Des Moines Conference: 2002
Table of Contents
2 Corinthians 4:1-8
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From we will find an obvious favor, Our Spirits Present Home number 56.
My father's house.
Of God make it the rest of the Lord's day.
Corinthians 4-5 and six.
In the parenthesis of which chapters 345 and six are apart? That we have ministry of the person of Christ, brought out in such a beautiful way that it prepares us for the exercise of conscience or subjective ministry. That we find in the 6th chapter, that it seems to me to be a moral principle of Scripture that we first find.
Are standing in Christ and fullness of his Person, and then we find that which is for exercise the 6th chapter.
Yes.
Therefore, seeing we have this ministry as we have received mercy, we faint not.
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath 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.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants, for Jesus sake.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, have shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
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But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed but not in despair. Persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed.
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
For we which live our old way, delivered unto death, for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken, We also believe, and therefore speak, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, and shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might, through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
For which 'cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish.
Yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
It's.
A ministry of the gospel of the glorious of Christ. And he had contrasted it with that ministry of Moses, which was introduced in glory but passed away. But this is something that wasn't and will not pass away, and it involved the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and of God Himself.
But it was committed to.
A man, particularly here, the apostle, and he has this.
Ministry in an earthen vessel that he is seeking to carry out fulfilling this ministry that have been given to him. But it's an administration that he has contrasted with what Moses had been given and as a or as the scripture says that.
What Moses gave was introduced.
In glory with angels, but it's passed away. But he has this ministry that's not going to pass away.
Chapter 3 and verse seven. It speaks of the ministration of death. In verse nine, it speaks of the ministration of condemnation that was the law that was delivered to Moses, like you said. And it's in contrast with what we have in verse 8 of chapter 3, the ministration of the Spirit.
And at the end of verse 9 Administration of Righteousness and he shows like you mentioned.
Brother Henry, that if the ministration of death and condemnation in the law was introduced with such glory, so that Moses when he came down from that mountain his face was shining. How much more now the ministration of the Spirit and the administration of righteousness that we have in the Lord Jesus, because in the Lord Jesus we have.
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The complete revelation of the glory of God in our chapter.
In verse four it says in whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them.
Which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ.
Or it could be read the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them. And verse 6 God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness that shine in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So it is our privilege. And the Apostle Paul like you said brother Henry was.
Especially given that ministry. But do we not know God ourselves, brethren?
If we have been brought to know God is not, then this responsibility of this ministry weigh upon our shoulders as well, to show out the glorious gospel of Christ in the midst of a dying world. That is the ministry that is spoken of here, and so it comes to bear on each one of us.
Forth by the person of Christ we'll never see, as we have in First Timothy chapter six, that there's a glory which we will never behold. But the person of Christ displayed that glory, and he could say to Philip, Hast thou been so long time with me, Philip? And dost thou not know me? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father. And so everything that we know of God, everything we'll ever know of God, is demonstrated through the person of Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
As the image of God we cannot but remember Ephesians, excuse me, Hebrews chapter one and verse three. It says he is the express image of his person and so it's been referred. He that has seen me has seen the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ was the perfect expression.
Of the heart and mind of God, so that he could say that the Father.
And I are one, but not only was he the expressed image of his person.
He was the effulgence of his glory, that is, the outshining, the demonstration of the glory of God in a man. And so when the Lord Jesus Christ was challenged as to whom he was, and he said, I am altogether that which I have said unto you, He was the honest representation of what he said, and he proved it by the work that he did.
That verse you quoted in John I have an interlinear that wasn't translated by anyone in in gathered and he has a footnote that he said this is the most troublesome verse in the whole New Testament. Well, the problem is that they must have used the wrong manuscripts because as you quoted, it is what Darby quotes it and it's absolutely exquisite. It doesn't need to be misunderstood at all, does it? And as you have said, I just add Amen.
Very important.
Verse.
We see in the verse here, seeing we have.
We see in the verse here seeing we have this ministry as we have received mercy.
It's all received, isn't it? What we have, we have by way of revelation. We're not smarter than anybody else. We're not more worthy than anybody else, but we have it by revelation. That's the thing. That's the key thing. What hast thou that thou hast not received? And who made thee to differ from another? That's the grand thing about all of this. What we have, our God has been pleased to reveal to us, undeserving as we are.
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Notice the first verse of our chapters therefore, and it reflects back.
To what we had in the third chapter, I'd just like to draw attention to the last verse of chapter 3. It shows that this ministry in a certain measure is given to every one of us brethren. It says we all with open or unveiled face.
Beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory.
Even as by the spirit of the Lord, when Moses came off the mountain.
His face was shining so much that he had to put a veil on it so that he could talk to the children of Israel. But now the contrast is that we have the privilege, brethren, to look with unveiled face right into the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is our privilege to do that. And in the measure that you and I do that notice it says we all this is not just some special group.
Amongst God's people, it is the privilege of every true believer.
We are with unveiled face, Beholding as in a glass. The glory of the Lord are changed into the same image, and the power of Christianity is in looking to that object, to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in the measure that you look to him and are occupied with him, there will be a transformation that takes place rather than we all have false.
And we need to have help with our faults sometimes. But what transforms really transforms is to be directed to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ in all his glory. In the measure that you look there and I look there, there will be an unconscious transformation in our lives to His glory. And so this is the.
Ministry that really is ours as well in this measure, brethren. Paul had it in a very special way, but it does come on us to the responsibility of letting the light shine.
I suppose that was very graphically demonstrated when the Lord rode in Jerusalem on a wild ***** colt.
We're just like that. And if we allow the Lord to control our lives, we'll be just like that too, won't we?
But it's very important to notice that as Moses came down, the veil hid that glory that was reflected in his face. And in verse 17 it's, excuse me, 14, it says until this day.
Remain at the same veil, untaken away. When they read the Old Testament, he's referring to those Jews who could not see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is not this Joseph Son? Is not this the Carpenter and these kind of things? They saw nothing except a natural individual in this world in the Lord Jesus Christ. But we beheld His glory, the glory of an only begotten of the Father to faith. That glory is manifested.
It is open for view, but for the unbelieving heart it is still.
Veiled and that glory is not seen because.
There is a very active enemy to prevent the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ from being seen.
And that enemy, of course, is now the God of this world, controlling its religion and its politics and its activities.
So as to hide the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. But how delightful it is.
That the very God who spoke that light should shine out of darkness, he said, Let there be light. And there was light has shined into these hearts and given faith to see that wonderful glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the glory of God in the face of a glorified man at his right hand, and so as we are occupied with him.
As we set our mind on things above as we admonish in Colossians 3/1.
And are concerned and feed the new man. These glories are by his matchless grace reflected.
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In these mortal bodies. But we have to suppress the desires, because the apostle says, I bruise under my body in order that the life of the Lord Jesus Christ might be manifested in this mortal body. So it is our responsibility, as has been laid on us, to reflect that glory. But it's our special privilege to deny the normal thoughts of South and order that the life of the Lord Jesus might be seen in US.
But marvelous grace, that sixth verse is. How dark was the darkness at that scene when it says he caused the light to shine out of darkness? Well, probably darkness that we never, never will see. And that's the way our hearts are when we are in a lost state. That's the state of everyone that's without Christ. Total, absolute, abject darkness. And think of the grace as shined in our hearts.
To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, if God could shine out of the darkness that existed in that first part of Genesis. He does that for you and me when we accept Christ as Savior.
It is so important, beloved brethren, and I say this particularly to the young people.
That we understand that the God who did this has done.
In our hearts, and it is He that we know as our Father.
God who made this universe, we address as our Father and in first John chapter 2 when the Apostle writes to the babes in Christ little children, because you know the Father, and because you know your sins are forgiven, there we have the very basis of basic elements of Christian blessing to know God is our Father, our sins forgiven, and we so fall so far short.
To entering into the preciousness of who it is that is our Father. And so we hear too often our Heavenly Father, we hear a clergyman pray, Oh my God, Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven. He is all those things. But He is our Father, and we do Him an injustice, and we do not serve Him well unless we address Him in the intimacy of our Father.
Bob, if you mentioned about the we all give us, if you have liberty to do it, give us a a little help in connection with is this those that have a particular gift? Is it these that have a particular advancement in in knowledge of scripture? Is it for the full range of first John 2, the fathers, the young men and the children?
It doesn't qualify here, does it, brother?
Seeing we have received this Ministry, we have received mercy. We faint. Not all of us isn't.
Isn't it important, regardless of age, of obviously age of responsibility on up, that there be this personal exercise to think of the Lord indeed as savior, as master, the one that died for us, but to think of one that we can indeed not just at a conference have some brother talk about it, but that day by day, you know, to wake up in the morning and whatever the the problems of the day.
To talk with him. I'm not saying he shouldn't get down and pray, but before he ever got up bed you can talk to him. Just think of it of of having a an appreciation for a relationship that we can talk to him and know that he wants us to unburden our hearts or just to thank him, you know, because I think the first issuance of praise will be to thank him for having died for us. But we can do it before we get there. Can't wait.
Can do it every day.
The very first chapter of the Bible, God divided the light from the darkness. He.
First commanded like you said brother, that out of the darkness the light should shine. But then he separated the light from the darkness, and there is that separation all through the word of God, right from the first chapter on. And in this second verse we have how the importance of that practically affecting our lives. Like you say brother Stan, not only.
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When we're here together in meetings, but every aspect of our life, we should.
Have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully.
But by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, In other words, the light dispels the darkness. You cannot mix light and darkness. There has to be a distinction, and one of the enemies most obvious distinction, and one of the enemy's most.
Greatest desires is to try.
To get those who profess to know God to get into the darkness of this world.
Well, I lived in Bolivia.
Of course, in South America the Catholic Church is predominant and at the time when the Pope came for the first time to Bolivian territory just before it happened, one of the preachers of the Gospel over TV that was well known.
And quite well respected, even amongst Catholics.
Had a moral fall, and I never saw such a violent backlash against the gospel in Bolivia as that one. It's because, brethren, if we take the position of having known God, then necessarily there has to be the practical reflection of that in your life and mind, not only when we're preaching the gospel.
Not only when we're here in meetings, but when you're at work, when you're at school, wherever you are. The light shines into every facet of our lives, and so we need brethren to be exercised, not to have anything that relates to the darkness in our lives. The Lord help us because we all fail in a certain measure, but we need to keep.
An exercise of heart.
That our lives be what becomes the gospel of Christ, and as it says in the end of this this verse 2 by manifestation of the truth.
Commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, still remember.
Some of you will remember dear brother Maguire, who lived in Michigan. And he was.
A brother that didn't take a public position of preeminence, but I still remember him coming to the conference in Wheaton, IL. It was a privilege to know that brother, but the story was told of him. He's along with the Lord now that he worked in a hardware store.
And in the hardware store he had a testimony of being a Christian and.
One day the fellow employees in the hardware store got around him and said we're going to make you listen to one of our dirty stories.
And he looked at them in the face, and he said, Men, I live in the presence of God.
That's as far as it went. They dispersed. The light dispels the darkness. The Lord help us, brethren. The enemy wants to being discredit on the testimony of the Lord Jesus by attacking those who profess to be those who know God as we have been brought to know Him in the Lord Jesus.
Add a little bit to your story bump.
It says here, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
When Mr. Maguire passed away and at his funeral in Lansing, MI, it was the largest funeral that had ever been up to that moment.
He was a testimony to not just where he worked, but to the whole community. Lansing, MI is a relatively large city and the procession going to the funeral and to the burial site was so long they had to have a number of police.
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At the intersection. Largest funeral that ever been held up to that moment.
That would fall into line with the first verse that is required of a steward that a man be found faithful.
And it's a wonderful thing to see the truth of God faithfully translated from what we might call doctrinal truth and to the practical expression of daily life. And it does happen, as has been reported by of one brother, and it has happened many times over. But to be diligent and maintain communion, so that the consciences of men in this before God.
Are affected by the lie, and this is really the whole impetus of the second Epistle of the.
Of.
Corinthians is the ability to translate.
The truth that is brought before us in the book of Romans. We know that in the First Corinthians there is a lot of things that had to be corrected.
But in a moral sense we progress from Romans where we established in righteousness before God.
Into Second Corinthians, where we translate that into living experience.
And we do that by reckoning ourselves dead, he said. We did not have our confidence in ourselves, but we had any confidence of the God who raises the dead. We are living a resurrection life. The life that is seen in US should be the life of the Lord Jesus Christ given us by faith and resurrection. The new creation is in the resurrection and we are in it. As we get in the 5th chapter, we anticipate if the Lord hasn't come, new creatures and so we have the requirement of faithfully carrying out.
The truth of what God has made good to us by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I think there's something very helpful in this verse too as well. When we present the Gospel Brethren, it is to appeal commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. I know we live in a culture where people.
Glory in their power to reason things through, but it doesn't say commending ourselves to every man's mind.
In the sight of God, it's their conscience, and it is interesting in the life of the Lord Jesus to see.
How he did that? You remember when they brought the woman taken in adultery and said to the Lord Jesus, This woman was taken in the very act and Moses and the law said we should stone her. What do you say? And the Lord didn't answer immediately. Sometimes, you know, we like to answer immediately. The Lord stooped down and wrote on the ground and they kept asking him, And he finally stood up and he said.
He that is without sin amongst you, let him cast the cast first, the stone at her. It was not an answer to their question, it was an answer to their conscience. And they, being reproved by their own consciences, went out from the eldest to the youngest until there was no one else but the woman. And the Lord left there. And I think that is something that we need to keep in mind as we.
Seek to let the light of the.
Glorious gospel of Christ. Shine in a Dark World, brethren.
Appeal to man's consciences. The conscience is that part of men that he got when he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And we could say in a simple way that conscience is basically that it is the knowledge of good and evil, and every human being has that within their breast, even those heathen in the darkest part of the jungle.
Of New Guinea or South America or other places that have no testimony.
From the word of God that we have know that there are things that are wrong.
Why their conscience tells them, according to the testimony.
Of creation Something of light gets to them, and so man's conscience.
When you present, the gospel is always on your side, his conscience will tell you.
Will tell him that this person is telling the truth. It's the knowledge.
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Of good and evil. So it's something to keep in mind. Aim for the conscience.
When speaking to souls.
Just an interesting thought about those who went out.
From the eldest to the youngest, one brother wrote.
Had the most to hide when out first.
Is it not true?
That all through ministry will do just that, it will reach the conscience.
Certainly in the Gospel, and I believe it will also reach the consciences too, of all those that sit under even the sound of the word of God.
I'm sure that.
We've seen that. We've seen that happen many times.
I don't like it when people come up and say my it was a wonderful message, a certain sense. I'd like them to come up and say to me, what did you mean by that? You know that the conscience has been reached and stirred a little bit, and that's good.
Brother Tom.
Called our attention to the connection of this epistle with Romans and.
In verse nine of chapter 3, the apostle says if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more even the ministration of righteousness and then the last verse of chapter 5.
Epistle, it says, For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
So the apostle says, if this is true, and it is true of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the effect of this in our lives is that we renounce the hidden things of darkness, everything that.
Is not in keeping with God's righteousness, is renounced in our life.
And that is what addresses the conscience of the unbeliever. We do have this wonderful message to bring, and it remains the truth regardless of our state of soul. But when the state of soul has answered to the truth that has brought this righteousness of God to us.
And when our practical life is a life of renouncing the hidden things of darkness.
That that bothers the conscience of those to whom we are bringing this message of the gospel of the glory of Christ. If we haven't renounced the hidden things of darkness, then their conscience isn't troubled and they excuse themselves and they say, yeah.
Look at what he does. He's supposed to be a preacher. Look what he does. And so that's this. Renouncing is what?
Bothers the conscience of those to whom we bring the gospel, because.
They can't find that in our lives to find fault with. And so the Lord Himself is that wonderful example of which of you convinced of me of sin because they couldn't. There was nothing in the Lords life. And so the apostle says here, unlike Moses, if there is a veiling, it's a veiling on the part of those who are hearing our word because we have not veiled it.
By sin in our lives the light has shown in and shown out in the same purity that is shown Into Darkness. They came out, and if there is a veil, it's upon the hearts of those who will not receive it. Satan has blinded the minds of those, lest they should believe the light of the glorious gospel of Christ and and it's wonderful when the only hindrance to the.
Preaching and reception of the Gospel.
Is on Satan's side. It isn't on ours. We haven't obscured this wonderful light that has shown into our dark hearts, and it comes out in that same glorious way it came in.
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All the state in second sympathy, that in speaking to Timothy Badah has fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, and so on. So Paul's Paul's life, his manner of life, fully went along and measured up to the gospel that he preached. He could say to the Corinthians that it didn't matter to him whether what man, how man, judged him, because it was the Lord to judge, and he was not aware.
Of anywhere where he had was not walking according to the truth that he was, that God had given him. And so in speaking to Timothy too, he he told him in in chapter 2 That he was approached himself from every vessel to dishonor. But then he used to follow those that called in the name of the Lord out of a pure heart. And he was also told that he was to flee from youthful lusts, and follow righteousness and faith and so forth.
So there may be the going out, or shall we say there may be the proclamation of the truth. But if our manner of life does not follow along, we don't believe those things that would war against our souls, then it's going, it's going to deter from the gospel. It's not going to to glorify the gospel.
In that second verse if our comportment or manner of life.
Is in keeping with that second verse. Then we come to the third verse.
And if the gospel that is preached by those that walk according to the word of God is not accepted, what do we have? But if our gospel be hid, it's hid to them that are lost. And I'd like to connect that with Second Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 10. They believed not the love of the truth, and if you reject God's love, there's nothing left except judgment. And so that's where these second the third verse falls, they.
They're lost.
Because they did not believe God's love.
So it's not always that we may be walking around that people aren't safe. That's not always the case.
However, there is a.
Exhortation in that second verse. I don't deny that at all.
To see Mr. Darby translates that veil. If our gospel be veiled, that is something has obscured it. Like Moses veiled his face and obscured the glory that would have come forth from his face face. But Paul didn't. And we aren't to veil that gospel, are we? It's to come out the way it came in and that's.
A moral thing?
Lights would turn back for a moment to Judges Chapter 7 and read a few verses there. It's often been remarked that this chapter is a Old Testament example of the truth that we are studying this morning in the life of Gideon.
Just want to notice a couple of points here that sort of bring out in picture form what we have been considering.
And judges Chapter 7 and.
Verse 16 it says. And he divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand.
With empty pictures, and lamps within the pictures. And he said unto them, Look unto me, and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow with the trumpet I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also, on every side of all the camp, and say, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.
So Gideon and the hundred men that were with him came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the Middle Watch.
And they that had but newly set the watch and they blew the trumpets.
And break the pictures that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets and break the pictures and held the lamps in their left hands.
And the trumpets in their right hands to blow with all. And they cried the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp. And all the hosts ran and cried and fled. This is a picture of this chapter in which the earthen vessel.
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We, our bodies being our earth and vessels, are likened to these pitchers here and I was quite struck in reading this again where it says empty.
Pitchers so easily. Our lives and our, you might say our mortal bodies are full of everything but Christ sometimes, and everything that you put in yourself that you take in, that is not of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything that I take in takes away from the capacity of the pitcher. It's not empty anymore, but in our chapter they had.
Well, here they had two things. They had a sword and they had a pitcher with a lamp in it. And we each have the sword, if you will, of the word of God. But if you use that sword without the light shining, it does not have the moral result that God is intends from it. And so the only way the light could shine was from inside out. And what affects our outward lives is what's inside. And so here.
In order for what was inside to shine out to them, it was necessary for the pitcher to be broken.
And God often takes the circumstances of our lives to breakdown the picture.
So that what's inside that's of himself will have an opportunity to manifest or display itself as light to those about us. So he puts within us the light of the glory of God, the glorious message. But then, in order that it might be useful to himself, he may turn around and break the vessel and allow it to shine out. And we ought to thank God for the breaking of our own vessel.
That those things which hinder.
God's display of himself that he has put in us, as we have later on in the chapter, the new creation or in the next chapter, that's what's placed in us. He doesn't take an old vessel. He actually starts all over in one sense with an empty picture. And when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ, everything that was there before in the vessel is not of use to God. So he empties the vessel, puts the light in it, breaks the vessel, causes it to shine out and.
Puts a sword in our hand that when might be the sword of the Lord.
But also he uses people. And so it's the end of Gideon. Well, it's AI think a nice chapter. I don't want to try to say any more on it, but to meditate on because it really does give us a sense of what we have in our chapter. And I think particularly again of the empty vessel later down in the chapter it says always bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus. That's what keeps the vessel empty, so that the light that's there as a place to shine.
You've just been saying honestly?
5th 1St isn't it?
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.
An earthen vessel doesn't have much.
It's worthless, really.
How much does an earthen vessel cost? It's very, very little. And that's you and me. And So what? What can we present to God or to those around the bottom from an earthen vessel if it's not of Christ? It's not much. Is it worthless? And so we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.
It's not the earthen vessel, it's the treasure in it. That's important, isn't it? And that's what I like to think of in verse seven. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. It's not the vessel that's so important, it's the treasure in it. What is that treasure you really believe? It's what we have in verse 6, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Oh, brethren, how wonderful that we can say we have been brought to know. God, what a wonderful thing.
You know, we've had our attention drawn to the Muslim religion since.
Last September. And what it is, how do those people almost a billion, I suppose it's around a billion people.
In this world, who profess that religion? How do they know their God?
Is there any love there? No, There's only vengeance, killing, destruction. See, if you can destroy enough and kill enough people, you might have a chance of paradise. That's their knowledge of God. What a lie. What a tragedy. And brethren, we know the true God. Yes, we have been brought to know the true God in the face of Jesus Christ.
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What a treasure, brother. It's not so much the vessel, this human vessel. It's the treasure that's in it. And sometimes we live our lives like it's been mentioned, so full of other things, material things, that the light doesn't shine out very much. No wonder God has to allow unpleasant circumstances to be brought in to break that vessel.
So that the light will shine out.
Oh, brethren, it's because the Excellency is of God and not of us. And taking that illustration that Don read about, remember when Gideon blew the trumpet to have Israel come together to fight the Midianites? 32,000 men came after him, and the Lord said too many.
I can't give Israel the victory because they would glory in themselves.
Brethren, that's the tendency. I see it in my own heart.
There's a meeting that people seem to get blessing. What is the immediate reaction of my own heart is to take glory for myself. That is not getting the point, brethren. It's not the vessel. It's the treasure in the vessel.
And that's the thing we need to learn. And so the Lord told Gideon. Tell all those that are afraid to go home.
22,000 went home. That's reducing your army pretty drastically. Still, 10,000 too many, the Lord says, bring them down to the water and I'll prove them, and only 300 were left. 300 against the millions or the multitudes of the Midianites. That seemed like folly. But, brethren, this is the point. We need to learn the Excellency of the power.
Is of God and not of us. And maybe we look around sometimes those who are younger.
Get discouraged that the fewness of numbers. Yeah, we are few in numbers, brother. We have to recognize it. But let's not look at ourselves, brethren. We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves, your servants, for Jesus sake. So the focus is not on what we are, it's what our God is, the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
I think it is a tremendous treasure ready that we can say that we have been brought to know God in the fullest sense possible. Think of the almost a billion of the Hindus in India. Thank God they're not all Hindus, but the majority of them are. What are the Hindus believe about God? I think I forget if it's 300,000 or 300 million.
Different gods that they have.
In that country, what knowledge of God do they have?
Seriously lacking in the true knowledge of God, we have been brought to know God. What a treasure, brethren. And if God has put that treasure into your heart, it's not to hide it, brethren, it's to let it shine forth. The Lord help us that in our lives it truly might shine forth.
Verses that I would call to our attention that show the absolute work of God in our salvation.
John 1 and 13 where it speaks of those children which were born.
Not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not of will of man, but of God.
The sovereign work of God begets life and the soul to start them on the way to glory.
In the next chapter we will read If the Lord leaves us here and we make it to the end of that chapter.
If anyone be in Christ as a new creation, all things are passed away.
All things are made new, and all things are of God in the new creation. We are brought into circumstances with God, where He is everything now in our chapter that the Excellency might be of him, of God and not of us. If he is everything in our salvation, He is everything and anything that represents him properly to others in our life.
00:55:23
It is the work of God that we.
Have no glory in ourselves.
But he has used these things here in verse 789. This difficulties in the life, troubled on every side, persecuted. This is the eroding of that body of clay, in order that the Excellency might be of him and not of US1 Brother has used this expression, and I've enjoyed it, my own soul. And it's been helpful too, he said. Suppose that God is pleased to use my brethren to tear down the flesh in me.
I should rejoice that my flesh is torn down, so God uses these things. He uses us one another to take off the rough edges, if you please, in order that the work may be evidently help God and not of us.
Oh, it's necessary. It's necessary to.
To judge ourselves.
I think that's the thought in the 10th verse here that those hindrances which come into our lives, we are called upon to judge the flesh and all its workings which we are aware of, and to keep the the old nature in the place of death, that the life of Christ might be manifest in our mortal flesh. Alas, we don't always do that. So God brings circumstances into our lives where we are forced to judge the flesh.
But he would have us to exercise that self judgment that we.
Might be maintained in communion.
Day by day.
To to all we spare about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, to apply the death of Christ practically in our lives, day by day. We never get rid of the old nature, brethren. It's it's it'll never improve or never change, but we are to keep it in the place where God has put it, place of death.
Everything that relates to sin in our lives.
Think of what how it related to the Lord Jesus. What did he do about those sins? What did it cost him? He bore our sins in his own body on the tree and he died. Now that is our position is dead to sin because we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. Now am I going to give free reign and continue to sin? Let my flesh enjoy itself.
That is not understanding our position and what you say, brother John.
Is right. That is the practical working out of it in our lives, always varying about in our body.
The dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body, But I like to draw attention to the difference, although slight, in verse 10 and 11.
Notice verse 10. Perhaps we can say is what we should do, brethren, Always, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. But sometimes we don't, brethren.
Sometimes we don't do that. What is verse 11 Say?
We which live are always delivered unto death. This is something. Perhaps circumstances that are out of our control were delivered to it. And so often this happens in our lives. Difficult situations, problems that seem unsolvable.
Why does God allow that He is delivering us unto death? He is putting us into situations, circumstances of life where we realize that He is delivering us to that so that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest. And notice here it says in our mortal flesh so that sometimes he has to even touch our bodies.
In infirmity, in sickness, that happens. Why does God allow sickness? It's not always for something bad we've done, brethren. It may be so that the light will shine out of our lives. Maybe we haven't been real faithful in letting that light shine out to a Dark World around. And so God puts us into that set of circumstances that is so hard, that is so difficult to understand.
01:00:27
But his purpose is that the light would shine out of this mortal flesh. And there's this to encourage those of us, when we are in dire circumstances in all of these incidents, were not left alone.
We may be afflicted, but we are not constricted. We still have liberty to flee into the presence of God. When difficult portions come, we may be persecuted. We're not left alone. If they hate you. The Lord Jesus said they've hated me first. So in all of the difficulties that God brings into our life, in order that the life of the Lord Jesus Christ might be seen a little more perfectly in us, he is the origin and the controller.
And will sustain his own and all of those circumstances.
Comments at the end of that level. First, what an amazing thing that really is. When you stop and consider that the Apostle Paul said in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, but notice what it says in me.
Motivated by me, but here it's motivated by Christ.
What a marvelous statement.
Might be made manifest, Christ Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So walking through this scene as an individual, as a human being, we can glorify God in our flesh.
Not motivate by ourselves because they're in me, in my flesh, Well, it's no good thing. But motivated by the person of Christ, there's a demonstration of His love and His grace that can be shown.
The words of the Philippians was to let his mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And then they're given those seven, those steps downwards that the Lord Jesus took all the way from the glory right down, and then back up again to the glory. And where God is highly exalted him, and so he that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he exalted himself shall be abased. So we are told to let this mind be in us, the same mind that was in Christ.
And the one who was who had the the, the authority, shall we say, to exalt himself above every man in this world, and to to do everything that he wanted with his creation. But he chose to come down into this world and humble himself, and take that place right down to the death of the cross. And so who are you and I to to exalt ourselves before our brethren, and and try and find some place before our brother that we might be?
We might have something for the flesh to glory in, but so if there's a problem there, let's look at Christ and see how he did.
He humbled himself, and he went all the way down to the very desk, and then God highly exalted him.
In both verses 10 and 11 dying, the death of Jesus comes before the life of Jesus, and the reason is, brethren, that the life of Jesus that we now possess is in resurrection. I think that is really wonderful to get ahold of the light you and I possess now in the Lord Jesus will never die. Death may touch this body of mind.
But the life I have in Jesus will never die. It's because it's life and resurrection. But since we live in a carnal world, that life is not manifested unless.
I carry about in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus in the measure that I do that then that light of Jesus is manifest in my body or in my mortal flesh.
So it's important, brethren, we understand it. And I just like to say to those who are younger and to those of us who are older too.
Sometimes the tendency is and we live in a country, in a culture that glories in.
Self pleasing, pleasing ourselves and it's not all bad stuff.
01:05:03
There's a lot of good things you can please yourself in but in the measure that self.
Is the object of our lives. We are not going to prove the reality of what life in Christ is.
The joy of it, the thrill of it, brethren, to live.
This life of Jesus, oh, this is our privilege right here and now. We don't have to wait until we get home to heaven.
To live this life. It's for now, but it's in the measure.
That I bought there in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus.
Also, is made manifest because it's life in resurrection and that necessarily.
Includes the thought that death comes first. Let me just make this comment before we have to go as to what dying are bearing about in my body. The dying of the Lord Jesus Christ is it is the appropriation of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith.
I can say as to my sins his death is my death.
As to his resurrection, his resurrection is my resurrection, and faith lays hold of the old man has been crucified, and this gives me power to refuse the overtures and solicitations of the evil one. So the bearing about of the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ is the appropriation by faith that he died for me as well as he died for my sins, and I have a new beginning in him. And this is applying the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in a practical way by faith in my life.
So I should walk in newness of life?
I would like to ask this question.
In verse 7 when it says we have this treasure in earthen vessels.
Is earthen vessels the equivalent of the old man, or simply a reference to the body that we have now, the mortal body in contrast to that?
This mortal body is saved in hope we don't. 25 It says that if this Tabernacle house be dissolved, we have a building, and I think it basically refers to the body in which.
This treasure is.
I think that's true.
And there's something significant in the Christian profession today that alerts believers and.
The apostle is saying we have this treasure in a body that is waiting. It hasn't been redeemed yet. And if.
We have, John says. It does not yet appear what we shall be, but if we had our glorified bodies today.
There would be no need of this breaking down, but we don't have that glorified body.
But the movement in the Christian profession today, and it's a strong one, and it's alluring.
I'll illustrate it. I have a friend that I walk with and he told me of the strong weight lifters.
Of world class, he called them. They were coming to our little town park and they were going to demonstrate their mighty works of strength, and then they were going to preach the gospel.
Then they have an organization that I'm aware of of Christian athletes.
And they promote the glorification of these men who do a wonderful feats in men's eyes in the athletic world. And they say this gives a real.
Power and allurement to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's just in contrast to what we're having before us in our verses. Our body is not what communicates.
The glorious treasure that we have in this earthen vessel. Just the contrast.
You can't look at a believer and see the effects of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The body, the vessel needs to be broken down.
For this light to shine out. And so we do have this treasure in an earthen vessel. And as it's broken down, the light shines out more gloriously. How is it you go into a nursing home? Here's a soul that has nothing, a sick body. Their face is aglow.
01:10:18
They're rejoicing in what they have in that earthen vessel and it's just contrast with natural man.
When his earthen vessel is broken down, all of his hopes, all of his glory goes with it. So I think, wouldn't you say the primary thought is here, the body, not the moral or immoral flesh that we need to judge?
Brother, I thought you were going to say in case with those weight lifters, that they couldn't have it because they got the flu.
Another what I'm really saying is, are they still subject to flus and so on? They could get the flu and they could be so weak they couldn't lift their own body. How foolish man is.
#24 in the appendix Nothing but Christ as on we tread the gift on Christ, God's living bread, #24 in the back.
Everything.
Was ordered.
Americans are from wherever.
We go.
He's always good.
2 Corinthians 4:8-13
Reading
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Exalted Praise being given to the Lord Jesus through eternity. Revelation 5 and verse 9. And they sung a new song.
Saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation.
And they sung a new song which will never end. Lord Jesus, we look forward to the moment.
We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
We would live our own way, delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
So then, death Burke is in us, but life in you.
We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken.
We also believe and therefore speak.
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
For all things, or for your sakes, that the abundant grace might, and through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
For which 'cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are returned, are eternal.
Brother Ed, you must have had some thoughts to go back to the 8th, 1St. We don't want to lose them.
Well, I was thinking of this thinking of this wonderful chapter.
The sorrow of the world work at death.
But what we possess as believers. I read a verse last night and I want to go back to that and justice read it again in the prayer meeting. That's the third, third chapter of the first Epistle.
And it's in connection, I think, of what we have in Ephesians 1, where it says he's not only head of the church.
But he's head over all things to it. Now that would include all the circumstances, whether we would consider them good or bad or that may be good or bad. But I was thinking of these two verses in the end of the third of First Corinthians.
It says verse 21. Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours.
Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come.
All are yours and your Christ, and Christ is God's if we can just think of these verses in this way that God has put us into the various assemblies in which we find ourselves.
Whatever is at work in those assemblies, whatever he's doing to the praise of his own glory, if I can put it this way, it's like a link and a chain. You start here and you just work up and it just goes right up to the top of the one who allows the whole thing to happen in this world. It gives us great comfort, brethren, when we can see the sovereignty of God in that way.
00:05:11
That these things are working for us, as we have in this chapter, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Bread. And we've been through some momentous things the last little while. And I think it's a comforting thing to our hearts to realize that God is at work in those circumstances. Sometimes it may not seem like it, but we know that he is what I do, he says in John 13. Thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter what a comfort these verses are to us.
In view of what we have there in verse eight, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. You know, brethren, sometimes we insist a lot on the on the our responsibility before God and we would not minimize that. That's important. But a bitter cup can never be really appropriated and realized until we realize that a sovereign God.
Is at work for our good in this pathway, it helps us to meet those bitter cups. I just want to turn with you 2 to the first chapter of this book because I want to point out something there too. It's very lovely.
2nd Corinthians chapter one.
And verse 8.
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure above strength in so much that we despaired even of light. But we had the sentence of death written in ourselves, or the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver in whom we trust will yet deliver us. These verses are such a comfort.
We realize that in every vicissitude of our life we have a loving father who is at work and he is going to have his way. And in the end we're going to be we're just going to stand before that throne in wonder, love and praise. We see his perfect ways with us.
So what we have in verse 8-9.
Need not only be the breaking down of the vessel A it could also be the afflictions of the gospel, or it could be the combination of both in the Christian life.
Has often been mentioned about Paul and Silas who were in Philippi and how they got their backs beaten and perhaps bleeding and.
Then they were thrust into the inner prison.
And we often think about them.
Talk about them praying and singing praises to God.
But let's remember, too, that they did feel what they what was done to them. And it was midnight when they finally got around to it. Brethren, I don't know if we would ever gotten around to it, but at least they did get around to it. At midnight they prayed and sang praises. There was the breaking of the vessel, but the light shone forth out of that dark prison, and that jailer came out of there a saved man.
That's an illustration of it.
It's very instructive for us.
That it's the life also of Jesus that might be manifested in his mortal flesh.
It says in first John two he saith the vitamin E that saith he abideth in him ought himself also walk, even as he walked.
The life also of Jesus sets the Lord Jesus Christ before us as a man here below.
And.
In those circumstances.
He is the pattern for us as children of God. Now there is a connection in Ephesians Chapter 4 that I believe sets this before us, what we have in our chapter here, both in the exaltation of Christ and our occupation with Him, there in glory and in the patterning of our life after himself as he walked in the scene. And that's Ephesians 4.
00:10:17
We will not read all the verse 17 and 18, but you will notice there that he describes the activity of the nations walking in the vanity of their mind, in verse 18, darkened in their understanding, estranged from the life of God.
And then he says in.
Verse 20 But ye have not so learned Christ.
That's the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of God exalted that we had in our earlier verses of our chapter. And then it says, if you have heard him and been instructed according to the truth, as it is in Jesus, so we have him set before us, as that one who always did that which pleased his Father, the one of whom the Father said he is.
Almighty like.
And I've enjoyed putting it this way. When we pattern our life, when we look at that light of the Lord Jesus Christ and as he walked here below and pattern our life in that manner, we are looking at a man who.
Shows us everything that man should be to God.
But that's not all we see in him. All that God is to man. And so the truth, as it is in Jesus, is that walk of perfect obedience and submission to the will of another.
In suffering, even to the point of death. And so it's wonderful that it's the life of Jesus that is manifested so that we can walk as he walked.
I think it's also nice to see that verses 8:00 and 9:00 that we've looked at really have a connection with verse 7 and verse 7. There's a contrast between the Excellency of the power of God with us. That's the contrast in verse 7, the power of God at work. In contrast that it's not be us and our own power. And then there's four.
Comparisons really in the 8th and 9th verses which reflect that fact. The first one is we are troubled. Well, that's really our side of it. But God acts in power so that we are not distressed. God has his power at work even in the weakness and the suffering that he allows in the vessel, that he maintain it to his own glory in the circumstances in which he places it for for the good.
Of the vessel itself or the person that bears that vessel. So then it's we are perplexed.
But what does God come in and do but not in despair?
We're persecuted. Does that mean that we have to just give up? No, it says, but not forsaken. And so God himself comes in, and He's not going to forsake us in that situation, but he's going to go with it, through through it, with us. As the Lord Jesus said, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you. And so while God may allow these things to come in with the purpose of good, He's always in them himself. And then the 4th one is cast down.
Well, we might say, well, I've got to give up. Like there's no hope for me. My circumstances are too terrible.
No, the answer of God is but not destroyed. Who keeps it from being destroyed? It's it's God, our Father with His great power, who is working on our behalf.
And so Peter tells us in his first epistle in verse five that we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. And so all the power of God is operative toward us to keep us from being destroyed, keep us from being discouraged, keep us from realizing that there is no resource so that we can walk with him through it, and arrive at that salvation that he has provided by his power.
Kept by the power of God. It's very interesting too that that's true of the those of the Dispersion, as well as applying it in the words of faith to us. He writes that to the Dispersion. And here they were, as far as men are concerned, lost identity, but kept by the power of God. And there on the day of Pentecost to witness this wonderful new thing that God has begun. And so he His eye is upon all of us, and not one circumstance enters into our and our lives, except it's ordered of God, as we've been told before by others.
00:15:11
In perfect love and perfect wisdom.
Would this be a correct thought then, that all the resources of the Godhead are going to be used to bring us home safely to glory?
There's a beautiful thought.
In Isaiah 63 verse nine, we'll need to turn to it necessarily, but it it's to me that I don't know that astounding is the right expression.
In all their affliction He knew what they were going through, and all their affliction he was aware, doesn't say that in all their affliction He was afflicted to think of that statement.
State clear statement of Scripture concerning his Old Testament Saints, that in all their affliction He was afflicted. And can we say it's any less today for us who are members of the body of Christ and the Angel of His presence saved them?
In his love.
And in his pity.
He redeemed them, and he bare them and carried them all the days of old. Whatsoever things are written aforetime were written for our learning that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.
That expression that you use with being afflicted indicates how far he went.
In identification with his own, I was often consternated by that expression in the 60.
Night Psalm verse 4 where it says my sins and my iniquities were not hid from thee.
Well, the hymn writer has very well put it. He confessed our sins and bore them as his own. So, being afflicted with all their afflictions, we see his identification in them, songs with a remnant, and certainly with us. It's all on the way to Damascus was sad. Why persecutest thou me? The Lord was already in glory. But it shows how bound up we are in unity now without risen and glorified mind.
We are bound up in unity with him in his present position.
And now our lives down here, we have to realize our position too.
Is dead and buried with Christ and risen again. And this is what we have in verses 10 and 11. Just like to say a little bit more about what it means to be to bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. What does that mean?
If we go back to the Epistle of Romans, perhaps it helps us to understand it in Romans chapter 6, because if we don't understand our position.
It is hard to know how to apply it practically. Romans chapter 6.
And beginning with verse one, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Notice it says we are dead to sin. Does not say we should be dead to sin, says we are dead to sin. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized unto?
Into Jesus Christ we're baptized into or unto his death. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death. That like is Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father. Even so we also should walk in newness of light. So when Jesus died on the cross, he died for our sins. Like was said, He identified fully with them and took them.
In his own body He bore them on the tree, and he died. Now we accept him. We accept his work for us.
And God looks at us in that same position that He took for us. He died. He was buried. We died to sin as well. We are buried with Him. And in baptism we identify ourselves with him in that death. And also it includes the thought in verse four of resurrection. We are identified with him in resurrection.
00:20:17
Now how is that supposed to be shown out in our lives when sin presents itself to a believer in the Lord Jesus?
What is the response?
If you have a dead man laying on the floor up here, maybe he was a drunkard in his life.
Let's see if he will take a glass of beer now. Will he grab a hold of it? No, you say? Why not? He's dead. That's what you and I are before God. We're dead, and we need to apply that in the same 6th chapter of Romans and verse 11 it says likewise. Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead.
Indeed unto sin but alive unto God thru Jesus Christ our Lord.
So that when sin presents itself in any way that it does in this world, we take that position. I am dead. I remember how I struggled with that as a young person, a particular thing that may not have seemed that serious, but I felt it was grievous to the Lord, and I felt out of communion when I got into it and I confessed it to the Lord. And each time I got up with more determination not to do that again.
And I just went ahead and did it again until the Lord showed me the simple truth.
That all you're struggling is not going to get you the victory. What gets you the victory is simply believing what God has said in his word. You're dead. And when the temptation came up again, I remember I simply said I can't struggle against this. I just accept what God says, I'm dead. And a dead man does not respond to the temptation to sin. So this is what we need to apply practically in their lives and really believe this is what it's meant in our chapter.
It says always bearing about in the body. The dying of the Lord Jesus we carry in our bodies. He died for me. How can I, if he died for those sins of mine? How can I, when it presents itself, participate in that thing? I cannot. I say no to that. Then the life of Jesus, that life and resurrection, can be manifested in my body.
Well, I think that's very, very important and we have a lot of young folks here and.
Years ago, going through this very chapter, the demonstration was made like this, which is absolutely wrong. It's like playing Cowboys and Indians and you know, you go, bang, you're dead. That's not what we have here at all. What we have here in the 11Th verse is you've already brought out is that God sees you as being dead.
With Christ and God sees you there. You accept that. And that's what we have in Ephesians 2. It says that he were risen and seated in heavenly places in Christ. That's where God sees us. We're no longer here a Sinner. In fact, let me say this, that we're not saved sinners. That's not a right expression. We're sinners. We're, excuse me, we're not sinners saved, We're saved.
From sin, you know you're not a Sinner. After you've been saved, you may sin, but you're not a Sinner.
God says I see you as dead in Christ. And look at the sixth verse, knowing this, that the old man is crucified with him. If if we've been crucified with Christ, how then can anyone say, well, that's the old man. That's not a correct expression. In Corinthians 5, Second Corinthians 517, which is just ahead of us, it says ye are a new creation, a new creation. Behold, all things are passed away.
Behold, all things renew. God sees us as being dead and buried with Christ, and that's where we start. And with that knowledge, we know that we're on the ground of salvation. We know that God sees us already in heaven, seated in Christ. And as Bob has already said, how can we go on with those things that are defiling and dishonorable to the Lord? God sees us as dead. Let's consider it that way. It's not that we pretend to be dead. We are dead.
00:25:08
Is that not what is typified in the in the crossing of the Jordan when the 12 Stones were put in the bottom of the river?
When the children of Israel crossed over and 12 were put on the shore. When the waters came back over those stones.
They couldn't see those stones anymore, but God saw them. And that's the picture of you and me. That's where God sees us.
In the death of Christ. And so we those 12 Stones on the other side, we might say, typifies ourselves in resurrection.
And it was also on Gilgal, where they were, where they had the cutting off of the flesh, where they circumcised. And they always had to come back to that point after a victory. Or and it's good for us to come back to that point over and over again, is it not? But to always remember that that God sees us, He he doesn't see us in the flesh anymore that's under the waters of death, but he sees us as typified in those stones on the on the the shore of Canaan. Do you remember who put the stones in the middle of Georgia?
No, it was Joshua. Joshua put them there. That's the figure of the Lord Jesus.
He's the one that did that work, brother. It was 12 men out of the 12 tribes that took a stone out of the Jordan and put it on the shore, which is typical of resurrection. And that's what's seen and that's what's our responsibility to show resurrection light. But it's not for you and I to.
Count the, I should say.
The flesh is not put in the place of death by us, brethren. It has been done by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Galveston. That is done. We are dead. That's the way God sees us, and it's for us to recognize it. And that's what that word. Reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin. That's what it means. Think that way. Now think that you're dead to sin. Recognize the fact that you are. Yes. Ephesians, 421-2223.
The rendering there is not right. Let's look at it and let's remember it and correct it in your Bible if you haven't already done so. That's a wrong rendition.
Verses 24/20/22.
That he put off.
Wrong, wrong. Entirely wrong. We cannot put off concerning the former conversation. The old man. The old man has been put off in verse 24 and that she put on wrong, wrong expression. It's having put off, and that was done at Calgary and having put on in verse 24 the new man that was done at Calvary, now the 25th verse. Wherefore putting away Lying.
And so on. Be angry and sin not, et cetera. Now turn to Colossians 3. You get almost the same expression, but there again in plus and three verse nine, let not one be lie, not one to another, seeing that she have or having put off the old man and having put on the new man.
And then in 12, verse 12 put on therefore as the elect. Now that's the responsibility to do that. But brethren, don't be mistaken about the fact that the old man was crucified with Christ, that the old man was put off at Calvary, the new man was put on at Calvary. You had nothing to do with it, nor will you ever have anything to do with it. It's been done. And starting with that as the foundation on the basis, then we can do the other thing, because God has already put us in a position of a new life.
Two Corinthians 517.
Ye are a new creation. God took the old ship and sunk it, and he built a brand new ship.
Verse however, in the Nation chapter 5 and verse 25 that says this ye that are Christ have crucified the flesh with its affliction and lust. That at a point in history we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. We accepted God's judgment against us. We agreed with God that we were what we were and have come to an end. Now these expressions that our brother correctly has called to our attention simply means to be in the state of having done this.
We did it when we accepted Christ. Now continue in that state and by faith reckon to our account what God has done for us.
00:30:09
Things with what Bob said about the 12 Stones in Jordan, It's very profitable to see the the God side and the experimental side in. In numbers 32 and verse five there were two tribes that said well, for said they If we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession and bring us not over Jordan.
And later it's 2 1/2 tries the two were first mentioned. My point is this God, as far as God was concerned and the action of Joshua, all 12 Stones were put into the Jordan and all 12 and 12 Stones were taken out. But there are dear Saints of God and there may be amongst us that experimentally they really don't want. They have chosen something of not going into the promised land.
And all 12 tribes were eventually carried away captive. But these were the first to be carried away captive. And if we are not going to be in the good of death and resurrection with Christ, and we want to stay on the wilderness side of the Jordan, they were allowed to under certain circumstances, But God intended those 12 Stones in and 12 Stones out. But experimentally they didn't want it. And our hearts need to be careful that we are not in the same position.
But they were told the extent of the land, but they had to put their feet on them. That's the point. The other thing is you can look this up sometime. I don't have the time, but I believe that the date for when Israel came up out of the Red Sea and when they came up out of the Jordan, the date is exactly the same.
Trace that out Sometimes very. It's a very interesting study.
The time of their coming up out of the Red Sea.
In the time of their coming up out of Jordan, now we know it was separated by years, But as far as God is concerned, morally the time, it's exactly the same time. If you look at it now that I believe the point Spirit of God is making is this. That the death of Christ has seen for us in the Red Sea has delivered us from the power of the enemy. But now in connection as we know with the Jordan, it's our our having died, you know, with him. But the dates I say are exactly the same. You can look it up sometime exactly the same thing.
By faith they pass through the Red Sea, as by dry land, which the Egyptians are saying to do, were drowned.
By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down.
What you think there is that also the thought of responsibility. And you know, we've spoken a lot about our position, which is glorious and the foundation. But we are exhorted to walk in the spirit and we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. I don't think it speaks of the flesh as being dead. We we have a struggle with the flesh perhaps every day. So there's the responsibility side that comes in there and I think we shouldn't forget it.
Although our position, glorious position, is in Christ, and we are God looks upon us as having died with Him. We have the responsibility to keep that old nature in the place of death, and we have the power to do it because we have the Spirit of God to give us strength to overcome. But I don't think we can regard the flesh as dead. It is it will act at any moment in our lives and bring dishonor on the Lord.
Says walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, and we we have that responsibility to.
Apply the sharp sword that we have brought before us there in that chapter, Joshua Five. It was to be applied to themselves at Gilgal before it was applied to the enemies in the land. Which brings before us just what we have in our chapter.
Keeping the old nature in the place of death where God has put it practically.
Not allowing it to to manifest itself in our pathway, is that right, brethren? Well, it is in one respect if we understand what we're talking about as to the flesh.
The flesh, correctly has been stated, is not dead, it's condemned.
What the law could not do Romans 8 three in that it was weak through the flesh, that is, it was addressed a natural man.
Man who had that evil principle, rebellion and hatred against God, what the law could not do God in the sending of his Son.
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In the likeness of sinful flesh, the identification of that blessed man with us.
Has condemned sin and the flesh.
Which means.
It is there, varied and pushing to get out.
And the only way it can give expression to itself is through these members. Beloved, yield your members unto God unto holiness.
Or yield your members unto sin unto death, so it is there.
Condemned, and we have a precious privilege by faith of agreeing to that. But it is the will of man that lets that evil principle work. Now there is a distinction in what we refer to as the flesh, and what the apostle says in the 6th of Romans as to the old man. The old man is our standing in Adam before God as condemned.
That is forever done, Adams history, one brother has said.
The cross is the end of Adam's history outside of paradise.
There is no standing before God and Adam anymore if a man does not have.
Affiliation does not have affinity with Christ and resurrection. He has nothing. God has nothing to say to him except judgment. But that old principle of rebellion and sin against God has been condemned, and we have taken sides with God against it. It's buried and always seeking to give expression to itself, and it has to be reckoned with. And we reckon correctly that it's dead. We take sides with God, We wrestle with it. We wrestle with it. We'll never win.
But we believe God. Now there is an analogy. Here you take the gospel address to sinners, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. You saved to a converted center. Where are your sins? They're gone. Oh, how are they gone? They Christ died for my sins. I believe that I have peace. They're gone. Well, what about the flesh? It's condemned.
But I held reckon with it, and I take sides with God, and in faith believe that God hasn't has been pointed up to us, revealed to us, that true character of having been condemned and set aside, then we have power over it by the Spirit of God as has been set. We walk in the Spirit and we never let him out.
It is interesting that it never does really say that the flesh is dead. What is dead is we are brethren, we are dead and we are responsible to show that truth that we are dead, buried and risen again. That is what scripture says and I remember the story told of a man who professed to be a believer who was caught stealing in.
When he was called to account by the judge, he says it was my flesh that did it. So the judge says, well, we'll send your flesh to prison and you'll go along to keep them company. And I think we have to realize that we are responsible in showing out that truth, that truth that Christ died for us and in accepting what Christ did for us then that is our position dead.
Very risen again with Christ. Tremendous to get these things into our soul, to enjoy it in reality, in the soul. This is the truth, brother. This is the truth of my position. You look at me, you might see it sometimes. Other times you might not see it displayed very much. That is the question of my responsibility. And that's what you were talking about, John, I think. And that is different. And that's why I think it is. It says we.
Are dead and dead with Christ, and buried and risen again. But it never says exactly that the flesh is dead.
Himself and his flesh. He said that in me. There was a present statement at the moment he said it in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, and that's true of you and me and everybody else.
And I trust that what I said didn't give license to someone to go out and sin. Our standing is secure. It's perfect. It's forever.
00:40:09
The Newman was put away at Calvary's Cross, and this I'll stand on the rock forever. The old man was the old man was put away at Calvary's cross. The new man was given to every Christian. We had nothing to do with it. That's scriptural and I'll stand on it. But the scriptures that follow say that we must. And let's read one of them in Ephesians 4 again.
The 25th verse. Wherefore putting away now? This is responsibility. Putting away lying. Speak every man truth with his neighbor, or we are members one of another. Being angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth and grieve not the Holy Spirit. These are all personal responsibilities.
That does not it. I categorically say this. It does not change the truth of what was done at Calvary's cross. The old man was put away, crucified with Christ. Romans 6, verse 6.
The Christ God put on the new man on everyone that received Christ as Savior. God took away the old man of everyone that received Christ the Savior. That's done.
It'll never be done again, but we still have a responsibility to keep the flesh in its place. And those are the scriptures I just read.
And so it's like 2 tracts of a railroad. We stand in perfect acceptance before God, but we have a responsibility as to our walk.
Difficulty lies beloved.
In what one brother has said.
The flesh is condemned and the old man is dead, but I die hard when the Lord Jesus Christ pointed up.
That in John chapter 6 concerning the flesh.
That there is no good in it. How does that expression? How is it said there?
And they went away and walked no more with him.
The flesh profiteth nothing. Thank you, brother. The flesh profiteth nothing. Well, there are some who couldn't accept that and they went away. But it is difficult because we have living members to.
Use in that way, if we choose to let them be used in that way, and so we die hard. But we have to simply, as was pointed up at the very beginning of this subject, we believe what God has said, and He makes it good in our soul, and it gives us power over it.
When I just look at Luke 9 for a minute, there's another feature here I think that we should bring in because I believe it's important.
It's in connection with what we're speaking up here.
Luke Chapter 9.
And.
Yes, verse 23, he said unto the mall. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. You see, I left something out there.
Daily.
Let him take up his cross daily and follow me, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it.
But whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. Well, I believe. It's important to believe that's a dimension that we can bring in here. By the way, if we don't take the cross up daily, we're not going to take it up at all.
And so that's, that's a very important feature, brethren. And I believe as we get into his presence and we're in communion with him, we will learn what that cross is for, for the day. It's important that and we've heard these things about how the old man is gone the day Ed Wilson got saved, it's like God reached down and killed him. And then I was raised in newness of life with Christ. But that old flesh within Ed Wilson is not very nice. And so that's why it has to be dealt with on an ongoing thing. It's a it's a struggle continually.
Let's not fool ourselves and say that it isn't because we walk outside these walls. We see things and right away we're enticed and and there's all kinds of temptations and all of these different things. The only way in which it's done is, is to pray, I believe without ceasing. It's it's to apply those scriptures and that's why we need them every day. We need to apply them to our lives and walk in the good of them and then we're going to overcome evil with good. But I say that the daily thing.
00:45:11
Is really, I believe, the idea of a moment by moment thing. We're in a real struggle and we're not fooling ourselves that once we get saved, that's it. We have nothing more to do with it. Galatians makes that very clear now. The the, the deeds of the flesh are manifest. It says which are these? And it gives all that horrible list. But then it gives us the fruit of the spirit too, doesn't it? I don't say fruits, it's the fruit. Singular but seen in different aspects. And someone gave me a lovely list. It's really lovely.
Various aspects that comes out there. Love in training, love suffering, love yielding all of these things is is such a lovely thing. I got a list here in my thing. I think Rube gave it to me one time and it's been such an encouragement to me to just dig that list out. Matter of fact we're coming over the border. The last time the guard fisted out and my bottle case and he looked at I don't know what he was expecting to find but anyway he fished it out and that's what was written on it and he quickly put it back in the case. I don't know he's a Christian or not but anyway that's that's the way it was. But.
That's that's our that's our pathways believers, not only the the putting away.
Of these things practically, but that the life of Christ might be seen in US.
My mercy here, it says.
So then death worketh in us, but life in you would that be that the Apostle Paul was so thoroughly a dead man that the life of Christ was manifested in him towards the Corinthians. Now this should have been true the Corinthians as well, but evidently it wasn't. By the 1St Epistle you can see that the life of Christ was not manifested in them.
Which is a warning, I believe, to us all. I think it's something Eric Smith said 30 years ago. I was listening to it on a tape recently and I believe it serves as a warning to us all.
The thrust of it basically was his brethren, don't familiarize yourself with the word of God unless you're prepared to walk in what it says. He said this. He said the truth enters by the conscience. He said just because a man is well read does not mean that he's well taught. Now, that's a powerful statement, but a very necessary one, and I believe one that's good for us in the present day in which we live. It's a dangerous thing to traffic in the truth of God.
If we don't mean business with God because we're going to be tested on what we profess to have, may it be a wonderful reality within us that that truth has entered by the conscience into our heart. About 30 years ago there was a book put out by the I Forget what Environmental Agency Put It out.
It was concerning the climbing of Mount Everest. The first American climb was done a certain face, and somebody went up and came up another face, but it was a little bit of a poem and I'd like to look it up and and copy it out. But basically it said, and it has spiritual overtones, we're not too interested in Mount Everest in our reading, but not interested at all. But what it said was because of the difficulty of the climb, the coldness, the pain.
The everything is against you. If you don't really aren't really dedicated in in going through what it entails, you're not going to make it. And I believe that for us as believers, it's not that it's that terrible a thing, but if we have our eye on the Lord, then that's the strength. Not myself, not in yourself, but again, the difficulties and what we do, we Slough off. We Slough off as if it was climbing Mount Everest, but it's not.
It's being walking with the Lord in grace. But we have to accept that there are difficulties and there are things that we deny ourselves. I don't want to be denied. I think it's pretty great to do this and do that and do the other. But if we set them aside, because it is step by step, isn't it? With the Lord, the Lord of glory set aside all his own rights so that we could be brought into blessing.
Now, we who profess to be followers, are we going to glory in our rights and defend our rights, or are we willing to lay down our rights even to the point of death, that there would be blessing for others? And I think that's where this verse 12 Comes in. It is death worketh in us. But life in you and every farmer knows, to get a crop, you put seed in the ground. And that seed, what happens to it? It dies. It's gone.
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It seems like a waste. How many bushels of corn are they farmers of Iowa putting into the ground? Just.
Rot and die, but it is in that death it gives life to another plant and there is much fruit. That's a principle of the word of God, the same principle that applied in the case of the Lord Jesus. Now the Lord turns to us and says he that loves his life.
Shall lose it. And he that hates his life, that's a pretty strong word in this light. We'll keep it until life eternal.
#254.
254.
Death and judgment.
2 Corinthians 4:13-
Reading
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Loose now stemmery turns to tell. By luck we meant unsearchable #294.
First Peter, Chapter 2.
Verse 20.
For what glory is it?
If, when ye be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently, but if when ye do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God, or even here unto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us.
Leaving us an example that ye or we should follow.
His steps.
Who did no sin, Neither was guile found in his mouth.
But when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not.
But committed himself.
To him that judges righteously.
That ye should follow his steps. Our God our Father, we thank thee for us.
Get into some of the gold Nuggets of the 5th chapter.
Mind of the president.
13 whatever.
Two Corinthians 413 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken.
We also believe, and therefore speak, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you for all things and for your sakes, that the abundant in grace might, through the Thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God.
For which 'cause we think not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment work, is for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Chapter 5. For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God.
In house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this we groan, earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.
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If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked.
For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Now he that hath brought us for the self, same thing as God.
Who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit?
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather, to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.
But we were made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
For which men not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory unto our behalf, that you may have somewhat to answer them, which glory in appearance and not in heart.
For whether we be beside ourselves is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead, and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Wherefore, henceforth knowing no man after the flesh.
Yeah, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know him no more.
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and have given to us the ministry of reconciliation to it, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ dead, be reconciled to God.
For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
First verse that was read to us speaks of having the same spirit of faith.
It's made very precious to my soul on an occasion.
When it says that Moses.
At a time when he had become great, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
Choosing rather to endure affliction with the people of God.
Affliction of Christ for the people of God, rather than to endure the temporary pleasures of sin.
Well now, in that same spirit of faith, we read here in the end of our chapter.
That we have a momentary light affliction that works for us in an eternal weight of glory. And the thought that I've enjoyed is this.
The temporary pleasures. And we have to admit there are such in sin. The temporary pleasures of sin.
Are exchanged for afflictions with the people of God.
But the affliction, the momentary light affliction, are just as fleeting as a pleasure to send that are given up.
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But faith in the trial?
Whether in combating sin or looking down the end of the road to the finish, faith always speaks the same language, doesn't it?
That's the great thing in this, and that's what we see. We having the same spirit of faith. According is written, I believe, and therefore have I spoken. We also believe and therefore speak, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us also by Jesus and shall present us with you even in our best days. It's still not going to be like that wonderful day that's coming when all are going to be changed to be just like him. Let's not fool ourselves. We're still in a veil of tears.
There are things that beset us, there are problems and difficulties, but we can always look off to him as that one who is the author and finisher of faith.
That's really the portion of.
Psalm One 19105, isn't it?
A light, a lamp to our feet. But down at the end of the road there is a light, and that light is the final ultimate result of a path that Lord the Lord leads us in. It's like the 11Th verse of Hebrew, the last verse of Hebrews 11, that they, without love, should not be made perfect. Well, the day of perfection comes when we hear that shout, and the Lord takes us to be with itself.
So that in the manifestation of the life of Christ and it's showing forth the death working in us, comes to the point of actually taking our lives physically, we can say in verse 14, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you.
Sometimes that happens, brethren, that God takes a life, but in the life that is taken, the light shines out and that has happened.
But we have this knowledge. We know. It doesn't say we think or it might be or we feel this way. We know that's the confidence of faith, so that even if life is snuffed out here in this life, it's pretty.
Fleeting life is. I mean, what is our life, brethren? We've heard it in these meetings.
It's a vapor, it appears. I'm surprised. I never really expected to get to the age I am now, and I know young people look up at those that are older and they say wowie. I don't know when I'm going to ever get that to be that old.
It'll just be around the corner. Don't you kid yourself. It's not that far away. Life is brief and life is uncertain in the world in which we live. But the important thing, brethren, is that that light.
Of that revelation, that treasure that is in these earthen vessels, that it shine out. That's the important thing. And if it takes death to make that light shine out, then we know even then that God will raise us up with Jesus in the end.
That's what was said to a sister whose son had gone into glory. The brother wrote that if the road is rough, it wears out the vehicle sooner, but at the end is the glory.
And you think of the difference that once in scripture.
Long life itself.
Is really in a sense, not the idea.
It's lovely when the ***** head is found in the way of righteousness and one has lived a long life pleasing to the Lord. But I was thinking of some of the ones that were younger, I mean John the Baptist, His ministry was finished, you know, in his mid 30s and and the different ones of scripture that we have, the blessed Lord himself. I mean, take me not away in the midst of my days, but what a comfort to us brethren, that.
That if long life or young life or whatever. But whether absent or present, it says in the next chapter we might be acceptable to him. What a glorious thing to not only start well, but to finish well. Think of my own dad. His life was finished at the age of 44.
00:15:18
Over. But it goes on, because it's not the end here. It's only a glorious moral. That's it for all the Saints of God. And I've met that that spiritual fathers that have lived into their 90s. Think of the dear brother down home, the past, the milestone of 100 years of age.
You're going to be with them all someday. What a tale of grace, really, in each light.
The contrast is between that which is for time and that which is for eternity.
And of course, that is where we are destined. Ours is an internal portion.
Inheritance incorporated, faded, not away.
Verse 16 For which 'cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Well, it's like we've said. A person may go on, someone said to a beloved St. don't. Doesn't your age bother you?
He said yeah, I guess the shutters are falling off and the paint is scraping and so on and so forth, but.
He said it's nice to realize that we're going to have a new home soon, and very soon. And this was the verse that was such a comfort to him. Though our outward man perished, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. What a glorious thing, brethren, when you think of it. Youth and beauty pass away, but we shouldn't be concerned about our Gray hair and our wrinkles and so on.
We're loved by one who was unchanging, and one day we're going to be just like him in the glory, fully transformed to his image.
I think that 16th verse is a key to what we've had in the first part of the 4th chapter, and it says it's sort of summarizes it For us though our outward man perish, always bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus and the life also of Jesus might be made benefits in our body, our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
And when there is a disillusion, we've come to the fifth chapter in the first verse we know that first the House of this Tabernacle were dissolved. And the word, I think in the new translation is much is stronger. That is the end.
Where is that?
We are troubled, destroyed. Yes, Thank you so, for we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were destroyed.
And but we have the comfort and the assurance that until that time we don't need to be fear being destroyed, but when it it is, it may come. But we know that if it is destroyed we have a building of God, and how it's not made with hands eternal in the heavens. So the theme of the 4th and the 5th blend in connection with that key verse, but though our outward man perish.
And what's the rest of it? The Inward Man is renewed day by day. It may be that the Albert Mannequin perish without us doing much about it, but the Inward Man, it takes activity, doesn't it, to have it renewed day by day. I can't just merely say, well, the Outward Man is perishing and all the Inward Man is being renewed day by day. And you say, brother, have you been enjoying? What have you been enjoying recently?
Well, you know, I don't read very much these days. Well, you're not going to be renewed. It takes activity, doesn't it?
That's Romans 12, isn't it The first part of Romans 12?
What is it that renews the Spirit? What is it that renews our energy? What is it that renews our understanding of God's things? Reading His word? That's the only way.
An old brother who's now with the Lord used to say we don't learn about God through osmosis, we learn through reading His word.
00:20:05
It's probably.
Important for us to note as we pass through these verses that the world in which we live, the world in which our young people, young families, young couples are, are living, is a world that absolutely refuses to admit to this truth. Everything you see in advertising, everything you hear, everything your eyes sees, is all built on.
The I'm going to say the idol of life and health and it's always youth and it's always exuberance and it's always hell. And the products and services are not advertised in general unless it's medication of some sort, are not advertised in general by old wrinkled, Gray haired people and every sort of excess that you see on billboards that you see in magazines.
That floods. The world in which we live is advertised and presented with the thought that beautiful, healthy, vibrant, happy young people who forever will stay that way, are involved with these things and imbibe these things and take up with these things. And it is an absolutely false world. But it's the world that we have to walk in and that our young people have to grow up in and that we all have to.
Live in and the Lord is saying, Here is the reality and.
God is light and he's loved. The Lord Jesus is full of grace and truth, and so God tells us the truth. He shows us the light. But man doesn't want that, and so he cloaks it and he hides it. And as we have said, for instance, one of the ads in the past having to do with some particular popular brand of athletic footwear, says life is short. Play hard.
And the idea is you're always going to be young. It may go fast, but don't even think about that. Just play hard. Well, we're having reality here and beloved young people. We need to get into that reality. That how? I'm not saying that we aren't to be white stewards, We certainly are. The Lord has given us bodies, health and strength in a measure, and we need to be careful of that and take care of that. But the world says we're going to pretend as though.
That time is never going to change. You're always going to be young. There's always going to be 50 or 80 or however many years ahead of you to enjoy and to plan and to get involved in all these things. And the Lord is saying and telling us very plainly that's not so. And the way to exercise that and the way to enter into that and the way to have peace with that beloved young people is not to say, OK, well, I'm just going to forget about myself. I'm not going to take care of myself.
No, that's not the issue. But the issue is to not look at yourself and that today where you are is going to always be this way. There's always going to be lots of time. There's always going to be lots of exciting things in the world to do. And scripture and doctrine and the things these old brothers and old sisters talk about, that's kind of like an aspirin to them. Because when they finally get so old that nothing else is working, then they have to fall back on that. No, it's not what it's talking about.
It's saying for all of us, young and old right now to realize the reality we're passing through this scene and we have a Tabernacle, our bodies, that wasn't meant to stay here forever. And it's not going to. And what is in reality is what I am in Christ, the life I have in Christ and the way I feed and enjoy that whether I'm 18 or 80 is to, as it's been said, get into the word of God.
And not just read it, but believe it and talk with Him, Beloved and brethren. I would say this again to me that the truths of Scripture have become so precious and simple and I just I'm I'm not even scratching the surface. But you know the Lord Jesus every day.
The blessed Lord Jesus comes to each one of us, whether we've got a strong, healthy body with naturally speaking lots of years ahead of us, or whether we're like, Ed said. And we don't like to look in the mirror anymore because we're seeing too many wrinkles and Gray hair, or we're not seeing hair at all. The point of it is that the Lord is saying today.
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I'm knocking at your life. Will you let me in? Will you hear my voice?
He's not just knocking, but he's so interested in being a part of your life and mine today, brethren.
That, he says. I'm not just knocking, I'm calling.
I'm not just going to be satisfied with knocking and you not only know, but I'm going to call your name and I want you to open the door because I want to come in and sit down with you and eat with you.
And beloved brethren, young and old, he wants to do that every single day of our life. He's there.
And he's waiting for us to say, Lord Jesus, walk with me in my life today.
And I want to suggest that that's how we're going to fill and enjoy.
And be encouraged in that eternal life. That new life we have that's being renewed is to let him sit with me and walk with me as my very best friend and have communion with me. We're taught. If I can just finish by saying this, we're taught beloved brethren in this world to fear getting old, to fear getting wrinkles, to fear aging.
And so there's this forever young thing, and we already know that the fellow that tried it.
Several, 100 years ago, never did find a fountain of youth. But we're still still telling ourselves in our advertising, it's out there somewhere. Well, here it is right here. We've got it. We've got it in our hands. We've got eternal life. How are we going to enjoy it and walk in it and not be fearful and cast down and discouraged because of the things that come as we're aging? I would suggest it's to say to the Lord Jesus.
Yes, Lord, I want you to come in to my life today and be part of my life.
And walk with me. I want to listen to you and I want to enjoy what you have to give me.
To realize that the life we have in Christ is life in resurrection. It's it's a life that death can no longer touch at all. And that's what you're talking about, isn't it? It's a life of the Lord Jesus said he that believeth on me shall never die. Yes, death may touch.
The vehicle that houses that light, that's the outer man. But there is no such thing as getting old for the inner man, and to me it is a real blessing and encouragement to see older brethren that are really living in the enjoyment of that.
Still, remember when I was quite a bit younger, visiting brother Jackson down in Florida. He's in Tampa and it was towards the end of his life and he couldn't get up and walk by himself any longer. He was sitting in an old armchair.
And as we sat there talking to him, he got talking about the Lord's coming and did he ever get excited? He got so excited in talking about it. His arms were waving around and he started leaning forward and all of a sudden flop back into the armchair's body. His spirit was way too young for his body, but it impressed me. He had a life that never gets old.
And we need to understand that for that life we have in Christ, there is no aging like you say, it's a forever life. It's a life in resurrection. And when Christ raised from the dead, he rose to die. No more death, had no more power over him. That's the life that you and I possess. Yes, this body, this outer man, may perish. It gets old and decrepit.
Needs crutches and canes and the rest of what do we talk about? But not that inner life, But how important it is to have the right focus, and I think this is so vital in this chapter at the end says.
Talks about light affliction. In verse 17 it talks about the eternal weight of glory.
But when we look at it down here, we see the afflictions and we get bogged down under them rather than it's because we need to keep in view what's eternal and what's eternal is not seen. Notice the end of this chapter, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.
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How do you look at things that are not seen?
By faith we penetrate the visible, the humanly visible we penetrate, and we look beyond to a scene that is far more real than these chairs we're sitting on and this floor that we're.
Walking around on far more real and lasting. These chairs will last a few years, yeah, but they're not going to be around forever. But we have something that is forever, and it's not visible with our eyes, our human eyes, the eyes in our head, in these bodies. It's not visible with that. And we need to be made aware of it. Brethren, we are so geared in our present culture.
To react, act and react according to what we see visibly.
But we need to gauge our lives, to base our lives on realities that are forever, that will never pass away. And that's the burden of these verses, isn't it?
And where do we learn about the things that are forever?
Right here, you again, I say you don't get it by just contemplating. You'll never get it. My mind and your mind. And your mind is capable of all kinds of things.
And let loose without direction, by the Spirit of God is going to go all over the place.
But here's the stability right here, the word of God and that last verse, as you say, while we look not at the things that they're seeing.
How do we get the things that are not seen not by contemplation, but by here, right here, the word of God. And that's where it is, and that's where you get it. And if you don't read the word of God?
You're not going to have it. I'd like to make a real positive statement to all you young folks. The time to get into the word of God is when you're young, because you have a mind that retains and keeps what you read and what you understand from God's word. When you get old, like some of us are, you don't have it anymore. You might remember what was 25 years ago, but you don't remember what happened yesterday. The thing to do is to learn the word of God. When you're young, it stays. It sticks.
How much you know? You look at your older brother and some of them maybe never read the word of God and they keep their mouth shut when they're old, believe me.
Study of the word of God. When you're young, that's when you're going to get the truth and hold on to it. There's a word called anorexia and it's a very simple word. You look it up in a good dictionary and it tells you the 1St 2 letters mean without it's Greek and the rest of it means appetite. Very simple. Anorexia is without appetite. And so you and I as believers forgetting the weight loss and the human body part of anorexia.
The spiritual anorexia is merely and only without appetite. And parents know that children that don't have an appetite. Either one of two things. Either they spoiled it by eating candy or they're sick. And it's the same with believers. Either they've been eating too much of this world, or they're sick, sick spiritually. Anorexia without appetite and all, what a wonderful thing to be kept free.
From what takes away appetite? And once you have an appetite for the word of God, that appetite never is satisfied.
So John the Apostle wrote.
These things I've written that you might know that you have eternal life. And here we have We know that the earthly Tabernacle house is if it is destroyed, we have a building eternal in the heavens, not made by hands. And so we have the contrast again of that which is now and that which is then an eternity. And we have the certain knowledge.
Absolutely, that we are going to have a new body.
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And now in this Tabernacle house, the nature of a Tabernacle is temporary, and when it's destroyed, we have this new building. And now the new man being fed by the word of God and increasing desires to put this body off and to have put on that new eternal house, not having its source here, that house is out of heaven, and it's eternal.
I was just going to suggest that we turn for a moment to the 23rd Psalm.
And I'd like to just read it. We're all familiar with it, but I'm sure we've all noticed the change that takes place.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not one. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his namesake.
Ye, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest the table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.
I'm sure you notice the difference in as we went through there. The first part of that it seems kind of.
It's not quite so personal he's talking about.
He, he, he. And to me it's it's like perhaps we start out in our Christian pathway. We're talking about the Lord and we understand about the Lord, and we like to we we trust in the Lord, but we really do not have that personal walk with the Lord.
And so it's, as he allows, circumstances in our life. We notice there that it was after, he says. Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
That he he begins to say thou and thy he's talking more personally to the Lord. And I believe that's why the Lord allows circumstances in our life. And you know, it's not just old people that the outward man perishes.
But younger ones too. And God allows these circumstances, like it says in Hebrews.
Let's read that verse in Hebrews chapter 12.
To get it correct.
Verse 11 Now no chastening for the present, seemeth to be joyous, but grievous nevertheless afterward had yielded A peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them, which are exercised thereby and further up, he says.
What son is he of whom the Father chasing us not? And so you and I would like to go on in a bed of roses. We would like to have the pathway all easy and nothing happened to disturb our our our pathway. But if that were so, brother and I believe we would begin, we would always be talking about heat.
But when he allows circumstances in our life and perhaps the body to break down, to feel that that.
The outward man perishing. Then we get we. We begin to he begins to work in our hearts so that we realize that we we become closer to him. And now we start talking to him and referring to him as thou die. We have that more personal communion with him, and I believe that is the the intent of the Lord for us down here. He doesn't want you and me to glide through this world.
Just.
With no exercises, no problems in our life, and then get to the end of the pathway, the end of the pathway here, he says.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. He doesn't wasn't talking about how hard it was, he says. He says goodness and mercy.
He's not talking about how terrible his circumstances were and about the chasing hand of the Lord. I remember talking to a man once his wife had been had a tumor in her in her head. She was about in her early 20s and she passed away. And this was a man that I worked with for a while. Well, at least I, I have this acquaintance. I was talking to him and he says, you know.
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I would.
I would.
I would never want to not go through that exercise again, he said. It was, it was so precious to him.
And it was because it brought him closer to the Lord. And He could say thou and thy not just referring to the Lord out there as somebody abstract. And so often that's the way it is with us. Perhaps that's the way it is in our younger years. But as we get older, the Lord allows these circumstances to bring us closer to Him, and He becomes more real in our souls.
It's important to.
See that we have redemption spoken of in different ways in Scripture. And so it says, Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. So that is the redemption of the body. We have the redemption of the soul, but not the redemption of the body yet.
Says in Romans 8 that the Spirit help our infirmity. It doesn't say that he removes our infirmities, but he helps us, and it's part of the disciplinary ways of God with us. There's two things we're not going to have in the glory. One is this body connected with the groaning creation in which we suffer these infirmities and these weaknesses, and we're not going to have the all nature. Those two things are going to be gone.
Going to have a body like Christ, a glorified body in that day.
In the 1St 8 verses of chapter five, we learn about what our body in this world really is.
The human is made-up of body, soul and spirit, and one of the scripture that starts the other way around, Spirit of souls, spirit and body. But the body? What is the body really? It tells us here the house.
You live in a house. Is that house you? No, I've been.
Corrected on this because we will have a body, a new body. But what is the body? It's where you live. But the soul is you, and the spirit is what communicates with you and God. And so this body that we're living in, this house that we now live in.
Is not the same house that we're going to have in glory. We're going to have a new body.
An absolutely new body, and I believe that's part of what the 17th verse is talking about. I knew creation, we're going to have a new body when we are resurrected, and that's what Romans 8 tells us, that we groan waiting.
For the redemption of the body. And so when the Lord Jesus died on Calvary's cross, he not only took care of the sin question the SIN, he took care of the sins question for those who trusted him. And he took care of the defilement that sin brought in and that was ruined the body. Someone said that our body was not designed to stay here forever. Well, when God first put Adam on the earth, it was.
That body would have never died, but sin brought in destruction and that will be done away with. And that's why it says the redemption of the body. We're going to have something that's eternal.
Eternal. It says that here eternal in the heavens, reserved for us. Eternal in the heavens. What a marvelous thing to look forward to. It's important there that don't make that word eternal eternally. There's a distinct difference and amount of grammarian, but it's simple that it's not where it is but what it is. It's eternal. It's not eternally in the heavens, which is certainly true, but it's exactly as it says eternal.
It's the character of the house. It's not where it is or how long it's going to be. That's another portion. But here, it's eternal, in contrast with an earthly house. We're going to have an eternal house. Marvelous.
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That's important. We are clear about these things in the day we live in. A lot of Eastern religion is coming into this country and what is taught is reincarnation. It is you die and you come back in another form of life. But it is important that in Christianity we have the revelation of what going to have. It's not reincarnation. It is resurrection.
Resurrection is totally different than reincarnation.
Resurrection is that he's going to take these bodies of humiliation and he's going to change them into bodies of glory like his body of glory. And so it says here it's beautiful, we know and we have. Aren't those beautiful words of confidence, brethren? Later on it says we are always confident any.
And there's not even a shadow of a doubt here in the apostles mind as he gives this to us. As to the certainty of it, how can he be so certain rather than it's because all is based on the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Was Jesus raised from the dead if He was raised from the dead?
Then we can say with certainty we know we have. We are always confident, Oh how beautiful it is to have that certainty. But what is it? We have a building of God and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. So that like you were saying, that new body we will have will never ever, ever wear out.
I just want to expand about a little job. Interesting you mentioned about, you know, Eastern religion and what it teaches and you can see the fertility and the poison of Satan in it.
Everyone of us in this room is a three-part being, as we've heard spirit, soul and body.
And our bodies give us earth consciousness, our souls give us self consciousness, and our spirits give us God consciousness. Now here's the point. I want to make animals have a body and a soul.
But they do not have a living soul. Matter of fact, not that I'm a Hebrew scholar, but there's two different words there in the Old Testament in Genesis, which describes animal life and human life. When we're talking about animal life, we use the Hebrew word nephesh. When we speak of human life, we use the word ruach. That's the difference between those two things. Now what I want to make is this, that Eastern mysticism says no, we're nothing but glorified animals.
And if we die, we come back in another state. If that were true, then snakes could speak.
Cows could talk. Now here's the interesting part about it. The world today, through their cartoons and stuff, try to do that. They try to make the animals like they talk, so you can see the poison in all of this, you know, through their different films and stuff. But isn't it wonderful in realizing that when God created man in his own image, he gave him the spirit, soul and body and it's, it's critical young people?
To see this, that's one of the lives of the enemy in Genesis chapter 3. Ye shall not surely die. They're going to come back again and again and again.
And tied with that is the law of karma. Of course, if you didn't behave yourself in a previous life, you're going to come back as a lower life form. These things are a life safety. We are when we leave this world in death. If we're saved, we're going to be with Christ, which is far better. If we leave this world in our sins, we go to that place, the awful place where the worm die of not and the fire is not quenched. How we need the revelation of the word of God in these things because we're living in a day when the lines are being.
Confused in these things, we need the word of God to tell us this wonderful revelation.
And it's the word of God which lives and abides forever, living and operative. But I thought it might be helpful just to bring that out.
Something.
I would like to.
Have us considered an overview of these verses because.
We've spoken about.
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Growing old and.
But notice in our verse five chapter 5 and wanted it speaks about if our earthly Tavern hackle house be destroyed.
I'm going to be quoting from Mr. Darby's translation.
I think that isn't supposing the normal process of decaying.
But he's referring back to Chapter 4, which we've gone over but not brought these things out.
Paul received the gospel of the glory of Christ.
And it's shown into an earthen vessel, his body.
He speaks of that we have this treasure in earthen vessels.
Adam had an earthen vessel before he sinned and after he sinned, but it also took on mortality and so in verse 11 he says.
That Jesus may be manifest in my in our mortal flesh.
It is subject to death.
The coin Why so much about our bodies?
The burden that the apostle has on his heart, and we should have on our heart every child of God here this afternoon, this morning.
We have this glorious gospel. We've received it.
Into an earthen and mortal body.
The burden on the apostles heart is that the eternal things could be shown forth from this earthen vessel.
For Paul, it says he was delivered. It wasn't something he did himself, but he was delivered to death.
He was distressed. It wasn't a self infliction or a self denial. Once Paul determined and purposed to fulfill this ministry that had been committed to him and he said the only purpose of my being and remaining in a mortal body is that the glorious light of the gospel of the glory of Christ shine out.
The moment he started allowing that light to shine out.
Bands of men.
Banded together, took vows to put out this earthen vessel to kill this earthen vessel because it was demonstrating to all around eternal things when it says the things which are seen are temporal. The great burden of that is our body. That's what that's all we see here today is our body. That's all that men will see unless.
We let this glorious light that has come into these vessels.
Shine out. And once we start doing that, that is the purpose of our living in this body, that he had no other purpose to be here than that that which he had would receive would flow out from it. And that if he if he didn't have that, his time in the body was a waste. And it's a waste for you and me too, brother.
God wants us to let this shine out, and when that happens, we're going to suffer.
Probably not like Paul did, but these were men seeking to persecute and exterminate this mortal body. And so he said, well, if it's destroyed, I know that I have a body of glory eternal in heaven, but I do want to say this, that we need to make this clear and plain.
Mortal puts on immortality.
Resurrection is the resurrection of this body that you see.
And if there be no resurrection of this body, there is no salvation.
This body is going to put on immortality. I just say that yes, it's a new body.
But it's a changed body, and if it if this body is forever done away, dissolved, dissipates into gas, as Jehovah's Witness would teach us, there's no resurrection. And if there's no resurrection, our faith is in vain.
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I want to make that clear and plain. It is a cardinal, vital truth. This body you see me expressing myself by today is going to be changed. It's going to put off immortality. It's going to be resurrected. The glorified body is not resurrected. It is the form that it takes in resurrection.
Well.
The purpose of Paul's ministry here is what are you and I going to do?
With our mortal bodies, are we going to waste this light or are we going to let that shine out of it which has shined into it? With Paul, it's shown out unveiled.
He lived a life of such a character that the light that shone in shown out undimmed. And that's what the basis of this exhortation is. They could look at Paul and say he is foolish.
Of all men most miserable because look what they're doing to his body.
God preserves him until that time when they did take his body. But He wants us, you know that young enrolled alike to realize we have a purpose for being here in our body.
And that purpose is to shine out this glory, this gospel of the glory of Christ, while we are here in earthly and mortal bodies and.
Turn to that 116th song where our chapter quotes from.
Because that's why it says that the dying of our Lord Jesus.
Brother David read those verses from Peter.
Even in his death has given to us in our chapter.
He has left us an example. To follow in his steps is not atoning death, but dying for righteousness sake, we might say martyrdom.
And so in the.
116 Psalm I believe the Lord is before us.
Verse eight It says thou hast delivered my soul from death.
Call the Lord died.
Down in verse.
He speaks of death.
Laid off in verse 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints. That's an impossibility.
If there's no resurrection.
If your body is going to stay in the grave.
It's an impossibility.
For our death to be precious in the sight of the Lord.
But well, we're floated what is quoted.
The Lord, Paul quotes. I believe, therefore have I spoken.
Why is Paul quote that he believed that if his earthly Tabernacle was destroyed?
As a result of shining forth the gospel of the glory of Christ, he would have a Tabernacle, a house in heaven not made with hand, and that it was eternal, and so the loss of life of this mortal body.
Wasn't significant to Paul because he believed.
Well.
Apostle would.
Enjoying the Saints of God.
To make our concern.
Of living in this mortal and.
Earth and vessel. The concern of living here to simply display the gospel of the glory of Christ in these mortal bodies and if it costs us the death of them or the body, I believe it's going to be just as Jesus body was raised as he gave it. For righteousness sake, our bodies are going to be raised and changed.
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In connect with the Apostle Paul and by way of saying Amen to what you've said, there are two verses, one after the other in Colossians, one that says this.
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church. So he filled up the sufferings of Christ. Now the 25th 1St, whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill, or to fully to preach, but to fill the word of God. So for the Apostle Paul.
He was given what we know as Paul's doctrine. He was given to fulfill the word of God, but in connection with it.
And I kind of sigh, because to put ourselves in that same position is is somewhat presumptuous or pompous. But for the apostle Paul it was not only the truth, but it was the sufferings of Christ that went along with it. And that, I think, is what you have been saying.
What you've said Henry is born out in the first Christian 15 isn't it? For we shall all be changed. This mortal must put on immortality.
Don't you just love the positiveness of that statement? You hear people say, well, the Bible is such a negative book. I wish they'd explain to me then why it says there in First Corinthians, this mortal must put on immortality, you know, said as only the Spirit of God can say that there we are going to put on immortality. God is telling us, and God does not lie. This mortal must put on immortality. Let's turn over to that verse and look at it because it's it's so important.
1St Corinthians 15.
And.
Times were mortal. We only have 8 minutes. OK, we'll be quick.
So verse 54 When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?
That one who is the resurrection and the life, because he's gone into death himself, and because he rose victorious, or the grave, all of that thing in connection with the Kingdom of darkness, because he said, I live, ye shall live also. What a glorious day is ahead for all of God's people. And what a joy it's going to be for him too, dead and living, rising, changing in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, as an atheist said who was lying on his deathbed.
I know, he said that soon I'm going to meet one with real power. This is real power. Resurrection is the greatest power that's known.
One quick thought in verse 9. Just a little practical thing. It says wherefore we labor, that is, in view of what has been being brought before us.
The apostle Paul didn't say, wherefore I labor, But he said, Wherefore we labor brings us all in, brother, wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, we may be, and that should read agreeable to the Lord, or to him. And so beloved young people, and all of us here, sometimes we ask this question, or ask this question. What's our purpose? What am I supposed to do?
What's? What's my life all about? What? What direction am I supposed to go?
What's the will of the Lord for me? Well, here's one really simple, beautiful answer.
To seek to live your life to be agreeable to Christ.
And that's not a list of 1000 rules or 100 rules or five rules. That's a matter of walking individually and personally in fellowship daily with the Lord to find out what it is that I can do that is agreeable to him, and not to be looking at what someone else is doing and saying that's disagreeable. At least to me. It's not the point. What should I do today?
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That the Lord wants me to do, to be agreeable to Him in view of what we have had before us as to our vessel. I would like to be sure that we understand the difference between accepted and acceptable, and that's what the Apostles talking about. We are accepted in the Beloved that is settled in the heavens forever, but our life should be so lived as to be agreeable or acceptable to God. The difference.
It is important that it is to him. Isn't it agreeable to him? There's so much living before the eyes of men.
That's not the thought because we are going to all.
In short order, stand before the judgment seat of Christ I think the ministry had yesterday brethren about the talents is a real challenge to us because we have short time here in this world. And I'd just like to say this in view of those scriptures that were read in Luke 19 about the talents.
You and I right now are determining by how we use what God has put into our hands.
Our place in the coming Kingdom. You and I are determining the place we will occupy in that coming Kingdom. That is very clear there from that Scripture. Are you interested in that future glory, or are you interested merely in light down here?
It's a real thing to search our souls, rather.
Everyone of us, I'd like to suggest time is gone. I'm not going to make any comments, but I'd like to suggest that everyone in this room.
Particularly the young pick up their Bible and if they can get their hands on a king on a Darby version. To read the 17th verse of this chapter is very, very important. I'm going to read it.
If I can see it.
So if anyone.
So if anyone be in Christ, there is a new creation. The old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. I trust that every one of us will realize that that.
When we got saved, there was a total, complete, absolute change.
In everything about us, we were in Adam before, we no longer are. We are now.
In Christ, a new creation.
Brother Henry, we've got time for your comment too. I do want because we may have obscured it.
The subject is the occupation of this body, and when the Apostle Paul speaks about being agreeable, it's at the present time in this present body.
Because we're coming into a judgement seat of Christ.
There is going to judge according to what we have done in this body, then we will be agreeable to him. Everything will be agreeable to him. But the apostle, as it were beloved, is encouraging us to live in view of the judgment seat of Christ every day of our lives, that we not wait until after the judgment seat of Christ to be agreeable to Him.
We're going to be, but he wants us to be now.
They lived as a second of thought, the 11Th verse says.
We persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God. He was not really waiting for the judgment seat of Christ to be made manifest, and in some sense that was true and for us. But now he was made manifest unto God. He so lived that he was completely transparent before God. What a state.
01:10:04
And we didn't hear the number #10 in the appendix.
Go dark, be our way, since God is our God.
Lost, his strength is broken and creators of Hell Flowering House.
Open Mtg.
Open—R. Ruga, B. Imbeau, K. Harman
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Rainbow.
Always.
Around to give it to follow your breath and all of life.
What are you?
Saying.
Snow Sunday School verse, which we've memorized as children.
Seasons 210.
We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.
Good works that we have for each believer in credits. To that end, I'd like to.
Turn to the 19th chapter of Luke's Gospel.
Luke, chapter 19.
Verse 12.
And not to give so much an interpretation of this passage, but an application. So you need not come to me afterwards and say, group, that's not what that verse means, because we're going to apply it. Luke 19, verse 12. He said, therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a Kingdom and to return. And he called his 10 servants and delivered them 10 lbs.
And said unto them, Occupy.
Till I come.
Verse 15 And came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the Kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him to whom he had given the money. But he might know how much each van had gained by trading.
Then came the 1St the saying Lord 5 lbs. Have gained 10 lbs.
You said I'm saying well the good servant, because thou has been faithful and the very little have thou authority over 10 cities, and the second came saying, Lord, thy bound have gained 5 lbs. He said likewise to him be thou also over 5 settings.
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And another came saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up on a napkin.
There are works that the Lord wants a believer to perform. He's created us unto good works.
On the Damascus Rd. When the Lord met the apostle Paul.
The first thing Paul said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
And the Lord told him, you know, you go to that street, call straight and and Nias was to meet him and tell him what things he was to do. Paul was to suffer much to the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul commenced right at the beginning of his ministry in works for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you ever wondered, dear Saints of God, what the Lord would have you to do?
It's quite an exercise of mine, I know.
Sometimes it's hard to know what the Lord would have you to do.
I thought I had a certain line of things I wanted to do, but the Lord changed my plans complete. That was going to go to college. I wanted a scholarship and all this Lord laid me low. That was not the Lorde plan for me at all.
Lord, what wilt thou have him to do?
No, dear young people, there are a lot of young people here at the conference.
Have you ever asked the Lord what He would have you to do for Him? He tells us in First Corinthians 7 that the time is short. There's very little time left. Dear brethren, I figured a circle. Look, there's not much time left.
You say, well, I'm just a young person. What, what can I possibly do?
You know there are many things that a young person can do for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Be a help to older ones.
I know in our assembly it was an exercise to look around and help other young people in the assembly.
Encourage them in the way of the Lord.
Perhaps have young people's meetings with them.
Maybe a little older. You're now married, you have a little family. That's a tremendous responsibility for a young mother to bring up those children for the Lord.
Time goes by so quickly, and before you know it, those children are out from your jurisdiction. They're out of the home.
And what influence have you left on your children?
Sometimes you hear parents say, well, I certainly didn't bring up my children the way they turned out.
It's not so. It's not so whatsoever. Man reapeth that. Shall he also, if that's how he also reap? We reap what we sow in our individual lives and our family lives.
Nationally, as a country as well, reap what we sow.
What about the men in the assembly?
We hear complaints about, well, you know, my assembly, it's kind of dead there. We don't have any gifted teachers. Do you contribute anything in the assembly where you go? Do you have an exercise to be a help to the Brennan and the assembly where you go to show up the meetings where you are? Are you faithful? All you can do is be that faithful coming out to all the meetings. What is encouragement that is to others in the meeting when you're there faithfully?
At the meetings.
What about nights that you don't have meters? I know of his brother who has all the young people to his house. Every night that we do not have meeting, 40 young people congregate at his house. Enjoy happy time of fellowship together. That's a work for the Lord. Have you ever been exercised as to what work the Lord may have for you to do?
We just read here in Luke 19 about.
This man who had been given one talent and he gained 10 other talents, tremendous activity to accumulate that much with what the Lord had given him. Sometimes, you know, I read the accounts, not so much of Brother John Kemp, but I read the account. When he gets back as to where he's been, all he's done, I get exhausted just reading all that he's done to the Lord.
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Do we do anything to the Lord? Maybe we don't have to do that much, but the Lord has given you at least one talent to use for Himself.
And then there are other brethren who?
They even go beyond their home assemblies and they reach out to other countries. I'm so glad Bob goes down South America. Another brethren here who knows Spanish. They get very few visitors down there, brethren. Very few. And to think that they pray for us. They pray for the Des Moines Conference.
I wonder how much we pray for them and their continuance and spiritual things and spiritual exercise.
Requires no gift for prayer. No such thing in the Word of God is the gift of prayer. You can pray for one another, can't we? You know, if you don't know what to do, what you possibly can do, You can speak to some of the brothers here. I'm sure your brothers and sisters here. You can help them out in so many things. There's so much to do if you really be full of the Lord.
As to how you can use your talent?
Turn to a verse in Titus.
3rd chapter of Titus.
Chapter 3.
In verse 14.
And let ours also learn to maintain good works.
There we are, come right back to good works again.
Let ours also learn to maintain good works.
For necessary uses or necessary wants.
There are some things, brethren, that it's not profitable to be engaged in.
I couldn't have a liquor store. That's not necessary use. You may have another line of business in mind that you would like to go into, but it would take you from the meetings.
Would involve.
Evening work weekends and you would not be at the meetings.
Real exercise, you know, sometimes you may be limited as to what you can do. What about the unequal yoke? Sometimes it's hard to get a job because of unionism. You wouldn't want to join a union, be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And often a Christian is limited as to what he can do. And you really have to be in prayer before the Lord. Lord, what will thou have need to do?
You want to be careful. I've seen more dear young people.
Get away from the Lord as a result of the profession which they chose for one thing that involved the compromise of conscience, Another thing that involved they're missing the meetings and perhaps relocating far away from where there was any meeting, no meeting. And little by little they drifted away from the Lord and his people.
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? What an exercise that is. Oh, well, this is what I'll do. I really have no job. I know what I'll do. I'll go out in the Lord's work. You ever hear that?
Oh God, in Lord's word.
That's not the way. That's not the scriptural principle.
Turn to 1St Kings.
Chapter 19.
The Lord is going to call Elijah to her work.
And so he tells Elijah and 1St Kings.
Chapter 19.
In verse 16 we may pick up there. Do you hear the sound of Nimshi? I shout, Thou anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat, of Abel Mahola, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. It shall come to pass. And so forth, and so on. Verse 19. So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who is plowing with A12 yoke of oxen before him, and he with the 12.
And Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him, And he left the ox, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee. He kissed my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.
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The Lord was calling Elisha to work for himself.
Was he doing nothing? Was he unemployed? He was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen. He was a busy man. That's whom the Lord calls.
To serve him those who are busily engaged. If we would have turned over to the first chapter of Mark's gospel when the Lord called.
Peter, James, John, what were they doing? They were mending Nets. They were fishermen. They were busy with their occupation. But the Lord called them from a busy occupation and said, well, leave that, follow me, I'll make you fishers of men. They were not unemployed. No, it wasn't that they had nothing else to do. They were busy. But the Lord said, look, I want to give you something else to do. Instead of that, you come follow me.
I'll make you fishers of men.
The Lord quotes this verse of Scripture in the New Testament. I think he's referring to Elijah here. He says no man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.
You know, if you're plowing, you better keep your eye at the end of the Pharaoh, the end of the row. Are you going to plow crooked, especially if you plow in the 12 yoke of oxen?
And I don't think that Eliza was quite ready to follow the Lord at this time and says suffer me to go back to kiss my father and mother, and then I'll follow them, no.
No, if we call him Lord, he has to be Lord of all, not Lord first. Let me do something else.
If he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all.
You have to give the Lord.
1St place, not other things first.
Thankfully, afterwards Elijah did follow and he served the Lord in an admirable way.
The Lord calls us. I'm sure brethren will be occupying with something that will be profitable.
We get older in life.
And I know a lot of fellows about my age. They're getting close to 70 and.
Say, well, what are you looking forward to? I'm looking forward to retirement.
Well, you know, sometimes when I think of that Reverend.
A verse in Hebrews comes to mind. There remaineth therefore rest for the people of God.
Retire here below.
When the Lord had no rest.
The Apostle Paul Enjoy retirement here below.
Did he not serve the Lord faithfully till the end?
Did he do?
There remains a rest. We'll have plenty of time to rest and relax when we get to glory. You don't have to do that. Here. Our time is short. Here below, our journey's almost over. What did the Lord tell these servants of His ten of them?
4 words occupy till I come.
Occupy.
Till I come look at the Apostle Paul's at the end of his journey in the third chapter of Philippians.
Philippians, Chapter 3.
In verse 13, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
I press toward the mark.
I press toward the mark.
I enjoy Christopher Willis translation of that verse down to the goal I press.
Few years back.
I used to train with another brother in the assembly.
I would ride by bicycle.
And he would jog alongside me 8 miles.
00:20:04
The last 100 yards we had to go before we reached our house. He said OK, pour on all the steam and I would ride my bicycle as hard as I could ride a bike and he would run. He would put on a spurt and I could not catch him. He was so fast. I never saw him lose.
But he kept his eye on the gold. We were racing towards home.
Dear brethren.
We're going home, you can slack up the pace, we're going to kick. You familiar with that expression kicking at the down and final stretch.
Down to the goal of life Press, the Apostle Paul had that goal before him.
Time is short.
Our older brethren are going to be with the Lord.
Your younger ones, you fill up the place.
What's it mean? First Corinthians chapter 15 being baptized for the dead?
But we filling up the ranks of those whom the Lord is taking home, are we exercised as to.
Our part in amongst the young people, in our families, in our assemblies.
As to what the Lord would have us to do?
Or.
When we come to the end of the journey, are we going to say Lord?
Here's the napkin, and here's the talent.
I never used the talent he gave me.
Let's turn to a verse and James.
James Chapter 4.
And midway through Part 14.
What is your life?
It is even a vapor.
That appears for a little time and then banisheth.
Away.
Two of us in this room have not considered this verse.
Recently.
An infant.
An illness.
And instability of life.
Just in consideration of Nolan can return to Matthew chapter 18.
Matthew 18.
In verse 10, partway through.
That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in heaven.
For the Son of Man is come to save.
That which was lost.
A truck.
A trail.
And a tree.
2 verses that came to me. Connection with Andrew returned to Mark.
Gospel of Mark.
Mark Chapter 11 and justice an expression.
From verse 3.
The Lord hath need of him.
And then in Luke chapter 19, a similar verse but different.
And the one in Matthew.
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For the Son of Man has come to seek in verse 10, Luke 1910. For the Son of Man has come to seek.
And to say that which was lost.
We added 20 years.
Shall we add another 20 years?
Country Highway.
Cell phone and a coming car.
Turn with me, please, to 1St Corinthians.
Chapter 15.
First Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 57.
But thanks.
Be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know.
At your labor.
Is not in vain.
Lyle's Laborers.
Are not in vain.
Shall we add another 30 years?
The verse that came to mind.
Connection with Mr. Bill Osalis in Hebrews.
But a few words that came to mind.
For these cancer.
Courage and a coma.
But that's from our point of view, isn't it?
Hebrews.
Chapter.
11.
And verse 39.
All these.
Having obtained a good report through faith.
You know, we can speak of those who have passed away.
They're now in the Presence. The Lord Jesus Christ loved them.
There they are enjoying His presence. There they are seeing His face, the Savior who died for them.
So we speak of them.
But we speak to each other.
It may be that we would speak for edification, for exhortation, for comfort.
That we might grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And with me please to.
Second Peter.
Second Peter, chapter 3.
And verse 11.
Seeing then.
That all these things shall be dissolved. What manner?
Of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation.
And godliness.
First, Peter.
First Peter, chapter 4.
For as much then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh.
Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that.
00:30:03
He no longer should live the rest of his time.
In the flesh to the lusts of men.
But to the will.
Of God.
And in One Corinthians Chapter 7.
Portion of verse that was quoted.
Just a few minutes ago.
Verse 29 of First Corinthians 7.
But this I say, brethren.
The time is short.
It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none.
And they that weep as though they wept not.
And they that rejoice as though they rejoice not. And they that buy as though they possess not.
And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world. Passive away.
But I would have you without carefulness.
That means to be full of care about things.
He that is unmarried carer for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord.
And he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
In my thoughts, verse 32 is a helpful.
Key to some of these other expressions. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. Are you single? This verse is about you.
I have thought that perhaps this is in reference to three time.
Spare time.
What we might do with what?
We consider as belonging to ourselves.
And this is God's view of our normal use of free time.
God's use, God's view of our use of what we consider our free time.
And even when you're married, there is free time.
I think that's why in verse 29 the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none.
That same principle of the use of free time.
Romans, chapter 15.
In verse 2.
Let everyone of us.
Please his neighbor.
For his good to edification.
For even Christ, please not.
Himself.
I have one other verse that I want to read.
In just a couple minutes, kind of in line with these other verses of.
Time. The rest of our time.
Manner of persons we ought to be, and perhaps our thoughts have gone in different directions by.
The direction of the Spirit of God.
I would like to take a little diversion to one thought that has been of exercise, I believe, among us and in these meetings here.
First John, chapter 3.
I believe this verse was quoted in prayer meeting yesterday.
Remember right first John chapter 3 and verse 14.
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We know.
And we have passed from death unto light.
Because we love the brethren.
And verse 16.
A verse.
Not to say that all verses are not profound, but this?
My heart is a verse that gives real pause for consideration.
Verse 16. Hereby.
Perceive we the love.
Hereby perceive we the love, because he laid down his life.
For us.
And we are.
To lay down our lives.
For the brethren.
Now for the last verse that I had in mind, Psalm 90.
Psalm 90, verse 12.
So teach us.
So teach us.
To number our days.
That we.
Apply our hearts.
Under Wisdom.
I turn to is.
2nd Corinthians.
Chapter 5.
And verse 10, well, let's read from verse 9. Wherefore we labor.
That, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
But we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in His body according to that He has done, whether it be good or bad.
Then turn with me to the 24th chapter of Proverbs.
Proverbs, chapter 24.
And verse.
30.
I went by the field of the slothful.
And by the vineyard of the man, void of understanding.
And Lord was all grown over with thorns and nettles that covered the face thereof.
And the Stonewall thereof was broken down.
When I saw and considered it well.
I looked upon it and received instruction.
In a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep.
So shall I poverty come as one that travel and I want as an armed man.
And then in second Peter chapter one.
00:40:08
And verse 5.
And beside this, giving all diligence.
Add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge.
And a knowledge temperance, and to temperance, patience, and to patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness.
And to brotherly kindness, charity, for if these things be in you and abound.
They make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath purged forgotten that he has, that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling an election sure. For if you do these things, you shall never fall, for soul, and entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly.
Into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
Yeah, I think it's me, as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in.
Remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me.
Moreover, I will endeavor that you may be able after my deceased to have these things.
Always in remembrance, for we have not followed cunningly devised fables.
When we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, But were eyewitnesses of His Majesty. Well, that's as far as I'm going to read.
There's been so much said that I sometimes wonder whether what I'm about to say would be redundant.
But Peter says, you know these things already, I'm going to put you in remembrance of them.
And I was thinking primarily of the little illustration we have in the 25th, 24th of Proverbs, if you want to turn back to that.
We've had much to do with our.
With that which God has given us. And I was thinking of those verses too that were read in.
Luke chapter 19 about that which God has given to His servants.
And before we go on with this, let's just hold your finger there and we'll turn to another verse. I thought of Indiana, Luke's gospel again.
Chapter 16.
And verse nine and I say unto you, make to yourselves, and I'm going to read this in the better translation.
Make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it fails, you may be received into the everlasting abode.
He that is faithful in that which is least, as faithful also in much. And he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if he have not been faithful in that which is another man, who shall give you that which is your own? No man can. No servant can serve 2 masters.
Where either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot.
And manner.
Now back to Proverbs.
Get a little picture here of a man.
Who has a vineyard?
And.
I don't think it would be a very good farmer if he were to, to have this vineyard and let it go to nettles and to break and have the walls broken down, the fences broken down. You would go by, you know, you can go down the highways of in Iowa here and there's some pretty nice yards. And as you see how they are kept up, you have a little bit of little picture of of the owner of that place.
That he's diligent, he's resourceful. He he has.
He takes a certain amount of pride in keeping that up. Not that I use that word pretty loosely.
But nevertheless he has a responsibility to maintain that which which he has taken upon himself to to own or perhaps has been left to him, but nevertheless he must maintain it if he's going to get any profit from it.
00:45:19
And you and I, brethren, have a.
We work in a vineyard. Each one of us here, shall we say, has a vineyard in which we are responsible to maintain.
And God has given it to us.
And so here we get this little illustration of this man. You walk down, you go through the field of the vineyard, and you, what do you see?
I looked upon it and says it was grown over with thorns.
Reforms. Sign of the curse?
Metals that cover the face thereof.
Not a very pleasant sight. Metals aren't very pleasant to walk through either.
But they're a sign of disrepair and a sign of neglect.
And not only that, he had a wall.
And the wall speaks of in this case, it was a wall perhaps where he would keep the predators out.
But the wall was broken down.
And so the predators could come in, there was number more protection for his vineyard.
I've known a man. I knew a man.
Very well.
And he was a big help to me in my younger years.
I can think of two, in fact three. Perhaps we could think of many. There were big helps to us in our younger years.
Some that you looked up to that you felt were spiritual men and you could go to them for for advice and instruction and help.
But you know this one man I'm thinking of in particular? He's with the Lord now.
He I used to ask him once in a while, brother.
You going to the conference this year?
Well, he'd smile at me and he'd say no, brother.
I just have too much work.
And so consequently, he wouldn't go. Neither would his family.
The time came when he his family grew up and.
He still didn't go to the conferences.
He still didn't. In fact, it began, the family began to drift into the world.
And the world grew him their direction. They bought a cottage way up.
Over 100 miles away from the home assembly.
And there they spent their summer holidays.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong in a cottage, but it is a snare.
Some of those things that we've been hearing about here.
And it drew him away, the family away. They began to neglect the meetings.
And eventually he would show up for the meetings by himself.
And a poor man.
Before he went home to be with the Lord, a brother was visiting him in the hospital.
And he was talking to him and the man, this dear brother, says the one visiting him. I have spent all my years working.
And I've lost my family.
You see, he neglected his own vineyard.
But a verse that he would use was that if he, if he if he does not provide for his own, he is worse than an infidel has to deny the faith. That's what he used to support himself and he had to be working all the time.
And so the family is no more in the assembly.
And you know, my clothes being brought out here to mention that the most important thing in the world.
Is to God is he assembly?
You go to a little weak assembly, shall we say weak.
00:50:03
In numbers.
And you wonder sometimes why I'm here.
You wonder sometimes whether I should persevere, whether I should go someplace else.
Maybe down the street there's more activity done.
This meeting is still quiet.
That don't want to go overtime.
And so you wonder, and there's that temptation to give up.
I want you to be to remember the important thing is to get God's thoughts about where you are.
If you look around and you compare.
Yourself with this group and that group and another group.
You'll be thoroughly discouraged, and you'll be thoroughly.
And you will not find the truth that way.
You must get God's thoughts.
And the only way to do that is to look at it from his point of view.
And so to realize when the Lord Jesus came into this world.
Where was he born? To whom did the message go? To Herod?
You go to Jerusalem. Did it go to the seat of authority in that land?
Did the Lord say I've got to bring this message by my angels to those that are in authority? No, no.
Came to the shepherds in the field.
Team Two Simeon.
The Simians and the Anas and the Josephs and Ameris and the Elizabeths, Zacharias and those that were faithful, that we're looking for redemption in Israel.
And so the God's thoughts were not in Jerusalem, they were in the little flock.
That was going to receive him.
And he was born in a Manger, as we've been meant, has been mentioned here today at one time in the Sunday school. I believe he was born in a Manger.
In such simple surroundings.
He made himself in his lifetime of null reputation.
He wasn't one who presented himself for glory, they said. The devil said throw yourself down from this mountain, it makes something of you. No, he didn't have the word from his father. Dependence.
His own brethren said, Show thyself to the world.
But he didn't. He would go, perhaps, instead.
With his disciples across the sea in a boat.
Or up into the mountain.
To pray.
Where were God's thoughts at that time?
In Jerusalem, I say no.
Where's thoughts in the government of that world? Did the Lord Jesus come to set things straight?
Did he come?
In order to divide this man's inheritance with his brother and said that straight.
No, He had a purpose and he came to do his Father's will. He did nothing. We just had that verse. Even Christ, please, not himself. He didn't do those things to please himself. He did everything to please his Father. He had a purpose. He had a vineyard.
And he was faithful in that vineyard.
He never turned back once.
But he set his face as a Flint to go all the way.
And he went to the cross, and there he laid down his life.
Very good. Say it's finished.
I do always those things that please him.
Lord, come to do thy will, O my God.
That is finished.
And then he went back to the father's house.
There he is received in glory.
There he sits at this moment, and he has.
00:55:02
He has given you and me responsibilities down here. He's made us stewards.
Of his vineyard.
And so in a sense, you and I, each one as we live our life down here, is that little vineyard.
A little life that you begin to live down here in.
Faithfulness and before God.
And he is going to require of you and me as he is.
Our time, our money.
Our every endeavor, our faithfulness to our brother.
In every aspect of life, we cannot separate it at all our time we just read that verse that every that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That's not the white great white throne. Thank God, but at that scene where God is going to review your life and mine.
We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that we may receive the things done in the body, whether it be good or whether it be bad.
I should make this very careful, shouldn't it?
Before I do something, before I go someplace, before I say something, Before I think something.
I'm going to have to give a count of that.
Before.
Him.
And he judges righteously.
And so it should make us very careful how we live our life down here. Again, I refer to the verse that was just read to us.
I can't quote it, but you know what? You know which one it was.
How we should live God in this in this world?
And so we get we get this vineyard.
We get this wall.
The wall there all was broken down.
The wall, you know.
Sometimes speaks of that which the wall of separation.
And sometimes.
A brother or sister or family may start out.
Well.
And they gather their children around them, and they seek to go on for the Lord.
And they build this wall so that the world cannot come in and their children do not go out to the world. And their desire is to keep them from the predators that are going to scatter them and they're going to affect them. And they want them to go on for the Lord. And sometimes, you know.
As time goes on.
Something comes in the heart perhaps is attracted by some of these things we've been hearing about here that like our brother mentioned over in Peru.
It wasn't quite satisfied with the dirt floor.
And there's those.
Little.
Ifs that come in there.
And so the heart gets cold and begins to get away from the Lord. And the first thing you know, the children sometimes even influence the parents and they and they allow the wall to break down a bit. There's a hole in the wall.
And the world comes in.
So The upshot of the whole thing here is that the wall was broken down and his field was a was a disaster. His whole vineyard was unfruitful, unprofitable.
And it showed that he was an unfaithful steward.
What caused this?
Here's the man now he looks at it, He says I saw this.
I looked at it and you know, if you and I, if my life is not what it should be.
Consider my life, will you?
And don't go the same way.
You look at someone, perhaps in their life is no longer the walls broken down.
The field is beginning to show signs of disrepair. There's neglect, and that's his little vineyard, little family, whatever it might be, his little life that he sought to live for the Lord, and it's beginning to to fall into disrepair.
01:00:12
So this man looks at, He says I saw and I considered it. Well, I looked.
Upon it and I received instruction. Oh do we? Do we receive instruction when we see what happens to someone who has, who has fallen and gotten away from the Lord and has lost?
All that shall we say that which was such, so, so.
It's so fruitful and so.
There was so much hope. So we see.
That here was some fruit for the Lord in his life. The enemy is out there.
And he's right there, waiting to pounce.
And so we receive instruction I trust.
We receive instruction and what? What did we see? What was the cause of it?
You know, sometimes it's easier for us to see what caused it than somebody else's life, than in our own.
And we don't always see it happening in our own life.
They would keep short accounts with our Savior.
So that we don't fall into disrepair ourselves. May God keep us.
So what was the cause? Verse 33 Get a little sleep.
Little slumber.
A little folding of the hands to sleep.
Well, today I think I just as soon.
I won't go outside and work in my field, I just just too tired.
I'll give it another day.
So the farmer folds his hands and he goes back to sleep.
Meanwhile, the other farmers are out there putting their seed in.
You know, just on the side. A brother mentioned here about plowing a straight furrow and it reminded me of brother back home who said you know something.
When I was young and I was working in my father's field, he said. Many times I fell asleep on the tractor.
I said, what kind of referral did you plow?
He's not a very straight one.
And you know what had what he had to do, He had to take the time to go back over that same.
Row and straighten that field before his father's side.
And sometimes that's the way we are, is it not? We have to go back again and again, perhaps over that same piece of land that we have let go.
Become unprofitable. Well, I can think of things times in my life, many of them, where I regret I thought I was.
Going along well, but I look back and I know that it was only for myself.
And those are areas that times that are lost.
And sometimes I have to go back over the same road again and correct the Pearl, undo that which was already done. But it's time lost for the Lord. Unprofitable.
And so laziness comes in.
And the farmer says maybe next week I'll go out.
You know, it's kind of little too cold for to do this or that. And so he he excuses himself and we do that.
When we should be putting in seed ourselves.
Where in here?
Paul told Timothy, Take heed unto thyself.
And to the doctor.
For doing this thou shall both save thyself and them that hear thee.
So we look after this person first in this regard. When it comes to sowing the seed, we saw it right here in our own hearts. Take heed to thyself in this respect.
It's a little different than doing everything for ourselves in the other aspect is not, but that's one time we need to take care of ourselves first.
And in doing so, we'll save ourselves and then let hear thee you're going to you're going to lead someone else on the right path.
01:05:04
You'll help support those weak knees and those hands that hang down and make straight paths for your own feet that they which are lame might be turned not to be turned out of the way, but love it rather be healed.
And so we need to sow that seed, but we sometimes are so neglectful. And I want to tell you, young people and young men especially, that now is the time that you sow the seed in your own heart.
We read those verses in one Corinthians.
Well, maybe we stopped before that verse, stopped with the man who was single. But how about the man who is who is married? What does he care for the things that pleases his wife?
And there isn't always the time as there was.
When we're younger.
I remember things in my own heart now. I remember things that I learned before I was married.
That were the seed plot of my life.
I also remember things before I was married that I wouldn't want to speak about.
But thank God, His eye was upon me, and His eye is upon you too, and He wants you to go on for Him in this world, and He wants you to have your vineyard profitable.
He wants fruit for you, from you, and you'll only get it as you are occupied with Christ, because the only fruit that comes.
In our hearts is through him abiding them the.
And I don't want to say that the sister shouldn't read the word of God either, you young sisters.
If you want to, if you want to be blessed in your life.
And if you want the Lord to give you someone in your life, that will be a blessing and a help to you.
You can get the word, get it right from this book and he will tell you how to walk the path for him so that you will be a spiritual young sister and you will be able to know when there is a spiritual young brother come along.
That the Lord may give to you.
So you have a vineyard too. Don't let it go into disrepair.
Don't allow yourself to fall asleep and to hold your hands and say there's lots of time.
That's what that's what happens to the.
To the man who hides his his light under a bushel, or he hides it under a bend.
Under a bushel might represent hiding it under your business. And you say just like the man I was telling you about, his business became that which he hit his light under.
And it didn't shine and he lost his family. Or might hide it under a bed, which could speak of laziness.
And you just don't take the time. You have time to open a magazine. You have time to look at a perhaps a television.
Or listen to the radio. Or you might have time to read a novel. You have time to read the word of God. Do we? We've heard a little bit about that too. I'm, I'm going over some of the things that we've already heard, but how important it is that we get it right down to the fact that you and I have a responsibility individually. We have a field to take care of and that God is going to require it of us.
At that judgment seat of Christ.
Now let's turn to those verses in Luke's gospel chapter.
16.
I say unto you, I'm going to read it again. I say unto you.
Make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it fails, you may be received in the everlasting habitations or abodes. He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much. He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful now which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
What does that mean?
01:10:03
Make to yourselves friends with the Mammon of unrighteousness.
It's those riches that God has given.
It's those things. It might not necessarily be money, but it's that which which represents.
That which God has has given to your trust to use for Him.
And quite often it is money, it is riches, it is those things that that we've been hearing about.
The love of money is the root of all or every evil, and it can become that. And so we acquire these things, and the tendency is to use them for ourselves.
But what he is telling us here is to be faithful with these things. You can send it on a head.
Send it up there. How do you do that?
Use it for the Lord.
You know, in the coming days.
There's going to be.
When the Lord Jesus reigned in this world.
This might be a little sign.
But when he reigns in this world.
When he comes, when he comes to judge this world commerce.
Will be done away with that is the ships you know in Revelation where it speaks of the destruction of all that is represents commerce and trade and so forth and but you know it's going to be recovered again.
And it's interesting to to read this I I'm I've been enjoying some of these thoughts in in on prophecy from her brother Bruce Anstey.
And is mentioned there how that there will be the recovery or the reconstruction, shall we say, of tire, which represents commerce and there?
Everything that is there, there will be trades carried on, there will be things made, it says, for goodly clothing.
People in this world that live on this earth and the Millennium will have to have clothes and somehow they have to be made so. But the fact is that everything that is done in this world for people here, everything that people will be doing will be done not for themselves like it is now. It will be for the Lord. I believe that's an Isaiah.
It's for the Lord and for goodly clothing. Interesting.
And so the thought, my thought was in connection with that, is that we can do that now. Everything that the Lord has given us, we can use it for the Lord. And you know what? When we get home there.
It will meet us. There'll be a Ledger there, if I may put it that way, you'll write down the account.
And he will not forget one little work that you and I have done for him.
That's sending it on ahead.
Don't make to yourself, it says make to yourselves, friends with the mammon of unrighteousness. That which God has given you, use it for him. That which has given me. It's my responsibility to use it for him. And he will take note of it and He will. And so we send it on ahead. Now let's go on a little further here. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also. A month, a brother Reuben was telling us about encouraging us. You know, Lord, wilt thou have me to do?
It should be. That's a good, wholesome, healthy question to ask before the Lord.
And sometimes we're not satisfied with doing that, which is least.
We want to do something great. We want to do something that might be noticed.
Or am I wrong?
I think if we were to examine our hearts, we would find that that little seed is there.
But the Lord says he that's faithful now, which is least.
His faithful also, and that which is much.
So be satisfied here you are young people, young person.
1:00 And you're a little assembly and be an encouragement.
Your young brothers don't try and be.
Ajay and Darby, if I may use that right away.
Be satisfied to be a young faithful brother in the in the assembly, Tim Paul said to Timothy, be thou an example of the believer, not just to him, but of him. When he they see your walk, Timothy, let them know that that is the walk of a believer.
01:15:18
And B.
And you set that out before and everyone of us now, don't look at Pete over here or don't look at Mary over here and see how they're walking. And I'll just keep in line with them. And I, you know, I wouldn't want to show them up. I wouldn't want them to show me.
These awful thoughts can come through, but no. What does that thee follow Thou me, the Lord said to people. And so we follow him, and we look around, and there's somebody following us.
And let us encourage one another in the Lord.
So then it says if it and if you have not been faithful now, which is another man's?
What is another man? You might look at this and at your, your, all your accumulations and you say, whose car is that over there? That's mine. Whose house are you living? What's my house?
Anonymous, that's not right.
That's some another man that belongs to another man.
Doesn't it?
That other man is the Lord himself. He's given it to you.
And you use it for him.
So that.
If we haven't been faithful in that which is another man who shall commit to your trust the true riches which are what right here?
Who's going to commit to us the two riches? Someone mentioned here too that the.
The measure in which we allow the world to come in is the measure in which.
We do not lay hold of the things of God.
It robs us.
Of influence, shall we say to others. It robs us of our portion that we can enjoy with Christ. That's why I read those verses in Peter. Let's before we close, let's go back to Peter.
Second Peter chapter.
1.
And beside this, giving all diligence.
The man who had that broken down field did not give all diligence, did he?
Beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith. Virtue. What's that?
What is virtue? Well, it's that moral courage or energy?
That will that causes you to go forward energy with your eye on the goal.
Don't just sit back and hold your hands like the man in Proverbs.
And expect your field to produce.
Moral courage to go on. You add it to your faith.
And then?
To your faith, virtue unto virtue, knowledge. You see, the knowledge comes as we go forward.
Cease to do evil, learn to do well.
Into knowledge, temperance and to temperance, patience and to patience godliness. I'm just going to read over these. I'm not going to comment on them, but you can follow them and read them yourself. And I believe you see that they're the spirit of God has put them in a proper order and as we progress in our souls.
And then it says, For if these things be in you and abound they make you, that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, Your field will not be barren. And when the end comes, when it's time to for your, shall we say, for the crops to be gathered.
And the time for us to to meet the master that has given us these, there will be fruit.
And then it says, For so an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is.
Not our desire, but when we leave the scene we'd be talking about those who have gone on.
They passed this point.
And they've gone on and they're abundant. Entrance deserves. That's what we want, isn't it?
We don't want to look back and say.
01:20:01
That have been different.
Could have been different, but all I think of the papers in that brother.
When he said.
I've spent my whole life working and I've lost my family.
We don't want to do that, do we?
Let's go on for His glory.
168 Or Kindle within us a holy desire like that which was found by people of all 168.
In this world.
Where I'm there really.
Now love my daughter and father.
It hurts me all the time.
Lord, Lord, Lord.
Our sun and heart you.
Roll on fire under the sun.
A hard boldness right there.
For everyone to stand.
Open Mtg.
Open—R. Thonney, E. Wilson
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.
We love not having seen with or whose name is exhausted. Above all, glory, dominion and power, 291.
Turn to Psalm 119.
Psalm 119.
Verse 89.
Forever.
Oh Lord.
Thy word is settled.
In heaven.
Isaiah chapter 40.
Verse six the voice said cry and he said, What shall I cry?
All flesh is grass.
And all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it.
Surely the people is grass, the grass wither it the flower.
Theta, but the word of our God shall stand.
Forever.
Matthew, Chapter 24.
Verse 34.
Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass.
Till all these things be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Lenore, Scripture in Two Timothy, chapter 2.
Two Timothy, chapter 2.
Keep in mind the context. I want to read the first part of verse 19.
The context is of those who had erred and were teaching bad doctrine that the resurrection was already passed.
Verse 19 the first half nevertheless the foundation.
Of God standeth sure.
Having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that name it the name of Christ.
00:05:05
Depart from iniquity. Mainly that first part of the verse that I wanted to focus on, brethren.
This foundation of God stands short.
It really is impressive to me as a travel brethren.
The progress of evil.
And the decadence that is evident everywhere recently over in Europe.
It is incredible the things you hear taking place.
In those countries, the turning away from God and all that has to do with God, the despising of it.
It probably is not to be surprised at Brethren, because we're getting close to the end.
And this world is getting ripe for the advent of Antichrist.
Probably someone who is alive in the world today, although it is clear from scripture, will not be revealed while we are here.
But what comes as such a tremendous comfort to my own soul?
Brethren and how we need to encourage ourselves in it and be built up in the holy, precious, living, abiding Word of God. Thank God His Word is settled in heaven. Nothing can ever change it. Man can rant and rave and say all they want against the God who loves them and sent His Son to die for them.
It changes nothing as to His eternal purposes and counsels.
His word is settled forever, settled in heaven.
The people is as grass as the voice that Isaiah was told to cry.
It is impressive how fickle.
People are and how they are waved back and forth like a field of grass by different winds.
Of doctrine.
The Word of our God shall stand forever. Isn't that a consolation to your heart and mind?
And then in Matthew for the Lord, Jesus is talking about events.
That must shortly come to pass, he says. Heaven and earth shall pass away.
But my word shall not pass away.
In this book, we have ground to stand on that is more solid than the ground your feet tread on every day.
Oh, how wonderful to know that we stand on something that is forever.
How we need to be encouraged in it. How we need to read the scriptures daily. Dear young brother and sister, Dear older brother and sister, are you reading this book on a daily basis? How important. It scares me when I see people.
Some of whom even profess to be Christians, but are not into the word.
And how they get blown away with different winds of darkness.
May the Lord help us, brethren we have in our hands.
A living book, the living, abiding word of God. What a treasure to have this in our hands, to be able to read it, to meditate on it, to be fed by it, to come together in public meetings, to be exhorted, to be edified, to be comforted through the pages of this book.
And I'd like to speak briefly this afternoon.
On two areas.
Where it seems to me that the enemy is making.
Determined attacks.
One area is something that God instituted right at the beginning.
Is the family.
The other area.
Is something that exists here in this world since the day.
Of Pentecost is called the Church or the Assembly. It is presented in different aspects in the Scriptures as the body of Christ, as the House of God.
00:10:07
But we have very definite principles in the Word of God, and if we're going to see things clearly, we need to see it in the light of Scripture.
Oh, I think this is so important for us in these days to be established in this. This is the only thing that will keep you solid in the day we live in. It's a day when everything is beginning to shake. And you know, everything that can be shaken will be shaken in the end. But there are those things that cannot be shaken.
Those things that rest on the precious Word of God.
And I was over in Spain just recently, went to visit a young family that has come over from Bolivia.
To get work in Spain.
Nice young brother and his wife and they have three small children.
That he told me how awful a shock it was for them to try to fit into the culture over there in Madrid, Spain. Madrid's a big city. How people despise the mention of God, how they speak so disrespectfully of God.
And it is a challenge to that dear young family to keep themselves.
In view of that apostasy, that turning away from God.
The Brethren United States and Canada.
Is on the heels of what is taking place in Europe.
And so we need to be challenged in our souls as to why.
We believe. Is there reason to believe? Is there reason to say the things that we do?
Is there scripture in this book that shows what we say to be true? Still remember as a young man coming back to live in Chicago, and I was only 18 when I came back to live in Chicago, and when I met up with some of the reactions of people in that city, I was not brought up in a big city.
How shaken I was when people laughed me straight in the face.
When I told them what I believed, it shook me. That's what my mom and my dad had taught me.
From my youth, that's what I believed.
And it sent me scrambling to be able to say that's not what I've been taught from my family.
That's what God says in His Word. And you know a young person, older ones too, I found that there is real reason to say the things that we do, but there is no firmness in us, in ourselves, but the stability is in the precious, living, abiding, never changing Word of God.
May the Lord help us to.
Settle our souls to rest our souls on what God says in his own precious word.
And I'd like to just briefly state things in connection with the family first of all.
That are well known. I'm not going to say anything that is new here this afternoon, but things that I think are so vitally important in connection with the marriage relationship. Let's go to the book of Ephesians, chapter 5.
Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 21.
Beginning this section, Paul says submitting yourselves 1 to another.
In the fear of God. Oh how important that we learn to fear.
God.
I really believe that that is being lost with a lot of people.
Today people fear others, but they don't learn to fear God.
Do you shape up?
When the brethren are around, and when they're not around, you do other stuff.
00:15:05
You know what? You don't fear God. You fear the brethren.
And it's not the fear of the brethren that is the beginning of wisdom.
It's the fear of the Lord. You know that the Lord is observing every aspect of your life.
Every single aspect of your life. Just think of it as if the Lord who has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, is standing right beside us at every moment, listening to every word that comes out of our mouths.
Who seen every action that we take at all times? Doesn't matter that nobody else may be seen what we do. Do you live in the fear of God? It says in the book of Proverbs. In connection with sexual sin. The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.
You and I know what it means to fear God.
Please don't fear me, I notice sometimes when I come around people act like they shape up.
It's really an insult.
You don't fear God. Don't fear me, please.
That's not wisdom at all.
But that happens. We live like that sometimes, brother.
Down in Bolivia.
The people, before they get saved, have a certain custom of chewing the coca leaf which the cocaine is extracted from.
And you'll often see them, the big cut in their cheek and their teeth are all green because they've been chewing that. It kills all pain and it kills all sense of tiredness. Kills all hunger, too.
People can work tremendously, but it does damage to their bodies. But that's a habit that they've formed, and it's a very.
Habit forming habit.
And when they get saved, thank God most of them give it up. But sometimes it happens that they don't give it up. Remember one time going down across the Alta Plano and here comes a brother on a bicycle?
He crosses my Jeep. I was going to my Jeep at a good pace and.
When I saw who it was I stamped on the brakes and stopped and jumped out and said yelled at him and and I noticed before he turned around to greet me he emptied his mouth of some green stuff.
I said I wish you wouldn't have done that for me. You're going to do it before the Lord, you might as well do it before me too. But why is it we act that way? Brethren, let's be frank, Before the Lord, do you act that way? Do you act right before your brethren? Maybe before your dad and mom, and yet you don't fear God?
I plead with you, one day you're going to be brought before the throne of God. All that is going to come out like an open book.
Learn to live in the fear of God. But it goes on to say here.
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church.
And he is the Savior of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be.
To their own husbands in everything.
What's addressed to the woman is submission.
Dear young sister and the Lord Jesus, maybe you're waiting for the Lord's provision of a husband in your life.
The Lord ever brings along such a person in His provision.
Remember what it says here? Submission.
Doesn't mean that the woman's inferior, but in question of authority, so that there will be order in family circles, it has to be understood.
Who's number one in responsibility?
In every area of life there is authority. And if you don't recognize authority?
00:20:04
The result will be anarchy.
And that's what it's coming to in many circles.
This has to be recognized. There is authority doesn't mean that the person in authority.
Is always right. No, but it says submissions.
Submitting.
Wives submit themselves to your own husbands.
As unto the Lord.
Then the major responsibility is verse 25.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.
The husband is a reflection of Christ.
The wife is a reflection of the church.
And in that picture, brethren, I have to confess.
My own failure.
Do I love as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it?
Oh, what a challenge to our hearts to think about it, to love in that way. And that's so important in today's world. You know what I hear increasingly from those who profess to be Christians? I don't love my wife any longer.
Happened down in Bolivia one time. I remember a family that was in trouble.
And the wife or the husband actually said those words.
In front of a visiting brother, one of the Bolivian brothers that was visiting and I.
Really appreciated the reply he gave, he said. Brother.
The scripture doesn't ask you if you love your wife anymore, it commands you to love her.
I thought that was exactly the point. If we understand the character of love that is here, that it speaks of, it's a love of sacrifice. It's not so much a love of feeling. Sure, there is that side of things, but it's not so much here. The agape love with which old man is to love his wife is a love of sacrifice, but it's a love of decision.
And it does not depend on the object.
It depends on the source. Why did God love this world as he did? Was it because there was something good that he saw in this world that he gave his son to die?
No, it was because God is love. That's all.
God loved because God is loved. Now that's the love that you and I are to love our wives.
Dear brother and the Lord Jesus, if you're married.
That's the love that Scripture talks about, I must say, when I was married, an older brother said to me one time, and he's a brother that has a happy home.
And I was quite surprised at first, but I thought it was probably the most useful piece of.
Of advice I got as a believer, young believer going into marriage.
He says there might be times when your wife does not appear very lovable. That's the time to take her in your arms and love her anyhow.
And it's exactly the love we're talking about. It's the foundation of that home circle. And if you find it difficult to love your wife, think of the Lord Jesus who loved the church and gave himself for it. When he stood before those chief priests and Pharisees, when they hit him in the face, when they came up and spit square in his blessed face.
When they crowned them with thorns, when they beat those thorns into his brow, did he ever say this is just too much abuse? I can't take this, I'm out of here. Never.
He went straight on. He loved all the way. That's the love you and I need to be challenged about loving our wives with. Dear brethren, please understand me. I'm not just merely.
00:25:01
Putting the finger in that direction at you. I'm putting it at my own heart. I know I need to be challenged as to this as well. But this year, principles, living, abiding principles of the word of God. They will stand you instead in times like we live in.
This book holds true even in 2002 when we're living.
Prove it, put it into effect. You're going to find that it is true. And so, husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church.
Chapter 6. Another set of relationships in the family circle.
Children and parents.
Children, obey your parents and the Lord, for this is right.
Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment, with promise that it may be well with thee.
And thou mayest live long on the earth.
Here's the responsibility laid on the children.
I suppose you could say in verse one it is while the children are under their parents roof.
It is important that they learn to obey. Obey your parents in the Lord. But what we have in verse two and three is something that always ought to characterize our relationship to our parents. Honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with promise. Yes, we may form our own households. We may not be directly under their control.
But honor. You want the blessing of God in your life. Honor.
Your father and your mother, which is the first commandment with promise.
Verse four And ye fathers, I understand this.
To mean mothers as well parents, you could say, provoke not your children to rot, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Oh, how important.
Our relationship as parents with our children. Dear brethren, I cannot say I have done very good on this verse.
But I think it is so increasingly important that we.
Put into.
Practice the precious principles that we find here, not to provoke our children to Iraq, but to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Two things.
Nurture is positive. Admonition is corrective.
And the nurturing comes first. Oh, how important.
Not just to be policemen that say no, no, no, no, but to be able to first of all nurture, give them the food that is necessary. Read the scriptures with your children.
Sometimes people down in South America, when I encourage them to read the scriptures with their children, say I don't know how to explain it. I say you don't have to explain it, just read it.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It doesn't say hearing. Faith comes by the explanation of the word of God. It's by the hearing of the word of God. And I thank God for parents.
Far as I can remember as I look back, don't remember a day.
Where they neglected getting out this book and reading.
Some scriptures.
You know, it doesn't take a whole long collected getting out this book.
And reading some scriptures you know it doesn't take a whole long time to read.
A few scriptures.
And it's so important to get something from the precious Word of God on a daily basis.
00:30:01
Rather down in Bolivia, where I recently was.
I asked him how he's doing and he says, oh, not too bad. I said, are you reading the scriptures? He said frankly, I read maybe once a week.
I said what is wrong? Why don't you read daily?
And I said, sit down here. We had a few moments together, let's read a chapter. And I'm going to calculate on my watch just how long it takes to read that. And we read around. He read a couple verses and I read a couple of verses.
And I calculated on my watch and I said at the end, you know how much time we took to read that chapter?
It was 6 minutes, 6 minutes. Is that too much to do on a daily basis?
Who? I said I didn't realize you could read so much in so little time. They said let's stop and think. How much time do you take to eat breakfast?
Maybe 10 minutes. How about your lunch? Maybe 20 minutes or half an hour. How about supper? About the same. I say. A whole hour a day you spend.
To make sure you're well fed.
And you don't have time to open this book to feed your soul.
I ask you to make a decision on that matter. I hope he does. But it really is something how we can neglect what is so important. And I encourage parents to read the scriptures with their children, not so much, not so important to be able to explain them. If you understand them, you can explain them.
But if you don't understand, it's better to say I don't understand.
I think parents sometimes perhaps do damage by trying to explain something they don't understand instead of frankly admitting I don't understand this part.
At least let them hear the reading of the scriptures.
Then it speaks of the that's part of the nurturing, but it speaks of the admonition in just a word about this, because I think it is so important too. Scripture speaks in the book of Proverbs of the rod and of the application of the rod.
And I thank God I had a father.
When I was.
Bad. That let me feel the rod to the point at times I couldn't sit down for a good time afterwards.
It's important that a child learn that doing bad stuff hurts if they don't learn it from the parents.
They will learn it later from the authorities and if they don't learn it from the authorities.
They will learn it from the hand of God that doing evil hurts.
Story is told to me by a Bolivian brother of a young man who was raised by his mother. Evidently I don't know where the father was, but never corrected him, always gave him everything they wanted he wanted. She did.
And.
He was caught finally stealing.
And put in prison, in prison since he was never corrected, never controlled.
He ended up killing a couple of the inmates and they sentenced him to death.
And when they took him out to execute him before a firing squad.
They said you have any last request before you're executed. Said I want to give a kiss to my mother.
So they brought his mother there.
Instead of kissing here.
He took his first and planted it in their face, says Mother. Because you didn't correct me.
I'm going to be executed today.
And they took him away and executed it.
But an awful thing it is not love not to correct.
A child. It is not love. He that loves his child chastens him, betimes, the scripture says. I know that the current of the world today is against this, even laying a finger on a child. It's not correct politically to speak this way, but it is the Word of God that will stand forever, and we must.
00:35:18
If our families are going to stand, go by what Scripture says, not by the currents of thought of thinking in this poor world.
So these are things in connection with the family. How important these principles.
I want to speak briefly about the church, the body of Christ, and the House of God. Just look at two scriptures to get this focus before us. Ephesians chapter one and verse.
22 and 23.
Speaking about the Lord Jesus and how the power of God raised him up. Verse 22 and hath put all things under his feet.
And gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him, that fillet All in all the church, which is his body. In other words, the Church is the body of Christ. I know these are things that are well known and understood, but brethren, they're a reality.
And it is such a blessed thing for me when I go from country to country and meet believers in different ways to.
Realize that this is a reality. It doesn't matter what.
Nationality, a person, is what social status he might have.
If they are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God baptizes those believers, unites them in one body to the Lord Jesus in heaven, and one to another. And we need to be encouraged to go on in view of this truth, not only with those that we meet together with, but when we meet believers in different circles, perhaps at work, perhaps at school.
To seek to be in help to them in the measure that we can.
I cannot go with a good conscience to their places of meeting, but in any measure I can, I can seek to be a help and a blessing to them. And that is a responsibility because this is a reality. The church, which is the body of Christ, it's one you know, the enemy has wreaked havoc in the public testimony as to the church.
And sometimes we use the expression the public testimony to the truth that the body of Christ is one is in ruins.
I don't think it is proper to say that the church is in ruins. It is the public testimony to the church that is in ruins.
Because, as presented in Scripture, we're the Lord. Jesus is the builder.
Nothing that is foreign to his mind and will enters there.
It is perfect in the sight of God, but when it comes to public testimony.
If we could bring a heathen from the jungles of New Guinea to the United States and say the Christians are one, and he'd walk around the city of Des Moines and see Christians meeting in one place and another place in another place and ask, you know, are you connected together? They would say no.
He would never get the idea that the church was one because the public testimony is in ruins.
But the truth remains that all believers are united together in one body in Christ, and we are to go on in view of that truth.
One more scripture in One Timothy chapter 3 where we have the church.
As the House of God.
Verse 20. Verse 15.
First Timothy 3:15.
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If I tarry long, that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God.
Which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
There we have the church as the House of God and when it's in connection with order.
And discipline. And there is an order in the House of God, the church, the House of God. And there is a discipline in the church, the House of God.
Then it is the truth of the church as the House of God. It's a question of our conduct here.
Our walking in order in view of that truth.
And what I'd like to say that even though the public testimony is in such ruin, still the truth of God remains. And what's what's so encouraging about Second Timothy chapter 2, where everything was likened to a great house, still the foundation of God stands. Sure. Oh brethren, what a consolation. The truth of God remains.
The church is the House of God, the pillar and ground of the truth. It's not the truth, the church, the truth. If the church is the pillar and support of the truth, where are the truth Is to be upheld, maintained? We are to go on in view of this.
I know sometimes when we look around we see so much failure and ruin.
And smallness of numbers, we wonder is this possible to go on in view of this?
Truth. Even now. I'm convinced it is possible to go on. Even now. Where do we express then that the body of Christ is one? It's in a public way, in the breaking of bread.
On the Lord's Table, the scripture speaks. It's only when mentioned once.
In the New Testament of the Lord's Table, it's the place where his authority is recognized. But there is a loaf.
And that low speaks of all God's people on the face of the earth.
And as that loaf is broken, as we hope to do tomorrow.
Morning and passed from one to another. Each one breaks off a piece and eats it partakes in that way, he expresses. I am a member in part of the body of Christ, of which there is only one in this whole world.
Oh dear brethren, this is the truth. This is the scripture. Just want to say to to our dear young people, still remember a brother in Oak Park years ago when I came there as a young person who was speaking about this truth of the Lord's table.
And he said to us young people says, I can't tell you where that place is. He says if it were anywhere else, if I believed it were anywhere else, I would not be here. But you can't go on what I say. You must go on what God's Word says.
And if you act on God's Word, God will guide you to the right place. And if you are guided by the Spirit of God and by the Word of God, and I am guided too, he said we will not be in two different places in our Christian testimony. That really was a help to me. And so I cannot either brother, sister, young brother and sister say this is the right place.
But I can say, as that brother said, if I believed it were anywhere else.
I would not be here.
But there is the right place. It is not for people to do everyone.
00:45:06
As it appears right in his own eyes.
It is simply to see the truth of what Scripture says.
Not reason about it, but to act on it in obedience. May the Lord help us brethren. I really believe we're down at the end. These are simple principles as to the truth of the Word of God, but we need to be challenged constantly about it.
They're real.
This is the truth that will stand forever.
To Psalm chapter 12 for a couple of verses.
Just want to connect a couple of things of what Bob has brought before us.
With these verses.
The 12Th Psalm.
Verse 6.
The words of the Lord are pure words.
As silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified 7 times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, Thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted.
Those words are pure.
And he's going to keep them and he's going to preserve them.
What a comforting thing.
I think it's in Jeremiah, it says. Woe to them that steal my words.
We live in a generation. We live in a day when men think that they can tamper with the word of God.
And they would excuse this and excuse that.
But we know that this word, as we've heard, is not going to pass away. A couple of things before we're done, I want you to turn over with me to First Step Timothy, Chapter 4.
First Timothy, chapter 4.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly.
Than the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons or devils.
Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created, to be received with Thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth.
It would seem that what the apostle is saying here.
That these doctrines of demons encompasses two things, although it's not all of them, but it would encompass two things.
Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats. Now why would the enemy?
Attack those two things.
First of all, as we've heard, marriage is a picture of Christ in the church, and you can be sure that that which pictures Christ in the church, the enemy is going to attack anything that would remind him of it.
Anything that he would see connected with that he would attack.
But marriage is honorable in all and the scandals that have come out recently in the Catholic Church.
And the different groups would prove that, wouldn't it?
Anyone who would say otherwise than what God has instituted?
It's really a doctrine of demons.
But there's another one here that's a little bit more obscure, and I think we have to dig a little bit more on this one. That's to find out why it is that the enemy.
Is against those you know who would who would take that which has been rightfully provided as the Creator.
Commanding to abstain from meats.
This is a little more subtle.
00:50:01
But the fact of the matter, I believe, is very simply this, that the reason why it's done is because the devil hates anything.
Anything that gives any credence to the death of Christ, I believe that's the thought here in connection with meat. In this way, meat sustains life, and so the death of Christ on Calvary is what sustains our life in Christ, and that's the reason why the enemy attacks this.
Strange thing, you know that we live in a day and age when there's so much vegetarian as well. If a person believes before the Lord, if that's what they'd like to do, then go ahead.
But The thing is, if you seek to make that something for somebody else to walk in, you're wrong.
Let's not lose sight of the fact, brethren, that we have those two things and the enemy is attacking them of every hand today.
There's two spheres that he has in his crosshairs, if I can put it that way. One is marriage and the other is the assembly.
He has both.
How are we going to persevere and continue on?
Well, I believe that we've heard this afternoon the importance of husbands loving wives, and of wives submitting to their husbands.
What a testimony that is children obedient to their parents. I can give you a little incident that I remember recently was told to me by a sister. She said that she was in one of the stores and.
She was going through the checkouts and of course, that's where they always stick the candy, you know, temptation to the kids.
And the kids were saying, oh mommy, mommy, I'd love to have some of that candy. No, dear, you can't have any because it's dinner time and it's going to spoil your appetite.
That's lovely. The kids accepted that. You know why? Because they were nurtured and trained.
In the admonition of the Lord's wonderful thing. Anyway, this dear mother went through the checkout with her kids. The kids accepted. That dear lady came up to her and she said, I've been observing what's been going on here. She said, I want to commend you. She said there are not many children today who would act like that. What a testimony, by the way, that opened the door for that sister to give her the gospel. See the importance of these things.
What a testimony you know marriages are to a world that knows nothing about it. Marriage today, folks, is just a contract.
That's OK if your marriage doesn't workout, there's always more fish in the pond. That's what they say.
It's a sad thing, isn't it? Sad commentary on the day in which we rebuts the truth.
And on the other hand, how deeply thankful we need to be for all at the hands of our benevolent Creator has provided for us.
Our brethren, you know in other lands that don't have very much.
We look at the abundance of these lands. You know how deeply thankful we need to be. By the way, in closing.
That's one of the marks of the apostate age in which we live, isn't it? Unthankfulness.
I want to say to you, dear children, to all of us, don't take God's blessings for granted.
We need to be deeply thankful for all that he has provided and especially the wonderful spiritual truths.
That he has laid down in his precious word. But a glorious thing to be brought up in a Christian home. My dear mom read the Bible to us every morning.
And every evening she was a woman of faith and she lived out what she believed and she shared it with us.
She used to say to us that this isn't the word of God. Don't read it.
But it is the Word of God, and so we do read it.
And if this book is so terrible with some men charge, why aren't more evil men reading it? Well, the reason is is because it's the living Word of God.
Purified like silver in a furnace. A Burke. Purified 7 times. Do we love this book?
Are we going to follow its precepts? Are we going to be people of the book? Are we going to follow our own ideas?
Going to be disaster if we do well. God help us in His grace and love to submit to the word of God.
To be obedient children, and then we're going to be happy and we're going to be fruitful and productive believers.
Let's just ask God's blessing. Blessed God our Father, thank you for the ministry.
SW's-so Wonderful, etc.
Children—N. Hiebert
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Are you loved and his own like the stars of some ***** his right, proud, adoring.
His crown.
Now, one from the girls, yes #40 oh, that's a good one.
Now who knows the Is there anybody here who doesn't know that song? If I see any hands, there'll be trouble. No hands. Good. Now who knows the actions?
For those that can't hear you do all right. Would you come up here with me? Somebody else? Do you want to come up here with me? And you show us how we do it. And we're going to make sure that if there's anybody here that can't hear, they're going to be able to see what you're doing. Anybody else want to come up here? Who else knows this?
Nobody else. You too. OK, Come on up to 3-4. Who's coming up? You come up with me. You show me how to do it when we get to the court you want to come to?
No, I need, I need a girl up here too. We guys feel. Ah, finally, you're a lifesaver, OK?
Get that ten of the way and then we'll start all right.
Everybody now and that's really singing Jesus loves me. This I know for the Bible tells me so little ones to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves.
Yes, she loves loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me. He who died heavens get to open wide. He will wash away my sins. Let a little child come in. Yes.
Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me so I'm bad and he wait to make me glad, wait to hold me in his arm. Keeps me safe from every arm, OK?
Yes, Jesus, everybody loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me, loves me still when I'm very weak, and I'll from his shining home on high.
Watch me where I live. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so. Last verse Jesus loved me. He will stay close beside me.
All the way.
If I trust him, should I die, he will Take Me Home on high. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.
00:05:01
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so. Now we're going to sing that chorus again, Except we're not going to sing it.
We're just going to do the actions, all right? I'll get started with the words Nobody sings, Yes.
Now that's what it sounds like. Thank you very much. That's what it sounds like. That's a paradox. That's what it sounds like if you can't hear anything.
But you know it's good for everybody. Jesus loves me, He loves you.
And he wants you each one. Now we've got to have another one from the boys.
And I want one from the boys sitting over here, yes.
OK, 48, we're going to sing 48 and 48 is the wise man all right? The wise man built his house with a rock. All right. The wise man built his house upon the rock. The wise man built his house upon the rock. The wise man built his house upon the rocks. And the rings came tumbling down. The rains came down, and the floods came up. The rains came down and the floods came up.
The rain came down and the floods came up, and the house upon the rocks stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. And the rains came tumbling down. The rains came down, and the floods came up. The rains came down, and the floods came up. The rain came down, and the floods came up. And the house upon the sand fell flat.
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ. So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ. So build your place on the Lord Jesus Christ. And the blessed things will come down. The blessings will come down as the prayers go up. The blessings will come down as the prayers go up. The blessings will come down as the prayers go up. So build your life on the Lord.
We got mixed up on some of the words. We better get together on this next time, but I was noticing there's a young fellow sitting in the 2nd row.
That knew the actions much better than I did. His name is Ed and he was really giving us some good action. I should have invited you to come up and help us, but we'll let you buy this time, Ed. Now one from the girls.
You got another one girl here. We've had you up here, so we're going to try someone else.
Just checking.
42 All right, Do we know 42 always Sure do.
Anybody here at 7 years of age?
OK, anybody here 17. Both hands are not going to go up too quickly 27.
70 My hand ate up. OK, let's see now round #42.
A little child of seven, or even 3 or 4.
May enter into heaven.
Through the right state open door.
For when my heart fails.
On Christ that's gone up God.
Is then the soul receiveth salvation through his life?
All right, another one from the boy. This time we're getting.
Yes.
Which one did you want? Number number six? Yeah, that's on the Backpage, isn't it? 6? All right, let's.
Let's see.
Oh, it's such a lovely song. Let's just sing one verse, of course, OK.
This is a really good one. Number six. God in mercy sent his Son to a world by sin undone. Jesus Christ was crucified, was forcing her Jesus aside all the glory.
00:10:24
All the grace shining in.
The Savior space telling sinners.
From above.
God is light and God.
Is love now another one? This one from a girl? Did you have one you like to sing?
All right, Jesus loves me. I knew we'd get someone to say that again.
We're going to sing the 2 verses of Jesus Loves Me. You want to do this thing again? Would you like to do that again?
We're going to sing in the chorus. Here's what we're going to do. See. Listen carefully now when we sing in the chorus.
We're going to think, yes, Jesus loves and we're going to be real quiet when it comes to me, but we'll all point to ourselves.
Not to the one next to you, but to yourself. Can you remember that we're going to go first verse, chorus, second verse chorus. Remember, no means all right, let's try it. Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible. Help me so.
Let go once to him. Be long. They are weak, but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves.
Yes, Jesus loves.
Yes, Jesus loves the Bible tells me so. Somebody forgot. Jesus loves me, he who died.
Heavens get to open wide. He will wash away my things. Let a little child come in, Yes, Jesus loves.
Yes, Jesus loves.
Yes, Jesus loves the Bible, tells soul. Really good. Oh, you know how to follow orders. Great.
You must have some wonderful parents that taught you how to do things right.
And not to disobey. Oh, that's wonderful to have a mom and dad like that. Well, I think we're tired, but we're going to pray now. OK, let's all close your eyes and ask the Lord Jesus to bless this little time together. Lord Jesus.
On will I put this on the board? And that one is number. Where is that one door #43 Now is there anybody here that knows the actions to that one?
Nobody. Come on. You've been to Sunday school. You had all the access of that one, don't you? One door, Only one.
Well, we'll swing it through and I'm going to put this up and when I turn around, let's see if you know the actions, OK?
One door and only one, and yet, besides their turf inside and outside, on which side are you?
One door and only once and yet it's time for two. I'm on the inside. On which side are you? Did I see some actions here? Let's do it again. One door and only once and yet it's signs are two, inside and outside. On which side are you?
One door and only one, and yet besides there two. I'm on the and side. On which side are you?
Now we have a very special privilege in this great, wonderful country of the United States and in Canada, where I come from, to be able to do this, open the Bible and to read from it. And I want to turn to the Gospel of John.
And you go to the first book in the New Testament and make a right turn. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, there you are, John. And then you go four more steps to the right and you're in the 4th chapter. All right, John chapter 4. And then we'll take another four steps down and we get to the fourth verse and it says and he, Jesus.
Must go through Samaria. Must needs go through Samaria. Oh, isn't that wonderful to know that Jesus?
00:15:08
Is going from place to place and he's here with us today and he loves boys and girls. And I'm so glad for that verse that says to urge the children to come to him. And so this morning, I hope that it didn't take much urging for mom and dad to get you out of bed and have your breakfast to get dressed and all this kind of thing that you do in the morning and come to Sunday school. So good to see all of you here and the older children too to come to Sunday school. And so Jesus had to come to the city for a reason. We'll find out what that reason is.
It said he must go, and then in the fifth verse we read then cometh he to the city of Samaria.
Which is called Sychar near to the parser of ground that Jacob gave to his son.
Have you heard of a city called Sychar? Anybody here? Sure you have. I just said it. You've heard it.
Sycar city of Sikar, it tells us where he went. So you've heard it. He went to the city of Saikar. He didn't need a map. He was Jesus was completely dependent upon God, his Father as he walked in this world. You know, many years ago, a number of years ago, I had the opportunity to walk in that some of those places, one of them, sorry, one of them was.
Jerusalem. But you know, I was disappointed. I was disappointed because.
This doesn't look like the real thing. I saw people with their hands out and cups out to collect money. Jesus didn't ask anything of anybody except to come. So he came to the city of Saikart.
And then we read in the sixth verse two, it mentions that he went.
To a well. Who knows what a well is? What's a well?
I'm going to need a mic. Is this the one here?
I don't want to take this thing off, so we want to hear you what did.
A little hole? No, no, it's all right. Your voice sounds beautiful. A little hole in this work in the ground. And what's in that hole? Water. Yeah. You hope so. You hope so. Someone else don't have water. So we find that there was a well and it had a name.
It was made by a man a few thousand years before. If I say exactly, some brother is going to come up to me and say that wasn't quite right. Not 2000 or three thousand 3004. We'll say a couple of 1000. Is that all right? We, we won't be too exact on that.
The fact of the matter is this man was very important and he left a well and Jesus came to that well. And I imagine it was like this table and there was the hole there. And I imagine Jesus just sat down like this inside of that well and it tells us there.
That he was tired, says the Bible, says weary.
Tired, like some of us. My good friend over here, Doug was so tired he couldn't come to a meeting today. That is tired. That's real tired. We'll talk to him about that more, won't we? Anyway, tired is the word. He was wearied and he sat on that well, and it tells us the time. Six hours, six hours. Well, everything that the Lord does is exact.
The place, the condition, how he felt, the place, the time, everything was exact. So then we read a little further in the seventh verse, something interesting happened.
Something is there cometh a woman, A woman all by herself.
To draw water. Now what does that mean to draw water?
We have some funny words. I was preaching a gospel meeting some time ago and one of my grandchildren was sitting in this gospel meeting in Pine Grove, Ontario and I was talking about Paul on the road to Damascus and that he fell to the ground and he was a broken man. My little 3 year old granddaughter said to her, Mummy, mummy, that's silly, broken man.
She's right. We have some words that are hard to understand, but it says drawing water. So I got one of the men here. Oh, you're going to see something here. I better go. I guess I can put it out.
00:20:08
Pretty good, but they water all right now, drawing water. When I used to live in a farm that's many years ago, we had something like this. And there was a well and it was not terribly deep, but it was deep enough. And we have to go way down, way down in the water. And then we wiggle the bare bucket around so it would fall over inside. And then we'd scoop up the water and we'd bring it up to the top and then we'd have water, water to drink. Those days the water was a little better than it is now.
There was nothing, no chemicals in it. Well, there were chemicals, but what I mean is no man.
Added chemicals to it. So there was a bucket and there was a rope on it. So she came to draw water and I don't think she had a bucket. I think she probably had a big jug. A big jug. That's what these ladies used to carry on their shoulders or on their head. They carried a big jug. OK, let's let's go a little further now.
There cometh verse seven, a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, Give me a drink.
You like a drink of water? Do you like water? Do you like water? You like pop? No, you don't like pop. You like water. What do you think? Well, you pop or water, what would you like?
Tell everybody, what would you like? I knew it. Bubblies they call it. My little grandson calls it Bubblies. He likes, he likes pop, but he's starting to like milk a little better now. And I think it's because it's it's more macho to drink milk. So anyway, water, give me a drink now. It tells us that he was alone because his disciples had gone away.
They'd gone away. Oh, it was alone. Oh, I hope your mommies and daddies are all here.
Nice to have them with us. You know, we don't want to be alone. Jesus wants the mummies and the daddies and the grandmas and the grandpas and the and so on and so forth. And he wants the boys and girls. So there they were. Jesus was there alone and he had an appointment with that woman and Jesus was right on time. How many of you and most of you were on time for Sunday school this morning?
Good to be on time. I've been married 39 years and I still say that it's good to be on time. Oh wow, we're late. My wife sometimes says people don't expect you to be in time for dinner when they invite you. They say we vote 15 minutes or half an hour late. That's not the way I was brought up. You want to be on time, and so you're here this morning on time. The Lord Jesus Christ came just in time.
We're sinners and Jesus came into this world a little baby and he was not wanted.
Jesus.
Was born in a barn where there were cattle. The stable. It tells us where they feed the cattle. I grew up on a farm. I know what a stables like. I know what a barn smells like. Don't like it? That's why I'm not a farmer. I don't like farming. Sorry, guys. There are farmers out here. Do you like farming? Your daddy? Farmer. No. Good. OK. I like him too. Is your daddy a farmer? No, he's your daddy. Farmer. Whose daddy's a farmer? Yours. What?
Is there nobody here inside of daddy for a farmer?
Anybody here raise your hand if your daddy's a farmer?
Good, he's a friend of mine too. Ah, there we are. All right, so we got farmers too.
Jesus was born in a barn. Nobody wanted that little baby. Here's a little baby here.
Can you imagine not wanting that little baby picking up in your arms and cuddling it? I've got 16 grandchildren. I've done a lot of cuddling. Yeah, Jesus was a baby, but he was still God, did you know that?
Norm, how do you answer? How do you figure that he's a man? And God, I don't know. I believe it. I believe the because the Bible says that's the case. But there was a reason why he did that. He had an appointment with those who were sinners, those who were bad.
And here was a lady that came. Now Jesus came and he did all kinds of wonderful things.
Now let me ask a question of one of you. Do I dare take that again without dropping it?
00:25:04
OK.
Jesus.
Came into this world and.
He did good.
Is that why we love Jesus? Because of all the good he did? What do you think?
I don't know, that's a very good answer.
Jesus came into this world.
And.
He came to save. Was that because he did all kinds of good things?
No.
No. What's your answer? Yes or no? Yes.
Your first answer was the right answer. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that to you. You were right. Jesus did not come into the world to save because of all the good he did. He came because.
He was God and he had never sinned. He couldn't send, and he did all kinds of goods. So your second answer is right too. And when he did all these wonderful things.
Man did not want him, they took him.
They slapped him on the face, they spit in his face, they pulled the hair from his face, they beat him with a rod, they put crown of thorns and they put her on his head and they drove it into his head. They did all kinds of things to him. Now, another question I'm going to ask and I think I'll take this lady over here.
Did all those things that man do to him, did that make you want Jesus?
No, no, no, that isn't what took our sins away. It makes me very, very sad that I was one of the gang that did all these things and so was each one in this room because the Bible says.
All had sinned, all our sinners, all our bad.
So they took Jesus.
And they nailed them to the cross.
On Calvary's Hill, they put them on this cross.
And suddenly it got very dark.
And for three hours it was so dark that nobody could see anything around them.
And you know what happened in those three dark hours on the cross? Jesus.
Became the sacrifice. What does that mean? He took my punishment for all the bad that I did.
And the bad that you did, if you come to him and he took them on the cross and God punished his son for three hours. And I can't tell you how severe that punishment was, was. I don't think we'll ever know the measurement of that suffering. But Jesus was on that cross.
And when that was finished, it says, we hear the words of Jesus. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
You know why. For me Jesus died. For me he died for sinners.
So when he was on the cross, he said when all was done, he said it is finished. He bowed his head and he died. And he said it with a loud voice like Bob Tony's voice, a big loud voice. There was no mistaking that there was strength there. He gave up his light. Man did not kill him, but man is guilty in wanting to kill the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, let's get on with it.
Soldier came.
Folk, the spirit aside, and blood and water came out. Jesus was taken off that cross of Calvary.
And some of those two rich men, they came and they put them in a tomb.
And then he rose from the tomb. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start yet. He rose from the tomb.
And then?
We find later on he went to heaven, but before he went he said I'm going to come again.
I'm going to take all those who love me, who have accepted me.
00:30:00
Who accepted me as Savior? Now let's read a little further.
Then said the woman of Samaria, verse 9, How is it that thou being a Jew, asks drink of me? This lady couldn't quite understand this. The Jews and the Samaritans wouldn't talk to each other. Have you ever heard of anything so awful?
Have you ever heard anything like that? What do you think? Have you ever heard of anything like that? People won't talk to each other. You have? Oh, I want to ask who it is. It's not good, is it? These Jews and the Samaritans wouldn't talk to one another. But Jesus said something very wonderful to her. He said several things to her, but first of all, it says he asked for a drink.
He asked for a drink.
Would you like a drink? Would you like a drink? No.
You like a drink?
Would you like a drink?
You like a drink?
Does that mean yes, you want a drink, you're going to get a drink.
All right, here's a drink. Now it says on this bottle.
Pure drinking water. Pure drinking water.
Oh, those two things on the cross would have loved a drink of water and they couldn't get it. Jesus wanted a drink of water because he was tired. My throat is sticky and I'd like to have a drink of water, but I had to talk a little longer, not too much longer. I can't drink water right now. But then there's something else happened here.
Verse 11, the woman said of him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw water from the well, nothing to get the water of the well. You don't have a bucket, you don't have a rope, you don't have a jug, you don't have anything to get the water.
Well, let's go on verse.
11 It also says the well is deep.
The well is deep, and you know something, boys and girls, I don't recommend you get close to a well. Those wells are deep sometimes and they're dangerous.
But you know, there's something that's a lot more dangerous than that, and that is for you to come to Sunday school.
Time after time, Sunday after Sunday, you hear the stories from the Bible. You sing those lovely songs. Jesus loves me this. I know all those nice songs.
And you still haven't had a drink.
Well, you know, when we came out to this conference, we went South and we went WA little bit South and we went W well, we were looking at this and my wife and I said there's psycho as well. SW SW and we thought there must be a lot of SWS in that chapter. There was the Samaritan woman.
There was the sinful woman.
There was the savior of the world.
And there was the satisfying water. So we have the Samaritan woman who was a sinful woman. She met the Savior of the world and found satisfying water. Is that water good? Sure, the water was good, but.
Let's read, find out what that satisfying water was. The woman hadn't let her pot down yet, so she must have gotten something else. And so some of you didn't want to drink of water. So sorry. Is that what Jesus said? Oh no, he says come, come, come. I want you to come. Let's read in the.
Let's see what verse.
Verse 12 Art thou greater than our Father?
Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it, and his children and his cattle.
Jesus said unto her, Whosoever, anybody.
Who drinks of this water shall thirst again? You think you're going to have to have another drink of water?
Sure you are sure you are you going to have to have another drink of water. But Jesus said that the water that he had would be so wonderful. It says verse 13. Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst again. But the water that I shall give him shall be to him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. And today we want you, boys and girls.
To have that water so that you.
00:35:03
Won't thirst again.
It's not this kind of water. That's pure water. No, it's not this kind of water. Jesus wants to give you something much better than that.
Notice that Southwest on there? Hey, what's that Southwest?
Sweet snacks, they water WS. We've got some more. Let's go on.
Well, she took that saving that water and it says she.
He was a saved witness. See what happened here was that she said, give me this water.
Give it to me. You want to take it, You want it, take it. I don't want you boys and girls.
To wait another minute, I want you to understand that Jesus wants you.
Not later, but right now. And you say, well how can I do that?
Now this is not complicated.
You have to tell Jesus do something. Sometimes you say you don't have to do anything, but you do have to do something. You have to admit that you are bad. You're centered. The Bible calls bad centered. You have to admit that. Tell God that you're bad.
And to wash that all away.
A number of years ago, my oldest boy was visiting my father-in-law, Mr. Tom Dear, whom some of you might have known. Tom Dear.
And.
He gave my father-in-law a little slip of paper. I've told you the story before, but please, if you've heard it, don't interrupt a little slip of paper. And on that paper was written. I want Jesus to wash all the black away.
Oh that my father-in-law was so thrilled to see that put it in his pocket. Few days later he took a suit to the dry cleaners, forgot about the slip in his pocket and he when he went to pick up the slip, what happened?
What did you say?
OK, let's hear what you have to say. It turned all black. Turned all black. What do you think happened?
He doesn't know. OK, What do you think? It got wet. Got wet. I think you're right. That's what else happened. You won't guess.
I don't know. OK, that's twice. Yeah, one more time.
That piece of paper with a note on it was stuck to the lapel of the suit.
With a pin and hand it back to you.
Yay, that's great. There was a witness there, wasn't it? That dry cleaner saw that and he didn't have the heart to throw it out. He pinned it on Tom Deer's lapel. So there was a witness.
Now let's read a little further here.
Keep forgetting where we are.
Verse 15 The woman says unto him, Sir, give me this water.
That I thirst not, neither come hit her to draw. Jesus saith unto her goal call.
And come, those three good words, aren't they? We won't read those words in between. Let's just take those 3 words.
And you'll pardon me for doing my own translation here for a bit. OK, go. Oh, she went. My son put a note to his grandfather. Grandfather put it in his pocket. The dry cleaner put it on the lapel. And I've still got the load at home. There was a witness there. Go, tell and come. She did that. She went. She told and she came.
Now you come.
And you'll be going.
But are you going to go without Jesus?
Mom and dad are going to be at this meeting in about half an hour or so, and we're going to do something very special in this room.
It's only for Christians that you can observe and you're going to see something very interesting. Those of us are Christians, and I am. We're going to eat of a broken loaf and drink of a poured out cup and we're going to remember Jesus and what he did on the cross.
I know you'd like to do that, but some of you may not be ready. Why would you want to love Jesus and remember Him if you don't know Him?
And how can you know him?
It tells us here in the 25th verse, the woman saith unto him, I know that.
Messiah comes, which is called Christ. When he has come, he will tell us all things. He's come. Jesus has come. We don't have to wait any longer. There are people out there today say, oh, you know, he's going to come. He's been here, He's been here. He's in my heart and he's in the heart of many of these people sitting here. And I hope he's in your heart. Now, you've heard this before, children. We have a Sunday school back home.
00:40:18
Getting another story I told before.
But it's so special to me. There's a little guy by the name of Royce, and he was saved one day in Sunday school and he came up the stairs and I met him and he said, guess what? Guess what? I'm happy. I said what, The Angels are going to have a party for me at night. He got the message party. Oh, sad to say, some of these children know what parties are all about. Sad parties. But he was looking forward to a very special party, the Angels.
We're going to have a party for all that was so special, he said it in his own words.
The angels are going to have a party for me. Our time is just about gone, you know, but we're not finished here yet. So she became a spiritual worshiper. Now what's your answer going to be?
You say, oh, so S wonderful W Is that what you're going to say? It is wonderful. Or are you going to say So what?
So what?
You wouldn't say that, would You wouldn't say that about Jesus. If he says I want you to come, you wouldn't say So what?
It's important to accept the Lord Jesus as Savior, and it's so wonderful.
Would you like to accept Jesus as your savior? You can do it where you are. You don't have to come and talk to me, although that would be wonderful. Talk to your mom, your dad, or somebody that you know and they could tell you how to be saved because they don't want you to wait because Jesus may come.
I want to tell you one story.
You know, there's a lot of people that have gone to Jesus recently, in the last couple of months.
One father that I knew very well, his name was Peter. He had a boy.
William, or rather Philip, William and Douglas and Jesus took.
This father home to be with him, and those three boys have no daddy.
But you know, there's a lot of people that are.
Helping him, but there's no substitute for a daddy.
But the Lord Jesus, if he is in your heart, you can count on him to be your dad.
He wants to be your savior, first of all. He can be your dad. And I want a little story. You know, I think Don and Grace Rule had this story, so I'm not going to say it exactly the way it did in the messages many years ago. It's called Spider-Man. What's Spider-Man? What's a Spider-Man? Anybody can tell me what's Spider-Man? I hope I don't get. I'll turn this off if I don't like the answer. What's Spider-Man?
Don't know. What do you think? Don't know?
Oh come on, I want to go to the roll here.
I'll have to come over here. What's Spider-Man? What is it? A spider? Well, OK, that's an answer. Well, you know, many years ago, there was a man, they called him the Spider-Man. And this man used to climb up the straight walls of a building. And he seemed to be able to almost scale the wall without any effort. And he was going up the side of this building, and he went up to about 10th floor. That's about 100 feet, maybe a little more. And here he was. He was climbing up slowly and slowly he stopped.
He stopped. They were everybody's gasping, wondering what's happening. And he reached way up there for something to get ahold of and he grabbed it and he fell. He fell 100 feet to the ground.
And he died. What do you think they had found in his hand when they opened it? Who knows?
What do they find in his hand?
Not sure.
Yeah, right here we found in his hand.
Money. No, no, that's a good answer.
No good answer though.
A stick? No. Our time is gone. I have to tell you one more.
You're very close. A spider web. He reached out and he grabbed a spider web. It wouldn't hold him and he went down and he died. Boys and girls, life is very brief. When I was younger, my little 10 year old brother went to be with the Lord. He died and we put him away in the grave. But you know, he said.
00:45:05
Before he died, I'm going home just like that, going home. And so many have gone to be with Jesus. And if you and I could have a little peek into heaven to see what they're doing, we understand.
You know, Paul, he was up there and he couldn't even describe it. The words just weren't there to describe it. Now you want to be saved. You want to be saved.
Think about.
S&W Think about Sikers. Well, think about the Samaritan woman. Think about the simple woman who met the Savior of the world, found the satisfying water, became saved, witnessed spiritual worship. Now your answer.
So wonderful or so wild.
Don't want you to leave without really thinking about this question carefully. Do you belong to Jesus? Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we are so happy for all these children here.
Contentment-"if only"
Address—D. Rule
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
The Lord this afternoon by singing.
#22 in the appendix #22 in the Appendix.
Thou, Holy One and true, our hearts indeed confide.
And in the circle of thy love, as brethren, we abide.
Teach us that name to own.
Whilst waiting Lord for the.
Unholiness and sin to shun from all untruth.
To plead #22 in the appendix.
Some brother started please.
To turn with me to Luke's Gospel chapter 12.
Luke's Gospel chapter 12. We'll just read a few verses here, starting with verse 15.
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness.
For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things.
Which he possessed.
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do?
Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits.
And he said this will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater.
And there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years.
Take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou fool.
This night thy soul shall be required of thee then.
Who shall those things be which thou hast provided?
So is he that lay us off treasure for himself.
And is not rich toward God.
I'd like to go back and reread verse 15 or part of it and Mr. Darby's translation.
For it is not because a man is in abundance.
That his life is in his possession.
Read that again.
It is not because a man is in abundance.
That his life is in his possessions.
Over 30 years ago now.
I had the privilege of being entertained with some real hospitality.
In three different homes that come to my mind.
In the surrounding in the city of Lima, Peru.
These were three homes of fellow members of the body of Christ.
Gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus in that city.
The first home was.
Made out of justice sticks like you might break off a tree and.
Amongst the sticks were cardboard and that was the walls of the house.
00:05:06
The house had to be kept. If you want to call it a house 24 hours a day, seven days a week, somebody had to be in it less the possessions in that house while.
Everyone was away would be stolen.
Since there's not much security and sticks and cardboard.
But I enjoyed hospitality of my brethren in that household.
Second household was.
On a hillside.
Hillside had not a blade of grass on it.
It was pretty steep.
And it was covered with dwellings of the same type that I just described.
There was number water on that hillside and so everyone had to go. Depending on how high up they lived, they had to go down to the bottom and to a common well and get their jug.
And climb back up the hill with their water.
Another I guess I'm going to describe for because another one comes to my mind. Another household that had walls.
And the walls were actually concrete.
In the home, but it had no roof.
But enjoyed very happy hospitality there with my brethren providing food.
And fellowship in the Lord.
The 4th home was a brother and sister.
That had a concrete walls.
And they had a ceiling or they had a roof over their heads.
But they had the dirt floor.
Now I want to say, brethren, about each of these four households, 30 years later and more.
Everyone of those brethren are in fellowship still.
And.
I enjoy knowing some of their children and grandchildren.
But I want to describe a little more about the 4th house.
The one that had a concrete walls?
And a roof.
I still remember to this day in conversation with those in the household that.
The matter of the concrete, the lack of a floor being dirt, came up.
And as a consequence.
The brother and sister were lamenting the lack of a floor.
And we're speaking a little bit along the lines of if only.
We had a could take this dirt floor and make a concrete floor out of it.
Everything would be well.
I visited them a year or so later and they had a concrete floor.
And in the course of the visit, again the object of their hospitality and love.
Subject brought up the matter of if only there was a refrigerator.
Things would be well.
And.
A year later, there was a refrigerator.
But I want to say, brethren.
I could use examples, perhaps the people in this room.
Perhaps, brethren in India?
But you all can listen to tapes, and these brethren won't hear this address this afternoon because they don't speak English, so they're not likely to hear what's being said here. So I'm going to use them for my examples.
But I want to say to you and measure.
There was truth in this verse in their lives.
00:10:03
But to some measure.
It says here again, it is not because a man is in abundance.
That his life is in his possession.
Our lives can be in our possessions, whether or not we have.
Or don't have much.
And I believe, brethren, that.
A word I trust of loving exhortation is in order this afternoon. Because.
We do, and we had yesterday Satan's work against us to destroy the family and to destroy the assembly.
Through the breakdown of the family.
But I also want to say that we are all subject to tremendous pressure.
And.
That we live in a society.
Which is centered in its possession.
And it's as easy to be affected by it as it is to breathe.
And it is destructive.
To the purposes of God.
It's interesting to me, in rereading this little passage that we have here, that this man wasn't asking for more.
The Lord speaks about it as covetousness.
And says this man is a fool, but notice he had plenty.
If you had accused him to his face and said Sir your covetous he would have said no. I'm content with what I got. In fact I have plenty. I'm going to sit down and I'm going to enjoy it.
And that's what he purposed and that's what he planned to do.
And he was just going to take what he had.
And he was going to enjoy it.
He was going to eat, he was going to drink and he was going to be married.
And God was going to take his life that day.
Turn with me to Romans chapter 14 for a connected verse.
Romans chapter 14 and verse 17.
For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink.
But righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved.
Of men.
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, the things wherewith one may edify another.
For the meat destroyed for me destroy not the work of God.
Apply that. Not exactly the first thought here, but don't destroy the work of God for me, brethren.
And I speak to my own heart. You know, it's always easy to speak about things rather abstractly.
And yet everyone of us, if we're honest in these things, face them sometimes almost daily. The subject that I'm referring to and have on my heart this afternoon.
Couple of days ago just before coming here to the conference.
Someone asked to borrow.
A car for the weekend from a.
And that's fine. I have two.
But you know one of the things that.
Came through my mind in responding to that request was.
Which one?
Is it going to be the one that.
If something happens to it, I'm most willing to part with.
Did that thought come from the Spirit of God? No.
No it didn't.
It came from my feelings about my possessions.
Thankfully, the Lord gave me a further thought. I believe this one was from the Lord, no?
Which one best serves and suits the needs of the one that's going to borrow it?
00:15:07
We live in a time in which there is the characteristic of being takers and not givers.
The truth of God is that Christianity, properly lived, is seen in what it gives and not what it takes.
The purpose and responsibility of our lives in this world at this time is not.
Meat and drink.
It is connected with righteousness and peace.
And joy in the Holy Spirit.
And I'd like to trace that a little bit more in detail in First Timothy.
So would you turn with me to First Timothy?
First Timothy, Chapter One.
Verse five we don't have time to.
Go through the book, but we're just going to emphasize this one line of thought through it.
In connection with what's before my heart and conscience, it says here in verse five, the end of the commandment is charity.
Out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith on feigned.
Log out of a pure heart.
That's something that supports.
The purposes of God today.
Good conscience.
I don't think it can be over stressed the absolute importance.
Of a walk of everyone of us in this room.
With a good conscience.
Perhaps today it's not too hard to have a good conscience because we're in an environment that, for some of us, might seem as close to heaven as we're going to get on earth.
Everything is on our side, if you will, in the circumstances of being together in this way and the character of what is before our hearts.
And the enjoyment of the things of God. But this isn't everyday life.
Everybody in this room has everyday life to live.
And it's a life in many ways rather different than we're enjoying this weekend.
And the issue of a good conscience.
Is a terribly important one. All things are naked.
And open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Your Life and Mine is an open book with our God with whom we have to do.
And he would have us live it in.
Relationship to himself.
Keeping a good conscience. Is there something, brother, sister in your life?
That is not consistent with what you know to be the truth of God.
That's a pretty sharp knife in my conscience.
Is the tears.
It says faith unfeigned, don't fake it.
We are to live in the conscious.
Sense of daily dependence upon our God.
Several weeks ago, my wife and I were.
Driving down the highway and we're going about 55 miles an hour on our way to Rockford, IL to be with the brethren there for the breaking of bread and.
00:20:07
All of a sudden we were hit by another car.
And immediately going 55 miles an hour or so, we were out of control.
And.
We ended up.
The Lord, because of His purposes, spared our lives and was mercy.
And we're not hurt.
Vehicle wasn't quite as spared.
You know, after we found out we were all right.
One of the thoughts that passed through my mind was.
Will a car ever be the same again?
That matter.
Possessions.
The sense that something has to be. And does that have to do with faith?
Is that what sustains life?
God wants us to live with faith on faith.
Not Oh. I wonder if the other party has good insurance.
If you read carefully through First Timothy you will find that over and over again the word godliness is used.
Or piety.
Some can be translated.
Piety has to do with man in his relationship with God.
Everyone of us and every person in this world is to have a relationship with God.
And we are to maintain in this world.
In the assembly and to as a testimony to this world, the truth.
As to godliness or piety.
Our lives are to be a witness.
To man of the truth of what his relationship.
Should be with God and the world will either see it or not in our lives.
We have a Creator God who is also through his Son, the Redeemer God.
And so it says in the second chapter in verse four, God who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men.
The man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified.
In due time.
That is a mighty truth of God for this world.
That man has in the person of Christ the mediator with God.
And we know what it is to say those words to a fellow.
Human being, most of us have had that privilege, if not all of us, to speak to a fellow.
Person on earth and tell them that there is a mediator between them and God.
The Man Christ Jesus.
But I want to say to you, and I would urge you to read this little letter through.
The apostle Paul emphasizes to Timothy the importance of piety in his own life.
As a direct support of that truth.
Yesterday, or I guess it was when Gideon was referred to, he and I incorrectly said it, but he had a.
A pitcher and a trumpet, and the pitcher was broken to show the light, and the trumpet was given to sound.
And I would like in this afternoon, the sounding out of the message is the trumpet.
But I would also say the outshining of the light in the light is the light.
And both are necessary to the truth.
To be supported in this world like God's assembly and so he says.
00:25:04
And I the contrast of possessions here is because.
Preoccupation.
With possessions.
Destroys or diminishes or makes ineffective.
He says there for example.
Umm.
Go to chapter 5, I'll skip around maybe a little bit as thoughts come to me, but in chapter 5.
It says concerning a woman.
In verse five of chapter 5 it says Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications night and day.
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
Mr. Garvey translates that she that lives in habits of self indulgence.
Is dead while she lives. Listen to those words.
Lives in habits of self indulgence.
That ring any bells?
Is there anything in your soul that reacts to some words like that? Habits of self indulgence?
Let me be real down to earth.
So it doesn't seem too abstract to some that are younger.
Me too.
We live in a time when somebody gets a possession and the next thing you know, we look at their possession and we say in our hearts, me too, I got to have that and we set our hearts on it. We wanted to.
Particularly a problem when we're younger, but it can affect us all our lives. It's a habit forming thing.
To indulge ourselves.
It is not the Kingdom of God.
Even says in connection with the responsibilities of those the characteristic of those that were to be have the responsibility of oversight in the Assembly of God.
New Translation uses the word Not fond of money?
We understand that not fond of money.
Unless I be misunderstood, brethren, there are few perhaps in this room that have quite a bit more than most of the rest of us.
I say to you who have lots more, I'm not concerned about you.
That is not my concern.
Most who have quite a bit more than others feel the burden of it in truth and how to use it wisely for the Lord.
It's the rest of us that share this common concern or need for our souls.
He speaks in chapter 3 to Timothy and he says Timothy and verse 15.
But if I tarry, long Timothy, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is.
The Church of the Living God, the pillar and supporter ground of the Truth.
We know what that most of us have some sense of what that verse means, and we speak about the assembly as such and how the truths of the assembly are to be maintained, and I do not deny that.
I believe that is absolutely important and the tremendous importance of the character of our behavior.
But I want to say to you this afternoon, brethren, the force of this passage.
Is connected with the next verse.
The mystery of godliness is great. God was manifest in flesh.
Justified in the spirit scene of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in the glory.
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Godliness that is brought out in that verse or piety.
God has spoken.
Through his son.
He has sent his son into this world to reconcile man to himself.
And his Son came into this world the mediator between God and men.
And here is a man on Earth, he maintained.
In holy the rights of God.
Before men.
This man was born into a family in which the head of the household was a Carpenter.
And he learned that trade or that craft, and he was himself a Carpenter when he became an adult.
And in that way, I suppose he had possessions.
But his life was not taken up and characterized by what he had.
But his life was characterized.
By righteousness and peace and joy.
In the Holy Spirit.
His life was characterized if you turn over to the 6th chapter where Timothy is being exhorted as a man of God to flee these things that take possession of us.
In verse 11 of chapter 6, thou, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. His life was taken up and characterized by those things.
And Paul is exhorting Timothy as an individual member of the Assembly of God. The pillar in support of the truth of God is a testimony to this world.
And here in this chapter, it's or this book, it's a testimony before the world. It isn't a testimony to fellow believers who may not be walking according to the truth of God in in assembly matters.
Important in its place and taken up elsewhere but here in this letter.
It is that pillar and support of the truth and testimony to this world of its proper relationship with God.
That the Lord Jesus Christ lived, and Paul says to Timothy says Timothy, you're a man of God.
And this is what a man of God is going to manifest to the world.
And as believer.
As an example of the believers.
He's going to see in life.
Righteousness and godliness and faith and love and patience.
And meekness.
And Timothy, there's going to be a conflict in it.
Because the world will oppose it. So he says, fight the good fight of faith. It takes faith to lay, hold and live for the unseen world.
It doesn't take faith to go after the present visible possessions that the world lives for.
And so he says to Timothy, you've got to lay hold on eternal life. Does that mean? Says it twice to him in this chapter. He says, Timothy, you've got to lay hold on eternal life.
You need to practically.
And enter into the daily living out of the gift.
Eternal life that's been given to you.
And there are things that are going to press on you, Timothy, man of God.
To prevent you.
Living that out in your life.
And so he says, can I say put it back up a moment and put it this way?
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Was the visible display to man's eyes.
Of what God is.
And He is the visible display to man also of the glory of God.
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And God has given to everyone in this room the same life and nature.
That he has.
And as it were, he says, now you are to display before man.
The truth of what I am.
Of light.
In love.
Patience.
In your life.
When your neighbor looks at you, it doesn't matter whether your car is the latest model or not.
But it does matter.
If when they see you.
They see a display of love, patience.
Joy.
It's the truth of God.
And it is to be the truth of the manner of your daily relationship with the God of all creation.
You're to be the pillar and support truth.
As to God and the relationship that man is to have with God.
Man wants to destroy that.
He wants to go out from the presence of God and live as if there was number God.
We know the history of Cain. He went out from the presence of the Lord.
And tried to live as if there was number God.
And that is the characteristic of the day in which we live in the United States of America.
In large measure to go on as if the purpose of life was to accumulate and to enjoy what we accumulated.
As if that was an end.
So he says, Paul says to Timothy.
Chapter 6.
Verse three if any man teach otherwise.
And consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to.
Godliness.
The sound teaching which is according to godliness is a teaching which says.
This is God.
Represented to man in this world.
Let me try to put the truth in a different way.
He says in this chapter, he says we brought nothing into the world.
And we're going to take nothing out.
When you leave this earth.
When I leave this earth.
Is the character of our life.
Going to change?
It will.
If our present character of life is taken up in our possessions, it will change dramatically.
But I present to you that when the Lord Jesus left this earth.
His life did not change.
He did not have to change the things that motivated him.
That characterized him.
They stayed the same. He went from this earth into the glory.
I don't want to be unbalanced if you will.
There are certain responsibilities in this earth that the Lord Jesus left here on earth when he left it, but I'm talking about the character of his life.
One of the last things that the Lord Jesus did.
Was to entrust his mother to the care of John.
A very tender expression of the sense of earthly responsibility that he felt.
And I'm sure that when he entrusted his mother to John, he did so.
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For her spiritual well-being and for her material well-being as well.
But He put that aside, if you will, and the character of the Kingdom of God that was manifest in His daily life was the same character of life that you will see, and I will see when we see Him for the first time in glory.
He so he says here.
Being practical, if you will.
Verse six of chapter 6. Godliness with contentment is great game.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out.
But having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.
They that will be rich shall fall into temptation, or fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts.
Which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is.
The root of all evil.
Which some have coveted after they heard from the faith, pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things.
Mr. Kelly suggests that the word raiment in verse 8 means not only clothes on your back, but a shelter over your head.
Given that we have food and we have raiment, we have an adequate amount of this world's goods.
To be able to live in a way that fulfills our purpose in being here.
And if our hearts get taken up?
With the desire.
For more than that.
And again, I want to use the word if our hearts get taken up, we're not saying that God may not. And very often it happens that a Christian is an honest and diligent and upright worker in his work and.
Receives appropriate proper.
Payment for that diligence and in turn is able to accumulate more and I'm not saying a word against that, but I'm saying brethren that if.
The process in itself of having takes a hold in the heart.
We've lost the source or the basis of contentment.
I go back to the dear brother and sister in Peru that pierced themselves through with many sorrows in their life.
It started with the.
Earth Floor.
The keywords were if only.
The test, at least to my own soul, of whether I am or am not content is whether or not my heart says.
There's always going to be one more thing.
That my eye will set itself upon.
If only I had the newest computer.
If only I had this particular appliance. Whatever, it doesn't matter.
Everyone of us has something.
That will be put before us in that regard. But the the thought in the heart is if only and if only comes in. We need to get in the presence of God to get refocused, if you will, or to judge ourselves that we might be on about our Father's business, which is the representation of Himself and His truth.
To our fellow man.
And so he says with these things.
Let us be content.
I'm just going to take a moment, though, to go on a rather struck with the Apostle Paul. I think he went an extra mile.
Or maybe many extra miles. But turn over to Philippians chapter 4. Most of us, can, I say, would be content if we had the living reality of first Timothy that we've just been in. But I think Paul goes beyond that here in first Timothy or in Philippians chapter 4 and verse 11, he says.
00:45:21
Not that I speak in respect of want.
For I have learned in whatever state I am therewith to be content. For I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me, notwithstanding ye have well done, and so on.
When I say I believe the Apostle Paul, here goes the extra mile. It's in this sense.
He had learned to be content without even having an adequate amount of food or clothing.
He said. I have learned in whatever and at times, as he says here, he's he's to learn to be hungry.
In his service to God as a patterned St. Really. And God I believe has given us the apostle Paul to.
Show us the pattern.
Did he work? Yeah, I did.
He was a tent maker.
He knew what it was to have different things.
But he wasn't keeping up with it. He actually did it not only to supply his own needs, but for the sake of his brethren. But there were times when, because of his faithfulness to the.
The service entrusted to him by the Lord that he suffered hunger.
And went without suffered privation, he says he was abased.
But he said I've learned even in those circumstances, to be content.
So if you want to learn to go the extra mile, there you are.
This isn't precisely on the subject.
But I believe that in my heart, the need to take it up a little bit because it does have to do, at least in a broad sense, with contentment.
And I want to turn for a few minutes to the book of Esther.
I think most of us are familiar with the broad outlines of the story of Esther, and so we won't try to cover the whole picture of the story here, but.
We know Esther's cousin, I think it was a cousin older than she was by probably by some years, took her into his home and cared for her as his daughter.
When her parent, When she was her parents, when she was orphaned.
And she's a main person in this story, but so her cousin Mordecai is as well. And there's also one of the King's Princess or great men called Haman.
And in chapter 3 Haman is promoted. It says in chapter 3 verse one after these things did King Ahashi whereas promote Haman?
The son of Hamidatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the Princess that were with him, and then.
In verse two, it tells us that everybody, when they saw Haman, because he had gotten this great place of honor in the King's court, were to were to bow down to him.
But one man Mordecai wouldn't do it. Verse five and when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence.
Then Haman was full of wrath.
Now turn over to.
Chapter 5.
And verse seven, Esther is inviting the king and Haman to have a meal with her. Verse seven, she says, then answered Esther and said, my petition and my request is, if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleased the king to grant my petition and perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said. Then when Haman forth that day, joyful and with a glad heart. Sounds good, doesn't it?
00:50:24
Haman went forth that day joyful and with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the King's gate, that he stood not up nor moved against him, he was full of indignation against Mordechai.
And Haman goes home and talks to his friends and his wife, and he tells them of all the glory of his riches, and how he's been promoted in verse 11 above everybody else. And he says, just, just the king and I have been invited, as it were by the queen in verse 12. And then notice verse 2, verse 13. Yet all this availeth me nothing.
So long as I see more to chaos.
There's not only the if only of substance.
There's the if only people.
I would be content and happy if only this brother or that sister or this person at work was different and treated me in some different way.
God raised up Haman, I think in part as in an individual picture to us as an example, that God knows how to give things to man.
But if he doesn't have them in relationship with God as he should.
There will always be a thorn in them that robs the man of the pleasure.
I don't know if it's an example of it or not, but John D Rockefeller at his time was the richest man in the United States. And he went outside one day of one of his plants and there was a man sitting on the on the grass eating his lunch. And he saw him just eating a simple lunch on the grass. And he went up to the man and talked to him for a couple of minutes. And he said to the man, he said, you know, I'd give $1,000,000.
That was a lot of money on those days. I'd give $1,000,000 if I could sit down and eat.
A sandwich like that?
But he said I've had so much pressure in my life with all that I have that my stomach won't take it.
He had, as it were, something that God allowed to come into his life. That can I say, if only. Just like Haman says, it's all for naughty.
He had all these things, and he was joyful and pleased with himself and all that he had. And then.
And then he saw Mordecai, and just the face of Mordecai spoiled it all for him.
Oh, brethren.
Contentment.
Sight of God does not depend on if onlys.
It does not depend on how this person or that person is treating you.
Your responsibility and mine before God is to show the love of Christ.
To one another.
And to our fellow man.
It is to display God's character.
To maintain the truth of God in this world.
To be characterized.
The Christian is to be characterized by good works.
Created, it says in Ephesians unto good works.
We sometimes and so enjoy the elevated position that we have in Christ that we forget the practical outflowing of it on the earth, he says to them, they're created and the good works.
It is to be the display of God in His own goodness toward man.
Is to be seen in our lives.
Show out.
Who he is?
And it's not.
00:55:01
A self indulgent, self oriented. I want to have and enjoy as much pleasantness as I can and tell the Lord takes me home and then it's even better.
May God help us. Let's pray.
In the House
Address—S. Jacobsen
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Nine and hopefully if we.
Proportion our time properly. About halfway through, we'll sing the other two verses.
129 Someone please start the 1St 2 verses of #129.
Look to God for His blessing. Our God and Father, we thank Thee.
Let's turn to the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and the 18th verse, and I'll read a few verses of that particular point of of exercise, and then I'll give you an outline of what I have on my heart.
Matthew the 9th chapter.
And the 18th verse.
Matthew 9 verse 18 While he faked these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead, But come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
Certainly its significance, but let's skip the next few verses 23rd verse.
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, he said unto them, Give place, for the maid is not dead, but sleepless. And they laughed him to scorn. And when the people were put forth, he went in and took her by the hand. And the maid arose, and the fame hereof went abroad in all that land.
What I have in my heart is that there are probably of the order of 30 or more references in the New Testament to the Lord's activity.
In the house, there may have been something outside of the house and then he goes into the house and we'll have that as a point that we want to look at. And and what I would like to say and may say it again may even repeat it the third time that I believe that when we see that the significance of the house is where you and I live and we're no more in the marketplace.
No more in the assembly than we are with that which God has worked.
In your heart and mind, in our individual houses, I want to say that again.
You and I are no more. We may have a facade and pretend to be more, but we're no more in the marketplace, at work and in the in the assembly than what we are in connection with what the Lord seeks to work in our individual hearts. So now this first instance we find that a certain ruler came to him and worshiped him and says.
00:05:06
My daughter's dead. There's no question in my mind. But what? She's dead. I want you to come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
The Lord didn't tell him. Well now there's someone else that has more faith than you do. I don't need really go to your house. But he went and in the meantime he heals this woman. But when Jesus comes into the rulers house, now this is going to be an illustration of the Lord working.
In obviously the rulers house, but there seems to be an adverse environment for the Lord's work.
And there may be in your house and mine an adverse atmosphere.
That the Lord needs to deal with before he can bring a blessing. And So what happens?
He sees the minstrels and the people making a noise. It wasn't just a noise to occupy the time, it was probably professional mourners. He sent in to them give place for the dead. The maid is not dead but sleepeth and they laughed him to scorn.
I trust with all my heart that the disrespect that the Lord was shown in this house never is approached in any of our houses. And you will say, thankfully, no, that is not the particular point of my house. We'll find other points of houses so. But when the people were put forth, there seems to be often times in houses and element that needs to be gotten rid of.
It may be an attitude, it may be literature, it may be other things. And they need to be cleared out so that the Lord can do His work in you and in me. And so He went in and took her by the hand, and the maid arose, and the fame hero went abroad into all that land. There was no difficulty on the Lord's part to to make that young maid alive.
The difficulty was in connection with the resistance that the people.
And let's make sure this is not, this is not to to lecture, not to give a jab, But let's make sure, because we're going to find another case where there there was people around. Let's not, let's make sure that you and I do not lend the atmosphere of people that don't seem to understand what the Lord is doing. Let's go on to the 27th verse. And when Jesus departed, then two blind men followed him crying and saying, Thou, son of David, have mercy on us.
And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him, And Jesus said to them, Believe you that I'm able to do this, They said unto him, Yeah, Lord then touched he their eyes, saying, according to your faith, be it unto you. And their eyes were open. And Jesus straightly charged them, saying, see that no man knoweth outside of the house. There was an expression of dependence and of need to the Lord.
But he goes into the house, and there in the confinement of this house, we don't know its dimensions, we don't know its architecture, and it doesn't matter. He went into the house, and the blind men follow him, and there was faith. And what does he ask them? Believe he that I'm able to do this. There may well be in your house and mine a certain degree of blindness about certain situations.
About what's the will of the Lord and the Lord can bring?
Site in the house. Let's go on to Mark.
The second chapter and the first verse.
As I say, there's about 30 or more, so we obviously can't cover but a few.
And this one is going to be very, very short. Just the first verse.
Of mark the second chapter and the first verse.
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days, and it was noised that he.
Was in the house.
Let me ask this question.
Is it understood by your brethren? Is it understood by your neighbors? Is it understood by those in the workplace or at school?
00:10:01
That Jesus has his way in your house.
I don't mean what I'm going to say is a translation or even a mistranslation, but simply as a commentary on what we sometimes find in our houses. It could be. And there was noise in the house.
Noise of.
Rock'n'roll.
Noise of that which is so incongruous with a quiet understanding.
And a further appreciation of what the Lord has for us, that it's what we call.
Static background noise. I'm sorry, I can't hear you.
Cut down the noise, but here that isn't what the scripture says and I'm not trying to make it.
A new translation, as it were. It's a very bad statement.
That there was noise in the house because this verse says that Jesus it was noise that he was in the house.
Do you have the habit when you go into someone's home that you've never been in before?
And you don't know if they're a Christian. You look for a Bible laying down, you look.
For some evidence, a text Jesus himself.
Junior and went with them.
That person is a Christian, and so you get into a conversation and there may not be a text.
There may not be a Bible, but they still may be a believer. It was noised.
That Jesus was in the house.
You, I'm sure, in your individual house desire.
That it's noised that Jesus is in the house.
There's a brother that made us that text, and we have it in our house.
Having a text that says that Jesus it was noise that he was in the house.
Doesn't bring reality.
Doesn't bring reality again, I repeat for probably the third time already.
We are no more in the marketplace, at school, at work, in the assembly than what we are in our own individual houses. And if the electricity went off, if if there was an alarm like we one time during a gospel meeting some years ago and we had to go down to A to a shelter and we were all through with our afternoon address, I would be willing to stop right here. It was noise that he.
Was in the house.
Let's go on. Let's go to the 7th chapter of the Gospel of Mark.
The 7th chapter of the Gospel of Mark and the 24th verse.
Mark, 7/24.
And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyron Sidon, and entered into a house, and would have no man know it. But he could not be hid, For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by nation, and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled, for does not meet to take the children's bread.
And to cast it unto the dogs.
Let's stop there. Let's suppose it's your house.
And I am not trying to bring Jesus back from the Father's house and the right hand, but in spirit he's in your house. And something that direct is said to a needy soul. And you'd cringe and you'd say, oh, I wish, brother, that you hadn't been quite so, so crude. You don't understand the sensibility of women. Well, if there was anybody that understood the sensibility of women and men.
It was this blessed man.
Now what response did he get?
And she answered and said unto him, Yay, Lord, yet the dogs under the table.
Eat of the children's crumbs, he said unto her, For this saying, Go thy way.
The devil has gone out of my daughter and when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out and her daughter laid.
Upon the bed.
00:15:01
I don't know exactly why the Lord after the woman fell at his feet that.
He went into a house and the woman followed him. Why did they wait outside the house? But we have another instance, and there are several. There are probably more in Mark than there are any of the other gospels that we find that in the house. There's something that's worked that the Lord has designed that is not going to be worked outside the house. The assembly, How thankful we can be in our for it.
How thankful we are and should be for a conference, for fellowship with our brethren in the workplace, whatever. But you know, there is, again, I say, no substitute for that which is worked in our hearts by the power of the Spirit of God through the word of God in an individual house.
Much more could be said.
But the Lord dealt with this woman in a way that he wouldn't have dealt with anyone else that he knew of, because they might not have been able to take it later on. And Luke, we're going to find another woman that comes into his presence. Little different circumstances. But here she's beseeching him. She she's eager for a blessing. And you know, you and I, my children are gone.
Some of you, your children have not let they're not of an age to leave home and you desire.
That maybe not a devil, but you desire that that element of the world that seems so obvious in their actions and ways be delivered.
We long for it. We pray for it. Your brethren share with you in connection with it. It's worked in the house. Remember my father, years ago, about a certain family whose name is unknown for this purpose? That this man always seemed to blame his brethren for the way his children turned out. They were contemporary. The children were contemporary of mine and my sister and my brothers.
But he always seemed to blame his brethren.
For it.
In the house.
Now, am I setting aside the importance of shepherds in the assembly?
Of some dear brother or sister that can be a help. Not setting aside it at all that that's a part of the way that God deals. But we're talking about the house right now, and this woman desperately wanted her child to be delivered from the power of the enemy. What did she have to go through? She went through a very deep exercise. She took her place as completely outside of the pale of Israel to get a blessing. But she said.
That's true. But I want a blessing. I'm willing to take the position that you have given.
Now let's go on to the 9th chapter of this book.
This one is a little more involved.
In fact, there are two of them, one after the other. The first one starts with the 14th verse of the 9th chapter.
And the other one starts with the 30th verse. We're not going to read all of these verses. We're going to finish.
The the one starting with the 14th 1St and then we're going to sing this, this last two verses of that hymn and then go on. So let's read from Mark 9 and verse 14 and when he came to his disciples.
He saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, And straightway all the people, when they beheld him Jesus, were greatly amazed, and running to him, saluted him, and he asked his describes what question you with them? And one of the multitude answered, and said, Master, I have brought unto thee, my son, which hath a dumb spirit.
And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he fullmost, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineeth away. And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not.
This is really an involved story, but very simple. The Lord had been on the mount of Transfiguration.
Some of his disciples have been with him, Most of them weren't. And in his absence, this father had come and the disciples were unable to effect a blessing. Now there are various centers, and if we had a a piece of paper we could show in the center, who are we going to put in the center? Let's not put the sun, let's put the father. The father is really the center of this story.
00:20:15
Of this matter of faith is the Father, but let's include the Son.
Let's include the disciples. Let's include the Blessed Lord. Not that He's 3rd or 4th, I just mean that that's the ones that are involved. But there's another group.
In the 25th verse, the people, the people. So what's what's involved here? They've come down from the mountain. There's lack of faith on the part of the disciples. And we're going to find out why in the house. See, that's the point. In the house, we're going to find out what was the matter. And the Father is the center of what the Lord is dealing. There was no difficulty on the part of the Lord to bring the blessing that this man wanted about. He said he taketh him, he tariff him, and he falleth and nasheth with his teeth and pine us away.
And I speak to the disciples that they should not cast, that they should cast him out, and they could not.
Is that the center of this situation? Let's read on the.
22nd verse, and OFT times it had cast him into the fire.
And into the waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us and help us.
The new translation of the J&D translation of the 23rd verse is absolutely the point. And from memory, because I don't have it here, it says this the if thou canst is if thou canst believe. In other words, don't, don't put the the canst on me. If the if thou canst is if thou canst believe So. What does the father say?
And straightway the father of the child cried out and said with tears.
Lord, I believe help thou mine unbelief.
That's the center, isn't it? That's the point of this portion, I really believe. But now notice when Jesus saw that the people came running together. Brethren, I don't put you and I don't want to put myself in the category of these people, but there is something to learn from it. Let's make sure that we're not a part of that element that has to do with the things of God.
In the assembly or out of the assembly that seemed not completely.
Unable to ascertain what God is doing because notice when Jesus saw that the people came running together, what he do?
He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him Now dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more in him. Could it be that the Lord wanted to work further in the heart of that Father?
That's extrapolation and it's a simple term that means that you go beyond available data or available information. So we don't have it and so we really shouldn't have brought it up. But the point being that when the Lord saw the people come rain together, he immediately.
Brought the blessing, The blessing for the Son and for the Father.
Was not the issue of this story. It was the father.
And his unbelief. Now let's go down to the 28th verse.
And when he was come into the house.
Remarkable. His disciples asked him privately.
Privately, the father, the son must have gone home. The people dispersed.
But the Lord goes into the house and his disciples follow him. And they asked him privately, why could not we cast him out?
In the quietness of your house, where there is a closet, literally and figuratively.
We learn the issues of life.
And what did the Lord say? This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting. This is an ad Lib, but I think it's pertinent.
I've heard criticism, and I'm not trying to assess the rightness or wrongness of what's done.
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But I've heard criticism about certain actions taken by an assembly that that individual assembly feels so strongly.
That they don't want that individual to come into the meeting room, don't even come in. Now, I'm not judging the rightness or wrongness of that statement, but the reason that people are askance at it is because how can they be restored without coming into this to the assembly? Let me assert this.
Restoration, like prayer is worked.
In the closet.
And so the Lord in the house, they asked him privately, why could not we cast him out? If the work of God in your soul and mine is not worked in our house, where maybe no one but our family or not even them, realize what's going through our hearts in the closet, there's not going to be any restoration. Or put it this way, it's not going to be the restoration that is worked as a result of the closet and what God wants to work in your heart.
And mine next story. No, I promised you that we would sing the last two verses of #129. So let's do so The last two verses of 129. Jesus, thy love exceeds our thought. But this at least we see the soul that knows thy love is taught to value not with thee. Someone please start 129, verse 3.
All the vaccines, our thought.
Of this, sadly.
That's all that knows by love is God.
I'm not.
About it.
And.
All thy love be faintly seen what's in the man's heart.
With our dead Lord Whisker.
I've been.
In snarning.
We need to hasten.
The 30th verse is one of those verses in Mark 8-9 and 10 at about the same point, verse 30 or 31, where the Lord is giving them preliminary understanding concerning.
The cross and his treatment.
32nd birds. But they understood not that same and were afraid to ask him. And we're going to read on to the 33rd verse to find why they were afraid to ask him. And he came to Capernaum and being in the house.
In the house, In the house? He asked them. What was it that you disputed among yourselves, by the way?
But they held their peace, for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest.
Had they listened? They didn't understand.
Surely they were in a state of soul which wasn't receptive for what the Lord wanted.
But there was an occupation more than what you would say, a bad state of soul. They were in an argument as to who should be the greatest, but it wasn't until he got them off of the road and into the house that he brings up the subject.
And isn't that the way the Lord deals with each of us? 2:00 in the morning? Do you ever win? A dog didn't bark.
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The big truck didn't roll down the street.
The Lord is seeking to work in your heart and mind.
In the house. In the house? What was it that she disputed among yourselves, by the way?
They didn't have to tell him what it was he knew.
But it was in the house that he brought up the subject and he dealt with them. And it's a beautiful dealing, because he brings to them a little child. Oh the blessing of how the Lord deals with us and kindness and and the way he's the master.
Master, let's go on to Luke the 7th chapter.
There's one of those exquisite stories. They're all exquisite.
Luke, the 7th chapter and the 36th verse.
This is another house scene.
Luke 7 verse 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him.
And he went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meet.
And behold, a woman in the city which was a Sinner when she knew that Jesus sat at me.
In the Pharisees, House brought an alabaster box of ointment and stood at his feet behind him, weeping.
And began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head.
And kissed his feet and anointed him, pointed them with the ointment.
Now we read the 30th, 9th verse and then go back. Now when the Pharisees which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying this man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a Sinner.
Let's get the picture. The Pharisee wanted for whatever reason to have Jesus in his house and we can give him credit if credit is due.
But now this woman was a woman of the city, an avowed Sinner.
There were two remarkable things about her in connection with this House that are that are obvious.
She was uninvited and she was unwanted.
Let me put it this way, if there's anyone that is concerned about their brethren.
Of how they will be received if they were to ask for their place at the Lords table. Remember, your brethren aren't driving you. The Lord is drawing you. There's a difference. No one I don't like to be driven and you don't either. And God doesn't want his children to be driven. He wants to draw them. And the one that's going to do the drawing is the one that was in this Pharisees house.
And was not getting the treatment that he deserved. You and I can be thankful that we don't get the treatment that we do deserve, whether it's in the workplace or elsewhere.
But the Lord deserved exactly what he got from this dear woman.
She wasn't driven in, She was drawn in, beautiful. And so you and I, in connection with the Assembly and transferring the thought to the Assembly from this House.
Don't ever. And I say it to my own heart, Don't get your brethren before you as if they're the ones that you're going to be with. You're being drawn by the Lord himself.
Let's go on to the last chapter of Luke and you can anticipate what that is.
We have just a few moments and we have some more. Three more after this and hopefully we'll be through on time.
We can't possibly cover the two going to Emmaus, which starts in the 13th verse of the 24th chapter.
Beautiful.
In every aspect that the Lord would spend his time when he had 40 days and He spent his time as it were.
Don't mean to be crude, but he spent his time wisely and he wanted to draw these two back and so he gave them the scriptures on the way. But what did he give them in the house? Now I'll admit that it doesn't say that he went into their house, but it's obvious.
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29th verse He made as though he would have gone further, but they constrained him, saying, abide with us, for it is toward evening and the day as far as spent, and he went into tarry with them obviously their house.
Came to pass as he sat at meet with them. He took bread, and blessed it, and brake and gave to them, And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. Is this the remembrance of the Lord?
I'm not saying that I don't think that's necessarily at all the teaching, but it's what the Lord used.
In addition to the scriptures to win their hearts.
And your heart and mind.
Can be filled with scripture rightly, wonderfully.
And then?
Anything that suggests, as it were, the remembrance of him.
Wouldn't it be lovely to break bread more than once a week? I'm not bringing it up as something that that I'm expecting us to do, but it's been done. Wouldn't it be lovely to have the response of heart that the Lord is so real to us as it was to them? He was known of them in breaking of bread and they say so in the 35th verse. He was known of them in breaking a bread in their.
House. Now let's go on to John, the 12Th chapter.
John 12 and verse one.
There is a house scene.
That seems to be so complete.
As a picture of the believers, but it's in their house.
Six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
There they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of them that sat the table with him.
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of Spikenard. What a home. What a lovely home. Mary and Martha. Martha is not worrying about Mary.
Lazarus is never recorded as having said anything before or after resurrection, but there was the power of resurrection because we find it later on in this chapter. They wanted to kill Lazarus for what he said.
No, for the fact that he was a living testimony of the power of God. So that was this family scene Martha served. Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Mary took a pound of ointment. We longed each one of us and have a house head of a house long for this character, this, these characteristics to come together. That there's someone that's serving, there's someone that's sitting at meet.
And there's someone that gives to the Lord what is due to him.
In the House now, we're going to depart from the Gospels, and we're going to, we just have a very few minutes, but I think we can finish on time. Let's go to the third chapter of Revelation. And there is a House of a very special kind.
And the 20th verse.
Revelation 3 and verse 20 and I'm going to simulate something. Behold, I stand at the door and and knock.
Now if any man hear my voice now it doesn't say if any man hear my knocking. I believe that the Lord knocks at each individual heart.
To get our attention.
And then he speaks to us, and we recognize the shepherd's voice.
I stand at the door and knock. I will come into him and will suck with him and he with me. This is not a house where there's a front door, a back door, windows, a chimney, whatever. This is your house. That's my house. That's me, that's you, that's you, that's me. And he's knocking, knocking, knocking, knocking. Sometimes he has to knock pretty loud. Some of us are light sleepers at home. And if you came at 2:00 in the morning, there's a member of my household.
Like that would wake up. What was that? I didn't hear a thing. So the Lord knocks again and we're that way.
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In our own individual hearts. Didn't hear that. Oh, you didn't. Didn't hear that. All right. Little louder again. And then we hear his voice. Every sheep knows and longs to hear the shepherd's voice.
The last one.
Let's go back to the Gospel of John, the 14th chapter and the first verse.
Let not your heart be troubled you. 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 you may be also. We can't hope to develop it but that expression, My father's house, is in the second chapter.
An earthly house, and through the Gospel of John from that point on the Lord is leading them up, what I enjoy as Golden Staircase, and we get to the 14th chapter.
And we find my father's house in that day.
That's what we're looking for. That's what we're longing for, is to hear his shout that will take us up to be with him, to be like him, and in the Father's house. Now, what are the elements of the Father's house? Is there anything incongruous with the purposes of God? You say, brother, If there is, you don't understand. There we have arrived with all of the heart of God told out.
Let's sing the last two verses of 120270 What a home their fullest love flows through its courts of light. The Suns divine affections flow throughout its depth and height and full response the father gives to fill with joy the heart No cloud is there to dim the scene or shadow to impart. 127 versus 3 and 4.
Hear the Lord.
Blah blah blah blah blah.
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Our joy.
I merely want to read, without singing, the Father's house, the Father's heart, all that the Son is given, made ours, the objects of His love and he.
Our joy in Heaven, our God and Father, We thank thee for the opportunity to see a few of the.
Acts 27
Gospel—A. Coleman
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Can we open our gospel meeting by singing hymn #11 on your gospel hymn sheet?
Hymn #11 Will your anchor pull in the storms of life, When the clouds unfold their wings of strife, When the strong tides lift and the cable strain Where your anchor drift or firm remain? We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll.
Fast into the rock, which cannot move.
Grounded, firm and deep in the Savior's love hymn number.
11.
Will it rain?
By.
While Mr. understands her praying, I am not watching the wild wind flow.
Turn with me to Acts 27.
Acts 27, you know, this chapter has often been put forth in ministry as being a little type of the history of the testimony of the church from the day of Pentecost right down to the Lord's coming. But tonight this is the gospel meeting, and we want to preach the gospel.
In such a fashion that they will reach any here tonight. We're still lost and in their sins and it the Lord graciously revealed some wonderful thoughts here in this chapter in the gospel aspect of this chapter and I want to go through this chapter verse by verse and just take us up in a gospel aspect and just thinking of this tonight we've been singing.
Hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife, you know, there's an awful storm that's going to come upon this world, a storm of God's judgment coming upon this world. And I believe that that that moment is not very far off when the Lord Jesus is going to come and claim his own and take his own to be with him in that coming scene of glory. I'm waiting for that moment. I'm waiting eagerly for that moment to come. And surely my, your heart, if you belong to the Lord Jesus and my heart would cry out.
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Even so, come Lord Jesus.
But we're we're burdened about the gospel.
You know, suppose in there tonight there would be one here, or two or three.
Maybe young little boy or young girl here tonight that has never come to the Lord Jesus.
And confessed him as Lord and Savior of your life. We want you to realize your awful lost condition.
Before a holy God tonight, and I want to realize that God is holy, he cannot have sin in his presence. The God is of the pure eyes than to behold iniquity. And it says in Isaiah 5715. Thus saith the holy one that inhabit the eternity, whose name is holy. God is holy and he can't have sin in his presence. And you and I, dear one, tonight can never get to heaven in all our sins.
All we need that precious word of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross.
And his precious blood that was shed for you and I, shed for rebels, shed for sinners, and I can say thank God shed for me and I can say tonight, Hallelujah, what a Savior that we have all think of that, that that blessed one, the Lord Jesus Christ let that seed of glory 2000 years ago and came down here into this world where he had no home in this world that walked about a perfect, sinless, spotless.
Of God.
John the Baptist could look upon that Blessed One and say, behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, that Blessed One that came into this world 2000 years ago, that Oh dear one tonight think of that, that that Blessed One went to Calvary's cross for you and I, because He saw us in all our need as guilty, lost sinners, and he saw our need, that we could never, never merit heaven at all. And he and he went to that cross and died.
For guilty sinners such as you and I and the apostle Peter could say who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree that blessed One in those three long dark hours there on Calvary's cross was made sin for us, and bare our sins in his own body and the tree. And when we think of that Roman soldier that took that spear and plunged it in at her hatred to the Lord Jesus Christ there on that cross.
And it says forthwith came their own blood and water that blood to save your sins and my sins. Has he saved your sins? You know it says in first John one and seven, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son cleanseth us from all sins. You'll never get to heaven without the blood of Christ and you'll never get to heaven without the work of Christ that was accomplished for you. And now let's look at this chapter just verse by verse and let's just sit. Let's just.
Think about it this way. Is that this little boat that we that we're going to take a journey on? Maybe this is your little boat. Maybe this is your little boat. Think of this dear young boys, young girls here sitting beside your mom and dad tonight. You, you know about a little boat, don't you? Sometimes you've gone down to the lake with your dad in the boat or something like that, or sometimes you had a toy boat that you've sailed. But think of this, your boat, this boat that we have here.
This could be your life, this could be your life. And what about your life? And which direction is your life going?
And so let's look at this chapter 27 of the book of Acts.
And when it was determined that we should sail unto Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of the Gustus band, an entry into a ship of admirium. We launched meaning to sail by the coast of Asia, one Irish darkest, a Macedonian Thessalonica being with us. And the next day we touched at Sidon, and Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go to his friends to refresh himself.
Well, we find this boat is on a journey, you know, and I believe that in this boat there were 276 souls on this boat and it was on a journey. And you're on a journey too, a journey of life. And where is that journey going to take you? Is it to the glory where the Lord Jesus is? Or is it to that awful, awful place that God doesn't want to send you? He does not want to send you there. God doesn't want to send a man to hell.
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No, he doesn't. He says, What? I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn, turn from their evil ways and live. And then he says, Return ye, turn ye, for why would he die?
Why will he die? Oh, God doesn't want you to die in your sins. No, he doesn't. No, he's offering you salvation full and free to whosoever will. Tonight his arms are outstretched to you. Tonight he's saying to you, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. And we find here that Paul, he was refreshed with his friends and that I believe that's just what we're getting here this weekend. We're getting refreshment, aren't we, over the precious word of God? We've had whole day of refreshment. And you know, I believe this is just a little taste of the home to which we're going to.
Oh, what a wonderful home to which we're going to, and I'm longing for that moment when we'll see that blessed one face to face.
And 1St for, and when we launched from thence we sailed under Cypress because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea of Silesia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lica, and they're the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy, and he put us there in and here we go again. I'm just saying this tonight. Is this your boat? And you're in this boat. Think of this, you're on a journey. You're in this boat.
But where are you going? Oh, there was a it was a destination here that was recorded.
But what about you? Where are you going? Passing onward quickly Passing, yes, but wither, witherbound. Is it to the many mansions where eternal rest is found? Is this your hope? Is this your destination? Is this where you're going? Thank God. I can say tonight, by the grace of God that he saved my precious soul. And I know that this is where I'm going to be with the Lord Jesus in the glory. This is my hope and this is my.
This is my future. The Lord Jesus is my future. Is he your future? Are you going?
Are you on this ship and where are you going?
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce came over against.
Neither, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under creed over against Salome, and hardly passing it, we came thence to which is called the Fair Havens, nigh unto where there was a city of Lycia. Or what do we find here? We find it says they sailed slowly, and then they said, Then it says they. They came to a place called the Fair Haven. You know, the other day my wife and I went into a campsite.
And we camped there and we parked our little van there and put the top up and, and, and turned on all the appliances and everything else. And I looked up and there was a, a great big mobile home. I would, I would imagine that $200,000 would be a good figure, that mobile home sitting beside our little camper and we felt a little bit fully sitting beside it.
But you know, here's a man that probably had a lot of money and he had a lot of Fair Havens.
And he he prospered in his life probably. And you know, there are many like that in this world today, many that are going down this highway that we were going through in Nebraska and Iowa.
Mobile home after mobile home, Where are they going? Where did they get all the money for all those wonderful rigs that they were? You know, it was a goodness of God that allowed them to have that.
It's the goodness of God.
And you know what it said on the?
On the Jeep that was that it was towing, there was a United States flag. You'll pardon me because I'm Canadian.
That it was an American flag. And you know what it said, God Bless America. And you know, I believe that God bless that man. I don't know whether he knew the Lord as his Savior, but God bless that man because he had all this wonderful rig that he was that he was traveling in. But I wonder if he blessed God. I wonder if he blessed God. And I know that many since since September the 11Th have made this one comment.
And everybody's saying it, God Bless America, but as America bless God, as America blessing God is America thinking about God. You know, it says in Psalm 10, God is not in all his thoughts. You know, here's a man that.
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Today, probably Saturday, he's out in his garden and he's enjoying his garden. Well, there's nothing wrong with that. He's cutting his lawn, he's got a nice green lawn and everything is fine.
And he's admiring all his wonderful things, that he has his garden and his lawn. But who gave him that lawn? Who gave him the water? Who gave him the sunshine for that lawn?
God did. And without that, what would he have? Would he have that nice lawn? Would he have that nice garden? And here's a man he takes, he takes his boat and he goes out fishing and he catches the fish.
And what about that? Well, that's enjoyable too. But without God, would he have that fish? Would he have that boat? Would he have that water? And so many today are in that place of the Fair Havens and going on slowly and enjoying life, aren't they? And everything's going along fine.
Now let's go on.
Verse nine Now when time was spent, think of those words when time was spent. You know, dear one, tonight time is passing on. Time is passing on.
And the Lord Jesus is coming.
If the Lord Jesus was to come tonight with every seat in this room, be empty.
Wouldn't it be nice? But I fear that tonight there may be some here tonight in this room that are still lost and in their sins. I fear this.
And as to you tonight that I speak to, it says, behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. He says, remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. You know, there's many young people here tonight.
Have you, Have you come to Jesus yet? Maybe you'll be like me when I was young. I'll wait till I'm a little old.
I'll wait till I'm a little longer.
And so I waited. And so I waited, and I was.
In my 20s, before I accepted Christ as my own personal savior, those to me were wasted years of my life.
Wasted years of my life.
The time to come to Christ is when you're young. Come now.
Come now and he's inviting you to come, and he's one year to come.
He's willing for you to come. Have you come yet? Have you come yet?
Verse 10.
Now let's go to the latter part of verse nine. And the fast was now already past. Paul admonished them and said unto them, Sir, as I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt, with much damage, not only the lading of the ship, but also of our lives. Now we have here a warning, a warning, and you know that's what the gospel brings. I wouldn't be faithful tonight and preaching the gospel.
And unless I gave a fallen warning of coming judgment of those that would reject the Gospel, that reject the wonderful offer of salvation that the Lord Jesus is offering you tonight.
What a solemn thing to reject Christ. A solemn thing to put it all. Last weekend we had the joy of having a gospel in our meeting room in Richmond. We invited people from all over to come to the gospel. The ladies put on a wonderful Turkey dinner for these dear ones that we invited and thankfully there was probably about 20 souls came.
To that gospel, besides our own assembly. And there was one special person that came there, and we had asked that man over and over and over again to come to the gospel.
Harry, will you come to the gospel? Will you come and hear the news of salvation?
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Not now. Maybe some other time. Well, that was a two or three gospels ago.
And.
Couple of gospels ago, Harry, you're going to come to the Gospel.
Well, maybe next time.
OK, I'll promise I'll come next time. OK? That time came, I said, Harry, you promised you'd come to the gospel.
Harry came to the gospel. Harry came to the gospel that he never listened. He never listened. He was talking all the time to his neighbor. So we tried once more. Harry, you come into the gospel. Yeah, I'll come. Harry, listen. Harry, listen to the gospel. I pray that God will save Harry's precious soul and all those that were there that night. What a wonderful thing it is to.
And I preached the gospel. Wonderful news of salvation. What wonderful news to a lost world, that we can proclaim this wonderful gospel.
Are you like Harry, turning the deaf ear to the gospel? Are you just sitting here waiting for a better moment or a better time?
You know God's time is right now. Come tonight before us forever too late.
And so there's this warning.
Sir, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lady in the ship, but also of our lives. And you know what it says next. Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master of the owner of the ship more than those things which were spoken of by Paul. All we've had this afternoon, the word of God, it says, heaven on earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. This precious word of God that we have opened before us this afternoon. There's words of life in here.
Words of life salvation offered to you dear. 1:00 tonight.
You're going to turn a deaf ear to it. This is a warning.
For those that would reject this wonderful offer of salvation, you see God has given the very best when he gave his beloved Son that says to God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God gave the very best that his heart of love could give when he gave his beloved Son. But what a what an insult it is to the heart of God and say, no, I don't want it.
I don't want it. And the word of God, they never read it. They never pick it up and read it here in this wonderful book, wonderful words of life. When I say this, my own self for 20 years, this book of mine lay on my shelf touching dust and those I say were wasted years. Oh dear one, tonight I want you to know this wonderful Savior, this wonderful, wonderful savior.
This all the way home, Savior who looks after you, cares for you, who blesses you, who keeps you. What a wonderful loving Savior to know. Do you know all this wonderful person that we're proclaiming tonight? He's the Savior of sinners. His arms are outstretched to you and he wants to save you tonight. Won't you come to him tonight and say, and that's the that's the what I like about the gospel because it's so urgent, so urgent because.
The Lord Jesus could come tonight and it would be forever too late.
For those that never accepted him as Lord and Savior, think of it too late, too late will be the cry. Jesus of Nazareth has passed by. Will you hear those words pass by? But yet tonight His heart of love is reaching out to you. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out you can come as a guilty lost Sinner. You know you've sinned against God. It says in Romans 323.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Those thoughtful sins of yours have separated you from a holy God. You could be here tonight all dressed up nice and pretty in your dress or in your are the are the clothes that your mommy put on you. But you know it says God looketh on the heart. God looketh on the heart. When I look down in this audience, I see many faces.
00:25:00
And many young girls, young boys, handsome, pretty. But what about your heart? Is your heart staying within? You know we sing the song. My heart was black with sin until the Savior came in. His precious blood I know, has washed me white as snow. Are you washed in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Now it says that in verse 12 and because the heaven was not commodities to winter island and the more part advised to depart themselves so.
If by any means they might attain to finish, and there to winter, which is a haven of Crete, which lieth toward the South and West and northwest. And when the South wind blew softly, supposing they had obtained their purpose, losing fence, they sailed by creep. And here we find here in this 12 verse the South wind blew softly. All you know that's the soft summer breezes.
And everything is going well. Is that everything is going well in your life and all things are just nice and rosy.
Aren't they?
Luke, chapter 12.
Verse 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth. And he speak a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room to where to bestow my fruits. And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns and build greater.
And there will I bestow all my fruits and all my goods, and I will say to my soul, that was much good laid up for many years. Take that means, eat, drink and be merry. The soft wind, the South wind blew softly. For this man everything was going well. He said heat, drink and be merry, but forget about God. Forget about God. You know what it says here?
Thou fool.
This night shall I soul be required of he then whose shallows things be which thou hast provided. All this man lived for himself, and many there are that are living for themselves, and enjoying all the pleasures of sin for a season, and leaving God out of their life. What a solemn thing, what a solemn thing to live through this life.
Breakthrough this life and come to the end of your days.
And still don't know Christ as your savior?
We go to the Fraser View Care Home, not too far from us, where my mother is, and we talked to the dear old folks there and we sing to them. And many of those dear old folks are just sitting there with blank faces. It's so sad because I believe that many of them have heard the gospel and rejected it over and over again. Their hearts hardened, hardened, hardened all the way through their lives.
And when have they got to look forward to an awful, awful eternity without hope, without God in this world? What a solemn thing, dear one, tonight. Oh, we don't want this for you. We want you to know this wonderful Savior, the Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, to come to know him, it's so wonderful. It's so exciting to be a child of God. He is so wonderful.
Now let's go to verse 14. But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind in Florida.
Now look at this dear one. Tonight when low, a storm began to rise. The wind grew loud and strong. It blew the clouds across the skies. It blew the waves along. You know many there are that have rejected Christ.
00:30:02
God has, in His mercy, brought a storm into their lives.
A storm into their lives.
This person that's speaking to you tonight?
Had a storm come into my life because I rejected Christ as my savior. I wanted to have a lot of fun in this world even though I grew up in a Christian home.
And I rejected Christ as my Savior for years.
And one day I went to a gospel meeting. I believe the man's name was Willie Martin.
And I went through that gospel meeting and I went out of that room.
Lost still in my sins. And that night a storm came into my life and I knew that God was speaking to me. Yes, he did. He spoke to me that night and I cried to the Lord for mercy to save me. And he did. And I'm not, I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry that he brought brought that storm into my life because this was a real storm. A real storm.
And when the ship was caught and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island, which is called Claudia, we had much work to come by the boat, You see, here it is. Here's this boat and it's getting into trouble. Is this your little boat? Are you getting into trouble? Is there problems in your life?
You know, I believe God in His mercy is bringing those problems into your life so that you might realize that you have to do it Him.
And he wants to save you. You see, That's it. A wonderful God.
And so this storm comes in and I believe these these ones in this boat say, well, we can handle this storm. We can handle this storm. And there are many like that tonight that that have a storm come into their life and I can handle this. This is all right, I'll be able to handle this. But what's happening now?
The storm gets worse. It's getting worse. It's getting worse. Why? Because God doesn't want to send you to hell. He wants to save your precious soul.
And so the storm gets worse.
And what do they do? Which when they had taken up verse 17?
They used helps ungirling the ship and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksand straight sail and were so driven and we being exceedingly tossed with attempt us. The next day we lightened the ship, and the third day we cast out our own hands in the tackling of the ship. What are we trying to do now? All We're trying to change our life a little bit. We're we're turning over lonely. Oh, I know what that's all about. I know when I was a young father I tried to turn over a new leaf do things a little better.
And change this in my life and change that in my life. Don't work. You need a complete life change. You need a life in Christ.
And that's what I needed, and that's what you need. And so they're trying to, they're trying to make themselves over better. Besides, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy. He saved us. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and not letters yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Oh no, you see, the work has all been done on Calvary's cross, when the Lord Jesus there on Calvary's cross could say it is finished.
It is finished. You may consume. It is consumed.
Everything done for you and I, nothing left for us but to come to come to Christ. Will you come to Christ tonight?
Then it says in verse 21, Neither son nor stars, or many days appear, and no small Tempest lay upon us. All hope that we should be saved was taken away. Oh look at this, this awful storm, and then what a what a hopeless situation.
They're saying this is hopeless, this is hopeless, and many there are that today are saying life is hopeless and they will take their life or something like that.
No hope. But yes, there is hope. There is hope. It's Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, here it is, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners. That's the hope for you, dear friend, tonight.
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Verse 21 But after long abstinence, Paul stood forced in the midst of them, and says, Sirs, you should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and have gained this loss. You go to Isaiah 55 and verse two. It says, I should know it.
55.
Oh, everyone that thirsteth come to the waters, and he that hath no money come. Ye buy and eat. Ye come by wine and milk without money.
Without price. And wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not thrilled?
Labor for that which satisfy it not hearken diligent not unto me. And ye ye that would is good. And let your soul delight itself in patterns. You see what it says there hearkened diligently unto me. You see that's what the Lord Jesus is saying to you tonight. Are you listening to me? Are you listening to me? He wants you to listen. Are you listening tonight? These are wonderful words of life, and they're being offered to you tonight.
Or are you going to be like me? That turned it after year to it all. We were talking about a man, Brother Stan and I a little while ago, a man by the name of Stanley McDowell. I remember that man come to the Vancouver meeting room when I was a young, young boy, and he was one of the most wonderful gospel preachers that I ever heard. But you know what never moved me? Never. And I could see to this day the tears streaming down the face of that dear man as he pleaded for lost souls.
And it never even moved me.
Does it move you, dear one, tonight? Have you inclined your ear? Are you listening to what God is saying to you? Or does God have to bring a real storm into your life?
Verse 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. You know, as I look over this audience tonight, it says here there should be no loss of any man's life but of you. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone here tonight knew the Lord Jesus as their own personal Savior? Everyone in this I don't know how many.
Is in the as audience. Maybe there's 400 or so.
Everyone saved tonight by the sovereign grace of God. No loss of life here tonight.
Everyone knows Christ as their own personal Savior. Oh what a joy that would be.
But I fear, I believe that there are some here tonight, still lost. And to you I speak tonight. Oh, come now, come now.
The Lord Jesus is saying to you.
Then it says, For there stood by me this night the Angel of God, whose I am, and whose I say, saying, Fear not, Paul, thou shalt be brought before Caesar, and lo, God hath given me all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cure, For I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. And here we find Paul.
Given an exhortation, what is he saying? I believe God, I believe God. Do you believe God? Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal savior? Can't you think of we were talking about Paul and Silas this morning.
There their backs bleeding, singing praises to God, and it says in the prisoners heard him, and that that jailer he he saw his awful need.
God brought a storm into that man's life, a real earthquake, wasn't it, to shake that man up.
And he saw his knee, and he says, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? You know what the answer to that Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
God has given me all them that sail with thee. I believe God, I believe God.
Do 1:00 tonight.
I told a story and I'll tell it again. I know some of you have heard it and this is a nice story.
00:40:08
And this story is about a young girl and a Christian man.
And I believe in this story that this young girl was led by the Lord to stir up this Christian man.
To be a little more of a testimony to the world in which he was passing through.
And so the story goes this way. It was a true story. This young, this man got on board this airplane and he got his seat and he sat down on his seat. And in a few minutes a young girl came and sat beside that man. And this young girl was mentally ********. And this young girl reminds me a lot of a young man in Newfoundland.
He's just like this.
We all know him.
A dear young brother in Christ.
Loves the Lord and this young girl was just like that.
And another man came and sat beside that other man. And as the story goes.
As the plane got going.
The young girl turned to this man and he says she says to him, Mr. Do you brush your teeth?
And.
The man said turns to her and says, you know, it's a strange question.
But.
He says, well, yes, I brush my teeth. Well, she says, that's good. You see people that don't brush their teeth lose their teeth. And so there's a long pause, and then she comes out with another question. And she says, Mr. Do you smoke?
No, I don't smoke, she says. Well, Mr. She says that's good, because people who smoke die.
And then there's a long pause, and then she says, Mr. Do you love Jesus?
Kill of Jesus as a question. How about you tonight? Do you love Jesus?
Do you, do you love that name of Jesus? That name which is above every name?
That the name of Jesus, every knee so power, you know, this man turned to her and he said, yes, I love Jesus, I love Jesus. She says, that's good. People who don't love Jesus don't go to heaven. Yeah, you won't go to heaven if you don't love Jesus. If your sins are not washed away in the precious blood of Christ, you won't go to heaven. So there's a long pause and then she says to that man, She says, Mr. Will you ask that man next year?
If he brushes his teeth.
Well, you know.
She want to disturb that man up.
His neighbor next to him. You have a neighbor next to you.
Is he without Christ?
They're on the downward Rd. that leads to destruction. Think of it dear one for tonight.
There are many that are on that downward Rd.
Souls lost, souls going on to a lost eternity. Think of it. Oh dear one, tonight turn to that man next to you and say, do you love Jesus? Do you love that blessed name of Jesus? Do you love that blessed 10? Surely by the grace of God, I can say tonight, yeah, I love that blessed One, the Lord Jesus Christ, my own personal Savior.
Verse 27 And when the 14th day night was calm, as we were driven up and down Adria about midnight, the ship, ship men deemed that they drew near to some country. Yes, dear one, tonight we're drawing near. We're drawing near.
Do we to the Lord's coming. The Lord's coming is very, very near. Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you? Are your sins all washed away in the precious blood of Christ?
If they're washed away in the precious blood of Christ, you're ready, thank God you're ready. But if they're not, you're on that downward Rd. at least to destruction. You can't get to heaven without the blood of Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ God Son cleanseth us from all sin. Verse 28 and sounded and found it 20 fathoms. And when they gone a little further they sounded again and found it 15 fathoms. And fearing lest we should be.
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Fallen upon the rocks, they cast 4 anchors out of the stern and wished for the dead.
You see, it says they sounded and there was 15 fathoms and then they sounded. It was a little less. They were getting nearer and nearer and nearer one. Tonight I want to tell you this, we're getting nearer and nearer to the Lords coming. It's very, very soon.
Very soon, maybe tonight, will you be left behind?
And then it says, fearing lest we should be fallen on the rocks. All, dear one, tonight that little boat of yours isn't going to be shipwrecked.
And cast out four anchors. Always think of those four anchors, the four Gospels. What do they do? They show us the way of salvation. Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there's none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Nina says and verse 31 and Paul said unto the centurion, unto the soldiers, except these abide in the ship, he cannot be saved. Yes, dear one, tonight there's only one way to be saved. It's through Christ Jesus the Savior of sinners. Verse 33 And while a day was coming on, dear one, that day is coming on the Lord's coming. Are you ready?
Paul besought the mall to take me, saying This day is the 14th day that ye have carried and continued fasting. I've taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat, for this is for your health, for there shall not a hair of your head from the head of it.
Hair fall from the head of any of you. All you know, dear one, tonight is the goodness of God.
That lead us to repentance. I want to say this tonight from Acts chapter 17 and verse 30. It says God command 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 he hath ordained. God is commanding you dear 1:00 tonight to repent of your sins. The the prodigal son when he came to his father, he said father I have sinned against heaven.
And in thy sight, and I'm no more worthy to be called thy son dear. 1:00 tonight.
He wants you to come and repent of your sins.
And when he had thus spoken, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat.
And so we find that this ship.
Broken up. There it is, and the last verse of our chapter. I want to stop here.
Go on quite a few verses here and justice stop at this last verse.
And the rest, some unbroken boards and some unbroken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass that they all escaped safe to land. What about your little boat tonight? Is it going to get safe? Safe to land, Safe to that heavenly land? Is that where your ship has got bound for? My ship is going there. I'm going to be safe there.
Thank God I am. I'm going to I'm going to close this gospel meeting by going to a verse, couple of verses in the Bible that are very solid.
That this man that I'm going to go to was not safe. The ship never got safe to land. And let us hear the cry. Second Samuel 18.
Second Samuel 18, verse 29. And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Hemas answered, When Job sent the King's servants, and me thy servant, I saw a great multitude, but I knew not what it was. And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
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And behold, Kushai came and Kushai said tidings, my Lord, the king.
For the Lord has avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. And the king said unto Kushai, Is the young man Absalom safe? I want to just ask you this question, Young man, young girl, how you safe?
Are you safe? Are you safe in Christ? Absalom was not safe. Absalom was not safe. He lived for himself.
Verse 33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went up, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, with God, I have died for thee. Oh, Absalom, my son, my son. Oh, what a cry of a father for a son who was lost.
Dear one, tonight, are you lost? Are you still in your sins? Have you rejected Christ over again tonight?
What a solemn thing to reject Christ. Oh, we want to plead with you tonight. Just come, come as a guilty, lost Sinner. You know the word of God says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. In that simple, in that wonderful. God did not ask you to do something complicated, yet say he says it only says a simple thing.
Believe and live best. Thank you. Loving God and our Father, we thank Thee for that.
God Warns
Gospel—J. Kemp
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.
Ten, there is a Savior on high in the glory, the Savior who suffered on Calvary St. #10, as Savior, as willing to save now as ever. His arm is almighty.
Love great and free number 10.
I'm going to sing another hymn.
#20 #20 Behold the Savior at the door gently knock has not before has waited long as waiting still.
You use no other friend, so I'll #20.
4.
Well, dear friends, tonight.
This meeting has been called to proclaim the glad tidings of God's grace.
And we thank the Lord that we have the privilege in this land to tell forth this wondrous message again.
The Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear. And so we trust that everyone has a listening ear tonight.
To the word of God.
I'm just a channel, and a very poor one at that, but we want you to hear what God has to say to you because God has a message for each soul here in this room. God looks down into the hearts of each one. If the Lord Jesus, reverently speaking, walked into this room, I wouldn't have to introduce Him.
To anyone, for he knows all about you.
He knows your life's history.
And in spite of all that he knows.
He loved you and wants you to have eternal joy and blessing.
And that's the purpose of our meeting tonight. I was in the.
The Barbados in March, as I was coming up through the Caribbean, visiting some of the islands down there. Always a happy privilege to share the gospel in the schools and the hospitals, and I visited a man in the hospital in Bridgetown.
00:05:22
Which is the capital of the Barbados.
And I said, Sir, how is it that you are a patient here?
Well, he said. I was a lifeguard out there on the shore and there were two girls that were swimming out there and they got into trouble. Some undercurrent was pulling at them and I made an attempt to rescue them. I went out, that was my job and I was able to save one of them and bring her back safely to land.
But the other went down under and was drowned.
That man's arm was not.
Able to save that girl, he put forth an effort.
Desired to save her, but he wasn't able to.
Dear friends, tonight that's not the case with the Lord Jesus, whom we desire to present to you tonight. His arm is mighty to save. It can reach down to where you are in your sin and your guilt.
He can lift you up from that horrible pit. He can set you on the solid rock and put a song in your heart.
And as has often been said, if you take the Lord as your Savior, boys and girls.
He will lift you up and He will put you on both shoulders, not on one. You might fall off. He holds the world on one shoulder. The whole world the Lord Jesus holds on one shoulder. It tells us that in the book of Isaiah.
But if you accept the Lord as your Savior, you will be put on both shoulders.
And taken all the way home to the glory, He won't let you go until he has you safe on the heavenly shore.
Do you want to be there?
Or do you want to have your sins in this hand and the Lord in the other hand? You can't do that. You've got to give up your sins. People talk about losing something when you accept the Lord as your Savior. What did I lose? I lost my sins. What did I gain? Everything worthwhile.
In life.
Everything worthwhile for eternity. My friend, if you are still unsaved, May God help us tonight to present the message simply that any boy or girl or someone who has never heard the gospel before may know how to be saved. Because one thing I will say, you will not.
Leave this room the same as you entered it, however feebly the gospel may be presented. You are under the sound of the Word of God, and an invitation is being made to you tonight right from the heart of God.
And there's an urgency about it. It's not a question of take it or leave it. There's an urgency because this may be the last gospel meeting.
That you will ever attend.
God gives you no promise.
Of another opportunity.
Not another promise.
That you will have a chance to hear the message of salvation again.
The Michael Julius Caesar, who was the emperor of Rome.
And.
Had all the government business to do.
One day as he.
Got into his chariot to go to the Senate in Rome.
Someone put a letter into his hand. Caesar read it immediately. He says I haven't got time. And he put it into his belt and went on to his business in the Senate and as he ascended the stone steps to the forum.
00:10:16
There, an assassin was waiting for him, a person was waiting to take his life with a knife. And there.
He was killed and stabbed. And when they took up his body, they found the letter that he had received but didn't have time to read. And as they opened it and looked at it, there was the warning. Caesar, do not attend the Senate today. Someone is waiting to take your life. If only he had read it.
It would have been different.
They didn't have time, dear friend, this afternoon, this evening.
Are the things of this world.
Soul filling your soul, your heart that you have no time to think about, your immortal, your eternal soul. We have had Luke chapter 12 before us several times at the conference. You know what I call that man? I call him a person who miscalculated that rich man that we have in Luke chapter 12.
Miscalculated.
He.
He had everything that he could wish down here and he had great plans for the future, to get on in this world and to enjoy himself.
But he had no thankfulness to God for all the mercies that had been showered upon him, no gratitude to God whatever. It tells us in the book of Proverbs that the plowing of the wicked is sin, that man's life in Luke chapter 12 was live for self entirely.
And there was number thought of God in his.
Plans, whatever. And you know, I think he was in his counting house that night. Do you know where his counting house was? It was his bed. I believe it was his bed. And there he formulated plans for the future. We're going to pull down these barns and build greater and I'm comfortable. I have nothing to worry about. He took care of his body, no doubt.
And his clothes and everything but his soul ultimately neglected. What shall it profit a man, though he gained the whole world and lose his own soul?
Do you think of your soul tonight, my friend? That you have an eternal, invaluable soul that belongs to God, doesn't belong to you, and that God desires?
To save that soul that you possess.
That man in the story in Luke 12, he woke up in a lost eternity.
But you know, I think that God gave a warning to.
Two things that God does before he judges. One, he gives a warning.
And maybe tonight God is giving you a warning about eternity and #2.
He makes a way of escape, a way of escape years ago.
There was a beautiful mountain in Switzerland. It was called the.
Rosberg in the Alps, the towering Alps of Switzerland. You could look up at that mountain.
It was majestic. Down at the foot there was a beautiful Blue Lake.
But one day there was an officer from the government who was commissioned to go and to examine this mountain.
To see if it was safe for the residents to continue to occupy their homes at the foot and he went carefully and.
Brought it and poked at the mountain. He was a geologist. That's a man who knows about rocks and so on. You see he was trained and he gathered the residents of that bullets together and he said now my friends, I don't want to scare you, but.
00:15:03
It's not safe here. This mountain could fall at any time. While some were concerned and some believed what he said and moved away, but many.
Paid little attention to what he said.
Children grew up and played in the streets.
Old men passed away and marriages took place. 19 years went by and nothing happened until most of the people had forgotten about this government official that had come. And then all of a sudden one night there was that tremendous roar and that mountain came down.
And it filled up the lake and few, if any, of the residents.
Of that village at the foot of it.
Escaped, They were ushered into eternity. A warning was given.
They didn't pay attention.
God gives a warning. Again, I say a warning because of his great love.
For you tonight.
And he's made a way of escape, too, that you might not perish, that you might have the forgiveness of your sins, that you might have eternal life before you leave the room and know that you're on the road to eternal glory. How wonderful you may have been at these meetings these last two days.
But sitting here in the meetings doesn't make you a Christian.
You know when Elijah was taken.
In our whirlwind to heaven, who was it that missed him? It was the sons of the prophets. They could tell you where he had gone. They could tell you all about it.
And I'm afraid that there's going to be some young people like that who can tell you all about the way of salvation. But if the Lord came and he could come tonight.
And many of these feats that I'm looking at here would be empty. Would you be left behind with?
The Bible is on the seats, and your parents gone to your friend's. Life is real. Life is earnest, and the grave is not its goal. Dost thou art unto dust? Returnest was not spoken of the soul.
I remember having a hobby class in Ottawa years ago.
And at that hobby class, we had a family, French family come.
To all the meetings.
To many of the meetings that were conducted, 1 little girl, she was maybe 10 or 1210 or 11, and she would hobble to the hobby class on crutches.
She loved to be there and hear the gospel. They came many times. Then one dark night in December, there was a fire right in the house nearby. I know where it was and everyone in that house.
Except one was ushered into eternity, most of those children had come and heard the gospel not once, but many times. Well friends, tonight we want to make plain to you by God's grace that there is salvation offered from the heart of God.
On the hall in Ottawa where I live, we have those two words.
God is love and God is light.
And those are the two characters of God's nature.
That are presented in the word of God. God is light. What does that mean? It means that God is holy and God is righteous and God must punish sin. As our brother brought before us last night, He is a holy God.
You know, people today, they think very lightly of sin and they make jokes about it and so on.
You know why they do that? Because they've never been awakened to see their danger.
If a person thinks they are all right and their health is good, they.
They probably won't go to the doctor, but if they go to the doctor and believe the report that he gives to them.
00:20:08
Perhaps they have some terrible disease.
They didn't know about it before. They might have joked about it before.
But when they learn that they have this disease.
Cancer or whatever it might be.
They have a change of mind. They don't joke about it anymore. Fools make a mock at sin. So repentance really is a change of mind. You see things as God sees them, and you realize that that God is light and that he is holy and that he will.
Not Passover, your sin.
He has made a way of escape, so along with repentance.
Go something else. Let's look at the verse in Acts chapter.
20 here.
Chapter 20 of Acts.
Verse 21 Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks.
Repentance toward God and faith.
Toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, dear friends, tonight these two things go together. Repentance toward God. That's a change of mind about your condition.
In God's sight tonight, the other part is the remedy. And how do you come into the good of the work of Christ on the cross? Did he only die as a martyr?
Many people, you say, have died as a martyr know the Lord Jesus.
Died as a substitute, as a sacrifice for you. He had to bear the awful judgment for my filthy sins.
Much more than.
A martyr he did suffer.
Terribly, as our brother described to us last night, from hearts like ours.
But those sufferings is fitting the crown of thorns and the.
Mockery that he endured were terrible. That's your heart and mine revealed.
So my friend, you're not under trial tonight. The trial was over at the Cross. It was over at the Cross, Now you are.
Convicted, and so was I as a Sinner in the sight of a holy God. Man is no longer on probation. He is guilty before God. He needs to repent. And my friend, if you have not repented.
And owns your true condition before a holy God. Yet may you do so tonight.
While the word of God is being presented to you.
God now commandeth all men everywhere to.
Repent. And then the other word that is on our hall, God, is love.
Well, people often like that aspect of the gospel. Oh yes.
God is love, He will have mercy upon me, and He will.
Passover, my sins that I hope. Listen, my friend, God will not pass over your sins. Every transgression will receive its due recompense of reward. Do you know that every sin must be punished? I say that to some of the young people that are so careless that we meet in Canada sometimes. Every sin must be punished.
Well, they say to me, what about your sins? Well, they must be punished too.
And that is the glorious truth of the gospel, that the Lord Jesus.
Took the punishment for my guilty filthy sins on the cross.
What it cost, and we'll never be able to measure or fathom. It was infinite. The hours of darkness and the anguish of his soul. Is it nothing to you? All ye that pass by, behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.
00:25:11
And so my friend, tonight.
We want to be only a signpost.
Perhaps a feeble 1 to Christ. You know there's signposts in some of the countries that I visit.
The oldest signpost in the world is in Northumberland, in North England. It's 1700 years old, 17 centuries. That old signpost was put there, likely by the Romans, and it's still pointing the way.
Although the lettering is a little bit blurred, it's legible. Still, you can know the way to go, dear friends, tonight.
God has given you a signpost. The cross of Christ points you to heaven, forgiveness of sins, eternal life. The cross is the signpost to eternal glory. Are you going to ignore it? Are you going to go on with your sins and take a chance? As people say, no chance in that God is love.
God is light. That means God is holy.
But.
God's love was showing in the gift of His Son.
A sacrificial love, as we have been reminded.
I was in India. I've been in India a number of times. And you know, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, I guess you've all heard about it. It's the Taj Mahal.
Well, some years ago I went to see the Taj Mahal. It's up in the north of India at a place called Agra. Now the Taj Mahal is about 300 years old, just as beautiful as the day it was built. Precious jewels and white marble, inlaid jewels all over it. Magnificent building. It's really a tomb, as you probably know. It's really the tomb of a Mogul leader, a Muslim.
One time the Muslims had large control of India and Shay Jahan he built.
This tomb for his favorite wife and.
He had it constructed over a period of 30 to 40 years, and there it is in all its pristine beauty.
But you know that Taj Mahal, although it's a beautiful structure.
It's really the monument of the love of a man for a woman who in some measure returned his love for her.
But tonight I'm pointing you to one whose love is reaching out to guilty sinners. There was nothing in US or in you or me to draw out that love. What was there there? Enmity. Hatred. Fear. Rebellion.
And yet God is reaching out with that love.
To those who don't deserve it, it's Taj Mahal is a monument of love, but the cross is the greatest monument of love that the world has ever seen. Does it mean anything to you that the Son of God, the eternal creator of the universe, has come into the world, given his life a sacrifice that you might be saved and forgiving your sins, Every one of those.
Countless sins that you and I have committed, more than the hairs of your head, more than you can count, can be forgiven tonight.
And washed in the precious blood of Christ.
Or are you going to go on?
Indifferent, indifferent. Do you see no beauty in the person of whom we are speaking tonight? The eternal Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us, came from the glory.
He didn't want to be alone in the glory. He left it and came to a world that.
And nail him to a cross, that sinners like you and I might be saved eternally.
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Mr. Moody was a great preacher of the Gospel.
He preached in many parts of the world you probably know.
You know when he was having a meeting at one time.
This is an old story, you may have heard it before.
There was a newspaper reporter who didn't have much faith, didn't have much respect for Mr. Moody's presentation of the Gospel. He thought it was just emotionalism, you know, he says, I'll go to the meeting anyway, and I'll be able to make a report about this nonsense. So the reporter came to the meeting that Mister Moody helped. There he was in a sitting in the audience.
Mr. Moody told his story. He was speaking that night about spiritual darkness.
And he told the story, he said. I read this story in the newspaper.
It was a man going along and he saw three little girls.
Looking into a store window.
And describing all the beautiful things, the dolls and all the toys and everything that they saw inside the window. This was around Christmas time.
But he said, I noticed that one little girl, she didn't respond at all. Her face was blank and she they were describing it excitedly, but she didn't say anything. So I drew a little bit closer to see why what was wrong. And I found out that that little girl was blind. So although they described.
All the wonderful things they saw.
That little girl couldn't, couldn't understand it. She couldn't see it. She didn't know anything about it.
And Mr. Moody said, you know, that reminded me of many people in the world today.
We don't see any beauty in the Lord Jesus. They're spiritually blind.
They don't see that He is the savior that died on the cross for them. They don't see any beauty in Him.
And you know, the reporter who was sitting there, he said, that's me. And he came up and he said to Mr. Moody, he said I was the man who saw those little girls looking in at the store. And he says, I have to admit that I am spiritually blind. But the Lord has touched my heart tonight. He's shown me that I need a Savior.
And I need to have my eyes opened and my heart opened. And you know, that reporter was saved that night.
Dear friends, tonight the gospel is for you, not for the person besides you.
We want to point you to that Blessed One who.
Has given everything that love could give, that you might have the forgiveness of sins.
As we have often heard, the work of Christ was a perfect work, and it was done by a perfect person that you might have perfect peace with God. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Do you want to have the forgiveness of sins? Tonight God is offering it to you. He's not asking you to turn over a new leaf and live a better life. It'll just get as filthy as the others. We've tried that.
But God is looking down. He knows your name. He knows where you live and all about your life, loves you, knows your sins. He wants to forgive them forever.
And cast them into the depths of the sea, as far as the east is from the West, never to be brought up against you again.
Years ago there was a Scottish doctor, he was a kind doctor and the patients would come to him, you know, and it was a poor part of Scotland and he would often kindly look after their problem. And they didn't have any money, very little in those days. So he said that's all right.
I'll just Passover, forget about the charge, the fee. So I wrote on the book forgiven.
00:35:01
Too forward to pay well, the kind Scottish doctor lived and worked for years in that community. And then he died.
And the heirs of the estate came along, and his wife looked at that.
Record book there, the account book and she said look here, there's quite a few of these fees that have not been paid here marked in red and I need the money. I'm going to try to get some of this.
These payments back again, pay settled, so she went to a lawyer.
And the lawyer said, lady, who's writing is this here that is on the book that you're showing to me. Oh, my husband's. And did he write that with his own hand? Yes, he did. But it hasn't been paid.
Lady, I'm sorry, there's no court in the whole world.
That will ever get that money back. He has forgiven it and it's settled.
So the case is closed, dear friend. It's been settled through the work of Christ on the cross of Calvary, and you can be forgiven if you will take Christ tonight. Put your faith.
And your trust in the work he did for you.
Don't neglect the most important matter of your soul, of your life. Felix was like that, you know, as the Apostle Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. He trembled. His conscience was awakened. But what did he say? Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. We never read in Scripture that Felix ever called for the Apostle Paul again. He had the opportunity.
He knew his need. The Spirit of God had convicted that man who was a.
Loose living Sinner of his great need, but he.
Refused.
To bow the knee in repentance to Christ.
And.
I don't believe that he ever was saved from his sins.
Belshazzar was warned.
The very night when his life was taken.
That hand of a man came out and wrote on the plaster, Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting.
And the God in whose hand thy breath is, thou hast not glorified.
He had a warning, but Belshazzar was ushered into eternity, an unregenerate lost soul.
Dear friend, tonight God is reaching out in his wonderful love, and He wants you to be saved. I just want to look at one verse. Our time is nearly gone here, Luke's gospel.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 20.
We'll just look at a verse or two here. The parable.
You remember that the rich man that we spoke about in Luke's Gospel chapter 12.
Had said those words. What shall I do?
And he was only thinking of his own comfort and his pleasure. He didn't think of the poor that were all around him. Self occupied that man. But do you know that God says those very words? What shall I do? Let's look in the 20th chapter here and coming down.
Verse 10 At the season he sent a servant to the husband men that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard, but the husband then beat him and sent him away empty.
Again he sent another servant and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away.
Empty Nagini sent was third and they wounded him also and tasked him out.
Then said the Lord of the vineyard.
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What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be they will reverence him when they see him.
You know we soon reach the end of our resources but here.
It's wonderful to see that God should use this expression. What shall I do? The vineyard is the land of Israel, and the husbandmen were the favored people, the Jewish nation who were brought nigh to God. They had the oracles, they had the temple.
They were recipients of the Word of God, they had the Scriptures in their hand, and the Lord dwelt in their midst.
These prophets, the servants of God, were sent to receive.
Worship to receive obedience that was due to the Lord of the vineyard.
But the claims of God, they were refused they were.
Disregarded. Think of the treatment that the prophets received here. It was an insult. They abused those faithful servants.
Daring rebellion. God could have recourse to retribution. We think of the retribution that has been.
Given to the state, the country of Afghanistan, the retaliation God could have had recourse to that.
Because of the way that they treated his servants. But you know, God is slow to anger. He's patient.
And he adopted a plan of the most wonderful grace.
What shall I do?
Is going to demonstrate.
The love and the earnestness of his heart he's going to show.
What was there and who did he send? One with the greatest authority and dignity possible. His own beloved son, my ambassador from heaven.
Supported with all my authority. Surely they will reverence him. But we see what happened. Verse.
Verse 14 But when the husband then saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the air, Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the Lord of the vineyard do unto them? And I ask you, my friend, what could exceed the grace?
That sent his beloved son.
Who came to reveal the heart of God, The one who was in the bosom of the Father? What could exceed that wondrous grace toward a perishing world He has given the dearest object of heaven.
You want to see the climax of man's sin? It's at the cross. There is the end of the world morally before God. That's where man displayed what was in his heart, and your heart is no different, nor mine. That's where man showed what was in his heart.
And that's why we say that.
Man is no longer under probation that the trial is over.
Well, we see the answer here. What therefore shall the Lord of the Vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy those husband. Men shall give the vineyard to others.
Well, that's actually what happened.
But God had deeper purposes of blessing and remission of sins.
Is now proclaimed through that work of Calvary. God did judge that nation.
But He had other purposes of blessing for you and for me, and He now offers you.
The forgiveness of your guilty sins.
It's now to whosoever.
And if you turn over to Acts chapter.
You will see that those same words are used again.
When Peter preached the gospel to the guilty nation of Israel.
Who had crucified their Messiah and put them to an open shame. You'll find those same words. They were convicted in their heart, in their conscience. They had miscalculated just as much as the man in Luke chapter 12. They thought they had got rid of Christ, put them on the cross, and they would hear nothing more about Him. But he didn't remain on the cross or in the grave. He rose triumphant, a living Savior in the glory. They had miscalculated.
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Peter presents the gospel and commands them to repent. They were earnest.
And they wanted to know what to do. Dear friends, that's God's message to you tonight is to repent of those sins.
Which you are guilty of and the rejection of Christ which umm.
You have, which has been part of your experience. And so as we come to the end of our meeting now, dear friends, we just want to remind you that the Lord Jesus is willing to save you. He's willing to save to the uttermost all those that come unto God. By Him. That hand is never lost a man.
Little story that I have told to the children down in.
Down in the West Indies, they seem to enjoy it. Maybe I'll just close with this little story and I hope that it will illustrate the gospel. Not only be an entertainment, but illustrate the gospel. Now I come from Canada and we have the beautiful Niagara Falls. I'm sure that many of you have seen the falls 300 feet high.
With two sections to them, the Canadian side and the American side. Well, in 1859.
There was a man from France. He was an Acrobat. His name was Blonden and.
He was a tightrope Walker. I suppose that many have heard this story, but we'll just tell it briefly. And he came over from France and they put a tightrope across the Niagara Falls. And Blondin was just like a monkey. He went out there, he turned somersaults. He walked backward. He sat down on the tight rope and ate his lunch.
He walked with baskets on his feet.
100,000 people watched him as he pranced around like a monkey on the tightrope, the swirling waters 200 feet below.
And he came safely over to the other side.
It was the 100,000 people that were weak with anxiety, not blonde. They ran special trains from Buffalo. He was going to do it again.
But he said I don't want to cross the rope by myself.
Who will go with me?
There was that vast number of people, they all saw him do it, they knew he could do it. But you know, although the Prince of Wales who was going to be the King, although he saw Mr. Blondin perform that remarkable feat.
When Mr. Blondin asked him, Sir, will you come with me? No, thank you.
Was there anyone that would go across on his back?
One man, his manager to call court.
He got on his back and they started across the tightrope.
But someone had loosened the ropes.
And as they approached the middle, just right over the falls there, 200 feet, the swirling, churning white water below, one step and he was gone. He realized that there was danger. He realized that this was the closest call of his life.
Because the rope was swaying back and forth, would he make it or not?
And he said to his manager, Colcord, he says you get down and hold onto my hips.
And he says, remember you are no longer call cord. You are blonde in if I sway you sway. Don't balance yourself or at the end of both of us. So he set his teeth.
There was the other side, the Canadian side, I think it was. The only way that he could get over was to run. With that man on his shoulders. He set his teeth and he ran, and to the wild excitement of the vast crowd, he landed safely on the other side. That was the last time Mr. Blondin ever took a trip across the falls. The paths of human glory only lead to the grave. He never did it again.
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And he's gone now. I don't know if he crossed the waters of death into the glory. Those 100,000 people are gone.
But I want you to know that no one has crossed the river of death alone.
And there's one who can take you across safe and sound, if you will trust him.
He's gone down into the waters of death and judgment. He's come up triumphant. He can take you across on his shoulders of strength. That hand has never lost a man. Will you trust Him? Will you put your faith in Him tonight and land safely on the heavenly shore, washed in the precious blood of Christ, and on the road to eternal glory? May God bless His word to us. Shall we sing in closing?
Well, we'll sing #21 Shall we stand and sing #21?
Living This Life for Christ