always understand God's ways. But I'll tell you what I did say to the parents.
I said, I suppose that if we had been living in the days of John the Baptist, we would have said what a tragedy, a young man, one whom God said was the greatest among those born of women. And he was suddenly put to death at just over 30 years of age. And the extent of his service, as far as we know from Scripture, was just a little over six months, a little over six months.
At 30 years of age, he began to announce.
The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel. And at about 30 1/2 years he was cut off in death. A short term of service wasn't it? But his work was done. His work was done. He had been sent to fulfill a certain purpose. And dear young person, it's not how much you do. He that doeth the will of God abideth forever. To do what the Lord wants you to do is the important thing.
That's what really counts. That's what is going to be valued in eternity. Not how much we did, but that it was according to His will. And so the disciples passed them out and it says they did all eat and were filled, and there were baskets that remained.
Business grand plenty. The Lord was sufficient for the lack of faith of the disciples. The Lord was sufficient for tired out disciples. He was sufficient for this situation. Now there comes one other and the end of this chapter. And here we find when this was all over, then the Lord sent them away to go on to the other side and the ship, while He sent the multitude away and went into the mountain to pray.
And now?
Strange as it might seem, when they got out in the ship there was a big storm.
Didn't the Lord know they were tired out? And then after being tired out, he'd given them the job of feeding 10,000 people or thereabouts. And then after all this, didn't He know how tired they were and He allowed a great big storm to come up on the sea when they were going over to the other side? Yes, the Lord loves some things that we don't understand. Have you ever felt like that? You said I was tired out, but I stopped to do something for the Lord and then everything went wrong after that. I can't understand this.
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Well, there's lots of lessons for us to learn, but if we learn this one lesson that the Lord is sufficient for every situation, we've learned a wonderful lesson. We've learned a wonderful lesson. And Peter had to learn this. They had to learn this. And when they saw the Lord walking on the water, and when you see that the Lord has his hand in your trouble, maybe you're afraid too. Maybe you're afraid.
And they cry out for fear and wanted the Lord say it is, I be not afraid. Yes, His hand was in the trouble. His hand was invading the multitude. His hand was in raising the dead. But his hand is in your troubles too. His hand is in the situations that you just can't understand.
And so we find that his hand was in this. And so he said, it is I be of good cheer. It is I be not afraid. Well, it's cheered the heart of Peter. And Peter thought, and now I've learned.
Now I can do anything. Isn't that like ourselves? Every time we think we've learned the lesson?
We find out we haven't. We find out we haven't. We can never say, as we're remarked this morning, that we've graduated from God's school. We just never do. We're learning, but we God doesn't give any diplomas because we never come to the time when we win diplomas. No, we just keep learning because we have so much of stuff that we just seem we can never come to the end of it. And so Peter thought, if it's the Lord, then I can meet any situation. I can walk on the water waves or anything.
And so how it is often we rely on some experience and we think, well I can meet the difficulties now. No, we can't with our eye off the Lord. As dear Mr. Darby said, sometimes when we get in difficulty we rely on experience. But he said it's not experience we needed the Lord we need, it's the Lord we need. Peter had many of experiences, but what he needed here was the Lord.
And that's what we need. We need him at all times. And so Peter got out in this joyful confidence and I believe in real affection for the Lord Jesus. And he started to walk on the water, but then it was so boisterous and the winds were howling and the waves were high, and he got his eye off the Lord and he began to sink.
That is now just like us, we begin to sink. It just seems that when.
We tried and we really sought to give the Lord his place. And then when things go wrong, it's the hardest of all. It's the hardest of all. And that's when we're liable to begin to sink. And he had to cry out, Lord save me, Lord save me. So he found that he needed the Lord at this time. And there isn't any time in your life.
Or mine, when we don't need him. Because, as another has remarked, we can't walk on smooth water any more than rough water without the Lord. Could you walk on smooth water? Well, I'm sure you couldn't. You can't walk on smooth water or rough water without the Lord. And we just can't go through the problems and difficulties and situations of life, dear young people, in our own strength. We just can. But even at this point.
This point of failure in the Lord, in Peter's life, the Lord was sufficient for this.
And he reached out his hand, and he lifted up Peter. And so in the end of the story, we see the wind ceased and the people in the ship are at the feet of Jesus as a worshipper. And dear young people, I hope this will be the result of this little meeting this afternoon, that you'll find that the Lord is sufficient, no matter what it may be in your life. Perhaps these varied sets of circumstances that we have considered today.
In which we have seen the Lord able to meet these situations. Perhaps this has touched your heart. Perhaps you're in one of them. Perhaps you're in more of them, or perhaps you're beginning to sink. And I beseech you just to cry out to the Lord. He'll save you and He'll show you that He hasn't changed your failure, hasn't changed his heart. Circumstances haven't changed his power. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday.
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And today and forever will you take your place at His feet as a worshiper.
Will you realize that he's just what you need and what you always need? Well, He wants to be everything to you. He's he's everything to his Father's heart, and he wants to be everything to you, dear young person. And may the Lord grant that in your youth you'll find some of these blessed things. And in that way you can live a useful life. You can present what you have to the Lord and be useful to him. Because as I look into your young faces.
I know if the Lord leaves us here, we older ones may pass on responsibilities. We fall upon you and I'm sure that if Christ is filling your heart, you'll be a blessing to the Church of God. May God grant that you'll prove the all sufficiency of this wonderful Savior who is fulfilled heaven and the heaven of heavens and can fill our little hearts overflowing.
Shall we sing 174.
All patient, spotless one our hearts and meekness train to bear thy yoke and learn of thee, that we may rest. Obtain 174.
Created and Bought
Address—J. Brereton
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973, addressed by John Burton.
Them #321.
Behold the Lamb whose precious blood drawn from his ribbon side.
Had power to make our peace with God, nor let's one spot to buy 321 some brotherhood started for us.
Recently.
I heard a story about a little boy.
And this little boy made a boat.
And he spent a great deal of time in the making of this little boat.
And then he took it out, sailing one day, and the boat sailed away.
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And some days later he was walking down the street of the town where he lived, and he saw his boat.
And it was for sale in the window of a store.
The very boat that he had made.
And he went into the store and he bought the boat.
And the story goes that as he came out of the store, he said to the boat, you are now twice mine. I made you and I bought you.
But you know, dear young people.
What we would like to speak to you about this afternoon is for those of the dear young people here that belong to Christ.
That know that not only were they created.
But that they have been redeemed.
That they have been bought. That they now belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Before we look at the verses, and there are a number of them that I have on my heart this afternoon.
I would like to look first of all at the 29th chapter of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy chapter 29.
And verse 29.
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God.
But those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever.
That we may do all the words of this law.
You know God has not answered all our curious questions, dear young people.
He has answered in this precious book everything that we need to know pertaining to life and godliness.
There is no answer that is vital to your pathway to your salvation, to your pathway, to your walking to please God, that isn't revealed here in this book.
But there are secret things that belong unto the Lord our God.
And when we come, as we go through the Word of God, we come to things where God is silent, where the Word of God doesn't answer a question that comes into our minds perhaps.
I suggest to young people, it would be well for us to remember what is written here, that the secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed.
Belong unto us.
Now would you turn over to first Peter?
First Peter chapter one.
And the 18th verse.
For as much as you know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Father's, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.
But was manifest in these last times for you.
What I have on my heart this afternoon to talk about.
And I trust the words will be, as we heard yesterday, directed first and foremost to one's own heart.
Is the fact that you and I belong to another?
That at great cost, has been paid, that you and I, dear young people, might belong to Christ.
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And what we find here in this first chapter of Peter.
Is the announcement of that by which we are redeemed.
The precious blood of Christ.
Now we can read an expression like this.
Our dear brother and speaking to the children this morning, mentioned how we should pause and consider as we read the word of God.
Because this declaration the precious blood of Christ.
Has a wealth of meaning to it that you and I could never possibly exhaust.
But all beloved young people, what blessing there is in it for us when we explore. I trust reverently with unshod feet, as the Word of God puts it, this expression, the precious blood of Christ.
You notice how it says in the 20th verse who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.
Now, dear young people, you and I have been redeemed. We belong to the Lord Jesus this afternoon. We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
And when we think of the precious blood of Christ, it automatically does it not take our thoughts back to Calvary?
But God has shown us here that the plan that the one whose precious blood was shed, the one who is the Lamb.
That he was foreordained before the foundation of the world.
Your redemption, the fact that you have been bought, that you now belong to Christ, is not, and I say it reverently, dear young people, it is not the result of a haphazard plan, but it is the result of that which God the Father.
And God the Son and God the Holy Spirit purposed in a past eternity that the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, should be the Lamb of God's providing. He should be the one who should come into the world and whose precious blood should be shed in order that you and I might belong to him. Now when God speaks about the precious blood of Christ in this chapter.
We find, as we said, first of all, that He would draw our attention to that which was foreordained before the foundation of the world. But then we find that God has revealed to us in the Word. Dear young people.
That the question of the blood and being redeemed by the precious blood of Christ is all part of a plan.
That unfolds in the Word of God as we go through it. Would you turn with me now to Genesis chapter 3?
Genesis chapter 3.
And verse 21.
Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothe them.
This has been referred to as the beginning of the tracing of the pattern of the blood through the Word of God. The bloodline it has been referred to, I believe, but we find here that as God begins to reveal to us in the Word of God.
What He would have us to know concerning the precious blood. He starts off here by giving us to see something very simple.
And that is that for Adam and Eve to be clothed, it required the death of an animal.
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That something had to die in order that these coats of skins might be provided for Adam and Eve.
Now would you turn over to the 4th chapter of Genesis?
And the third verse.
And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord, And able he also brought of the first slings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering.
Here we find, beloved young people, that something more is added that we are given to see here that not only was it a matter of the sacrifice of another, but that the offering was to be made to the Lord, that there was an offering called for, and that this offering was to be made to the Lord, and that the offering that had associated with it.
The blood was the offering that was accepted of the Lord.
Now, if you turn over with me to the 12Th chapter of Exodus for a moment.
The 12Th chapter of Exodus.
And the fifth verse.
Your lamb shall be without blemish a male of the first year. Ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats, and ye shall keep it up until the 14th day of the same month. And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take up the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
You go down to the.
13th Verse And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are.
And when I see the blood, I will Passover you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt.
Now here, beloved young people, we find that something more has been added as God opens up to us the pattern of that by which you and I are redeemed. We find here that not only is it a matter of a sacrifice being made.
Not only is it a matter of the offering being made to God, but we find two more things brought before us here. One is that that precious blood was to be applied to the doorposts and lentil. And God said, When I see the blood that is God brings before us here, the thought for our souls that the blood is for the eye of God, that God sees the blood.
And when he sees the blood, those who are under its shelter are protected from the storm of judgment. I'm sure these things are not new to you, dear young people, but I trust you'll bear with me as we go along. Because I believe at least for ones own soul.
God has a beautiful pattern for us in the word of God leading up to that expression, the precious blood of Christ. So we find here that the blood is seen by the eye of God and he says when I see the blood, I will Passover you and the children of Israel under the shelter that blood were perfectly safe. The animal had been killed.
The blood had been applied so that they were secure, and God saw the blood and passed over them. Now would you turn over to the book of Leviticus and the 16th chapter?
We won't take the time to read this whole chapter, but I'm sure you're familiar, or many of you are familiar with what we have here. And that is, it is the sacrifices that Israel was called upon to offer on the Day of Atonement. But I draw your attention particularly to the 11Th verse. And Aaron shall bring the Bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself.
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And shall make an atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the Bullock of the sin offering which is for himself. And he shall take a sensor full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small.
And bring it within the veil, and he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord.
That the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat, that is, upon the testimony that he die not. And he shall take of the blood of the Bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward. And before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his fingers seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the Bale.
And do with that blood, as he did with the blood of the Bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.
And he shall make an atonement for the holy place because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
And because of their transgressions in all their sins, so shall he do for the Tabernacle of the congregation that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
And there shall be no man in the Tabernacle of the congregation, when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place.
Until he come out and have made an atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
Now we find here that God adds something else, and that is that the sacrifice was killed. That is, Aaron was to take the sacrifice and kill it, but the blood was to be carried inside the veil and put upon the mercy seat.
That is, God was, I believe, bringing before our hearts here for us to see dear young people, that the sacrifice was necessary. The animal had to die, but the precious blood of that animal, that blood which was shared of that animal, had to be brought in and put upon the mercy seat presented to the eye of God. Now, beloved young people, God has written these things. These are not secret things. He has written them.
For us to see and to understand, at least in measure, and to rejoice in, because beloved young people, these all have to do in our understanding of why it is that we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. Now God had before him in writing these instructions for Israel.
And they were very explicit instructions. They weren't left. It wasn't left to their imagination to choose or to decide what should be done or how it should be done. They were given detailed definite instructions what to do. And as you know, I'm sure God had before him a lamb in that verse that we read in first Peter one it speaks about as of a lamb without blemish.
And without spot you recall how in the 22nd chapter of Genesis it says God shall provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. Now let's turn over to another well known verse in the first chapter of John's Gospel.
John's Gospel chapter one.
And verse 29.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and set, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Here, beloved young people, was the one whom God had before him when he wrote about those coats of skins.
The one whom God had before him when he wrote about Abel's sacrifice, about the blood on the lentil and on the doorposts about that sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, and the blood being brought into the very holy place. Beloved young people, this was the one. This was the person that God had before him, the one who is your Redeemer and mine. And so we find he announces here in this first chapter of John.
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Behold the Lamb of God.
Which taketh away the sin of the world. Now, beloved young people, for us to see, for us to understand in any measure, we have to see that this was all part of God's plan. God had had a lamb before him, foreordained before the foundation of the world. And here He is, His own Son. Would you turn over with me now to the 10th chapter of Hebrews?
Hebrews chapter 10 and verse.
5.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he said, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body. Hast thou prepared me?
And then if you turn back to the second chapter of Hebrews.
And the ninth verse.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.
Crowned with glory and honor.
And then if you notice the 14th verse of the second chapter, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood.
He also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death.
Where all their lifetime subject to *******.
Our beloved young people, we find that God's lamb.
Was coming into the world.
And in order for him to come into this world.
God provided him with a body.
Our body hast thou prepared me when we turned over here to the second chapter of Hebrews, we find, beloved young people, that the word of God tells us that he was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. That is, the Lord Jesus came into this world with a body by which he could.
Suffer death. There was number no suggestion, and is no suggestion in the Word of God that He was under any necessity of death. We should always be clear about that. There was no sin attached to the person of the Lord Jesus in any way. He did no sin. He knew no sin in Him. Sin was not, but He had a body.
That was capable of death. And we find that not only was it a body that was capable of death, but it was a body that consisted of flesh and blood, as it tells us in the second chapter in the 14th verse. As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death.
Beloved young people, let's pause for a moment and just consider the miracle of grace that this is here was the one whoever and always was God, the one who was with God, the one by whom all things were made, that was made. And now we're told that this one he took part of flesh and blood.
He became the man Christ Jesus, never ceasing to be God, but he became that which he was never before a man in order, beloved young people, that he might die to redeem you and I.
To redeem us to God by his blood. And so we find presented to us here the Lamb of God, a man here in this world, having partaken of flesh and blood. That's one who has taken upon himself a body prepared by God for him, in order that he might suffer death. Now would you turn back before we go on with this, turn back to the 17th chapter of Leviticus for a moment.
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The 17th chapter of Leviticus and the 11Th verse.
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. The 14th verse. For it is the life of all flesh. The blood of it is for the life thereof. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel.
Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh, for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof.
Whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. Dear young people, can we not understand now, as we read the 17th chapter of Leviticus, why it was that when the sacrifice was offered in the 16th chapter, the blood was carried in and presented upon the mercy seat? Can we not see how in that blood presented before the eye of God, there was that which spoke to God of the life that had been given up?
Of the animal that had been killed, because God had said the life is in the blood. And here is the blood presented before the eye of God upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. And God looks upon it and sees that life that was given up, that animal that was killed in order that this blood might be presented here. And we find that when it was done according to God's order.
Aaron was accepted.
After He had made his offering and presented the blood upon the mercy seat, He came out. Now we find the Lord Jesus presented to us as the Lamb of God. We find that He has partaken of flesh and blood. But beloved young people, we find that there is a vast difference between this land, this Lamb of God's providing.
And all other sacrifices that have ever been made. Would you turn over with me to the 8th chapter of Ecclesiastes for a moment?
Ecclesiastes.
Chapter 8.
Verse 8.
There is no man that hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit.
Neither hath he powered in the day of death, and there is no chart discharge in that war.
Notice the words, there is no man that hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death. Now would you turn to the 10th chapter of John's Gospel for a moment? I hope you'll bear with me, dear young people, and turning to all these passages.
But at least for my own soul, I believe it presents to us a lovely pattern.
The 10th chapter of John's Gospel and the.
18th verse.
No man, I should read the 17th verse. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my Father. All beloved young people. We find that here in the book of Ecclesiastes, talking about all other men. They have no power to retain the Spirit in the day of death. They have no control over when they die or when they do not die. But this man, this Lamb of God's providing the word of God, tells us here that he.
Had received a commandment from his father. He had power to lay down his life. He had power to take it again. You remember how in each one of the sacrifices that was offered, the priest killed the sacrifice.
00:35:18
Kill the animal and presented the blood before the eye of God. But we find that in the case of God's lamb, in the case of the Lord Jesus Christ, he though a man in every way.
Sin apart yet, beloved young people, this man, the man Christ Jesus, he had power to lay down his life. He had power.
To take it again, He was God the Son. And here we find that in John's Gospel. We are reminded and we will find out why in a few minutes. We find out why it is that God brings us before us in John's Gospel, particularly that this person, the one beloved young people, and may it speak to your heart and mind, the one who died for us at Calvary.
He had the power to lay down his life. In the 12Th chapter of John, it tells us, except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. If the Lord Jesus had not died upon the cross, he would have about bowed alone. But beloved young people, his death at Calvary has brought forth much fruit.
Now we find here that God speaks to us and shows to us from His Word that there is this difference. This man, his death is going to be a voluntary offering of himself to God, who by the eternal Spirit offered Himself.
Without spot to God now, would you turn back to the 27th chapter of Matthew for a moment?
27th chapter of Matthew.
And the 20.
6th verse.
Then released he Barabbas unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
In the 29th verse. And when they had planted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a Reed in his right hand, and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail King of the Jews, And they spit upon him, and took the Reed, and smote him on the head.
And the 35th verse. And they crucified him and parted his garments, casting lots. Now, beloved young people, we have come to the cross. The Lord Jesus has been beaten.
Scourge. He has had a crown of thorns placed upon his head.
He has had a read taken, and he was smitten on the head where that crown of thorns was, and we find that he has been crucified. If we were to turn over to the 20th chapter of John's Gospel, we would find their references made to the nails. That means by which.
Crucifixion was carried out at this time.
Beloved young people, and I trust I can say this without offending anyone here. Brethren, I believe with all my heart that it is no accident, that it is no mistake, that is no oversight, that there is no mention of blood given in connection with any one of these instances. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God and the things which are revealed.
Belong unto us and to our children. And God has not made mention of blood in connection with any one of these instances. And so, beloved young people, I submit to your heart and to mine. May you and I follow the wisdom of the Spirit of God. We find though, that when we come to the 45th verse. Now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the land unto the 9th hour.
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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, beloved young people?
The center of two eternities, the time when the Lamb of God's own providing was made sin made sin beloved young people, the one who was holy and harmless and undefiled and separate from sinners. And the language of Second Corinthians, chapter five he was.
Made sins.
For us, for you, and for me.
In first Peter chapter 2 it tells us who his own self.
Bear our sins in His own body on the tree. When was that? It was here, beloved young people, in these three hours of darkness, when He took the cup which his father had given him to drink.
And as was expressed this morning, he drained it to its last dark drop and left just the love for you and me. We find here that for three hours, for three hours, beloved young people, the Lord Jesus was forsaken of God. There is no way. There is no possible way you and I could ever measure what it meant to one who was holy.
And one who had ever and always been in the fullest and the nearest possible communion with God.
That he should be forsaken of God forcing. We can't measure it, beloved young people, but God has revealed to us in his word that the Lord Jesus did go through these three hours of darkness, and he went through them for you, and he went through them for me. And we find here that the Lord Jesus himself.
Lets us know that in those three hours of darkness, he was forsaken of God. Forsaken of God in order that you and I might be redeemed.
The just he died. The just.
The Unjust.
That he might bring us to God. Now you notice it says.
In the 50th verse, Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks wrecked. Now if you would turn over with me to Hebrews Chapter 9 for a moment.
Hebrews Chapter 9 and verse 7.
But into the second, that is, into the Holy of Holies, I believe, and to the second went the High Priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people, the Holy Ghost. This signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing. Now, beloved young people, we find that God's purpose was that we should be able to enter into the holiest.
Enter into the very presence of God. But there was a veil. There was a veil. And now the Lord Jesus here in the 27th chapter of Matthew has died. He has bowed his head and dismissed his spirit. And the veil of the temple. The language that we read here, the veil of the temple is rent in twain from the top to the bottom. Now Hebrews Chapter 9 says that as long as that bail was standing, the way into the holiest was not made manifest.
00:45:15
But now, beloved young people, we see that it is that it was through the Lord's death at Calvary that through His death upon the cross of Calvary, the way was to be opened up for you and I to enter into the very presence of God. But beloved young people, we have still the question of the blood, the blood of Christ, and we haven't read. And I say it, reverend, at least I trust, brethren, I say it reverently. We haven't read of His precious blood yet.
Would you turn over with me now to John chapter 19?
John, Chapter 19.
The 29th verse. Now there was sent a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished, and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation.
That the body should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, for that Sabbath day was in high day besought Pilate, that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and of the other which was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out.
Blood and water, beloved young people, do you remember the verse that we read at the beginning? The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things.
Are revealed, belong unto us and to our children, and here we have God's revelation of the precious blood. The soldier with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. Now why is it necessary? And I say it reverently, brethren, I'm sure there are brethren here that could explain it much, much better than I, but I can only pass on to you what I believe for my own soul.
We found in the 10th chapter of John's Gospel that the Word of God says I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again. The Lord Jesus had command over the Spirit in the day of death, and we find that in John's Gospel here.
When you read the 30th verse and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.
If you read it, I believe in the other translation it says delivered up His Spirit or dismissed His Spirit. The time had come when the Lamb of God's providing had finished what He had come to do. He had endured the forsaking of God upon the cross of Calvary, and now having finished it, having declared it finished, He now chooses the moment.
When he.
Delivers up His spirit when he dies. Beloved young people, for you and for me. But but God had required that the blood be presented to the eye of God. God demanded that, as we read in the 17th in the 16th chapter of Leviticus, the blood had to be presented upon the mercy seat. And we found that it was because the life was in the blood.
And the Lord Jesus, his blood was shed here when the soldier pierced his side, and forthwith came their own blood and water. All beloved young people, what a miracle of grace, you know the little hymn puts it. I believe the very spear that pierced his side drew forth the blood to save the Lord Jesus had died, and now in this precious blood that flows from his side.
All the merits and value of his death are there in that precious blood that meets the eye of God, that meets the eye of God. And God's word says this is record is given that you and I might believe. Oh beloved young people, here's the record that God has given for us, not something that is hidden, but something that is revealed for us to see and to rejoice in the precious blood of Christ.
00:50:25
Flows from that ribbon side, and this precious blood of Christ. God's eye has seen it. God's eye has seen it. In accordance with Exodus chapter 12. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. Now, beloved young people, there is one other thing. The Lord Jesus has died. His precious blood has been shed. The soldier has pierced his side. The blood has flowed forth. The eye of God has seen it.
But the love of young people at this point in time, and I believe, I trust, I can say it reverently, we do not know. We do not know at this point in time as to whether it has been accepted. But when we go to the resurrection.
If you'd like, turn over with me to the 4th chapter of Romans for a moment.
The 4th chapter of Romans.
And the 25th verse or the 24th verse?
Romans chapter 4. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe that on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. Go back for a moment in your mind to the 16th chapter of Leviticus. Here's the priest. The animal has been killed.
He has taken the blood and presented it upon the mercy seat, but until he comes forth, until he comes forth from within the veil.
The children of Israel do not know whether the sacrifice has been accepted, and so it is with the Lord Jesus Christ that one who was holy, one who died, whose precious blood was shed here, and God bears record to his precious blood shed for us.
But, beloved young people, we have a declaration from God that He has been satisfied. That declaration is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification.
You and I can look to the cross and say all my sins were upon him.
He bore our sins in His own body on the tree, and when He rose from the dead, God was saying to your heart and mind that He has seen the blood, that He has seen that precious blood that has in it all the merits and value of His death of Calvary, and He has seen that precious blood, and God is satisfied. The claims of God's throne have been vindicated, and all my sins and yours have been met.
In that sacrifice, and now in resurrection, I see the one whom God declares.
Has forever satisfied him concerning the question of sin. By one offering He had perfected forever them that are sanctified. Now. Beloved young people, would you turn over to one more verse? And that's in First Corinthians chapter 6.
First Corinthians, chapter 6.
And verse 19.
What?
What?
Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?
Which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. Beloved young people, here's what the.
Can we say this is what the point to which we were leading up and we finally arrived at it?
Your temple, your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. In Ephesians chapter one, it tells us after that we believe the gospel of our salvation or your salvation. You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And beloved young people, if you and I belong to Christ this afternoon, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost.
00:55:25
We have that divine guest in US and God's word tells us that it is the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, that your body is the temple of a guest who is holy. But then it goes on to say ye are not your own. Ye are bought with a price. What is the price? Beloved young people, all we found in in first Peter chapter one.
Redeemed.
With the precious blood of Christ, all beloved young people, to see that precious blood as that which has answered to God, as that by which we are redeemed, and to see beloved young people that the price that was paid.
The price that was paid that you and I might belong to another.
Was all the suffering and the death and the shedding of his precious blood at Calvary?
All the Calvary means, all that is revealed to us in the word of God, beloved young people, all the things that we can't even measure.
These are all embodied in the price that was paid, the price beloved young people that was paid.
That you and I might belong to another. We are not our own. Now What I ask myself, I ask my own heart. All beloved young people, I trust you will ask your own heart to.
My ways do or does my walk does my light.
Reflect the fact that such a price has been paid, that I might belong to another. Does my life recognize practically that I am not my own, that I have been bought with a price? The precious blood of Christ, you know when we get home to heaven.
The love of young people when you arrive arrive home in Florida.
We're going to be single unto Him who loves us and washed us from our sins.
In his own life, all beloved young people want a future is before us, what a portion is before us, and to think that we can know now that we have been redeemed with that precious blood of Christ. But all beloved young people, I say again to ones own heart, it's one thing to talk about it and it is another thing entirely for my walk, for my talk.
For my ways.
To reflect the love of young people, that I belong to Christ, I belong to the one whose precious blood has redeemed me. You know, in the 20th chapter of Acts we read that expression, The Church of God which he hath, which he has purchased.
With the blood of his own all what a price has been paid. God has purchased you and I beloved young people.
With the blood of his own, of the one who was so infinitely dear to himself. May we acknowledge it today.
Open Mtg.
Open—C. Lunden, E. Smith
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.
General meetings. Des Moines, May 1973. Open meeting.
Shall we turn to the 14th chapter of Matthew?
We'll start with the 14th verse.
I suppose you're aware we've already had this passage twice before us.
But possibly.
Spirit of God may have something different in it for us to.
14th verse.
And Jesus.
Went forth.
And saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them.
He healed their sick.
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him saying, This is a desert place.
And the time has now passed, and the multitude away that they may go into the village is.
And by themselves vittles. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart, Give ye them to eat.
And they say unto him, We have here but 5 loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them, hit her to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves and the two fishes. And looking up to heaven, he blessed and break, and gave the laws to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up of the fragments that remained, 12.
Baskets full and they that had eaten were about 5000 men besides women and children.
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him onto the other side, while he sent the multitude away, and when he had sent the multitude away.
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He went up and into a mountain apart to pray.
And when the evening was calm, he was there alone.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with the waves, for the wind was contrary.
And in the 4th watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were.
Trouble saying it is a spirit and they cried out for fear.
The straight way Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I be not afraid.
And Peter answered him, and said, Lord, if it be thou, did me come unto thee on the water.
And he said come, and when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
And when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid.
And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, All Thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased, and they that went.
In the ship, And they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth, Thou art the Son of God.
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Ganesha. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country roundabout, and brought unto him all that were diseased, and besought him, that they might only touch the hem of his garment, And as many as touched were made perfectly whole. Now turn with me to a verse in the 11Th chapter to connect with this.
Verse 25.
The 11Th chapter of Matthew and verse 25.
At that time.
Jesus answered and said, Oh, I thank the old Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father. No man knoweth the Son but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son.
And he to whomsoever the son will reveal him.
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Learn of Me, for I'm meek lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
In the pastages that we have read.
We have the word come mentioned at least twice.
This passage and also in the 14th chapter.
In that little hymn we sang, you know it mentions the blood, the precious blood, nothing richer in heaven, and then the Savior.
But we're going to talk a little about the Savior. Perhaps now we've had something on the blood.
The Savior. In these passages we read. We have Jesus before us.
Could we have a better subject than this Jesus? And you know, dear brethren.
This will cure all the ills.
Yes it will.
It'll cure all the ills.
And there are many ills individually and perhaps collectively to you know how we need to get back to the person, the Lord Jesus the Savior.
Now in this passage, the Lord Jesus is rejected.
00:10:01
That is the passage that we read last.
He's rejected in his own city, Capernaum, the Santa, and so on.
And so.
He retires into that sphere of blessing.
Entirely in the presence of the Father, where there is fullness of joy. Can you not do that?
Oh, fellow Christian, we're speaking to Christians, especially this afternoon. Did you ever think about retiring into this sphere that belongs to you?
And in companionship with the Lord Jesus, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you a rest.
When was there a day, beloved, when we as Christians needed this rest as today?
In the midst of all the confusion and turmoil around us and within too.
Isn't this what we need? Rest for your soul. Rest for your souls. Oh, how many are taking vacations. But dear friends, we need to rest for our souls.
And I know of no other place that we'll have rest for our souls but with Jesus.
I would desire this more for myself.
And we find here the Lord speaks of His own person, and the exaltation that He has as.
The Son. And there's a secret connected with this. No man knows the Son, but that blessed Savior has revealed the Father to us.
That no man knows the sun, all the glory of his person. And yet he says, Come unto me, I'll give you rest. Now he's speaking to a little Jewish remnant.
But never mind about that for the moment.
Don't you have the same kind of a heart?
Are you seeking to follow a rejected Christ? This is the first step. Come unto me. And he calls us into his presence. And that's the way we follow in the path of faith, because Matthew, beloved gives us the public testimony that God acknowledges on the earth.
The public testimony that God acknowledges.
And I'm going to recall just for a moment before we speak of the 14th chapter to make the connections.
A few things in the chapters intervening that you probably all are acquainted with, but just to recall them to mind.
In the next chapter, the Lord and the disciples are out gathering wheat or whatever it may be, from the field.
They're rejected.
He has no place to lay his head.
And so he gathers.
Simply for the need for the moment.
As he goes along, a rejected Christ.
And in the midst of it, he tells those who accuse him, he said there's one here that's greater than the temple.
He doesn't set aside his glory for one minute.
In that sense, yet he walks in subjection to the Father's will for him down here as he comes to seek our souls.
In that same chapter, there's one greater than.
Then Jonah.
In the same chapter, there's one greater than Solomon.
Yes, it's the same Jesus, the glories of his person, and yet maintained at the same time that he leads his few little disciples along in rejection with Himself.
Are you in the enjoyment of the glory of His person? I know. I'm sure, beloved, that you and I will not get discouraged.
If we are assured in our hearts of the glory of His person as we follow in rejection.
And we feel the rigors of the pathway.
Now it's in Matthew that he speaks of building his church in the 16th chapter.
But it isn't simply the fact you know that we all who are believers are part of the body of Christ.
00:15:07
The thought here is the assembly. Now I know the assembly hasn't come in Matthew yet. We get that in Acts, but it's looking forward to it.
And it's perhaps more the thought of the practical aspect of it that we feel as we go through this world. You know, it's a wonderful thing to say. Yes, I'm a part of the body of Christ.
So is every other Christian.
But are you in the assembly in the sense in which Scripture speaks of it?
Following a rejected Christ in the midst where His glory is known.
His glory.
Oh, how precious this truth is.
And so in the in the 12Th chapter, the leaders of Israel officially reject him. They go about to kill him. And what does he do? Does he say it's all over now? I I can't, I can't bless Israel. No, he says, Isaiah says. And then he tells about how the blessing is going to flow out to the Gentiles.
Oh beloved, you can't stop that great heart of love and the very reason that you and I are here this afternoon.
The Lord Jesus, that love of God, went out to the Gentiles. You can't stop those streams of mercy. They're going to flow.
And Isaias is mentioned and how the blessing is going out to the gentiles.
In the end of that 12Th chapter, after Speaking of the awful end of Israel and the seven spirits taking over.
His mother and his brethren come.
And they say to him, Behold your mother and your brethren. And he said, My mother and my brethren are those that do the will of God.
To the will of God.
Not the old relationship.
No entirely new one now. Those who do the will of God.
And then?
In the 13th chapter you are aware, I'm sure, of the seven parables, and we see a sower going forth to soul.
He's going to have a new crop.
And the Spirit of God gives us there a picture. We're only going to mention it.
The last six parables being similitudes of the Kingdom.
The first three indicate the effects in the hands of Satan after he has.
Spoiled the work outwardly.
The tares and the mustard tree.
And 11:00.
But oh how the Spirit of God brings before us in the last three.
That perfect work in the Father's hand where he's bringing a treasure.
A peculiar treasure, as Peter says.
Oh, how blessed. Beloved is the Father, but it's it's Jesus that's before us.
Because it's Jesus who comes down into the field.
And he finds that he had treasure, and then he goes and hides it.
Isn't it a precious thing to know that your life is hid with Christ in God?
Isn't that comforting this afternoon, just to reveal that truth? That's where it's hit. He comes down and he finds that treasure, and then he goes and hides it.
Your life is hid with Christ in God. What else?
Pearl. Just one Pearl. No doubt a picture of the church.
In all its oneness, the picture before your heart and mind, beloved, of what he would like to see here in this world now.
Oneness.
Oh, how good.
If we can see this truth and walk in the power of it.
To walk humbly, brethren.
That we might be maintained in this truth.
Through grace.
The truth of the one body practically down here.
00:20:04
I know of no other scripture that assures my heart.
So richly of my salvation.
And that verse?
In the 13th chapter.
Sold. All would have departed. It belonged to him. He sold all that he had, Beloved.
The things concerning me have an end, he says in Luke's gospel.
And Paul says we don't know Christ after the flesh. And how do we know Christ?
Risen, glorified Christ.
Is that anything for us to get discouraged about down here?
And yet Saints get discouraged, do we not?
Now is a risen, glorified Christ. All powers we had in that 11Th chapter is given to Him, heaven and earth. And yet He walks in rejection down here. And that's where you and I are walking.
But also we have the fish in the vessels are gathered into the vessel.
I'm sure it's a picture to what the Spirit of God is doing through His servants.
But now to go on to the 14th chapter.
In referring back in this connection to the 13th, when the seed was sown, it was received in four ways. I say received because it says it was received in the heart.
Four ways.
But the one way it was received was in good ground and that's what we're interested in. That's the believer, because then there's fruit.
Not by the wayside or the shallow ground, or among thorns.
But in the good ground the ground had been plowed. The picture is before us.
Is a field in Palestine a country of hills and valleys?
Watered from heaven.
And in between these, there's a little valley and a field.
In the middle, the farmer plows it, and as he sells his seed, some of it falls by the wayside. Summit falls on shallow ground, and some falls among thorns.
But where he plowed, it's going to bring forth fruit.
Now that fruit is seen in three ways.
In Matthew it's 100 fold.
60 fold and 30 fold.
And mark is just the reverse.
Marked to encourage the servants, no doubt, as to the progress in their work of their faithful. But here it's a question of the picture before us of these 2000 years.
Of the testimony, the public testimony of God on the earth.
Now we'll turn to our 14th chapter.
In the 14th verse, Jesus goes forth.
That's the hundredfold.
5000 men.
And then there were women and children.
It must have been a tremendous assembly at Jerusalem.
We think of a great many seated here today, but it must have been a tremendous assembly there.
And the Lord feeds them all, and they're all filled. I'm not Speaking of the assembly here, as the assembly in which we speak of it gathered the Lord's name, although there was at Jerusalem a enormous assembly in the early days.
It was the 100 bowl.
Here, I suppose it's a country place spoken up.
Where there was grass, not exactly desert, I believe the right word is country place.
And there was grass here.
And so they're seated.
And he feeds them. Our brother spoken of this so beautifully. I'm not going to go on with it. I just going to call attention to it.
00:25:01
But just this, that the Lord Jesus is answering to the remnant as he promised in Psalm 132, I believe it is.
He's going to satisfy his people with bread.
This little remnant that is, are willing to follow him and his rejection, when he says, Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I'll give you rest.
Now that was the Jewish remnant. But beloved, it's this little remnant that's in this room today.
Do you enjoy this truth? You should.
Come on to me.
Oh, how many are Leighton heavy laden?
Heavy laden.
Shares of this life.
Things that come in unsuspected God are things that God allows in the life. Oh, how many things to depress the Spirit. And the answer, beloved, is Jesus.
You can seek where you will.
For relief, but beloved, the answer is Jesus.
No one else.
You'll waste your time.
Jesus.
And he feeds this, this multitude, and he satisfies them and he fills them.
And he does it through his disciples.
Well, you say I don't like that brother his ministry, never mind about the brothers ministry.
You receive the message for your soul.
And forget the brother.
Are you going to miss the blessing?
Yes you will.
Well, how it's natural it is for us to be attached to persons?
But how wrong it is?
No, it's Jesus, and if you don't see Jesus in the ministry?
You're messing it. You're messing it all.
It doesn't matter, beloved, who brings it.
Jesus.
He answers it all.
Now who is it that goes for this? Jesus went for the beginning of that testimony, and I suppose this is the time when the Lord Jesus.
At the very beginning of the testimony of Christianity.
That's before us what the 13th chapter speaks of as the hundredfold the marvelous blessing under the preaching of the apostle's.
And on down as we see them gathered at Jerusalem, a whole group. And it's the Kingdom character of things. Now, I don't want to be misunderstood, but you know, in the 21St chapter of Revelation, we find the church is going to reign with Christ.
And there is a little preview of this in the early church, I believe, where the apostles were gathered at Jerusalem.
12 Apostles.
Answering to the 19th of Matthew, where in the day of the regeneration.
He promised that they would sit on 12 Thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel because the church was formed chiefly from Israel. At that time, there was no mystery revealed yet The Apostle Paul hadn't been converted.
He had not yet the revelations, but there was a church.
But the church was not mature as the ministry yet.
It was the beginning, and yet, oh what blessing a hundredfold.
But now let's go down a little ways.
Verse 22.
Years have passed by.
Things have changed in the testimony of God on the earth.
There's still a remnant, though. He's never left himself without witness.
The precious trolls that were given originally by the apostles were all lost practically.
We might speak of them as the Dark Ages.
00:30:01
And straightway, Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship.
And go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away now.
The company has narrowed down to 60 fold.
But they're with Jesus.
And he sends the multitude away.
He constrains them. He doesn't command them now.
You'll notice in the 19 verses they said eating he has commanded them to sit down but now he constrained them.
We come nearer now to the real essence of Christianity.
With the Spirit of God moves the soul, not by a command, although it is a command.
But the Spirit working.
In the heart.
And so we get that word let in the epistles of Paul left, left, left.
23rd Birds. Now when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray, and when the evening was come he was there alone.
Oh, how beautifully this sets before us, as has already been given us in these meetings.
The fact that our blessed Savior is on high and He's up there serving His people.
He's on high.
He's our great heart for High Priest, and he's also.
The advocate that restores our souls that how often we need this.
That he's up there for us.
But remember this, that our life is hid with Christ in God.
And he's up there on high praying he's the great intercessor for his people.
These 2000 years are before us in this chapter in which the believer is here on earth.
The evening was come.
And he was there alone.
Now what does this mean? Well, didn't he go into heaven alone as a man?
Yes, alone, will you say, but the Father's there. But Jesus went to heaven alone as a man.
You know, I sometimes think of the story in the 24th chapter of Genesis of Rebecca.
You know, when the servant came, he brought her all these jewels twice. He gave her jewels once at the very beginning, and then later he gave her these precious jewels that speak of all the blessings that the believer has.
And then the time came for him to depart.
Now supposing the servant had gone back, and Justice left with the jewels and gone.
That's the way some people regard Christianity.
No, the word was put forth to Rebecca.
Wilt thou go with this man? Now we get the practical side of Christianity.
The desert was before her.
She had never seen Isaac.
And here we have the picture of faith.
Toiling and rolling in the waters.
Rebecca's on her way to Isaac.
Are you beloved?
How are you?
So you're toiling and rowing, aren't you? Because the winds contrary.
He was there alone.
And his people are on the sea.
Don't you feel it?
And he wants you to feel it too.
If someone has said, oh, how sweet home is to the labor after a day's work.
You know how precious heaven will be, beloved, after all the toiling and the rowing is over. How precious see his face be with me.
00:35:06
Well.
But the ship, remember, it's a ship. It's a ship. It's not what God intended, yet fully for his people, it's the ship.
Was now in the midst of the sea.
Tossed with a wave for the wind was contrary and in the 4th watch of the night. The Gentile watch has been given us already so beautifully the Gentile watch, but it's the night yet.
Jesus went under them. Jesus.
Oh well, the Spirit of God loves put before us the person, as our little Him put it, of the Savior, the Savior.
Savior Jesus.
And what does he do? He went to them.
All how dependent we are. You know you and I would never move ahead 1 inch in our souls if it hadn't been for Jesus.
No, he wouldn't. Or you can say, yes, I'm going to study and I'm going to get this truth and that truth. No, you're not, unless the Spirit of God works in your soul.
It's the power of the Spirit of God. Jesus wept to them.
He went forth in the first place.
And he constrained his disciples in the second place.
And now it says Jesus.
Went unto them, walking on the sea.
Over the sight.
Now, I'm sure this is a picture for our souls. It was an actual thing then, but it's a picture handed down to us to show us.
The the time near the end of this present 2000 years.
And so near the end that one wonders why we're here.
Jesus went unto them. Why did he go unto them? Why? It's just about like the picture in the end of the 24th of Genesis.
Where Isaac goes out to meditate at even time and he sees the camels are coming.
Yes, David, love exceeded all that precious grace of our Savior, that love that He has for His people.
We don't know much about it, do we?
He loves his people. He's waiting for that moment that we're waiting for.
He's walking on the sea.
He's in a position that nature, of course.
Could never take.
Mere nature of man.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying it is the Spirit, and they cried out for fear.
Now, I believe this is a little picture of what happened here in this world not too many years ago.
When God by his grace was pleased to revive the truth for his people, and then he said it's a spirit, and they cried out for fear.
You know the heart does not naturally take up with truth.
It's the Spirit of God that opens the heart to receive the truth.
And any new truth, I'm sure you found this to be true in your own heart, that it's resisted unless the Spirit of God opens it up to you. You say no, I don't believe that.
I won't take that until the Spirit of God opens it to you.
I remember a certain truth that that I resisted for years because of tradition, and I was sitting in my chair reading in the Lord's Day afternoon.
Spirit of God brought before me a scripture of the Old Testament that had no connection, apparently with this truth.
I thought, and as I sat there meditating, the whole thing opened up so beautifully to me. Truth that I was adamant about absolutely refused it.
00:40:00
But the Spirit of God opens it to our hearts.
Now the 27th verse is really the center of what I'd like to speak about.
Yeah, but straightway.
Jesus.
Straightway, Jesus.
Now this is what he's saying to his people in the last days, in the 4th watch of the night.
Have you got the message, beloved? Have you got the message that Jesus is speaking to you in the 4th watch of the night? What is it?
Steve, good cheer.
We've got cheer. That's the Lord's coming, isn't it?
Isn't that the Lord's coming? Be of good cheer is not the believers. Hope is not what cheers your heart, beloved.
Be of good cheer.
What's the next thing?
It is I.
The great I am, he is the gathering point for his people in the last days.
You're going to miss this, beloved.
Jesus says.
Be of good cheer it is I.
Oh, how precious the truth.
Once it's seen how precious it is, Mary has chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.
Martha's part is all right too, but remember, Mary has chosen that good part.
Set at his feet and hear his word to be in his presence. Jesus in the midst.
Shall not be taken away from her.
Now one more thought in this verse. I know how important this is.
Be not afraid.
Be not afraid.
Why all powers given to me in heaven and earth? Didn't we read that?
And the first come in the 11Th chapter.
Do we not read in Genesis? Is there anything too hard for the Lord? All you say, but everything is all upset.
In my life, in my assembly and all my circumstances, never mind.
David's message was that he sent his servants. Peace be to thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be to all that thou hast.
The disciples of Jesus were set out in the book of Acts preaching peace.
By Jesus Christ.
And you and I, beloved brethren, are called to peace.
And God doesn't like those who sow discord among their brethren.
Remember that.
We're called to peace.
And can't we go on in peace, beloved, in these few remaining moments of the churches history?
Do we have to bring up all the little things that irritate that you can't do anything about?
It'd be far better for you and me, beloved, to humble ourselves before God on our faces and to try to correct every little thing about us which will never be corrected.
Oh, how important to be in our right place and in the right spirit before God.
Not to set aside truth.
Never.
Be not afraid that Peter need this exhortation. Yes, he did, just as much as the others.
Because without it.
All right, there would be failure, wouldn't there?
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Notice what Peter says. Oh, you say, Peter, Where's your faith, you say, if it be thou? Well, I suppose Peter had learned some lessons, hadn't he?
This time and Peter was not going to act without a word from God.
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Isn't that lovely? He's going to have a word from God or he won't move.
But he wants to walk on the water, and he wants to go to Jesus.
Oh, how precious. Do you want to walk in the water and do you want to go to Jesus? Do you want to be found at the divine center? Do you want to walk on a path that nature can't walk in?
That's the path for the last days that Jesus has called his disciples to.
There's only one that stepped out.
The.
Jesus said come, come.
There was a gospel come, and now there's a come to be gathered just to the person of Jesus alone.
Come have you come, O you dear young people, have you come? Have you come out from all that surround you and just gathered to the precious name of Jesus? You know pretty soon everything around you is going to pass away.
Jesus will be all you'll have left, and that's all you'll need for eternity, nothing else.
Because He fills all things, and in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead.
Bodily. Oh what a savior now.
It says when Peter was come down out of the ship, he just made a clean sweep of the whole thing. He humbled himself and he just came clear of everything that belonged to the ship.
It might have been all right, and I thank God that I was brought up in a way in which I heard the truth, although I wasn't in the place where I should have been. But I thank God for every minute of it.
There was a Providence of God that brought me into that place so I could hear the truth and then lead me on to something better.
Yes, I thank God for it, but now the time has come for Peter to step down out of the ship if he's going to walk in the water to go to Jesus.
He has to step down, he has to let go of the ship completely.
He has to step down.
But it's going to be solid.
Oh yes, it is.
The water is going to be solid for faith, not for unbelief.
He walked on the water.
To go to Jesus. He walked on the water to go to Jesus. And that's the only reason for stepping down out of the ship, beloved, is to go to Jesus.
That's the only reason.
That's the only reason to walk in the water is to go to Jesus.
For the Spirit of God would impress upon our hearts, beloved, but there's only one option for faith, and that's Christ.
But now the winds. What about them?
Be not afraid, the winds are boisterous.
I think it says strong wind in the margin.
Oh yeah, Satan is going to try to trip you up. He says. What's the use of it all? You're just a little company. You don't amount to anything. That's one man said to me. He says you're not doing a thing. Look what we're doing. I said yes, I know we're not doing anything. That's true.
How does the religious world season?
Oh yes, Satan wants to trip you up with these strong winds. He wants to discourage you from this path.
This last call to the church and its history and the public testimony down here, he wants to trip you up a strong wind.
Beginning to sink.
He cried saying, Lord, save me. And beloved, if you and I don't take this position today, we're going to sink as we are.
There's only one place for us in these last closing days of the churches history and I say closing because we're just about through it and that's in the arms of Jesus independence.
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May we read a few verses from John 5?
Was rather than John 6, the 6th of John?
Verse 16.
And when even was now come, his disciples went down into the sea.
Has entered into a ship and went over the sea toward Capernaum, and it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them, and the sea rose by reason of a great wind that blew.
So when they had rode about 5 and 20 or 30 furlongs, that would be almost 4 miles.
They see Jesus walking on the sea.
And drawing nigh unto the ship. And they were afraid that he saith unto them, It is.
Be not afraid. Then. They willingly received him into the ship.
And immediately the ship was of the land whither they went.
Will, of course the teaching here, beloved, is at last. The remnant is at rest. But of course there's the application of the truth.
I want to encourage my dear brethren for a few minutes. I'm not going to take up much time.
These were accustomed to the rough water.
Flapping of the sails and the trial of battling, of toiling and rowing.
Which is so common to us today in the difficult days toiling and rowing.
But I want to tell you a little secret to encourage your dear hearts now.
There are many ways of crossing over a stormy league.
Stormy sea.
But there is one special way, beloved, to get across safely.
Let the Lord take the hell. Let the Lord Jesus take the help.
Very soon.
We shall behold notice then, they willingly received him into the ship.
And immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. This was a miracle. Immediately they were at the land.
Oh, her wonderfulness is so the troubled soul this afternoon, dear Saints, if you are troubled with the storms along the way, the problems, and I want to tell you a little thing that we are becoming fewer and fewer.
We're not going to augment our numbers. These are days of small things.
Some are going back to the beggarly elements of the world.
And some are also returning to those ecclesiastical positions from which they professedly left, and others in these days are throwing up their hands and quitting it, going alone.
Now all these things are entirely wrong, beloved, for we are enjoined in Second Timothy 2 and verse 22.
To follow righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
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During these 58 years that I've been trying to serve my precious savior, very poorly done. Those two words have been a great comfort to my soul.
Especially after I came out from system where I preached a few years.
Which I repent lost time, but those two words have comforted me greatly with them.
Now I want to encourage you, we are to follow. I repeat again, Lord, that verse 22 we are to follow righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
Well, these were immediately at the land and following up our theme of yesterday.
I just want to read a verse or two from Acts 1.
Her brother has mentioned the word Jesus, that wonderful name and in verse 11, August 9 of Acts 1.
And when he had spoken these things while they beheld, he was taken up.
And the cloud received him out of their sight. This is the Shekinah cloud, of course.
It shone for the people of Israel in the desert, it shone at the burning Bush for Moses, and it was a token of the presence of the Divine Presence with the children of Israel in the devil. While they look steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, 2 men stood by them.
In white apparel, which also said Ye men of Galilee.
While stangy gazing up into heaven.
Same Jesus.
This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. Meanwhile, beloved, let the Lord take the helm.
Sing #290.
Why?
35107.
Mom, the Husband and seven.
107.
And after that?
Song 107.
And 2:28.
29.
30 and 31.
Those what we paid Psalm 107.
Verse 28 Then they rise to the wall in the trouble, and he brings them out to their respect.
He's making the song.
They come so that the way they're almost killed.
Then they are there because David White. Now this is the part of the world that especially was in my heart or by the way, this afternoon.
So.
Their desires help and then verse 310 that land was praise the Lord.
For his goodness and for His wonderful voice to the children of.
Number one hundred 19119.
God Commands Repentance
Gospel—P. Glading
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973. Jasper Byrd. Brother Gladding.
Shall we gather at his coming?
When the dead in Christ arise.
Shall we hear the Savior to God's home beyond the skies?
I trust we can all sing this with truth tonight, dear friends.
Says yes, yes, we will gather at his coming.
His glorious, His glorious coming.
Gather with his Saints that is coming.
If if washed in the Savior's blood #8.
Shall we gather up with God?
I love all of that.
Yeah.
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May we turn first of all to Romans 3, Romans chapter 3.
This third chapter of Romans.
Tells of universal ruin.
The whole world has incurred the penalty of sin, which is death.
And after death, the judgment sin has wrought ruin. But thank God there's redemption in Christ Jesus. Verse 24.
But in the end of verse 22 we have the solemn words, and these are the words of God, for there is no difference, for all have sinned.
In Psalm 51 we read Behold, I was shaped and iniquity.
And in sin did my mother conceive me. So do your friends. God has declared that all have sinned.
By nature, we're sinners away from God and we need to be brought back to God.
And the only way this can be done is through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who came down from that scene of glory to Calvary's cross?
There to lay down his precious sinless life, a sacrifice for sin and for sinners such as you and me.
And that Blessed One has accomplished the work of redemption, the glory of God, and for our eternal salvation.
And now he offers salvation to whosoever will may come.
So we find by one man's sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for they all have sinned.
Friends is now disputing this fact. You know we cannot get around it.
And say there are some exceptions. God says for there is no difference, for all have sinned, all including the speaker. Yes, we've all sinned grievously against the Holy God. By nature we are away from Him, dead in trespasses and sins, and sad to say on the Broad Rd. leading to destruction.
On the road to hell, through eternal ruin.
And we need to be brought back to God, and the only way is through Christ, the Lord Jesus. For he says I am the way, not a way, but the way.
The truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father bunk by me.
So here in this chapter we find a race, culture, Conformity to to religion makes no difference, for all have sinned.
Man is by nature spiritually and morally, just like creation was physically.
Before that commanding our utterance fell from the lips of the Almighty Creator. Let there be light. All is dark and chaotic. All have sinned away from God.
And says in.
Corinthians.
For the God of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Man's mind has been blinded by the God of this world to his need of a Savior, to the love of Christ, to the work of Christ, to the love of God. Yes, man's eyes are being blinded. Man is in total darkness by nature.
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And the only way he can be brought into the light is through the one who could say I am the light of the world. He then follows me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
If you an idea sin, a friend ought to be brought into the light, it must be through one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who could say when down here I am the light of the world? But that blessed One as we now have been rejected and cast out crucified.
Man says away with him, crucify him. We will not have this man to reign over us. They are the heart of man in general.
Is brought before us, yes, your heart and mind, your friends by nature.
Have joined in the cry away with Him. Crucify him if you haven't received him.
That's the attitude of your heart right now. Dear Sinner friend, if you have not received Christ as your Savior, you are against Him. What a solemn thing to be against the only Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no other Savior.
We read in Acts 412. Neither is there salvation in any other. For as none of the name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, no, none of the name, friends.
Search the world throughout. You'll never find any other person who can save your soul. The person who can save your soul is not in this world at all. He's been here but being rejected.
He is now in the glory of glorified man living on the high forest.
And thank God we have one living in us down here. The Spirit of God, protect of the things of Christ and reveal unto us to occupy our hearts. Let man in the glory. That's where he is tonight. He's no longer Macross and yet in the grave, thank God he has risen. Our brother mentioned his prayer tonight. Christ died throughout sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried, not burned, buried.
And then he rose again the 3rd day according to the scriptures.
That's the precious gospel, and the gospel we have to pronounce tonight is the gospel of God concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and there's no other Savior but he.
May return now to Acts 17.
The 17th chapter of Acts.
Verse 30.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at. But now?
Commander.
All men everywhere.
To repent.
Here we have friends, the divine command God, now Commander.
A divine command, and that puts you and me as sinners under a solemn responsibility.
To obey his voice.
God now commander? When does he command now?
God now commanded all men.
All men everywhere.
He gives a specified time to do it. It's now, Now God, now come on all men everywhere to repent.
Because we have all sinned and sinned against the holy God.
David could say against thee, and the only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight? Yes, friends, all sins against the holy God, and that makes you and me very responsible. And we are responsible beings, every one of us.
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We read in Genesis through God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul, a living soul.
The fall of man in noise touched the question of the souls immortality. Never the soul must live forever, friends, in one of two places, either in heaven or in hell.
So there we have the fall of man brought before us.
And the solemn consequences.
Here in this chapter we have God commanding something.
There you disregard the command of God, a divine command.
Dear friends, do you think you will get away with it?
To refuse or neglect or reject or ignore a divine command.
No, you'll not get away with it if you do.
God won't hold you responsible. This is something He commands now, this very moment.
God now Commander 4 men everywhere to repent.
In connection with this may return to.
Ezekiel, chapter 18.
Ezekiel, chapter 18.
We read just a few odd verses beginning at verse 4.
Behold, All Souls are mine. As the soul of the Father, so also the soul of the Son is mine.
The soul that sinneth it shall die.
These are the solemn words of the law. The soul that sinneth it shall die.
Now we'll go a little further down the chapter.
Verse 20.
The soul and Sinner it shall die.
The sun shall not bear the iniquity of the Father, neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
But if the wicked will turn from his sin, all his sins that he hath committed.
And keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right. He shall surely live, he shall not die.
All the transgressions that he has committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him. In his righteousness that He have done, he shall live.
Now here we find the Lord raises a question in the next verse.
Have I any pleasure?
And all that the wicked should die.
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he shall return from his ways and live? Here we have a solemn question raised by the Lord.
He says, Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked? We know the answer. He gives the answer further down the chapter.
Verse 32.
For I have no pleasure in the death of him, that diocese, the Lord God.
Wherefore turn yourselves and live ye.
Now let's read verse.
30.
The middle of the verse.
Saith the Lord God. Repent.
Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
The end of verse 31 for why will he die? Why will he die?
Well, it's appointed under man once to die, but after death the judgment. But the question is raised here by the Lord, Have I any pleasure at all in the death of the wicked, that he should die?
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And he gives the answer, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Now it gives the Lord no pleasure to see a Sinner dying. And he sins. It grieves his heart. He died to say that dear soul. And he has offered salvation to every Sinner. Many of us here, thank God, have received his salvation. We reminded today in our Bible reading.
The grace of God that bringeth salvation. I was impressed by those words. That bringeth salvation. What he going to do about it, friends? He bringeth salvation. You're going to receive it. Are you going to reject it? Are you going to despise this great salvation? If you despise it, my friend, you'll die in your sins and you'll spend an eternity in hell. There's no other hope for you.
You may be highly religious, you may be a church member so-called, you may say your prayers regularly, you may give to the poor. But if you're having Christ, my friend, you have nothing.
Nothing to your account at all, only your sins. We hear today so much about religion being religious. My dear friends, it's not religion we need, it's Christ.
A divine person, a savior, and there's only one, and it's the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior. Friends, is he your savior? Have you received him as your Savior?
If not, he'll be your judge in the coming day.
He must either be your savior now or your judge later.
It's a must.
Yes, in John three we get two months there and two men mansion two months.
As Moses lifted up the servant and the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, and the Nicodemus. She must be born again, two men, two months, Nicodemus and the Lord, and the two must concern them both.
Yes, friends, if you haven't Christ, you may be religious like Nicodemus. He was highly religious. And where would you find a better sample of human religious nature than in Nicodemus?
And that well he would. But what did the Lord say to Nicodemus? Well done, Nicodemus, find specimen of religion. You will do fine. No, he says, you must be born again.
Born from a bomb, friends, Not born the second time by entering the mother's womb, being born from above, and how we born again. It's by simple faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
It's brought out so clearly and simply in the First Epistle of John, chapter 5, the first verse. May we just read it, please?
For any who are in doubt about the new birth.
First John 5 the first verse, whosoever.
Believeth.
That Jesus is the Christ is born of God.
Is born of God. How blessedly simple.
Have we all been born of God? Have we all been born again? We read in Job, I think it's.
11 of I remember correctly, man that was born of a woman is a few days and full of trouble.
Are you contented to be merely born of a woman?
To be a few days and full of trouble.
Do you spot a nothing higher than that?
Oh friends, you need another birth. You need the new birth, the new life imparted by Christ to those who believe on Him, to those who receive Him as their Lord and Savior. He gives you new life, a new nature, a nature which can enjoy God and His things, a new nature which delights to please God.
The old nature does not and never did.
It's contrary to the mind of God, absolutely.
So here we have in this verse in Acts 17, God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. And we read in Ezekiel, Repent ye and live ye. Why will he die, dear friend? Why will you die in your sins? Is it because you have to? Is there no hope for you? Yes, there is hope for you.
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Christ died for your sins. He died the put them away.
But you might have the joy and the shores of forgiveness of sins and peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He came down in this world at the bidding of His Father. In John 638 he says I came down from heaven. Do you believe it? Of course you do. We've been taught that from our babyhood. The Lord Jesus came down from heaven. He said I came down from heaven not to do mine own will.
But the will of him that sent me, well to stop there. We've been darkness as to what the will of the Father is, but thank God He does not leave us there. In verse 14, the Lord says, and this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the sun and believeth on Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up against the last day. What a precious, glorious statement.
I will raise him up again at the last day.
This is the world in that sent me. Now we know what the will of the Father is. It's the will of the Father, God the Father, that you and your sin of friends should be saved and when.
God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. So we have in this verse God commanding and then we have another verses Christ calls.
God commands and Christ calls.
May return to Matthew.
Chapter 9.
Verse 13. Matthew 913.
Toward the end of the verse.
For I have not come to call the righteous.
But sinners to repentance.
Here is a call call of Christ, he says. I came not to call the righteous, the good people so-called.
They profess that they do not need a Savior. They're too good for that. He said. I did not come to call that. I came to call sinners to repentance. And we have an adverse in Acts 17. God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. And I warn you, dear Sinner friend, if you disregard God's command, you'll perish. You'll perish in your sins and land in hell.
There's no other hope for you.
I plead with you to repent tonight. If you've never repented before, the Lord commands you to do it. And it's now, friends, now, Not tomorrow, not when you get outside on the Miranda here talking perhaps about everything except the gospel and what you've heard. God now commanded all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel.
Many prayers went up tonight in the room down there for the Gospel.
And many dear brothers have pleaded for the children of the Saints, and there are lots of the night.
Or perhaps you, dear children, think, well, Daddy's a Christian, so I must be.
May I turn you to chapter in Ezekiel again to confirm the solemn fact that if your daddy and mother are Christians is not to say that you are, and they cannot save you either.
In the 14th chapter of Ezekiel.
We have a four fold testimony here.
Beginning at verse 14.
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Though these three men know Daniel and Job were in it, they should deliver but their own souls.
By their righteousness, saith the Lord God.
Now verse 16, though these three men were in it as I lived, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters. No, it's not in their power to save or deliver, and it's not in the parents power to save or deliver their children either.
They only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Verse 18. Though these three men were in it as I lived, since the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. Verse 20.
Though nor Daniel and Joe were in it as I lived, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter.
They shall but deliver their own souls by their own righteousness. A fourfold testimony to the solemn fact that these three men could not deliver their own sons and daughters and their fathers and mothers. You cannot save your own children.
I can almost hear my dear precious father now. He had his son on knees around the breakfast table every morning.
Lord, may we be an undivided family to dwell with thee forever.
Lord, may we be an undivided family. I can hear him pleading with the Lord now. And the Lord answered his prayer. He couldn't deliver us, My dear precious Father, He couldn't save us. He cried to one who could. Dear fathers and mothers, do not think that you can save your children. You cannot deliver them. But do not forget to pray for them. Cry to the Lord on their behalf constantly.
That the Lord will save the household. He is able and he answers prayer. He did mighty Father's case.
When my dear mother was just before she passed away, my dear brother, who was a very wayward boy been the Navy been dabbling with sin, came up to my mother's bedroom and I was there at the time.
He said, Mother, I'm going to meet you in heaven.
Christ, as my Savior lost the mighty Mother wept for joy.
We all did the prayers rounds of the vast mothers gathered in. The father couldn't do it. Mother couldn't do it. The blessed Lord could, and he did praise His name. Fathers and mothers, plead to God for your children. I can tell you that, dear brothers. And I've been pleading to God for them themselves, that they might be saved tonight. Tonight It's now that God commands repentance.
Not tomorrow, now.
And it's now that Jesus calls.
Will return to Proverbs chapter 8 please, we find that.
Their promise 8.
Verse 4. Proverbs 84.
Unto you, O men, I call.
God commands. Christ calls and is calling you to send a friend right now. Are you going to respond? You're going to close your heart against the person of Christ. You're going to say no to him.
You're going to shut him out and perish in your sins. Boy, plead with you. He says unto you, Oh man, I call. God commands and Christ is calling, is calling you, dear children, the children of the Saints tonight. Maybe you have heard the gospel here many times and in your own assemblies, and perhaps as yet you have not yet received Christ as your Savior. Well, it's calling now.
Now unto you, O men, I call. And in the first chapter of Isaiah, he says.
00:35:01
Come now, another call now, right now, now, friends, not tomorrow.
Not at 8:30, not at 8:00, but now Christ calls. We have no promise in the Scripture that he'll call tomorrow. Now He's calling now. And out of the love of his loving heart, he says, come now. Let us reason together. Come now.
The whole now is the accepted time. Oh dear sin a friend, do not go out of that door tonight in your sins without Christ.
You're in danger of perishing in hell if you do.
God commands that you should repent, and it's now. Christ calls you now to come to him. Come now, he says, let us reason together. Come on to me, all either weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest I will.
If you'll only come. Come now, for all things are now ready. Yes, come, for all things are now ready. They're ready now. The precious blood of Christ is ready. Salvation is ready. The Lord is ready to receive you with open arms, to embrace you with all the love of his heart and forgive you. Forgive you because of what he has accomplished at Calvary through the shedding of his precious blood.
Yes, He's been down here, friends, and he's been to the cross to express his love to you. He gave his life for you, dear Sinner friend. He loves you, He wants you. He died to save you. He calls you, He invites you to come now, but God commands now that you should repent.
Yes, he does. I say again, are you going to ignore a divine command of God? I dare not.
And I trust you will not, not one of you here tonight.
Oh, I trust you'll not go out of that door tonight in your sins without bowing to this command and without responding to Christ call. Come now, let us reason together. Think of it. The eternal Son of God, the Lord of glory, my precious Savior, saying, the Sinner, come now, let us reason together. Let us talk this matter over.
You are a Sinner. I want to be your Savior. I died to save you. I gave my life for you. My blood was shed for you to wash your sins away. Won't you come to me? Oh dear sin, a friend. Do come to him tonight. This may be your last opportunity. We've been reminded this afternoon throughout the day of the nearness of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we as believers know it's true.
We feel that the Lord is just about as a door friend. The day of grace will soon be gone forever.
The door of mercy will be shut forever on I trust you will not be shut out.
When Noah had completed the ark, the Lord said.
Come thou and all my house into the Ark.
He didn't say the nor let's go and admire the Ark Noir. You've made a fine job of that. No, he said, come thou and all thy house into the ark. The Ark was a type of Christ, the only face of safety from coming judgment.
And friends, judgment is coming this shores. You're sitting there. This world is doomed. It's rejected God's beloved son. The whole world is guilty of the rejection and murder of the Son of God. And let me warn you, dear sin, a friend, if you have not repented and have not received Christ as your Savior, you're part and parcel of this world. You're just as guilty as the world is.
If you haven't received Christ, you've rejected Him. You've shut Him out of your heart, you've said no to Him. He invites you to come to Him now, and God commands now that you should repent now. What are you going to do about it?
What are you going to do about a dear Sinner, friend? Are there any sinners here tonight in their sins? Let me plead with you in the name of Christ.
Not to go out in your sins tonight or you saw. I wish I could get rid of them. They're a burden to me. Well, Christ died for you to bear that burden. He's borne the judgment due to my sins on the cross of Calvary and I could never thank him enough for it. He died for your sins, dear Sin. A friend. Yes he did. He gave his all his life.
00:40:22
He answered all God's holy requirements.
He satisfied God's holy claims as the question of sin and our sins, and we as believers have the joy of knowing that our sins had been atoned for. They've been put away forever.
And we will never have to answer for one of them. They are gone. Christ has borne them away. He's gone back to glory without them. They were laid upon Him. Yes, our sins and iniquities were laid upon Jesus. Mine were. And there were many too.
But he's gone back without them.
A glorified Christ, my Savior. Oh friends, is he your savior? Is he? Would you like to have him as your Savior tonight? You dear young people?
How can you live without him?
How can you turn him down and say no to him when He offers you forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life?
An eternal joy and the hope of eternal glory to be with Him up there in the Father's house forever. Whether his fullness of joy and his right hand pleasures forevermore. You find that down here pleasures forevermore.
I believe the Spirit of God has placed Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon side by side to show us that.
In Ecclesiastes, we find there Solomon tried everything out under the sun. He was in a position to do so, and he did. He said. I withheld not my heart from any joy.
But what did he say at the end?
All is vanity, all is vanity. The Chinese version of that is vanity of vanities. All is vanity, all is vanity. If I remember correctly, that word is mentioned there about 30 times.
In Ecclesiastes vanity, but in the Song of Solomon, so in Ecclesiastes we find there.
The human heart is far too big to be satisfied with anything under the sun. There's nothing under the sun to satisfy the human heart. Nothing. I've tried lots of things and you young people have too. And you know very well Islamic here to satisfy your heart. But on the other hand, the Song of Solomon we have there, the Spirit of God brings before us the divine person, Christ.
There we find the heart is not big enough to contain the object. We cannot take them all in. It's too great, too wonderful. And so the Spirit of God placed those two books side by side, one to show us the emptiness, the vanity of everything down here under the sun. We have to go above the standing of satisfaction, peace and joy and salvation is found in Christ who is up there.
Solemn, solemn. We have the object. There is not everything under the sun, but Christ above the sun. I think I've told you this before. When we're going out to China, we met some well to do people on board ship.
And I got in the conversation with the gentleman and he said we're on a world tour. I said, well, what is the object of this friend? Well, he said, to find something that satisfy my heart.
I said, friend, pardon me, you're going the wrong direction. What do you mean he said wrong direction? I said, dear friend, you'll never find an entire and complete satisfaction in the world tour. It's not fair. And there's found in Christ. You have to go above the sun. You have to go to Christ to find it. You go in the wrong direction.
He was going around the world. You want to go up there and get it through Christ. You'll find satisfaction in Him and Him alone. Well, he said we haven't finished our journey yet. I said you might just as well finish it now because you'll not find satisfaction in it. You'll never find satisfaction in the world too. Of my friends, whoever you may be, for all the pleasures you may try out, there's no satisfaction and no pleasure, no joy except Christ.
00:45:02
The Son of God, my Savior. Oh dear young people, is he your Savior? God commands that you should repent. He says unto you rather.
The Lord sending Ezekiel, have I any pleasure at all, that the wicked should die? And he answers the question himself. I have no pleasure, he said, in the death of the wicked. No pleasure at all, but rather that he should live.
Now just a verse in Deuteronomy 30.
Verse 19. Deuteronomy 30. Well, we should read verse 15 first.
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, death and evil. Verse 19.
I call heaven and earth to recall this day against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life.
Then both thou and I seed may live, choose life. Thou may return to Romans 6.
Romans 6.
So God commands and Christ calls.
Romans 6 and verse 23.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Notice what we have here.
Wages.
Sin. Death.
Gift eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord wages death. Gift life.
We have to work for wages, do we not? And the wages of sin is death, and after death of judgment, we do not have to work for gifts.
Gifts of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Dear friends, God offers you a gift tonight. Will you take it? The gift of God is eternal life. Think of it, the gifts of God.
You cannot earn it. You cannot merit it, You cannot buy it. It's a gift.
But the wages of sin is death, and after death of judgment.
Dear friends, which you're going to have tonight, the wages of sin or the gift of God, wages, death, gift, life, eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, which you're going to have. Friends, challenge your own heart right now, this minute, what am I going to have? The wages of sin, which is death and after death, the judgment, is that your portion or are you going to receive the gift of God?
Which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. That's the only way you can have the gift.
He offers you a gift. Christ calls.
He calls out of a loving heart to you, dear sin, a friend. He wants to give you a gift.
The gift of God's eternal life, something you could never lose. We might lose the enjoyment of salvation, but thank God we can never, never, never lose the salvation.
We went into a restaurant coming down here this time.
And my wife, of course, is wearing a hat. All the other ladies have had no hats on.
The young lady brought three pancakes with a pose and my wife said ask the young lady's gone. She said I really didn't need these pancakes, I'm not keen on pancakes, I think I have the back. But we couldn't find the girl who served us in the 1St place. But another young girl came along and my wife said pardon me.
Will you kindly take these pancakes back? I didn't order them and I'm not fond of pancakes. Yes, she said, I'll take them back. She looked at my wife, looked at the hat. She said, are you Christians? We said, yes, thank God we are. She said, so am I. She said, I know the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. And she said, dear friends, I'm going to meet you in heaven. Think of it. What a precious testimony. How bright from a young girl.
00:50:17
Said it out loud in the restaurant. Yes, she said, I know Christ as my Savior. I have received in my faith as my Savior and I'm going to meet you, dear Christians, in heaven. I said pray the Lord for that. How sweet and precious that is. Dear young people, can you say that tonight I have received the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. He's calling you. You're going to turn a deaf ear to him. If you do. You're going to meet him in the coming days. A judge.
He's been appointed as the judge, you know, on the coming day, and God has given him the authority to execute the judgment to.
If you want the word of God for it's in John 5 verse 22 and verse 27. But though I thank God for this verse which comes in between verse 24.
The one who is appointed to be the judge, he says, Verily, verily, I say unto you to the Sinner, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him the God that sent me Jesus.
Half, half everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment.
But is passed from death under life.
I asked the children in Bermuda Sunday School some time ago what that word meant. Half my little boy promptly tsunami says I know what that means, Sir, I said what does that mean? He said I've got it, I've got it. I said you're right, it's just what it does to me and I've got it. Half means I've got it. Present possession he that believeth on the sun half everlasting life.
But dear friends, the important thing is to repent. God now commands that you should repent and believe the gospel, and we cannot improve on Apostolic methods of preaching repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Anything other than that is not the true gospel. No, it isn't repentance toward God. We hear very little of that today.
But we've heard it tonight from God's Word, and he commands a divine command. And friends, you dare not and must not ignore it. He commands you, dear young people, to repent. You people on the back row there, some of you grinning. God commands that you should repent and believe the gospel.
And not go out in a sense and be in dangerous.
Spending the eternity in hell for that will be your portion if you reject that Blessed One, if you ignore divine command of God, and if you refuse to listen to the call of Christ.
I repeat again, God commands, Christ calls, and he's calling you, dear young people tonight, and will you come to him?
Will you come to him now? Have you got the courage to make that confession of that dear girl in the restaurant and the presence of many people? I know Christ as my Savior, she said. I have believed on him, I received him, and I'll meet you in heaven.
And with a lovely smile on her face, she was so happy about it. Can you, dear young people, say that with truth? Dare you say it?
All you're saying I might get a little persecution. What if you do?
The Lord Jesus Christ was persecuted, was enough for your sake. He came down here to honor His Father, to do the will of His Father, And we've heard what the will of His Father is. And was that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment. Think of it not come into judgment, but it is passed from death unto life.
How wonderful and precious these words are.
How comforting for us who know the Lord as our Savior shall not come into judgment. There is therefore no judgment to them which are in Christ Jesus. Are you in Christ Jesus, dear friends, or in your sins? It's one or the other.
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There's no middle ground, you know, no neutral ground before a holy God. You're either saved or you're lost. You're either a believer or an unbeliever. And if you're an unbeliever, you're condemned already.
Condemned now and judged later at the great White Throne. How solemn. Well now, dear friends, is up to you. You've heard the word of God. These are not my words. I didn't make this up as I came along the road. Here we have the Word of God, His living Word, which abides forever. And God now commands that you should repent. Christ calls you in love to your soul to come to Him now and receive Him as your Savior.
Before it's forever too late.
Him #30.
The first verse.
And the last verse of hymn 30. Weeping will not save me.
Though my face were bathed in tears that could not allay my fears, could not wash the sins of years, Weeping will not save me. Verse 4 Faith in Christ.
Will save me.
Trust in him, the Risen 1.
Trust the work that he has done.
To his arms I now may run. Faith in Christ will save me.
#30.
Winking will not be.
Here.
The Blood of Christ
Gospel—A. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973.
Joshua, my brother Albert. Hey home.
Hymn #4.
Christ is the Savior of sinners.
Christ is the Savior for me.
Long I was chained in sins darkness, Now by his grace I am free. Now I can say I am pardoned, happy and justified.
Free, saved by my blessed Redeemer. This is the Savior for me #4.
Christ is the Savior of.
Christ is our Savior for me.
I was hated in the heart.
Of fire.
Sorry to go out there, I feel like my name is.
Shall we ask?
Will you turn with me tonight, please, to the book of Genesis?
The 4th chapter of Genesis.
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And the eighth verse, Genesis chapter 4, verse 8.
And Kane talked with Abel, his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field.
The cane rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, 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 my brothers blood cry unto me from the ground.
The voice of thy brother's blood cry of unto me from the ground.
The 19th chapter of John's Gospel.
John, chapter 19, verse 30.
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished, and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost, Verse 32.
Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and of the other, which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his sign, and forthwith came there out blood and water and heated. Saw it fair record, and His record is true.
And he knoweth that he sat through that ye might believe.
The 12Th chapter of Hebrews.
The 12Th chapter of Hebrews and the 24th verse.
And to Jesus, the mediator of the New covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh.
Better things than that of Abel.
The blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Oh, what a joy, what a privilege it is to be able to speak well of the precious blood of Christ. That precious blood was exalted here this afternoon from the pages of the Word of God, and our souls were stirred within us.
As we saw from Scripture to Scripture what God had to say concerning the precious blood of His own beloved Son.
Whom by grace, I can speak of as my precious Savior.
We look back to the first human blood that stained this poor world, the blood of Abel, shed by the hand of his own brother Cain. And God saw this happen, and God called to that guilty man, Cain. Where is Abel thy brother?
His answer was I know not am I my brother's keeper? But God knew well what had taken place.
What hast thou done? The voice of thy brothers blood cry unto me from the ground.
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What a shock this was to Cain, to realize that that which he thought and hoped had been done in secret was known to God and was recorded by him. Now, my friend, I want to begin by telling you this.
And taking it, I trust to heart myself that absolutely everything that you or I have ever done, have ever said, and every thought entertained has been known and recorded by God.
A record has been kept of every deed in your life and mine, every word uttered, every thought entertained.
May I ask each heart now in view of this, is there anyone in this company who would dare to stand up and say that with such a record kept by God that you stand at this moment ready to enter into the courts of unstained and solid glory were not one spot of defilement will ever be permitted to enter?
You know my friend, I know if we are honest about this matter, that the Word of God speaks the truth when it says there is.
No difference.
For all have sinned.
Again, the word of God so solemnly declares all things.
Are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Cain hoped that his act was done in secret.
And beloved friends, such may be the case with you also. But remember this, not only has the eye God seen, Mark only has the hand of God recorded, but you and I are going to meet that record someday. Unless.
Thank God for the provision unless that record is cleansed for eternity.
By the cleansing power of the precious blood of Christ.
The blood of Abel.
Called for vengeance. The blood of Abel, I say, called for vengeance. But as we turn to the 19th chapter of John's Gospel. And there saw the beloved eternal Son of the living God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Hanging there upon the cross of Calvary, He who did no sin, in whom there was no sin, he hung there a spotless, holy, sinless victim.
And as he hung there upon the cross.
Sins were laid upon him. Our brother this morning spoke to us of that middle cross upon which our Lord Jesus was crucified.
He spoke to us of the two thieves who were crucified, one on either side. He pointed out to us the fact that when the moment arrived that those thieves drew each their last breath, one went down into a lost eternity, and He is there yet.
One went home to be with Christ in glory, and he is there yet.
How could there be this difference? How could there be this difference? Beloved friend, this is the wonder, the marvel of it, the stains of guilt that would have taken that seat down to a lost eternity forever. We're laid instead upon Him who hung upon that middle cross. Oh, let us remember this and thank God for it.
That if our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, hung there upon the middle cross.
Those sins, the multitude of them utterly unknown to us, beyond our feeble comprehension, all that great immeasurable load lay upon the head of that spotless victim. God, who knew them, laid them on him. Isn't that marvelous? Sometimes you hear the expression made that we are.
00:15:15
To confess our sins to God in order that they might be.
Blotted out.
Remember when I was a child in Sunday school, hearing our teacher tell us of a gentleman who had his children gathered round him, and he asked them one by one, my daughter, have you confessed your sins to Jesus?
Yes, Daddy, I have. One by one he asked the children until he came to the youngest, and the little one shook her head and said, no Daddy. Oh my dear girl, I'm sorry to hear you say this. May I repeat the question? Have you not laid your sins on Jesus? Have you not, as the others have confessed, laid your sins?
On Jesus? No, daddy, she said. God did that. Is this not true, beloved? If it were my responsibility to confess and lay my sins on Jesus?
It would be beyond my powers. God, who knew them, laid them on him, and those many sins were laid upon Him who hung there upon the middle cross, and the strokes of God's wrath and judgment against sin fell upon him.
That awful punishment was exhausted. The last stroke of divine judgment fell upon him, and as we noticed in the 19th chapter of John, he cried aloud. And glorious triumph. It is finished. The last stroke of suffering had fallen upon him.
But.
A soldier with a spear pierced his side forth with flow there out blood and water. And oh, my friend, what a joy it is to turn to the Epistle to the Hebrews and read there that that precious blood that flowed from our Savior's ribbon side speaketh better things than that of Abel does. The precious blood of Christ means vengeance to me as I think and speak of it tonight.
No, indeed, all it speaks better things than that of Abel. What are those better things?
Well, you see, I can only think of one. It means my sins are gone, friend. Thank God for that. Thank God for everyone tonight who can say with gladness in your heart.
My sins are gone.
Because the Word of God declares the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sin. But Hebrews 12 speaks of better things.
What things are ours that are so much better than vengeance because of the value of the precious blood of Christ? I begin with that which we quoted from first, John one, verse 7.
The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.
I hope you will bear with a little repetition, but there are boys and girls, there are young people here to whom I wish to make this very plain and very simple. I was speaking one time to a group of children, and they seemed so very eager and attentive. And we were speaking from this very verse, the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son cleanser.
US, us. I read the word. I looked a little puzzled, and I said, this is hardly right when I'm standing here all by myself. How many people does it take to make an us? And one little young fellow spoke up immediately, while it would take at least two. That I said yes, it would. And God's word says cleanse of us.
00:20:03
I am standing here all by myself. I wish there were someone with me. And there was a boy sitting there in the front row looking so eager. And I had never done this before. I don't like to do it for fear someone might give a false answer. But I pointed to that boy and I said, my boy, do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior? In a moment, he jumped to his feet with a beaming face. Yes Sir, I do.
Could I ask you that question without asking anyone to arise or to speak out? Do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior?
What is your answer, my friend? Could you arise with the eye of God upon you, the ear of God listening, and say, Yes Sir, I do. And so I said to this boy, Would you then please come up here and stand by me? And he did.
He stood by me and I shared this precious book with him, and together we read that first. I put my arm around his shoulder and we read it like this. The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth. And then there was a pause.
That I looked down at that dear boy and he looked up at me, and we said that word together.
Ask us, my friend, or could I start here? Could I start with you and include everyone right to you and back to myself and say with certainty the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son cleanser.
US Why must you hang your head and say I am not included in this?
Have you, my friend, have you heard this before and backed away as though it were meant for someone else, As though it were something that need not concern you? Tonight the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin. One of those glorious blessings, one of those better things.
That we possess by virtue of the precious blood of the Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Could we turn please in Hebrews back to.
Chapter 9.
Hebrews, Chapter 9.
Verse 22.
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without. Shedding of blood is no remission.
No remission.
To my mind, this means the actual complete and total payment of a debt. You know, I might be in debt to someone and have them forgive me that debt, not have it paid, but simply be forgiven that great debt. But I believe this word indicates a complete, total, satisfactory payment.
Beloved friend is.
Paid. And what was the price by which the debt of my mighty guilt was paid before God, who saw and knew all about that record? It cost him the sending into this world of His beloved Son. It cost him a stroke of divine judgment.
And it cost the shedding of this most precious blood. Without the shedding of blood is no remission. And as I read these words, I want to press upon you the solemnity of what this means to my soul.
For if it took all the agony, if it took the blood of Christ to put my sins away.
How solemn, how awful.
To meet God in your sins.
Are you and not a little bit inclined to measure sin by man's standard? The Word of God declares a false weight and a false measure are an abomination to the Lord.
00:25:09
I believe that to be very true in a practical sense.
But I believe it also has a spiritual application. A false weight and a false measure are an abomination to the Lord. I'm afraid that there are many false weights and false measures that men have invented and have perhaps tried to satisfy their own hearts concerning a day when they will give an account.
The Word of God declares thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting.
Man invents his own balance. Man invents his own weights and stands up and considers himself a little better than his neighbors, and considers that perhaps all will be well after all when he stands before God. Man invents his own degree of measurement that forgets that God's word declares all have sinned and come short of what is God's measure.
Of the glory of God.
And when I read what it cost God, in order that I might not know the remission of all my sins, I ought to realize in some matters how serious, how awful is sin in the sight of God.
One stain of sin in God's sight, I am sure, is more awful than a lifetime of guilt in my comprehension. It took the death of Christ.
It took the shading of his precious blood that my sins might be blotted out. Oh, when I read these words without shedding of blood is no remish My pause to remind each one in this company that if you have not yet received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, your peril at this moment is indeed dreadful. Beloved friends.
Last night we were solemnly reminded of this verse. God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge this world in righteousness by that man.
Whom we have raised by that man whom he hath ordained, wherever he hath given assurance unto all men.
He hath raised him from the dead.
Why does God now command all men everywhere to repent?
Because he says, I am gone, and I command repentance from you more than that, beloved friend, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge this world in righteousness. Tell me, if you saw a gay little child standing out there on the sidewalk, just about to burst out onto the road with a speeding car coming along, what would you do? Would you gently make a suggestion or would you issue a command?
Friend, you an issue of command in the most stern and loud voice possible, and you would restrain that child if you could. Why? Because you're so stern and hard hearted. Not for a moment, because you see the danger ahead for that child. Feel love a friend, I plead with you and I warn you if it costs.
The irony of the cross of Calvary if it costs the precious blood of Christ to put those sins away.
Beware, Beware that you do not go out the door of this place. Still in your sins. You'll meet the very God who has kept that record. You'll meet the very One who who provided this wonderful gift of eternal forgiveness.
Meet Him in your sins. That's why he commands repentance, because he knows that the hour of judgment is near. And beloved friend, I would be unfaithful to this book if I stood here without warning you, yet once again warning you solemnly, friend, and telling you this, that this very moment, under the eye of God, you stand lost and guilty.
And on the broad downward Rd. that leads to hell itself.
00:30:02
Or else you stand cleanse, forgiven, and on the road homeward to the glory.
To spend eternity with the Savior who loved and died for you. May I ask you, my friend, which of those two conditions is yours tonight?
Dear boys and girls, I ask you solemnly, which of those two conditions describes yours at this moment? Are you lost, or are you saved? Are you guilty or are you forgiven? Are you on that broad and downward Rd. that leads to eternal hell and darkness, or are you on the road, home, or that leaves?
To eternal joy and gladness to stand in the presence of Him who loved us even under death. All the prayers that have gone up for the sons and daughters of Christian parents. We hear them aloud sometimes, but I'm sure.
The outspoken, continual, earnest pleadings that have gone up to the throne of grace for the very ones who are sitting here in this room tonight. Because we know on the authority of the Word of God, that the coming of the Lord is near at hand. That door which has so long been held open by His piercing hands will soon be closed and closed forever, and everyone in this company will be.
On the inside with Christ in glory, or on the outside?
And no matter of mocking, no matter of crying and remorse, will have any effect upon the reopening of that door closed for eternity.
Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission.
Could we turn please to first Peter chapter one?
I like to think that in turning us from Scripture to Scripture, we're actually reading not only the Word of God. We need no more authority, of course, than that, but that he has used various servants, John and Paul and Peter, to proclaim to us these wondrous, these better things that are ours because of the value of that precious blood.
First Peter, chapter one, verse 18.
For as much as ye know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Father's, but with a precious blood of Christ.
All that has a ring to it that delights many a heart here tonight.
Don't you love to speak and to sing of the precious?
Isn't that wonderful? The precious blood of Christ?
Oh it makes my heart ache as I realized.
That promised so many pulpits today. The blood is either ignored or ridiculed.
On our way down here, we got into conversation with three young men.
Very fine, athletic young men.
One of them said to me, you know, I used to go to church when I was a youngster.
And I thought that when I got confirmed, this was going to be the grandest thing that could happen to me. But he said, you know, all I ever hear when I go to church is current events, politics or how much money they need to renovate the church. And I've just given up. I'm not going anymore.
We spoke to this young man about Christ, about what is to be found in Christ and Christ alone, and I knew as we spoke to him that the Lord had previously been speaking to his heart through others.
My beloved, it does burden, it does sadden our hearts to realize that I have no doubt this very evening in the city of Des Moines.
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There are so many who are gathered together to hear some kind of a sermon. And I wondered.
If they are hearing of the value of the precious blood of Christ, it's going to be the theme that will be on every heart and tongue through the endless ages of eternal glory and gladness. Oh, what a thrill of delight it is tonight for us to be able to say with one heart redeemed with the precious.
Blood of Christ, he know. Isn't this wonderful?
No KNOW is it possible or how often you and I have met those who say, now look, don't speak so certainly about such matters. For you know very well that no one knows for sure about such matters. After all, no one has ever come back to tell us.
And we really don't know for sure.
Is that so?
Has no one ever come back?
If they did, could we trust them if someone at whose funeral you had been present?
Were to return, knock at your door and tell you what lies on the other side, could you really believe their testimony? There is only one man who never exaggerated, only one who never told a lie. He died, he was buried. He came back and not only told us, but put it down in black and white that there might be no mistake. If you can turn and I can turn.
To the book which he has left us, and give the testimony of one who knows all about what lies on the other side, telling us of two destinies and only two, heaven and hell, and one is just as real as the other. Can I know when I read what he has written?
Permit me to be very plain about this if I were to enter into conversation with you when this service is over and you were to tell me that you lived in Omaha.
And I said, well, I wish I could believe you.
I I think I can see the look that would cross your face when I said that and you made another attempt at conversation and said that you had perhaps moved there from.
Chicago. And I said, I hope you're telling the truth. How much longer do you think our conversation would continue? I think you'd turn your back on me and walk away. And yet you know very well you haven't always told the truth, and neither have I. But my friend, I have opened before me tonight the word of God, the word of God who cannot lie. Am I going to look up from the pages of this book and say?
I wish I could believe it. Have you heard folks say that? I have. I wish I could believe it. Think of that. Would they like to say I wish I could believe God? I was visiting one time with a Jewish young fellow. His name was Moses. He was frightfully afflicted, had been on a sick bed from the days of his childhood, and he's still on that 6th bed and he's about 70 years of age now.
He was in his 20s at that time.
And I was just a young fellow.
And I said, Moses, when you leave this hospital, where are you going?
Well, he said. I'm almost, but not quite sure that I'm going to have him.
I quoted to him John 5 verse 24, the verse that was used by the grace of God to the salvation.
Of this heart of mine.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, isn't that delightfully individual and personal? If the Lord were to address himself to you, my brother, to you, in such words as these, could you turn with any manner of doubt? Verily, verily.
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I say unto you, he that heareth my word.
And feel leave upon him that sent me half everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. I said, Moses, all of that verse, it gives me confidence. Moses, where are you going when you leave this hospital?
I'm almost, but not quite sure I'm going to have it. Perhaps I shouldn't have said the next comment, but I did. I said Moses, you mean you're almost but not quite sure that God tells the truth? And, you know, local offense came over that dear twisted, tortured face and I, I felt for the moment sorry for what I had said, and I walked out of the room. A couple of weeks later, I was back.
And I knew before I asked Moses what his answer would be.
Moses, where are you going when you leave this place? I'm sure I'm going home to heaven to be with Jesus. We went to visit him again not long ago. His hair is now Snow White.
He was this time stretched out flat on a wheelchair.
He recognized me right away, though I hadn't seen him for many years.
I said, Moses, we don't have much time, but is there anything that we could sing together? He said, sing that hymn, please.
Tell me the old, old story of Jesus and His love. He lied there with his poor, twisted, tortured body, still rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ. All beloved, I know that I have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. I have no other thing to present to you tonight. I speak of that blood that speak of better things.
Than that of Abel. By virtue of that blood I have been cleansed from every stain of guilt. By virtue of that blood, I know remission of all the sins that ever have been recorded against me. By virtue of that blood I have been redeemed.
There is a distinction between these words.
Redeemed.
Oh beloved, to be redeemed means not only set free from the ******* in which we once were held captive, but now to belong to Him who paid redemptions price. Is that not true? If you were to pay a price to redeem something, could you not claim it as your own? Is it joy or is it ******* to look up and say?
I belong to Him. He redeemed me at such infinite cost, His own most precious blood.
Could we turn, please to Colossians the Epistle to the Colossians, chapter one?
Verse 20.
And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
What a statement.
Having made peace through the blood.
Of his cross.
Do you find that hard to fathom? I find it impossible. I know it's true. I thrill as I read it, but I never ceased to marvel with amazement as I read these words.
Abel Bluff.
Shed by his guilty brother, cried out for vengeance.
Having made peace through the blood of His cross, it wasn't always so with you and me, was it? You and I dreaded the very thought of the moment when we would meet God. I was brought up in a God fearing Christian home where, through the faithful hand of my dear father and mother, I was held back and restrained from those things that I suppose folks might have pointed the finger at.
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I didn't like the restraint, but I thank God for it with all my heart tonight. And I say to the boys, I say to the girls that I say to the young people, if you're praying Father and your God fearing mother restrain you from that which perhaps you consider to be pleasant and harmless, May God help you to grow up to thank them for it.
I stand here to thank God for it.
And yet I want to tell you this in spite of the godly atmosphere of the home in which I grew up.
I dreaded. I dreaded the day when I would have to meet God. It was an inevitable horror to my soul and I'd lay my head on my pillow at night and be filled with terror at the thought that Sunday I was going to meet God and I knew He had a record of every state in my life.
Every lie I had told, every wrong thing I ever had done.
I can scarcely understand it as I look back on it, for I knew and had been told so often of a cleansing power of the blood of Christ. But do you know what I lacked?
May I digress again, please forgive me to make it plain.
I'll illustrate to you what I liked.
One day in a gospel tent meeting in Thomaston, New Brunswick.
It had been a very rainy day like this one. And before entering that tent out and washed my hand, if that's the right word, in the muddiest mud pedal bottle I could find. And I came up the aisle with my hands behind my back and started talking to those who were present. And then held up my hands and said are my hands clean or dirty? Oh they said Sir they are dirty. And just at that moment I had pre arranged this.
A young fellow walked up the aisle with a basin of clean water, a cake of soap and a towel. And he set it down in front of me and I thanked him very much for the water, the soap and the towel, and then held my hands up again and said, are my hands clean yet? Oh no, Sir, they're just as dirty as ever.
Well, I, I look quite surprised. I looked again at the water and I said I really believe that this water and this soap, I picked it up.
There is water in this soap is just what I need to clean my dirty hands.
And then I held them up again and said, are they clean yet?
No, Sir, they said they're just as dirty as ever. But I said whatever can be wrong. Here's the water. Here's the soap. I really believe it's what I need. I thank the one who brought it here. Why are my hands not clean yet? I'm sure the young folks there thought there was something very strange about me.
Told me what was lacking and so could you, they said. Sir, you haven't put your hands in the water and washed them yet.
Why did just that before their eyes? I picked up the soap and the water and I washed my hands, dried them and held them up. And they said with one accord, now they're clean. My dear friend, you grew up in a Christian land. Perhaps grow up in a Christian home. Here about the value of the precious blood of Christ. Commit to memory the verses from God's Word that give you the answer to the knee of your soul.
But I ask you this.
Have you ever?
Before God owned that you were lost and guilty and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. That was what was wrong with me. That's why I dreaded the day when I would meet God. But thank God again tonight. I thank God for that night that came long ago when I knelt.
By my bed, in my room and all that. I was lost and guilty.
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And receive the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. Opened my Bible to John 5/24, put my finger on it and thank God for its message, and rose up with the certainty in my soul that God's Word was indeed true. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sin. And here having made peace.
Through the blood of His cross, this heart of mine was not only guilty, but I was at enmity against God. My back toward Him didn't want to have to meet Him or have anything to do with Him. I was an enemy.
What did he do to make peace? He gave his beloved son, that's true, but beloved?
Here I read, having made peace through the blood of his cross. Tell me, did the eye of God look down upon that beloved one as they spit in his face and nailed him to the cross? God looked down. God saw it. Did the eye of God look down while he mocked him and offered him vinegar to drink in the agony of his thirst? He did. God saw it.
Did the eye of God look down?
While that spear was thrust into the side of His beloved Son, hanging dead upon the cross, did God see it? He did. God saw the blood that flowed from the pierced side of His own Son. And this is what God has declared. Is it really possible, having made having made peace through the blood of His cross? I am amazed every time I read it, but it's gloriously true.
I am cleansed. I am forgiven. I am redeemed.
I have peace with God. All this I owe to the precious blood of Christ, which speak of better things than that of Abel. Ephesians, chapter 2.
Verse 13.
But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off.
Armor made nine.
By the blood of Christ.
Oh how wondrous. Made mine by the blood of Christ.
No more destined.
Made my hand invited to draw near. Oh what a wonderful privilege this is.
You and I, who were far off in all our guilt, have now not only been pardoned and cleansed, but we are made nigh by the precious blood of Christ. Not only will that be our place and privilege up Yonder in the courts of glory forever, for surely we know and enjoy the wonder that awaits us when we will be with Him.
See him face to face and enjoy the wonder of his presence forever.
But did you know that this very night you and I are privileged to know no wonder of nearness to Him who knew all about you and me and loved us just the same, loved us with a love that took Him to the cross to redeem us there to shed His?
Precious blood that you and I might be brought near. Why do you want someone near to you? There are some people whom you would enjoy as a visitor in the home for an hour, a day, a week, perhaps a month. But who would you want to be near you all the time?
Someone that you love.
Very much.
Is it really true?
That he looked down at us.
And sorrowed into this heart of mine.
And love me so much that he wanted me near.
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Knew what it would cost him to have me near and paid the price in full.
Shed his precious blood, that he might have the joy of having this poor miserable Sinner near to himself. What response is there in this heart of yours and mine when we think of love like that?
Do we want and do we enjoy that nearness? That's what he wants. That's why he paid that price, Not merely that your debt and mine might be paid.
Or we might think of a debt paid, and then asking the one whose debt we paid to please remain at a distance and not embarrass us by their presence anymore. But he went through all this to love, and he shed his blood. That you and I might know the wonder of nearness to himself.
Beloved throughout the courts of endless glory, there will be near to the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ a redeemed people and.
Shut out from his presence forever.
A fall off in outer darkness.
Who? Who will be in that place?
Those who have spurned, those who have rejected.
That which is offered in the pages of this precious book, that which could have been theirs because of the infinite value of the precious blood of Christ.
Oh, as I look into the faces of those who are here tonight.
I feel it exceedingly unlikely to think that absolutely everyone here at this moment is truly redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
I look the boys and the girls and the young people growing up in Christian homes, and I tell you this with an ache in my heart, that I believe that the most awful wails of anguish that will echo through the caverns of eternal darkness.
Will come.
From the lips.
Of those brought up in Christian homes.
You know I speak the truth.
I say it again, and I hope you hear me. The most awful wails of eternal language that will echo through those caverns of endless darkness will come.
From the lips of those brought up in Christian homes, Beloved friend, I warn you with all the solemnity of my heart this night that you look upon that door as though it were sealed to you until you accept Christ as your Savior.
Do not go out that door until you know that you have been cleansed by the precious blood of Christ.
This is not something that you simply listen to and say. I've heard those verses before and go on your way as though they had no message for you. I ask you now, as our meeting draws to a close, are you cleansed by the precious blood of Christ, or are you yet lost and guilty and on the way out into eternal darkness?
All but I have been at some solemn gospel meetings and I thank God for the memory of them. And I do feel as I stand here this night, that the Spirit of God is speaking in this company, and I hope we may all be aware of it. And I hope, my friend, my brother, my sister in Christ, that when this hour is over.
Our very manner and our conversation will, as one accord, bear witness to the fact that eternal issues are at stake. It grieves my heart and I know I have been part of it. That within two minutes.
At the time the meeting has ended.
You would wonder what kind of a meeting it had been.
Who's responsible for that? There is an enemy. There is an enemy that does not want you to be cleansed by the precious blood of Christ. There is an enemy that wants to plot away the good seed that has been sown in your heart from the Word of God tonight.
Oh, beloved brother and sister in Christ, let us treat this matter with all the urgent solemnity that I feel ought to be upon every one of us. I can't close without referring to the glory of Revelation One and Revelation 5. We won't turn to it, for our time is gone. But in Revelation One we read these wonderful words under Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.
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To Him be glory and dominion, forever and ever, all men. And then we come to chapter 5. Thou art worthy, for thou art slain and hast redeemed. Here is that word again.
Redeem.
Us to God, by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. It's true there will be up there in the courts of glory.
From every kindred, every tongue, every people, and every nation, a glorious redeemed family, that will never cease to sing the praises of the precious blood of Christ, that speak of better things than that of Abel. But I remind you solemnly.
If my case was solved, guilty that it took the precious blood of Christ to cleanse and redeem my soul.
What are the consequences of rejecting? What are the consequences to meet God with those sins yet bound, written in that book to find a search made in the book of life, and your name not there. And as that search is made, and as you stand there before that great white throne, knowing all the while that your name is not there, and yet the search is made the last.
Pages turn your name not there, my friend.
And to have ring in your ears forever.
So the memory that will bring on ending remorse, what you have heard concerning the value of the blood of Christ, Don't reject it, friend. Don't even put it off. I think of Jonah who cried yet 40 days and nine of us shall be overthrown. I can't promise you 40 days. I can't promise you 40 minutes.
I can only promise you on the authority of the Word of God now, now we're going to close by singing a hymn. And I would ask you, friend, that as we sing.
I hope we'll sing it with all earnestness that you will take that opportunity to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Could we sing that hymn just as I am #12?
Just as I am without one plea.
But that thy blood was shed for me. Doesn't that sound grand? Sing it from your heart, dear brother, dear sister. And perhaps there's someone here that's going to be able to sing it now in reality, for the first time #12.
The Lord is Coming
Gospel—E. Wakefield
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973. Gospel by Brother Wakefield.
Like we sing together #10.
There is a Savior on high in the glory, the Savior who suffered on Calvary St. The Savior is willing to save now as ever. His arm is almighty, His love great and free. Some brothers started pleased.
High in the glory.
#8.
I'll read to you the 2nd and the 3rd verses, and then we'll sing the 1St and the last verses.
Daily near draws his coming. This makes all his own rejoice. Who are they that fear to meet him such as now? Love not his voice.
When the Savior at his coming shall his own and glory bring.
Will you be among the number? Will you?
Two his praises sing the first and last verses #8.
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Matthew Matthews Gospel chapter 25 and verse one.
Then shall the King of heaven be likened under 10 versions, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them.
But the Wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold the bridegroom.
Go ye out to meet him. Then all those versions arose, and trimmed their lamps, And the fuller said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answer saying not so, lest it be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came.
And they that were ready went in with them to the marriage.
And the door was shut. Afterward came also the other version, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
In the 14th chapter of John's Gospel.
Out.
The first three verses.
Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again.
And receive you unto myself, that where I am, there he may be also.
Then in First Thessalonians chapter 4.
And the 16th verse.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds.
To meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, wherefore comfort one another.
With these words, just one more passage please, in First Corinthians chapter 15.
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And the third verse.
For I delivered unto you first of all.
That which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again.
The third day, according to the Scriptures, on Saturday evening our brother preached to us. I believe in a very solemn way, the need of repentance.
And last night our brother spoke to us on the precious blood of Christ.
Tonight I wish to speak on the coming again of the Lord Jesus.
And I've noticed, beloved brother, and you know the Lord Jesus that we've had brought before us in the meetings and in the hymns we sang and in the prayers today, the coming of Christ. And we believe, dear friends, of that event may take place tonight.
Before this meeting ever closes, we may have seen the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I suppose there's some in this room tonight that are not saved. Some young people who say, well, I'm young and I'm strong, why should I worry? I've got a long life ahead of me. I may not die for another 50 years, but the Lord may come tonight and you'll be left behind.
We've had first of all, and before we turn back to Matthew 25 and the 14th chapter of John, the person himself, all that blessed Savior, the 1St I believe to announce that coming in the air himself. He said I will, this is one of God's I will and there's nobody can stop us. There's no power in heaven or earth or under the earth can stop.
That has been taking place. Jesus said, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. My friends, that Advent has never been as near as it is at this very moment. Never before in the history of the Church has that event been as near as it is at this very moment.
The coming of gain of the Lord Jesus Christ, then in First Thessalonians chapter 4.
God tells us how that event will take place.
The one who was nailed, the Calvary's cross, the one who whom he read, who died for our sins.
According to the scriptures, who was buried and was raised again from the dead the third day.
That blessed One is the one who's coming in the air to give that shout, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Oh, think of it my friends. All the dead in Christ, the 10s of thousands of graves will be empty.
And together with we who are alive.
Shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And my friends, what a solemn day it will be for this great nation when God takes out of this world every born again Christian.
And you, my unsaved friend, will be left behind to face eternal judgments under the judgment of God, the cause you've rejected the grace of God.
Because you rejected God's love and God's beloved Son. And I want to warn you, my friends at this meeting opens that I know as I stand here, I believe that the devil himself would come right to this room and he would seek by his power to take away the seed of the word of God from your heart. And I just pray that during this next half hour together that you may be.
Deeply concerned about your soul, young man, young lady.
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Boys and girls, men and women, who are yet in your sins without God and without Christ, and without, without, without hope in this world, that you will be deeply concerned under the power of the Holy Spirit, that you may not trifle with your soul. All friends think of it. Take away hope from a man, and he has nothing left.
He just drops and I want to tell you, if you leave this world without Christ, you will be in a place where the word hope will never be heard.
We're never again you will ever smile, We're never again you'll ever laugh. Never again will you enjoy pleasure. But under the wrath of God you will spend eternity. Now I know this is not popular. I know that man like to hear.
What they call a social gospel. Everybody is eventually going to get to heaven, but that's not what the book says. And we dare not preach what the book doesn't say. The book tells us. The word of God tells us that man is a Sinner born that way.
Born with his back turned against God and with his face turned towards hell and going down the broad road to destruction. And we stand here tonight, by the grace of God, a poor Sinner, saved by the grace of God, washed from our many sins with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We stand here, I say by the grace of God, and tell you tonight of a Savior's love, that God loves you.
Oh, what a message. God so loved the world, we've often said, and preaching the gospel, I would have loved to have heard the Lord Jesus say those marvelous words. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting eternal life.
My dear friend, tonight you can be saved. You haven't got to go to hell. God loves you.
Often we said these blessed words that God has blocked the road to hell with a cross of Christ, and a man goes to hell, he must leap over the cross, for God has blocked the road to hell with the cross of Christ.
God loves you. God loves you, the God who made this world.
Loves you and he sent his son to be a savior. Now let's look at the 25th chapter of Matthew. Just a few moments.
And see here.
These solemn words, these are the very words that came out of the mouth of the Son of God.
How blessed we can stand here tonight and read to you, and you can read the very words that came out of that blessed mouth of God manifest in the flesh.
Or her blessed yet how solemn He tells us here about these 10 virgins.
And I believe that the good subject the preach in the United States and in Canada.
Because there are millions of people tonight in this country and in the country to the north.
Who say why? We believe this, we believe this, We believe that Jesus died on the cross and all. Of course we're not heathens. We believe this, but we don't just take it seriously like you do. We don't believe and always be reading the Bible and praying. We just like the coastal longer. Enjoy ourselves.
Believe this, my friends, are multitudes who believe it in their heads. Just like you read the history of Napoleon, but you believe that it's in the history books. But it means nothing to you.
Means nothing to you or to me that a man named Napoleon lived here. We don't. That doesn't change our lives and my friends to believe that a man named Jesus Christ.
Lived in this world and died on the cross means nothing unless you receive him personally into your very life and your very heart. And Christ lives in here and you're saved by the grace of God. I say it means nothing. It's only world history that will never save your soul.
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Here we have these 10 virgins. The whole 10 of them had lamps.
We speak of profession. They had their lamps, each one of the whole 10 of them. There was nothing different between them. If you looked at these 10 versions as they marched along to the wedding, there was nothing different. They all had their lamps. You say they're all the same. And so it is tonight with 200 a million Americans, so or more.
And most of them have their lamps.
Most of them, my friends have their lamps. Most of them say I'm a Christian.
Most of them say, of course I have my own religion, but I'm a Christian too. They all have their lamps. But you know, there was a difference.
And a great difference it was too.
For the five wise virgins had oil in their lamps with their vessels, oil in their vessels with their lamps, and this oil is the Holy Spirit of God, a divine person, who tonight is in this world. For when the Son of God is a man, went back to heaven as a man with a nail Prince in his hands and feet.
And the spear mark and his side as he stepped over the portals of glory. The angels, I believe, bowed and worshipped is the man Christ. Jesus went into the very presence of God.
And there tonight, my friends, is a man in the glory.
Is that man your Savior? Well, he sat down. The Holy Spirit of God, a person.
Who is in this world tonight? Some of us here, I suppose the vast majority tonight have that divine person dwelling in here, and he has united us to Christ in the glory, and we're saved on the way to glory by the grace of God more than conquerors through him that loved us with a certain glorious future that will never end.
Not only with Christ, but like Christ for all eternity.
My friends, you have a profession tonight. Have you got this oil? Have you been born again? Now I know it's not popular. I know, man. Today these great men with their great education say, oh, what nonsense, this is born again. What do you mean born again?
I mean what God means. We go by the Scriptures. We don't go by man's ideas or man's thoughts or man's reasonings.
But Jesus said.
To Nicodemus the man or religion, he said he must.
Be born from above. You must have a brand new life for this life that we have from Adam, from our father and mother, will never enter the Kingdom of God unless we're born from above with a brand new life from God, the very life of God put into the soul.
Have you been born again? Boys and girls with Christian mothers and fathers, have you been born?
Above have you got this new life from God?
If you haven't your numbered with these foolish virgins with an empty lamp and no oil, but I want you to notice here.
In our fifth verse, that the bridegroom tarried, the bridegroom tarried, and while he tarried they all slumbered and slept.
That is to say, the five wise and the five foolish virgins, they all fell asleep. And isn't it true of you and me tonight, dear Christian believer in Christ, how often we fall asleep while the bridegroom tarries. But notice now what happened in the sixth verse. And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold the bridegroom, all that Listen, my friends, God presents Christ.
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Tonight, my friends, God presents Christ. There's no other gospel, no other message.
No other message with the all gospel of the cross. Jesus died for sinners. Nailed to the froth of Calvary between 2 Thieves.
The Son of God in the hours of darkness for my sins, in his own body in the tree.
And receive from God the judgment that I deserved. He died for me. He suffered for my sins. He died the just for the unjust. To bring me to God, A poor Sinner who deserves to go to eternal hell. Jesus is my hope.
My Lord, my Savior, is he yours tonight? My friends, do you love the Savior? People say you know we shouldn't be occupied with our love for Christ.
But rather his love for us. And I Amen that. But I want to ask you tonight, the love, the Savior.
For to know the Savior is to love him. You have to love him. Not only does he save the soul, my friend, not only did he take our sins away, but he captures the heart. He captures the heart so that forever you're spoiled for this world, for the Christian, you may be here tonight, backslider. I want to say you're not happy and God won't let you be happy in this world.
You who know the Lord Jesus Christ, how often we have got away from the Lord and we have to pray and say, Lord, when we get away from thee, please don't let us be happy. How sad to meet Christians who say, why I'm a happy man, I'm away from the Lord, but I'm happiness the same. Let me say this, You make that statement either you're not a Christian at all.
Or you're telling a lie. You cannot be happy if you have tasted of the love of God, of the love of Christ.
Have you seen by the grace of God that coming scene of glory? I say, you can never be happy in this world again if you get away from the Lord, for God won't let you be happy.
How blessed, how glorious.
But the bridegroom, Harry bananas, the bridegroom. The whole the bridegroom.
What we believe, beloved friends, to some 150 to 175 years ago that the Spirit of God restored to God's people this glorious truth that Jesus was coming again to take out of this world. All his blood bought people. Now we know tonight in Christendom.
It generally believed that the Lord is coming back to judge this world. They talk about the last day, the end of the world and so on.
But there are many Christians who have no idea that Jesus is coming again in the air to take out of this world every born again Christian. You won't find a born again Christian under heaven when that happens.
What a solemn thing, all friends. What an awful thing to think of being left behind. Can you think of it? Left behind? I remember one night dreaming that the Lord came. I saw him come down into the air and give the shout, and I saw people. They lifted up and I was left on the ground and I was left behind.
All her song. What a terrible dream that was to be left behind.
And there's boys and girls, young men, young women, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives who are going to be left behind. Left behind to face judgment. No second chance, no getting down your knees and crying to God to save you. Then left behind.
Left behind, friend, the Lord may come tonight, the Lord may come tonight. What good will your health be and your strength be of Jesus comes tonight and takes out of this room supposedly came now.
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In one minute from now a shout was heard and suddenly you'll found the room empty and you found yourself sitting in this seat, these seats with two or three people and all the rest were gone, not out of the doors.
Not out of the windows, but suddenly gone. Gone.
You'll never see that mother again.
You will never see your father again. You will never see that boy of yours again. If he goes, you'll never see that daughter of yours again. Left behind. I can't think of any more terrible, more awful than to be left behind.
Why? Because you rejected Christ. You rejected Christ. God says, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? This is God's salvation.
It's God's salvation, friends, if the Queen sends to one of her subjects an invitation to appear at Buckingham Palace, I understand that that invitation is really a command. When the Queen sends the invitation, it's really a command. You have to go because the Queen has ordered you to go, even though it's an invitation. And yet, my friends, the God of heaven tonight has asked you to come.
To Christ. It's a command, my friends. Are you going to turn down the offer of salvation?
You can't buy it, you can't earn it, you can't work for it.
No, the word of God is very clear. By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not a worse, lest any man should boast. How about you, maybe the knight who come into this room?
Sent by God into this room, allowed to come into this room by God himself, the God of grace who say well.
You know I keep the 10 commandments. You don't. You don't. My friends, there's never been a man ever lived in this world except the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who kept the 10 commandments? And you know it's true. And the 10 commandments, what do they do? They condemn you. They condemn you.
We've often said, speaking to the children, if a man needs a shave and looks into the mirror and says, well I see I need a shave, the mirror won't shave them. And if a girl looks into the looking glass and sees the dirt on her face.
The looking glass will never wash your face. It has no power to wash your face. She has to go elsewhere. And the 10 commandments, just like that looking glass, say you're a Sinner. You're a Sinner, but the 10 commandments only condemn you. They have no power to say you have to go someplace else. And that's the Jesus. Jesus, He's the Savior. He's the one who died on the cross.
He's the one who shed his precious blood. He's the one that man nailed to the cross the spies and rejected the Son of God. You must take size with that Savior. And I want to say tonight, my friends, we live in a careless age where men are beaten around the Bush and trying to deceive men all around us. I want to say this, and I say it without fear of contradiction.
That tonight, every man in this room and every woman.
Every boy and every girl.
Is either on the side of Christ or on the side of the devil. Now I know that's not popular, but that's the truth.
Jesus said.
A man cannot serve 2 masters. He didn't say 3 masters because there's not three. There's two. One is the Christ of God, the other is the devil.
Whose side are you on? Thank God, by his grace I'm on the Lord's side. Whose side are you on? Would you like to be on the Lords side? Then you must take the despise Nazarene as your savior. Oh, you won't get popular.
The world won't clap its hands and say what a wonderful man he is. He's taken Christ. They laugh at you. You know the world can laugh you into hell.
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But they can't laugh you out. And I want to say tonight that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sins. And Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me is the only way to God, the only way to heaven. The way of the cross leads home. And so now we have the Bridegroom.
Presented I want you to notice in the.
And the.
Eight verse. The Fuller sat under the wise, Givethe your oil, for our lamps are going out or gone out. The margin says going out, which I believe is right. But the Wise answered, saying Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather than themselves, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy.
The bridegroom came. The bridegroom came. While they went to bride, the bridegroom came. I noticed what it says.
And they that were ready went in with them to the marriage. Oh, what a wonderful thing is to be ready to be able to lay your head upon your pillow and go to sleep and say, thank God I'm ready if my heart stops beating in the night.
And I wake up, I'll be with the Lord, and if the Lord Jesus comes during the night, I'll be caught up out of my bed to meet the Lord in the air. It's a grand thing to be ready. Maybe somebody says, but how can I be ready? How can I know I'm ready? Well, I could.
I could quote you many, many verses how you know it could be ready, but I'm going to tell you this, my friends, tonight. There's a wonderful verse and Romans 10 and 9. I'd like to tell you a little story about that verse.
Where God says, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.
And believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. There was a boy came to the gospel tent down in Sackville, NB. He had a mother who was a Christian who was at home praying for her boy. And after the meeting was over we spoke to that young man and said, are you saved? He said, no Sir, I'm not. Would you like to be saved now? He said, yes, I would.
I'd like to be saved right now. Then I gave them that wonderful verse and I asked them first, do you believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead? He said, I do. I said, Are you sure you believe that? He said, I believe that with all my heart. I said, you believe that God raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. He said, yes, Sir, I believe that with all my heart.
Then I said to him, Let us read the first part of that verse. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, will you confess with your mouth, young man, the Lord Jesus? He said, yes, Sir, I will. I believe that Jesus is Lord.
Well, we said to him, now we're going to ask you to do something, if you will.
Would you be willing to go to somebody else and tell them when he walked across the tent to an older man and he said, Sir, I want to tell you something. Jesus is Lord and I believe that God is raising from the dead. Now the Bible says thou shalt be saved. All men may say, but I can't believe that, but I believe it because God says it. Thou shalt no question about it.
Doubt God has spoken. Thou shalt be saved. Thou shalt be saved. May God grant so that verse may go into the heart of some boy, some girl, some young man, some young woman in this room tonight. May God give you the courage tonight.
To open your mouth and confess that Jesus is Lord. Oh it's wonderful isn't it? To think that the man who this world said is worthy of a cross a criminals cross and nail them between 2 criminals. That's the kind of a world we live in tonight that God is going to judge.
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This world has murdered the Son of God. God allowed us, we know by his grace, but this world's responsible.
My friend.
Are you willing to say that that man, this world crucified as Lord God, hath made that same Jesus, whom he crucified, both Lord and Christ? Well, as a test came. Now notice what happened.
They were ready.
And notice the end of the tenth verse. The door was shut. Isn't that a saw, old friend? May these words go into your heart and sink down into your heart, down into your conscience. The door, the door, the door was shut. God's door tonight is wide open. Up above there in the glory. Heaven's door is wide open. And God says, whosoever will.
May come and take the water of life freely. I think of that verse often, preaching the gospel, how the beloved John on the Isle separated from the world around the Isle called Patmos. As it gets near the end of the Book of Revelation. We love to say these words again and again. Beloved friends, I believe that God said John's stuff. Stop writing. I want to give man his last invitation.
And this is the last of these three days of happy meetings.
God's last invitation. Whosoever will may come and take the water of life freely, I believe it's worthy of God. I believe it's worthy of the God of the Bible to give man his last invitation.
My friend, this may be your last invitation, your last chance. Don't throw it away. Don't listen to the devil. He's a liar. My friend, the Lord Jesus said not only is he a liar, but he's the father of lies. And he's lied to you. He's fooled you, young man. He's betrayed you young ladies. He's told you to be a Christian. You have to go along with a long face.
So unhappy, like an undertaker walking around crying and weeping and.
No more fun, no more joy. I tell you the devil is a liar.
I want to say this tonight, my friend, the only people in this world that are really happy.
Are God's children. The unsaved man is not really happy, and I think he is, but he's not. He has to have something, some new toy, something, something to amuse them, something interest to me. Can't find happiness. Put them into a room alone with nothing in the room.
But the chair to sit on. He will be the most miserable man in creation. He has to have something.
To hold his attention. But the Christian in a room by himself can get down on his knees like they do in Russia and the dungeons and prisons. And they can praise God and they can sing with joy in their hearts of the saviors. Love, I want to tell you tonight again, the devil's a liar.
Don't believe them. The Christian life is the happy life and I live both lives and I know what I'm talking about. The Christian life is the happy life. To have Christ, to make you happy, but to have the devil will land you in hell.
All friends, there is a hell. The only man who never told a lie warned of that place. There shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth who set up the only man who never told a lie.
The Lord Jesus Christ, I believe what he said.
I don't believe what the modernist preacher is saying. I don't believe what the college professors say. I believe what Jesus said because he told the truth and he warns man to flee. And I warn you tonight, my friends, there's salvation only in Christ. There's no salvation at any religion, any church, any gospel meetings, any gospel hall. There's only salvation in one.
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And that's God's beloved, eternal Son, the Lord of glory.
Died for poor sinners on the cross of Calvary. I noticed this 11Th verse because it's very solemn afterwards. All friends, isn't that a solemn word?
Wouldn't man pay a fortune to be able to block that word out of the book?
Wouldn't man all over the world love to be able to get rid of that word afterward? They don't want an afterward, but there's an afterward. My friend, you've got to leave this world. You can't stay here.
I believe it was John D Rockefeller who said.
If any doctor can cure me of my stomach trouble, I'll give him $1,000,000 immediately.
But he they couldn't do it. He had to leave this world and leave behind him hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars.
There's no use, you have to leave this world. Afterward notice came also the other virgins saying Lord, Lord open to us. These words. Lord Lord bring before us only profession empty, no reality.
Lord, Lord, open to us. But the door was shut, my friends. You know, they came too late. And I believe there will be many, many people in the United States of America and Canada and the British Isles, other parts of the world who've heard the Gospel hundreds of times, who when the Lord comes, they're going to come, but too late. They're going to say, Lord, I believe now I know it's true.
I know it's true. My mother's gone and my father's gone. I know it's true. Won't you save me now? But notice the answer.
He says I know you not, I know you not. Too late my friends, too late. This is the day. This is the only day that God promises to save you. He said, Behold, now is the acceptor time.
The whole now is the day of salvation. You know the devil's words tomorrow.
When Moses asked Pharaoh when he would like to have the frogs taken away, Pharaoh the devil's man said tomorrow. Because the devil always says tomorrow, but God says today. This is the day the Lord Jesus said to the thief on the cross. As our brother mentioned, Lord's day morning today.
Thou shalt be with me in paradise. But I want to warn you, young man.
You're saying maybe down in your heart. Well, you know, I heard this. I heard this last week. Why a year ago I was at the Des Moines conference, you may say. And I, I sat in this very room and here I am tonight. I'm saved. I'll come back a year from now.
And I'll get saved next year. That God doesn't promise to save you next year. And God doesn't promise to save you tomorrow morning, but he does promise to save you now.
You want to come to Christ tonight?
You will receive the Lord Jesus and take your place before God is a lost not only a Sinner, but a guilty Sinner and a lost Sinner.
You can be saved tonight. Maybe there's a believer in this room who says, well, I hope my sins are forgiven. Oh, my friends, dear Christian, if you're here tonight, maybe you've come into this room and you say, well, Sir, I honestly and truly like a lady told me the other day.
We were visiting outside Philadelphia, she said. Sir, but I believe that with all my heart, and I do love Jesus. I feel so unworthy. I'm so unworthy, I said. My dear friend, you're insulting the Savior.
You really are insulting the Savior. He's finished the work. He's paid the price. He offers you life eternal. He offers you the forgiveness of sins. And why do you say I'm so unworthy? Of course you are. But He's worthy. And we're accepted not in ourselves. We're accepted in the beloved. And every born again Christian tonight stands in God's presence.
Accepted in Christ, can we get a better place? Adam in the Garden of Eden, innocent before he fell, didn't have the place we have tonight. Accepted in the beloved, standing before God. Rest in Christ, in God's righteousness, forgiven clan save. Oh how blessed. My friends, this conference is over.
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Once again, you've heard the gospel.
There's a Savior tonight on high in the glory. He's my Savior. He died for me, a poor Sinner. I recommend to you God's Christ, the only Savior there is. He doesn't want your money. He doesn't want your money. He owns everything. He's too rich to sell his salvation.
Then you're too poor to buy his salvation. He offers you free.
Full salvation. Will you receive Christ now? Is there somebody in this room?
Just as I bow my head in prayer, will you tonight, my friends, receive.
Christ.
Receive Christ, there is a man.
In the Maritimes.
Who is a great drunkard?
He was a terrible drunkard. God saved his precious song. And I was visiting with our brother here, a man who employed this man, and he said, you gentlemen come from the Gospel tent. And we said, yes, we do, Sir. He said, you know a man named David McKay, and we said we certainly do. He said he was an awful drunkard. You know my he says to pay him on Friday night and I wouldn't see him until Thursday the next week. He was drunk, he said, for four or five days.
But he got religion and our brother here tonight said, no, he didn't serve. No he didn't. He said, well, I know something. He got something because he sure is a change man. And he said he got Christ and he said in man, you're a respectable man of macadam, well dressed, own your own business here, but you are a Sinner and you need Christ and you respectable people tonight in the United States.
And Des Moines here respectable. Pay your bills.
Do the best you can. You're lost. You're lost unless you have Christ. You need Christ. The man on the street, the drunkard reeling down the street. You say that poor fellow, he needs a Savior, but so do you. You are a Sinner and so am I.
I must save Sinner.
May God bless His word.
For the glory of His.
Gone Away and Thirsty
Gospel—A. Barry
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.
Hello.
Chapter of Isaiah.
Oh, everyone that says, come into the water, and he that hath no money.
Come ye by, and he comes by. Wine, milk, without money and without pride. Therefore do we spend money for that? If you do not swear, and your labor will happen.
00:05:09
Parking diligence we have, and eat that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fact.
Incline your ear and come on the knees.
Here and your soul to live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you. You the explorers. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
Behold, thou shalt call the nation that thou knowest not, and nations that know not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the Lord, what he may be found.
Holy upon employees, he was here.
Awakened frustrating ways and the other righteous man was thought and let him return of the Lord, and he will have mercy on him.
Log off or he will abundantly.
Heart, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your wings, my wings of the Lord.
While the heavens are higher than the years, higher than the earth, so are my weeds higher than your ways.
And my thoughts and your thoughts, while the rain cometh down in the snow heaven, and returneth not thither, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and flood. And they give peace to the sower, and bread to the eater. So tell my word, be that goeth, or out of my mouth it shall not.
Return to me, boys, but it shall accompany.
And it shall offer in the same world, for he shall go out with joy, and he led forces.
And all the trees of the field shall sweep them.
Therefore come up to 3rd St. and instead of a dryer some of the motor streets, and it shall be to the Lord for a name for an everlasting time that shall be.
Now we have a wonderful conversation.
And this staff will be read to every woman's person.
We find why the Spirit of God and give such an implication.
When we read down the.
53rd chapter of Isaiah.
And in that chapter we have an account of the lowly life of our blessed Lord, whom with all that He was despised, and rejected His name.
A man falls and 26 weeks.
And then we are told that.
That he was wounded for our transgressions. He was for our initiatives.
After one of our people on him and with his stripes we are healed and all. It's remarkable.
That hardware reading in these verses was written 700 years before tonight, and yet you could not find even in the New Testament.
A war grabbing restrictions of the largest atoning works on the Cross of Calvary.
So we're told that he was wounded and we need about that.
00:10:07
With his Christ we are here now. Those were not the losers that were explicitly crowned in the storm struck him over the cage as a disease, and those strikes were an office strikes and islands and lifted and encouraged easily.
That was the price that you overdrawn.
But we were not healed by pilots. Oh, thank God, beloved, when we are healed by trust and God is fully God.
Just there's only for many things I put through here. No granddaughters of holy God. He was a thin hating God. He cannot have sinned in his presence.
And.
Then cannot go unfurled. God received to be a God of righteousness and truth, and there were only two ways that God forced the justice and that was by either judging his son that those dark hours of Calvin or else judging you and me.
In the length of fire for all the Princess, all the lovers, God shows, and then it comes over you and I. Why never have weeded out to a judgment in our city so righteously deserve. So how will this language here just touch our arms as we read that all we like to eat as all the strength.
We have turned everyone who is own way, and the Lord and His hope will have laid on him the iniquity of the soul.
How long again we mentioned before it actually took place in the common Isaiah portfolio of the Oval laying on the ego, it was just taking place.
And he was heavily he was knowing how God has that worthless Calvary ever before and then when his holy son was defended there by those or who's on Calvary as of when you're overly my sister, I'll get the love. You know, the language is very definite.
Scriptures and reactor doesn't say he lazy things of everybody and he it says here.
That the whole house laid on him, the attic with the.
Can you put yourself among those?
That he speaks of as.
You say in the language that is given us here, he was wounded for my construction.
We were good for my.
Well, it ends. You trust him. If you come to him as a poor, lost and guilty Sir, and accept him as your fingers, then you will be among that number upon whom you're over laid all those things.
Well, no, we find having presented the workable price so clearly as you've got free no person in the 53rd chapter, we get this invitation.
To any person told, but we need to remember friends that while we have the 63rd of IPL rings.
And the invitation to count against him and the 56th factory we have a capture between.
And that has an important factor that should not be.
00:15:04
Omitted or passed over.
For here we find.
And the 6th works of the 54th chapter For the Lord has to call thee as a woman for his favour, and leave in spirit and a voice of youth, when thou was refused that the Lord 711 to verse all our flickers causes temples and not comfortable.
Now let's describe the.
Exercise the soul has passed through before he listens to the invitation of the 56 actors for everyone that faces how many to the wall and all time God has to deal with his own way and very severely with there before you'll even with.
Through the method of these ways, when we first moved to, Caroline often visited an old crippled man in the hospital named Gibson. She was a dear child. He had many unhappy visits together.
We were paralyzed from his waist down, the bottom is wheelchair. So all the same thing, all the pain and weakness.
To the failure that he lost.
I said one day to him, I believe that you can thanks off someday for the child and suffering to improve.
Well, he smiled, he says. I thank him now, he says.
For his friend and he took this to bring me to the Lord. He said God has spoken to me many times and I wouldn't listen. And one day he said I fell through a cap door in the farm down to the floor to go and that's all about this injury. So he never could walk again. But he said that brought me to Christ. Well then this dog has to deal so strongly from time with spirit to bring him to himself.
Hey, listen may not be like this this Mr. Gibson that wouldn't listen until God there are ladies and spy. There are helpless patients for the rest of the of the anti young people here that haven't yet and there are accepted crimes accepting now before our evil days come from years ago my when you say I have no pleasure in you.
Listen why this general voice is called?
It says everyone has 30.
They say that travelers through the desert like the crazy Arab desert.
Or sometimes travelers are lost and water supplies exhausted and their Harry King whispers.
And then someone finds the water. Now that is the word that shattered at the top of the voice. Oh, just as loud as they can found it out. Oh.
To other.
Paradigms for 30. Here's warm for your first.
Oh, everyone that searches.
Focus on the 1St that we're speaking about. The lowest friend is full first.
You ever felt that whole third?
00:20:00
I trust you have if you have a job, give you to have.
This long in your heart.
To enjoy something you have never enjoyed before.
I live through God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wonderful living as well in search and one has found out that nothing here in this world really satisfies.
And the craving so long, the desired sleep to have something that is satisfied with these long of the human heart. Then the word comes for everyone. That's right.
Hungry with goodness at the Hungry 7th song.
Come into the water.
And Park will truly satisfy the troubleshoot.
Your your sister apart. If it's about your medicines, you whipped over those fins found no relief for your troubled conscience. It says here you'll find release.
And he will have no money.
Call me why? And he gave by wine and milk without money and without price, consent by another, that God is too rich to sell and we're too poor to buy, so his terms are without money.
And now only God can put up curves like that.
Before the storekeeper flips off the fine and all his goods will be sold without money and without price, how long would he be in bed?
Well, they asked the question to answer the question. No man who can carry out his business on those terms.
But friends, dogs, and And there he's offering the greatest blessing, eternal happiness.
And yours for all his fantasies, and he's not part of the one thing for what you offer indeed that eternal life soul possesses at the last two weeks early ages.
Is is offered as a prehistoric well if you want wages.
The devil has wages for those that listen to him.
His advice?
For the wages of sin is dead. All things are considered. That happens today. Suggestions.
So he says coming by and he may come by wine and milk not only offers water to satisfy the first of the first incentive, but that with will sustain the life that he possesses.
His Lord family from the Lord friends are thrown out of the Sinner comes to the Savior and trust him as the one that died for his things on the cross. He instantly the letters and in nature.
And you like it. Some people seem afraid to come to Christ or hear them all pulled out.
And they'll go back to their old ways where they need to remember that the one that saved you is the one that that will keep you and allow it to pray when you get back. As they say, you get Christ for all orders. Certain expansion after you get a full movie.
00:25:00
For every as long as you're here this season, but all you must receive is the way that he plays here to come to come to bless the Lord as a poor law Sinner, then come to him as the one that will.
Give you a happiness and fill your life with joy and peace to something like what the blessed Lord says in the 11Th chapter of Matthew. First he said, come unto me all, even labor and earth, heavy labor, and I will give you rest as the senators can receive, and the virgin lair is a virgin of speech.
And when he comes, he finds the burden taken away, because the blessed Lord on the cross took that person when he was forsaken of God, and he takes that burden of sin away. And then Bell was the blessed Lord. Hate my yoke upon you, and learn thee for me and Lord in heart.
And we shall find rest on your soul.
Then come and take his yoke. Well, so many people think that would be a heavy you, a hard body. But he says I will confuse and my urgent life. I'm told I thought he was preaching in New York one time he sent it. He said suppose we go out.
Find the centers in the slums that serve the devil for 50 years, and put him on this side, and then we go out in the city, and we find the car of the dog that follows the Lord. Serve Christ for 50 years, putting on this time. See that would there be any trouble whatever of describing whose yoke was evening and whose birth was life?
And then there was not.
With our friends, go in here, that milk of the word and wine, and all of the figure of joy. And when the Good Samaritan picked up the poor man on the road, and Jerry called before in oil.
And wine or the prices of spirits. And why the type of joy?
For the moment you have Christ as your Savior, you enter the joy that will last for lasers down here are totally short and go soon over to there are places in this world.
The more the gold rather the suffer of affliction with the people of God, and to enjoy the plagues of sin for peace going over every slager this world has to offer is written these words so plain that he that runeth Navy, but for us peace and then.
A living heart.
An empty Lord is next, with nothing that matters my soul.
Wherefore do you spend your money for less which is not winning, and your labor was at which satisfies now talking diligently underneath and eat me that which is good, and let your soul in life in fact.
Could be taken as a commentary on.
Everything that's going on in this world.
Men are laboring, satisfied, spending their money.
For that which only drowns the soul, and destruction and relation. Money being spent for liquor, money being spent for drugs.
A night of useless by earning practice so soon all over with nothing but disappointment. All our world to be living in.
00:30:06
And yet they believe we have found.
Prove your own. There are the things of God.
Of Fair return back to this week and figure the elements yeah every tribe who is satisfied these parts with these favors.
That has caused our blessed Lords and stuff in this healthy.
So he says, incline your ear and come on the knees here, and your soul shall live.
No, the soul is the most important part of our being because the cold live for all intentions.
And only the Lord would give the true values of an immoral soul. And he said vascular power of the man, if he gave the whole world that could lose no problem.
Here to come to him as he invites you there's no.
When you know that soul of yours is.
There comes either the heaven or hell.
And what a solid thing. And find your soul cast out into our darkness.
Here, that is the way that the soul can hinder into the divine light, Yes. So listen to the voice of the season, and speaking so much, you think how long he has been inviting lost sinners to himself.
And climb your ears.
I will come up and leave you.
Many thirds and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the your mercy of faith one of the store mercy the doors. Well the Apostles promo tells us when he was preaching in the Benedog and Antioch.
The city of the 13th chapter of Acts. He quotes this very passion about the pure.
Nor yourself.
The very fourth version of Acts 13.
Concerning that you raised him up from the dead, now no more returns corruption, he said. On this slide I will give you the your. Mercifully all the sure mercury of David are found in a risen Christ.
God raised him from the dead. Friendly if you have a rhythm, glorified Christ.
As your Savior and your Lord, you have no mercy, or you know where the object of mercy, or we have been against the holy God. You didn't learn nothing but His wrath, but God is offering mercy.
Whole and scream the God who is rich in mercy for his great love. We're really loved it, even when we were dead in Preston, to have raised us up together and made us sit together.
In heavenly faces in Christ Jesus isn't that long way to see how everything is certain as we consider the gospel.
No one. No question about the secure.
Nurses of David.
And they are offered.
You're the one who explains his ears.
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Waterloo.
Come live with all unwilling to listen to his voice like this poor old man I was telling you about.
That wouldn't listen till God had to speak so strongly to it.
Then we get down the.
Water. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
How you know, friends, that we turn to strong leader and Capital One independent of any leadership?
You're having Christ water and he'll choose the devil or song as well. Agents follow and wonderful to have Christ as our leaders. He likes our friends. So we've been here. I will give him more wisdom. Oh yes, He has a witness within us by the Spirit that we are the children of God.
And then we have the leadership of the leader and commander to the people.
Hopefully is that we have the wisdom of Christ.
All our faith, all our circumstances.
So that the commandment of rising with the impossible John Hills are not pleasant.
Family fixed first think he is a Lord. While he may be profound, all the upon inquiry is included.
Thing is this and the day is coming when the master will rise up and just the door and those that are left outside will save Lord Lord.
You have to say then I know, you know, it's hard for me. You work with me.
So are they worried? Surgeons speaking, The Lord, what? He may be found. And you can find the Lord. You can find him here tonight if you've never found him before, because he's waiting with open arms to his feet.
A little back here, lined up in the tree to see Jesus.
By Jesus came to the very Creed where he had found, called him down, and brought salvation right through his door.
All the appliance while he was here.
I heard a minor that went through a gospel meeting.
On Sunday night.
And they are very much on the conviction of sin last night.
And after the gospel meeting was over, some of the Lord service were speaking to giving the way of life going how he could be saved, but the more man he was so troubled and seen he couldn't find.
Any peace to him for his soul.
And no one was finally suggested. Maybe they should.
Just continue the fall return to their home, but he inspected he says it must be better than that. All the remains were long time as he struggled about this matter.
Finally he knew that the Christ after him and his failure. On Monday morning he went into the mind to work.
And there's one of these terrible explosions.
And when they were bringing up the the dead and the injured, laying them out and they had the mouth of the mind, someone noticed this Cortella and he was brought up.
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Lying there almost uncomfortable, and it's always with weakness. Someone went up to listen, or maybe there was a message they could take to his father's wife.
Here's one of you said thank God it was several last night.
Thank God it was.
Last night.
So he carried out this Speaking of the Lord.
All the time.
And then we read in the seventh verse, Let the wicked frustration we and the unrighteous man thought, and let him return on the Lord.
That is true repentance.
When one has lost to descend towards God.
He turned from his old and regardless mental weight.
We think of all their drying seeds.
And we think of how.
How he has way along the Lord?
He's a man.
And misery Adam is companion on another cross while the other beach isn't turning on his confidence. And reel on him, did he? But he did not bless him or such as the awful heart.
I'll spend your life railed on and another golf was there, he took the strain in his feet, but as soon as that man whichever of his feet and said we indeed, justly, for we receive the due reward of heart.
As Elvis here says, I will of bore he will abundantly.
All because the grace of the Lord Jesus. But we need the grilling and ready to pardon someone that suffered us in all our suffering. And this is hello.
Funds that rendered man and took him to the Paradise of God as the first trophy of redeemed grace and made him a companion in the scene of joy and delight. The day shall thou be as the blessed Savior, whoever needs not only in paradise, but with me.
And he will have mercy upon him, and you are God, for he will of thunderstorms on one revolution to the dream of what he has.
Forgiven and all, all those things.
That there were so long as we may as good as lead for as far as God. So instead of spending on these and mourning and and.
Unhappiness.
About our affairs, our sinful past as we think of them. They're all partners, hardened because of His love.
Pardon because of his work establishment.
Now we read for as the for. My thoughts are not your thoughts.
Neither are your ways my way, except more. Whereas the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your weight and my fault and your fault.
Will man have his thoughts and ideas? Oh, he has his ideas of religion, and he rest on them.
But it all gospel.
False, I'm very familiar and we thank you. The height of the heaven and have gone up to the moon, but beyond whether the starry heaven, but all is vastness and stretches on endlessly.
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So our God thought just that much higher, and all the wisdom of all that man has ever conceived and followed his connection. 12 health needs.
Or as man thinks that if there's a good life and that's the best he can, so that will be.
Where we can get to heaven.
And we say, well, we find out everything, I thought.
To a Buddhist one time, and you know, I have been, Do you believe there's a heritage there? I think you believe there's some hell.
I said tell me, man, how you can be paid health, how you can go to hell. You have to be good.
He said, and he began to tell all this good things to do, but I said here we are traveling on this train in the Caribbean.
Train leaves the class. We're all dancing to eternity. What good would your religion do for a man that has committed all these sins? You say that he couldn't.
Have no answer.
All right, so let me tell you about my team. Didn't say what poor elder deserving center in a moment of time because of the work of Calvin.
What? I talked to Jews.
Things for a moment and they're much interested, but became right back every time to this world. If you do the best you can, if you're kind to everybody, well, I think you'll have a pretty good chance.
A plan for food. It all looks higher than all.
The man for poultry fault. I heard your brother father tell this. He said that he was walking across the park sometime and he came up on two and that were in Cedar Gardens. One was an inch ago and the other was a Christian and the Christian had unwisely understated to get into an argument with this incident and as the incident was.
A far cougar man.
Now the first two knees off the left of the argument and the 4th person was twice the friend over his predicament and seeing this variable gentleman walk up, he looked at him. He's healthy.
Here's my brother, Father says to him, he said to this influence, he said if you don't hold your tongue and open your ears because God will put you in hell. So that's as he can well understand and the whole argument.
Here are your goals to live. God doesn't want our arguments, our reasons or articles. He wants us to hear what He has faith.
And so we have about the rain coming down. So shall my word be that goes out of my mouth.
Shall not return to any boy, but it shall accomplish that with our sleep, and it shall prosper into the things where unto our slender.
Of delightful thought. You and me realize that we have the word of the living God in our hands.
And the work is through that word, that we have been brought to a knowledge of Christ.
And it's big fellas here, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth.
When the blessed Lord was tempted faith in the wilderness, when the devil came to him, and had command these stones to be made praise.
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His reply was to a man. So not me by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded off of the mountain God.
Well, when we read this book, unlike reading any other book.
It's just for the goal. We were actually and as friends, as visible friends of God, and listening to His message comes right out of his mouth.
So here we have the Word of God.
And the Lord says whenever there is the work of God in the soul, it doesn't the elephant all the speaker, although God may bring here something to the ears of a lost Sinner, to awaken him to his knees and to his danger, but what will bring results is just fact that what he said.
But from the word of God.
I was told of a case in Long St. for an auto years ago where my brother gave a very absolute fault for leaders, but there was a lady in the audience that wasn't safe.
And after the meeting, a brother jumped up because because the article has been sufficiently.
Blown out gave them gospel message and they found that it goes to the meeting at this place would stay.
That's all they ask your mother don't throw that gave the gospel and couldn't satisfied with the word of the being secret given was efficient for the evening point. It wasn't possible. He said in the court. We met me this brother called it John 316 and that there's everything up to me and I saw the way of penalty isn't just the word of God.
But isn't it wonderful, Bill Donald, such a foundation?
The Word of the living God. When we think of our soul foundation and of our eternal happiness, it's all groundedness founded on the eternal Word of God that lived on a pilot forever.
Now it says, For ye shall go out with joy, and be less force.
We have a beautiful description in these flowers and two verses of the millennial scene we have to remember all through the Old Testament.
That.
The Millennium becoming reign of Christ is before the Prophet.
But we can, happily and rightly.
Lean from the very bottom prophecies.
For the joys that belong to the believer now, at this time.
All that is coming at times, the lovers, Francis, when the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth, as the waters cover the sea, for the coming in time of unparalleled blessings.
To live for the United world. But it's only after judgment have been poured out.
On this scene and also time, accibulation troubles the head. But then the Lord comes and we set up the Kingdom righteousness.
But we can apply these thoughts of joy as a presence.
Plot for ourselves.
How to?
The lounds and the girls breaking forth, and the singing, and all the trees of the field shall scrap their hands.
Well, when you get Christ as your Savior and Lord your answer into the truth, you're always emphasis, but I want to say love is thanks to God that if we neglect his precious words, do we allow the affairs of life to crowd out.
00:55:14
To lose that word upon which the new nature deeds, or Peter tells us that newborn babes desire.
Mess from the world you may grow therefore.
We neglect the word of God. They're going to become a reminder and lose the true secret of joy and happiness in our souls. Love young people all here don't reflect the daily of the word of God. And then you'll find happiness and then not only to read it, but as the apostle tells Timothy to meditate on these things.
Be like they have one in the first round. Blessed is a man.
That walketh not in the council of the ungodly. There's better standard in the way of sinners. There's sinners in the seat of this contest, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law. Does he meditate day of night? So it says. He shall be of a creed planet by the river, the wall that brings forth his truth in his season. His leave also shall not sell women whatsoever He's doing some prosperous.
And saw this beautiful description ends in this way instead of.
Instead of the form shall come up fir tree and a bit of the briar will come up and perfectly.
All we do on the face on that we threw our pathway with cold Friday.
But if we give the word of God, please.
Gravel joy deserve in our lives we will be figured many of those forms and rise.
I'm not obeying, do not care your testing and your trial break for the awful sense that everyone that liveth God, they shall suffer persecution, still have a trial. But oh, how wonderful it was a hand with the joy of the joy of the Lord in the midst of the midst of the trials.
All this crab world that is getting only darker and more corrupt so we can have the joy of success. The wrong learning more is great as we go on, as the scene grows darker. So while we're not in that, being lifted for a higher steam of glory in this world.
Mechanism of Christ we can already be in the adjournment.
All that which there will be our eternal force, and their width and light.
All the love is.
I was just thinking of the danger again. Anyone losing their precious goals. I heard this illustration one time.
Oh, someone that is going to move to another country.
Going to a foreign country.
And so he felt all its relations and I have a very costly back so that he can make his wealth portable and one day on the on the deck of English down into the air, yes.
Part of that just carelessly in the end. 45 at the time, he says. All our success.
Well, he said. Don't you think that you're running a terrible rest? You toss it around that way. Only said that you've been talking there for the last 10 minutes.
But he talks with us once, and the 5th mercy, he reaches our home to the dead, but it's beyond disease. And flash rolls of iron into the ocean and he cries out too long lost.
01:00:17
All the night in there.
And never lived do that and I agree with you just in the church.
But then everybody has risking his precious children is doing that very soon.
And someday he is strong warrior for the last time.
Two players.
#26 all out of faith with Jesus Lord. Well may his name He have redeemed him from hell by the blood they do forever. And welcome to God.
#28.
World Water.
Dangerous of all living his name by his name created across.
300 and thousand from hell by his love.
And brought them to God.
Beginning of the time from ourselves and the rain.
Titus 2:11-12
Reading
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.
General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973. First reading Meeting.
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25.
Verse 5.
While the bridegroom carried.
They all slumbered and slipped.
Hebrews, chapter 10.
Verse 37.
For yet a little while.
They shall come, will come, and will not perish.
The hymn we've sung together and beloved. Might I suggest a portion from Titus 2?
Verse 11.
If we could read to the end of the chapter from verse 11 and of course that would open up.
Many, many aspects of this wonderful theme that is before us.
The two verse 11.
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
Teaching us, but denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works? These things speak, and exhort and rebuke with all authority, that no man despise thee.
Been said that these few versions give us the summary.
Of all the ministry of the apostle Paul.
When we consider that it was freshly addressed to the slaves.
It's touching to our hearts to think the Apostle.
In addressing the slaves would give us.
The most marvelous truth.
This fullness we have in these verses, and they're the ones.
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That are exhorted.
That they might adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Those who didn't even own themselves.
Working for a master that only was famous. Any other property yard.
And yet to that very class.
They were exhorted to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
So if the apartment.
Would bring the truth down to the level.
Our poorest.
That could be found.
Surely it will be meat in due season.
For all God's people, I'm sure.
It has also been said that from verse 4 to 15.
Christianity really is. And so the remark of our dear brother is very opportune.
Yes, I believe this does depict what Christianity really is from verses 4 to 15.
Grace has appeared.
And not only has grace appeared.
It bringeth salvation.
And for the younger ones here.
We might just remark that if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are saved.
Eternally from the guilt of sin.
But.
There's another aspect of it.
The Lord Jesus has gone back.
On high and there he lives.
A glorified man in the presence of God.
And he saves you, dear one.
And may we emphasize this, this what it means by being saved by his life. It's not his life here, but it's life up Yonder, glorified there. He saves us every moment of our Pilgrim journeys.
From.
Sins. Dominion.
From the power of sin.
And the slavery of sin.
But that's not all concerning salvation.
When the Lord Jesus comes back again, and this is before our souls now.
He will then save us from the very presence of sins. Now what a wonderful savior we have.
Saved from the guilt of sin.
Saved from Sins power.
Its dominion and its slavery.
And saved from the very presence of sin.
When he comes back, it could be today. We trust that everyone sitting here is ready.
Everyone to meet him.
That would not save Brother Smith in connection of what you've been remarking. That's in these verses 1112 and 13 particularly we have the scope of the whole New Testament.
Verse 11 brings before us the gospel, the gospel where the Lord Jesus was here on earth, and the manifesting grace and proclaiming grace.
In the 12Th verse we have the epistles in which the child of God is taught.
The not only the ways of God, but it taught how we should behave ourselves here in the scene in the Church of God. Then in the 13th verse we have the work of the Lord Jesus in judgment here in this world and putting down sins so that when we come to the end of the book of the Revelation.
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We find all things of God's sin having been finally put away.
It appears to all men, doesn't it?
Just the largeness of the full truth that was revealed to the Apostle Paul, isn't it?
It is reached out to all men, It's not limited to Israel or anyone nation any longer. And so the grace of God has reached out now and God has revealed his heart fully at the cross of Jesus.
And it comes from God.
It comes from God.
God is the author of this salvation.
It's not of man at all. God is the author of it.
Oh, it's wonderful to look into the faces of men and women of various.
Standing in life and various languages, and to be able to tell them, beloved, that the gospel the good news.
Is from God. God is the author of.
This is something that is a very great privilege for any servant of Christ to make known this glorious fact that the gospel, the glad tidings God, is the author of us.
Him 179 We read this verse, the second word.
Came from God.
Foolish glory.
Down to Calvary. There for war no one high before we bow, before thee dreams of phasers, scissors, floor all the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a crazy program, that precious Saviours the Creator.
God. The song came down to bring to the full the grace of God to force in the guilty Sinner like we were. What a grace, what a great Isn't anyone that we're going to praise him for All the counselors, ages of eternity, this wonderful precious thing.
And the world doesn't want yeah.
And we wouldn't have hugged ourselves, but hadn't been for the grace of God.
That worked in our hearts, some of us, when we were quite young, going on in the things this world, caring not for heavenly things, the Lord revealed himself to us.
Revealed to us that were poor lost sinners. And then revealed the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who loved us and gave himself for us, and let us the trust in Him when we were quite young. And we can thank the Lord for that much less grace.
And the first thing the grace of God brings is salvation. Doesn't start telling us to live a good life, to break our bad habits, to reform, but it brings the full salvation to our souls and then teaches us to walk a path that supports and agrees with that salvation.
Which we've already received.
But in christening them to a large extent, they put the cart before the horse.
Live a good life and to.
Change your ways and to break your bad habits and then hope to be a Christian to get saved when you get to heaven.
How? How poor that is and wherever we turn in this subject to this subject.
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We find the same thing presented by grace. Are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself. It is the gift of God, not of works with any man should boast. And then you get that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, until good works which he hath before.
Ordained that we should walk in them.
That far.
So you can trace it through the word. It's the same wherever you go.
It was the only thing that could lead us in our need. And so grace that says it's grace wherein we stand, and it's grace that will be brought unto us that the revelation of Jesus Christ.
And it's very important that the heart should be established in grace.
Because, as our brother remarks, it's not only the salvation of our souls, but it affects every part of our lives. How often when difficulties arise, we're liable to say Why did this happen to me? This shows that we have failed of the grace of God.
Did we deserve anything better had we gone on in such a way that we could say we claimed some special blessing or favor from God? Oh brethren, let us remember that if God dealt with us according to what we deserved, it would be judgment. And this is not only true before we were saved, but after. All his dealings with us are engraved and all our dealings with one another should be in the same way and grace, as we noticed in this chapter.
Never, Lord God, standard of holiness. It maintains it to the very highest. If anything depended on our work, then the standard must be lowered because we're for failing things. But since it all depends upon grace, God maintains the standard at the very highest.
Makes known that he has met us in that grace that we didn't deserve at all. But that favor is toward us and we can't lose it because we never deserved it in the 1St place and couldn't lose it because we didn't deserve it. And I'm sure that if the heart is established in there.
It not only brings the salvation of our souls, but oh how wonderful brethren it, getting salvation in every circumstance in our lives, that we receive everything from the Lord has allowed of Him for our good and for our blessings. Think of that lovely verse in the ace of Romans that says he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
So if there's something happens in our lives and we say, why did this happen to me? The answer is the grace thought that it was necessary that we should learn something more of our own unworthiness and of His desires to bless us not according to what we are, but according to the largeness of his own heart.
All we need beloved grace to sustain us in this present evil world.
And more so, with so many rifts being made into the manner God's dear children. We need grace to sustain us. And I like to think, too, that we need mercy to restore us.
To communion. This is a something that is very important, don't you think?
Grace to sustain us, beloved, and mercy to restore us to communion.
I suppose that those two expressions are often confused. Are they not mercy and grace and possibly?
In some minds they mean the same thing, but I suppose we could say mercy is included.
In the thought of grace. But when you think of grace as our brother has just expressed it, it's it's something that came from the heart of God that our poor hearts would never have thought of, that God had reached out in the way he has.
To sinners.
Now one might have hoped for mercy.
But never to think, Beloved, that we'd be among those that would be with the have a portion with the inheritance of the Saints in life, and then to be conformed to his son.
00:25:11
To be to be brought into those eternal councils that God had hid away in his heart long before there was ever a blade of grass, or created things. Well, these are things that.
Bow our hearts and worship as we think of.
Of God's thoughts, not our thoughts. They never entered in man's mind that they came from God and God alone.
Now it's a wonderful thing to enjoy mercy, to have our sins forgiven, but to be brought into the family of God.
To be brought into that relationship as children and to be associated with the Lord Jesus as his bride. All of these are the councils of God, purposes of God, and that to the Gentiles who deserve nothing.
Owing that first brother Hale, that the heart be established with great, and the rest I believe not with meat, which hath not provided them that have been.
It's in Hebrew 13. What is the rest of occupied there in? Yes, occupied therein. Well, doesn't that mean that the danger with God's children is to just establish a form like Judaism?
Certain religious duties.
And just go through the ritual or formal way of in our Christian life. And instead of being established with grace, that is to be reminded continually what the grace of God has done for us. It was often our hearts. It would make us more.
Humble in connection with our brethren.
It would keep us from that side, that hateful thing, that.
Is ever arriving to hinder us? Because what is it that has brought us into such favor? Wasn't our dessert, it was all of His grace. So it's a large subject to be established with grace and to avoid the effort of the enemy to just have us go on in a formal way.
Come together on Sunday morning to break bread, as though that fulfilled our religious duties for the week.
And neglect our our real position and testimony for the Lord.
It speaks of the grace of God here, and I was thinking of how nice it is to connect that with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in Second Corinthians.
Chapter 8 and verse 9.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor. That he through his poverty might be reached. What would we know of the grace of God?
If it had not been expressed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.
And coming into this world leaving the riches of glory.
And coming down into this scene becoming poor, what race well really that brings before US1 side of Grace taking the low place.
It wasn't the thing for him to be grasped after to be equal with God, because he is God.
But yet he made himself with no reputation and he came way down here.
Into this world became a man, and became obedient unto the cross.
Even the death of the cross obedience led him all the way, and he took that low, low place. Oh, what Grace, we might say that.
The fact is that it's the grace of God, but the expression of it is in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Somebody blessed us to notice that almost in every one of your personal the Apostle fall he begins the salutation in connection with the assembly Gracie unto you, and peace and the source of it from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And then when he speaks to individuals, he put something else mercy.
00:30:23
Great mercy and peace.
Almost in everyone of the epistles begins with that very blessed salutation that.
It's very good to take notice of it because encourages our heart grace until you and pee from God our Father, the source, and from the blessed Lord Jesus Christ and oh how we need the grace of God today.
Bottles that grasp individuals like Timothy or Tagus, they added. Mercy. The church has to its standing is not on the ground of mercy, but.
Individuals are we're in constant dependence and we can't take a step in our own strength, and so there is a need of mercy all along the journey.
And they're thinking of this too, in the 12Th chapter of of Hebrews.
Family.
15th verse looking diligently, lest any man fail, of the grace of God.
Lest any root of bitterness bringing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled goes on to show our crabs and serious consequences can come about by failing in grace and going on.
Then the apostle Paul? Or wasn't the apostle Paul kept very humble and low as he contemplated the grace of God, working in his own soul from the beginning to the end. And when we contemplate the grace of God, should it not keep all of us very, very humble?
Considering it was the grace of God.
Something undeserved. There's a favor of God upon each one of us, whether we be brothers or sisters, and if we want to get along with one another.
Let us manifest that grace that has been brought to us.
His Grace is never the passing over of sin. Sin was.
The law is driven by older the grave and truth changed by the price. And God don't withstand according to all of those horribleness and his holy presence of Trump and thou grave thrown out on pictures. That's the only way I would need to be glad he was the oldest. The Old Testament was on the principle of grace. So he finds that upon all them. If I have found grace in my sight, if I am not saying.
Better not in the judgment with my service or thy faith shall no flash living be justified. God always dealt with man. That person will bless them. He could be blessed, but the man doesn't like it. He doesn't even find the much Speaking of God as well.
I love a person because.
Love, but great, is something that the magical heart ever can see, so.
Affection, but that's the heart of God. That's the way it is. Killing themselves. I was thinking all the way. Second Corinthians 11, Where's?
Transformed and the dangerous place at space minister that answers righteousness and that is.
Police and not the great deal about righteousness. And we find out that involved there's a great deal of righteousness.
My family realized all your position a 60 LB build up the righteousness of God.
And we have to watch that even among ourselves that we don't set ourselves being better than others. And we can do the enemies work in setting ourselves up as being some better than others. Every one of us here this morning and we're saved, are the recipients of grace and we never deserved it. And I believe, Brothers Barry, that that's what is referred to in the failing of the grace of God. The context in which it comes in is in regard to disciplining Now, that is, God deals with us in His ways.
00:35:10
And the dependency is where? A month before to think, well, why did this come to me? I think I deserve something better than this from God. And then as we look at other instances, God's hand doesn't seem to be upon them, but it's upon us. And then we fail. The grace of God, we say, well, why didn't happen to me. And I tried to do what was right and it didn't happen to them. Rather than there's not one blessing that comes to us because we deserve it.
Comes in the ground of grace, and on that ground God can bear blast. A violent Sinner. He can bless the most careless Christian. That's the only ground in which he blesses. It's true that he would have us to walk in holiness, but let's not claim blessing on that ground.
To be the result of the enjoyment of grace in the soul. The grace of God teaches us how to walk. I believe this is a very important thing, and might also mention that I believe that's why in the gospel, in the Epistles, it's grace followed with peace.
Because peace in the soul is always the result of the enjoyment of grace, and when we realize that salvation is by grace, then we rest wholly upon what Christ has done when we walk in the sense of grace, there's peace in the soul in the circumstances because we know that they're allowed by a loving Father for our good and blessing.
In connection with Joseph's dealings with his brother.
Through exercise of grace in the soul of Joseph. And yet he had he spoke roughly to his brothers. When they came back and said that they were all true men, well, Grace couldn't come in then and just throw.
Let him throw his arms around them and receive them back. But when they came back after the finding the silver cup and Benjamin sack and Judas took the lead and.
So humbly owned that they deserve nothing during they were poor wretched man. By then he could throw his arms around them, But how slow his brethren were to learn the grace that was in Joseph's heart.
Because after Jacob was taken by then they thought that Joseph would take advantage of them and require.
The the way that they had treated him in the past.
There's a passage in Ones I'd like to read in Romans 15, verse 14 and 15.
Romans 1514. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that she also are full of goodness.
Filled with all knowledge.
Able also to admonish one another.
Now this this verse has been often used and can be used I'm sure, and encouraging.
But I believe in connecting it with the next verse. There's a message for us here in connection with Grace.
Nevertheless, brethren.
I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort that's putting you in mind because of the grace that is given to me of God.
When?
The heart grows cold in the things of Christ.
The outward forms may go on just the same.
There may be even the manifestation of goodness.
There might be a great deal of knowledge to be set forth.
And what else was it? Knowledge and.
The ability to admonish all these things may be present.
And brethren, still there may be the absence of grace.
The Apostle Paul.
Was concerned more.
That he be in the good of that grace.
That was provided in and this is what he exhorts Timothy to in his last epistle. When he's about to leave that he's to be strong, not in the truth merely, but to be strong in grace now.
00:40:18
When the Lord in the 21St chapter of John the last time, the third time he appears to his disciples, there was a a fire bill with coal.
Fish laid there. Are you recall that passage?
We have the same thing with Elijah. When he was discouraged, there was a fire of hot There were hot stones with a cake, bacon on the coals.
And.
I believe here we have something perhaps that might be connected with ministry. In the spirit, I just suggest this.
It's a wonderful thing to have knowledge.
But this alone?
It can turn either one way or the other, brethren. It can either gather the Saints to the true center to Christ, or can scatter them one of the two. Because the thing we should be more concerned about in these last days am I walking in the power of the Spirit of God? Do I have grace?
And so we find the cakes Bacon on the coal were presented to Elijah in his discouragement.
Was he not a servant? Indeed he was. But what was he doing? He was speaking against the people of God.
He is the only prophet whose record of failure is recorded, I believe, in the New Testament.
Now, what does it mean? Now, I'm not trying to say this is all it means, but I'm suggesting, dear brethren, that if you and I have gained the truth.
In trial and affliction and suffering, it'll be from God. But if it's just something we've gathered because we have read, it's not true presented in grace.
It's that what's going on with God in the past is the apostle insisted with Timothy, not only that he have that truth, the commandment that was delivered him, but that he walk in it, and that he be maintained in the good of it, in communion, so that he would not only save himself but those that hurt him. That is in the pathway down here. Now there's a passage I want to read in the Psalms, Psalm 126 that may illustrate this.
And this is true in the gospel too.
Psalm 126.
Verse 5.
They that sow in tears.
Read. Enjoy.
He that goes forth and weepeth.
Bearing precious seeds.
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Brethren, this is what we lack today. It isn't that we don't have truth, but to feel it.
Now the picture I believe in this Psalm is the Jew who has a little feel.
And he has just so much seed. He spared enough for his food for the year, and now he's out sewing how the first crop has failed and he has to dig in his reservoir of that which is so precious to him, that which he spared for his food for that year. He's digging into it so he can sell the 2nd crop. The first one fails, and as he saw, he weeps.
Now I understand this is this has been often the case in Israel.
Where the store would go out weeping because he was using the seed that was going to be for his own food.
For the year he had to use part of it for the sea. Well, if this is the way truth is ministered, Beloved.
00:45:00
Of that which I need myself, then I believe it's grace and it's of the spirit of God. But if it's just something beloved that we have prepared to give others, I'm afraid of it. I'm afraid of it.
Am I right, brother?
Do we not also have an example in the 11Th chapter of Acts where the Barnabas going down to Antioch?
Acts 11.
Verse 22.
There's assembly wise. Then tidings of these things came under the ears of the assembly which is in Jerusalem, and they set forth Barnabas that he couldn't go as far as Antioch, who when he came and had seen the grace of God, was glad. But he didn't stop there. He exhorted them all with purpose of heart. They would cleave under the Lord or.
Abide with abiding with the Lord.
How necessary that is the 2GO together.
Unless we're abiding with the Lord, going on in communion with the Lord and fellowship, we can talk all day long about grace and not know anything about it. Well, the rest of the verse shows that was in that state because it says for he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and a faith.
Well, that wasn't just head knowledge.
That was a man.
Filled with the Spirit of God, but in order that the Spirit of God may have the material to use.
At a time like Barnabas was used there among those young converts, Antioch there must be diligence in the words and speaking about head knowledge and so on. We're not in any way.
Discourage anyone from gathering all the truth they can for for their good and trusting the Lord it might be used and blessing to others.
The Spirit of God doesn't perform a miracle and just suddenly fills the mind with Scripture and with truth to give out in times of importance and need.
That is the result of constant diligence and.
As Paul says to Timothy.
Gives attendance to reading.
And meditation.
And so he speaks of giving myself holy children so that if there is that constant diligence and.
Not only the reading of the word, but the enjoyment of the word.
Enjoying it in one soul.
Then there is that preparation, that when the opportunity is granted by the Lord, the Spirit of God has a vessel prepared to give out what will be a blessing to others, but just to read the word in order to become.
A Bible student or to be a good speaker or a good teacher or a good preacher.
Well, we got there's the wrong object before the soul, but where there is the reading and the presence of the Lord and and communion with the Lord, while then the heart is prepared for whatever the Lord may see fit to use in one's life.
The subjection to the circumstances that are brought into our lives in connection with it.
Because objection is is a wonderful thing. We may not understand why God allows things in our lives.
But, brethren, this is what settles the word in our hearts and gives us to understand it. And that's what it means, really, I believe, to have the truth from God, not just to have truth, but to have it from God, because he brings circumstances into our lives and trials.
To deepen in our soul the enjoyment of the truth, to receive it directly from him.
00:50:07
In the book of Acts, chapter 27, there is a little verse that I have enjoyed very much lately. I'd like to pass it on to you, dear Brevin has been made very pleasure to my heart and I'll pass it on to you this very precious words Acts chapter 27 and verse 9.
This is very blessed indeed when we what we read here typically.
As individual and as a group of people, we can take something for our heart, for our conscience. Now, when much time was spent and when sailing was dangerous, do we have dangers in our way? Distress.
This individual as an assembly, that is what these people did because the past was not.
Fast falls admonishing, And I was saying to my own conscience, in my own heart, all blessed Lord, that might not be so with me.
So to speak that I lay aside one of the most wonderful privilege that I have without of a praying and supplicate before God. Oh, we need that. And so the Apostle Paul admonished them of the danger, because the fast.
Was now fast, or that I might not be so with me beloved presence, that we might give ourselves to prayer and supplication. And I believe that God will come in and bless us and restore us and deliver us from the trouble that afflicts us as individual, as what is assembly Sometime beloved parents. But this is very significant. There was a danger in the cell, and the fast was already passed. I have enjoyed a booklet, dear brother.
Salem will fall from militants and we have a wonderful example in the Old Testament. I like to read it with you. You better just a minute of your time. Second Samuel, chapter 21. Second Samuel, Chapter 21. I have enjoyed one thought I'd like to pass on to you, dear brother. And I have enjoyed them. It's not the case of.
Second Samuel, Chapter 21.
Verse 9 is also the age, the word of God. The David took seven of the sons of soul, and he delivered them to be hands.
And two of them there were the sons of a response, and none of what she did understand. Beloved Raven. Oh, how that spoke to my own heart and conscience. What a lesson we can learn from this here woman in the Old Testament, and reisbar the door of it a high.
Took cyclone and spread it for our upon the rock from the beginning of the harvest until the water drops.
Upon them out of heaven, and suffer neither avoid of the air to rest on them by they, nor the beast of the field by night. Well, what a wonderful lesson we don't find this woman.
Risked by complaining against the deed that David did against our Tucson, but just grasped and sackled cast ourselves upon the rock, and I will raise on the question to myself. I say, Well, suppose you read, you were to ask this woman what is the meaning of you casting yourself upon the wrong?
Oh, I believe that this year woman will say. Why don't you know? It means that I'm casting myself upon Jehovah, who is the rock of Israel. And so I believe, with the love of brethren, that we can learn a wonderful lesson for this woman just to cast ourselves upon God.
And it will come in, intervene and bless us and deliver us.
She was one of the children of Esau.
And she appreciated Grace.
In connection with what was said about ministering the truth, I was thinking of what is mentioned in First Corinthians 13. We know in part and we prophecy in part. Now that is.
Where none of us can say that we have fully entered into the truth that we ministered, but we seek to give it out as that which we desire should be made good in our own souls. And I believe the Lord often tests us about things that we speak of.
00:55:10
We may speak of things in this very meeting, and then the Lord will afterwards pass us through situations that test us as to whether these things have been made real in our own soul. But for any of us to boast and say that we have fully laid hold of all the truth that we minister wouldn't be honest before God. We know how suitably we enter into it, and we confess this as we minister it. But they administered in that spirit of humility.
Recognizing that we're all in the position of learners.
We never graduate from the school of God as long as we're here in this world, but we can give it out in humility and in the sense of grace. I believe that's important because there might be some here that would feel well. I dare not speak of things because I don't know that I've entered into all these things. Well, there is a manner in which it can be given out as something that we desire to know more about. I think the Apostle Paul's expression in Philippians 3 is an example of this.
He speaks the price of the object in Philippians. 3 And there he says that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death. I suppose there was no one that knew the Lord as well as Paul.
He knew him so well, he wanted to know him better. There was no one who had gone through so much as Paul in suffering for Christ, but he said he wanted to know the fellowship of his suffering. So may the Lord give us grace to speak the articles of God, but to speak of with humility, by careful, lest we would think that we had attained to all the things that we speak of how much we have failed in doing this, don't you think? Is the danger, brother, hey ho, of our pressing.
Truth upon others who are not ready for it. Oh, indeed, the Lord spoke the Word to people as they were able to bear it. And one has thought a lot of what the Lord said, and they shall be all thought of God. We might minister the truth, but we don't receive it until God Himself teaches it to us. And the soul has to be in that state where God can communicate it to the soul and make it good.
And that's to an empty vessel, isn't it? Yes, this becomes legalism when we insist that others take up things that we are selves might.
At least see in part. But we insist that they take them up. That's legalism. It's not grace. It's just the opposite of grace. And I believe that this is the tendency when we are self grow cold in our souls.
That we no longer exhibit that grace. And so we take up simply the truth in itself and we make an issue of the truth. And this is very, very dangerous.
It makes people hypocrites, really, because then they pretend to be something that they're not, like the Pharisees in the Lord's day. And God hates hypocrisy. He wants us to be real beforehand. He wants us to have praise to the object, but not to pretend to be what we're not.
And if we pretend to have more spirituality and more knowledge than we actually have in the presence of God, this is exceedingly dangerous, and to push us all beyond his own spirituality will make him that unless he learns the truth from God and does what he does to please the Lord.
The word of God is quicker living on powerful and sharper than any two edges sword. And I was thinking how that even though we have given us the word to those that were not ready for that particular part of the world yet in the world that is living.
And I know in my own experience, there were, there was teaching that I had heard of when I was quite young after I was saved.
And I didn't. I didn't walk in the path that the Word of God taught for quite a number of years.
01:00:04
And then they came out to this country and was serving the Lord for years and one of the well known sects in the country.
But there came a time when I saw around me the sect drifting into modernness and giving up the word of God and denying the deity of Christ.
And then the Lord brought back to my mind.
The things I have learned many years before.
In regard to what the path of truth was marked out in his special words as being gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
The Lord brought those tools back to my mind with power and I saw, well, here's what God's word says and there's the way that they sex around this are going on. And so I became exercised about about the matter and then began to search for where are those people that walk according to the word of God? Where, where? I didn't know any of them. I didn't know where they were, where the meetings were.
And we began to make inquiries.
Found out that in Des Moines there's a little group of sins guide on the principles of God's precious word. I'm not quite aware of where are those people? Where where do they meet? And we found out where the net and I and and some of others that were going through the same exercises we we dropped in one night to a reading meeting and the little old hall and Des Moines.
Where was just a very a very small meeting at that time. The little old hall of snow going on to one of the freeways Freeway took the the hall and the and the runner Freeway right through where the hall one stood. Well, we began to attend the meetings and inquire and through and in the short time brother amateur came to the mind of some meetings and were told that there was a brother having some meetings and the Lord's coming in the Tabernacle.
And we, my wife and I, and some of these other young folks, we began to attend those meetings.
And the truth who set forth of God into the precious name of the Lord Jesus, brought woman power to our souls.
And quite a few of us left our our sack and what we were ministering our so-called ministers and came into the little meeting where he Steven the little gathering and the number 11 old brother when we when we asked to be received in the meeting. There's one old brother he's going to build the Lord many years ago because this happened 58 years ago and I'm telling you about.
And when we're asked to receive, the brothers hardest meet with them and began to inquire us to assist. And then this old brother said, I never forget what he said, he said, Well, brother said I hope you're not coming. Want to come among us because you think that we're a very nice, a very nice group of people because you'll soon find out that we're just a set of poor, broken 6.
4 Crooked Sticks Well, of course we're all cooking sticks, you know, our crooks and our twists and our our ideas. But the truth is the truth, and we were received at the Lords table 58 years ago this summer.
And through the grace of God, we've kept going on with our brother and where we have our failures.
But who doesn't? But we have the grace of God.
To guide and direct us and when we stumble to pick us up and started on the way again, and what muscles gracefully we have received from the Lord and hurricane thank the Lord for it.
Here are the lot of things that you're speaking about.
With, with ministering the words.
Are you confining that to those who are definitely out serving the Lord in His work?
Although I was thinking of it firstly to encourage any. Although there are many small meetings represented here, and I know if I can speak of myself many years past that to speak of the truth of God, especially when one is a little younger, as though we had entered into a fully we just remained silent. So we seek to give it out as something that we have enjoyed, something that we feel that we are learning but recognizing that.
01:05:27
We all have much to learn, and that in many things we all offend. No, I think it's an encouragement, not just the one who devotes most of his time to the Lord, but all of us. It's an encouragement to seek to give out the truth in communion with a desire to walk in it, yet with a sense of our own failure too, don't you think?
Well, but you would bring that in, in connection with Sunday school work or work among children.
Those who who are asked to take a Sunday school class to sell without a tie to them. Sisters as well as brothers.
And very lovely to see the testimony of ones who were just saved, like the woman who said come see a man that told me all things that ever I did. He didn't know very much, but she had been brought to know him and then he was all charges.
He preached in the synagogue that Jesus was the Son of God. Since I've been the revelation of Christ to his soul, who was precious, and he gave it out. And so one who knows very little can speak of what he has learned of Christ, and God will be pleased to use it, won't he?
Remember a case in my own life, brethren, when I read a portion of written by Mr. Darby. This was when I was seeking to go out and serve the Lord.
He wrote this and it impressed me so much I remembered him by memory.
Men go forth into God's service from a place of strength, realizing their own nothingness, their own nothingness. This is a great secret, isn't it? In any service for crime, brethren, We are just poor, Jacobs.
That's all we are, poor Jacob, but we encourage our hearts in the fact that the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. So that impressed me. What?
Late Brother wrote, men called God service gold for fall from a place of strength, realizing their own nothingness.
Well, we've we've built on verse 11 and we noticed that.
Possessing this grace, beloved.
The Apostle would teach us.
How to walk in this world?
But the time is nearly gone but from verse 11 it goes on to 12.
Possessing this wonderful thing we call grace, the grace of our God.
Then by the Spirit of God he would teach us in this next verse.
Our ongoing.
Teaching us now why? It's in view of an event which is going to take place very soon. This is where the Apostle is aiming in his teaching. In this portion, it's in view.
Of their blessed one was soon coming.
And so he says, teaching us that denying ungodliness.
And worldly love we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. The Apostle is preoccupied concerning these their souls who have been saved by the grace of God.
He's concerned about them.
In view of that special event.
That is to take place and at any moment, well, this is very, very important to keep this before.
Isn't that one of the greatest dangers, Brother Smith today?
01:10:06
Ungodliness. Now I suppose we can distinguish this from open sin. Ungodliness is leaving God out, isn't it?
It's just leaving God out entirely now the believer.
In measure can do this.
He can become overcharged with the cares of this life to such an extent that he leaves God out. And I'm sure that I've been guilty of this, and others may have to confess the same, that the present things may so engross and take up the mind and heart that we get at a distance from God. And so I believe this is distinguished from what comes later.
The world he loves, ungodliness, is simply.
Leaving God out. And this is what will characterize the end days as we get connected with flock and so on. Just leaving God out.
Well, would that be using the sharp knife or circumcision? That was the first thing that Joshua required of the Israelites after they had crossed the Jordan and.
To enter the promised land instead of starting out with banners floating where they have to use the sharp knife.
And that is really self judgment, isn't it? Denying ourselves these things that the old nature loves them would seek after. So it's a constant thing with us to use that sharp knife.
That's the first thing he said, to make sharp knives and then they were to be circumcised.
That's so related.
Soberly would be.
Bring the thought of applying the truth to ourselves practically and is not being overcharged with the cares of this life in the light of the precious truth that we have received? Is it not sin? Now we have cares, but to be overcharged with them, and to allow ourselves to be so taken up with present things, become sin in the light of the precious truth that we have when we're so near.
The coming of the Lord.
Passage that speaks be careful for nothing, or careful this old world, which means full of care, overburdened, or the cares of his life. And so there's that danger of of being overburdened. Instead of casting our burdens on the Lord, we go out and carrying our own burdens ourselves, we sometimes we throw them on the Lord to win and pick them up and go on again.
And our telecommixed journey and that's that's really the side all those all those worldly things and and.
The things things that were supposed to be done with casting all your care upon him, all your care upon him for he cared for you. Not merely to just cast the big heavy tears on the tree that we feel oppressed or bowed down by, but casting them all.
Because little cares make make big cares.
And the burden gets heavy and we get the mourning and complaining and discourage.
And the Lord wants to cast them all on him. The Lord Jesus took the burden of our sins on the cross, died for them all, every one of them, nor the judgment they deserve. And so He wants us to to cast our trial, our sorrows all on Him, leave them all with him. And born are we rejoicing the force to test the Philippines. Rejoice in the Lord.
Always. And again I say any choice.
The narrower we get to the year jubilee I'm using an Old Testament illustrations, the less the property was worth.
At the Year of Jubilee, it all went back to the original owner and we're getting very near brethren to the deer of Jubilee for the Saints and the last things here are worth because of it. Is that right?
01:15:14
This is a great remedy I found in my own little life, beloved.
The one day I was reading from the Song of Solomon, thou hast doves eyes. So I said, Lord geez, what does this mean, doves eyes?
Well, in Bolivia they have the army keeps loads of many of these carrier pigeons because there are many of them and they use them for carrying messages.
Well, it came to me this way, that a dove, a pigeon, has eyes for whole. Let me illustrate it. One day there was a one of these carrier pigeons on the roof of one of the friends there, and it was sitting there for hours. So he got a ladder and climbed up and picked up the little bird didn't it didn't try to fly away.
And he wondered whether it was very sick. Nor it wasn't sick. He notes the tag on its little red leg. Do you know how far that bird had flown? 3000 miles.
That bird had eyes for home, Beloved in this wicked world, if there's anything that will keep our hearts happy in the law.
And also.
Concerning our problems, if there's anything that will keep a break on them, it's to have eyes for whole. Do we have eyes for whole?
Have I eyes for home?
Well, it's a great truth.
In the denying of these things.
After all.
Worldliness.
And lust of these things that accompany us, if we would live in the very anticipation of that blessed man.
His coming, his imminent coming. If we would live like that, we would be have eyes not only for home, but we would be in full enjoyment of the Lord Jesus himself. We would enjoy him more and more as the object, bright and fair, to fill and satisfy the heart. Well, I thought of that when thou hast dove's eyes. Eyes for whom all the love? And have we eyes for whom?
The apostle is bringing these believers to this glorious fact that there's someone coming, and so we get a list here of things that do not permit us to keep our eyes fixed.
On hold on their blessed One. I wonder if John Bunyan had that in mind when he described Christian and faithful.
In pilgrims progress, I'm sure they were conscious of what the grace of God had wrought for them in delivering them from the city of destruction and accompanying them along the way. But when they came to Vanity Fair, if I remember it correctly.
They didn't turn to the right hand on the left to criticize or find fault with what was going on. They had eyes from home, too. They were thinking about the Celestial City that was before that, and they went right through Vanity Fair with their eyes straight on ahead.
They didn't have too easy a time either, because the folks around them didn't like that attitude very well and tried to drag them.
To the right hand or to the left. So perhaps a sense of the grace of God that has delivered us, that is continually with us as we get into one verse, and the blessed hope before us will make it a very real and practical thing that we be delivered from those things mentioned in the verse in between.
Maybe sing 286 just one word. We have a very touch with him, 286.
286.
01:20:01
So God.
Will come again.
Titus 2:12-15
Reading
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973. Second reading meeting.
Titus 2:00 and 12:00 is it.
11Th verse to get the connection.
Titus Two and verse 11.
For the grace of God that bring us salvation has appeared to all men.
Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that He might redeem us in all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good work.
These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority that no man despise thee.
We were noticing, brethren, that from verse 11.
In verse 12 we have.
The necessary instruction given us.
Concerning war in this world, and it's in anticipation, of course, of that moment of all moments.
That Blessed one himself would come.
Oh, what a, what a.
How necessary it is to be found walking.
Well pleasing before the lawn waiting, that blessed one. I was thinking concerning verse 12. If we look at a verse in 2nd Corinthians 7 and verse one.
Having, therefore, these promises dearly belonged.
00:10:04
Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.
Perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
It was dear Mr. Darby who explained this in this way.
That perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Is the exclusion of everything from our life and testimony, which would be contrary to my to God's mind and to God's nature. That's just simple quotation from what he wrote, the exclusion beloved of everything from our life and testimony.
That would be contrary to God's mind and to God's nature.
Oh, how solemn that is. That's what he calls perfecting Holiness in The Fear of God.
Well, we have it here in Titus.
Teaching us that denying ungodliness. We've already remarked on that and worldly must.
How strong the lusts of the flesh are in you.
And how strong the lust of the eye in middle age folks, and the pride of life in older people.
None of us are exempt, of course, and as we read the life and testimony of.
Brethren in England.
So many of them didn't end as well as they might have. We rejoice.
In the teaching, and we rejoiced years reading through carefully their writings.
But how sad it was that some left that divine ground.
Well, we cannot trust ourselves.
When we.
When we think that we're strong, we're weak, but his strength is perfected in our weakness.
Well, I just comment that.
In view of his coming. But it's also a note of warning, beloved to us.
Wasn't it Mr. Wigram who prayed every day?
That God would never permit him to die a wicked old man.
How sad, How solid.
You think, Brother Smith, that the three that you've mentioned?
They looked at.
They add 1 to the other.
That which is common in youth we have added to it that which is.
Characteristic of one who is a little older and then the pride of life adds to it. And so we have to be on our guard as to all of these three things that are mentioned.
I was thinking too.
Too in this connection.
We have the Word soberly and righteously or justly, and then the Word.
Godly.
Are I wonder if the thought is not this, another translation says piously.
It might suggest I'm just proposing this.
It might suggest the complete submission to the will of God. Is that the thought, Brother Barry, I think it has, you see, soberly, has to do with ourselves righteously, has to do with our fellow man, and godly has to do with our responsibility to God. So that the subject is very full here.
Takes in a full view of responsibility, and you can weigh, we can weigh the words soberly, righteously, How important it is.
00:15:06
That there should be sobriety on God's people when you realize the condition, the awful condition, the moral breakdown of everything. How we need to be sober and to realize.
How hateful the conditions in the world are to God, so that we will not in any way yield to these things that are developing all around us. And I believe that soberly sobriety has to do with self judgment. It's a constant state of refusing and judging. And something like that verse in the I believe it's the 96th sound. Is it he that?
Loved the Lord, hate iniquity. Is that the verse?
Not only to, just.
Let these things go by.
Where the.
An indifference, but something that is hateful to God.
Is that the sound, brother?
Yeah, you code it, will you brother 97 is it? Yeah, I won't saw them all.
Ye that love the Lord hate evil.
That was the that was the attitude of the.
Have the experience of Psalm 139 thou searched me and known me.
Sifted, and he discovered that God knew him, knew his thoughts are far off.
And then at the end of the Psalm 139 I believe it, it reads.
It seems like it's a new subject and it doesn't fit the Psalm, but it it fits it perfectly because it says.
For the the 20th verse, For they speak against the wickedly and thine enemies Take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee and them, and not, I agree, that those that rise up against thee.
I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them my enemies. Now I know this is this belongs to Israel in the coming day. But the principle that our brother suggested is not only to avoid something, but to to take the place that God takes in regard to evil.
On his side completely, I believe, is the thought here.
Thinking of the word sober.
I know it has in it the sense of sobriety.
But I suppose it's somewhat the same thing. Sobriety and soberness.
It's not going on in a light spirit. Now it's true that a child of God.
Can be light hearted.
He should be light hearted because he knows that his sins are all washed away and the judgment due to them is all gone. He's not coming into judgment, he's passed from death unto life. He can rejoice because he has peace with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well.
We can have that kind of rejoicing, that kind of pleasure and delight, but I suppose when it speaks of soberness, it's in connection with what the flesh delights in, what the old man can take pleasure in. And we're to be sober and so have sobriety in that connection.
We have this subject before us in our meeting. I believe it was last Lords day in the adult class.
And we were reading this scripture over in First Peter chapter 5.
And I was struck with what Peter connects with soberness.
First Peter, Chapter 5 and verse eight, he said. Be sober. Be vigilant.
Be sober. Be vigilant. Vigilance means be watchful.
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In connection with Peter, the Lord had told him to watch and pray that he entered not into temptation.
Watson prayed. Well, it seems that Peter was taking lightly what the Lord had told him, the warning that the Lord had given him. He wasn't taking it seriously. It didn't sober him to think that he might deny the Lord that he might forsake the Lord. He didn't take it seriously, didn't sober him, And then he didn't watch. The two seem to go together.
I remember once.
I was traveling from 1 village to another in the Congo going about preaching the gospel and I usually had a caravan of men with me to carry my things and we only had a path to walk in.
And at a certain point we came across some lion tracks, and there were huge ones. And we could tell that there were more than one lion, perhaps a pair of them.
And there was grass bushes around and we couldn't see where the lions were. They might be around there, but as soon as we saw those lion tracks we got pretty sober. There wasn't any more frivolity. Then we became really serious and we were watching.
Too Well, this is what Peter is is thinking about. Surely he's speaking about Satan going about.
As a roaring lion, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.
And the opening to Satan's getting hold of us, And he gets hold of us by means of the flesh, because that's what he gets hold of in US, is the old flesh, the fleshly nature, and it should sober us to think.
That Satan might get hold of us. And when we're not sober, that is, we're going on in a light spirit, frivolous spirit, and we're trying to enjoy the things that appeal to the flesh. Well, Satan is getting hold of us right there. That's the beginning of the fall, and the first thing you know, he's ruined us. Oh, how important it is to be sober, that is, as far as the flesh is concerned.
But of course we need not be sober as far as the Spirit is concerned, because the fruit of the Spirit is love and joy and peace.
But it's in connection with that thing in us that enemy inside that Satan can get hold of and draw out, and all causes all kinds of sorrows.
And then the word righteousness.
That's important too.
For we have a nature in this that is not upright, and we need to be on our guard and doing this.
So on that we're walking an honest, upright ways. Remember hearing brother Potter give a warning on time at Montreal to his brother and he said there were two kinds of talks that the Israelite was forbidden. One was a Nighthawk and and he brought out that that's taking advantage of someone at night or in the dark or catching him on the fly.
As well as an open deal that wouldn't be quite so underhanded as the other. Well, we have to be careful. I know of a place where there was, once I judge, a happy gathering that went to pieces and there's no testimony there, and there hasn't been any testimony for many years. Someone told me that the leading brother in that meeting would short change you if you had a chance.
Got to be known as a man that was crooked, although seemingly a spiritual man that.
Well, he was a helpful man and the meeting took nice part and everything and I guess was well taught. But he had a sly way of doing dishonest, tricky business affairs. Well, we all need these these warnings.
Because we have within us that nature which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. So we need that sobriety as to our own personal walk that Brother Anderson has brought out so well. And then we need this practical righteousness as we go on among men. And then the last subject is godly.
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Walking with God and communion with God and what's going on with what is due to him.
Because we could be much concerned about conditions around us, and we could be upright in our ways, and yet neglectful of that which is due to the Lord, and to not be giving the Lord His proper place.
You say, Brother Mary, that?
After bearing testimony within the circle that is our circle of fellowship, whereas in the third chapter is that testimony that we bear on the outside.
However, you can apply both to the assembly as well as on the outside, but here I believe the.
Emphasis is laid on our testimony within the assembly as we go in and out amongst one another and as you've just related this brother that did not have that uprightness and how these things do mar the testimony.
And the outside of the first part of the 11Th verse.
Connecting that with the first part of the 13th verse, looking for that blessed hope, that is the rapture, and the 12Th verse verse which we're looking at in light of the appearing or revelation of Jesus Christ.
Is there not a connection there? Yes, the Revelation is, and everything will be brought to light. The hidden things of darkness will all be exposed at that time. And we need to call attention also to the last to the verse in this present world.
Well, we live in a very different age than some of us when we were living in our younger days when we'd never seen a car nor ridden in a car.
Now we're in a highly developed period in the world's history. Now in Pauls Day, they didn't have trains. Even there would be, it would be considered in those days very backwards. But whether it's Pauls Day or whether it's the days of some of the brothers that have departed this scene, it's still its present world. It never loses its character.
And when you read about Demas, Paul says Demas hath forsaken me. Having loved this present world doesn't say this present evil world. I believe as you get in the first of Galatians, there we get.
Well, a better turn to it and read it.
In Galatians 1.
Great CDU and the third verse of Galatians 1 Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father.
Yeah, may not give the importance to the facts that the Lord Jesus not only suffered on the cross to put away our many awful sins, but one purpose in his death, in the death of Christ has brought out there, is to deliver us from this present evil world. It was just as much a purpose in his death.
To deliver us from this awful, wicked world as it was to put away our sins.
And let's remember that, beloved, that if we allow ourselves to be drawn into this.
Evil age. The world in which we are passing, that which has rejected Christ and has no place for Him. We're really ignoring the sound facts of what the death of Christ was, the one great purpose in the death of Christ, to make little of his sufferings on the cross.
00:30:20
And view of what he would deliver us from.
Was the standard that this?
Maybe at times different from what we get in Scripture. In business, I mean, and there may be things in business that the world may be free to do that the Christian would not be free to do, even though it may be accepted in the world. So I believe we should, we should notice that because the man of the world will immediately criticize the Christian for doing a thing that he himself would be free to do. And another thing.
We must remember that no man lives to himself.
Now if.
If we give an offense in anything, it affects the whole testimony of God. Here it affects the assembly and assemblies have been thrown into confusion simply because of one brother and his bad business dealings or other things. And that's a very sad thing. We must remember that we're one body in Christ, and that what we do affect all the Saints and the fellowship that we're in with the Saints.
The of John. We have these words where that's the second chapter first John.
Verse 15.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Well, the Word. The Word world here is not God's creative world, brethren, but it's this diabolical spirit that pervades everything in it. And this is where the Saints get caught.
We are capable of anything, beloved, unless he keep his hands of love upon us.
To recognize a conscious weakness, and there's plenty of it among us. We all own that and bow our heads and shame. But what God hates is a false piety. A false piety. This is something that's distasteful to the Lord well.
Then verse 16 for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, where we just mentioned that.
And the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Now we're all capable of anything. We're capable of it.
We we must never think that we are exempt from all this.
But let us remember one thing, beloved, that the world passes away with its must thereof, but he that doeth the will of God.
Abideth forever. Oh, what a wonderful verse that is. The world passes away with its lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God.
Abideth forever.
The whole world is government.
Saw that the tree was good for food. That's the lust of the flesh poisoned to the eyes. That the lust of the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise. That's the pride of life. And this is how sin came into the world. And so this is what Satan has been working on ever since. He may use different things to tempt us. He might use food as it was there, but there are other things in the flesh which it might desire.
And then there's the lust of the eyes, the things that we can see. And then there's position in the world. We find that when Satan came to the Lord, he used these same three things he presented to the Lord, the.
Temptation, command, that these storms be made bread. That was the lust of the flesh. And the Lord Jesus answered, Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. He wouldn't turn stones into bread without a word from his Father.
00:35:06
And he showed them all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them a wonderful traveler. But the Lord said that he wouldn't bow down and worship Satan to have all this. And then he brought him to the pinnacle of the temple to cast himself down to get public acclaim.
And this was religiously. And so we see that Satan tried this with our first parents, and they fell. He tried it with the Lord and found there was nothing in him that responded to these temptations. But he tries it with us, and there's plenty within us that respond to the temptations from without. And we must not think that these lusts merely apply to those things that are, shall I say, in the world, we can.
Find these same temptations even among the people of God, and this is where we have to be watchful.
And that's why we're told not to be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That is, we can find much that would appeal to us. We can get occupied with food and all this sort of thing, even among the people of God. We can get occupied with fine buildings and all the appeals to the island. We can have actually a sort of a competition to have the nicest home, and yet it's not what the world is among the Saints. And then we can strive for a position among the people of God.
And take honors for self, and this is the pride of life and another form. And one dear brother said, Before I was saved, I wanted to be a great man in the world, and after I was saved, I wanted to be a great man in the Church of God, and I had to learn that both were wrong.
So we must realize that we don't have to go out of the assembly to find these things, and we can seek them right inside. And when we do, we can do as much harm within as if we went outside seeking after them. Because these things ruin the happiness of communion, they spoil the fellowship of Saints, they spoil our testimony before the world. And all because these things work from within. But I believe these are very.
Solemn warnings to us because.
We all have these very things within us, and Satan knows just how to present to us all things that appeal to the flesh. And unless we're very near the Lord, we don't realize that we're falling. We don't realize that the moon springs of our hearts are not Christ, but some of these things, even something that may give us acceptance and importance among the people of God, that self is the basis instead of Christ.
Last prayer for Philimon Garnika.
My heart has been broken.
There's a man I led to Christ in the Jackal Wall in 193422 years served. The Lord faithfully, is the Father, spiritual father of all those Saints in the South of Bolivia.
There are 73 in fellowship there when they're together.
And his downfall was this.
He was elected mayor of the town.
And from that day, Philemon's testimony has been nil. Well, I pleaded with him.
22 years of faithful service.
A matured man over 60 years of age.
Fell snared by one of the rich families there, a divorced woman.
Paul could say I know that in my flesh.
There dwelleth no good things.
Was a sad ending. We are praying for him that he will come back and confess to all the people who've known him so well what God can do for a repentant St. He'll be a a lame priest from that from this on. But if we could pray for him to come back and confess.
What God can do for a St. who has been tripped up by Satan?
Now none of us are exempt.
00:40:01
That be a man he has walked those miles.
His feet have traveled hundreds of miles of the gospel, and he's traveled it over with Dong on donkey. Back at last. The truck. We got him a truck.
But he's failed.
Oh, how subtle the flesh is.
How terrible.
Well, the answer the Lord gave to Satan each time he came with his temptation.
As the provision that is given to us, it is written, the Lord didn't reason with Satan. He didn't tell Satan. Well, I know I'm going to have all the kingdoms of this world someday. They're promised to me. But he gave him the scripture and left it there.
And brethren, how important it is.
In these days of looseness, that there is obedience to the Word of God, that's our one protection against all the attacks of Satan, not only to know the Word, but to be subject to the Word, to bow to it. And when we see a plain scripture, instead of trying to get some excuse for ignoring it or taking some other path, that the Word condemns.
To submit to it, and then there will be that deliverance from the attack of the enemy.
I was thinking of the last three verses of the ministry of.
In the official the last two verses of the ministry of the apostle Paul, John in the epistles. And there we have that which is positive, that which will keep our heart, and verse 20 and then the warning, and verse 21 and verse 20, that which is practical, that which will keep us, That's the person of the Lord Jesus, isn't it? And we know that the Son of God is come.
To do away.
Was all the Satan did with the first parents, as we had upon the third chapter of a revelation of a Genesis, and had given us an understanding that we might know Him. That is true. And now something very precious has happened with us, and we are in him no longer, with all its deceitfulness. We are in him, although we still have the whole nature in US, and we have heard very solid one and concerned that our own nation and all nature we are in Him. That is true.
Even in his Son Jesus Christ, this is the true God, that eternal life. And then he concludes the ministry in the Epistle with his very solemn way. Very simple, very short, but to the point. Little children, keep yourself from idols in the plural. And it doesn't mention what kind of idol is, but it's in the plural and I believe, and they speak to my own heart and conscience, anything that stands between me and the blessed Lord Jesus that comes between me and the blessed Savior as an idol.
As an eyeball.
Now we have something entirely different in the next verse, don't we?
It just takes us away entirely from ourselves and all our failures. And this is good too, with there are times when we should be exercised.
About that which is in our lives as contrary to the word of God. But this is what keeps us, isn't it? This blessed hope of the Church that the person before our souls, It is coming again here, perhaps a different aspect of his coming. But still it's the blessed hope looking in a general sense, is it not? The brothers said we have two aspects of it here together, do we not?
The One is the Lord's coming in the air for his people, and and then his glorious appearing is when the Lord returns with his Saints. Both are brought out in the Word.
Behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000 of his sinks, That's the appearing. But when you read, the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout to the voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Now that's the blessed hope. But it's lovely here to see how he brings the two together.
00:45:13
Time the Lord comes in the air and then after we have been with him.
For we know more than seven years while then he returns William Saints to set up his Kingdom, and that is the time when the Saints are rewarded.
Rewards always are connected with the appearing and not.
With the Rapture. The Rapture suggests that the joy that will be the portion of the Saints when we meet the Lord in the air to see His face, to hear His voice, find ourselves eternally and comfortable with our blessed Lord and Savior. There's no thought there of being rewarded. That comes in later.
This would also include the pharmacy to see the president, wouldn't it?
View of the responsibility and of our walk in verse 12 I mean.
It's always seemed to me that.
When you have the marriage supper of the lamb, you might just turn to it in Revelation.
The 19th chapter.
He says in the seventh verse of Revelation, Revelation.
19.
Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him, For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife hath made herself ready to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen read that the righteousness says.
Of Saints.
Well, the fact that she's ready and clothed with.
With white, raiment, clean and white shows to me that the judgment seat of Christ has taken place.
And all that is in our lives that is not for the glory of God, or wasn't pleasing to our blessed Lord. Willow will be burned up there. Any man's work are burned. He shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved. Yet so is by far so. The view we have of the bride here is in her bridal rose.
At the married supper, everything is just suited for the occasion.
And I would take it that the judgment seat of Christ has taken out.
All that to be contrary to the mind of the Lord, it's all gone. And how thankful we will be at the judgment seat when we see all our failures and all our mistakes and.
All our shortcomings and all that has only hindered the Lord's have left hand. The Lord's work all burned up forever, never to have to do with it again. He'll have gone with us over the whole pathway, and everything that is contrary to his glory will be gone. And then we find the bride arrayed in this fine linen, clean and white. And of that he says, which is the righteousness, says no.
That's important. It isn't the righteousness of God. We get the righteousness of God in the third chapter of Romans.
As a result of having accepted the Lord Jesus by faith.
Perhaps we should read that verse that I have in mind the third chapter of Romans.
The 21St verse. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ underwall and upon all them that believe Or there's no difference. That is whenever a poor Sinner accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal Savior.
He's perfectly right with God. He has, or rather, he is the righteousness of God in Christ.
00:50:05
But that's an entirely different subject. So it's not the righteousness of God, but it's the righteousness says.
All Saints, it's the faithful walk.
Those things that were done just for the eye of Christ, that God is taking account of might be the faithfulness of a bedridden St. Who is bowing to the will of the Lord in her affliction, or his affliction.
The Lord has taken notice of all that that has gone on.
In the life of that state and all that is registered up there, and when this judgment seat has taken place, all that was for the glory of Christ is.
There brought her before us.
As that wherewithal bride is Arabian.
Suffer, and then if you followed on in the chapter where the next thing is, the Lord rides out of heaven on the White Horse, and the armies of heaven follow him on white horses, clean and white.
That's the appearing, but each one has been given their special place of honor.
And reward at that time.
Then shall every man have praise of God? Is the verse you would connect with it First Corinthians three. That is, it's at that time that the praise will be given. That is, God approves of that which his people have done. It isn't simply the the things that we failed in, is it? He's going to reward all that which is done in the name of Christ, even the cup of cold water.
Then shall every man have praise? That is, if there's praise to be had, thought that every man having praise but the praises of God.
And the question is, are we seeking to get the praise of man down here? Are we willing to wait to get the praise of of God up there? If we want the praise of man now, we're forfeiting getting the praise of Gods at that time.
I will think.
Blessed hope so that there is something ahead.
Now there was a verse our brother Gordon read from Matthew 14, which was, May I just comment a little, please?
Verse 25 of.
Chapter 14 of Matthew just returning on this question of the hope, the blessed hope, that himself of course. And in the 4th watch of the night Jesus went unto them walking on the sea.
Well, Brother Gardner was impressed as you read this.
The Watchers. Concerning the Watchers. You remember, brethren, that the Hebrew watch.
Was from 6:00 to 10:00 and from 1:50 and 2:00 to 6:00.
3 periods of four hours. But after the captivity, if you remember beloved, the Hebrew watch was changed to the Greek and the Roman watch.
Thus we have 6 to 99 to 12:12 to 3:00.
3:00 to 6:00.
Periods of three hours.
4 periods.
Well, what about the midnight crime?
Behold, the Bridegroom cometh.
Surely that's passed.
That is past that will never be repeated.
And the cockroach.
3.
Letters passed and at the close we're not setting times. Of course that's all wrong, but we just mentioning at the close of the 4th watch Jesus.
He appears with he goes to them walking on the sea.
Well, we do know that this has a great deal to do with the Remnant, and I believe that When the Wind ceased in verse 32, we have at last the Remnant and rest there in verse 32.
Peter would be a type of the Jewish remnant, perhaps, brother, but what about this fourth watch?
00:55:07
Wasn't it Mr. Dunlap who in his day said you could see the streaks of the morning, the streaks of the dog in the sky?
Brethren, do we really believe that we are at the very, very close of this dispensation of grace?
I believe if we really had that in our souls, we would sit.
Very indifferently to certain things in our life and testimony that would spoil that spoils and do spoil our joy.
The fourth watch.
What is the left, beloved?
It seems to me I never thought I would live to 80 years of age and see the things that really passed before my eyes.
I never thought. I never dreamed I would see these things, brethren, but.
Think for a moment.
Of the things that pass before our eyes just now.
It's marvelous to even contemplate them, surely?
We could hear the shout at any moment.
Calling us away, is there anything that would keep us on tiptoe expectancy like this?
John Wesley evidently believed in the coming of Christ for the bride. John Wesley was asked what would he do if he knew the Lord were coming next morning. He said I would die for pure joy right now.
Is this joy in our souls, beloved? Oh how we would sit? Very.
We wouldn't have too much interest in things.
In this scene, would we?
It doesn't say here. Waiting for that blessed hope doesn't.
Looking for that blessed hope, the Lord in the 12Th chapter of Luke speaks of a service that are found waiting, and then he speaks of the servants that are found watching. So it's really those found watching.
That that's the exhortation here.
Looking, expecting.
That the Lord may come at any moment of the day or night.
Well, sometimes, you know, just to go over in our minds those verses in that speak of the Lords coming in our quiet moments is often calms our souls and brings that hope fresh before our minds.
Were those verses I quoted in in First Thessalonians four of the Lord Himself?
Descend from heaven. Maybe when we get up in the morning, repeat those verses to ourselves.
And then that verse in First Corinthians 15 and 51.
Hold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we all shall be changed in a moment and crinkling of an eye at the last Trump saw. And then who shall change these?
Of our bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. So true say we don't want to just have them in our in our head like some would say, Well, I hold the premillennial coming of Christ as though that was all that was needed. I've got it clear the price is coming before the tribulation. But no, the Spirit of God would have us.
The daily expecting.
And watching for his return.
It is not true too, that this would really be a very precious thing.
His heart. If he were to look down and see an eagerly watching and waiting people, it's true that our hope and the joy of it in our hearts would affect our whole life and bear a testimony that I believe would make the gospel that much more effectual.
For if we preach the gospel message of those who heard, it could see that we really.
01:00:00
Had something that was far more delightful and satisfying to us than anything they had ever tried. It would be, I think, effectual, but I think of what it must mean to the heart of the Lord himself. I remember when I lived and worked in Ottawa, we lived for a time on Hilton Ave. upstairs.
And one of the joys of each day was anticipating coming home after 5:00.
Because I knew that as I walked down Hilton Avenue, I was going to see a little face looking out the upstairs window. Gracie was always there.
One day I had to work a bit late and I came down the street and I remember thinking, oh, how glad she will be to see Daddy this time, because I'm a little later than she expected. And I looked at the window and she wasn't there.
Well, I admit I felt a little sense of disappointment. I had really looked forward to seeing that happy little face in the window. I came upstairs and she was quite innocently and very happily playing with her dolls on the floor. She looked up and said, oh, daddy and I said, Gracie, I didn't see your face at the window. Oh, I just stopped watching. Well, you know, I just stood there feeling, Am I going to have to say that too? I just.
Stopped watching. She had been watching, but I was a little longer than she expected and she went back to that which was perfectly innocent. Nothing to be condemned. But I think I missed that face a lot more than cement seeing her daddy that day.
Looking for that blessed hope. What a wonderful joy to our hearts. What an effect on everything that is around us as far as we look at it is concerned. But all to think of what it must mean to him to look down and see a looking, waiting people. I read something very touching, brethren, concerning an old Jew. He was blind and he was lame.
And he was desirous of returning to Palestine.
He couldn't. He had no ways of getting there. It was 16 miles away to the nearest plain, where a number of Jews were getting on board to return to Palestine. So he was so desirous of going, his son said, Father, I'll carry you, I'll carry you. And he carried his poor old father.
16 miles.
Got him up the ramp, the plane landed, got him down the land, the ramp and his feet touched the ground and he said Son, is this the land?
Is this the land?
And the son said, Father, this is the land, and the old man gets down on his face and kisses it.
And dies right there.
All brethren.
Is there a longing in our hearts like that? He was waiting to see a land, the land of Palestine.
Are we waiting to see that land?
In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go, I will come again.
Oh, I was so touched with that. Brother Albert. Was something you brought me to my mind. What you said is this the land? This is the land.
Guessed it and died a piece of land.
We're not only waiting to see the glory land, but we're waiting to see the person who fills that land with his presence. We're waiting for the person. That's what we're saying. Like Jesus in that place of light and love, supreme once man of sorrows.
Full of grace, heavens blessed and endless theme, we're going to look upon His blessed face.
01:05:01
My late brother Smith that one of the translations gives that passage in the 25th of Matthew.
Simply, behold the Bridegroom is it not? It's not so much the fact that he's coming that's precious, but I believe so many scriptures are that way that they they bring the person before us, and that's the important thing.
We have the same in John, don't we, in connection with evil coming in. It's it's the person. It's Jesus Christ who is come. It isn't the fact that he's come into this world, but it's Jesus Christ is the point, isn't it? And that all the Spirit of God this, this afternoon would present to us.
When it says the blessed hope.
It's the person of Christ, is it not? That is the whole.
It's a precious thing that he's coming, but he's in our midst. Let's remember that.
The Lord sent it under two figures In connection with these two things we have here the blessed hope and the glories appearing.
The Lord is presented to us as the morning star in connection with the blessed folk. He's presented to us as the Son of righteousness in connection with the glories of period.
And makes me think of that scripture where it says that the children of Israel journeyed toward the sunrise.
Well, if you're journeying toward the sunrise early in the morning, what are you going to see? First of all, you'll see the morning star, then after a while you'll see the sunrise.
We have to be turning in the same direction to see both, and both are the figure of the Lord Jesus Christ, the same person.
It's always the person and we need to remember that. The morning star. Well, I've seen it. I know how it shines out so brightly there before the sun has come up just in the dawning.
OK. But then after that, go ahead, brother, and we'll see that what you're saying reminds me of an incident that I sometimes tell about. It's quite striking.
I was done in Old Kentucky at.
Staying in the home of our dear brother here.
He was a bit younger than I was that time and guest still is.
But I was sleeping. My sleeping quarters was an open porch upstairs that was screened in.
And I lay there alone and at the open porch in the summertime we're having meetings. But he kept meeting at the time, perhaps, and as I lay there, a week and very early in the morning.
And I looked out to the screen and in the distance I saw the bright and morning star.
And I thought it was the Brighton morning star shining away there in the heavens. Well, I close my eyes and thought, well, I think I'm going sleeping not stay awake now. It's too early yet. And after a while open mice again and there was no star inside at all.
The sun hadn't listened. No star insight. But well, what's happened?
Something happened to me or something happened to the star. What's the switch? And I moved a little bit and there the star shone as brightly as ever and I discovered there was a leaf of a tree that was growing outside the porch. The little 11 lick of the tree had come right and directed line with my eye and the morning star. And that little leaf kept looking. Seeing the morning star, I thought that sometimes it looked like us as Christians.
They some little things things of the world creep in to our lives and we we lose that that state of the morning star, the coming of the Lord for her sins take him home to glory people themselves there and the glory something intervenes and the the Lord's coming for his people lose its attraction, lose its joy for our hearts, and we get occupied with a little leaves, dangling leaves and the things of this world.
I thought, well, as little does it take to do that, open our souls.
01:10:05
Speaking about the Lord's joy and about our joy. And I was also thinking of that in Ephesians 5, where it says that he might present it to himself a glorious church without having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it might be holy and without blemish.
And so I believe these thoughts are brought in here, too. There might be someone that you wanted very much to see if you love them intensely, but you see them in a condition that makes you sad, because perhaps they're not well, perhaps they're not in a way that's suited and pleasing to you. But isn't it a lovely thought, brethren, that when we see him we shall be like him? Now this glorious salvation is so complete, there's not only the putting away of our sins through that work.
But that when we hear that shout, then we'll be morally and physically like him. But then there's more That when it speaks here about the glorious appearing. And then it goes on to say, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people tell us of good works. Isn't it lovely to think that not only through his blessed work, as he has given us this great salvation, so that we'll be morally and physically like him, but now?
By His spirit in US, and by the new life that has been given.
Producing that in us which is well pleasing in his sights and that will be manifested in that day. And our brother read to us in the 19th chapter of Revelation about the fine women being the righteousness of things. I think sometimes as Christians we lose sight of the real force of this, because supposing a girl, we're going to be married and she says, well, he doesn't love me for the dress I wear on the wedding day.
Any old house dress will do well. It's perfectly true that he doesn't love her for that, but isn't it nice, the effort that she puts forth to be pleasing to him in that day? How well rewarded for her effort if he is very, very pleased with her appearance.
On that day, well, isn't it an encouragement to us, brethren, There's our joy and feeling there, but there's the Lord's joy in having us there. But there's that deeper thought to it, too. And then He gives us the privilege here and now of doing those things in our lives which are like stitches on that garment.
They it says his wife hath made herself ready. And another thought that I have thought too was it tells us 1000 years later we have a view of the bride in the 21St chapter, the same one who has been seen in the 19th of Revelation prepared as a bride and there and she's made herself ready. But 1000 years later, what does it say? It's the same thing.
It says he is there, prepares the bride adorned for her husband. No fading of the beauty, no loss of appreciation on the Lords part of all that which has been done for him. We forget what others do for us. Our appreciation wanes.
1000 years will not change his thoughts about us, or his appreciation for us and for what we have done for him. Well, what an encouragement this is for us then to live for him and the joy that he will have in presenting to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
You take it, Brother Hill, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify himself a peculiar people.
Zealous of good works has to do with our practical Christian life rather than the Lord's atoning work when he bore our sins and put them out of God's sight by bearing the judgment that our sins deserve. Is that the way you look at it?
I was wondering if I was right in that I noticed the new translation in place of iniquity, says Law, which really speaks to our hearts because.
We might say, is the thing wrong or is it not? Well, the point is, who are we seeking to please? Flawlessness is just doing our own will, isn't it? And so he's delivered us from that. He has brought a new will into our lives, and doing His will is the joy and pleasure of the new man. The Lord Jesus said that the good pleasure of thy will, O God, is my delight. And oh brethren, there's a real peace and joy in doing His will, and He has given us.
01:15:10
That this new life that delivered us from self will to live according to his will.
And that's what makes us a peculiar people. It isn't that we dress like some sex in a very driveway so that we'll impress people with the the fact that we are peculiar people. But if there is that character of being a peculiar people because.
We are walking in obedience to his words, and zealous of what is due to him and.
Walking according to his word. Well, that's the character of being peculiar people that we can thank God for.
Himself I was thinking of of reading the Gospels, how the person of Christ in all his ways are brought before us, the various gospels. It's been said by others that the object we have is what forms us, forms our lives.
Now this is a very sad thing when we allow worldly objects.
To take over it becomes idolatry really, doesn't it? But here we have one pure object that can fill the heart and mind of the believer. And this is what practically purifies the believer in his ways. Down here, the object that we have before us.
Lundeen is a thought of being zealous, of good work. What are those works that that's it's again.
Well, we were created unto good works, really in Ephesians where we not? Is that what you mean?
But God has foreordained that we should walk in them as the rest of that verse in Ephesians, showing even the works that are pleasing to Him are not the works of our own choice, but what he has chosen himself. And so that requires much diligence in the word, so that we might be found.
Going on doing those things that are pleasing to Him in obedience.
To His Blessed and Holy Word word, I'd like to read a few verses in Psalm 45.
Connection with the garment we were Speaking of.
Familiar passage, but I think it's nice. Although it may have a special application to Israel, but the principle I think is good.
Psalm 45.
Verse 13.
The King's daughter is all glorious within.
Her clothing is of rot gold.
She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework. The virgins, her companions that follow her, shall be brought unto thee.
With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought, they shall enter into the King's palace. I was thinking of the Raymond of Needlework.
There is a sense in which Israel will go through the great Tribulation, not the church.
But, beloved, we have the needlework now. It's the the constant work of the Spirit in our lives, the little things constantly. But in that day, we're going to see the other side of the tapestry. You'll have a pattern on it. We see the frayed ends of it now, but we're going to see the other side in that day. And will that will not. That exalt Christ. Indeed.
Work accomplished. Let us not overlook this expression on the 14th verse, connecting it with the end of the 13th. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, will never exhaust that truth. Who gave Himself for us throughout all the ages of eternity in the Father's house. And that is our portion now.
Seems to me that the Spirit of God would emphasize that work accomplished whereby we have been brought into this blessed position.
01:20:01
Not only that he gave his life, but he gave himself.
And gave himself for it is another verse that expresses the same thought. That is, he did give his life that oh, he lives for us he has.
Separated himself in the heavenly glory as he tells us in the 17th chapter of John. For their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth the Lord didn't to arrest when he left the scene. He went there above and girded himself to service in our pathway down here. So He is serving us now.
And more in the sense of having the towel in the basement, washing our feet and keeping us, restoring our souls, keeping us in communion.
In connection.
Inefficient. Chapter five, we have.
The three four points Bless the Lord Jesus for us in verse 25. Has the past He gave himself for the change? Well the person in connection with the PewDiePie unto himself a peculiar people. I believe that it's verse 26. Isn't he brethren our chapter 25 of the efficient that it might sanctify and cleans up with a washing of the water by the word? This is the constant work of the Spirit of God, and the intercession of the blessed Lord Jesus in heaven.
And then the future verse 27, that he might present it to himself a glorious change, not having a spot or wrinkle, nor any such a thing. But I should be holy and without blemish. You have the threefold voice of the blessed person of the Lord Jesus, and this evils on our behalf, isn't it? Bless you. And I just want to leave a little thought before when we close, which is very blessed indeed, First Thessalonians.
Chapter one, verse 9 and 10. I just want to pass on just a little thought and I'll close. These are two very precious words in first Thessalonians in connection with what you have this afternoon and the effect that had in the life of these deals. Thessalonians verse 9 and verse 10. For they themselves show us what manner of an entrance in we had unto you.
How he turned to God from idols to serve the living and through God. Now this verse 10 is very precious. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus which which delivered us from the wrath or judgment to come. And someone, a believer, rose the question the other day, Is there any scripture to be fulfilled before the Lord Jesus comes for the change?
For the believer and we read this verse and the Thessalonians from the very beginning of a church history. They were not waiting for any fulfillment of the scripture, but they were waiting for his Son from heaven is the correct one.
Everything 173 A little vile. The Lord will come. We shall wander here no more. You'll take us to the to the college.
House home, where he for us gone before well with him to see his face and sing the glories of His grace.
173.
1 Peter 5:1-5
Reading
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973. Third reading meeting.
Rather than feel about picking up the 5th chapter of First Peter.
I think this is.
If this is good, because so often we take up just the first chapter and we need what's in the last chapter, and of course all the sweet well.
Here is the thought of all grace.
First Peter, Chapter 5.
00:05:01
The elders, which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the suffering of Christ, and also a particular of the glory that shall be revealed.
These of luck of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy looker, but of a ready mind. Neither is being large over God's heritage, but being in samples of the to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, he shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise ye younger, submit yourself under the elder.
They, all of you be subject 1 to another.
And be clothed with humility, regard resistance of proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for He cares for you.
Be sober. Be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour whom resist steadfast in the faith.
Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after the Jesus suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you to him, be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
By Sylvanus, a faithful brother under you, as I suppose.
I have written briefly exhorting, and find that this is a true grace of God, wherein ye stands the church that is at Babylon, elected together with you saluted you, and so do Marcus, my son, greeting one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Peter being an elder doesn't mean that he was an official elder such as apostles ordained and their delegates like tigers.
Is because he was a man of security, a man of the years.
That he speaks of himself in this way, or in the moral sense than an official sense.
Elder, that is an official elder doesn't necessarily mean that he was an aged man because he was to have a family and subjection under him.
So it's simply the amount of.
Maturity.
And then quality devotion and faithfulness. But here Peter has a has a man up in years.
With any experiences?
Mature can now exhort.
The elders which are among you who also am an elder and the witness of the sufferings of Christ.
Elders by Titus and others who were told to.
And hear very little of elders in the Epistles. But we do in Philippians, don't we? And perhaps there's a special reason, because the apostle in Philippians no doubt was preparing the Saints for his absence, or the absence of the apostles, and so the Saints were to learn.
To notice that which God had set up in responsibility in the assembly.
Not official appointment, merely because even that would leave with the apostles, but that they might learn to discern.
Those who?
Were qualified and took the lead among the Saints, and oftentimes the one who does so perhaps doesn't even know it himself in a way, because.
If Grace is upon him, he he certainly wouldn't.
00:10:02
As Peter says, be Lord over.
The Saints but would seek to be an example to the flock, and I believe that if the Saints are walking in communion, they will recognize those that the Lord has set up to to take and guide the Saints, and I believe often times in an assembly.
With a spirit of independence comes in.
Those who really should take the lead have been set aside by some because of that independent spirit. And then we find trouble coming into the assembly. And I believe Peter here brings before us the importance of recognizing what God has set up and to take our place, each one of us in subjection to this, but to recognize it.
With that spiritual discernment that we.
Learn in Corinthians the 1St and 2nd chapter, I think a second chapter where he's given us discernment, spiritual discernment to recognize those that God himself is appointed.
I'm sure we all understand that we have today no official elders because we have no authority for appointing them, the only ones who had authority to appoint elders.
Where the apostles and their delegates like Titus. But as you were saying, we do have men today who morally fill that place and exercise that responsibility. And if you turn to the fifth chapter of.
First Thessalonians. You'll find that class mentioned there 5th chapter of.
First Thessalonians.
And.
The 12Th verse. Now you'll notice nothing has said about.
The the one spoken of here being appointed. But it says, We beseech you, brethren, to know them, which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.
And to esteem them very highly and love for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves, Well, that's important to observe that the result of a steaming very highly such men for their works sake is a brings peace among yourselves, showing just what you were saying, that when those that God provides for the care of his people.
Are ignored and their advice and judgment is refused. It leads to disorder and the lack of peace among yourselves.
A Bishop or an eldest as the spiritual welfare of the Church, do they not deacons to the material welfare of the Church? And we get in Acts 6 and the elder of the the Bishop or elder to get mentioned in Max 20. Isn't that correct? I suppose that what our brother read in Thessalonians would especially fly to that assembly.
Although the principal.
Might go further, but it is particularly the the local office in the assembly rather than the gift, isn't it?
We do find mentioned in Hebrews as leaders. They are not necessarily.
Official elders, perhaps? We all understand that an elder and Bishop and an overseer are one and the same.
All for the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet him at Milito, and then he speaks to them as overseers of the flock of God.
So that there could be many in one assembly. But when you read in the book of the 13th chapter of Hebrews you have this in the seventh verse. Remember them which have the rule, It's better translation is remember your leaders who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow well now those mentioned as your leaders, there are those who have been among the Saints, and the Lord has called home.
00:15:13
That they have left behind their teaching and their godly walk, their consistent ways, and their devotion to Christ, so that it says.
Considering the end of their conversation or manner of life, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. So we do have the writings.
Are those who instructed God's people in their time and day, and that is very valuable for us and we need to be careful not to get into other pastures as.
Ruth was said not to glean in another field. We have abundant ministry. Beloved Dad was preserved and has been handed down to us by those that God raised up.
To recover the truth that has gathered us to the precious name of the Lord Jesus. And I believe that that character of things, especially in that seventh verse, and then we have further down in the same chapter.
It says in the 17th verse Obey them that have the ruler over you are again obey your leaders.
And submit yourselves for they want for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Now those are the present leaders among God's people.
At the time when?
Around the epistle was written, and there are still those of that character that we find among God's people today. And there they were not necessarily.
Elder sense that Timothy is tall to reminded of a desire to good work. There might be an unmarried man.
You take our brother. Old brother Cloud was really a leader, but he was a he was an unmarried man. So God does have leaders that aren't necessarily are men with families.
Three things were to be characteristic. One, there they spoke the word of God, their own lives were consistent, and that they had a love for the Saints of God. They watched for your souls as they that must give account. And I believe if one is in the position of seeking to help the people of God, those three things will be characteristic, and there will be noticed by those who observe them, because they were to esteem them highly in love, not for their position's sake, but for their work's sake.
In other words, they it was a moral character, as you said.
I believe that's very important because the early church fell into making a great deal of the position and the godliness, the knowledge of the word, the love for the flock had waned. But the position remains, and there's always a danger of this, that we have to watch against. We have to watch against it in this day too, because only these, the moral characteristics will be used of God and blessing among the Saints of God.
For the that 13th chapter of Hebrews and the 17th verse again, for they want for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with greed. Now it isn't that they're going to carry a report to the Lord and tell how naughty or how.
Badly. Some of his children are walking that they'll have to go and tell the Lord how they have failed and not rightly guiding the clock. That's the what would grieve them to think?
That they had not been concerned enough, or been unfaithful, and had been responsible in any way for leading.
Some of the the Saints of God astray and brethren, that is a very important thing to consider.
00:20:00
For you know that in every division that has ever taken place among the gathered Saints, it's been some gifted leader that was the one who was most responsible for that division. I heard Brother Potter say that he never knew of a leader who led the Saints astray in division that was ever restored back to the place again, he said. It was too solemn, too serious the matter.
For God to ever permit one like that to come back. So you could look right down the line and think of very, very gifted man whose writing we esteem today is setting forth the truth. And yet because of some personal reason, something that had to do with family connection, why they they refused to take the right stand what was for the glory of Christ.
For some personal reasons and.
Led the Saints astray and sadly broke up and scattered the deer flock. Brother Baylor told me that in London he had known a meeting there where there was much blessing in the gospel. But he said after the Kelly Division, that poor little meeting went all to pieces. The last time he was there, it was nothing left there.
Far as sad and solemn record that awaits the day when everything will be manifested at the judgment seat of Christ.
I was attending the other Night to the Bible written in Richmond, IL and I know that we have that this chapter before us is a Bible reading and some of the things that were mentioned there touches our heart.
In connection with the Apostle Peter that we have here presented before us as an elder, as he one of the elder and the Apostle Peter, he was witness of the suffering of the Lord Jesus.
And he had a sense of his own failure, and ho how without must have been tender towards Harvard as he realized his own failure and what the Lord Jesus did for them, for the clock there at the clouds. He was the witness of the suffering of the Lord Jesus. And I believe that that made the the heart of Peter very tender towards the other, the other of the flock. It's interesting to note that in false later writings and he mentions himself as the chief of sinners.
Well, we have here too, Peter. In this epistle he speaks of God as the God of all grace. He discovered this as he grew, grew older, and in more experience than the things of God. You'll notice too in the first chapter there are manifold tribulations, but Peter counters it in the 4th chapter with manifold grace.
And so Peter is one who has learned grace. As our brother said. There was a time in Peters life when he was in the presence of Jesus before all the other disciples. Because remember, as an apostle he was restored before the other apostles. There's a principle there, isn't there Mr. Berry?
And and I was thinking in that connection that.
In that restoration, Peter felt that the Lord was the only one that knew that his heart was right towards him. He felt that the other disciples.
Had seen his, his failure, and they, they, they really wondered about Peter. But the Lord knew his heart, and he knew now that he could say, feed my sheep.
Notice of all these two things. Here also the he was a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory, as our brother remarked with Paul and with the opposite too, wasn't it? He was a partaker of the sufferings and a witness of the glory. But I was thinking of these two things that should particularly characterize one who serves the people of God. He should realize what it cost the Lord Jesus to purchase his flock.
The sufferings of Christ. We just think of what the Lord had to go through in order that he might have his own.
And this would make us think how dear they are to Him. It would teach us, too, that any way in which we might be put out or have to suffer for the good of the flock would be very, very small in comparison to what the Lord suffered because his people were so dear to Him.
00:25:16
And then the second thing. It's lovely to see the apostle Paul. When writing to their Corinthians, he looked on to the time when they would be glorified together. Now, that is, he raised us up. He'll raise you up, he said, and present us with you.
I think this is a very lovely thought. He associated himself with the Saints even though they were failing, but looked on to the time when they would be together with Christ in glory and like him. And this is what encourages the one who seeks to help the people of God.
He first realizes what it costs the Lord to redeem them, and how minimal anything we could do is in comparison to what the Lord has done, and then, in times of trial and difficulty, enables us to look on to the time when the Saints will all be presented there with and like Christ.
Believe, these two things being brought together here in connection with Peter, and his exhortation to others who sought to serve, are very, very important in this day in which we live, because we need that which sustains us to go on so easy, as Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 5, As we have received this mercy, this ministry, we faint not, and again in the end of the same chapter for which we for which 'cause we faint not.
Why didn't he faint? Well, he said, We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. And may the Lord enable us, because there are trials and difficulties among the Saints, and in many assemblies. I believe these two things will enable us to go on and to be made a blessing among our brethren.
If we have these two things before our soul.
We find that when.
Forgotten the name of the judge?
The first one who took Ax to be his wife. He was given the Upper and Nether Springs, and I believe they represent to us those two things. You know, the Lord in humiliation, The down here and the upper springs, the one up there.
Now those two things are so necessary for us if we're going to be a deliverer among the people of God.
I was thinking of the upper and another springs this morning. That was Caleb, wasn't it? Yeah, And his daughter and.
Yes, perhaps you could also, in the line you've been bringing before us, just mention the expression here, the flock of God.
We have something very important, do we not, in that expression. It's not any one man's flock, is it? It's the flock of God, and I believe that.
There's a special responsibility connected with one who realizes this that.
He's he's one who is being used, perhaps.
In a very important place.
Because it's the flock of God.
There's nothing connected with himself, It's simply that he's.
Serving.
The the Lord is the flock of God. It's not his.
But he is associated in the Scripture with his service. And so when John spoke about the Saints going on, well, he said, And now little children abide in him, that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him, it is coming.
He's not talking about them being ashamed, but he said that we may have confidence and not be ashamed, that is, having assumed that place of seeking to be a help among the people of God. Now he looks unto the manifestation, and as our brother Barry remarked in connection with that.
A verse in Hebrews chapter 13. It's his own work that will be displayed. Has there been that loving care as being placed in that responsibility? You find the same with the apostle when he spoke about the Corinthians. What is our hope for joy, our crown of rejoicing? Are not even me in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming? What was Paul's crown of rejoicing?
00:30:06
The blessing of the Saints in that day of manifestation. And just like a teacher looking on her class and thinking, well, wouldn't it be grand if everyone of my class passed with honors? So she puts a lot of effort into the work, thinking of the time when this will take place.
Well, we ought to serve the Saints in that way, brethren. We ought to serve them in such a way that we look on to the time.
When all will be manifested, and that will be our joy, to see them blessed, to see them rewarded. Otherwise we'd be ashamed that our work was really for self and not for their good and for their blessing. Sometimes. Is it not so that if this Scripture is not before?
The heart, the flock of God, There's the spirit of Diotrephes comes in and.
Basically, in a small gathering, there's a danger of one assuming a place that does not belong to him at all. It's the flock of God.
And he should always remember that and may I suggest that the word feed.
Doesn't necessarily mean what we use the expression for a feed it. It includes the thought of guiding and shepherding, does it not? In fact, I believe another translation would say shepherd, but it also includes the thought of guiding as you get it in the prophets. You'll notice the same expression is used in the Old Testament He and guide.
So that it's not the thought of taking a place of lordship.
And that always brings sorrow.
I'm reminded of a remark of our Brother Lounge.
As to the danger of ministering over the heads of the Saints, he said, the Lord didn't say, feed my giraffes, he said. Feed my sheep, feed my lambs. And he made this remark about it, that we could put the fodder and the hay so high that the poor sheep and lambs go hungry.
Well, we need brethren to remember that, to get our ministry down to the level of.
Of the Saints, for all times we take it for granted, they know more than they actually know because we're familiar with those who minister are often familiar with with truth and take it for granted. Others know are as familiar as they are.
May not have a similar thought in First County Chapter 4.
12 Within the computer is talking about the elders with the agent, whereas Paul was speaking to Timothy and he says.
In verse 12 of the 4th chapter.
But no man despise thy youth, but thought is but be thou an example of the believers. Example is brought first, then inward in conversation, that is manner of life.
In charity, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
In the goddess of.
God of order, and he has given an order.
In the assembly.
And where the confusion comes into the assembly, it is not of the Spirit of God.
It is the lack of that which we have in our chapter and a good many, especially the younger ones today.
Believe that the assembly is something like a democratic situation, every man doing that which is right in his own eyes.
But that is not the truth. When I come into fellowship, when I'm Protestant, gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I come under the discipline of the assembly, the discipline of the assembly. And let us not forget that. And there is an order, And God has given us that order and his word for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, the head.
Well, sorry about feeding on the giraffes or the sheep.
00:35:03
I suppose that's why the Lord says to Peter, first of all, feed my lambs.
His anxious and the laminar prepared. Then, he said, speaks of the sheep, but not giraffes.
This afternoon the Lambs will be fed. It's nice that there is that provision and these meetings of having young people's meetings.
And this morning, the meeting for the children. Well, I think that encourages us that the work among the children is important and not to be neglected and to just expect the children to grow up listening to.
Deep truths in the reading meetings and nothing especially brought out us to instruction for them is a sad mistake. That's the way I feel about it, because I remember as a child sitting in meetings like this where Brother H Rule was ministering and Brother Potter and.
Brother Hayden, I just wondered what they were talking about. I couldn't. I couldn't understand it. But as I continued to go on in meetings where there was deep truths and it was ministered, I began to see what they were bringing out. And I didn't lose anything. But I'm attending meetings before I was able to to understand. We don't want to just go the other extreme and say, well, we just got to bring everything down.
So that the children can understand it, just make a children's meeting out of it. But I believe where families are brought up in the truth, they they gradually enter into the things that.
Are ministered by.
At the instructions from the word that perhaps are little over their heads while they're young.
Statement made concerning a certain brother that he was well taught.
And the remark was he was rather well read. Brethren, it is better to be a weak voice than a than a strong echo. And OFT times we do go over the heads of God's dear people.
That is one thing that's so very happy among the Latin. It's the simplicity there.
Oh, how we need to.
Remember that limbs need just. You know that Gen. that care. I don't know of anything so precious as this chapter. Peter was, as their brother mentioned, a witness of the sufferings of Christ. Well, that made him a very apartment elder. Of course he could sympathize with the lamb. He had a heart for them and he was able to lead them and to guide them.
According to the proof, but there's a difference between the calls ministry as our brother mentioned, Paul was a witness of the glory as brother God mentioned, and a partaker of the suffering.
Now we do find in the service of the Levites something that's very interesting in this connection. There are three families of Levites in numbers.
And Gershon.
Gershon is 1 and the mayor rights of the others and the coercites Well, this is nothing new but sitting under old Mr.
Ch your other Barker, HP Barker and Mace. They used to say there is a difference here between service concerning elders.
Gershon really means a stranger there, or a stranger here, if you will.
And so we have Peter EIN Ministry.
Now this is Peter Iron ministry. Gershon Gershon teaching is Peter Iron and in connection with with Gershon there were heavy things to be carried around. There were heavy things of the Tabernacle.
And the mirror right mirror area speaks of bitterness and they had cots and to carry the furniture and so on. But when we come to the Coed, which means an assembly.
00:40:06
You get particular ministry from the Apostle Paul, but here we get Peter iron ministry and there's a care that is manifested beloved.
Here concerning Peter, he could feel for these sheep. He could feel for them. Now it was mentioned here a crown of glory.
This is that's in verse 4, just for a moment.
When the chief capital appears, you'll receive a crown of glory. Well, this is that incorruptible crown which fade a thought away. And it is really for a wholly practical life. I believe this corrupt, this crown that we get here in Peter 5. It's for a holy, practical life. Can the Saints see In those of us who try to minister Christ to them? Can they see?
This holiness and practical Christian ongoing among us.
One day, her brother said to another. I can't hear what you say because of what you do.
Well, that was a real rebuke to that dear man, and he took notice of it and corrected a great number of things that were stumbling his brother. Well, here is something that is very important in the assembly, this question of being an elder. It's a responsible position. It's not a very happy task, beloved some of us who were born.
The heat of the day among the Latins for many years, we found.
That we've had to take it.
From them take it, and then take it on your knees to the Lord.
This is something that is necessary too, concerning an elder. He's able to take it from his brethren and take it to the Lord and leave it there. It's a great secret. Beloved. Now this is called the cause of a lot of trouble we notice, and we're not going to dwell on that. Rather we're going to hang our heads in shame and sorrow. But Mr. Darby said, never defend yourself.
Never defend yourself. Take.
And take it on your knees to Christ if this were done.
In our assemblies, beloved, we would have very little trouble.
The very little come, the moment I begin to write and the moment I begin to discuss.
And quarrel and contradict, even though in sincerity.
Then the trouble begins. Oh, may we?
Some of us are growing old in the service of Christ, and we just feel our nothingness, beloved. But this is something that has been on my heart for a long time concerning the care of the flock.
Just to be able to take it and take it to the Lord Jesus on our knees, There was a time in Bolivia pardon of of a little trouble. It wasn't a little trouble, in fact 5 meetings went with that trouble.
And instead of writing and scolding and talking to my own spiritual children, I left it with the Lord.
But how long?
Five years, beloved. The trouble went on in five assemblies.
I never visited those centuries.
Never discussed anything with them but told the Lord on them.
Told the Lord on them by his grace alone. One day a letter came signed by 9.
And said Brother Smith, will you come? They've been turned aside through this trouble, you know, of writing and discussing things.
Talking and will you come? Well, that meant four days. Ride on, riding on on mulebag Beloved and the rainy season up to the saddle of the mule. The water I got there, there was a little.
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Fold. The last day before I arrived, it was a government form. I sent a telegram to one of them saying, dear brother, I hope to arrive at such and such a time, and I got there at five, 5:30 in the afternoon, and the nine of them were waiting.
And they said, Brother Smith, we are no longer gathered. We are scattered, We are scattered. We are no longer gathered. And we talked it out until 2:30 in the morning.
And they said, brother, this is Lord's day and there's a breaking of bread. I said, well, I couldn't break bread, dear brethren.
Would you like to do something? Would you like to write all those other meetings and tell them what you've done? Tell them just humbly and quietly what you've done. And they did. They did.
God arranged that we left it with the law and all, beloved. It's a very important matter to leave these things with the Lord.
Leave it with him. Let him fix it. Who are those men today? Lee O'Brien, who is 1?
Dominguez, Chalky, the other chira is with the Lord.
10 years is the other These were the men who were opposed and who were discussing and causing problems.
What happened? They learned their lesson, the Lord taught them. And I believe it's a great secret to let the Lord.
Settle these matters that we are troubled with today. I just mentioned that as an old man.
And trust that you will take it, because it comes from my heart at this time.
I think there's a contrast drawn here too between the third and fourth verse. Neither is being Lords over God's heritage. And then when the chief shepherd shall appear, he shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. I believe that all the crowns that are spoken of are contrasts. That is the martyr. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
The crowd of rejoicing, he that draweth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. And I believe in connection with what our brother Smith remarked, that most of the troubles come because we want the crown of glory here. We want to be considered somebody here. But the important thing Are we willing to give that up? Are we willing to be misunderstood? Are we willing to let all the glory belong to the Lord?
And wait till the time that he makes it right. And then in that day the crown of glory won't fade If we sought it for ourselves down here we may not only lose it, but we may bring sorrow on ourselves and others. But if we're content to leave it and wait till that day when the Lord will manifest it, then there is that which is to his praise and glory, and that won't fade away. So it seems to me it's the contrast.
And that so many of the problems and trials are that we want, we want to be recognized, We want the crown of glory now, instead of being content to wait for the chief shepherd to show his approval or disapproval as he sees right in that day.
Of encouragement to these under shepherds.
For himself feed the flock of God which is among you.
It isn't those who travel about to preach the gospel who are known as teachers. But it's those who quietly, humbly are seeking to lead on their brethren in a local way, visiting their homes when there's any problem trying to show them what is most pleasing to the Lord and.
Just going on in a humble way that no one would know anything about.
Among the Saints but.
When the when the day of rewards comes, we find that they're the ones that get the crown of glory. They didn't get any crown down here, but they'll get their crown up there.
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Most interesting, which will not take up. I like your comment on that, brother. It helps me. I used to think perhaps I've been too neglectful and not visiting those five meetings, but the Lord fixed it up.
Leave it with the Lord, beloved. He'll he'll, that's his prerogative.
To arrange all our problems. That's his very prerogative, a brother said to me. What am I going to do, brother? Can't you give me a little word? I said. The only word I can tell you, dear brother, is to get on your knees and leave it with the Lord.
Leave it with him. Well, that's a victory. I'd sooner leave the affairs of the of the Assembly in the hands of the Hidden, then leave them in my poor old control.
I would make an awful mess of it.
What about that first brother Smith, the 4th chapter in the eighth verse?
Yeah.
Well, above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Never behaves itself unseemly. Desert brother love does not behave itself. Nothing. It takes the low place, takes the low place. Will I remember a case, you know, where there were 11 souls brought to Christ in a mountain section of Bolivia. They lived in this high altitude where I just couldn't make it. But a brother got there, got the gospel to them.
Eight of them found themselves with this newfound joy and were spreading the good news. Suddenly they were behind the bars for eight days, behind the bars, without any bed and without food. And I saw a major in the army. And I said, Sir, can't you do something for those dear ones? They're only preaching the glad tidings, he said. I certainly will.
Well, we had a reading on chapter four and five when these dear fellows got out of prison.
And one old brother is now with the Lord, I said. How did it feel behind the bars? Brother, do you know what he said? He turned to his spy when he read this verse 14 of chapter 4.
If he be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye?
For the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your path he is glorified. He said. The Spirit of glory and of God rested on us there in that old jail.
On that old jail.
Shepherd.
And the.
In the 10th chapter of John's Gospel, it's the Good Shepherd.
Says There I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Then in the 13th chapter of Hebrews.
You have the great Shepherd. It reads like this. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Here in this chapter in Peter, it's the Chief Shepherd. Well, say there are three psalms that correspond to the three different ways that shepherd is spoken of. In the 22nd Psalm you get.
The cross the Lord forsaken begins, my God, my God, why is thou forsaken me, and carries us through the sufferings of Christ. On the cross at redemption work. Then in the 23rd Psalm that begins, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want there we have the great Shepherd in resurrection there we have the one that.
00:55:17
Leaves the flock.
To the dark valley, the shadow of death, and provides for them, so that they spread the table before me in the presence of my enemy, and leads right on until he says a nice I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. Well, in the 24th Psalm you get the chief Shepherd.
And there it is. You get lift up your head though ye gates, and be lifted up the everlasting doors, And the King of Glory shall come in. So how lovely it is that we get the Good Shepherd giving his life. We get the Great Shepherd caring for his flock, now that he is risen and gone back to glory. And then, as the Chief Shepherd, he will reward.
Faithfulness to those who have cared for the flock.
Well, you could say widen out the as a chief Shepherd, he will reward whatever has been done in faithfulness to him.
30 and seven, Brother Barry, what character of the shepherd do we have? There? Away goes sword against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow Seth, the Lord of Hosts. Might the shepherd the sheep shall be scattered. Isn't that the same characters we have in John 10?
Gladdy flying for the sheep. If the shepherd had not been smitten, the sheep would have to be.
So how thankful we should be this morning to think that the shepherd has been smitten instead of the sheep, we the sheep and gone astray.
Puts his hand over the little one, doesn't it? And I struck by the language of this verse. It's a very solemn verse too, Says away, goes sword against mine, shepherd against the man that is my fellow Seth, the Lord opposed who is God's fellow or his beloved Son? The one who went to the cross of Calvary and bore the judgment due to me.
The shepherd was smitten to save the sheep.
Connection with this First you called attention to Brother Lundeen. Above all, have firm charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. There is a certain sense in which sin must be dealt with for God's glory, and that would be acting in love for the good of the person. But when it says here that love covers the multitude of sins.
We might each ask our own hearts, why do we bring out the failure of another? We can do it sometimes to vindicate ourselves, and that's not love, and that's a great snare among the people of God. I believe that when we want to vindicate ourselves, why, it's very easy to find a fault in someone else in order to set ourselves up. And that's not love. Love would rather hide it, rather be misunderstood, misjudged oneself, than bring to light the failure of another.
How beautiful to see in the Lord Jesus as the servant. How he said, even when they had failed. Here are they, which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my father has appointed me, so we can each ask ourselves, when we do speak of the failure of another, are we doing it to make people think less of them and more of ourselves? Is it to vindicate ourselves, or is it with tears that we feel it's absolutely necessary?
For their good as well As for God's glory. Well, I believe that's what it means about love covering the multitude of sins.
Wouldn't you see in that too, in that first above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Where there is true love among the Saints, there are many things that.
Otherwise would develop.
Jealousies and hard feelings and frictions and things that divide the effect the hearts of the Saints and maybe lead to serious trouble, but when there is that?
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Fervent love among the Saints. There are many things that never develop at all. They stop right there. And as God looks down, instead of seeing Saints all divided among themselves and going on in an unhappy state, why, he sees the exercise of love among them, and that covers up anything that otherwise would arise. I think that's the that's the the really the thought in this word.
Keep suppressed, I believe, is a thought in it. Keep suppressed. I was thinking of it in connection with the word we have in Timothy. He says, Paul says to Timothy, then the sin rebuked before all that others also may fear. Well, when this rebuking is done in love and in faithfulness to the Lord, it has that effect of causing others to fear, and in that way sin is covered up too, as you were saying.
Keeps it from developing in others. They begin to fear and perhaps get before the Lord about it and judge this thing that if it were not judged, it would eventually come out and be manifested, and would have to be judged by the assembly.
But then, on the other hand, love thinketh no evil and just to pass on some report because we've heard it.
Is a very bad thing. There must be witnesses, and even then, if there's real fervent charity brethren, we would hesitate until it was confirmed before we would ever.
And perhaps not pass it on at all, but as our brother says, take it to the Lord. There might be some things, however, that may have to be taken up for the moment to to verify them, but.
To pass things around is a very dangerous thing, especially in writing. So that love thinketh no evil, is a good principle. For us to remember in Scripture how perfectly these things were seen in the Lord Jesus. The verse was quoted a moment ago concerning his disciples, even after they had been so inconsistent and so evidently filled with failure. Here are they which have continued with me in my temptations, and I think the same thing is seen in the.
Words of the Lord in the Old Testament.
In Jeremiah 2 he is about to have to speak very, very faithfully to his people through Jeremiah, but he begins by saying go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem.
Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Well, if we were to read the account of the children of Israel going out from Egypt into the wilderness, we searched long before we would find anything that could be referred to in such beautiful languages, that and yet the Lord before He, has to bring to their attention.
That which was so grieving to him, he said to Jeremiah. Tell them I still remember the love of their espousal, the kindness of their youth, and even in Malachi, the very last of the prophets, when things had become so indifferent and so cold, the very first thing he says is.
The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi, I have loved you, saith the Lord. Now I I really believe that if in an attempt to serve the Lord and his people.
He puts this love in our hearts toward our brethren.
And there comes an occasion where perhaps faithful words are necessary, for we need to receive them, and perhaps at times need to minister them to they should surely come from a heart that.
Recognizes how dear they are to the Lord Jesus, and how dear they ought to be to us when we have to correct our own children. How careful.
How cautiously? How we watch for a suited occasion when perhaps the correction will be received, and should it not be so, in an attempt to shepherd among the Lords people, I have wondered too. From what has been said, surely the suggestion is not made that when there is a problem of one sort or another in an assembly. I know this was not suggested, but I I simply raised it lasted be.
01:05:25
Perhaps pictured by some.
That such an assembly should be avoided until all problems are solved and removed.
There certainly would be a great restriction in visiting among the Lord's people, if we only visited in areas where there were no problems and no difficulties. I feel that as land of the Lord we can perhaps knowing that there are problems, sorrows, difficulties be directed of the Lord to that very place.
To minister Christ among them, is that true? When they're required special caution and waiting upon God, though in some cases.
Indeed, I suggest not necessarily avoiding any area where we know that there are sorrows among the people of God. There would be a danger that we would have to watch of getting involved in it ourselves. If we're asked for counseling advice, well, that may be all right. But as to making any decisions that that wouldn't be our responsibility. That's the assembly's responsibility.
My brother it says here in Matthew 18 and 15.
Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.
If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Do you know, beloved, I have never yet had to go beyond this first point in this portion.
Never have had to take witnesses, but if there's been something between two brothers.
I've told them, brethren, you go to that brother, oh, he's guilty, he said. Never mind, go.
And nearly always it's settled right there. The trouble is settled right there. Now I remember a case where a brother thought I was riding him as he said.
Ministry, Well, I never did think of such a thing. I love that brother. So one of the elders said you better not go. He's pretty fiery. Well, I said brother, I'm going to go and going to fulfill this first point and I went straight long journey was went to him and he received me rather coldly and I said, brother, have you anything against me?
And he broke down in tears, put his arms round me and kissed me. Said brother. There's nothing, he says. I'm having trouble with the family and I've been taking it out in you. Well, it was all over in less than one minute. The whole thing was finished.
It was settled, if my brother had thought, against the gold.
How many troubles would be solved, beloved, if we just do that Go.
He can only kick you out of the house.
But go anyway. Go back again. Go back again.
Brothers meeting, spread it around. That's the last thing.
That that first, though I know it's not in our chapter, but I think it's a very lovely verse and pardon me for referring to it once more. This may be an encouragement to those who preach the gospel.
This eighth verse of the 4th chapter.
I know it refers particularly to the Saints, but there's an application that's general.
I love covering a multitude of sins. Some years ago it was my privilege to accompany our brother Alarcon down the Peninsula Ways in Lower California, and as we neared a certain place, he said. I don't know about that house, he said. The man drove me away with a pistol last time.
Let's pray about.
We prayed about it and he said, well, let's go.
So we went to the door, knocked on the door.
01:10:03
And the man said, come in, we went in, he said We'll arrange a meeting.
And they got their soap boxes together, no chairs, And the women put coverings on their heads. And as Alarcon our brother Alarcon presented the gospel to this man who had driven him away with a gun.
I could see the perspiration standing on his forehead as he reasoned of righteousness and temperance and judgment to come. Now that was love covering a multitude of sins, wasn't it? This man was ready to to kill him, but he went back.
With the gospel and he was received, and this man received the gospel. Now whether he was saved or not, I don't know.
But I believe that this verse can apply even there. I don't think there are any rules about these things. Now the scripture says though it says that the discretion of a man defereth his anger and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
And sometimes it's better, instead of trying to settle the thing, to just drop it. Don't say a word about it, Forgive them in your heart and let it go. Because very often when you try to discuss it, it leads to a very unhappy instead of a happy consequence, and the person seeks to justify himself. The flash is liable to be stirred in you. But as our brother said before, if you take it to the Lord, I think there are many cases of personal trespass that you just passed over it. There's another verse that says.
Take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee. For thou thyself not that thou cursed him in times pasture. I haven't just quoted the last part of it accurately, in other words.
Just to pay attention to every little word that's spoken and everything that said. Remember, we've said things out of turn ourselves too, and if we were called in the carpet about everything, we might be in some problems as well.
So there are times if The thing is festering and growing into something, when it's a good thing to talk it over and get it settled. But I believe rather and in the light of Scripture, that in nine times out of 10, it's better to drop it and forgive in your heart and forget it.
And the second thing in connection with what was said about going to the assembly, we do have to remember that Paul said in Second Corinthians one and 23 Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul to spare you. I came not as yet unto Corinth. There are times when the Lord might lead one to go to a place. There are times when he might be before the Lord and feel he should not go.
And that it wouldn't be the mind of the Lord at that time for him to go. So we can't make rules about these things. The scripture gives us principles. But this wonderful alight and instruction there is, And God looks on the heart, and love for the Saints is the important thing. And so it says, if you will hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. That's to be the great point in our souls, to gain the brother, not just to justify ourselves.
And so it was with the assembly of Koran. Paul's great desire was to gain those Saints, and that they might go on for the glory of God. And he didn't feel at that point that it was wise. I believe he was giving them space to be exercised, and before he went there and laid it faithfully before them.
Policy was gold, but they felt it that he shouldn't go either. Maybe because of their feelings towards the Apostle Paul, he didn't feel it would be an opportune time for him to go there when there was that feeling there in Corn.
In connection with spreading evil around.
Our old brother that's gone to be with the Lord brother-in-law, who was here in our gathering on more than one occasion, he reminded us.
Which something which he had heard and learned from someone else.
Keep evil in a smaller area as possible and use the illustration of a boil. When you have a boil developing, what do you do with it? You just leave it alone because if you begin to press on the tissues and squeeze it and irritate it that way, it spreads it around into the other tissues and perhaps you get a large pestering ulcer out of it.
01:15:25
Just leave it alone until it comes to a head, and I believe this is a principle just to leave the evil in a smaller area as possible.
And just look to the Lord, see before the Lord to ripen it, to bring it to the head that it might be judged. Perhaps it might be judged by the person himself before it really is fully manifested. But it's not well to stir up in matters until they are fully manifested. And sometimes we have only suspicion of certain evil, but we begin to talk about it and spread it around.
Oh, this, this isn't. This is really a very bad thing to do and it's defiling. And we just need to be more before the Lord. I think the ministry we had yesterday just to be before the Lord, look to the Lord have Jesus before us. This is what we need.
Next, first, Brother Anderson, I believe. Does it not give us the way in which we receive grace at the end of the verse?
God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. So now we have the thought of humility before us in this verse, and it says to be clothed with it. That's a marvelous expression, isn't it? Be clothed with humility.
Words clothing would suggest, would it not character.
This is something that it doesn't happen overnight. It's the result of this humility.
Which isn't developed.
It's something that is the result of being before the Lord and.
Now the result is being clothed and then grace.
Is the way of receiving grace.
In order to act properly at the right time. Otherwise we wouldn't.
Ye that are spiritual, restore such in one and the spirit of meekness. Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted that the spiritual brother is the brother who habitually judges a place in himself, That's the one that God can use to.
Restore one who is out of the way.
Say more than once.
Oh, how do I speak to my own conscience? Be very hard towards yourself, very severe, but very easy towards the rocket, the others? I think it's a very good principle, isn't it? And how would I speak to my own conscience? Be very severe towards yourself, waste and easy towards the others.
Is that a good principle?
Thinking about being closed, think of something that was I heard of John Leslie. Someone asked him once, and what were the three 2-3 greater Christian graces? And he put humanity first.
We have to move the second well, he said. That was humility. The third was humility, too.
Speak and talk so much about humility. But a little we shall.
Isn't it quite remarkable here that we have first feed the flock of God, and then we have these exhortations following? Because I believe, rather than that many of the difficulties come up amongst us, because the Saints are starved but they haven't been fed. If they were enjoying the Lord very often these difficulties would pass away.
But perhaps we could speak to our own hearts that when the Saints come together.
As we do in the meetings, isn't the first exercise of our hearts that they should be fed, that souls should be occupied with the Lord Jesus and fed with the living bread? And I believe that very often where our souls are enjoying Christ, that these difficulties pass, they they don't come to be mountains. But if we're not enjoying the Lord, then we get on hard questions, we get on problems, we get after one another, because thoughts don't fully agree one with another.
01:20:20
And first thing you know, we're not fed sometimes said we're just about going to have our dinner. Supposing that when we approach the dining room there, brothers stood there. And he said, now I have AI want to tell you for about 10 minutes how long it took to prepare this food and how many pounds of meat there is and how many pounds of potatoes. And I went on with quite a discourse. Well, this was all quite important to the person that prepared it. But I think we'd be saying, well, I don't know why he's wasting our time. We want to eat.
And I think we can get occupied with a lot of details in our meetings that are not food for the soul. We can get so occupied that when difficulties come up and then we are feeding upon them. Oh, may the Lord grant that when we come together we feed on Christ and that each one who takes part.
Our brother remark, not a special class of people, but each one who takes part would think, is this for the good of the same? Is it for the glory of God and for the feeding of the Saints? I think many of the difficulties would disappear. We took heed to the first exhortation.
The flock of God.
Now we're seeing 172 #172.
1 Peter 5:5-10
Reading
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973. Last Reading Meeting.
00:05:09
96.
Love divine all praise, excelling joy of heaven to earth. Come down, Bless us with thy rich indwelling, All thy faithful mercies, Ground 296.
Long divine.
So we go on with First Peter, Chapter 5.
I think you're nice.
Where should I?
First Peter Chapter 5, verse 5.
Likewise the younger submit yourselves unto the elder.
Ye all of you, be subject 1 to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
Be sober. Be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, is a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus.
After that you have suffered a while. Make you perfect, Establish, strengthen, settle you to Him. Be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
00:10:02
By Sylvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose I have written, briefly exhorting and testifying, that this is the true grace of God, wherein you stand the church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you.
And so do it, Marcus, my son, read you one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
There is divine order.
That God expects to be maintained in the assembly.
And this is a very important word which saved lots of sorrow if it was observed.
Likewise the younger mix yourselves unto the elder.
We've seen some sad cases of younger brothers who refuse to take the admonition of older brothers.
That have gotten very far away from the Lord.
Although it took years before the full outcome of their.
Disobedience was manifested, but they took the wrong road. And whenever you refuse to yield to any Scripture that God has given us.
You're taking the wrong road. And if you're unwilling to judge.
You are not yielding to His word. Only God knows how far you may go astray. You go up on a tangent, and the farther you go, the farther you're away from where you started.
It doesn't mean that the younger person has no responsibility in the assembly, doesn't. If he feels that there's a certain matter that.
I should come to the attention of his brethren. He has the responsibility of bringing the Scripture and presenting it, but he must leave it there. He mustn't press it. He must leave it. Unless it has of course, to do with something very, very vital as to moral evil or doctrinal evil. But I mean.
Many things have come up that are pressed that it'd be better to just leave it with your brother.
You have the responsibility of presenting what you feel to be the mind of God, but if one person.
Oppresses this. He might lead to division in the assembly, especially if he's a leader of some kind. But when it comes to ordinary things, I think we do well to present them to our brethren and then leave it for their consciences. Is that right?
I agree with that this is true because.
We speak of the assembly conscience and if the Assembly as such hasn't been reached in its conscience.
Well, it doesn't make for unity. The conscience has to be reached 1St and then there will be a working together to do what the Lord wants done.
I suppose the elder could lose his moral weight in an assembly.
By worldly or disorderly conduct.
But a brother that goes on steadily and consistently and seeks to please the Lord.
Well, his very presence and his very his very age and maturity.
Gives weight and should not be ignored.
Because maturity and comes through age, no matter how devoted one may be.
That devotion and love for the Lord doesn't give maturity. That takes time for one to go through some maybe trying experiences, Hard Knocks and so on that.
Immaturism and the things of the Lord and in the ways of the Lord.
Respect to AIDS, because the scripture says thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and if there is something given for a younger person to do, even a correcting one who is older, there's a certain spirit in which it's to be done, isn't there? Rebuke not an elder, but in treatment of the Father. And then I was thinking too, in the book of Job of the patience of this young man.
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Named Eli, you. Now there he was, and there were three older ones than him that were answering Job, and they tried and tried over 30 chapters to try and set before Jehovah was right and they entirely failed to do it. And yet they were all older than Elihu, and all through this whole discussion they lie. You never opened his mouth. He waited until they had done, and they were unable to help Joe or to set before him what was right.
And then we find that in the 32nd chapter of Job this is what Elihu says, 30 seconds of Job. So these three men cease to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then with kindle the wrath of Elijah, the son of Barack, of the kindred of Ram. Against Job. Was his wrath kindled because he justified himself rather than God, also against his three friends?
Was his wrath kindled because they have found no answer, and yet had condemned Job, now a lie, who had waited till Job had spoken because they were elder than he?
When, Eli, you saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, and his wrath was kindled, and a lie, who the son of Barakal abuzz, I'd answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old, Wherefore I was afraid, and there's not show mine opinion.
I said they shall speak, and multitude of years shall teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment. So we see that there was a certain spirit that was proper and right. And if we look back in the history of the Church, we find that when God raised up the disciples, they were all comparatively young men.
When he raised up those whom we honor today, Mr. Darby and Kelly and Macintosh, they were very young men in their late 20s and 30s. But there was a certain spirit and manner that was seen in them and a recognition of the authority of the Word. And never any disrespect for age, I think it's important that we see the order of things that God has set before us in His Word.
Thought that he might use whomsoever he will, but in the right spirit.
To be according to the word of God. An older brother might advise what is contrary to the Word of God. Well, then we'd have to.
Although we value his age and maturity if he's telling us something, that's not according to the word.
Well, we we shouldn't yield to it, but we must be very sure that it isn't just our own decision, our own thoughts about the word that it is clearly a word that.
Governs the case before us.
That's the meaning of the expression that Paul uses in addressing Timothy. What you were Speaking of Gordon, let no man despise by you. That is Timothy had no right to go around and say, Now I know I'm only a young man, but Paul said you weren't to despise me. I think we are intended to read what immediately followed. Isn't that right? Let no man despise by you, but be thou an example is the suggestion there that the.
Conduct of youth at all times ought to be such as would not bring that which would be the occasion of there being despised. That is, that if a younger brother has a message, even perhaps a message that we could well take to heart of admonition, that.
The behavior, the manner of that young man ought to be such as would cause a respect for what he has to say. Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example. That is the the measure of moral weight that anyone bears is not entirely a matter of years, but of the behavior in the fear of the Lord.
Very good. There's this about it though, that it was Titus who went to Corinth.
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About with that letter about the matter of discipline that was to be exercised there. And he was an older man, was he not?
Now this was of God, I'm sure that that a man like Titus, who was firm no doubt in his convictions and.
Steadfast and had experience. He was the one who went to Corinth about that matter. It was said, no doubt, but the letter was enough.
Translation.
In the race we're considering, likewise He Younger. This is the new translation. Be subject to the elder, and all of you bind on humility toward one another.
For God resisteth the crowd, but to the humble gives grace and.
Instead of being subject 1 to another and all of you bind on humility one toward another.
That covers a large field, doesn't it? No humility. No matter what mom's position or what mom's age or once one's maturity might be, whether young or old, he's to bind on humility.
The spirit of subjection with the older one is a wonderful spirit to have, isn't it?
As well as the yogurt.
61 And verse 10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall rejoice in my God, for he have clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with a robe of righteousness.
Well, this is something Christ has done for us, isn't it? But now here we close. The humility is something to do with our responsibility as Christians, isn't it? We already clothed with the garments of salvation, the Rover righteousness, standing before God, and all the wonder value of the work of trace. But now here's something which is our responsibility to be closed humility, to manifest it before one another.
Oh, that is something that covered one so that his parents manifest. Nor are we in action. That doesn't just for one occasion, but it's the character. Day by day, in the meeting or out of the meeting and conversation, or having personal dealings with one another, there's always that spirit of humility taking the low place, being willing to submit to.
Yeah, wherever it wouldn't dishonor the Lord. Wherever. When anything is just matter of one having his own way. How much better to yield and to submit than to always be insisting on having ones own way.
I know a brother that's in years out of fellowship because he wouldn't agree to the brethren passing the box around.
On Sunday morning and rather than than submit.
He left the meeting.
Fellowship today? Well, that was just simply a matter not having his own way.
He really thought that that was best, but he had no scripture for it. In fact, I believe it's scriptural order to pass the bus. But he got that thought, and some of the older brethren had given that idea years before in the meeting, and he wants to hold on to the tradition and sisted on it. So there he goes out.
I suppose it would depend much on the exercise and the service rendered.
When the Saints of Antioch took up that collection for the poor Saints in Judea and Jerusalem, they sent the Mounties by Barnabas and Paul. Well, you might say, well, that's a that's a meager service, but there's responsibility in connection with it. It was the Lord's money.
It was the Lord's bounty and for the poor in Judea and Jerusalem. So it much would depend on the character of the exercise and service, wouldn't it? Some require a older brother and in other cases a younger brother could fulfill the exercise.
That's a solemn word. There God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
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Doesn't need too much comment on it. It's something for our consciences. Is there pride in our hearts? How much sadness and sorrow has been brought in by one being just too proud to own that he was wrong, rather than if we make a mistake in our ministry? You must be willing to own it. And if we are not, to just set ourselves up to be always right.
That is home when we're wrong.
That spirit of unwillingness to own when we've made a mistake or when we're wrong can lead to disastrous consequences.
And that's really a part of humility, isn't it? Take the low place one wants to have his way on is nothing concerning the Lord's glory. Or let him have his way and submit and give in.
Still give in. Isn't that all right?
If you're not wrong and still give in, isn't that all right too?
If it's something that isn't vital, that doesn't concern the Lords glory.
The what who deserves the highest place is the one who took the lowest place, and we don't deserve any place at all.
So we need to relate it to him. That helps us, doesn't.
I thought of the advice of the old man in three of Ohm's time, so they suggested to reel bomb that he would deal gently and kindly with the people for as the younger men suggested, Harshness said.
My father chastised them with whips, but I'll chastise them with scorpions. That was the advice of the young men. Well, it's sad when we get older that we become more harsh. It ought to be the other way. The advice of these old men was kindness and gentleness. May the Lord grant that as we grow older, that this will be so. Because as we look back on our own lives, this should humble us. There ought to be enough in any of our lives to make us humble.
As we grow older, the older we are, the more failures we can look back on. And so I think it's very important as we get older that we watch that it doesn't turn to pride and and shall I say, being unkind and thoughtless, but rather the other way. So nice to see what those older men suggested to read a bomb, isn't it?
Way Christ can be detected is a haughty spirit.
It may be hidden away in the heart, but.
A pride cometh before destruction, and it may be hidden in the heart, but a haughty spirit before a fall? And that's what it comes out, isn't it? And so that could be detected. But you can't detect crime. We all have it. It's a question of the grace of God that keeps it under.
Building up the thought which we have in Philippians 4 where the Apostle has to.
Beseech you, audience and syndicate, to be of the same mind in the Lord. Then it goes on, Let your yielding us be known unto all men, yielding us humility.
How? How much the Saints can be spared from sorrow where there is humility displayed.
The humility is something that we try to attain to because that can be a very sad thing. It can be pride in disguise, wanting to impress people that we are humble. True humility is the result of being in the presence of one who is far superior to ourselves.
I might think I was a good Carpenter, but if I got with someone who could really do very much better than myself, I don't need to be told to be humble. I just don't want to show my work because His is so far superior. And brethren, true humility is not something that we strive after or pretend because that's a bad thing, Just pretended humility. It's the result of being in the presence of God. No one could truly be in His presence without being humble, because when we think of who He is and what he has done for us, that his patience with us.
It produces that without effort within us.
And Isaiah chapter 66 I like to read the just a part of a verse very precious. I often have read this works. I say at 66 and the middle of verse 2. But to this man will I look, say the Lord, even to him there is a core of a contrite spirit, and tremble at my voice. To this man will I look save God?
00:30:30
Even to him that is a poor and our contract spirit.
And tremble at my word, I have, I have heard someone say, and I'll pass around to your dear bread. And here this afternoon, I suppose there's nothing new, that through humility consists of making everything of Christ and nothing of ourselves. Through humility consists of making everything of Christ and nothing of ourselves.
And that's why we have to be friends, isn't it?
Visiting a brother in France for a while so. And he said, Have you ever noticed Jehovah's 2 Thrones? And I said no. Whatever do you mean? So he read to me this first I'll just read it the 57th of Isaiah. For thus that the high and lofty one that inhabited eternity whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy flakes.
That's one throw.
With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.
To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite one. I thought it was most interesting that he should notice that in that one verse there were the two Thrones of Jehovah. As he put it, a high and lofty one that inhabited eternity finds it his delight.
To enjoy the fellowship of those who are humble and contrite in heart, in spirit. Oh, it is, I'm sure.
Such a deceitful thing. We perhaps are guilty of wishing for a reputation for humility. Isn't that an awful thing when you put it in plain English? What a what an awful statement that is a reputation as a humble. Brothers. God forbid if we ever sought for such a reputation, we would be unfaithful. We would never. Never.
Shall I say, take part in any activity that might attract a little bit of attention? Because we would say this would damage my reputation for humility. But to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus, who was meek and lowly in heart, will, I believe, produce it without it being sought after at all.
When he was reviled, he reviled not again the Blessed Lord. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself unto him the judges righteously.
Who his own self bear our sins and his own body on the tree, that we being dead unto sins not sin, but sins might live unto righteousness.
By whose stripes we've been healed. There's another thing that comes to me, brethren.
The the question of subjection.
I think we would do well to have a little word, perhaps, as the Lord enables, on this question of subjection.
Peters ministry doesn't deal with the assembly in the same way as Paul Paul's ministry was to the assembly.
But.
Concerning discipline.
May we ever learn to bow to the decision of the Assembly.
Here is where we sometimes go wrong, and where OFT times a great deal of strife is the result of it.
And assembly decision holds.
Now we have to subject ourselves to the decision there This was asked our love Brother Brown. When his mind was clear, it was asked must an assembly decision hold and he said it hoped. Now we may not see this, we may be, we may have a different conception of it.
But there again is the need of humility to leave it with the Lord and let him work this problem out.
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Now sometimes we are in the midst of a lot of in subjection in the Assembly.
We do not have this trouble in Bolivia, for which we thank God.
Now take for instance in the case of putting away dear Philemon.
His own.
Children in the faith did it in tears.
I asked a brother concerning trouble in a meeting. What was the trouble there? You know what he said.
Brother Smith is parental affection.
This is the trouble here, parental affection that we would even slur over divine truth just to please some younger or older brothers. We would slur it over now. God doesn't bless that. Doesn't bless that. Well, I just mentioned this, by the way, because Satan is making inroads among us.
And as an old man, I just feel that there perhaps is a danger in our midst of parental affection governing the actions of the assembly instead of the spirit of God. The Holy Spirit, Beloved, never leads country to this boat.
In all the actions that are taken in the meeting.
There needs the gentleness, there needs the moderation or the yielding Ness and the gentleness that needs that, but there needs to to be faithfulness.
Faithfulness now.
I know of certain meetings where the younger men, we love them, but they are imposing themselves upon the elder.
And the result has been confusion, confusion. Now this is not always the case. We cherish our young brethren, and we cherish their interest in the things of the Lord, and especially if they have a seal to serve the Lord and to please him.
But there is a subjection required in the assembly that's very urgent just now.
The Word of God is the authority for all action, though, and while we submit to the action of the assembly, we must also bear in mind that the assembly has no right to set aside the Word of God. Now, That is, if we place the authority of the assembly above the Word of God, it's from the Word of God that they receive their authority. And if the assembly in a certain place was to condone something that denied the deity of Christ, we couldn't respect the authority of the assembly above the word of God.
So that the time where we're told to hear the Church is in the case of deciding whether a person is guilty, but not in deciding matters of truth and doctrine. The word of God is the authority for that, brethren. Let us remember them absolutely true, dear brother. The assembly is not the truth. The word of God is the truth. So that all that I mentioned in love was that the Spirit of God is He who guides.
There. And if we are not careful, we sometimes Passover, a very important matter in the assembly. I think that's what I was trying to make dear brother. Yes, I'm predicting, I just qualifying, so we would all be clear.
The assembly brethren is not.
The truth it is taught. The assembly doesn't teach. It is taught. And as our dear brother has brought to our minds again, and of course, which I desire to emphasize too.
The word of God is the truth, not the assembly.
We read in Timothy that the Church is the pillar and support of the truth.
And.
When the apostles were here.
If the apostles could go about and could make decisions because they had the authority of the Lord, but now where is the authority they have given us their writings?
Well, that's how the authorities passed down, the authorities in the word now. And so we must bow to the word of God. And that's why it's so important that planning assembly makes a decision, It do. It makes the decision in the fear of the Lord according to the Word.
00:40:13
And if it's done in the fear of the Lord, and it's backed up by the word of God, there's the authority.
We have a very common example of where Lords claims come before the claims of nature in Exodus 32.
It says in verse 3026. And Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lords side, Let him come under me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves unto him. And he said unto them thus, that the Lord God of Israel.
Could every man his sword by his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother?
What a solemn thing. And every man his companion, and every man his neighbor, And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and the fellow the people that there about 3000 men.
Here surely we have a very solemn example of where the Lord's claims must come before the claims of nature.
Don't you think that the spirit of God is referring back to that in the 33rd chapter of Deuteronomy?
In this 33rd of Deuteronomy you get the blessings of Moses, the man of God, and he takes up the different crimes. And we are. What you are reading about was about Levi, the time that they came forward and drew the sword and they were to sleep every man, his brother, and so on.
Now here's what it says this to that.
And of the eighth verse and of Levar, he said, Let thy summon and the Urim be with the holy One, whom thou didst prove it, Master, That's the place where you were reading about, and with whom thou describe at the border of Meribah, who sat unto his father, and to his mother. I have not seen him.
Neither did he acknowledge his brother, nor know his own children. For they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. Now notice this. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law. They shall put infants before thee, and hold burnt burnt sacrifice upon thine altar Well those who were faithful, and would not recognize human relationships when the.
Honor of God was in question. They're the ones that God can use.
To to minister to his people.
And to present whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. We allow human relationships to have an important place that sways our judgment. We're putting ourselves in a very serious position.
That's a timely word, brother.
We are feeling this matter.
We are just feeling this very keenly just now.
And.
We just have to watch out.
Lest Satan gets an advantage of us below.
He is attacking God's dear people as never before.
He is really attacking the Lord's dear people and how he loves each one.
But he's attacking the the the truth of the one body.
And what is the one body but the ground of the assembly?
He's attacking.
The assembly in that sense, and we sometimes are liable to Slayer over truth in order to pacify matters.
Now we need grace in all this, of course.
But.
I just mentioned this, by the way, as one who has labored many years among different Saints with different languages.
00:45:05
From the very beginning of the work, we sought to teach the native Christians, and there's no one so rebellious as a Spanish American.
We've taught them to subject themselves to the assembly decision and to respect those who are, shall we call them Overseers or bishops or Elmers, to respect the decision that they make.
Now, there's never been one case during the 50 years of my little life where the Assembly decision has been refuted.
Not one case so far because of this they it has been imposed upon them in loving language. The the necessity of allowing nothing to interfere with the decision that is taken. Well, there's a great responsibility upon elders and it's a very, very difficult position as those.
Among you, beloved, who take the burden of the assemblies, it's an unthankful thing, But oh, it's a very great honor and a very great privilege. And those of God's dear people who have been used of the law.
Have been the most humble, and those who are just nothing have felt their own nothing. I know one brother is with the Lord now. He very seldom opened his mouth, but he's very presence. There was a power for God.
We knew that he would stand by the word. Well, nothing turned him away from that. Well, I just mentioned this. It's upon my heart, beloved. And these are reading meetings.
We just would humble ourselves in the presence of God just now because of our state.
We should humble ourselves as regards our state and as regards the ongoing even of the children of the Saints and so on. We humble ourselves before the Lord about.
Now dear Raul Valderrama has had one of the greatest tests of his Christian life. His eldest son at the table of the Lord has failed. He's gone into fornication.
That dear man has written me, You see the drops, the teardrops on the paper. What has he done? He has.
Stood by his brethren in putting that wicked man away.
Putting him away.
And isn't that something that's shaken our dear brother Valorama to his very soul? Nothing would prevent him from standing by the book.
Well, that that young man is going to be restored. You certainly will. He's feeling how cold this poor old world is out in Satan's world. Well, brethren, just forgive me for stressing it a bit, but I really feel it in my own soul. Or I wouldn't say so.
Since we're Speaking of assembly decision and owning the assembly decision to speak a word concerning what if we feel that the assembly may have made a mistake because we know the assembly is not infallible.
But in a case where we feel that the assembly has made a mistake.
He's the one to rectify it. Leave it to the Lord.
Our troubles would end if we would just cease, beloved, from dealing with things where the scriptures are silent and letting the Lord work out our problem. Who is more able, beloved, than that risen, glorified man to do?
We can count on him, absolutely.
We believe that he can do it, so we leave it with him.
00:50:05
And he can guide his own house.
Say Amen to that.
Could you tell us about the man in Bolivia that was put away strongly and sat back? Yes.
There was a dear brother. He was accused of adultery.
I knew him, my own spiritual son.
He was put away. There are cases where the assembly could go wrong. He was put away.
Never missed one meeting, he sat back, he and his dear wife and his three little children.
For one year and a half, he never missed one meeting, the prayer meeting.
The breaking of bread. He was there with his little family.
At the reading meetings he never missed for one year and a half.
One day in reading First Corinthians 5A, brother broke down.
Stood up with the tears flowing down his face.
He said My brother is innocent.
The guilty man. I'm the guilty man.
Well, that was just like a bolt with the blue. I'm the guilty man. What was that brother going to do? He never let on that there was anything ever happened. He took his place at the table again. He never said one word against the decision of the assembly. Not one word against his dear brother or against anybody.
Wasn't that a victory?
No revenge, if anyone had.
A cause to cause a dissension and the trouble in that meeting. That man was he was the best taught brother in the meeting.
He'd been saved many years.
But he never said the word.
And I've said to him after, dear brother.
The Lord bless you.
He said Thanks, Brother Smith.
He said the Lord is able, the Lord is able. That's all he said to me. The Lord is able. Remember, it says the last. The verse we're considering that he may exalt you in due time.
When I mentioned my brother. Because it's just an example for us, isn't it? And it's been an example for us ever since. Now this took place years ago. Of course that dear man is in is with the Lord and so is the other. They're both with the Lord.
But what a happy ending. Those men went home to glory shouting. They did, both of them. The poor fellow was a he was a lame priest. Of course he couldn't minister anymore. They wouldn't allow him to minister in the in the meeting he was a lame priest. But he took part in the gospel outside and showed to the people around him what God could do with the poorest St. restore to commute.
Yes, God is able, Beloved. Let us trust Him.
He's able. I thought it was such a good example of an assembly making a wrong decision, but waiting on the Lord, and the Lord sets it right.
That I had. Will you be permitted to just give you a little experience that I had in my own life when I came among the Gather Saints about 20 years ago? I went to a year, brother, that I love very much. And I say to him, dear brother, I can't say this is very personal. I hope you don't mind. And I say, dear brother, I won't be able to stay with you another moment. The Lord has shown me the place and I'm going to go there and I went and sit back.
But you know what this brother told me? I want to speak aloud so that everybody can hear me.
And this is very vital in connection what we have before us this afternoon. He said to me, brother, I know why you leave us. And I say to him why, brother, because you believe that when an assembly passes a judgment, everybody must bomb to it. But we don't believe that. We believe that people present another assembly. They should get together and judge the case of his right. Then we're accepted. That will not be rejected. I say, brethren, that's exactly the reason why I'm leaving your dear brethren, and go to those who are gathered through the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
00:55:32
I thought I'd give you this a little personal experience in my life, and I have treasure and appreciated the place that the Lord and his goodness and love has brought to me. I come out from that confusion, but I was better. I come out from that confusion because of that.
I just wanted to mention that at the time of the Tunbridge Wells division.
My father was very well acquainted with Brother Lo, and loved him and esteemed him. He was a he was a laboring brother of weight had been much used of the Lord.
And here was a case where a laboring brother was put away and brother Lois letter. It looks like it was unrighteous and the meeting was divided there in connection with it and others were put away.
At that time, nearly half the meeting, so that it looked like it might not have been an assembly action.
And my father and I were almost ready to go the wrong direction. And I went to Saint Louis at that time. And I visited Brother Armand. And Brother Potter was there. And what they told me, you bow to the action of the assembly and wait on the Lord to clear it up? Well, I came back with that conviction. And so we did.
We we just waited on the Lord.
And in time it came out that the very ones that had refused the action of Chambers wealth had to put this labouring brother Mr. Strange away themselves as a liar. Well, showed that the decision of the assembly was right. But really the important thing is just what they told me. Wait on the Lord and brother, Brown says that, Brown said to me at that time too. And I was.
Undecided, He said, Suppose you are walking down the street and the policeman stops you and says you're under arrest. You say I haven't done anything. He says it makes no difference. You're under arrest. He says, what are you going to do about it? Well, he said you have to submit his authority there. And he says that's the way it is with this case. We have to submit and then wait on the Lord to come in. And it may, it may be like in this case, only about a year before it was cleared up for those who wanted to walk in the Truth. Or it might be many years.
But all the important thing is don't get in a hurry, don't take a false step, don't try to start anything. Leave it with the Lord, wait on the Lord and the Lord can come in in his time and wait. And his ways are always best.
And then?
Once your brother we were together, and there was one that was able to not God with us, and he was trying to process to what went on and the ground in which we took by the grace of God. You know what your dear father told him? He say, brother, the father has the authority and the family has to be. I'll never forget that. And the young man answered, Yes, he say, do you think that the father sometime can make a mistake in his judgment?
He say yes, he can make mistakes. What the Son is going to do is going to rebel against the Father, you say, Oh no, no, I can't do that. There is that The thing is seeking the help of another assembly, which has been done, as we know recently in a matter that has risen amongst us. And God has honored the help of another assembly and coming in and taking the case and seeking to act for the Lord in it, We mustn't forget that any action taken in the assembly is to be taken.
Representing the whole testimony. And therefore it tells us, you know, that that endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace, we submit and wait on the Lord. But there are certain principles in the word of God which have been acted on amongst us, and which God is honored.
And difficulties that have arisen. I just mentioned this because I think many of us are aware that there have been such a thing taken place, and that the Lord has come in and honored the ones who seek to act in the fear of God in such cases, not setting aside the assembly action as such, but seeking to consider it in the light of God's word.
01:00:25
I personally feel this Mr. Strain Brother Barry after he was put away.
He came to our meeting in Ipswich, England, and I was president at the time, and he caused an awful trouble. He tried to get into our meeting after being put away. And the dear brother there, oh, they wept over him, pleaded with him to go out and he wouldn't, So they would give hold of him, forcibly take him out. And the sisters were crying, the brothers were crying, we all crying. It's the saddest thing. He's such a man who went to the determined spirit. He was not going to be put away.
And brother Henderson, nine, met of man at the same time in the West Indians.
Alexander Peters. When he was put away, he shook his first. He said, I'm not going to leave this meeting. You're not going to put me away. I'm not going to leave. You're not going to put me away. Didn't he stand? He created an awful disturbance, Rebellious, not subject to the decision of the assembly. And if we judge the decision of the Assembly, we're constituting ourselves as judges, are we not?
And the most helpless and keep us very low down, beloved, very low down indeed, he loves his people. I remember a case when I was arrested as an officer. Drew saw it and he said March, I said.
Why March? He said. Well, I went into the dungeon, had not a word to say. Who was ever going to Take Me Out of that place?
Just to rot away, beloved in that dungeon where over 1,000,000 poor things have rotted during the conquest of the of the Spanish.
Rather the way in that those dungeons, oh, who would ever Take Me Out of them? There was one up there who knew all about it. And I said, Lord, geez, while I'm in here, I'm going to preach all day to these poor convicts who were 1400 of them in there.
Some into life and he gave me grace to preach. A Roman Catholic Colonel came to the police station and sent for me to be brought up out of the dungeon.
And he said I knew him. He'd warned me beforehand, but that by preaching in the open air there were people who would do violence unto me.
And he warned me. He said, Hello, Smith, He said, what are you doing in here? I said, I'm a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Make my Colonel, Me Colonel, they say. He said, you just go home and I look after you. A Roman Catholic Colonel. Oh, the Lord lives, Melanie. And he kept his word.
He looked out to me. Nobody ever touched me after that and he went over the head of the chief of police of the city to do it.
Well how it's wonderful to leave it with the Lord now we appreciate the comments of our love brother always it's these are the joys of of reading meetings president to have these things talked over lovingly and.
Subjectively to one another.
But is there not something that we have to listen to this afternoon, beloved, just as we are in this actual state that exists?
Leave it with the Blessed Lord.
I've received a pile of papers like this about trouble in these meetings. They write to me because I'm an old worker.
I've never answered one, not one, but I prayerfully put it away.
Where it belongs.
Ask me all your care about me, and that's the next verse. For he careth for you, and then it asks to be sober.
Be vigilant. Now that's necessary too, isn't it? As was brought out sobriety connected with our own personal state. And walk, but then also vigilant.
01:05:01
We always should be vigilant just the same because the enemy may trip us up too.
But I go back to this other question just to if I really may raise a question that is in my own mind, and I would like to have help on it. I have wondered if there is perhaps a danger in our abhorrence of what we see concerning independent testimonies that reject such a thing as the authority of the Lord. In the midst we have seen this, and we have seen the pitiful results of it. We have heard and it is found teaching.
That we accept decisions made by assemblies with the authority of the Lord in the midst. This I thoroughly agree with. I have wondered if in our.
Horror of independence, whether there could be the danger of we as local assemblies perhaps acting a little bit independently in making a decision which we know is going to be binding on all other assemblies and we expect them to bow to it.
And refuse the prayerful concern and appeal of our other brethren. I'm raising it as a question that has stirred a bit in my own mind. I hope by the grace of God we may always accept the binding character of decisions made in each assembly, with the Lord in the midst. But this very fact, brethren, makes me feel that.
That one gathered to the Lord's name.
As one who I trust love the truth of the one body, and as I see it displayed and as I experience it in going from place to place, yet I am a brother that is in a local assembly Smith Falls, and I feel that when any assembly decision is made at Smith Falls, it is going to be binding on all other assemblies. Therefore should we at Smith Falls not bear this in mind at all times when?
A situation develops in our midst and we realize that we must make a decision.
Which will be binding on all assemblies, should we not, because of this various fact, and in an attempt, an endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit proffered by benefit by the prayerful counsel of our brethren from elsewhere, shall I say?
Right in feeling that there should be this spirit with us in our home assembly when we realize that what we enact in the presence of the Lord is going to be binding, should it not be made.
As.
A local representation of the truth of the one body.
This is a question that I would like some comment on. I hope that you've answered the whole matter yourself, that you're right in what you say and I trust it will lead to exercise among the Saints and because there are many meetings represented here, that it will cause real care and concern. And considering the whole body, I fully agree with what you say that there's one thing that when the matter has caused trouble among God's people.
And when you find that there has been a definite attack on the person or the work of Christ, why it makes the matter?
Clear to understand that here's a serious matter, an attack on the person of Christ like Raven ISM.
Or an attack upon the work of Christ in any way. Well then that makes the matter clear that those who have taken action, that they had godly concern about it. And even though their brethren elsewhere may not be clear about it, they have acted before the Lord. And I think you'll find in most every case of division that has ever taken place, that if you trace the thing down to its.
Up to the bottom you'd find there was something there that was serious.
That had to be considered.
Aside the that deal with the Raven situation was actually involved hanging aside of an assembly where that evil wasn't judged, didn't it? I only mentioned this because we should be very clear as to the limits of the authority of the assembly never to go beyond the word of God. Any condoning of evil would cause it to cease to be an Assembly of God, wouldn't it?
01:10:07
And so we have to be faithful. In this I fully agree with the remark that Albert has made that every assembly should remember how it's its actions are going to be binding upon others, and so should act in the fear of God, and realize that to cause disturbance and sorrow among the Saints just to carry out some action is really a great loss to the whole testimony, and we should be exercised to act in the fear of God.
And to seek to continue in this which is so dear and precious to us, that we are gathered as members of the body of Christ on the ground of the one body.
To that brethren, we can say Amen to that.
However, it's just the danger of us flaring over things, and God would have us watch out in this matter.
Lest anything would deter us from following what God has to say in His word about it.
That's the point that comes home to my own soul that are we in any danger of slurring over truth?
Just to satisfy perhaps some affection that we may have.
That is always a danger of that, I'm sure there must be. We all feel that, especially you, dear ones who have children, have been privileged to have a family.
We'll tell here that the enemy is on the loose in this next verse, the enemies on the loop. We only have a few moments left, but we want to remember that that the enemy is at work and he's very busy today.
And so it says, be sober.
And be vigilant, because your adversary the devil.
As a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom resists steadfast in the faith. That is, whenever you speak of the faith, it always includes the thought, doesn't it, that whatever we do must be subject to the word of God.
In the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren, they're in the world.
So we have here the enemy at work and our part then.
As our brothers just said, to be vigilant.
But sober to and then we're to resist the enemy.
And we're to be steadfast in the faith. We're to resist the enemy, and that whatever his attacks are, would you resist them. But that's quite different from sowing discord among our brethren, isn't it?
My face we may will. By his grace alone, beloved, we can maintain the honor.
And the glory and the authority of Christ in our midst by his grace.
By God's grace.
Yeah.
But the God of all grace, I would like to have an interview with Peter for that by you such a secular expression and ask him say Peter what do you mean the God of all grace, He say. Brother, you read about me what I did in the gospel there many mistaken. How would Whitley sometime I have spoken and how the God of old age has always blessed me and restored me.
Would you say?
I was thinking here to how it says, humble yourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God.
That he may exhaust you in due time. So that is, we've been Speaking of many things in connection with the difficulties that arise amongst us.
But should we not be exercised about why and to humble ourselves under God's mighty hands? Affliction doesn't spring out of the ground that God has allowed it. Maybe He sees something amongst us that needs correction, and so He allows it. And before we are able to cast our care upon him, we have to recognize His hand upon us before we can actually have the wisdom how to meet these attacks of the enemy.
First of all, taken the low place about why this took place, and I believe that there's an order here, a moral order that is very important for US1 is sometimes commented that it's important to notice that verses 6 and seven are part of one sentence. We often hang up on our wall at verse, casting all your care upon him for a careth for you. And yet we've all had the experience that we just couldn't seem to cast our cares upon him.
01:15:30
The verse was very lovely. It was very inspiring. But we wondered why we were unable to leave those cares there. But have we submitted to his hand as to why he allowed that care? Why did it come? Have we really submitted to it and said, well, he's allowed it because of something that he has seen, that it was needed and one could speak for oneself whether it has to do with the assembly.
It has to do with our own personal lives. I don't believe that we can actually leave our cares with the Lord until we have submitted to His hand and what He has allowed. And when we do, we'll find that it's much easier than to commit the care to him.
I sometimes had to challenge myself like this. Well, now the Lord has allowed this circumstance.
If you had the planning of it, you think it would be different, but the Lord and His wisdom has allowed this. Would we really want the Lord to change the circumstance, or do we see His hand in it and the wisdom of His hand in it? I believe that when we just down say, well Lord, it was necessary, it's been allowed for a purpose which I would seek to learn. Then the Lord enables us to cast the care upon him.
Then he gives us to be able to meet this, for the enemy's work is always to use the flesh within us. He has no power over the one who is walking in obedience to the Word of God. It says by the word of Thy looks have I kept me from the path of the Destroyer. So Satan had no power over the Lord because he ever walked to please his Father. But he has power over us when we depart from the path of obedience.
When we step into something of self will, and then the Lord has to deal with us, and we wonder at our inability to meet its attacks, have we really been before the Lord as to why is allowed it, why we can't seem to cast this care upon Him? And when we have done this, I believe, then He enables us to know how to meet the situation in the fear of God. He enables us to, as it tells us here to resist steadfast in the faith.
James.
A similar thought. God resisted the proud that gives grace to the humble. And then he says, submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Well, he joins those two things together, submitting ourselves to God and then resisting the devil. But how can we resist the enemy if there's not submission to God? This means going on in communion with him.
And fellowship with him in self judgment, being in a proper state of soul, and perhaps.
This is why the the enemy is coming in and he's doing the work or he's able to do the work that he is doing. Because we're not in the proper state of soul. We don't have discernment. We've gotten out of touch with the Lord, out of tune with him, and we don't have discernment and when there's that state.
Their confusion comes in, and the enemy is able to increase the confusion, and it gets right back to a matter of our own personal state of soul. The Assembly is no stronger than we are individually. If we're not going on with the Lord individually, well, how can the Assembly be going on with the Lord if we're losing discernment individually, well, in that measure, the Assembly will be losing discernment too.
So these two things are important to link together and keep together, submitting to God that we might be able to resist the death.
Passing through a deep exercise whenever we visit him and I believe Brother Tanner will confirm this.
Whenever we visit him for the past year, once or twice a week, going over these things in connection with the assembly and the various things that are taking place, he refers to 1St Corinthians Chapter 11, verse 30 for this cause. Many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. He is going. Brother Brown is passing through a very deep exercise regardless.
01:20:28
Of this 4 miles, and this verse is very much before him as to the conditions that we see existing amongst us and the Lord speaking here and there, not only amongst the older brethren, but also the young.
#318.
Oh, Lamb of God, still keep us close to thy Pearson sign #318.
Be the First First Corinthians First Corinthians 13.
Verse 1213.
For now, we see through a glass darkly.
But then face to face.
Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I'm known?
01:25:01
And now about its faith.
Hope Charity.
These three, but the greatest of these is charity or love.
Look Up
Authority
Sanctification
Titus 2:11
1st Reading