Dorothy Conference: 1995
Table of Contents
Ephesians 2:1-6
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We will not be.
Able to bring every day.
Oh Lord.
We love the Lord.
Whatever I am today.
And so on. And I love you in heaven.
And 59.
Ephesians chapter 2.
And you have he quickened who were dead, and trespasses and sins we're in in time past. He walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, and the loss of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
And we're by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins that quickened us together with Christ. By grace you're saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace.
And his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision, and the flesh made by hands.
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That at that time he were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel.
And stranger from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus He who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flush the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
For to make and himself of twain. 1 Newman so making peace, and that he might reconcile both unto God and one body by the cross.
Having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nine, For through him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, and whom he also builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit.
I I was just thinking rather than how in the first chapter we have Spirit of God opening up all internal purposes that were in the heart of God to bring us into such a wonderful place of blessing and the cost. It's all through the precious blood of Christ and then that we might be in the enjoyment of it as He has his prayer in the end of the first chapter.
But it seems the second chapter brings before us the kind of material that God picked up. We were dead in trespasses and sins, and he would have us know this wonderful place that we have been brought into and enjoy it, and recognize the Lord Jesus is head over all things to the church, which is his body, and that we are building together for a spiritual habitation, I think very often when we enter into the wonderful place that we have been brought.
We are perhaps prone to forget what we were the rock from whence who are human, and the pit from whence we were digged. And this keeps us humble as we realized that it was only wondrous grace, when there wasn't one single movement toward God, dead in trespasses and sins, that God began his work, and that work to bring us into such a place of blessing.
Nice to see in the first chapter his will Paul and the Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. And then it brings out what we have, verse 5 having predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. And then we have of course, having pre 9 having made known unto us the mystery of his will.
According to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself and we can keep going the 11Th verse.
In whom? Also we have obtained inheritance after the counsel of his own will. And you know that first chapter leaves us out. Except for the blessing we are, we're not included except for the blessing. It's all his will. Like in First Corinthians. I think it's chapter 12 twice it says that in the body according to his purpose.
That's a permanent thing, and it's a thing purposely done that each member is set in the body according to his purpose. Isn't that wonderful? Now the second chapter we're included. Wonderful to see the councils of God are brought out in the first chapter as the Councils of God, as to glory, as to Christ and as to our inheritance. And then he tells us. Then he brings in who is it? Who is that is going to share in this marvelous inheritance and this glory?
What were we? What are we? But how marvelous that is to see brought out in this in the epistle to the Ephesians.
It begins, and you did.
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Can a dead dog inherit what we do? That's a dead dog can inherit what we do. Isn't that lovely? Can a beggar be taken from the dunghill and placed among Princess?
Hello, Humblest. That's us, brother.
You. Yeah.
We could say that in the first chapter just a comparison further that versus one to six are the work of the Father and ends in a doxology. The phrase of the glory was grace and then from 7:00 to 12:00 is the work of the Lord Jesus and ends in a doxology also.
And 13 and 14 are looking to the Spirit, the work of the spirit. But in our chapter, the 1St 12 verses it could be like looking back over my shoulder and seeing where I came from.
Only one word describes it. Hopeless, hopeless, Helpless. That's where we were.
In the Epistle to the Romans, you have the believer looked at in his former life as living in sin, and he needs forgiveness and justification.
Forgiveness justification isn't even mentioned in Ephesians here. Here he's looked at as dead in sins, not living in sins like Romans needing justification, but dead in sins needing light.
So you have he quickened, He's given life, and it's all a new creation here. It's all of God. What God has done, as the brethren have been saying, it's new creation, what we are made in Christ, in this new place that God has purposed for us in the second man, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, who's in the glory. And now we are in him.
In the same place of favor and acceptance as himself.
Created anew in him. That's Ephesians truth, isn't it?
To enrollment. When we are seen as living in sin, the only way that we can really be delivered from sin is through death by dying. But here we're seeing instead in sins. Before there can be anything for God, we need to be quickened, there needs to be light imparted. And what these first verses very plainly teach is.
The total ruin and depravity.
Of man. It's just like David says in Psalm 51. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. You see, this is difficult for men to accept that they are part of a ruined race, You know, total depravity of men is what the scriptures very clearly show.
That was the condition of all of us before the grace of God touched us.
We got to remember there was number good in flesh before we were saved. There was no good in flesh after we're saved. The flesh of a Sinner is no different than a flesh of a St. The flesh of a priest is no different than the flesh of the worst Sinner. You got to remember that the flesh of a prophet no different or an apostle in the flesh of the least sin these things or least sinners. Flesh is no good, Paul said. I know that in me. That's my flesh is no good thing.
So when the collation started to make something a flesh.
After they were saved, Paul could only say I'm afraid of you. Those are fat words. I'm afraid of you. It says here in verse 9 not of works, lest any man should vote. It's just as bad to boast and work after you're saved than the boast and works for salvation. Both are nothing in God's sight, nothing. You know James gives works properly for us, but the Galatians.
They said we need the cross.
But we need to keep ourselves under the law. You make the cross of Christ of none effect, said Paul. You know, Paul had not one good thing to write to the Galatians, nothing to commend.
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He had a lot to commend to the Corinthians because they were morally wrong. They were bad in their flesh, but they weren't quoting anything really ahead of Christ by themselves. They just were living back and and that could be corrected. Brethren Brad doctrine can't be corrected. It's got to be nipped in the bud.
Let's remember that.
Bad doctrine permeates more than moral doctrine.
When it speaks of being dead, there's no movement toward God. There was plenty of activity, as it tells us in the second verse. When in time passed, He walked according to the course of this world, because as natural men there was plenty of activity, But it was totally away from God, contrary to his will, no thought of God or his will. And that's the condition in which God found us without any movement toward him.
And so the first act of God is to impart new life. And that's why when Nicodemus came and said that the Lord Jesus was a teacher come from God, it's as though the Lord said it isn't teaching that man needs, it's a new life he needs. So he answered him very abruptly. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God, and we have to realize that. And as our brother said that even after we are saved, there is still no good in the flesh.
The flesh profiteth nothing. Understand that someone came to Mr. Darby and said Brother Darby, you have great knowledge of the Word. I'd like you to help me to know how to study the Word, because I'd like to have a knowledge of the Word too. He said study well 4 words. The flesh profiteth nothing. So whether he natural things or in spiritual things, the flesh profiteth nothing.
But God has given us a new life, and he has given us to the Holy Spirit, which is the power of that new life.
And so we have not only the desire in the Newman, because it's the very life of Christ.
But the power by the Spirit to do His will. But he would first of all have us as it were, sit down. And he tells us how richly we are blessed. And like Mary, we need, rather than acidity His feet, and learn what He has done for us. And as we learn what He has done for us, the love of Christ constraineth us, that we should not live unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again.
My brother Norman mentioned the Trinity that's brought out in the first chapter, and it's very beautiful to think that the Father sent the Son and the Lord Jesus is the one who accomplished all the work, and the testimony of the Spirit of the Spirit of God is brought before us. And then he shows us in this chapter how that he could take dead, dead ones and raise them up, give them life, and bring them into this marvelous blessing. And I think it's it's a glorious chapter because.
It shows how God could accomplish this work with these individuals who are dead and now have been brought to light. But it takes the power of God, doesn't it, to do that. Who can raise a dead man? Only God can do it. That's all.
So we see the power of it, don't we? In time pass, second verse in time past. You don't like to think about that, do we? Time pass. But Moses kept reminding the children of Israel. Remember he were blind slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt. Time passed. You know God doesn't call a Sinner A Sinner again, once he's in Christ. That's his prerogative. But we should remember.
The time passed. You know, that humbles us, that that really sets us in awe where we are sitting today.
In his very presence. And then it says you walked according to the course of this world. What is the course of this world? It's Satans purpose at his direction. That's the course of this world. This is his domain. This isn't anything else but Satan's domain. And then it says according to the Prince of the power of the air.
What does he do in the airwaves? What is he doing in the airwaves? He controls it. You listen to the airwaves so good that Airways are no good. This world's no good. It's All Saints. We don't control one thing down here. The Holy Spirit can help. Thank God and everything else belongs to him because of sin. Let's don't forget it. Let's don't get occupied with the airwaves.
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One brother remarked that I thought it was a nice remark that when it says the Prince of the power of the air, it's the air that comes between US and the heavens. That's the atmosphere. And he said that's where Satan's activity is. He keeps our minds down here if he possibly can, and he's in control of everything to keep our minds here. And the Spirit of God lifts us above these things as we have in the first chapter. We're blessed with all spiritual blessings.
Not here, but above this area atmosphere in the heavens. And I thought that was a nice thought in connection with the Prince of the power of the air. This is a place where the enemy is busy and he is trying. The Lord spoke of it as his palace. When a strongman armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace and Satan is trying to make this world look like a palace, so that everybody will be happy to stay here and fix stuff, preserve this world.
It's man's world, and he's supposed to preserve it. But the spirit of God in these meetings would lift us above all that. We have to live here and be a witness here, but we're not part of it, brethren. How blessed that is.
And so God has given us the power for this too. He has given us this new light.
And this new life desire desires the things of God. I think that's so lovely. Every true Christian in this room has a life that really has an appetite for the things of God loves. The Lord loves his things. The enemy tries to distract us, but the life is there and the power is there too, by the Spirit. And hopefully these meetings will occupy us with things above this world, so that the heart responds to the claims of Christ.
We could say, couldn't we, that the the flesh in us as that our life here is no hindrance to my full enjoyment of the Lord unless I allow it to work.
Unless they allow it to work, we should be covered vessels that's needed and some say I just watched the better thing.
This air of the Airways I was in.
The Saint Vincent Trinidad, and I'm Sorry and the principle of a high school, asked me to speak and he says I'm going to introduce you as a criminal lawyer and you let him have it because drugs, sex and alcohol and theft. And so everything is taken over my senior class.
And as we rode together to go, he picked me up. He told me he doesn't want television in the house. His wife, who's a psychologist working for the school system, thinks it's all right if you watch what you view. So he said. Last week we were sitting down with the children, watching the family program. It was all right. But he said when they advertised, advertised what's tonight, he said, Dude, bodies went across the screen, both sections. A wife looked at me and I looked at her and Alia went.
Satan can do that, you know.
He doesn't need much time.
Cover your vessel. You're better off.
You know your brother. You mentioned something about the beggar and the dunghill. It's in 113 Psalm. I just wanted to make a remark about it that I enjoyed recently. It says there the 113th Psalm, the fifth verse. It says, who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth. And then we get the verse he raised us up to pour out of the dust.
And lift up the needy out of the dunghill. You know, a brother mentioned about the dunghill, he said, you know, in the winter time when it's cold, that's the only warm place for the beggar. That's the only warm place for the beggar. And what is the character of the dunghill? Is something like a character of this world that you mentioned about the Prince of the air, the the spirit that worketh and the children of disobedience, and the apostle Paul in the third chapter, Philippians.
He says.
In the eighth verse, ye doubtless.
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And I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things that do count them. But what? Count them? But the dunghill? The dunghill of this world is what you've been referring to, brother. And if we're going to get our warmth from it, it's going to degrade us and it's going to give us the wrong kind of a smell along with us. Is that right?
Right. David got that from Hannah, didn't he? She's the first. You might look at that. Samuel, Chapter 2. Dear Hannah and her prayer. I just love it, You know. You can parallel it with Mary's prayer, but we won't now. In First Samuel 28, he raises up the four out of the dots, that's where we were. And lifted up the beggar from the Dunghill to set them among Princess and to make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord.
And he has set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his Saints. Isn't that beautiful? You know, Hannah brought out first two other phrases. Lord of hosts, the first time by Hannah, Lord of hosts. And right here in the 10th verse at the end, he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. First time in that we know who that is, the horn of his anointed.
As Christ, right, Lord of Hosts, isn't that wonderful? And so she she brings out those things.
This humble woman who was Barrett but she bore 7 bore 7, Tony tells us about six. I won't tell you. You find it out yourself. Where is the 7?
Well, there's this present world that.
Someone turned to side demos, turned aside for this present world. There's also this present evil world. And you know, the flashlights are an easy path as well as an evil path, and we can get occupied with that. Those things not wrong in themselves, but they can hinder our communion with the Lord. I guess taking up by the good things in this world, because it does tell us in First Corinthians 7, those that use the world as not abusing it were very thankful for this comfortable room and comfortable chairs to sit on.
There needs to be people that designed all these things. We're thankful for them, but we're not to get taken up with them. And so there's the evil side of this world, But it's very possible to get occupied with a pleasant things of this world. That's what the devil showed to the Lord, didn't he? All the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them. He didn't show him the evil things, just the glory of this world, that the fashion of this world passes away.
So it's good, brethren, that we can use these things here. We're thankful for them and.
Enjoy them. But we are to remember that our rest isn't here, where ambassadors and ambassador enjoys many things in the country where he's privileged to be a representative, but he always feels I don't belong here, I belong to another land. And that's good for us to remember, isn't it?
I'd like to ask about that second verse that speaks of.
To the Prince.
Of the power of the air in Two Corinthians 4/4 it says in whom the God of this world.
What would be the difference between the Prince and God Has been pointed out that he is the Prince politically and the God religiously and Satan uses religion more than anything else to lead people to destruction. You know, and that was even in Egypt when.
Pharaoh suggested that they would stay in Egypt or would not go very far. You know, this is the deception. He has religion.
Salvation means more than to escape judgment as we see it in the blood on the doorpost.
Salvation means deliverance from the power of Satan seen in peril, and from the power of sin.
And we cannot really serve the Lord and be worshippers unless we are delivered from his realm. You know no longer part of Satans realm, You know he is the God of this world. He's the Prince of this world, you know. And this, if recognized, would keep us from political involvement, you know, because at the present time the Lord is not in control.
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You know, and Satan is the Prince of this world. And you know, we're beating our head against the wall trying to change that system. We're not called to try to change it. We are called to walk in separation from it, you know, and recognize who is in control. And we have seen that the best of men cannot really accomplish any effectual change. We know that the influence of Christianity has been a blessing.
To this country especially. But do we not see that there is a conspiracy?
In the institutions of higher learning, and even from the little elementary school on to undermine Christian influence, the Prince of this world is active, suppressing anything that is for the blessing of man.
Man likes to consider that he's a pre moral agent, but he really is not. There are two powers superior to man, the power of God and the power of Satan. And man likes to think he's free but everyone is under the power of 1 or the other. So when we hear the gospel were delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God's dear son doesn't mean the enemy gives up, but we're brought into a new position.
But we are not really free, and it took the Lord to set us free and He must maintain us. Otherwise we're going to get caught in what this world is doing. Let's remember that we are dependent creatures, and the only safe path is the path of dependence. And the Lord Jesus was the perfect example of that. Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust. He wouldn't even say a word without a message from his Father, He said, I don't speak of myself, but the Father gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak.
Dependence and obedience. Is the path, the true path of the Christian. Well, I agree with brother Brinkman too when he said Satan is really working through religion. I've taken more souls to hell that way now than anyway he makes them feel secure because they belong to something in this world. That's all they need and he loads them right into hell that way. Now if you look at.
2nd Corinthians.
Chapter 11 And you see how he has to work with Saints or those who profess even now with the laws. This is going to be verse three. I'll read plus one other with the loss. He can come on like the devil, a roaring lion. He can feed them alcohol and drugs and do what he wants with them. That's the roaring life. Lost her right in his hand. But with those that are saved. Verse 3 of 11 for I fear lest by any means.
The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety. So your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is of Christ. I believe it ought to. The simplicity that is of Christ. Now if he can get your eyes off of Christ, that's what it means. Christ. Nothing else, nothing but Christ as God, we tread nothing but Christ, our living threat. That's the simplicity that is of Christ. Now look at verse 13, for such are false apostles.
What's a false apartment?
Any working for Satan through religion, bringing in things that aren't there. You know, an apostle. We don't have any apostles today. Bringing truth. We got it all complete. Now notice Paul's apostles, deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light.
Therefore it's no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. Now the warning is even a Christian can be used that way. That's the word. How solid working for Satan to change the word of God to deceive even his own chosen people. It's solemn, this is true, and what we need, brethren, is to guard against the subtlety of that one.
Number one, we're not at a match for him anyway. If we pretend we're a match for Satan, we're going to be taken like Peter, right? Peter says though everybody forsake the Lord, I'll never forsake thee. Satan put that thought in his mind. Peter knew feather even to death. Lord three times. Last time with cursing. I never knew that. Matt.
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If we think we're a match for the devil, we're going to be caught, as by his subtlety, he'll say, You can do it, you can do it.
Promise, bakers, I can't make a promise. I can't keep it.
And we not see in.
Verse one, It's the weight of the word of God in my soul, isn't it? We say that.
That keeps me in the presence of God.
The example we have in verse one is Lazarus.
Who was sovereignly called out of death. He was dead.
And if I can see that, take my place with Lazarus, and see that just as Lazarus was called out of the grave, I've been called out of this world, He gave me light.
And as we've had before us, it isn't just justification. I still don't know how Lazarus came out of that grave because he was bound.
Hand and foot, and he had a cloth over his face. To me, that's the kind of a mystery how he got out of that grave.
And then after he was out, the Lord says, loose him and let him go in the path that is the life that he gives. It brings me.
In the two things one is the mystery of godliness.
How God is going to produce in and through me that which is pleasing to himself and then that's connected with others, letting me go, losing me, letting me go. But it's a picture. If it weighs on our souls that I can see that he's called me sovereignly. He chose in there. He said Lazarus, but one day he said Bill and I'm called out of that. That's as dead as he was. Next verse is I look, I liken this to the thief on the cross.
Who had walked according to the course of this world. And there he looks out being nailed to a cross, receiving his just reward.
Looks out on this world that's crucifying his savior.
If I can take my place there and lookout on this world, this is the place where the Lord is crucified. I owe him everything. He called me out of death and now they're crucifying him. And I have to take. He came down to seek and to save me in this world. That's where they crucified Him.
Verse 3 Is this not the Jew here? We it's ye Gentiles. In verse two and three is we all that would be all as looking back on his past as a religious man.
What came between Saul and Paul was 3 days of blindness.
When it dawned on his soul.
What he had done.
Was against Christ.
And I often think of what he must have What did he do with those letters of authority that he had from Jerusalem to go and bring Christians down?
What a reminder it should have been the rest of his days. Look, just look. Just look. Not only was I wrong, the whole thing is wrong. The whole system. I have these letters of authority to go out and bring Christians back, that they might be killed or whatever.
But if my soul, I can pass a little of those three days of blindness and realize what it is, what is man's efforts?
Even the efforts to please God with a good conscience, it all ends up being against Christ.
So if these things can weigh on our souls, if they can have a weight with us.
They separate us out to this one. But God, who is rich in mercy, that's where we owe everything. And it shouldn't be a matter of choosing out of the world that which is better or worse. It's all the same. It's the place where the Lord was crucified, if we measure it by Christ.
Then we see it properly.
Brother, I just asked the question. Now putting Lazarus in verse one is new to me.
I just like I I think you see, I don't think death and sin. I don't think Satan put him in that grave. I think the Lord Jesus put him in that grave because if you go back he could have gone and given him health. But he says I'll wait two days till he's dead and then he said Lazarus.
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Is dead.
Said plainly. Lazarus is dead, and I'm glad for your sakes. Now what's not there he he put him right there. I should have made the mistake in not adding that. That gets an illustration of this verse. Thank you. Thank you.
Well, I like to read Galatians chapter 6 in connection with the world.
What really delivers me from the world?
For you, For any of us.
Chapter 6, verse 14.
God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. You know, if we really come into the good of the truth of the cross of Christ, there is nothing in the world system anymore that I desire and.
That the world wants.
You know they turn away from any who walk consistently with the truth of the cross of Christ. You know they'll cast us out, you know, And what a blessed position that is to be freed in our souls from that which is in the world and to even the world casting us out. They have cast the Lord Jesus out and they will cast us out. And what a wonderful position to be in.
But beloved.
There are snares for us even after we are saved. Remember the tears. Oh, I should not say the tears, the thorns and the pistols, the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches and in market says the lust of many things.
Make the seat to be unfruitful. Isn't it possible in our lives you know and worries and cares can so occupy us that the word is not fruitful? And the deceitfulness of riches in our society? I believe that's especially a snare, the lust of many things. You know we can enjoy even things, but you know, isn't it true in our society it isn't enough for us to have a whole?
Car, you know, we need to have a boat and then we need to have snowmobiles and then we have to have all kinds of things, you know, and we have to have time for fishing and hunting and all these kinds of things. So occupy us that the word cannot be really entered into and enjoyed in our souls. These are dangers. These things that I have mentioned in themselves are not necessarily evil things, but if this is my life, you know, that's all part of that which Satan will use.
To render us unfruitful. And that is a danger, isn't it? We should be reminded of that. We should reach out for the heavenly things that which we will enjoy for all eternity.
That verse that you quoted in Galatians 614, Paul said patients needed that and we need it. But in in Jeremiah Chapter 9 it's brought out as you're saying it now.
And the things that trouble us, the things that get at us. And in Galatians I mean Jeremiah 9 verse 23. Thus says Jehovah, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty glory in his mighty, and let not the rich glory in his riches. There are those things that can take hold, but let him that glorious, glorious in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.
That I am Jehovah.
Loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says Jehovah. Now that really spells out the little foxes. Well, the little foxes are there, as well as the thorns and thistles. The thorns and thistles are really the outward sin That is bold, I mean, you know.
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Proverbs 6 Proverbs 7. I mean I'll say more do I? I mean there's those outward sins that are are.
Thorns and thistles, I think they're the ones that the money grabs you. And it's not money that's the evil, it's it's the love of it That's a real foreign and Thistle. But the little foxes, they can't touch the vine. They said they spoil the fruit there and that they can't touch us. Little foxes can't hurt us as far as our eternity, but they can spoil the fruit. This fruit will have any fruit. We're on the vine, but that's Christ. We have but we fruit. And so here it springs out, those things that can take our thoughts.
Wisdom or education or knowledge wrongly. And the the glory of the might. Let's see who is to see. First it's right and then it's the rich man. I thought there's something else. Gloria is with me. Oh, the might. Oh, well, we got a lot of that, don't we? A lot of mighty people. A lot of mighty people. Youth is is muscle. And when you get older, you know it's brains. But you're mighty.
In the.
End of Ephesians one we have a prayer and the the Apostle praise.
Verse 19 What is the exceeding greatness of His power to us? Word who believe according to the working of his mighty power. Now what power is he talking about? He's not talking about the power that he exercised when he spake the world's into existence.
He's not talking about the power that opened up the Red Sea so that the children of Israel could pass through on dry land. He's not talking about the power that stopped the flowing of the Jordan River so Israel could crossover into Canaan. He's not talking about the power that said sun stand still and it stood still so Israel could conquer their enemies.
He's talking about the power that took a dead man, the Lord Jesus Christ, and raised him and exalted him to the highest place in the universe.
And that same power that set that man in the highest glory.
Is operating towards us. And if you read this in the new translation, there's not a period at the end of verse 23 of chapter one. It's he puts a colon there and then he goes right on because the subject continues the end of Ephesians One is he has set Christ into that place. Now let me just read the verses which he wrought in Christ verse 20 when he raised him from the dead.
And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.
Far above all principality and power and might and dominion.
And every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And God has 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 filleth All in all. And you who were dead in trespasses and sins, verse 5 Even when we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together with Christ.
That's union.
That's not just the same as quickening, but quickening together with Christ is union with Christ in life, and then he has raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Him.
We're right there with him in him. We are there in that highest place.
We can talk about how we should be separated from things down here, but until we realize the place where God has set us in Christ, it'll be like trying to pick ourselves up by our own bootstraps. God has set us in the in that glory with Christ. That's the Christians position. That's your place in mind. The simplest day in Christ in the room this afternoon has been set there in Christ.
As well as the most mature father, these are truths that apply to all the family of God.
All the Saints God has set us in that place and.
It's it's the power not of creation and not of these other things that we've spoken of, but the power that operates today is the power that set a man in the glory. And we're going to be there soon, but in him we're already there positionally, and so we should conduct ourselves as such. And that's we we we lose sight of who we are and where He has set us.
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And that's, I believe, the source of much of our failure, isn't it? Look at a verse. We're never really going to understand where he said us. If we don't understand where he's taking us from, if we feel that we started somewhere better than we did, then we're going to lose a sense of grace in our souls. There's a general principle in the ways of God that he takes man up where he is. He always needs man where he is because of the blood of the mercy. See, he can do that. But if man takes a position other than where he is truly before God.
Can't deal with the women Siren Phoenician woman came to him and claimed a relationship. He had to deny her on that basis, but when she took the place where he put her and said leaving dogs and crumbs at fault in the master's table, then he could meet her.
And constantly we find this in scripture, that the Lord met man where he was. And so with Lazarus, if he came and he was still alive and something would have been, the full glory of God, wouldn't have been manifest. But he met Lazarus in his complete natural condition, dead, and he was able to do something for him there.
Just thinking of a verse in Colossians chapter two or two verses.
Speaking of the blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, for in him well all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Now notice verse 10 and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and powers. Think about our brother. Chuck has mentioned that it's the power of God, isn't it? And that marvelous truth that he can raise raise up those who have who are dead.
In trespasses and sins, and to bring us into a marvelous place with the Lord Jesus who has.
In glory, He's there in glory, and we're looked at as being in the glory. Now in the purposes of God, we must remember that we're still here in the body, but in the purposes of God we find that in the book of Ephesians is the purposes of God. And that's where we're seeing as seated in the heavenlies in Christ. I remember when I was in Jamaica.
We're talking to a brother in his home about that.
6th verse and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
And he says, I'm waiting for that day. And we said, it's true today. Oh, no, this future. I said no, no, we said no. That's true right now. We're there now in Christ. And he looked. He looked, and all of a sudden his eyes brightened. He said, praise God, praise God, I'm there.
One day it will be with Christ. Now it's in Christ, isn't it? Yes. I think the beauty of this chapter is that really up until you get to the 10th verse of the second chapter that you find here God's councils. And so it doesn't take in so much the responsibility even of us owning that we're sinners. God has purposed to do something in the first. In the fourth verse it says he's in the third verse it says blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly places.
In Christ, according as he had chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world.
That we should be holy.
Holy and character absolutely holy. Not one spot remaining without blame, Nothing to accuse before him. And love, love like he loves. He's not going to have anybody in heaven who's disgruntled. We're going to love like he loves. How is he going to do that? Well, he goes down in the first chapter and he shows his counsels and then he shows us how in the world is this ever going to happen. He shows us how in time the power of God is going to come in.
And bring out and accomplish his purposes. And so we were dead. And he gives life. And so when you it shows what we are here. Our brother brought out total depravity, and I feel that perhaps some would be confused on that point. What does total depravity mean? It doesn't mean that I'm as bad as I could be.
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Because I could be much worse, but what it means is that corruption.
Has permeated every part of my being so that I'm unacceptable before God. And so the brother has said, well, there's a good Rd. there's a, there's a good side of the Broad Rd. There's a bad side of the Broad Rd. Some people feel that they're they'll be in right stead with God because they treat their family right. You know, I mean Mormons, they they they do a wonderful job.
But that doesn't.
It total depravity doesn't mean that I'm as bad as I could be because I might be an unsaved fireman or or a man walking by a house and see a house on fire and know there's children in there. At the risk of my own life, I might go in there and rescue those children. But that's not what total depravity means. It means that corruption has permeated to every part of my being so that I'm absolutely unacceptable with God. But this is what God does. It's God see I'm dead in trespasses and said God raises me.
But God in mercy, God who is rich in mercy for His great love or what He loved us. And so when we see what God has done for me, you might say, apart from responsibility because of His counsels, then I can respond to.
Responsibility because I'm enjoying what God has done for me.
Would you to mention in connection with the heavenly places, we mentioned already that we already seated in Christ in heavenly places, that we are blessed with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places In the 6th chapter shows that our conflict is in heavenly places, and so it shows that of course we have to be seated in Christ before that conflict.
Can be carried on, and there are these forces that we meet every one of us.
And evil spirits, you might say, in heavenly places. Satan has his ancients that will try to keep us to lay hold of what is ours in Christ in heavenly places. And this is a conflict that every one of us faces. So it takes spiritual energy and effort, helped by the spirit of God, to lay hold of these things.
And we all better recognize that that Satan will try to keep us some of these things. We have title to it. And now with spiritual energy we have to lay hold of these things. Just like the Israelites were given a portion in the land of promise, but then they had to enter it and lay hold of it, and they had to overcome these forces, those inhabitants of the land.
Speak typically to us of these forces that oppose us. They are not.
Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. They are not people. Although people might be used by the enemy to interfere, just like the enemy even tried to use dear Peter to interfere in the Lord's path of obedience. And the Lord had to say, get thee behind me, Satan, you know, But these are realities that we face.
A real enemy who has a host of servants that try to keep us from what is ours in Christ. It's interesting to notice that in the fifth verse it's with Christ, and in the sixth verse it's in Christ. It wouldn't be correct to say that we are seated.
At the moment with Christ, because we're not there yet, but it's with Christ as far as sharing.
The finished work raised even when we were dead, and sins have quickened us together with Christ now that is.
Our present position. But the sixth verse says and made us sit together, not with Christ, because we're not there yet.
But in Christ, it's so beautiful to see the accuracy of the words.
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The ministry here is largely objective, isn't it? We only have these three verses, the 1St 3 verses of our chapter that speak about what we were and what we have been delivered from. And then immediately he goes on connecting with what we have in the first chapter to show where God has brought us in His grace. So with the children of Israel, when they left the land of Egypt, it wasn't looking over and thinking, do we have to leave all these things in Egypt? But what is before us?
It's a good land, flowing with milk and honey, and so we can dwell a great deal on what we have to give up or why we shouldn't have some of these worldly things. But brethren, if our hearts get hold of where God has already brought us in His purposes and soon will bring us in reality, as you pointed out, if we get that before us, then what we leave behind won't be considered important. But when their hearts got cold in the wilderness, then their hearts went back.
They lost sight of the Promised Land and looked back upon Egypt, said Would God? We have died in Egypt where there was.
Plenty of fish and food and everything. And it's when our hearts grow cold to what is ahead of us and where we have been placed in Christ even now that we get occupied with the things of the world. And so I think it's very lovely that just three verses about what we're taken from.
Just leave it all behind because we've got a so much better place that we have been brought into already in association with Christ. And soon we'll be there in soul and body, perfect, all glorified with thee.
Thing together #31.
Thus Minded, Philippians 3
Keep Christ Before You
Psalm 139
Ephesians 2:7-10
Reading
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Right now.
Very strong.
And oh, no.
Halloween.
Of life here in general.
Oh, baby, I love you, baby. Whatever I've never done. No, no, no, no, no, no.
Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 7.
But in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Or by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh?
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Who are called on circumcision by that which is called the circumcision, and the flesh made by hands, That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.
Having abolished in his flush the enmity.
Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances for to make in himself of twain 1 Newman, so making peace.
And then he might reconcile both unto God and one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
Jesus Christ himself, being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.
And whom he also are build up together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit.
I was just thinking, brethren, how we have three things brought before us. In the fourth verse it says rich in mercy for his great love. And then in the fifth verse, by grace ye are saved. I think we all know that mercy is delivering us from what we deserve, and when we think of the way we were walking the course of this world, we deserve the judgment of God.
But God was rich in mercy. Judgment is God's strange work, and he delights to bless.
And so love found a way that He could show mercy to us and deliver us from the penalty of what our sins deserve. But more than that, He not only has delivered us from the penalty that our sins deserved in great love, but He has in grace. Now Grace is giving us what we didn't deserve at all, bringing us into a place of favor and love and acceptance. And oh, how wonderful this is. So that Grace could have. He could have delivered us from judgment.
He could have given made, known His love, but He wants us to know that his heart will not be satisfied, brethren, until everyone of his own are supremely blessed according to God's eternal councils, and those councils fulfilled in all their fullness in a coming glorious day. And He wants to us to enjoy it. Now He wants us to enjoy the position that He has brought us into. And so He has already seated us in heavenly places.
We're going to be in the full of enjoyment of it when we get there, but Ephesians sees us already there and no wonder it fills our hearts with praise and Thanksgiving.
Reference was made this morning to Hannah's prayer, and that bears out what you've just said, brother, that she said. First it lifted me off the dunghill. That would be like my mercy and but grace is the second part of her prayer.
Set us amongst the Princess. Princess of his people. That's the grace.
I like to pass on what somebody mentioned once and I greatly enjoy as to the difference between vengeance, justice, mercy and grace, he said. If somebody comes and kills your son and you in turn kill him, that's vengeance. If you turn him over to the authorities for punishment is justice, but when you forgive him.
That's mercy. And when you adopt him in place of your Son, that's grace. God has done that, hasn't he? Were we not guilty of rejecting his Son? Yet He has placed us in the position of His Son. It's beautiful to see that grace. And isn't it true that the riches of his grace?
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Compared to the glory of His grace, you know the riches of His grace takes care of our need and our condition.
The glory of this grace shows where grace has put us, the position it has given us before him in Christ.
I'd just like to add to in connection with it. He's not only placed us there, but he loves us perfectly if I put a person at a wonderful position. But it might be another thing as to whether you loved him and loved him fully. But we're not only in this glorious position, brethren, but there's a love and a love that never changes.
Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And with Israel, even when failure had come in, as in Jeremiah Day, we read that beautiful verse. Yay, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore with loving kindness have I draw me. So the position is in grace, but it's a position that we occupy as love in a way that it couldn't be a greater love and a love that never changes, even in spite of all that we are.
Since we are saved.
Just want to make a comment or two on the expression before we leave that sixth verse in Christ Jesus.
He's made us to sit together in the heavenlies in Christ, Jesus 2nd Corinthians 5 says. If any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. There's a new creation. Old things are passed away. All things have become new. We have that new creation in verse 10. We are his workmanship created.
In Christ Jesus unto good works. Does the Christian believe in good works? Absolutely.
Not to get saved, but as proof that one is saved. And it's that which we've been created for. We've been created for good works. He is ordained that we should walk in them, but in Christ is an expression that only has meaning. After Christ was glorified, the disciples on earth were not in Christ. The Old Testament Saints were not in Christ.
There was number Christ in glory to be in. It's an expression which applies after Christ has died, then raised and exalted to the right hand of God. Now when it says we are in Christ, it means we are in Christ place before God.
We are there where he is, and that's what that 7th that sixth verse says.
He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies where he is.
In Christ. So we're there where he is, if Christians understood this.
They wouldn't be promoting what's being promoted all through Christendom, that Christians get involved in politics and reforming the world and all of that kind of thing. We are, we're heavenly people. We are in Christ. We're in Him who has been rejected here and cast out of this scene, and we belong now to a new creation, what we ought to be manifesting.
As we pass through this scene is the new creation life that we've been brought into and the the heavenly place that we occupy now which separates us. You can't be a separated people until you realize that's your place. God has separated us from this scene and brought us into an altogether new scene above which is where Christ is in glory.
We're going to reign with him. When he comes back, we'll come back with him, but that's still future. But now we're united to a rejected man here, glorified man there, and we should conduct ourselves accordingly. If we understood that, we wouldn't get all involved in trying to improve the scene which has hated and rejected him, who is our Blessed Lord?
We're here to represent him and to display new creation.
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Life and the new creation place that he's brought us into. Maybe there's some others that can express this better, but I feel that in 90, nine, 9595% of Christendom, they don't understand what a Christian is, really understand what Christianity is. It is not a religion to improve the world. That's not why we're here.
Christ will do that when he returns and sets up the Kingdom in power and glory, and then with him will reign with him. But that's future. And that was the fault of the Corinthians. They were reigning as kings without the apostles. They were rejected and accounted as the off, scarring, the scum of the world, and that's the way they were treated. But the Corinthians were reigning as kings here. And this social gospel, this prosperity gospel, I should say.
That because you're a Christian, you should live as a king. Absolutely. Contrary to Scripture, we live now as those that are linked with and identified with a despised and hated Jesus.
Christ on high, and we're part of that new place, and to to promote the things that are being promoted under the guise of being Christian. They're not Christian. They are really opposed to the true Christian position that we're looking at here, what Christianity really is.
Would you say that the little word there in those verses is just thinking in verse 5, Even when we were dead in sins, he had quickened us together. The emphasis seems to be on the together, because we're together. With whom? With the one who accomplished it all for us. When we were afar from God, we were strangers, they were we were sinners. We had no claims upon God whatever. And here we are now we are quickened or made alive together.
By Christ, then he says in verse 6 and raised up together.
And made to sit together. Now if we thought of that, if I thought of it, well, let's put it that way. If I thought of it, my I would be a little bit more detached from this world than than I am. So I believe it's an exercise. It should be an exercise with each one of us to know who we are connected with together with that blessed One who has accomplished it for us and were to be together with him forever for eternity.
We are really united by the Spirit to a glorified man. We're one with him in glory.
And that separates us, That separates us from this scene completely. Because the Lord is not here. He's gone back on high. He will be here when he rains in the coming day, but he's not here now. He's gone and we're there with him. Another portion that would help on in Christ is Galatians chapter 3, Galatians chapter 3, verse 26.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus that presents a new family. Brethren, we're heavenly, have nothing to do down here, that we're heavenly people. We're children of God in Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ or under Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile or Greek. There is neither bond that nor free. There is neither male nor female.
We could say there's neither Jew nor Gentile. That's the claimant boy. He brought that for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if he be Christ, then are you Abraham? Seed and heirs according to the promise, not work, not law.
The promise. And that's very beautiful. So we're in Christ with new family. We we don't. There's only three groups in the world in this event. There's Jews and Gentiles and Christians. That's all.
I like to point out that first.
Through Red Brother Bob in Galatians 326, the correct rendering says sons of God through faith in the Lord Jesus. Why is it important? They were children of God before Christianity, but there were no sons of God. That is, that man would be put into the position of being a son of God. You know, to gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad clearly indicates that there were children before.
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The work of the Lord Jesus was accomplished, but we are more than children of God. We are in the position of sons. And that is only true of Christians. Tremendous, you know, to recognize that a dignified position before God.
Would it be correct to say that the contrast between the Old Testament position and the New as we have it here would be illustrated in the fact that that when the priest went into the Tabernacle in the Old Testament, they had to wash their hands and their feet?
Otherwise they would die both hands and feet. Whereas we don't learn that in the New Testament and John 17 it speaks there of washing the feet only.
For that there is what you're saying, that we're in Christ, the work is all complete, and what we are called upon to do is walk worthy of the vocation where what we are called.
Heinz, would you carry on and give us the thought on the difference between sons of God and children of the Power?
Well, by birth we are the children of God. We are born into the family. But sons seem to be connected with the truth of adoption and refining. Galatians 4 The difference between an Old Testament St. and a New Testament saying, you know, they were heirs, but as long as they were children they could not really be brought into their possession.
But then now in Christianity, we are brought into the position of a son, the tour before God, so that we are not only having claim to blessings, but we really possess them. And it was quite interesting for me some years back that I noticed that in Mr. Darby's translation in Luke 24.
The older son is not addressed as Son. He is addressed as child. It's that way in the German translation too, because he represents one who belongs to the people of God under the old economy. But the prodigal Son, he is in the position of a son, and these are tremendous truth to lay a hold of, to be a son of God in a dignified position before him in Christ.
Now children brings in a relationship, doesn't it? Sons, inheritance or heirs?
I think in Galatians 4 the thought is brought out quite clearly. It says the child is under tutors and governors, but when the time is appointed of the father, then his royal position is made clear and he's manifested in that royal position. So in the Old Testament they were children, but they were under tutors and governors. They didn't really enjoy the position that belongs to those who are in the family of God. And it wasn't as it says, when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his son.
Made of a woman made under the law and then it speaks about how the spirit is come that she might receive the adoption of sons. It's just a difference when say, the heir to the British throne is a child. He's going to school. He's not in the dignity of his position. He's in the family, he's going to be. But the time hasn't come for that. So in the Old Testament they were children, but it's blessed to know that since the Lord Jesus has come and accomplished that word.
And they've gone up on high and the spirit has come down. Every believer can enjoy the dignity of the position that we're in. And I believe, perhaps I could say that's the thought of sonship as it's brought before us in our present position now in Christianity, in the first chapter, just to go on with that, in the first chapter of Ephesians in verse five it should read Having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons.
By Jesus Christ to himself, the adoption of children is confounding these two things. Adoption always refers to sonship being placed before him in the intelligent, in the intelligence of a known established place of acceptance with the Lord Jesus children, is is, is another thought and.
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We're both are true of us, but.
That should read the adoption of sons or sonship in Ephesians 1/5.
Well, it says in Hebrews Chapter 11, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. And so I believe they will enjoy a wonderful place, but not exactly the same as we who are now brought in as part of the bride of Christ. And perhaps they're separated in the 11Th chapter of Hebrews.
If you, I should say the 12Th chapter.
Ross, Chapman, Hebrews and the.
22nd verse.
But here come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels. It's really the universal gathering and the Church of the first born which are written in heaven, And to God the judge of all, and the Spirit to the spirits of just men made perfect. And then the other verse that I mentioned, which is in the last verse of the 11Th chapter.
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us.
Should not be made perfect. They'll never become part of the Church, the bride of Christ, but they will be in that glorious place, and they will no doubt enter into much more than they ever did in their lifetime here. But they'll never be in exactly the same place as grace has brought us into. Surely ought to fill our hearts with praise that we're living in this more favored time when God has brought us in, not because we're any better, but just in matchless grace into such a position.
I think that's why the Lord said of those born among women, there's not a greater prophet than John the Baptist, but the least of those, let's see in the Kingdom of heaven is the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John. That's barbarous, isn't it? It's just because we're closer to Christ and pride.
Can we also say that those after the rapture will also not enter into that something only for this day, only for us?
Disposition.
I believe that the following the Ephesians letter.
Epistles deal with states of soul, each one in some form or other going downward from the understanding or the enjoyment of this position that we see in Ephesians, in Christ Jesus.
We know at the end of Ephesians he speaks of needing prayer. The Apostle does that he would be faithful in setting forth the mystery of the gospel.
We'll learn much gospel preaching today without the mystery of the gospel.
Then in the Philippians, we see that they are taken up with their own things, preaching the gospel, but no one cared for the Saints. He couldn't find anybody to send over there except Timothy.
They were thinking about their own things and that remarkable statement gained to me comes there in Philippians.
And so they it's not gained for me or gained to my bank account. It's gained to me. It's something for my pride. It's something for me to gain. Then in Colossians, we're down to where they want to accept philosophy and let go of the head, as though, well, we don't need Christ for everything.
And there is where Christ is presented as everything and justice one. I think you can go on down the line through the Epistles all the way out to the end of the New Testament. Timothy comes up later. And I've enjoyed the thought that Timothy was to stand there and preserve doctrine. And I look at it as though using an illustration as though the apostle had told Timothy to go stand over there by Eudicus by the window. It looks like he's going to fall asleep and.
And and don't let him fall out the window. He was at a preserve and the doctrine, but Eudicus fell and we get two Timothy. But as it goes downward, it's because they've lost sight of what it is, as we've just heard of what it is to be a Christian.
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And it doesn't. Well, what difference does it make child or son or whatever these things? The devil would have us back down to the level of a Jew who is justified or something of that sort. Well, just one thing I was saying this way in Ephesians. We're looking out from the heart of God on his beloved son.
And measuring our position.
In Philippians, we're looking at him from our pathway here below, the one who came down and the one who went up, measuring our path.
In Colossians, we are looking up at Christ to see his greatness.
To remind us that really everything is in here because everything is calling us back as we go through the Epistles, they're calling us back to this that we're reading.
Back to what God has done in His sovereignty. It's what's mine because he gave it to me. It's what he wants to give me, because He's glorifying his Son and he glorifies his Son every blessing he gives me.
And that's mine.
And my place is to seek to walk in such a way that I can enjoy.
And say that differently, brethren, if I'm occupied with my state, it won't improve my state.
If I'm occupied with Christ, he'll show me what I have in Christ and that will elevate my walk and elevate my life more. They'll they'll bring about the transform the character, put the character of Christ in me. Christ is everything.
And in all.
All beliefs today, I believe it's in the mind of the society in which we live, this idea of equality. But we see in God, just like a happy family, the father enjoys certain things, the mother enjoys certain things, a teenager enjoys certain things. The smaller child, every child can be perfectly happy, but not all be in the same position and so in the glory.
They'll be fullness of joy for every believer.
And pleasures forever evermore, but all will not be in the same position.
And that's the wonderful ways of God. And in His grace, He's showing to us what our position is. The Father can enjoy what his position is, that mother enjoy what her position is, be perfectly happy in it, because God has placed her in that position. And so where there's nothing of that old man that will enter the eternal glory, there will not be one person whose cup won't be full.
But there will be different measures and will all be because of what the Lord has done.
All because of Calvary, but everyone will be ascribing full praise to the Lord and rejoicing in the place that grace has placed us in.
Could somebody comment? Some comments have been made already on the gospel what the difference is?
In Galatians 3 verse nine or verse 8.
That says as the Scripture, for seeing that God would justify the Hedon through faith preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, indeed, shall all nations be blessed.
Sometimes that might be confusing. It says the gospel was preached to Abraham. Does that mean that Abraham heard something about what we hear in the gospel?
For myself, I had just thought that it meant that before the law came in at all, that God had shown that the promised seed was going to be the one for whom all blessing to man would come after the law came in. Well then of course we know that God's book of blessings and he brought him blessing in spite of the fact that man had broken the law. But long before the law was given, God declared his purpose.
Not only for the nation of Israel, but as it says in thee shall all nations be blessed. And so whether it's Israel on the earth who will be blessed as a nation above all the other nations during the millennial period, or whether it's ourselves in glory or those who are part of the church, all is through Christ. That's the way I have taken the verse in thee. So our blessing center in that blessed one. And he's showing in Galatians that it wasn't after the law was given, but it was before man had been placed in that position at all.
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That God purpose blessing through the promised seat.
Thought can be brought out in Luke 19 very clearly in verse 9.
We know who he's talking about. And Jesus said unto him, this day his salvation come to this house. For as much he also is the son of Abraham. That's the thought of faith. That's it. Abraham believed God. It was encountered unto him for righteousness. And when he when Zacchaeus came down and received Jesus, well, he's the son of Abraham. I am too. And you could tell that I like to talk to the different Jews.
And I tell him, Abraham to my father, that was one of Abraham. And they don't like that, you know, they think they got a special corner. But I said he wasn't even a Jew.
That they don't like that either.
That's what it means. Faith. Simple faith.
Sometimes I like to contrast this seventh verse with what the devil did. He took the Lord up onto an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. In a moment of time you can quickly see all that the world has to offer, and becoming more possible to see all that's going on in the world in a very short time. But he said, all these will I give thee if thou will fall down and worship me. Satan is the God and Prince of this world.
But it's going to take all eternity, brethren, to show us what God has purposed in new creation that in the ages to come he might show. And so, as eternal ages roll, I believe we'll be still ever learning the great depth and wonders of the love of God and His purposes. Men have been never able to measure the universe, and if God could make a universe that men can't measure, he has blessings for every believer that eternity will never exhaust.
God really had one opportunity to empty his heart.
That was that Calvary was not, when he gave his only begotten son all eternity. Blessing us to the fullest extent that he could possibly bless still will not empty his heart out. Heart of love. It can only be seen at Calvary's cross.
This is part of his purpose here, isn't it? That he might verse seven, that he that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his race in his kindness toward us through Christ's peace. That's God's purposes in the book, in the book of Romans, in Romans 8, you know it's not his purpose. But he rises to a purpose there toward the end of that chapter, and tells us about the marvelous, what we are called for.
To bring us into that place, Romans 8, He rises up there to a little bit of the height. Doesn't he explain what he might look at that Norman state?
Romans 8 and verse.
Beginning and Verse 28.
Well, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them were the call according to his purpose. Now what is his purpose?
That it says, for whom he did for know, he also did predestinate to be conformed the image of his son. That's his purpose, isn't it? That he might be the first born among many brothers. And the call the this was purposed in Christ before the foundation of the world. So Romans rises to a little height there, doesn't it? Romans 8 chapter. And then he says.
There was predestinated to be called to be conformed to the image of his son.
That we might be the first born of my money brethren. Then notice verse 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate. Then he also called. When did he call? When in time. Now he's called us. He's called you, he's called me. To what purpose? That we might be conformed to the image of his son. So it says we recall, and then he rises up and he says. And whom he calls, Then he also justified. That's the thing of Romans, isn't it? Justification.
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And then it says whom he justified, then he also glorified. So I've always enjoyed the little thought there that he rises to great heights there in the in the age of Romans. So that's not really the subject of Romans. Romans is justification, isn't it?
The purpose here in Ephesians that you brought out was individual. We are brought into this. But he has the ultimate purpose, and that's in the first chapter, verse 10. This is his ultimate purpose. Everything else is is substantially subsidiary to this, that in the dispensation of the fullness of dying, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven.
Which are in Earth, even in him. That's his ultimate purpose.
Brother, you bring out those things in the age of Romans and then what we're talking about here, that makes us pretty special people, doesn't it believers? We talk about, you know, a self esteem. So this is where we want to find it, isn't it? Right here what we are in. Christ, what a blessing, what grace, what mercy. It's something that God can't bless us more than what he has. So we're special and we ought to look upon the Saints as being special.
And I just You're not just. You're not just people.
There are those whom he chosen out of what a foundation of the world they were in Portland, enough for him to give his son to die for, and we ought to value it.
In chapter 3.
We read in verse 10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God you know here at the present time.
The heavenly being learned in the church, the man of cold wisdom of God, that I like to suggest that in this chapter here in chapter 2.
That is what we ourselves will enjoy.
And an unfolding more and more.
The riches of God's grace. I like to quote this story, and the children here might.
Be able to take that in. You know this brother worth driving past the golf course and there was a golf cart and he said to his boy, wouldn't it be nice to have a golf cart like this? And the boy said, yes, that would be nice. But he said when I get to heaven, the Lord Jesus will have so many presents for me and will take an eternity to unwrap something.
I'd like to think of that story in connection with this Earth.
You know we will learn more and more what the grace of God has given to us.
I enjoyed the comparison between what Abraham was told to with by God to look over the whole land.
The the bricks and the length of it. But that is that is 2 dimensional. It's the length and the breadth. But in our book in chapter verse 18 of that third chapter it says.
May be able to comprehend with All Saints what is the.
Breadth and length and depth and height. There's the four dimension. That's what else matters. We stand in the center with Christ and lookout in all directions. And the eternity it will take to reveal all those glorious effects while all those things.
Realization we have.
These two verses verse 8:00 and 9:00 and that there will be a day.
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When there'll be no Boston.
And perhaps in this world man the light that boast about their works.
There were many things in their lives.
Talks about the grace of God.
For by grace are ye saved. The very foundation of being salvation is not by works, but by grace, marvelous grace of God, that we can say we are saved by grace. That you saved. We have many young people here today, and you all say that you're saved by grace.
Time when I was on my knees and God brought this verse before me. What a revelation from God. Because I was thinking, well, I need these works and this religion. I need something to present to God. And suddenly through this verse, I realized that it was all by grace. By grace, are you saved? And so we hear this afternoon, they're talking about all that we have in Christ. And it's true that it's all by grace.
My grace, are you saved through faith? You believe that God is coming in His grace and presented salvation at infinite cross to himself. The gift of his beloved Son grows his faith, and that not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God, no, the worst. Lest any man should boast, I believe that this truth they need to lay hold of. They need to realize in our souls that when we get to glory, there won't be any boasting. There won't be proud of anything we've done. It comes to us through grace. Alone. Beautiful are these two vases together. My grace will be saved through faith.
Not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works. Lest any man should know. As we've been talking about grace, the children can take the five letters and get a pretty good idea of what we're saying. God's riches at Christ expense? Great.
What's the age reporting to in that?
Eighth verse I believe it's the faith itself as the gift of God too. It's not only that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son blessed foundation of it all. But there's not one of us here that would have believed if God in his grace hadn't brought in our hearts and imparted that faith. So he brings us right down to the end of ourselves, or we see ourselves as bankrupt centers and then he imparts the faith.
So we won't be able to glory in anything. We'll just glory. And that work of Calvary, that he made himself known to us and he imparted the faith. I think that's important, as you say, because many think of just salvation as a gift. Well, that's true, but it's faith itself is the gift of God and he. He gives it. When we come to the end of ourselves, He gives us the ability to believe and then gives us the credit for believing.
Where then is boasting? It says in Romans, where then is boasting? It is excluded.
There will be no boasting in heaven.
If we saw what we have in Christ, how we got it?
There'd be no boasting here either. That's why I believe it's good for us to ever remember, brethren, being so blessed, being gathered to his name, and having liberty and in the power of the Spirit to enjoy the things of God, that we understand that if I have any thought about game to me.
That sin.
If you have a thought that's gained to me, I'll be end up better than everybody else, or better than some others or whatever.
But that's not what God has for us. He has that which excludes boasting. Where then is boasting? It is excluded.
Some think that God in his omniscience he.
New and eternity past. If we use, that's an expression who is going to believe? And he chose them.
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I mean, that's a common thought out across Christendom. What does it leave? It leaves man some credit. Well, I believed.
But it isn't that God knew persons whom He whom He did before. No, He also did free destiny. God knew and loved me, each believer can say. And He called those things that were not as though they were. And in his own love he chose me sovereignly and saved me.
He excludes all boasting.
It is excluded. You have to set aside two things, do you not?
If you are going to enjoy grace.
He's presented to us in these verses.
As it says, it's not of yourselves, but first of all you have to set aside yourself.
And it's not of works for those two things you must set aside in order to enjoy grace. You enter into faith, into the bliss of truth, of the salvation through Christ Jesus on the cross. But it wasn't something that we did ourselves, or it wasn't at work. It was the work of Christ Jesus on the crown. Those two things must be set aside.
Yourself and your works, and then you can come through sovereign and grace.
If this teaching in Christendom would be true, that would really set aside God's sovereignty.
You don't think God depends on man's will, whom he might and might not elect? To me, the thought of late has.
Been overwhelming to realize that God in his grace.
Knew me before anything was created, and he purposed me for blessing. He chose me and his son, but not only did he do that, he made sure that throughout all those generations the genealogy would be kept alive. You know that there would be no interruption in my life so that I would be born on April 9th, 1930, so that in time I by faith could accept his son to be brought into that which he purposed for me.
In the eternity past, it's mind boggling, isn't it? But God saw to it, you know, He did not only purpose me for blessing, He saw to it that I would come into existence and that then he would in time draw me to His Son. That's true of all of us here, beloved. It's amazing that God would.
Go through such an extent, but how could he carry out his purposes without making sure that the one that he has purpose for blessing will also come into existence, and then in time by faith except his son?
On the responsibility side, well, God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And so it tells us that Christ is the propitiation not for us only, but also for the whole world.
And the profiting propitiation is the mercy seat. And I could tell any Sinner of Adam's race that God has provided a way of blessing for him. The blood is on the mercy seat of his own will. He may and would refuse that unless God worked in his heart. But predestination never, never changes responsibility, and it's very important that we bear in mind those two things so clearly taught in the word of God.
And so I think it's a lovely thought that a baby who dies before the age when it can express its own will, comes into the blessing of the Father's will. And so it says it's not the will of your Father, which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
And I look at it this way. God is so willing to bless any who will come. He's provided a mercy seat for the whole world. He's provided a way of approach for any Sinner, and any baby who dies before it can express its own will comes into the blessing of the Father's will. It is not the will of your Father, which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. But isn't it a sad reflection on what man is? He comes to the age when he can express, or we could express our own.
Will, and immediately we set it in opposition to the will at once to bless us.
And so, unless God interfered, there be no one blessed. I believe it's good to see the two sides of the truth. So God is just in offering salvation and providing a way of blessing for all mankind. But if he didn't interfere, there would be no blessing. No one would be blessed. But he steps in in His grace and saves.
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Like to just also add the thought that.
He chose me in eternity.
And then, as we've heard, he calls me in time, God is the God of the things that are not just as much as He's the God of the things that are.
And he also we have in Ephesians one He chose us in Christ.
He chose us in Christ.
What a, what a thought that is, that he chose us in Christ in eternity. As he looked at his Son, he saw us. That's where He had chosen us in Him. He chose us in Him from before the foundation of the world.
What a marvelous thought it is to be loved of God.
As he loved his son.
And whenever we read in Proverbs 8, it was read, I believe, this morning.
I was by him daily his delight. Do I see myself in that verse chosen in Him.
But are one just thought it is beloved to be chosen in Christ?
And then him carrying it all out and here we sit right this moment, all in that purpose and plan that God has and he's not. Frustrated we may be, but he is not, and he's going to make good his plans and his purpose to glorify his Son. And we are part of that thinking of in John's gospel, just turning over to the fifth chapter of John's Gospel.
And verse 40 we read words like this.
And he will not come to me.
That you might have life.
Man first sets his will against God, as our brother, said Gordon. We get up to a responsible place. We set our will against God.
No, he says he will not come to me. That's man's will, isn't in the way. Then turning over to the 44th verse of that chapter, in that six, Yeah, 6th chapter. I go 6 on the 6th chapter. And then you read these words, verse 44. No man can come to me.
Except the Father which has sent me draw him.
And I will raise him up. We need the constrained love of God that draws us. We set our wills against God, but then to climax. All this I I enjoyed this too, going back into chapter 6, verse 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me. I will in no wise cast out how precious that is. We set our wills against God. He constrains us. He compels us. No man can come to the Father except by him.
We're compelled to come in. And then he says when we come, he says all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. He gives us credit even for coming. How marvelous. All that is that God's matchless grief? That's part of his grace, isn't it? The grace of God. That's that. You wouldn't do it. I bring you. I call you to come. You respond. And I appreciate the fact that you do. I thank you for it. I wonder if we could just turn to the left, the 11Th of Revelation. Because I think.
It's lovely to see this brought out here in this 11Th of Revelation in the 15th birth. And the 7th Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and 20 elders that's the redeemed in heaven which sat before God on their feet, fell upon their faces and worshiped God, saying, we give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art and West and art to come.
Because thou has taken to thee thy great power, and has reigned, I see a different side here. And the nations were angry, for thy wroth is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou should us give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the Saints.
And then the fear of thy name, small and great. Here we have responsibilities I brought in.
And ensures destroy them which destroy the earth, but particularly this last verse. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in heaven the ark of his. There was a scene in his temple, the ark of his testament. And there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and earthquake and a great hail. Now the time has come when God must act as judge, but he opens heaven. And as it were there was the ark and the blood, the mercy feet was on top of it.
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And Christ is the propitiation for the whole world, and God is as it were saying. I didn't want to be your judge.
I provided a way of blessing, and he opens heaven and shows that there was a way that every Sinner could come and be blessed of his own will. He had rejected it, But the redeemed are just praising God. Their own wills would never have brought them there, but the wonderful grace of God and it seems to me that the thought of.
Predestination and election and responsibility are brought together at this time when judgment is about to fall. God doesn't only want us to realize we were chosen in Christ by Him before the foundation of the world. That's individual. But he wants us to realize that in his purpose as His eternal purposes was a heavenly pride for his Son. And that comes out beautifully, too.
Look at.
Psalms 139 and I believe it can be applied on this way.
First of all, verse six, Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is I I cannot attain unto it. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me? Oh God, how great is the sum of them?
All the verse 15 and 16 My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unformed, not unformed substance. And in my book in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned.
When as yet, there was none of them.
I believe that gives us a little thought of the bride and God's purposes before the foundation of this world. Each member before they were fashioned unformed. God saw them as a bride for his son. Now sometimes I have wondered, and you might also have wondered, why did God pick me? What was there in me? But I like to connect with brother, Brother Bill has said.
In Christ.
You know that gave God, you might say, a reason to show grace to us. Not only does He now see us in His Son when He picked us, He picked us in view of His Son and that we would be in Him. That helps us, I believe, to understand why God could reach out at all. There was certainly nothing in US, but He found a purpose.
In his son 3:30.
God.
Gospel 1
Gospel—Bob Bauman
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We'll begin the meeting tonight by singing What I Turn Right to It here.
Thinking 2034, not #34 precious.
Precious Blood of Jesus shed on Calvary, shed for Rebels and for Sinners.
And shed for me. Without the shedding of blood, there's no remission. We have the blood, the precious blood, typed and brought out from Genesis into Revelation.
And without the blood, the Bible wouldn't be worth the pages it's printed on.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us.
From all theater, so we will thing #34.
Rai plan last day to inspire the world.
I know right now I'm crack. The what? I don't know why I'm dreaming about.
Whatever. It's great.
Welcome, baby.
Hello. Christianity would have been there and all of a sudden all of you may be able to see.
Oh, really? Well, receive it.
Why must sinners boys or girls or men or women?
Perish in hell. The lake of fire for eternity. Why? Is it because the sins you committed are so bad? No, there isn't a sin today that can't be watched in the precious blood of Jesus. Is it because the sins you committed are so great that it's a mountain full? No. Doesn't matter how many sins you've committed, the blood of Jesus Christ could cleanse you from all of them. I'll tell you why.
Just what the hymn said, the last verse they will not believe.
And receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. That's the only reason.
Any here tonight is going to hell. You just won't believe and receive it. Let's pray our gracious God and our Father. We give thee thanks for the gospel. The very meaning is good news to sinners. We give thee thanks that it can be proclaimed. Yet so many years from the time this world cast out, thy Son crucified the Lord of glory, and yet thou art offering salvation.
Free to any Sinner anywhere in this world tonight.
We marvel at this, but it is thy nature is to bless.
Love is thyself and mercy is offered now to anyone here tonight.
As we open this precious word, we realize that faith comes by hearing.
And hearing by the word of God, so we take courage, all of us that were praying before this meeting.
That if they just hear the word of God with an ear of faith, a miracle can happen, or many. Today they'll be born again, have a new life, judgment, free and on their way to glory, and they'll know it. So our God and Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit has liberty to work here. Tonight, as we open the Holy Word, the Bible, we ask this and the precious and worthy name of the only Savior of sinners, our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Amen. We will turn to John's Gospel.
Chapter 6 of John's Gospel.
And one verse out of this chapter is all I want verse 69 for here.
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ.
The Son of the living God.
Not those beautiful words.
That's all you have to do to get to heaven.
Simple, isn't it? You know why this book was written and preserved all these years for you to hear tonight? Well, I can tell you with one verse. It's the 20th chapter of John. I'm not going to turn to it. And if the last verse in that chapter, these things were written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life.
Through his name. Isn't that very simple? You know God's made.
Salvation. It's very simple for you, very costly for him.
But neither is there any other name.
Given under heaven among men.
Whereby ye must be saved.
Must.
Be saved.
Why? Because your life. Because you're lost. Everyone here who is still in their sins. Your loss.
Helplessly, hopelessly lost.
You must be saved.
Otherwise.
You go to the lake of fire.
We are all sinners who neglect or reject God's offer.
Of salvation must go.
God is not willing that any go there he will have ought to be saved. That's his desire.
And that's why we have the Gospel Chapter 7 verse one. These things are after these things. Jesus walked in Galilee, for he would not walk in jewelry because the Jews sought to kill him.
He was their Messiah. He was the one they were looking for. He was the one all the prophetic scriptures and signs of the Old Testament, the Jew book pointed to. But they sought to kill him. Why the carnal mind. Man's mind is at enmity with God, that's why. Let's turn over to verse 30 in this Chapter 7. Then they sought to take Jesus, but no man laid hands on him.
His hour was not yet come.
What is that? The hour? His hour? It's the cross.
Of Calvary. That's his hour. That's the whole purpose he was born.
That's why Jesus was here, his hour, but it wasn't until God's time.
That wonderful time that they could touch Jesus, and so his hour was not yet come. Verse 32 at the end, the Pharisees and the chief priests. This is the religious leaders of that day.
Sent officers to take Jesus.
Verse 45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and the Pharisees.
And they said unto them, Why have you not brought him? The officers answered.
Never man spake like this, man.
They went to take Jesus.
And he said 2 words.
I am.
And those soldiers went backward and fell to the ground.
There is power in the word of the Son of God.
When he speaks, you can be saved if you hear it with an ear of faith.
Now we're going to turn. We're just going to read one more verse here, 53 and every man went onto his own house.
We're going to be in Chapter 8, but I wanted to get this background. Every man went on to his own house. Now I would venture, and I believe I'm right. There's not one here tonight who's homeless.
00:10:01
I will believe I write on that.
After this gospel, some are going to go to their own house, and after this conference, many are going to go to their own house.
There is no homeless people here.
But I'll tell you something. Read verse one of chapter 8, Jesus.
Went on to the Mount of Olives. Jesus went under the Mount of Olives. Why?
It's very simple.
He had no place here. He had no home here.
That's why he went to the Mount of Olives.
In the place of his creation, he was truly the homeless one.
Can you think of that? The one who made all things, the one who is sustaining all things right now?
The one whose hands is your next breath.
He had no place here.
When he was born, there was number room for him.
When he died.
He had to have a borrowed grave when he walked. He had no place to lay his head. When he wanted to demonstrate a coin, he had to borrow a penny. He had nothing here in his creation.
Because the carnal man is at enmity with God. Now we'll turn over. I believe we better turn to John chapter one for just a minute. I want to get this point across very clearly, John, Chapter one.
Verse 3 All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made in him was life.
Powerful words, aren't they? Because they're speaking about the all powerful one. That's why you know this speaks of creation.
Creation.
All things were made by him. In Hebrews 11 we read through faith. We understand.
That the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things that are seen.
Were not made by things that do appear, that is creation only God can create.
Man cannot create. All man can do is invent from created things.
Devise what God has made. That's all.
Only God can create now turn to Colossians one. I think I want to just get this point across before we get on Colossians chapter one and I believe it be verse one verse verse chapter one, verse 16 for by Jesus or by him the Lord.
We're all things created that are in heaven, that are inner earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created by him and for him.
And by him all things subsist.
This is the word of God. This is the word of God. This is true. It's so beautiful to see it. Now if you turn to Psalm 33, we'll see how he did it. Psalm 33.
If you don't get there, I'm going to get there, and then you'll hear it anyway. But I want you to know where I'm going. Psalm 33, verse 6. By the word of the Lord, were the heavens made and all the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth. Eight let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe before Him.
For he speaks, and it was He commanded, and it stood fast.
Now this is the one that's going to be presented to you tonight.
It's the Lord of Glory.
It is the one they crucified.
Satan thought he had a victory, but that's when Jesus had the victory.
Over Satan, death and sin itself. What a wonderful thing this is.
I want to ask.
Do you subscribe to something other than creation for this world and yourself?
Many do. I don't even argue with them. It's not worth it.
It's not worth it, you know. Many of them believe in some.
Theory of foolish man.
00:15:01
Rather than creation.
That's a sad thing, you know. It's just a figment.
Of man's imagination.
I underwent two major surgeries in the last 11 months.
And my surgeon on the first one was a Christian.
He believed in Jesus Christ and he believed in creation.
His nurse was a Christian too. She believed in creation.
The second one, three months ago, the surgeon was a believer.
He believed in Jesus Christ. This surgeon believed in creation.
His nurse was saved too. She believed in creation.
What led those two surgeons to believe in creation?
You may be astonished at the answer the human body.
The human body LED them to believe when they read the word of God.
In creation, I'll give you one verse.
Psalm 100.
And 39, I'm not going to turn to it because it's a little time here, Psalm 139.
And we had it this afternoon. But he didn't have this verse. He didn't touch this verse.
It's verse 14. I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Marvelous are thy works That my soul knows right? Well, now, I'll tell you, those surgeons put the metal in each of my hips. God did the healing. God did the healing. Isn't that wonderful? And those surgeons admitted it. Yeah, they had skill. God used the skill. They couldn't heal me. God did the healing. Well, let's go back to John.
Seven, please. I'm going to look at 7:00 for a minute again.
John 7. And I'm going to look at the last verse, I believe John 7.
And verse the last verse, every man went unto his own.
House.
Martha.
Martha and Mary Lazarus and Simeon Bethany. Martha.
Invited Jesus into her own house. It's nice the Lord stresses these things.
And.
There was a man of palsy.
Whom the Lord said, Arise and walk, take up thy bed, go to thy house. And he went to his own house.
Levi, Collector of taxes Who is Matthew of the Gospel?
He invited Jesus and made supper for him in his own house. Jesus went to the House of the Apostle Peter and healed his mother.
In Jericho, Zacchaeus was up a Sycamore tree.
And the Lord Jesus looked up, and said, Zacchaeus, may case come down this day, I must abide at thy house.
But Jesus went unto the Mount of olives.
Solomon it he didn't have a house.
I want you to turn to.
Luke, Luke. Chapter 21 of Luke and I'll show you.
Something very interesting Luke 21.
And verse 37.
And at the daytime Jesus was teaching in the temple, and at night he went out.
And abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives.
Stayed all night. He dwelled there. That's all he had to hold. And all the people came early in the morning to him.
In the temple for to hear him.
I will turn back to Chapter 8 of John. This is where we'll be most of the time, but we may move a little. Chapter 8 of John's Gospel and verse two. And early in the morning, Jesus came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him, and he sat down and taught them. He sat down and taught them.
In Luke 5 first verse it says this all the people pressed unto Jesus to hear the word of God.
Don't forget, faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God, and everyone here already is responsible.
The only reason man takes some foolish theory.
Like you emerge from a slimy amoeba.
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After it developed to an ape is because they don't want to be responsible to a creator. That's the only reason they'll accept anything. Ever gone to a zoo and saw those apes, orangutans and those big creatures baboons and say, when did you stop emerging? When did you stop evolving?
They never evolved, you know, I read in the paper just the other day. I couldn't believe it. A great scientist, a doctor with great honors of a university, he has come up with a beautiful theory.
Man was a very and woman.
Hairy creature, all hair. I don't think women would like this too much to you, this theory. And then he said when the Ice Age began thawing.
Man began to shed all this hair.
You know we have to laugh, don't we? But God laughs at their calamity. God looks down here and says, what's the matter with you? I told you how it happened.
Let my soul knows right well, and I hope you know it and you too. No matter what is taught in school, this is true. If science ever contradicts this book, it's science falsely so-called this book is true.
Not a science book, but it's true. Whatever it says. Now we go back to.
To verse two. And he taught them, You know, they not only came to hear the word of God.
But in Luke 81, it says they came to hear him preach the Gospel.
I would have loved to been there, but you got it right now. But you know, he could only preach to them himself.
Because the Gospel how to get to heaven isn't a religion.
It is, in a way for man to do anything. It's a person, the person.
Of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He could only preach himself and that's it.
Come unto me, all ye that are heavy and that are birds been heavy laden. I will give you rest of your soul. Isn't that wonderful? I have it. I couldn't preach. I hope you have it if you don't. I hope you're standing on shudder when you realize what's coming. All right, we'll look at verse.
Three and the scribes and Pharisees. I am back in John. 8 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman.
Take it in adultery. And they when they had set her in the midst, they say unto Jesus, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. Now Moses and the law commanded us that such should be stoned. But what sayest thou this they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.
Is solemn.
They thought they had Jesus trapped.
If he said, stone her.
Where is this love he's been showing and preaching? If he said let her go, where's the righteousness that Jesus is and where's justice they had him.
Turn to Matthew. Matthew 23.
Matthew Chapter 23.
And verse.
Let me see here.
Hope I got it.
Oh yeah, these are the ones. Whoa. This is Jesus speaking to these religious leaders.
Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for ye are like white and sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men.
But within we are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Religious bigots.
They're not just in the days of Jesus, they're today religious.
Biggest.
Why did sepulchers, hypocrites, appearing clean, appearing good, speaking fancy words, but inside full of iniquity? Jesus said you know he sees you inside.
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He knows all about you. He knows the thoughts in your heart before they get into your mind.
They pleaded the Law of Moses to the Son of God, who gave the law.
Now let's look at it. This law, they pleaded Leviticus 20 of the Leviticus chapter 20. This is what they were holding up to the Lord Jesus that day in the temple. Leviticus chapter 20.
And verse 10. And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife.
He that committed adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulterer us shall surely be put to death.
How well? For that we look at Deuteronomy 22, Deuteronomy 22.
And if you don't get there, I'm there 22/22/22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, they shall both of them die, the man and the woman, So shall ye put away evil from Israel. If the damsel is a virgin betrothed unto a husband, and a man, find her in the city and lie with her, then ye shall bring them both out of the gate of that city.
Ye shall stone them with stones that they die.
Now here they brought this woman in the temple, placed her in the midst.
Before Jesus.
Caught in the very act.
And those religious bigots recited the Law of Moses that I just read.
We have just read it. Where was the man?
Where was the man?
Solemn, isn't it? It didn't bring him.
Caught in the very act.
Be that as it may, Jesus was about to touch the conscience of each of these religious hypocrites in the temple that day.
And to do this.
He will use the word of God. Now I hope this touches your conscience, because we like to think well of ourselves.
And unless the light gets into you, you'll go out of here thinking, well, of yourself as you head for hell.
But it has to hit your conscience, and it uses the word of God.
Is sharp. This cuts both ways, and it also soothes.
There was a Japanese man knocking on the door of the Parsonage at a system in this Chrysanthemum and the pastor opened the door and he said.
I want to know more about heaven.
While he said there's only one way and that's the Bible, well, I want to know about heaven. So he gave him a New Testament, he said. You go home and read this.
And then if you have questions, you come back and I'll talk with you.
About a month later, he was back knocking on the door, he says here.
Take it back.
Why would I don't want it back? I gave it to you. No, you take it back, It kicks too hard. It kicks too hard.
This word hits your conscience. He didn't like that. He didn't like that.
I tell you, there was a Chinese man who got saved with this word.
And they wanted him to hear the gospel more and to hear the truth. And they invited him to the meeting. Just like you boys go to And you girls, they said, come to the meeting.
This Chinese man who knew Jesus didn't go.
To the reading meeting or the prayer meeting or the gospel. He showed up at the breaking of bread, the remembrance. They all wondered, well, what you know we can't teach him here, he said al And they remembered the Lord. You're going to see it tomorrow, boys and girls. You're going to see it tomorrow. I love it.
After they broke the bread and before they passed the offering.
That man cried. He had tears in his eyes. He stood up.
He said I all breakdown inside. I all breakdown inside.
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Me too. Isn't that lovely? He wanted to remember the Lord Jesus. That's how nice it affects you. This is the word of God and and the Lord was going to use this to touch those religious bigots. Now turn to Matthew 5 and I'll show you where he starts. Matthew 5, Chapter 5.
Verse 27.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Well, I say unto you.
That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust.
After her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. God's law is perfect.
You know it can only condemn to come under the law of God. That's all.
It curses them, but God never changes.
The Word of God never changes the thought of foolishness.
Is sin. That's it. And one sin will keep you out of heaven.
Not just adultery, but murder.
For the law says if you hate your brother without a clause.
You are a murderer in your heart. That's the law.
That's the law.
One of our recent presidents.
When he had his first.
What do you call it?
News conference and all the reporters with all their mics, you know how they do.
They asked him a lot of questions, many personal ones, and finally one said, Mr. President, have you ever committed adultery?
Oh, you know, that's terrible to ask those things, but that's what they did.
And he said, yes, I have.
All the adrenaline flowed in those reporters veins. They moved in. What's her name? What's her name? Didn't that say it?
He said her name makes no difference because she is.
Completely innocent. Isn't that nice? She is completely innocent.
The fact is, I looked upon that woman to lust after her, and he gave them the verse I just read you.
You know, they were very disappointed. They did not have any story.
And that statement of his came back to haunt him.
Turn to John 8, John chapter 8 again.
And verse.
Five at the end.
Jesus, stooped down with his finger, rode on the ground. Forget the last italics.
As though he heard them, not he heard them. He didn't have to hear them. He knew what was in their heart. He knew what they were thinking.
But he wrote in the ground.
You know what that was? That was a finger of the Lord riding on the ground.
Writing in this earth now, when it's the finger of God, it is judgment.
And when it's the finger of Jesus, it's grace. Isn't that nice?
Grace.
In Exodus 819, Pharaoh's magicians who were imitating Moses in his miracles, when Moses came to a miracle they could not imitate. You know what they said? This is the hand of God. Judgment on, on, on, on Egypt. They knew it. Judgment on Egypt.
You know, in Exodus 2412 The law was written.
On 2 tables of stone.
How was it written? With the finger of God, Because all the law can do it. I hope you're not trying to keep us.
Is curse you judgment.
It cursed you. Judgment. That's the finger of God in Daniel. There was handwriting.
On the wall, What was it?
Judgment to Belshazzar, the King, and to and to that city, Babbola.
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The finger of God. That's it.
But the Lord said the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives.
I've come to save them. Isn't that wonderful? I didn't come to destroy them. I've come to save them.
In John 317, God sent not his Son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
There isn't any Sinner in this world, any place that can't go to heaven.
That's the purpose. So when Jesus stooped down to write with his finger, it wasn't for judgment, it was to hit their conscience so they would repent like I want you to do tonight, Sinner. If you're still in your sins without repentance, there is no salvation.
You know, the Lord said in Luke 13 twice, maybe three times. Twice I know of, right there at the beginning. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. That's what Jesus said. It's the goodness of God that brings one to repentance.
Repentance is merely admitting what God says about you Sinner.
And then you can take his remedy, the only remedy for sin sickness.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, that cleanses us from all sin, is offered to you tonight.
You know this is something when he wrote on the ground.
Now we'll read 7 So they continued, asking him. He lifted up himself, and he said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him cast, let him first cast the stone at her.
They said to the Lord, Moses commanded us stone her.
What sayeth thou?
You know, it's not so much what he said, it's what he did. Here's a wonderful way of pricking conscience.
It's what he did when he wrote on that ground.
Jesus did say this one thing, He among you who is without sin.
Let him cast the first stone at her. Now we're going to turn to Romans chapter 2 for justice. A couple of verses.
Because this they knew in their own Old Testament, and this we should know in the word of God and the New Testament Romans the second chapter.
And verse one.
Therefore thou art inexcusable. O man, whosoever thou art that judge us for, wherein thou judges another, thou condemn us thyself for that for thou that judges doeth the same things.
Three And thinkest thou this old man that judges them, which do such things and do, is the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God, or despises thou the riches of his goodness and his forbearance, and log suffering, not knowing.
That the goodness of God lead us thee to repentance.
Now I will tell you something in verse nine. I'm not turning back here, but in verse nine of John 8.
It says and they which heard.
Being convicted by their own conscience went out of the temple 1 by 1.
Beginning at the eldest, even to the last.
I hope you don't leave here.
Don't leave here. That isn't the end of the story. Don't leave here. I'm not asking you.
If you've admitted you're a Sinner like everybody else, that won't do. No, I'm not asking you if you've joined a throng of people going down to an altar call that doesn't do either. I mean, have you ever been alone with Jesus like this woman? They left her alone with Jesus.
And it was all out. She couldn't hide anything. It was all out in the open.
Have you ever been there? Just you and Jesus? That's what you got to be.
You've got to be. You can't go down with a friend.
It's you and Jesus.
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Nothing but your sins in his penetrating light. That's it.
Only this brings on repentance only this no other way.
Now you know God has a way of doing that because he brings you to repentance. He knows what to do.
In the days of sailing vessels.
On this particular crew and it was rough life behind those bass.
There's really a powerful, tough man who was both mean.
And lazy. That's not very good for a crew on a sailing vessel. You know that. Well, he wouldn't work.
Until finally the rest of the crew complained to the first mate.
And he said, all right, whoever doesn't work doesn't get any food.
That will take care of it. No, no, didn't take care of it because when they passed out the food, they didn't pass him any out. But all he did was took what he wanted off the men's plates and not one man could have stood up to him.
And they told him he gets all the food he wants. We can't do one thing. He's so being.
So he said, well, I'll report him to the captives. He reported him to the captain. The captain said what?
Put him down in the bilge.
Now the bilge isn't a nice place to be in a ship. The bilge is pretty mucky and miry and watery, full of vermets rats. It's not a very nice place to be. This world isn't a very nice place to be either.
But he didn't know his surroundings. He didn't know how bad he was and where he was in his sins.
Three days they left him down in the bill and the captain said send him down a little bread and water every day on a platform they did. He didn't even cry out. He wasn't even concerned. This is good. I'm not working. I get bread and water.
On the 4th day, the captain said. Now put a light instead of bread and water and let it down into that bilge.
You know when that light went down and this mean man saw where he was and the vermice and the rats running all around?
And the filth? He cried. Let me out of here. I'm sorry. Let me out of here.
You know what he did? He repented and they pulled him out of there and he worked after that.
God wants you to know not just what you are, but where you are in your sins. And have you ever realized how bad you are and where you are? You'll come to Jesus. You'll repent. That's the thought. Turn to John 8 again and we'll go verse 8, John 8 and verse 8.
First of all, Oh yeah, this is all right. And again, he stooped down and wrote.
On the ground twice.
You know, in the word of God.
To his testimony. I believe that's why everything is perfect in the word of God. In the mouth of two and three witnesses shall everything be established. So Jesus wrote a second time.
Now if you turn to Jeremiah, chapter 17.
Because it did say, he wrote.
Jeremiah, chapter 17. I want to mention this. What was it? Jesus wrote on the ground. We're not told. We're not told there. He doesn't tell us. But you know, some commentators of the word of God aren't satisfied with that.
And Solo said that he just was doodling.
Isn't that awful? You know God cannot have an idle thought even.
He wasn't doodle, I'll tell you that, Isaiah 1424, says the Lord.
Of hosts said, Surely as I have thought, so shall it be. He can't have an idle thought. And then he said, as I have purposed, it shall stand. It's not a doodler. No another one wrote. I read it. He wrote the 10 commandments to convict him. He wouldn't have to do that, because those religious hypocrites had the 10 commandments written on their full actress.
They could read it right there. They were proud of the law they were keeping. Maybe.
It could only curse them, but they wore it now, another one said. He wrote the 7th commandment.
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I won't even tell you what it is, but I think you know the 7th commandment.
Here Jeremiah I believe tells us what he wrote, now verse 13.
Oh Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed. They that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.
I believe this is it.
The Lord knows what is in man. He knew what was in each man there in that temple. He knew jits who would depart from the greatest to the last one. He knew it, and I do believe to reach their consciences. Twice He wrote their names in the earth.
Why Revelation 813?
Woah woah woah to earth dwellers.
Isn't that solemn? Why?
The judgment is about to come.
Think about it. Why did the Lord Jesus do this? To bring about repentance.
To bring about repentance, their names touch their conscience.
There are mere earth dwellers, and if you dear friend.
Are still in your sins, and Jesus Christ isn't your Savior.
That is your category.
You are an Earth dweller.
Whoa, whoa, whoa to the inhabitants of the earth when that judgment comes.
Solemn, isn't it? You see, the first man is earthy Adam.
The second was the Lord of heaven, And as is the earthly, so are they that are earthy, and as is the heavenly.
So are they that are heavenly. It's a new life entirely. God's offering you.
Beyond this thing of death, beyond the power, Satan, beyond the grave.
Wonderful, isn't it? Now we're going to turn back to John 8, back to John 8. Let's move on here, John 8.
I will go to 9.
And they, which heard being convicted by their own conscience, went out.
One by one, being the beginning of the eldest, even to the last, Jesus was left alone with a woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus lifted up himself and saw none but the woman.
What a wonderful place for her to be. What a wonderful position she's in, you know, Wonderful. I've been there. Have you ever been alone with Jesus? Just you and him and admit all?
Not just that. You're a Sinner. You're lost. You're helpless. Admit it, he's just ready to.
To give you life eternal. That's what he wants to do. There she stands. You know what he said to her woman?
Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?
And she said no man, Lord, and Jesus said to her.
Neither do I condemn thee.
Go say no more. The Lord never tells anybody to do anything unless He gives them the power to do it.
He said go sin no more.
I've got the power to go through this world without sinning.
I don't do it.
The thought of foolishness convicts me every day, but I could go without singing.
Sitting I got that life. I got a life that now cannot sin when I let that life live.
I don't see it. I only please, God. That's what he wanted for her, you know, it's something very beautiful, she said. No man, Lord.
That's the key.
Turn to Luke again, Luke 23, Luke 23.
This is very beautiful, very important. Luke 23.
And verse 32.
And there were also two other malefactors LED with Jesus to be put to death.
And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him.
And the malefactors, one on the right hand, the other on the left. Then said Jesus.
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Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Did you hear that? Did you hear that?
Father, forgive them.
That's for you.
Those words went right up from that cross to glory. Father heard it. God the Father heard it.
He would do anything for his son, anything for his son. He'll forgive any Sinner for the glory of his son. Think about that.
Those words are coming down now to you from glory. Forgive them.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if everybody tonight left this place forgiven on your way to glory, judgment, free rejoicing? Wouldn't it be wonderful?
I fear it won't be so.
Solemn thing about preaching the gospel. You know the time is close when not only death can take you.
But the shout when the Lord is coming, if he came before, my time's up and I'm watching the clock close.
This room would empty out. Almost.
Wouldn't it be awful if there is any boy or girl sitting here, if there is any man or woman sitting here?
After we all go, this ceiling can't hold me, can't hold any of us, we're going to go.
Well, I'll die.
Then woe, woe, woe to the earth dwellers. The inhabiters of this earth is so solemn. I love the gospel, but I always fear somebody is going to leave lost. It's awful thought, isn't it? All right, turn over to our turnover. I don't know where you're going. 39 verse 39 of Luke 23 and one of the male factors which were hanged railed on Jesus saying, If thou be Christ.
Save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God?
Come unto me all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for my soul.
That's what I'm trying to do tonight. If you don't fear God, you don't have to come. Doesn't make a difference. Come on to me, All you that fear God, I'll tell you what he's done for my soul.
But the other answering does not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation as the one on the Middle Cross.
But we justly not him, but we receive the due reward of our deeds with this man has done nothing of this.
Even Jesus, Judge said three times. I find no fault at all, this man. No fault.
Because there was number fault in him. He's holy. He's sinless.
That's Jesus. That's why God could accept him as a substitute for every Sinner here.
Is perfect, Lamb of God all right? And he said unto Jesus, just like that woman in the temple, Lord.
Have you ever confessed Jesus as Lord?
I hope you have.
Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, and you know.
That thief would have been very happy if Jesus just said I will, I will.
You know, that would have been enough for me. When I realized I was going to hell and I deserved it. When I came and asked for mercy, I got it. I don't have to go to hell. That would have been enough for me. That wasn't enough for the love of God. I've been finding out ever since what grace is. He didn't just save me for from hell. He saved me for glory.
And now he's telling me all about it. Every conference I learn more. I'll never be done learning.
Till we get there, he would have been satisfied if Jesus said I will 2000 years hence or so.
He remembered that thief. But that wouldn't satisfy the Lord of glory. Jesus. No, this day, this day, I'll be with me in paradise. And a wonderful. How long does it take to get saved? Senator, that's enough. That's enough. The fact he has climbed that Sycamore tree. I got a Sycamore tree and I wish it was down. Great big leaves. I mean, it's hard to rake them.
But they're easy to climb.
Was up there, and Jesus said, Zacchaeus, make haste. Come down. You know what Zacchaeus did? He went down a lot faster than he went up. You can come down a tree a lot faster and you go up some place between the branch and the ground. He got saved just like that.
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He's the son of Abraham, said Jesus. Isn't that wonderful? Faith brought him down, and faith saved his soul. That's all you need. And if you think it's just too simple, you got to do something.
So many people think that you can't do anything. If you think just believe exists, you go to heaven.
I feel sorry for you if I'll tell you the remedy. Ask God for the faith to believe. He'll give it to you. For by grace are you saved through faith. That's not of yourself. It's a gift to God. He's just waiting for you to ask. He'll give you the faith to believe and you'll be saved.
Could he do anymore? He can't do it anymore. On that, no. Now there's a verse here for this thief and there's a verse here for that woman. And the verse here for me, and I trust for you. It's John 10 and I think it's verse 13. I'm not, you know 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in thy heart. God raised him from the dead. No doubt about it. Thou shalt be saved. Isn't that wonderful?
You must be saved, we started.
Thou shalt be saved, says God, she said. Lord, this thief, said Lord.
He fulfilled John.
10-9 before it was written.
The wonderful, he said. Lord, he confessed with his mouth. Jesus is Lord, he said, Remember Me when I'll come, as in thy Kingdom He knew he'd raised from the dead. That's all. Very simple, isn't it? Well, I hope you know I know these. I got a story I told before, but I'm going to tell it for these boys.
These boys get me going.
They look big eyes.
Have you ever heard of the Titanic? That unsinkable ship? Yeah, you know, man, God laughs at his calamities. Did you ever hear the Challenger 17 seconds blew up?
Solomon, that I'm not happy about it, but this is the way God does demand sometimes. Well, this Titanic had the richest people on it because it cost a lot to take that first maiden voyage to New York from London. Beautiful ship.
2200 on that chip.
15118 drowned.
It hit an iceberg.
God does that for something awful, and it sunk. And there's hundreds and hundreds of stories out of that sinking. You go library and read them. But the one that touched my heart was a man who found himself in that cold water, and he's afraid he's going to die of freezing. But if he didn't die of freezing, he'd die of drowning. And he thought, if I don't die of drowning, I'm going to die by a shark. I couldn't have thought anything's worse than that.
There he was, hanging on to a piece of driftwood, up and down on those big waves.
All of a sudden he saw another man hanging on to something. I don't know what it was.
He was going on those waves too. He saw this man.
He said I'm John Harper from Glasgow. Are you saved yet?
You know that man didn't know what he's talking about. No, I'm still here in the water, you know.
Nobody saved me, he said. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Thou shalt be saved. You don't have any time.
Whosoever shall call in the name of the Lord shall be saved. You do it then That wave took John Harper back.
This man thought about that. He had gone to Sunday school like you boys, but he never received Jesus a savior.
All of a sudden, that wave brought this man over again. John Harper. There he was. Are you saved yet, friend?
Harper was saved. Not yet. For heaven's sake, believe of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thou shalt be saved. Call on the name of the Lord, no doubt about it. And he went. He disappeared again.
For the third time, just the thing he was adrift on came over. No John Harper.
His fingers got cold. He slipped off. He is gone.
That was enough for this man. That was enough, he called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he got saved. And three years later in Toronto, he stood before a group of people like this that he told about it.
01:00:02
Yeah, he said. I got saved. Not just from drowning. I got saved for all eternity. I only called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I got saved, he said. I want to tell you something.
I'm going to see John Harper of Glasgow again in glory. I'm looking forward to that. But he said I'm his last convert, I'm his last convert.
What about you guys? What about you boys? You're sitting here saying. That's a nice story. You know when a ship was going over just a few years ago, The Titanic.
It was announced. We're now right over the place the Titanic sunk, but I'm telling you, it's too far down.
To be redeemed. It's too far down to be redeemed.
You know there is a man on that ship.
He was an evangelist. He heard that, He wrote on his diary. I read it too far down to be redeemed. Too far down to be redeemed, he said. There isn't a Sinner in this world who's too far down to be redeemed. Isn't that wonderful? Jesus Christ went so far down. Doesn't matter how far you are. You could be redeemed and saved and he'd use that for his gospel on his next gospel.
Isn't that wonderful? No, it's not too far down for you to be redeemed. That's why the gospel is being preached. We better go on turns back to John H I'm going to finish this yet. Oh oh, don't have time. All right, then spake Jesus again. Verse 12. I'm the light of the world, the light of life. And that's just what those hypocrites needed.
Lessons from the Life of Joshua
Address—Gordon Hayhoe
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Glory.
And go forever.
Down to praise are often gold and glowing.
I love the sweetheart of the real brave.
Shall we look to the Lord in prayer?
Our blessed God and our Father, we look up to thee, and thank thee, that thou hast brought us to the knowledge of thyself and of thy love, that love that was so fully revealed that Calvary without it. Give thy beloved Son to accomplish that work of redemption, not only to deliver us from the consequences of our sins, but to bring us into such a wonderful place of relationship with Thee, to know Thy love, to spend eternity in those courts of glory.
The objects of Thy love to enjoy for all eternity. We thank thee for this wondrous grace.
But Lord, we're still here in this wilderness world, and we need thy help and as we have been singing together.
We feel weaker than a bruise. That breed we can't do without thee. Now as said, without me you can do nothing.
And we pray that this little time over, thy precious word might speak to each one of our hearts, and encourage us in the pathway of faith. We thank thee for the privilege that we had this morning of being gathered around Thyself, Lord Jesus, a little foretaste of that coming glory. And we ask thee that our hearts may be more filled with Thy love, thy grace. So we just commend the meeting now to Thee. We think two of those who have started on their homeward journey, and pray that they might carry away a portion.
That will be a health and blessing to them. In the pathway of faith. We ask for thy care over them, and we ask for these things now. And the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Well, brethren, I'd like first of all just to begin by reading Romans 12 and the first verse.
Romans 12 and verse one. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God.
That you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.
Which is your reasonable or intelligent service?
When we think, and I think all of us, especially this morning as we gathered around the Lord Jesus and remembered him and his death, were impressed with the thought of what he had done for us and the wondrous grace that had brought us to himself at so great a cost. And I trust it produced a response. I believe it did in each one of our hearts, that we might recognize that we are not our own. We're bought with such a tremendous price, and we belong to one who loved us but not only loved us but loves us.
And we'll never cease to love us for all eternity, and whose heart will never be satisfied until we are supremely blessed.
But we have in this wilderness world many lessons that we learn or should be learning, because in the sense we're in the school of God. When we get saved, we enter the school of God. We never graduate here. There are no diplomas, but there are lessons to be learned along the way. And I trust with the Lord's help, he will enable us to see a few of these lessons. And I'd like to just look at the life of Joshua.
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As the one who gives us some of these lessons, Lessons that we all have to learn.
Some are very humbling, some are very encouraging. And that's so in all our lives. There are those things that humble us, that prove us, that show what is in our hearts. But there are also those lessons that teach us of God's wonderful grace and patience and make him more precious to our hearts. And I trust that as we look at this life of Joshua, we will be encouraged as well as being warned by what we see brought out in his life.
Well, the first time we're introduced to Joshua is in the book of Exodus and the 17th chapter. But I won't begin just with this. I'd like to speak a little bit about what must have happened before this first mention of his name. We know that Joshua belonged to the nation of Israel, and we know that they were slaves there in the land of Egypt under the servitude, the Pharaoh king of Egypt. And it was a bitter and a hard *******.
But God, in his mercy and grace, provided a way that they would be sheltered from the judgment that fell upon Egypt and also delivered from Egypt, brought out through the wilderness and brought into the land that God had purpose for them to enter into and enjoy. And so, although there's no mention about Joshua personally, we know that he must have been one who was under the shelter of the blood, otherwise he wouldn't have been found there in the wilderness with the people of God.
And so I trust, as I begin to speak, that if there's anyone here who hasn't been sheltered by the precious blood of Christ, who doesn't yet know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior, that this day might be the day the Lord said, this month shall be unto you the beginning of months, it shall be the first month of the year. To you take unto you every man a lamb. And so, if you appropriate the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus is your Savior.
You will be sheltered from the judgment that God is pronounced upon this world.
God is appointed today in which you will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.
He's a risen savior. He's the Lamb of God. How do you know him as your savior? Joshua did. Joshua was sheltered under the blood. But then God didn't intend that his people should stay in Egypt. Egypt pictures to us in the scripture, the world in all its glory. And you know, when we were first saved, sometimes the world holds out an attraction and we find it hard to break with those things. And Pharaoh suggested that they could worship in the land of Egypt.
He suggests that they only go a little way from the land of Egypt. He suggested to the parents that they leave their children there.
Let them make their own choice later if they wanted to go. But Moses said no. We'll take our little ones. We'll take our flocks and our herds. We won't leave anything behind. And the Lord Jesus died that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father. And so Joshua came out. He's identified, no doubt joining in the singing. Hello. His name is not mentioned.
When they sang on the banks of the Red Sea, the Lord hath triumphed gloriously the horse, and his writer has he thrown into the sea the Lord and even sung about the wilderness journey, if it were as if it were passed. It says, Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. Such was their confidence that they could speak of it as though the wilderness journey were all past, although there was such a.
A wonderful time there on the banks of the Red Sea and I think we had a very.
Very happy time here. This morning there was so much praise and the Lord drew our hearts out to himself and we realized that although we're still here in Vineland, that our home is not really here, it's in the glory. Well, the children of Israel had experiences and we have experiences too, in which we discover those two things. We discover our own weakness and we discover that the Lord is an all sufficient Savior.
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So if you turn to Exodus 17, we have the first mention of Joshua.
Verse 8. Exodus 17 verse 8.
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rapidum. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand.
On the top of the hill of God, with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek and Moses. Aaron and her went up to the top of the hill, and it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed.
And when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Well, here we say, as here we see, as I say, the first introduction introduction to Joshua. There's a battle with Amalek, and I believe Amalek in the Scripture figures to us Satan's power over us through the fallen nature within Every one of us have that fallen nature within. And Satan cease to work upon that fallen nature, and he would like to overcome us. It's interesting in another place that tells us.
That Amalek smote behind her, most of them people that were out on the fringes that really weren't staying close to the center. They were the ones that were particularly caught with Amalek. But we're all in danger of it. It doesn't matter where we are. Amalek is a very real enemy.
And we all have to discover that the flesh profits nothing. The flesh in me is no better than the flesh in the vilest Sinner in this whole world.
I had two eggs here and I had two rotten eggs and I dropped one on the floor to make an awful smell.
But the other one that sits there, unbroken, is no better than the one that fell on the floor. It didn't all come out, but nevertheless it was all there.
And Janelle brethren, where none of us can boast and say I'm better than that other person, I wouldn't do that. Peter tried that, and he had to find out he was no better. Well, we have that lesson to learn. The flesh profit us nothing. And so, dear Joshua, he's chosen here to be a captain, to lead the people of God. But the victory depended on Moses and Aaron up in the hills.
And you know, that's the secret, brethren, that you and I cannot go on in the pathway of faith. We won't have strength to meet the difficulties. If it wasn't that there is a man in the glory. It says we have a great high priest. He's touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He says he supplies grace. We can come boldly to the throne of grace if I obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
But when we don't avail ourselves of that, it's just like the time when Moses hand went down. And when Moses hand went down, Amalek was winning. Where we don't ask the Lord's help when we feel I'm young, I can handle this situation. I know how far to go. I I wouldn't do that. That's when we're in great danger. But when we get down on our knees, or even without getting on our knees, look up and say, Lord, keep me, preserve me, O God, for indeed do I put my trust.
He's able, brethren, to keep us. Amalek won't prevail. Amalek will be defeated. But that wasn't all. There's some other side tells us that Moses had two hands on the other hand. On the other side, there was a hand that never came down.
That was the hand of advocacy. And there might be some Christian here. And you say, well, I've made a kind of a mess of my life. I've spoiled it. But there's another hand. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And I want to encourage anyone that's getting away. There is one who is able to restore you if you have failed and I have failed. And we do to ask his help. We have a query. Self confident people by nature.
And when if we fail to ask his help, don't give up, don't give up, he restoreth my soul. Dear Peter, was restored, brought two beautiful epistles that bring before us the governmental ways of God. And so there is a blessing when we acknowledge that we have failed and come back and are in restored into happy communion. So it says the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
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We're living in a different generation from that my father lived in. Some of you young people are living in a generation.
That I'm not long out going to leave, but it's a difficult generation.
But it doesn't matter what generation it is, the Lord is the same for every generation.
And as there are multiplied difficulties in 1995, why the Lord is sufficient for them. Don't. Don't think that because it's a different age that the Lord can't help you and give you the grace that you need and restore you if you failed. Here we find Joshua and I might mention too, he was a leader.
He was a leader, and you know, none of us liveth to himself and none of us dieth to himself, He might say, Well, it's my business, my nobody has anything to say about what I do. That's that's just my business. But we don't live to ourselves. Your life is either an influence, for good or otherwise. My life is either an influence for good or otherwise. We are not just individuals and in the truth of God, We're a part of the body of Christ.
The hand can't have no need of the foot and so we have to remember this.
And some young people are more leaders than others. Well, it's more important than. But you said a good example to the other young people and us older ones too. Well, these are the lessons we can learn because God not only teaches us by doctrine. That's what I enjoy about the word of God. Every time I read a story in the Bible, I try to fit myself as if I were Joshua, as if I was right there. And I felt all the pressures of the situation just as he felt them. And the whole thing becomes a reality.
It's just a mention of names, because God, as I say, not only teaches us by doctrine, but he teaches us by living examples, people of like passions with ourselves. And so this I trust we can see a little bit about Joshua, and perhaps that's the beginning.
As I say, this is the first time he's mentioned and he was under the shelter of the blood. He was delivered out of Egypt. He was with the people of God. But now he has to learn or in some measure learned This lesson. The flash profit of nothing, but also the lesson that there is help available. There is restoration available too. How blessed this is. Well, this is what we see as the first thing in the life of Joshua.
Now if you turn over to the book of numbers, we find him again.
Well, perhaps it's in Exodus first of all, Exodus.
Yes, Exodus Chapter 32.
Verse 17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses.
There is a noise of war in the camp, and he said it is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome, but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
Well, I just mentioned this little particular instance. I think it's the next time we read about Joshua. We see him concerned about what was going on among the people of God, and that was a very good thing that he should be concerned. As I mentioned the verse, none of us live us to himself and no man dies to himself. We need to be concerned about the things that are going on among the people of God and whether we can be a help or a hindrance. We see how that there was a necessity here.
To be responsible and to be separate from that which was wrong, and it is important too, that.
Sometimes it's not easy to. It wasn't very easy on this occasion. Sometimes even their brothers and sisters, if I had read the whole chapter, would be against them.
And sometimes you have to stand kind of alone for the Lord. You just have to be faithful with love in your heart. You still have to be faithful. They use literal swords here. But the Bible says and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. That's the only offensive weapon the believer has. You don't attack people. We just have the scripture and we take the word of God as our active weapon. And so here we find Joshua. Now is tested.
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About what's going on, but by the grace of God, he's faithful. Now we come to the next chapter.
In the seventh verse.
And Moses took the Tabernacle and pitched it without the camp, far off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass that everyone which sought the Lord went out under the Tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. And it came to pass, when Moses went out under the Tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses until he was gone into the Tabernacle.
The 10th verse and all the people saw the cloudy pillars stand at the Tabernacle door.
And all the people rose up, and worshiped every man in his tent door. And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.
And he turned again into the camp. But his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tabernacle of the congregation fell. Here we find in what we just noticed before that they had to be faithful now because.
People had fallen into the worship of the golden calf, but now we find where the.
Tabernacle was pitched outside the camp, and we all are acquainted with that passage in Hebrews 13.
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
It doesn't seem that there was very many that went out there. It says everyone that sought the Lord.
Most of them preferred to worship in their tent door. That is, they didn't go out to the place where the Lord was, because those that sought the Lord went out. Well, Joshua might have been influenced at this time. Maybe some of his friends chose not to go out there. But why did Joshua go there? He sought the Lord. He sought the Lord. And I would say that our purpose I trust in being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Isn't just that all our friends are there, that we like the people that are there because we might be disappointed sooner or later, but because the Lord is there. That's the thing and the only thing that will keep us. And I think if you had said to Joshua, why are you there? Don't you see? A lot of your friends don't prefer that place at all. It's a kind of a rejected place. You know, Joshua, he would say, well, the Lord is there. That's why I'm there. And that's the only thing.
Brethren, that will keep us. We do get disappointed.
We do get hurt and it's right that we should feel sad.
Because there are only perhaps two or three here. There's a nice company together. But as many of you return to the little assemblies where you are gathered, maybe there isn't very much company, much companionship and some of the actual Why are you there? Why are you there? Don't you like to have a lot of fellowship? Yes. Yeah, I like to have a lot of fellowship. I'm sure we've all enjoyed the fellowship of these meetings. Well, why? Well, the Lord said to Peter when some went back, he said.
Will ye also go away? And Peter said, Lord, to whom? Not where? To whom shall we go?
Thou has the words of eternal life, and we believe in our sure that Thou art the Christ. And so I believe the only thing that will keep us is the blessed knowledge of that and the enjoyment of that. Well, here we find Joshua put to the test. We've seen him put to the test about the flash. We've seen him put to the test when there was war in the camp, whether he was going to be faithful.
He was concerned and now he's put to the test as to separation, whether he's going to continue in the past that where the Tabernacle is. All those that sought the Lord went out onto the Tabernacle of the congregation which was without the camp. That was the drawing card. Who may the Lord grant that we'll value that great and wonderful privilege that is given to us to be where the Lord Jesus?
In the mid, well, we also find in numbers. Now let's turn over to numbers.
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And.
We find here.
In the 12Th chapter of Numbers.
And Melissa and Aaron. And Miriam. And Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married. For he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said at the Lord spoken only by Moses hath he not spoken also by us. And the Lord heard it. Why just mention this little case? Because it's a it's interesting that the name of Joshua is absent here. He didn't get mixed up in this affair.
There was a certain feeling, perhaps we could call it a personal feeling about a personal matter. And he was careful not to get involved. You know, there are tests come, and we can get very involved in people's personal affairs. And sometimes we just have to leave things with the Lord, not interfere in people's personal affairs. And I think it's interesting to see that Hello, poor Miriam and Aaron got mixed up in this, and the Lord has to have the deal. We find that.
Absence of Joshua in this situation.
Very often a lot of trouble comes because we get mixed up in other people's personal affairs rather than isn't it a warning to leave those things with the Lord? If it's a question of the holiness of God's house or something, then we have to be concerned, but not in things like that. Well, I think there's a little lesson for us and let's see the 13th chapter we see again.
The first verse And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou man, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel.
Of every tribe of their fathers shall he send a man, everyone a ruler among them.
And so we find the name of Joshua here in the eighth verse.
It says, oh geez, here, but it's really Joshua of the tribe of Ephraim.
Hosea or Joshua, it really is the Son of None. Well, this is a very beautiful occasion. We find that Moses was going to send in a representative from each of the 12 tribes to search out this good land that God was going to give to his people. They were still in the wilderness and we were still in the wilderness. But as we read, as we have been reading something of what we have in Christ, we're blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.
We're members of the body of Christ or espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ.
We have been talking and enjoying what we have in Christ and the glorious future that is ahead of us, when the church will be presented A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And we find that Joshua was one who was chosen here to go and spy out the land. And they went into the land and they found two things in the land. But first of all, what I want to bring out is that he was one of the ones.
Who was sent? The scripture says where no vision is, the people perish.
And I think that because Joshua had seen that good land and had brought back some of the fruit of it, that it really so filled his heart that he could endure a lot of the difficulties of the wilderness. He dwelled upon that Good Lamb. We've been talking about the Good Lamb that God has given to us. We can dwell upon that, or we can dwell upon the hardships of trying to follow a rejected Christ. So there were 12 men that went in there.
And some of them were greatly impressed by the Gentile, by the giants that they saw.
The high wall cities and all the problems about ever possessing that land. But Joshua was impressed by all the good things that were in that land, and he said the Lord is well able to bring us into that land. Now let's see in the next chapter, we'll see a little bit about the report.
They read in the first verse of the 14th chapter and all the congregation. Well, perhaps I should read.
The 31St verse of the 13th chapter. But the man that went up with him said, we be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, the land which we have gone to search, it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, and all the people that we saw in it were of our great stature.
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And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which cometh the giants. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. And so we were in their sight. And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried. And all the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole congregation said unto them, what God we had died in the land of Egypt, would God We had died in this wilderness.
The Lord brought us into this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey. Were it not better for us to return into Egypt. And he said, one to another, let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel, and Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jefuna, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes, and they spake.
To all the company of the children of Israel saying the land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land.
If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not she against the Lord, neither fury the people of the land. For they are bred for us, and their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us, fear them not. And all the congregation bad stone them with stones, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
In the Tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
What a difference in the report that some brought back. Some of them only saw the giants. Some of them only saw the walls, and they compared themselves to these giants. They felt like grasshoppers beside them. But Caleb and Joshua, particularly Joshua I speak of, he didn't compare himself to the giants that he saw. He compared the Lord to the giants. The giants were the grasshoppers compared with the Lord.
And you know, that's the thing. If we compare ourselves to the difficulties, sometimes they do seem insurmountable. There are some pretty big giants that really are a hindrance to us enjoying the things of God. Your giant may be different from mine. There were different giants in that land, you know.
And but as far as Caleb and Joshua, and I'm speaking particularly of Joshua, was concerned, he doesn't say anything about those people, he said. They're just bread for us. He said the Lord delights in us. He'll give us the land. He's stronger than all those giants. And so brazen, isn't it? So we can look at all the difficulties. One person said to me just recently, I believe brethren worship in the right way.
But there's too much trouble among them. And the person, this person has allowed themselves to get away from the Lord and the Lord's table because they saw the giants. I admit there are giants. There were giants. Goliath, slula. David slew one of them. And there were some real giants. But the Lord is greater. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. And I beseech you, my brethren, and you, dear young people.
I know it's difficult to follow the Lord and it's becoming harder and it's going to become harder as the Lords coming draws nearer. We're going to face, I believe, more and more opposition. But is it? It's 1000 times worth of as dear Mr. Darby said, the walk of faith is 1000 times worthwhile, even if it were harder than it is because to walk in company with the Lord Jesus through this world, enjoying his company, enjoying his love and looking forward to the possession of that land.
That's everything. Well, they didn't just say this to themselves, but it's nice to see that they still the people. They talked about the good land. And So what is our conversation about? Well, you know, brethren, it's easy to get talking about all the problems and difficulties, isn't it? But it's good to talk about how richly we're blessed in Christ, the unsearchable riches of Christ. And I think every one of us have enjoyed these meetings, not because we've talked about the difficulties, but because we've talked about our portion in Christ.
And how?
It's a good land and they brought back some of the fruit of that land, you know that.
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Bunch of grapes that it took two men to carry and all the good fruit of the land for them to taste and enjoy.
Is that what? Is that what you and I carry?
When we carry, when we meet people, what do we carry? Do we carry something of the sweetness and preciousness of Christ, or do we get occupied with the giants? Well, may the Lord grant that we'll be like Joshua on this occasion. I think it's lovely to see the stand that he took and how he talked about all these wonderful things and still the people.
And how the Lord in his mercy undertook for them.
Well, and we find if we go over to the book of Deuteronomy 31.
The seventh verse.
And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel.
Be strong, and if a good courage, for thou must go with his people unto the land which the Lord has sworn unto their fathers to give them, and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord he it is that doth go before thee, He will be with thee. He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee.
Fear not, neither. Be discouraged. Well, I think this is lovely, Joshua. I mean, Moses was at the end of his life journey here. We know he wasn't able to enter the Promised land. And perhaps it's worth noticing the reason that he couldn't was because he lost his patience with the people of God. Just once, just once. He lost his patience with the people of God.
No matter how much is said and done, never ask the Lord to help you never lose your patience with the people of God because he's always patient with them and he's patient with us, and we need to exercise that Patience. Says you have needed patience that after ye have done the will of God that you might receive the promise. How easy it is to say, oh, everything just makes me so mad. That's why it says Prep. Not thyself in any wise to do evil.
We get worried and upset. First thing you know, we're going to say, oh, I just get so annoyed.
Don't. God loves his people. No matter what happens, he still loves them. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Moses, who was the representative of God to the people, lost his patience once. And the Lord said Moses, you can't lead the people in. I haven't lost my patience with the people. I love them still. I'm going to give them that good land, and you should represent me well. It's nice to see that Moses encouraged Joshua.
And Joshua was given grace to go on. And I'm sure if you think of Joshua as a person, it must have been very difficult for him at times to go on with the people and hear the murmuring and see all that was happening. But he always had in view that good land. And now John Moses is encouraging him. Now let's turn over to Joshua one.
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass. The Lord spake unto Joshua the son of nun, Moses minister, saying, Moses, my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan thou and all his people unto the land, which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel, every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given.
Unto you as I said unto Moses, from the wilderness, and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates.
All the land of the Hittites, and under the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your cause. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life.
As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage, for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I swear unto their fathers. Well, in this chapter we see the Lord himself encouraging Joshua. You know Moses had died. Sometimes there is some person that we've leaned on. I often think of older ones that I could look to and.
00:40:11
I could go and ask them advice. They're gone now. But the Lord is still there, brethren. And sometimes we say, oh, well, there used to be an older brother in the assembly. He was such a help. He's gone now. Yes. And who? Responsibility falls upon those who are younger and many of the ones who are coming into that, shall I say class. Where they feel well, the older ones are gone now. Isn't it nice to see?
Moses encouraged him before he was taken, but now the Lord encourages him, and I might say three times in this chapter.
Once by telling him that he needed to know how much of the land belonged to him, the next time encouraging him in the path of obedience, and the next time encourage him with a sense of his presence. Isn't that nice? We need to know the extent of the land that God has given to us. Blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, we also need to walk in obedience or we won't have courage.
And then we also need to have the enjoyment of the Lord's company with us.
He'll never leave us, nor forsake us. Well, Joshua now is encouraged in this.
And he leads them in, just to notice another little instance here in the 5th chapter.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him, with his sword drawn in his hand. And Joshua went unto him and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay, but as captain of the Lord's host am I now come? And Joshua fell on his face, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?
And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Lose thy shoe from off thy feet foot, for the place where I'm thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. But this was surely a needed lesson for Joshua. He might at this point have felt very important that the Lord had chosen him to be a leader, that all the people look to him as the God appointed leader. But he needed to learn that he was nothing.
And that he must get all his directions from the Lord. He must get all his directions from the Lord. And so here the Lord appears to him, and He doesn't recognize him. And he said, Art thou for us or for our adversaries? Sometimes it might seem to us. And well, why doesn't the Lord seem to be for us when we're trying to do what we believe is pleasing to Him? He tests us, brethren, He tests us. But He's always for us. He's always for us, in the path of obedience.
And that was what Joshua needed to learn that we are nothing and it doesn't matter how long we've gone on.
In the path Joshua lived to be, well, 115 years old, I believe it is. We'll notice at the end of his life he lived to be 115 years old. It didn't matter how old he was. He was the captain, visibly we might say of the people, but the real captain was the Lord Jesus himself. It tells us in Hebrews that the Lord Jesus is the captain of our salvation, bringing many sons to glory. Let us never think that we're so important that we don't have to.
Acknowledge the Lord's authority in our lives and for our direction.
If we need him, we need thee here. Each hour of need shall need thee want thee to in glory. We're going to feel our need. And so I believe the Lord was teaching Joshua a lesson. He says take off your shoes, off your feet. Long ago, Moses had that experience too. He had to take off his shoes. If he was going to be use of God to lead the people out of Egypt, he hadn't better get occupied with. I'm a pretty important person. I was the one that brought them out.
He gets in bare feet, and the Lord said, you haven't seen everything. I have seen the affliction of my people.
I am come down to deliver them. I made man's mouth. I'll teach you what to say.
We have nothing of ourselves, and Joshua needed to learn. We all have to learn that lesson, brethren, that we're nothing in ourselves, and the Lord is teaching this to Joshua. Now we have another little lesson. I believe, that he learned in the 9th chapter.
00:45:05
Perhaps you could read this? Seems to me quite an important lesson read from the first verse.
And it came to pass, when all the kings that were on this side Jordan in the hills and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of of the great sea, over against Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perazite, the Hiveite, the Jebusite, heard thereof. Yet they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua, and with Israel with one accord. And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho, and at to AI.
They did work wildly, and went and made as if they were had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their ***** and wine bottles old and Brent.
And bound up in all shoes, and clouded upon their feet, and all garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp of Gilgal, and said unto him, And to the men of Israel, we become from a far country. Now therefore make he a league with us. And the man of Israel said unto the Hiveites her adventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a league with you?
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? And from whence come ye? And he said unto him, From afar very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God.
We have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt and all that he did to the 2 Kings of the Amorites.
That were beyond Jordan, and to Sihan king of Heshbon, and to Ogg, king of Basian, which was at Ashtaroth, Where for our elders and all the inhabitants of our country speak to us, saying, take vittles, and with you and for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them we are your servants. Where therefore now making a league with us, It's our bread. We took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day that we came forth to go.
Unto you but now.
Behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy. And these bottles of wine which we felt were new, and behold, they are they be rent, and these are garments. And our shoes are become old by a reasonable, very long journey. And the man took of their vittles, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, and let them live in the Princess of the congregation. Swear unto them.
Well, perhaps this is one of the recorded failures in Joshua's life. And the Lord just before this met him with a drawn sword and told him to take his shoes off his feet and acknowledge that the Lord was the captain of the host. But it seems at this time that Joshua forgot that and he didn't consult the captain of the host who was really the Lord himself. The people asked not.
Counsel at the Lord.
Wasn't this a very good story, though? Didn't it seem very logical and very good and very right? Brother, Isn't it true? There's a lot of stories go around. A lot of stories sometimes were guilty of listening to stories and not asking counsel of the Lord who you see, I've got to hear the other side. Well, I'm not talking about hearing the other side. I'm talking about asking counsel at the Lord. That's the important thing, brethren, asking councils.
Because it's often said there's three sides. There's your side and my side, but there's the Lords side, and it's the Lords side that counts. It's what he says that counts. And this was the failure of Joshua? He asked. Not council. Wasn't he a very wonderful help to the people of God? Yes, he stands out in the divine record. His name means Jesus. He stands out in the divine record. But the flash is the flesh. And it doesn't matter who we are, we still have the flesh within us. Oh brethren, how important that we.
Turn to the word of God for our direction and ask counsel at the Lord.
Till these things come up in all our lives when we meet these kind of situations and we hear a lot of things. But let's rely upon this precious book that gives us direction and God has given us also prayer that we can we find in the book of Luke where the Lord Jesus is presented to us as the dependent man seven times the perfect dependent man is found in prayer. We find that precious one who could stay that.
00:50:02
That his his word.
Was the joy and rejoicing of his heart. The precious Savior said he wouldn't say a word. He said. He said, I have not spoken of myself, but the Father, which gave me a commandment for what I should say and what I should speak. Think of that Blessed One, the perfect example for us, who never said a word, never did anything about his meat, was to do the will of Him that sent him. Well, this was a real difficulty.
And we see how that Moses failed on this location later on.
Saul tried to set it right in a rash way, but sometimes there are things we have to submit to in the governmental ways of God.
There's some things we have to leave with the Lord. We may not be able to set them right. We know that. As I say, Saul tried to, and the Lord wasn't pleased with the effort he made to try and set things right on a fleshly way. The flesh profiteth nothing, but there's a bright note, brethren, According to what I understand, if I'm correctly informed, these afterwards are called an ethonyms, and the methonyms are seen because they were made assures of wood and drawers of water in the House of the Lord. They resigned themselves to this happy service.
And when there was a recovery from the land of Babylon and they came back, there was a lot of methods among them that were faithful to the Lord. There's always a bright note when we submit to the ways of God, when we submit and take directions from him. Just go on. It's a great thing, obedience and submission in our lives. And although we may not at once see the result, there always is a happy result. And so these dear anathems afterwards.
Became very useful, and you'll find the mentioned on several occasions. And they were faithful, sometimes more faithful than those who were in a more privileged position. Now let's turn over to the end of the book, because we just about finished, and I'd like to say a little bit here at the very end, the last chapter of Joshua.
And the 15th verse.
And it would seem evil unto you to serve. The Lord choose you this day, whom he shut will serve.
Whether the gods which your father's served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell.
But As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
That is, we find it was. I believe, if I could say this, it was a personal decision on the part of Joshua and his house. We can't decide for other people. We find that when Abram went out and helped a lot in his problem and delivered him when the Kings had come and carried Lottaway captive.
Then he was offered great things by the king of Babylon, and he said he he had lifted up his hand to the Lord, that he wouldn't take either a threat or a shoe latch it from them, he said.
Because he had received his riches from the Lord and so he wouldn't accept anything.
But he didn't decide for the others. He said Let the young man choose for themselves. And so, brethren, I can't choose for you and you can't choose for me. But you can seek with the Lord's help to say that you want to put the Lord first. Now I say it's a daily thing. It isn't something that we can say once for all, but we can look up to the Lord and say, Lord Jesus, I want to give thee first place in my life.
He is worthy. Sometimes there's a danger of trying to push other people beyond their exercises behind their faith. And so he said, As for me, in my house, he'll serve the Lord. I think he showed a very beautiful spirit here because sometimes people feel pushed by others, and I don't want to push anybody here, but I want to encourage you to make this decision. As for me, in my house we will serve the Lord. We can't do it in our own strength. Joshua learned that.
Just a short time before, he had not asked counsel at the Lord and he made a serious mistake. And it doesn't matter who we are. If we meet a situation that we don't ask counsel at the Lord. If we go in our own wisdom, say, well, I followed the Lord for many years. I'm sure I wouldn't make a bad decision at this point. We might. We might.
We're daily in need of Him. Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust should be our daily prayer.
00:55:03
For this one thing more we notice here.
On the 29th verse.
And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being 110 years old, And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timna Sira, which is in mount Ephraim on the north side of the hail of Gayish. And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, which had known all the works of the Lord, which he had done for them.
There seems to be a rather sad note there.
That they leaned on Joshua, and as long as he was alive, they served the Lord all the days of Joshua.
But if we were to go on, we'd see that after he was gone, then there was a change took place. Why did the change took place? Did it need to take place? No. They were leaning on Joshua. And, brethren, may the Lord teach us this lesson. We must lean on the Lord. He's the only one that we can safely lean upon. And if we lean upon him, he'll never fail. Trust ye and the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. You can safely lean on him, But if there's some brother or some sister that you're leaning on.
We read in there, we've been reading at home in the Kings and we've noticed how sometimes it'll say.
If one of the kings, I think it was ASAP, I'm not too sure. But there was one of them and as long as there was a high priest that was a very godly man, he leaned on him. But when the priest was Jehoiada, but when Jehoiada died, then he departed. And I encourage you if there's some person that you're leaning on, some brothers, some sister, and you say, well, I can trust them, they're godly people.
The Lord may remove that crop. And the Lord is teaching you, and He's teaching me. We must lean upon him. It says the term God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms you can never get below those everlasting arms. They're always there. But let's be sure we lean on them and not lean on a Joshua or a Moses or anyone. Only upon the Lord. He's worthy. He's given himself for us. We'll meet his little lessons from the life of Joshua.
God is teaching us through the lives of these men those things that we all need to learn in our pathway. Here may the Lord give us grace to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn of Him. We just close in prayer.
Gracious God, our Father, we thank you that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope, and surely we have hope. Lord Jesus, thou does never change. We change, but thou does never change. Thou art the same yesterday and today and forever. Thy love, thy faithfulness, thy intercession, is ever there for us. We can say, like David, he restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake.
And we thank you to the end of the journey, and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever. We do thank thee for all the wonderful provision that has been made for us. And we just pray, Lord, for each one of us speak for as well as hearers, that these lessons of thy word might touch our hearts, and that we might be constrained by thy love to live unto Thee. Lord Jesus, we ask it in thy precious and worthy name. Amen.
Ephesians 2:11-13
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Two and verse 10.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision, and the flesh made by hands, that at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel.
And stranger from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flush the enmity even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, or to making himself of twain 1 Newman, so making peace.
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nine. For through him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father.
00:05:11
Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
And whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.
In whom he also are buildeth together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit.
Thank you.
Well, works have no heart in salvation. But there are those works, the good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. They are not good works unless they're according to His Word. It must be in that path that He has marked out by the direction of His Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit. So before one is saved, there are no good works. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
But when we are saved, and there is a path marked out for us, and we find that in the word of God we have the power by the Holy Spirit, and it is God who works in US false to will and to do of His good pleasure.
You can Titus chapter 2 along that line.
Verse 13.
Titus 213 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God.
And our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. That's the purpose. And you know in Hebrews.
13 of Hebrews 15 Hebrews 15 We've got the proper order and you know.
When?
Mary groped at elevast. A box.
Hebrews 15 But I'm not reading from there. I'm thinking a minute. I'm sorry, Hebrews 13. I didn't turn yet or I would have had it. Right. Sorry. I was thinking, everybody's correcting me around here.
But that's nice, isn't it? Anyways, I'll talk about Mary, they said. Why this waste?
Lord and so that's our way, that's worship. She has brought a good work upon me. That's number one. So in Hebrews 13 verse.
15 Is by him. Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lives, giving thanks to His name, that is first. That's first always present worship 1St, and then 16 But to do good and communicate forget not.
For with such sacrifices, God is well pleased, you know, That's part of it. I mean, actually we should be living and showing Christ. That brings in good work. Actually, the formula goes a little farther, a little further. The first thing is where. That would be verse 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. Now there's that's a 13th verse, and there's 13 words.
And the heart of it is him That's the center that's in the midst person. And then you've got the place, and then comes worship, and then works after it. Now you read in the second chapter of Titus. I had opened my Bible to the same book, but it's in the third chapter. And every find in verse 8. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly.
That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works, and I think that includes what we do for people and fathers, and even in the end of this chapter in verse 14 and let ours, that is his fellow laborers, also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses.
00:10:26
That they be not unfruitful. You know the idea that prevails in Christendom and somebody wants to serve the Lord. It is below his dignity to work with his hands. That is not what was called custom, nor his fellow laborers for necessary uses. That men that they were providing for their own needs plus for the needs of others. Now we know that those who preach to God will also have a right to live from it. And we shouldn't muscle the Ox's mouth that fed his corn. That's true.
But these passages clearly show that.
It might well be that a servant might have to labor like Paul himself did and those associated with him. There is no dishonor in working, you know. And it might well be that one serves the Lord and at the same time provide for his needs and the needs of others. That's all good works, I like to say, for the young people, and we don't point them out. But when I was young, I used to think I had to be doing something great. You know, we all think that when we're young we got to do something great.
But it isn't the great thing that that's the good work in God. Fight anything that he gives you to do the least little thing. If that's His will for you, the Lord will say that's a good word, but don't look for the big things. Anything he wants you to do. If it's His will, it's a good work. Big in the ditch, digging in a ditch or praying for the man that's digging. Either way, that's a good word, right?
It's lots of fun, the bigger dish.
But in our tenth verse it says we are his workmanship. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
So that they enlarge on a bit I was thinking of.
The thought here for we are his workmanship. Who created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Now we've been created in Christ Jesus unto those good works. Now where do we get the power or the ability to follow out what God has brought us into? Well, I think if you look at Second Timothy, we see there a little picture.
Of what we have, notice two Timothy Chapter 3.
I won't read all of it. I just read the last two verses of that chapter. All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
And is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Notice verse 17, that the man of God may be perfect, truly furnished unto all good works. So God has brought us into this place of his it's his workmanship. And he gives the the ability to carry out that workmanship, because all scripture is given by inspiration of God, And that is it says we're furnished.
In other words, it's like to like a vessel that is has all its parts, an instrument with all its parts, it's all equipped to do that, to follow out. And so God has equipped his people for that very good word. But why is it not always followed? Because we're not always adhering to the word of God and the provision that God has made for us. Don't you think there is a sort of a contrast that is drawn here?
We are His workmanship. We had absolutely nothing to do with salvation. That was a work of God.
He worked the work of his beloved Son on the cross, and we wouldn't have even come if He hadn't drawn us. We wouldn't have faith if He had given it, if he hadn't given it to us where His workmanship. Every one of us who are saved here today don't claim one thing that we contributed to that salvation. It was totally and completely a work of God. But now He has brought us into His family, He's given us the very life of Christ, and we have the Holy Spirit as power now in His word we have direction about those things that are pleasing to Him.
00:15:06
And whether it's the natural things of life or to provide things honest in the sight of all men, whether it's the way we're to assemble, whether it's the way I'm to act as a husband or a wife, to act as a wife, we're not left to our own thoughts. God has foreordained. He's given us instruction for everything. The Christian pathway is one of obedience, but it's happy and loving obedience because he's given us this new life. And I believe that's what's taken up in Titus.
And.
They were thinking after they got saved that they had to go under law and make certain rules for their lives. But what he's developing in Titus is that it's the washing of regeneration. There's an entirely new order brought into our lives now, and he said you must emphasize that so that people would realize that there's an entirely new order, there's a new object, there's a new way of doing things. Everything is to be done according to God's plan.
But giving him all the glory because just as he worked for our salvation.
So he has given us the new life and the power to produce those good works. So it's producing, it really involves everything, whether it's the way I conduct myself in my home, whether it's the way we assemble or whether it's the way we preach the gospel or whether it's the context that we have in business.
1/2 Marked out Brethren, He's given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, and then go ahead. Well, I was just thinking, in contrast with that the 1St Corinthians. 313 And it speaks there of the responsibility side. Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's worth of what sort it is.
That would be, as you point out, Brother Gordon, the carrying out of the equipment that God has provided for us to do it. But every one of us here today is going to be examined, that work is going to, that we're doing, is going to be examined in the light of what has been provided for us. Now the path that you're referring to, Brother Norman, has to do really with the activities.
Went into building of that which is for God the church, but it extends beyond that. I was thinking before I was saved or before inner are saved. What is our motive in working? You know, we want to improve our circumstances. You know, we might even want to enrich ourselves. Is that to be a motive? When it comes to my work as a Christian, I bring the Lord into my life.
There is a different attitude now.
And whatever I do in Word, or indeed I want to do it for the glory of God, that is, even in connection with my everyday duties, my employment, and even the boys and girls here. You can go to the school and be in school for the glory of God, you know? Do you want to be a good student so that you can show off or show how much smarter you are than somebody else or?
Do you want to do it because you belong to the Lord Jesus? And when you get assignments in school, you want to do these assignments because it brings glory to the Lord. If you do them properly, follow direction. The same in at home when Dad and Mark give you things to do at home.
What's the motive? I want to please the Lord Jesus said. Thanks and all together. Different perspective into our lives and it makes even duties that might naturally be.
Disliked by us, we do them with pleasure because we do it for the Lord Jesus. What a difference that makes. And in all of these things we can bring glory to him. That is the difference, isn't it?
Now, it couldn't possibly be without God having brought in a change in us to make us a new creature so that we have a different outlook, a different motive in life that we didn't have before.
When our work is called a good work, if the fruit of the spirit, it has to be to be called the good word. When it's just the work that's the flesh, and I think in Galatians 55 is brought out very clear.
00:20:14
Verse 19 Now notice the wordage. Now the work of the flesh are manifest. 17 things lifted. A characteristic list. Not all inclusive. What's the first? Adultery.
Not because it's alphabetic, because witchcraft comes ahead of hatred, but because there is spiritual adultery that God's more concerned about than the moral adults.
Spiritual adultery is a terrible thing in God's sight, you know, He says I'm a jealous God. And that's the thought. But all these things are work because it's flesh, whether it's in the things of God or our flex is worse. Now notice first verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit, That's different. That's not worse. It's a good work if it's the fruit of the spirit, but it's of the Spirit and it's always good work. There's a difference.
In the singular.
Do we read our Bibles?
As a rule book and do we present it to others as a rule book or our children?
Or do we read it and and see it as a promised book?
Because all these things that are set for us to do that are good works. We have everything. God will complete his promises.
Says of Abraham. I think it's in Romans 41. What hath Abraham our father found?
Apparently, he had tried.
To do good works on his own energy. Or we might say, well, he tried with Hagar to help God fulfill his promises. He said, well, God needs me to help him fulfill those problems. So what did he find? No, it had to be gone.
And our side comes in in responsibility. What's our responsibilities to own the goodness and grace of God?
And if we read the book, read our Bibles as a rule book, that puts it over on us again and promise keepers and no more possibility to be a promise keeper than it is to be a law keeper.
If it's a promise keeper that I have to keep his promise, I'm sunk. But I can trust the Lord and these these things that are written for us are his promises.
That he's going to do in and through me and give me the credit for it. What will I find, I will find as Abraham found. I can't, but he can.
And responsibility is not set aside by that responsibility, just placed in the right order, responsible to own him and all that he is for me.
When you love somebody, you don't do things because you have to, but you do things because you want to, because you want to please them. And if you hear them make a request. If you love them, you don't say, do I have to do that? You do it out of love. And that's the whole thing that is brought out. We have a new life that delights in pleasing God. Do you think it was ******* to the Lord Jesus to live here to please his Father? No. He said the good pleasure of thy will, O God, is my delight. And so it's the whole thing. And I believe, I say again, that's what is developed in Titus.
He says now, don't bring them under law. That's what they were doing. In Galatians, you have to show love and you have to do this. No, he says Tell them that they've got a new life, a new order of things has been brought into their lives. Regeneration is not new birth. It's the result of new birth. It's because we have a new life that there's a new order of things brought in. The disciples couldn't understand the Lord Jesus not wanting to show himself to the world.
Things that there is no man that does anything in secret, but that he himself wants to be known openly. He says if you do something, you want everybody to know it, so you get a little credit. They couldn't understand the person who didn't have such motives at all, who would go up to the fees just at the moment that his father wanted him to go and not go for any other reason but to please his father. That is the path that God has marked out, and I believe that's the force of the expression here.
The good works which God hath or ordained, that we should walk in them. But He's given us this new life and this new power, and it's a joy to do it if we're walking in communion with him.
00:25:04
It was quoted before, whereby are given unto us all things that were attained unto life of salvation.
And godliness, the ability to live this life because.
This is now that which is born into our new nature, into our new life. One of the weekly high points of a believers life is once day morning, isn't it? He made a request. The Lord made a request to us. This do in remembrance of me. Now that wasn't a command, but it has that effect on my heart. It's his desire. That's the thought. And when your wife has a you know she wants something, it's their will and she'd be pleased.
You do it. Why? It's like a command, isn't it? You don't say because you said I will love you and obey. You made the promise I'm going to do something for you. And we don't think that way, do we? I know it is a promise on his side, but we're not claiming a promise in that sense except one way. I will be in the midst. We claim that never right to. But it's really love, isn't it? It's always fun.
Of love. I was thinking of first Peter chapter 2, noticing verse 12 having your conversation or your manner of life.
Honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers. Now notice what he says, That they may be, that they may, by your word, good works.
Which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation. God expects his people to do good works. That's why he saved us. We've been saved for that very purpose, been brought into the blessings of God to and he's looking for that for from each one of us. Isn't he something that would be pleasing to him, our manner of life that would honor the Lord Jesus or bring glory to God. So I think it's so beautiful to think that.
As the expression in that verse which they shall behold. Do they see it in me? I'm You know, I have to ask myself the question, And each one of us can ask ourselves that question too.
16 that's.
See how in your testimony you find space or put together with work. That I've noticed in Psalm 37, where it says trust in a Lord but doesn't stop there. It says and do good and fairly doubtful, so dwell in the land. So shall Douglas fish. So that's a wonderful thing to realize that when we do.
Put our trust in the Lord. We do have eternal salvation, but to enjoy that salvation and to be fed in our souls, I think we need to do good.
It's an important part of.
Enjoying business?
Think it's interesting to see. I was thinking about this verse just because we run into it often in James.
Much used by the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses, The end of James.
Verse 26 Chapter 2.
Or is the body without the spirit is dead?
So faith without works is dead.
We have the outward manifestation.
And the inner support and source of that manifestation. And here is not like Romans.
It's Romans is God looking down and he can see fate is his gift, but there he sees it and honors it and justifies. Those are of the faith of Christ.
00:30:01
Here is the other side of the question. Where is the body? The outward?
Visible manifestation. Without the spirit, the inner heart is dead. So fate, the outward manifestation or testimony without works, the works of God inside the person is dead. A testimony without the work of God to back it up in the heart is dead. That's what he's saying here. He's saying show me your faith.
Fate here is a testimony that we give works in the works of God on which is built just to clear that up because we do bump into that quite often in the so-called Joe Witnesses. They want to add works to whatever they else they have but.
That's not what it is. Another thing to say, I'd like to say before we move on beyond this subject of works, is.
If God has given me everything and we have heard that.
He has given us all things that pertain like and goddess he took away all my excuses.
If he gives me everything, I have no excuse left.
And the responsibility is to own what he has given me.
And living the good of it.
Now I'd like to go back and go back to Ephesians 210 just to ask this question. Is this not?
The center of these works is more is it not what follows?
As he's talking about peace between man and man and then peace between man and God.
And in the House of God, Isn't that not in this passage? Is that not the at least the center?
And and the center and the light under which we do good works, that is following out the rest of this chapter, because he goes on to say wherefore?
We are creating these good works, wherefore remember. And then he takes up an ecclesiastical or religious position without God in the world and so forth. Is that not the center of these good works that He has prepared before? And then there are individual good works that you would do different from me. But these are good works for all of us to follow. Is that correct? Well, if we're not Saints in the household of God, you haven't any faces for good work.
And that's what this brings in. It's down in. I think that's right. But 19 the width of faith and of the household of God. And so if we're not there, there is no good work. Of course, that's the heart of it all. Isn't it a diverse that our brother in the back was quoting from Matthew 5.
Showed that there are works which are seen by the world it is in connection with letting our light shine.
In the world now we have to be the salt of the earth. There's a difference evidently between earth and world. Mr. Kelly has suggested that earth, when it is mentioned, it refers either to the prophetic earth or to Christendom. And here in Matthew 5, which has to do with the millennial, not Millennium, the Kingdom, the present aspect of the Kingdom.
We are the salt of the earth.
With the spear of prison done, but the world both heard it, and so there is that which can be recognized and seen by the world the way the Christian lives, you know. And in that way he is a light and good works I mentioned in that connection. But here in Ephesians, I certainly believe that especially it refers to what we.
In connection with being the House of God and the assembly that which God has formed out of Jew and Gentile, we were once without.
A God in the world, aliens to all those things that that you enjoyed.
Now we are not brought into that which the Jew enjoyed, but we are part of this new thing that God has formed and that is the Church of God. And there we function and live by hope for the glory of God. Perhaps we could just read that 19th verse. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the things and of the household of God.
That's why the world sees good works, isn't it? There's a verse in Mark 14.
00:35:03
Issue there that one field bears upon this tenth verse.
When she had anointed him.
He says.
In the end of the sixth verse in Mark 14.
She has brought a good work.
CS product.
You know, isn't that what we have here in the future? God has before ordained. He knew before that she was going to do that and she did it.
But she could not say that she did it for her, his bearing. He could say that because in the current of affection she did what was purposed of God, or the glory of his Son. She has brought a good work, love it. Can we do that? Can we be in the current of his thoughts, that we have brought the good work on him?
We don't need to worry about the poor or the issues of this life, the troubles and so forth, if we have the occupation of him.
She never.
13th chapter.
When the spies came back from the land of Canaan.
They brought back some fruit from the land at #13 verse 23.
It came under the room and that's all. You come back and then the grand to one cluster of grapes.
And they gave it between two upon a staff, and they brought of the pomegranate and the big.
I had that verse in mind that we were talking about good work. That's connecting it with actually the fruit produced in our lives.
That is manifest.
And I've been joining thought as to the truth from celestial lamb penis in your picture for us of.
Let the land for the character of our testimony. Now the great pomegranate is big.
So that comparison of the great cluster of great with the two true, the spirit we had in Galatians chapter 5. That's inward truth reducing the believer likeness of Christ. And then you have pomegranates, fruits, God words, and you have the seeds, fruits, manward. So inward fruit, godward fruit and man word fruit. How is the fruit born? They bear it between 2:00.
Upon a staff.
The group was carrying on a piece of wood seen before us across the Lord Jesus Christ.
I improved advice with Christ.
That I live not I live, but quite live within me, live the life of Christ, producing truth in Word, Godward and manward. And it is in the measure which were identified with the Lord Jesus. Our old man troops are fighting him and walking in units of life a little bear fruit, but even there it says here.
They bear it between 2:00. It has to be two to bear the fruit. I believe it's the same for each one of us. We need faith and work. We need to bear fruit. We need to do good work. But we cannot produce good for love. We cannot bear fruit for God, lest we walk in fellowship with the Lord Jesus. And he produced that because of him living in a secure us by his spirit. So enjoy that very much in the Lord Jesus when he speaks in Matthew 11 That we take his yoke.
I will even bring you before us there, walking with him to learn of him, and He helped us prepare our burdens, and He will help us to bear fruit. As the Lord said, without food. You can't do encouragement from that as we had it before us this morning of all these good words.
They are in the word of God, and we can learn of them in our hearts and know them in our mind. We're only able to live them out as we walk in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, enjoying Himself, and you'll help us to bury that.
Like to make a additional?
Application.
If we don't walk with one another within the limits of the Spirit of God.
00:40:02
We won't have to lay the fruit down. There were two men coming out of that land.
Bringing the fruit in. And if they had started an argument about how they were going to get back and when I'm going to go one way, one go to the other, they would have to lay the fruit down. And that's our chapter is, as the brother says, it's communion with Christ and with one another. And that's what we're going to get in the latter part of our chapter is peace. He is our peace between one another and in peace between US and God. And it's remarkable in in Ephesians.
Chapter 2 That it's peace between man and man comes first.
He had made peace, having broken down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, and then reconciled both in one body unto God. He puts peace between man and man first. Here he is our peace.
May I just mention one more word we should get on? But about Mary of Bethany that our brother spoke of? He said she couldn't say she did this in lieu of his burial. She didn't say it. That's right, the Lord said it because He reads the heart. Now what we have there with Mary in Matthew 26, in the portion of Mark, he gave his simple faith in his word.
He said on the third day.
I will rise again. She believed it. How much did she enter into his resurrection? Very little, if any. Very little. She believed his word. That's all we got to do, brother. She is the only one of the women that were there that morning early with sweet spices of unbelief. She wasn't there. She knew she couldn't do it. They thought they could.
And they just simply believed his word. They wouldn't have been there either. Or we're thankful they were, because Barry Magdalene gave that message that we still love your father and my father and my father, you know?
That's beautiful. But Mary a Bethany one there, so I do believe in her heart. She believed as much as she could hear his words, and that was enough for her. I don't think she entered into the depths we know about resurrection.
But we must never limit good words, only assembly, light. Good works have to do with every aspect of life. And this is where we have to be admonished, you know. And if we live as families, as husband and wife, so we God instituted it. That's a light to the world. You know. What better testimony could we be than in these natural relationships?
Glorify God and in that way we are a preservative. We are the salt and we are light in the way we live, and if we limit that only to assembly life, we fall short of what the word of God puts before us as a responsibility. But whether it has to do with our life within the assembly or it has to do with us in our family, in our marriages, that can only be what it should be. Because we have this new life and God has made us new creatures and that gives a beauty to these even natural relationships that.
The natural man cannot enjoy, and we can because we have that new nature.
And enhances and beautifies even natural relationships in Malachi chapter one don't turn to it. They gave up first the worship, the religious aspect of their life was first and then chapter 2, their own personal and social and family life broke down. No testimony left. But I do believe it has to be that first brother, I don't think.
We can put the outside first. We have to make that first. And you read Balachi one and two, it's first the priest and then the people in religion. They they had to be paid to open the doors of the temple. They wouldn't open the doors unless you pay them and so on. They just fight the table. The next, their family life, their social life and their life with others broke down.
Good to be reminded that the world knows us better than we think they do. And when I was in business, we were called to a man that had retired, that was in the sensitive political side of things. And he had called us in to do a job And and after the job was done, he said, I'd like to talk to you two boys. And so he sat us down and got some coffee and he said, you know.
00:45:08
He said you people in the Walla Walla Valley, the Saints are under observation. And he said, I want to tell you that you have a very impressive testimony here that you pay your taxes and that your business dealings are not irritating to the businessmen in this this area, that they may glorify God in the day of visitation. They're they're observing the Saints in many ways. So I'm glad this is brought up that it's not just in the assembly.
But we're known better than we realize. May the Lord give us grace to render that testimony that God may have glory in that day from the behavior of His beloved people, each one of us.
Whether it is in the family life, business life, assembly life.
Where each one of us are in a position where we could honor God.
In the family, wherever it is, and we're responsible to do so.
So some think, well, because I'm young, perhaps I don't. I couldn't do it as well as an older one.
You have every equipment. God has given you every equipment to honor him. He's given it to his people. And so I always think of each one of us here are responsible to someone. We have to answer to someone. I'm thinking of it in the world as to our testimony, whether to our boss or our wives or husbands or children or grandparents, whatever. We all have this responsibility, and I believe that if we think of it in that way.
Wherever God has put me, if I honor him in that, then there's that brings glory to God, doesn't it? We have.
4 Spheres of Responsibility. I believe in the word.
And that's human government.
And our work, our jobs.
And the family?
In the church.
Now those four, only one is called.
The pillar and ground of the truth.
And justice go back to say, you know we get in chapter five and six families those toward those without.
Et cetera, et cetera of this epistle but here in our chapter.
We're back to the core of it all, the pillar and ground. The truth is the center of all these spheres. None other is called. Even the family is so important in the family, but it's not called the pillar and grant the truth. And like in Malachi, his brothers pointed out, that is the center. That is the core of it all, where he's manifesting himself in this day.
I wanted to make a few comments on James. Two if we turn to it, please.
In James Two and verse 14.
What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say, he hath faith, and have not works, can faith save him? That is, can that faith save him Faith that doesn't produce works? If a brother or sister be naked in destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding, you give them not those things which are needful to the body.
What does it profit?
Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead. It is worthless.
It's a mere profession without reality being alone.
Yeah, a man may say thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
Now believe us that there is one God. Thou doest well the devils also believe, and tremble.
So he's using that to illustrate that one can believe something, but like the demons believe that there's a God, But they're demons. They're evil.
So it's not enough to just say I have faith.
That's shown by what we do, what Will found no old vain man. That faith without works is dead.
These works, of course are.
Now then, he gives 2 examples of the kind of works he's talking about.
00:50:01
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See us thou how faith wrought with his works. And by works was faith made perfect. And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. Now that Scripture is a quote from Genesis 15.
When God showed him the stars of heaven and said, so shall thy seed be, but here he's applying it to Genesis 22 where Abraham offered Isaac. That is, he's bringing in Abrahams works in and in showing the the reality of his faith. The work that he mentions that Abraham did is a faith work. You take faith away from it, and Abraham would have been a murderer putting his son to death. You take faith away from that.
And it wasn't obedience to the command of God. It was a wicked act. So it's a faith work that he's talking about.
And he was called the friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith. Only when God saw what that Abraham was going to carry out in obedience by faith, what God had told him to do, he stopped it. And he says, Now I know that thou fearest God.
Likewise also, was not Rahab the Harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way? Now if she hadn't done that because she believed in the true God, if she didn't have faith, she would have been a traitor. She would have been guilty of being a traitor against her own country, but she acted by faith, and so the work which without faith would have been an evil work.
Was a work of faith.
What we have been calling a good work. So here are two examples of works which without faith would have been evil. Evil acts, one a murder, one being traitor. But now they are called good works, for the body without the spirit is dead. So faith without works is dead. Also faith without works as he's illustrated in the case of Abraham and Rahab.
Would have been worthless.
But its faith works that he's talking about, isn't it in the passage. And those are good works. You divorce faith from your works, and they're not good works any longer. They have to flow from faith in God, and the works prove the reality of that faith. That works together, doesn't it?
That's the difference between Romans and James that we're talking about. In Romans it shuts out works altogether and shows that Abraham was justified by faith only. That was before God, but in James it's before men. And so he says show me thy faith, but you can't show it without an action. But God looked into the heart and so before God it was faith alone that justified him before God.
But it was an action that proved there was faith that justified him before men, and that's important to remember. God looks into the heart of every believer here, and he knows whether there's living faith there. The Lord knows them that are his.
But don't expect anybody else to think I'm a Christian unless they see some evidence of it in my life.
And so before men there is the evidence in works. I would mention for again, the young people but.
Your employment or school or college, your walk is the thing that will identify you as a believer, not so much. You talk your walk the way they know you, and that's where you're going to get the approach. If you fail, they'll accuse you because they're ready to go at you that way. The worst reproach I ever received was at work.
And it was a trial. And I was representing a Christian woman, and the other attorney was lasting her very hard. And I got upset and I laid into him and the gavel came down hard. Mr. Bowman, you say you're a Christian.
This actually happened. I apologize to the court. I apologize to my fellow lawyer, we went on. I was glad he called me short.
Yeah, I was glad because that's the flesh, you know. The Bride and the Song of Solomon got away. She was in the city at night on the Broad Rd. sad image, and when she longed to be back, and I hope many who got away long to be back where the Lord is.
00:55:18
She said. If you see my beloved, tell him I'm sick of love.
I miss him, they said. What is thy beloved more than any other beloved? What's thy beloved? There's a lot of men in this city.
She described him. Now her reproach comes. Now her reproach comes, they said. Where is he, God?
Where has he left thee? They couldn't think when she described the bridegroom that she'd ever leave him. The reproach was right there. Where has he gone from thee? We would like to see him too. So we'll get a reproach if we're in the wrong place or acting the wrong way if we have a testimony.
There's a statement made by an old brother years ago, he says. If you want to know if I'm saved, you ask me. If you want to know if I'm a Christian, you ask my neighbor.
Think that's applicable to Young and Old Bill?
It's interesting that in our chapter in Ephesians that.
Seeing that the first, let's see the verses 11 and 12.
Are referring to.
Whether we have access to the Temple in Jerusalem or not.
We Gentiles who were called uncircumcision without Christ means we couldn't get into the temple over there.
Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers of the Covenants of Promise.
No hope and without God. Without God in the world, the temple was not among the Gentiles. It is a ecclesiastical or a religious position.
Seeing that aspect, then the weight goes to verse 13.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off. Far off from what? From heaven, know nothing. Here, not in these. These verses, far off from God's center on earth, are made nigh. And look how by the blood of Christ.
The blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin has brought us nigh one to another one body. He is our face between you and me, and between the two of us and God in this portion.
The basis, you see, of all the truth that is revealed to you and me for now, but now in Christ Jesus, that which we are to live, if we're going to live by this book as we've heard and show works of faith.
We will honor this portion here and I would just say that peace is here in two aspects.
Peace between man and man made both one and reconciled both unto in one body unto God.
And I would adjust it by reference connected with the chapter 6 where.
We should have our feet two feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Feasts, both aspects.
And also that from that to tie back to the illustration in the Book of Deuteronomy about a man who had his shoe removed.
And he should be. His house should be called the House of him that hath his shoe removed. Well, that's what we have around us.
I fear is that Christendom is a house with the man with his shoe removed. They only preach one side of this. They only preach one piece between man and God, and do not preach the beast between man and man, made both one which is set before us in these passages. And faith, as we've heard to do works of faith is going to start. These works are going to start with and take a reference from and always be done in relation to.
These chapters here, and that one body and that testimony on earth that is the pillar and ground of the truth, all of the works will take a relationship to that as a Sinner, or they won't really be, according to this book.
It must be according to truth. That's the point, isn't it? It must be according to truth.
01:00:02
Having made nigh, or made nigh by the blood of Christ, that is not to be introduced, as the covenant theologians say, into Israeli blessing. That's what they say. The mystery is that out of Gentiles now we have been brought into Israel's blessing, and all the promises made to the Fathers are fulfilled in the Church. No, it just shows how in the past.
We Gentiles had no possibilities really. We were outside of all these blessings. And notice too that doesn't refer to Sinai. It's the covenant of promise. You know, these are there are various covenants in the Old Testament that were made with the Father's unconditional. I believe that's what he is referring to. But we were even there outside of it all and now we are brought nigh.
Both Jew and Gentile, Out of Jew and out of Gentile, there are those that have been brought nigh in a new relationship, and I enjoy so much what we have in Acts 26. There we have Paul's conversion related, and that he was taken from the people, that is Israel, and from the Gentiles sent to the Gentiles to bring them into the position from which he was taken out of.
No, to bring them into the position where he was apart from you, apart from Gentiles, so we have now Jew and Gentile and the Church of God. This being brought nigh is important to understand.
So that we are not swept off our feet by covenant theology is a place of nearness that no Jew ever enjoyed. But now they are of the Jews. That is, under the old order the Jew never enjoyed now of Jews and Gentiles.
We have been brought nigh in a new relationship and we're part of the Church of God.
That's a mystery, you know, And that's where the grace of God has put us, Jew and Gentile, in an entirely new position. And that is described as nine. Now the Jew was administratively 9 in the order, old order of things. But what was that in comparison to what we now enjoy? You know, that was a bad difference.
We don't ever want to be desiring a place like that you had before grace came. You know, we are in such a more blessed relationship, a place of nearness in Christ that's new. That's Christianity.
Just say also that line of things that the Schofield Bible the notes or do more harm than good.
Whatever they explain as to dispensations, they take away from the heart by a confusion of that that you're talking about. They may explain and clear up a thing or two on dispensation and so forth. But then they make the believer today a party to the new covenant which puts him back where he doesn't belong. And if you just want to see some confusion and just try to read those notes on the righteousness of God in Romans 3IN Romans 6, I've been looking at them lately.
Because the scope field Bible is getting into some of the Latin American places and.
These questions are rising down there, so I went back to look through some of those notes and brother AC Browns treatment of them. But I just say as a as a considered result of judgment that they do more harm than good. Whatever they can explain to you, they'll take it away from you and worse. Which Scofield are you talking about? The old one is the one, thankfully. At least the old one was the one they took the Spanish from. Talking about. The first one, then yes.
That's the one that I've been looking at. So if you've got them, if you got it, you know, don't, don't pay attention to the notes. They'll do you more harm than good.
The 19 and the appendix.
#19
It is not in the beginning.
When I fall in love.
And it's rain and it's all over the world.
Stage and it's never.
The Love of God
Gospel—Bill Brockmeier
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God.
And you know when I'm alone.
How are you?
Ask God's blessing in the word of prayer.
Our God and our Father, we thank Thee this night for Thy wondrous love to us.
We thank Thee that Thou hast made Thy love known to us in the gift of Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank Thee, our God, that the Father sent the Son.
To be the savior of the world, we thank the our God without boundless love that would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Now, our God, as we purpose to open Thy precious Word for a few moments this evening, we ask you that Thou it's taken in blessing to some heart.
In this room tonight that.
May still not yet know.
What it is to have their sins forgiven and cleanse the Way and the precious blood of Christ.
One who still stands before thee. Our God is guilty and lost. Still traveling that broad Rd. that leads to destruction.
Our God for that one tonight, should they die in their sins, would be forever vanished from Thy presence. Our God, we pray that Thy word would come into blessing to such a heart this night. Our God, we thank Thee for the marvelous love of giving our Lord Jesus for us. We pray our God as Thy word is before us.
That we might respond to that wondrous love, the love of God to us, we thank the Lord God, asking my help now in the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Like to begin tonight with reading perhaps the best known verse in all of Scripture, John three and verse 16.
John's Gospel, chapter 3 and verse 16.
Or God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Perhaps that is not a new verse to anyone in the room. And perhaps you can say, yes, I've heard that verse before. I've heard it many times. And sometimes we use the expression that familiarity breeds contempt.
00:05:12
And I wonder if such a thought would cross your mind. As I suggested, we read the third chapter of John in the 16th verse. You may have say, I've heard that verse before. I know John 316. I know it well. I've heard it from my youth. Ah, but what response does reading of the love of God have to your heart? This wondrous verse that God so loved the world. And tonight, if we have a message of truth in this world of deceit, it is because we have a message from God, God who is light, that righteous holy one.
If we have a message of truth, it's because we have a message from God. And if we have a message of love tonight, and thank God we do have a message of love, it is because we have a message from God himself. God is love.
Oh, God wants your blessing. God is the source of love. In this world where men are hateful and hating one another, we have a message of love. And if we have a message of peace tonight, it is because we have a message from the God of peace. In this world filled in distress and filled with wars and rumors of war, Oh, God is a God of peace. And in the world filled with sorrow, we have a message from the God of all comfort. Oh, God wants your blessing. In a world filled with sorrow, we have a message of comfort.
Comes from God. God is the source of all your blessing. And this is what this the Lord Jesus said to this rich ruler Nicodemus as he came to visit him. Those wondrous words for God so loved the world. He brought him right to the heart of God. And that's tonight as we open the pages of this precious book, we desire to bring you right to God, right into his presence, because ultimately it is with God we each have to do as it says in Hebrews chapter 4.
For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword.
Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, for all things are naked and open under the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. You have to do with God. I have to do with God.
And we have to deal with one that knows your every thought, that knows your every stain of sin, from whom you can hide nothing.
He knows it all, and yet in spite of it He loves you, loves you more than tongue can tell. And how great was his love that he gave his only begotten Son? One time I was speaking to a man and he said to me, he said, well, if God is a God of love, then why is the world in the condition that it's in? Why is there so much tragedy and sorrow and wars?
Well, it's because man has rejected the love of God. You know what he referred that man.
To the than what we have in this very verse. The love of God was manifested, and then he gave his own Son to die. Think of the heart of God that would bring man, that would bring his beloved son before man, to have man ridicule and mock and spit in the face of his beloved Son and not come down with immediate wrath and vengeance upon such wickedness. Oh, that's the heart of God, friend. He wants your blessing and all. Think of the love of the Lord Jesus.
That went into those hours of darkness at Calvary's cross for God forsook him and where God's wrath against sin was poured out on the blessed holy head of the Lord Jesus who he suffered for sin, the just for the unjust that we might be brought to God. Oh God wants you to be brought to him to know his heart of love that over abounds and.
Goodness for you all, the world's in the condition it is tonight because it's rejected the boundless riches of the grace of God.
And so we have God as the source of the gospel, and his love is the sweetness of the gospel. Oh, and this in this world in which there's such strife and sorrow and hate, all the sweetness of the gospel, that God is love, and he so loved you that he gave his only begotten Son. Oh, that's the sacrifice of the gospel measure, the love of God by the gift that he gave his well beloved Son, as it tells us in Colossians chapter one, the Son of his love.
That very one from a past eternity, the Father's love rested on his beloved Son. That is what He gave. We had this afternoon where the creation of God, it was just a word, all but to save your soul, to take us to glory. It required more than the Word of God. It required the work of Christ and redemption. Where Christ suffered for sin, He bled, He died that you might live. Oh how sweet the gospel is and the sacrifice of the gospel that God gave.
His only begotten Son. But we notice here too that God loved the world. You know how it is with you. I know how it is with me. Our hearts are constricted and our hearts are restrained. We have our favorites, naturally. Our heart doesn't naturally go out to all but God. Love is for the world. It's for whosoever will. The message is for you tonight.
00:10:17
If you have ears to hear, our breath is still in you. The message is for you. God wants you to come. The scope of the gospel is to this world.
That whosoever believeth in him, you know, there was a that rich man, that famous man named in the Syrian who was a mighty man in valor. So the Syrian Army.
And when he was told what he must do to be healed of the leprosy, go dip in the Jordan River seven times.
He was enraged and insulted that such a thing should be asked of him, a mighty warrior.
But you know his servants, they love their master. They had a concern for him and one of the servants said my master.
He said, My Father, if the servant had bid thee do some great thing, what's thou not have done it? How much rather when he says, wash and be clean. God is not asking you to do some great thing, simply asking you to believe the story of his love and receive the gospel of his grace, to receive his own Son the Lord Jesus, to be your Lord and Savior, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish. Oh, how solemn this is, because there is wrath. Beware lest he take thee away with a stroke.
And then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. No, if you die in your sins, the great ransom of Christ itself cannot deliver you.
From hell, a great ransom cannot deliver you then, and there is wrath.
God is angry with the wicked every day, and because God is not executed His judgment upon evil.
Perhaps men lose sight of the true character of God, but he is light and there is wrath and there is there is eternal judgment for those that die in their sins. You know someone has made a little acrostic of that word perish and I think it bears repeating. Perhaps most have heard it to pass eternally ruin into Satans Hell. You know Hell was not created for sinners, He was created for the devil, Satan and his angels. But all those that die in their sins will land in that lake of fire.
And if we return to the 20th chapter of Revelation, we have a scene there where the Lord Jesus, because all judgment has been committed under the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, as he sits on this great white throne. It's great because of the one who sits upon it. It's great because the judgment that will be pronounced from it, and it's white because it's absolute holiness. The judgment of God is according to truth. It is not according to preference. It's according to truth. And there's no blood there to cover for sins.
But we find those that are brought before God as they stand before Him in their sins.
And it says, think of this expression from whose face the heaven and earth flee away. Think of the majesty of that face where earth cannot stand before it, and the heavens cannot stand before it. They flee away. But there is the Sinner standing before that one at the great white throne. He cannot flee away. And what does it say? There was found no place for them. Why? Because heaven there were. They're not prepared for heaven.
And hell was not created for them, there was number place for them. And so the word in the language of the gospels is bind him, how to hand in foot and cast him into outer darkness. No, it was the hell was created for Satan and his angels. But all those that die refusing the offer of God's love and forgiveness will find themselves in that place that was created for the devil and his angels.
And I might just add another to perish.
Says in the first Peter. I believe it is. What shall the end be?
Of those that obey not the gospel of God. I don't know if I quoted that exactly, but the thought is what shall the end be that obey not the gospel?
Well, the end is eternal judgment. Hell is the permanent end for ruin, insolent, sinful humanity, Hell an awful place, the blackness of darkness forever. Oh, God does not want you to taste of His wrath, He wants you to drink of His love. And so, but whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. There is the satisfaction, the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of God, that God desires, that you might know Him and His Son Jesus Christ. Oh, that you might have.
The joy of forgiveness, the joy of knowing you'll spend eternity with God's beloved Son, forever in the glory. Oh, just these few thoughts to begin with. Now I'd like to turn back to the Old Testament because the Old Testament is beautiful. It's full of beautiful pictures. And I would like to turn to a passage tonight that would give us a little example or idea of the heart of God going out to all men and to see different responses to that wondrous invitation.
00:15:12
So can we turn please to Second Samuel Chapter 9?
Two Samuel, Chapter 9.
And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the House of Saul, that I may show him kindness?
For Jonathan's sake.
I'm going to stop right there just for a moment, because as we go through this chapter, I'd like you to bear in mind that David is a little picture to us of the Lord Jesus.
Now we find, unlike the Lord Jesus, that there was failures with David. And of course when we see David failing, that is not a type to us, that is not a picture to us of the Lord Jesus. But I believe we can see and David a picture of the throne of God and the love of Christ in desiring blessing for man. And so we find.
That David could say, Is there yet any left that is of the House of Saul, that I may show him kindness?
You know, it's been said that Scripture is the history of two men, the 1St man.
And the second man, Adam and Christ. And Saul was the first king of Israel. David was the 2nd king of Israel.
And I believe we have a little picture here of the heart of God and the heart of Christ wanting to bless any of the first race, the fallen race of Adam's race. And David said, is there yet any that is left of the House of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? Well, God wants to show you kindness. He wants to do you good and blessing. And as we read a few verses, we're going to notice a few that belong to the House of Saul to find the responses of those to whom this invitation applied.
They were of the House of Saul, and as such the blessing of God was for them.
And to see what their response to this wondrous invitation was.
Now verse 2.
And there was of the House of Saul a servant, whose name was Zaiba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Zaiba? And he said, Thy servant is he? And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house assault, that I may show him the kindness of God unto him? And Zebra said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziaba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the House of Maker, the son of Amule and Lodibar.
Then King David sent and fetched him out of the House of Maker, the son of Amule from Lodi Bar. Now in the Fibbage the son of Jonathan the son of Saul was coming to David. He fell on his face and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant. And David said unto him, Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan my father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
Then the king called Saul's servant, and said unto him.
I have given unto thy master's son all that pertain to Saul, unto all his house. Thou therefore, and thy sons and thy servants shall till the land for him.
Now shall bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat, but mephibosheth thy master's son.
Shall eat bread all the way at my table now. Ziba had fifteen sons and 20 servants.
Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that the Lord the king hath commanded his servant, social thy servant do as from Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table as one of the King's sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micah. And all that dwelled in the land in the House of Ziaba, were servants and a Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelled in Jerusalem, for he did eat continually at the King's table, and was lame on both his feet.
Well, the 1St man we want to notice that belonged to the House of Saul was Zaiba. Clearly says verse two, there was of the House of Saul a serving whose name was Ziva.
The question went out by David, who is left of the House of Saul, that I might show kindness. Well, here was a man that was the House of Saul. He was a servant in the House of Saul, but of the House of Saul just the same. And they called him. Perhaps there was those who said, well, here's Zaiba, he's of the House of Saul. Let's bring him to David.
Now, I want to make just a comment right now, and as we go through the chapter, we'll notice this.
Every time that Ziber speaks to David, he speaks of David as being his king or that he is David servant. He doesn't take the place of belonging to the House of Saul.
00:20:07
You know, there's people in this world tonight, and perhaps you're one of them, that have made the profession of Christian.
But first you have to own that year of the House of Saul. What I mean by that is this.
You must first own that you are a Sinner before God and you belong to a fallen race, that you have to own your need of Christ as your Savior. Profession will not do. And as you read this chapter, we find that Ziba continually seeks to work to get at the favor of David through one thing and another. And David not once acknowledges him other than speaking to him. And as we'll notice, thy master in reference to Saul, David continually puts him back, saying, Saul's your master, Saul's your masters. I have a year of the House of Saul. And continually this man speaks of David as being his Lord and master.
1St, we have to belong, we have to own that we belong to a lost race, we belong to the House of Saul, we belong to a fallen race, Adam's race. And so when they bring Zaiba to David and just add this thought to, it's interesting to notice the expression David and the expression the king because David was a man after God's own heart. And then read David, we see the heart of God coming out and blessing the man and the king carries more the thought of authority.
Well, they had called him unto David. The king said unto him, Art thou Ziba?
And he said, Notice thy servant is he, David, as much as says is.
Are you of the House of Saul? Aren't you Zaiba? He says, I serve in the sea. Oh, have you ever the word of God come to you and convict you that you're a Sinner before God? And you've answered I'm a Christian.
I asked the lady one time that I didn't realize it would be the last time I saw her as she lay there in this convalescent home bed. She was Speaking of her sorrow and her trouble and her grief.
And I said, do you know anything of the comfort of God, dot? And she said my father was a Baptist preacher.
But that wasn't the question I asked. Do you know anything of the comfort of God? The only thing of the love of God? It is not your natural connection. It is not who your relatives are. You belong to a lost race and as such you must come before God in that way. Thy servant is he. He wasn't David's servant. He was still of the House of Saul. And so David here says the king said in verse three, is there not yet any of the House of Saul that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And what does Zybus say? Yes, I'm here.
Wanting the kindness of God, he said, Jonathan hath yet a son.
Haven't heard that before.
I know someone that's a Sinner. I know someone that needs the gospel.
So it was available for Zyber, but he pointed out to somebody. He pointed out to someone that was lame on both his feet. Surely David would not be impressed with this. Someone that was lame on both his feet who could not serve him.
As he sought to Curry the favor of David, he started to finger point well Jonathan at the other son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? Oh, where are you tonight? Friend? Before the eye of the holy God, where are you? Will we find out where Mephibosheth was? He was in this place called Lodi Bar.
I think if I remember correctly, the thought of Lodobar is a place of barrenness, a place of no pasture.
And that's what we had a little bit in our meetings today, isn't it? How God would take the beggar from a dunghill? They know the beggar is one that's entirely dependent on others. And that's what you are. It's what I am, is entirely dependent on the mercy of God. And a dungeon, the place of defilement, the place where you have nothing to offer to God and there's nothing that you can offer to God, friend, all you have is sins because all our righteousness is even or as filthy rags, this place of defilement. And Mephibosheth, I believe his name means a breathing shame.
Have you ever taken that place before? God? Why? If we get into our presence, we can say Amen to that.
Who can say? Yes, I am a breathing shame. All our hearts are so proud that they would prevent us from taking the place.
Of being a breathing shame in a place where there is no pasture anxiety appears to me that he was seeking to win favor with David by pointing out.
Is Mephibosheth a breathing shame lame on both his feet in the Lodi Bar, of all places?
Well, we find that David sent and fetched him. That was the one that he wanted to have blessing upon. Oh, God has sent His spirit into this world to bring souls into His presence and would to God tonight that He would work by His Spirit and bring you into the immediate presence of God, where you would have to do before God and to find that marvelous love that He has towards you, desiring your eternal blessing. What we find here as He comes in.
00:25:19
To David's presence David said, Mephibosheth. You know the Lord calls his sheep by name, and this one word from the mouth of David prostrates mephibosheth before David, and he says, Behold thy servant. Well, you know he had not yet entered into the thoughts of David. David didn't need another servant, much less a lame servant. All he did not yet enter into the love, the desire, the heart of God, or the heart of David for him, but he lays himself before David in his presence.
And as David speaks to the blessing that he has for him, Mephibosheth is overwhelmed. In verse eight, he bowed himself and said, What is thy servant?
That thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am.
Isn't that what we had in our Reading meeting this afternoon? Dead Gentiles, dogs of the Gentiles, dead in trespasses and sin. And here is Mephibosheth comes into the presence of David. He takes the place of being a dead dog. And all that's how we can take the place of being a dead dog in a breathing shame is when we get into the presence of Christ to see his wonderful love to us, to see his absolute holiness and how far we miss and how far we do not answer to what God's standard of perfection is.
And Mephibosheth bowels himself in worship of David's presence.
Well, we find as we move on that the king calls to Ziba.
Saul's servant, you see all through he Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given notice this thy master's son, all that pertained to Saul into his house. And now he finds in verse 10 that he provides this abundance for Mephibosheth Herziba becomes a servant. And then verse 11, then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my Lord the king hath commanded a servant, so shall thy servant do. Doesn't that sound familiar? Doesn't that sound like the children of Israel there when God had given them the law? All that the Lord has spoken will we do.
It's the language of the older son in Luke 15. You remember the story of the prodigal son.
But he had an older brother that was self-righteous and as he was pouting and angry.
That his father had received his prodigal brother. He says to his father he wouldn't go into that feast of merriment.
And joy, he was angry. So his father comes out to him. He says thou never gave us me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. He was angry and he said neither transgressed I thy commandment at any time. Well, he didn't enter into the heart of his father, did he? He was looking at his father as if he was a master looking for rigid obedience. And he was claiming his obedience was full and complete. And this is what Zaiba seeking to do and seeking to Curry the favor of David.
She says, according to all that my Lord, the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. Or have you ever come to the point in your life, perhaps as you struggle to earn the favor of God, to realize that is not what God wants? He wants you to take the place of needing absolute mercy and grace. Like Mephibosheth, who came in as a dead dog and we find will sit at the King's table as one of his sons. Here was I have a trying to win the favor of David through his works.
But God won't have it, because it's not of works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. You cannot earn your way into heaven, not by works, lest any man should boast as we have this afternoon. Oh, it's the favor, it's the graces, the goodness of God. Well, we find here Zaiba struggling to earn the favor of David. He finds it not. And Mephibosheth, who comes into his presence, takes the place of a dead dog, awed by the boundless grace of David towards him.
And now we find the Mephibosheth sits at David's table, notice as one of the King's sons. As one of his sons.
And God has sent the Spirit, his Spirit into our hearts, whereby we cry, ABBA, Father.
Oh, this is a place that Mephibosheth has brought to sit it David's table as one of his sons, and that place of dignity in that place of sonship, in that place of enjoyment of the heart of David and fullness. This is where Mephibosheth brought, but he was brought there not by promising to do all of Davide will. He was brought there as he fell before David and take the place of being a dead dog. Oh how we struggle sometimes to try to earn the favor of God when all He wants us to do is take the place of a broken, helpless, hell deserving Sinner.
00:30:07
And receive the boundless riches of his grace. So we find them. A fibreciath comes to this this the King's table. What an abundance of food was there to supply his every need on Ellis traveled on a little bit over to the 16th chapter.
Because the interim will find that Absalom Davidson rose up in rebellion and David was on the run. Mephibosheth was.
Left and now we find in chapter 16, Ziba comes to him.
Second Samuel 16 one and when David was a little past the top of the hill.
Behold, Zaiba, the servant of Mephibosheth now met him with a couple of ***** saddled, and upon them 200 loaves of bread and 100 bunches of raisins, and 100 of summer fruits in a bottle of wine. And the king said in his eyebrow, What meanest thou by these?
What you see? David says. What do you mean by this Zyber? Well, you know what Zyber was up to. Is there either chapter? We'll find out.
He's the inheritance that David had given the Mephibosheth and Zebra said the ***** be for the King's household to write on.
And the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziaba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem. For he said to day, Shall the House of Israel restore me the Kingdom of my father.
Then said the king desire. But behold, thine are all that pertained in the mephibosheth in Ziba, said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight. My Lord, O King, I'll just stop there to say that David was deceived by Mephibosheth. But you know you cannot deceive. God know there's a day when he's going to judge the secrets of hearts. The secrets of our hearts by Jesus Christ ought to think of that. There's nothing hid from Him, there's nothing secret. He knows it all. He's omniscient.
And that's all going to be come out and handled in perfect truth and righteousness. We see a failing with David here, but we read the passes to show how as I have a continued, he would not give up to try to earn the favor of David. But now we're going to find somebody else of the House of Saul. And perhaps you say you may not answer to Zyba. Perhaps you're not trying to earn the favor of God by what you perceive to be good works. Or you're not trying to earn the favor of God by taking the place of a Christian even though you know good and well you're not.
You've never accepted Christ as your Savior, but you would just as soon pass for a Christian among those that you mingle with. Perhaps you come in to this next man who is also of the House of soul in verse 5.
And when King David came to the Huron, behold, fence came out, a man of the family of the House of Saul, whose name was Shimmy I, the son of Gira. He came forth and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimmy I, when he cursed, come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man a Belial. The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the House of Saul, and who stead thou hast reigned? And the Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son.
And behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. And said Abishai, the son of Zury, I unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse? My Lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, You, you, ye sons of Zariah? So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall say then wherefore hast thou done so? We'll just stop there. Here's another man says He's of the House of Saul.
And David's offer was any of the House of Saul that he might show kindness to him. But here is a man that despised David. Here's a man that reviled David. He cast stones at him. I hope that's not the expression of your heart, but sadly, it's the case of many in this world. One time I simply offered a gospel tract to a man at the gas station that was behind the the the bulletproof glass. Then he shoved the track through and I said, well, I simply he said, I don't appreciate this stuff being shoved down my throat.
I said I wasn't shoving it down your throat, I was just offering you this gospel tract. But he handed it back and he just glared at me and I walked away. Why the antipathy, Why the hate, why the opposition? I was just seeking his good and blessing. I think I trust to give him, tell him something of the love of God. Here's Davidde heart picture to us at the heart of Christ that go out to all men who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And what a shimmy I do. He curses David and he cast stones at him. Oh, have you ever cursed the name, the blessed name of the Lord Jesus?
00:35:13
Says in the 139th Psalm his enemies take his name in vain.
Does God count you his enemy?
Oh, it's a solemn thing to take the name of God in vain. We all shimmy I curses. And we have this man Abishai who who had a heart for David and wanted to see justice and he wanted to set things right and he wanted to put an end to this man's shimmy eye who he despised. He spoke of him as a dead dog, just the language that Mephibosheth owned for himself. That was Abhishek's view. And David said let him curse.
No, He's thankful to God. We live on the day of His grace. There won't always be so there is a day.
When the Lord will execute judgment every morning, He will not allow this type of thing to continue on. But now it's the day of His grace and the Lord says let him curse. An old man goes on because God is showing grace to this world. He goes on in defiance of God's beloved Son and the truth of God and God in a sovereign ways. He allows that. He permits it to go on, but you know there is an end. Just reading.
Few proverbs on the way out and it struck me the 22nd of Proverbs I believe it is. There's this little a verse that says.
Let not thine heart envy sinners, but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
And the next verse says this, for surely there is an end.
And thine expectation shall not be cut off. Why should my heart not envy sinners? Because there is an end.
And there is an end to the path, the path will end, and you may go on a shimmy eye, you may go on with your fist in the face of God, so to speak. But there is an end. And the counsel of the Proverbs is, let not thine heart end be sinners, but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long, for surely there is an end. There is a man named Mesaf on the 73rd Psalm. As he saw the prosperity of the wicked, and he could say their eyes bulge out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish. And as he considered, it was too painful for him to see that these men of this world, they prospered.
Godless men and it troubled ASAP. It bothered him, says Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I therein, yeah, therein there is going to be an end and there's going to be an end coming for you. And it may be sooner rather than later.
For my wife and I got married, we needed to stop by wanted to see the place where we were going to get married. It was a Community Center. And so it was open one large day afternoon. And we we stopped by and then we noticed there was some older people that were in a circle. They were singing songs of the world. So we just stayed out in the foyer and listened in. And this is a song they were singing. I only only words I remember were this enjoy yourself.
It's later than you think.
Enjoy yourself as later than they than you think and they were singing this song and.
As the end of the song, there was 2 old ladies sitting in the back and one turned to the other and said, isn't that the truth? Oh, but what about their souls? It's later than you think, and maybe later for you than you think, because there is an end. And that end for you may come tonight. Where will you go if God calls you into eternity tonight? Well, Jimmy, I was a he was a blasphemer, he cursed David.
We find that David allowed it, and we'll find that he allowed it for a time. But now let's move over to the 19th chapter.
Because we have these three people, we find Mephibosheth, who is the House of Saul.
That took the place of being a dead dog.
And he sat at the table of David, a picture to us of the Sinner. And we're all sinners. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
And you put your place as a center. Oh, that's where God would have you come to be blessed.
And he gets the richest blessing. He sits at the King's table as one of his own sons.
Then there's Ziba, who seeks to win the favor of David through gifts and through promises and through works and by profession. And then there's Shimmy Eye, a picture of a man that's a blasphemer and a man that has outright hatred for David, a picture of one that is hateful towards Christ. But now chapter 19 and verse 16, just notice here that David now is restored to the throne. Absalom is dead, and now David assumes that place of power once again.
00:40:07
#16 In Shimai the son of Gira of Benjamite, which was a Bahiram, hasted and came down to the men of Judah to meet King David. And there were 1000 men of Benjamin with him. And Ziba the servant of the House of Saul, and his fifteen sons, and his 20 servants with him. And they went over Jordan before the king. And they went over a ferry boat to carry over the King's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimi I, the son of Giraffe, fell down before the king as he was come over Jordan.
And said unto the king, Let not my Lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did. Perversely, the day that my Lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart, For thy servant death, know that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I am come the first this day of all the House of Joseph, to go down to meet my Lord the king. But Abishai the son of Zuri, I answered and said, Shall not shimmy I be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed. And David said.
What have I to do with you, ye sons Azariah, that she should this day be adversaries unto me?
Shall there any man be put to death to stay in Israel? For do not I know that I am the stay king over Israel?
Therefore the king said unto Shemia, Thou shalt not die, And the king swear unto him.
And the fibrous the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and then he addressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed.
Until they take until the day he came again in peace. And it came to pass, when he has come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the King said unto him, Wherefore what is that not thou with me, Mephibosheth? And he answered, My Lord, O king, my servant, deceive me. For thy servant said, I will saddle me an *** that I might ride thereon and go to the king, because thy servant is lame, and he hath slandered thy servant unto my Lord the King. But my Lord the King is an Angel of God. Do therefore what is good in thine eyes. For all of my father's house were but dead men before my Lord the King.
Yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table? What right therefore have I yet to cry anymore unto the King? And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou anymore of thy matters? I have said, Thou in Ziaba divide the land. And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Ye let him take all, for as much as my Lord the King is come again in peace unto his own house.
Well here we have the two men Shimmy Eye who is a cursor of David, a picture of a blasphemer of Christ, and we find Zaiba, a picture of the religious man, the picture of man seeking to win the favor of God through his religion and works. We find now that Dave is in a place of honor, they both come to David.
On the same lines, no, nothing new for Ziba, but now Shimmy Eye has changed his tune.
And maybe there's a time, maybe as the word of God begins to trouble you and I trust or would trouble you and bother you about your sins. You say, you know, I, I've got to make good. I've got to in some way make up a tone for those sins that I've committed. I know it's not right. What we find here with Shimmy eye. He fears now the judgment of David. He fears the judgment of the king. And so he seeks to placate him by coming in.
And says in verse 19, Let not my Lord impute iniquity unto me.
Neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely, the day that my Lord the King went out of Jerusalem, that the King should take it to his heart.
You know.
God, let's turn to the 10th Psalm. There's just a few verses I'd like to read in this regard.
Psalm 10.
Because Jimmy, I was seeking to cause David just as it were to sweep this under the rug. Don't remember that's history is you know what's in the past. Let's go on from here David. I was wrong and imperviously I sinned. But let's move forward on this. Let's not get hung up in what was happened before. But you know, man's thoughts are all these always wrong. And now the 10th Psalmist. Notice there's three things here that man says in his heart. Verse 6.
The first thing that the wicked says is, I shall not be moved, for I shall never.
Be in adversity.
Verse 11.
He has said in his heart, God hath forgotten, He hideth his face, he will never see it.
Verse 13.
Middle of the verse he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Three things that the wicked man says.
And all of them are not true. The first, he says, is I shall not be moved.
I shall never be in adversity. Perhaps you know.
00:45:04
Perhaps you are a person like that. I shall never be an adversity. I'll never be in trouble. I'm never going to tremble. I don't eat God. That's the heart of the wicked. I shall not be moved. All you know that's not the case, because you do have to do with God.
That one you know the devils believe in tremble, but how about you? Are you not as wise as the demons?
They tremble at the thought of God, but not sinful, stubborn, foolish man, the wicked.
He says, I'll never be in adversity then, and down in verse 11 we say, well, God hath forgotten.
He never will see it.
But God has seen it and He hasn't forgotten your sins. It is only the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanseth us from all sin.
That will blot out your transgressions as a thick cloud. No in God's memory.
He's not going to forget those sins. They must be cleansed away in the blood of Christ. But here the wicked says, well, he'll never see it. And then in verse 13 you say, well, maybe he will see it, but he won't require it because how many times have you heard this? Well, God is a God of love, and I can't imagine a God of love sending anybody to hell.
You've heard that, I'm sure I've heard that. But that's not the truth of God, because we don't have a God of our own imagination, a God of our own thoughts. We have to go with God.
Bow to the God as He reveals Himself in this precious book. And there is wrath and there is judgment for sin. And yes, God will sin.
Sinners into hell. The word of God is plain on that. Oh, but you see the philosophy of the wicked.
Is all off base. Well, here's Jimmy. I though I was telling David, telling the king, don't remember, let's just move forward on this. What's past is past. Let bygones be bygones. And now I'm going to take the place like Zyva as a faithful servant. And you know, he even said I have sinned. I have sinned. Yeah, but what have you done about those sins?
Well, the Lord, he's a pure eyes to behold iniquity and cannot look upon.
Umm, sin. I'm not quoting that exactly, but God cannot, He cannot bypass it.
And now what does he say in verse 20? This is shimmy. I now think of it. This man that was cursing David, he said therefore.
Behold, I am come the first, this day of all the House of Joseph.
He takes the place of sinning. Now does he say, I come as one belonging to the House of Saul.
Answering to your invitation, David, of getting the blessing of God. No, he says of the House of Joseph, of all things.
Joseph, a beautiful picture of Christ, one that we just you can't help but admire. And what a figure he is in the history of Israel. And this is who Shimiai says of the House of Joseph. Oh, but the blessing of David is for the House of Saul. Well, David doesn't put him to death. He shows mercy. And I'm not going to turn to it. But if we turn to 2nd Kings chapter one, David as he passes the reigns of administration to his son Solomon, he notes shimmy eye.
He notes shimmy eye.
And Solomon has the boundary put down across if he crosses the brook, he'll be put to death.
And we know that Shumi I does cross that that brook and he is put to death because there is a there is a day coming when God will judge. He will judge. It's the day of his grace now. So David doesn't put this man to death, but there was an end for Shimmy I.
And so we find that his profession of serving David, it did not stand, and neither will your profession of being a Christian unless you first own yourself as a Sinner before God and accepting his free offer of salvation. But now he comes this this little reference to Mephibosheth.
We find that he hasn't taken care of himself in the absence of his king.
In the absence of David, the absence of the king, because Mephibosheth had a true heart, and we find that while.
While David fails in this, he's been deceived by Ziba. We find the Mephibosheth in the day of David's rejection. His heart is true to David. What a wonderful thing it is. Oh, have you accepted and known Jesus as your Lord and your Savior? Have you been true to him in the day of his rejection? He's been cast out here. He's not wanted here with a Mephibosheth heart was ever with David and we find something else.
Really, Mephibosheth, taking the humble place, rebukes David. David had brought him to the very place of favor at his table. Now Mephibosheth just takes the place of a servant before him. And he says in verse 27, we reference desire. But he has slandered thy servant unto my Lord the king.
00:50:11
Well, just a little word here. Oh, Zaiba would rest at nothing to try to get the favor of David, even if it meant slandering this poor man. Mephibosheth all. Beware of taking up with slander, speaking cruelly of those that God loves. It says in Proverbs 30, Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found guilty. Oh, don't be guilty of the sin of slander. Don't be guilty of sinning against the Lord's people. For he says, he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye.
Well, this man's eyebrow was a slander. Oh, you say, you might appeared very good on the surface, willing to serve, willing to work, willing to promise just about anything. But he was a wicked man, and it's manifested in the slanderous attack he made on this poor defenseless man named Mephibosheth. All your heart is going to get manifested sooner or later.
It says in Jeremiah that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked or incurably wicked. Who can know it?
Do not delude yourself into thinking there is some spark of divinity within as man speaks.
There isn't. They that are in the flesh cannot please God. There is nothing that you can bring to God.
That will win his favor. No, the only way to be brought into favor of God is to take your place as a lost Sinner, because Christ has suffered for sins. That one whom God found his eternal delight and favor, he went into death. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. Being made a curse for us always made a curse. He was made sin. He suffered more than tongue can tell. And God showed his satisfaction and that wondrous work of redemption by raising him from the dead.
You know, if we had turned back to this 12Th chapter, we didn't do it before we read the passage.
For this invitation of David goes forth. Is there any of the House of Saul that I may show kindness to him? The chapter before shows all the victories of David, but not all of them, but many of them over the Moabites and the Ammonites and the Amalekites and the Philistines and the Syrians. All these enemies put down David Gatt himself a name. He got himself a name. You know, I think of that in Ephesians chapter one, how the Lord Jesus and resurrection has put above, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named both in this world.
And that which is it which is to come? The Lord Jesus. God has given him a name that is above every name.
David got himself a name in resurrection there, that glorified man. He sends out a message.
A blessing just as David, after defeating his foes, sends out this message.
To whosoever will, because it's any of the House of Saul, any of the houses Saul, That's what we've come to. That's what I'm trying to bring out tonight, a little picture of the love of God that would go out for whosoever. It would go out for everyone, just as David's message went out to the House of Saul. We find though, there was one man that refused to take that place, tried to say that he was a servant of David that tried to win and buy David's favor. And David didn't own it and find a man that cursed David, although the message was for him.
And then he tried to win back by his good words and fair speeches. Then we find a man that took the place of being a helpless Sinner and that is the one that got the blessing of God. And that is the way that you tonight can get the blessing of God is to accept God's word as it's so clear all of sin and come short of the glory of God. Brother back home has pointed out, I believe in the Spanish's death to evil is destitute of the glory of God. There's nothing in you to commend you to God.
All have sinned.
To take that place before him.
Well, one more reference I'd like to turn to, and that's the 21St chapter.
Because all though it does not say, these individuals were the House of Saul.
They are just the same and I won't go into this. Let me just.
Narrate a little bit of this chapter because of time.
Years before.
There were those in these giving I see inhabitants of the land that God had ordered his people to destroy that did not want to be destroyed, and they dressed themselves up with old shoes and and the moldy bread and so on, and to see the elders of Israel and allowing them to come into the camp of Israel, the Gibeonites.
And they were to be slain and put to death, and.
God. When they were brought in, God allowed it to be a reproach to them, certainly, but there they were.
But now Saul, we find in this chapter, he raised up a campaign or an extermination. He tried to exterminate those Gibeonites. He might have said, well, they're a blight on the testimony of Israel. They don't belong in here. They should have been killed. And I don't want him. So he he raised this attack and he killed these Gibeonites. And what happened? There was famine. There was famine in the land of Israel. He should have accepted it. But we find that how was how was there going to be peace in the Kingdom?
00:55:31
Well, it's a sad way as a deplorable state what happened in Israel. But let's notice in verse 6, this is what the Gibeonites said, in order that I might say there be restitution for this wrong that had been done against them. Now Saul was dead, the famine came in the next generation, you might say in David's day. In verse six, it says, let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, That is 7 men of Saul's sons, and we will hang them up under the Lord and give you of Saul, whom the Lord did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
Verse 7 But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. But the king took the two sons of Rizva, the daughter of Aya, whom she bare unto Saul, Harmoni, and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michael the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the maholophyte. And so on he delivered them into the hands of the Gimme Knights, and they hang them in the hill before the Lord. And so on seven men of the House of Saul that were put to death.
But did you notice how it says in verse 7 the king spared Mephibosheth? Oh, he spared him.
It reminds me of John's Gospel chapter 5 and verse 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word.
And believeth on him that sent me shall not come into judgment, but is past from death unto life.
So if you believe this knight and receive the gospel of your salvation.
And you accept Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You will not come into judgment.
You're hearing the word, but the question is, have you believed it and made it your own? You will not come into judgment.
Oh, he could the Lord could say in John 10, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Oh, the security for a sheep that trusts in Christ never perish. And so Mephibosheth comes. The day of judgment arise, but Mephibosheth is spared. He does not come under the judgment of the king. But what about these other seven sons of Saul? You know one. Even his name was Mephibosheth.
And he was hung. Same name of the House of Saul indeed, but one lost one in death, and one lives.
There was someone, certain ones were talking, I understand about the gospel and the importance of, of of salvation and a man who wanted to put off and procrastinate accepting Christ. He said, well, remember the thief on the cross. And the response was which thief?
It's been said there's only one deathbed conversion in Scripture, one that none might despair.
But only one that none might presume.
Brother back home.
Who?
Did some parachuting.
Was on the ground.
As a man came down parachuting and the chute did not open.
As he went into the ground in depth, the man says we'll all be saved at the 11Th hour, 10th hour. Whatever is said, I'll, I'll get right with God before I enter eternity. But apparently as this man came down with his closed parachute as he went into the ground and apparently the noise comes quite good from from earth to earth to to sky. And as this man plummeted to his death, his mouth is full of oaths and curses as he went into the ground and was killed instantly.
Oh, don't say I'll get right with God right before I enter death. God. God is going to know.
Of obligation to take your soul to heaven.
You have a responsibility to believe the gospel tonight, he pleads in grace for your soul to come.
There were two thieves on the cross. One was saved indeed. One looked and said, Lord, Remember Me? But there was another thief.
Into a crisis, eternity he went, oh, don't trifle with God. Don't play fast and loose with the things of God. Eternity is forever, and eternity to forever regret that fateful decision you made to reject Christ. Don't do it. And so there are seven sons of Saul. Why did they not accept the same invitation the Mephibosheth had? I don't know.
01:00:12
But the fact is they didn't Doctor Walston, WTP Walleston, they made the statement that procrastination is the recruiting officer of hell. Oh, how many souls intend to be saved sometime and all you, you are fully intent that one day you'll have to do with God and you'll get this matter, your sins straightened out and you'll have it all out before him and you'll have the peace of God. You fully intend to do that, but you're going to do it later. Well, friend, later never comes. God's word is now. Now is the day of salvation. God had plead with your soul, not only does he commend his love to you, He commands all men everywhere to repent and why?
Because He's appointed a day into which he will judge the world and righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, that is the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, whereof he's given assurance into all men, and that he raised him from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is assurance that God is going to judge this world by Christ. He's given assurance to you. There is judgment, it is coming. Are you prepared to meet God?
Wilhelm. We have these few pictures, then, of those of the House of Saul.
As we began the meeting for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So the message goes out to all mankind. And what is your response? Why don't you take the place of the Mephibosheth and said yes, I'm a Sinner. I am at lost a hell deserving Sinner, desirous of the mercy of God. Oh, he will save you. Don't take the places IVA. I trust enough verses have been read.
From the Word of God to convince you to show you clearly that you cannot earn the favor of God by your works, by your promises, by your religion, by whatever it might be.
And to the warning for one that would blasphemy Christ. Oh, he takes it variously. He will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. And there are those we don't know why they accepted, did not accept the message of David. Perhaps they intended to one day, but they didn't don't put off.
Accepting Christ as your Savior.
Ephesians 2:14-18
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Oh my God.
I'm more of it from heaven.
And the world.
Love of God.
Oh, my gracious work from.
God.
Alone.
Three days in heaven? Is there any seriousness? You're the only one. You're the only one who's only one of the boys standing against the way and everything.
00:05:00
All sides all right.
Talk Satisfied are here.
Why did you are coming around?
Good, I pray.
That corners. Oh dear.
Oh my God, tell what is feeling all over everything?
All right.
Where it seems like it's not really.
No highlights of grace as high as the glory.
Curse way.
In between us having abolished in his flush the enmity.
Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
Or to making himself obtain 1 Newman, so making peace.
And that he might reconcile both unto God and one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation.
Of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.
And whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit?
Take the match of those two words in the 13th verse, often found in Paul's ministry. But now, because we know that when Peter went to preach in the House of Cornelius, he said it's not lawful for a Jew to eat with a Gentile, he didn't at that point know that the middle wall of partition in Christianity was to be broken down.
00:10:00
And he had to learn that. And so I believe here what God has foreordained that we should walk in them. We need to know where God has placed us so that we can walk in the light of His word, but especially in the light of Christianity, in the light of that which has been revealed now through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, who was caught up to the third heavens. And so he is bringing them.
Jew and Gentiles into enjoy this precious truth that there is one body.
And that they wouldn't any longer hold those old prejudices that might have existed but learn that God had a path now different from the Old Testament. It was right that the Jew couldn't eat with a Gentile, couldn't eat certain foods and so on, offered sacrifices. We know when Paul went up to Jerusalem, they wanted him to shave his head and offer a sacrifice. Well, that would have been right in the Jewish law, but now there's Christianity.
And it's good for us. I believe it's important that we realize that Christianity is not a mixture of two systems.
Now that seems to be sometimes the danger that we see in Christendom the next the two systems, the Old Testament, where there was a physical building, there was an ordained priesthood and all that. But now in Christianity, it's not a physical building, it's a spiritual one.
It's not an ordained priesthood. Every believer is a priest to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices. And as it's been remarked, in the Old Testament there was Jew and Gentile. Now there are three. There's Jew and Gentile. Unsaved Jews remain Jews, unsaved Gentiles remain Gentiles. But when we are saved, why then we're part of the Church of God, giving none offense either to the Jew or to the Gentile of the Church of God.
Well, I just mentioned this because I believe this is what the Apostle by the Spirit is developing here. The position that we have now a Jew and Gentile brought together, made one in Christ a spiritual building, and able to enjoy all the fruits of that glorious work the Lord Jesus has accomplished by the Spirit of God who indwells us and who also dwells in the body in the church.
The middle wall of petition, Dennis. The law. Right. And ordinances. Yes, an ordinance is. So by this the Jew was separated from the Gentiles, but that is now broken down, and he now deals with all alike, whether they're Jew or Gentiles. The grace of God is offered to all and then there is a new thing. But it seems when we look into the book of Acts.
That take the took a long time for God to get the Jewish believers to see that truth, and it's marvelous to see the patience of God forbearing with them. But then Paul is used to write the Epistle to the Hebrews, and that then separates them, brings them out. And at the end of that Epistle of Hebrews we read we have an altar of which they have no right to eat, that served the Tabernacle.
Yet even in Acts, when Paul came to Jerusalem with the vow upon him, he's told, you see how many thousands of the Jews believe and are zealous for the law. You know, they were really not yet in their hearts, loosened from that system, they were still associating to quite an extent with Jerusalem and the Temple, although the work already had been accomplished. You know the basis.
Tearing down this petition, some evidently understood Christian liberty. Even Peter you know, and he's rebuked by Paul. Although he understood Christian liberty, he in a hypocritical way, withdraws from the Gentiles in Galatians, 2 although he understood and lived in Christian liberty. So I think we can learn from that. I believe that when we deal with souls that come from a legal system.
You know that we give them opportunity to learn the truth and learn to understand Christian liberty, and that we do not try to force them into compliance and wait on the Lord to show them things that it takes time for them to learn. And although we cannot really use the same excuse for any Gentile that gets saved, because the law was never given to the Gentiles. But.
00:15:29
There are many systems even in the Christian religion.
That are legalistic, you know, and they're really under principle of the law and people like that need to be delivered from that and it might take time before they do get delivered.
I believe the difference is that.
These systems are systems that men have set up.
But the Jewish order of things was something that God had set up, and it took time for them to see at the same person who had set up that which was only a type and a shadow, as we read in Hebrews, the law having a shadow of good things to come. So it's now set aside by God himself.
And so a Jew could say, well, I can show you a verse of Scripture where I'm to do this. This is what God said. And it took time for them to see that. But now that the same Blessed One who had given all that instruction in the Old Testament now speaks from heaven, I believe if we turn to that in Hebrews chapter 12, we see that point brought out.
The 12Th verse of Hebrews 12 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh verse 25 of Hebrews 12 And for if they escape not, who refused him that spake on earth? Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. So how tiny I was on earth? It was a place God spoke. And Moses said, I fear him Quite the law was given there.
But now we have the voice of a glorified Christ speaking from heaven, and it was a solemn thing to turn away from the voice that spoke on earth. But he said it was more serious to turn away from the voice of a glorified Christ, who had fulfilled all the types and shadows of Judaism, and was now a glorified man, and wanted every believer, Hebrews or Jews or Gentiles, all to enter into the glorious results of the work of Christ.
And what characterizes that present time is the Holy Ghost come down from heaven?
And here upon earth, as we have in the end of our chapter, build it together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. I just mentioned this because I believe that this is what he is seeking to lead the Saints into the enjoyment of in our chapter, first saved by grace and then the place that we're brought into in Christianity. And then it's a remarkable thing too, that the Old Testament we don't say well.
Everything is new now, so we can just discard the Old Testament. Because First Corinthians 1011 Says now all these things happened unto them for in samples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come or the ages are coming, so we can see the wonderful secrets that were hidden in the Old Testament. This is a miracle beyond words, isn't it? To think that we can see those beautiful.
Pictures all through the Old Testament of the truth. We don't learn the truth Christianity from the Old Testament, but we can certainly see the illustrations. Don't you think, brother, that we benefit more from the things in the Old Testament, the offerings, than a Jew ever enjoyed? Because we see crimes. They didn't see Christ in these things. So I believe we can say that we benefit more from these things.
Than a Jew in the Old Testament ever did, and the illustrations are.
Larger than sometimes the text of the New Testament. So we learn those beautiful pictures as we look at them. But we must get the key for the New Testament and that opens the meaning of the types.
Is it? Is it so that here for he is our peace, has the sense of he is our peace offering?
00:20:04
Well, it certainly is. I had thought of it more in connection with peace between Jew and Gentiles, because it speaks about having slain the enmity thereby. That is, there was a real enmity produced by these law of commandments and the Gentile. The Jews actually looked upon the Gentiles of dogs. And now it's all changed in Christianity, for when a Jew gets saved, a Gentile gets saved. They meet together on one common ground.
And peace has been made. Now of course we have peace with God, but that was the way I had thought it was introduced in this chapter. He is our peace who hath made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. So making peace in the at the end of verse 15, that is making peace between the Jew and the Gentiles. To me it is a special thrill when I meet a Jewish believer.
That is a special thrill. The enmity is done away with. You know, we benefit when we go to a Muslim country by people knowing that we are Germans because they think that they associate enmity or animosity against the Jews with the Germans. But poor believer, what a thrill to see a brother in Christ in one that has been saved from this guilty nation stands on the same ground before God that we stand on beautiful to say that.
And you know, we should not in any way share any of these feelings that still.
Manifest themselves in the world, you know, it's a wonderful thing. Even the fact that they come from the people that are the people of God, you know, before we ever were considered by him. And then to see them as guilty as they were, received the grace of God reaching out to them first.
Beginning in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the uttermost part of the Europe is the grace of God reaches out first to those most guilty. But then us too. You know we were enemies. We hated God and God, and His grace has brought us nigh and reconciled us to himself.
That was the most difficult barrier to break down the Jew and Gentiles and bring peace between them.
But they first have to be in Christ, the more they can even realize it. But we have that barrier broken down all the time between enemies and for instance, Philemon, Paul says.
Omestimus, your slaves, who's a fugitive who did you harm, is now not a slave. He's a brother for love. Yes, Wonderful it is. And Andesthemus was received in the assembly.
At his master's house, that master could have put him to death as an example to the other slaves. There's no question about that. But the barrier was broken down, and it's broken down and every time that happens. But this was the hardest barrier of all, and that's why it's brought out so strongly here. I believe if you look at Acts 15 now, even when they're saved, they have this problem. Yet this is a book of transition, that's why.
What a certain men which came down. I'm an active team. Certain men which came down from Judea caught the brethren, except he be circumcised after the banner of Moses. You cannot be saved well without getting into this whole discourse and the work. Notice Peter's ending in verse 11. This is the Peter. But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We Jews shall be saved even as the Gentiles. Isn't that lovely? That took a real work of God. I mean the proud Jew to be saying we have to be saved by the justice. And I'd like to ask a question about this matter of the enmity. When you meet an Orthodox Jew and he finds out you're a believer, that you find out the enemy's still there and it comes on real strong. But you made the point, Bob, the fact that when they are believers in Christ.
Then the then the enmity is gone. But don't believe that it's gone yet with the others.
Let me tell you something that we experienced in Brazil, Brother John Racing German. John and I went down to Brazil to help transfer the literature work from the KLC Brother to our brethren because Jim Kelfub didn't know either German or Portuguese. So the two of us went down and here we meet in the home of the printer, a German Jew.
00:25:21
Say involved in Christian literature work. You know he had been in concentration camp in Germany.
And the Lord spared his life, you know, when he came face to face with those two Gerberts, you know, sitting there in the same living room? You know, it took a little bit to overcome that. But what a wonderful thing that we could sit down and talk about the distribution of gospel work. There was no more animosity. The grace of God had saved him as well as us, and we had interest in the Lord's work. Isn't it marvelous?
You know man that had suffered so much and I don't know of how many of his family died in concentration camp yet built transfer. The printer was able to lead him to the law and he loved the Lord and was zealous and get the gospel to others. It's the grace of God.
Part of what it was made it difficult for the Jews was what we have in Hebrews 6. It says here in Hebrews 6, verse one. I'm going to read it as it is in the margin and also in the new translation. Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on under perfection.
That is, the Jews could say to Paul, but the Lord Jesus himself said, the Pharisees said in Moses seat all, therefore that they bid you observe that observe and do They could say we have the authority of the Lord himself to go on with this Jewish system.
But now he says that same blessed Jesus has been crucified and now he's up on high.
A glorified man, the head of the body, the Church, and everything is new now.
But it was hard for those Jewish believers to leave that system of things which we might say even the Lord Himself told him to go on with. Nor would it have been right for them to have left the system until the work was accomplished.
Because everything was ordered in that system as a type of shadow of what was still to be accomplished. But when it was accomplished, the type was all fulfilled. The man who did it, God's beloved Son, was at the right hand of God. But now everything is changed. Well, I just mentioned this because I.
Believe it helps us to understand what we have in our chapter and also the burden of the one who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Very lovely as going over these two verses 14 and 15 that is he is our peace isn't. Here is a man, the person of the Christ. Here's a true man. He's he's been on the cross, he's been in the tomb. He's now seated at God's right hand and he is our peace. And just just noticing how having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the last commandments contained in ordinance of order to make in himself.
Obtain 1 Newman Soul, making peace so precious, isn't it to see that and how that his desire is that our hearts might enter into this and see the truth of it, and be occupied with that blessed man who gave himself for us.
Bore it on the cross that there might be that peace. Apart from that, there is none, There is none.
That veil in the Tabernacle stood, and as it were kept Israel from being utterly destroyed, because the presence of God was right in that Tabernacle. And that very veil that made two rooms, that, as Hebrews 10 tells us, is the flesh of the Lord Jesus who died on the cross, and that veil has been rented from top to bottom. God can come out and we can go in now, but it's the veil which is His flesh. How beautiful to see.
That it was necessary for blessed Lord Jesus to die in order to break that.
00:30:05
Barrier between Jew and Gentile.
You should remember where we are tomorrow morning as you're bringing it out right in the very holiest, the holiest, in the presence of a twice holy God and our standing. Our standing is Christ himself. And that's beautiful. I didn't think about it. We ought to have that in mind when we come. I almost feel like removing our shoes on Holy Grail. We are on Holy Grail.
From the high priest where at the end there were 12 loaves on the table representing the 12 tribes of Israel.
But now the veil is read. There's just one loaf on the table. That's what it brings before us here, isn't it? That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross. And so there we sit, Jew or Gentile, if been brought to the Lord by the Holy Spirit, as by 1 Spirit. We're all baptized into one body. Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, have been all made to drink into one Spirit. What a blessed thing.
Well, that every Christian Son enjoyed that. That's the way it was on the day of Pentecost. They were all, it says, with one accord in one place. The Spirit of God came down. They were all filled with the Spirit. The enemy has succeeded in almost sewing up that veil again and keeping mad at a distance, keeping him from enjoying that blessed truth, that there is one body. But God has revealed these things to us, rather than he would have us to walk in the good and the enjoyment of them, not in the legal way.
What is the most holy and wonderful privilege given to us?
I love to tell of the fact on the Day of Atonement.
As the all the nation of Israel confessed their sins and and Aaron went in right into the holiest of all with blood and he was in there for some time and all the people would be standing outside the Tabernacle waiting for Aaron to appear. And if he didn't appear why there would be consternation because they would realize that their maybe their sins hadn't been forgiven.
So when he appeared, then they were satisfied. But our blessed Lord Jesus is our high Priest and he has gone into the glory present His blood, and he has never come out. So how do we know that we are accepted?
Well, we realize that there is through the Holy Spirit having come down, and he tells us that we are accepted inability, and not only so, but Ephesians in our chapter tells us.
That we are now seated in Christ. Not only the Holy Spirit has told us we have access, but He sees us as seated there already.
Boldly answered. That is, without fear. Why? Because we have a first conscience and we have no more conscience of sin. If that wouldn't be for that, how would we dare come? Now we know the same question is settled, we'll never be raised.
By one offering, he has put away sin. By the sacrifice of himself, and that question is settled. That's why we can come boldly. We don't have to fear the presence of a holy God because we have come under the blood. We're cleansed, We're cleansed, perched worshippers. And this, beloved, is what gives us boldness, and what a wonderful fact that is. You know, if anybody would tremble.
At the thought of coming into God's presence, that means he has not come to find peace, you know, and our brother Bill mentioned the peace offering. I think that might well be applied to that statement. Don't you think so in verse 17?
And he came and preached peace.
You know, there it seems to be more than just between you and Gentiles. But we don't have to fear holy God, you know, We can be boldly in His presence, with peace in our soul, rejoicing as redeemed worshippers.
It's interesting also that umm.
Nate Ebb and Abihu.
They sought to approach and fire came out and consumed.
00:35:02
Well, in the time of the cross, when the bail was rent from top to bottom, where's the fire? There's no fire comes out.
That side of Christ's work is that not related to propitiation. The fire is not lost, the door is open now, and God can say to anyone come.
There was another fire on the at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and that was under the bronze, the brazen altar, and that's put out too, that Christ has suffered and God has emptied out a cup of wrath over his head.
And as we were mentioning, God's only opportunity to show the fullness of his love was at Calvary when he gave his son.
And God's only opportunity to show his the fullness of His wrath against sin. His Holiness was at Calvary also. Only there could He pour out the whole cup. All fell on the Lord Jesus Christ if we've said it before, if if everyone were throwing a lake of fire, he still wouldn't have the opportunity to show his hatred of sin. He never exhausts the fire, but it was put out on Christ. He He suffered the whole thing.
And there, at the cross, is where we see these things God manifests to us.
It's good for the young people and all of us to lay hold of what we're talking about. Boldness tomorrow morning when we're at that table. That's a marvelous spot. That's in Hebrews 10. I like this 17th and 19th person.
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more, 19 having therefore brethren.
Boldness to enter into the holiness by the blood of Jesus.
By a new and living wave, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil.
It is to say his pledge let us draw near 22. You know the young people are the children may wonder why we're always so at ease. We are at ease when we're there and have happiness in our faces. It ought to be, and I believe it is. But we have No Fear.
No Fear at all to be realized that the Lord Himself is in our midst.
The creator of this world. That's a marvelous thing. Now if you turn to 1St John in chapter 4, you'll see the real reason why.
It's based on verse 8, the last three words. Of course God is love. I'll turn to 17, and I'll have to read the marginal reading for two words. Herein Is love with us made perfect that we may have bold nuts in the Day of Judgment.
Because as he is, so are we in this world. There is No Fear in love. But perfect love castes out fear. Now, as he is, so are we now in this world.
So we have No Fear of judgment because God has committed all judgment to thought, and we're one with him. And as I put it up on the right side of the bench at the Gray white throne, and I would never want to be on the other side, never. Who has No Fear. We we are with the judge, one with him at that awful time, and you know they'll see him as a lion, as a solemn thought is that those that are to be judged.
Will see that judge as the Lamb, but they'll fear for the wrath of the Lamb of the rest of the land. But I believe they'll be reminded of fresh and afresh that we came to die for them too. But they would not have it. I wonder if.
Someone could give us a little thought that the question comes up sometimes.
About a purged conscience. That is, the believer today has a purged conscience. And when you raise this, sometimes there's many questions raised. I wonder if somebody could give us a little thought on that.
What I enjoy is this that that 22nd verse is an illustration of the first two articles inside the gate of the Tabernacle. The first one is the brazen altar. What was there?
Blood. Then the priest only had access into the Holy Place, The priests I should say, when their hands and feet had been washed at the next object, and that was the labor and that was water. So we have blood and water. So we find it right here in this verse. Blood and water this giving us perfect access.
00:40:21
Right. And through the veil. What do we find inside the veil? Jesus Christ.
Well, the children of Israel did not have a purged conscience, did they? Their sacrifices had to be repeated.
But does our sacrifice need repeating? Never. He completed the work once and once for all on the cross, and God has accepted him back there. And so I just wondered if we couldn't get a little bit more on that. Well, look at look at Hebrews 10 on that and verse one, Hebrews 10 and verse one and two.
For the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers there unto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered. That is, if there was an offering brought that could make the comers perfect before God, then they wouldn't have continued to offer the offerings. But the repeated offering shows that none of them.
Accomplished eternal redemption because that the worshippers once purged, should have had no more conscience of sins. That is, the sin question would have been settled once and for all, never to be repeated. And we get that in verse 10.
Verse 12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, comma.
Forever sat down on the right hand of God. They put the comma in the wrong place there.
Verse 14 For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. So that means that the the the offer, the worshipper has a perfectly purged conscience. The sin question forever settled, no more offering for sin. This is what makes the the sacrifice of the Mass so so wrong is it is a it is a repetition, they say.
A repeat sacrifice of the sacrifice of Christ that denies the eternal efficacy of the once for all never to be repeated. Sacrifice which took place on the cross. So that's a very blasphemous departure from the perfection of the finished work of Christ. He pronounced as a divine person on the cross upon his own work. He said it is finished and he knew when it was finished, He knew when.
The last.
Bit of wrath against sin had been expended.
And as was said on the cross, the sacrifice consumed the fire. There's no more judgment.
I like to mention, too, that when it is a question of the Lord Jesus entering the holiest of all for us, and is not with the blood, and it is by virtue of the blood that he has entered, that is, by virtue of a finished work of redemption, it has Arabian circulated among Gren.
That atonement was not accomplished until he ascended to glory, because he was not a priest on earth, so he had to present his own blood.
But it is by virtue of the blood that He has entered, and we too enter by virtue of that blood. But like you have said, Doctor Norman, what a comfort it is to know that we are not only there by virtue of the blood, but that the Lord Jesus as the minister of the sanctuary is there, and that he assist us in our feebleness and in our weakness, and he assists us in presenting that which we feebly present here.
Perfectly before God. You know, many times we make statements which are not quite correct, but what a comfort. The Lord Jesus is there as the minister of the sanctuary. We are not there alone in that holy presence. He is there with us. You can see how important it is that we are where he is.
That he assists, that people worship of the Saints and dear young people get ahold of this. There is no such a thing as a building that has a sanctuary.
00:45:03
That's Jewish.
When we enter on Lord's Day Morning, we enter into the holiest of all, and by faith we are where the Lord Jesus is now.
That is a truth that came out along with many other aspects of the truth of God. There is no such a thing as a corner in a church building. That is the sanctuary, you know, that is Jewish. But how wonderful. By faith we enter where the Lord Jesus now is and he is there to assist us. No wonder we can be there without fear. I'd like to read from Hebrews 9 another passage. I'm reading it from Darby's translation because it.
I want to read a note as well Hebrews 9 and verse 11. But Christ being come High Priest of the good things to come.
By a better and more perfect Tabernacle, now that by that word by he has this note, Dia here gives the character of his coming. He came in the power of and characterized by these things.
You get the same construction in first John five. It says this water and blood not by water only, but by water and blood. He came characterized not only by water, but by blood, not only by cleansing, but by expiation. And this is what it says here a high priest. But Christ being come high priest. Of the good things to come by the better and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hand, that is to say, not of this creation.
Nor by the blood of ghosts. Same word by the blood of goats and cats. He didn't come characterized by the blood of goats and calves, but he came characterized by his own blood, in contrast with that of the goats and cats. Having so come, he has now entered in to the holiest.
Having found an eternal redemption, but it's his coming, the character of his coming that is emphasized here. And then he enters. Having completed the work on the cross, he didn't have to enter to complete it and present blood there. He completed it on the cross and then in the virtue of that the value of that he enters. But that that's the whole number. Read that Mister Darby's translation with the notes very helpful in that point.
What did the Lord mean when he said to Mary?
After he'd been raised, touch me not, for I have not yet ascended unto my father.
It's a question of relationship. She wanted the Lord Jesus back in the same relationship that she had before the cross. And the Lord Jesus has to make her understand that she cannot have him the way she had him before, that There is a new relationship now, and he makes her the messenger of that true. I ascended to my God, your God, my father, your Father, and then connect that with.
Corinthians.
We know no man after the flesh. Even if we have known Christ Jesus after the flesh, we don't know Him in that way anymore. There is a new creation. So even those who were in relationship with the Lord Jesus as the Messiah when he was here on earth, there is now a new relationship. Mary has to understand that these things have changed. She cannot have him in the same way that she had him before and when it comes later on in the chapter, when it is a question of doubt.
With Thomas, put thy finger, you know. Then he's permitted to touch the Lord because it is there, not a question of relationship, but it's a question of removing His doubt and convincing him that this person standing before him is the living risen Savior.
I think that verse that you mentioned in Two Corinthians helps to explain it, doesn't you? Yeah, it all. We have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. We don't know him as the one who is Israel's Messiah in Christianity, we know him as the beginning, the head of new creation. And so if any man be in Christ, there he is a new preacher or there is a new creation. And so it's an entirely new thing.
I just like to say too in connection with the word atonement, because I think that is misunderstood. It is never used in the New Testament. There is one place in Romans 5 where our translation mentions atonement, but if you have a margin, in many Bibles, at least it says by whom not we have received the atonement, but we have received the reconciliation because the word atonement comes from the Hebrew word to cover and we don't have to cover sin anymore.
00:50:18
The sacrifices were accepted to make an atonement or to make a covering. So God looked at the sacrifice and he looked on to the time when his beloved Son was going to complete that work, and there was a covering for the time present. But now there's no covering because sin is taken away during the cover, something when it's gone, and so now there is no covering. It says he has put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
I say that because it's often spoken of in the religious world. Atonement means at one month. It has no thought like that at all. In the scripture it has the thought of a covering that has to do with Israels position that God provided that for the time present in view of the time.
When it would be put away by one offering, it perfected forever them that are sanctifying, these are these are good things to bring up because there are many young people that some gathered that I've known and these are questions that they have and sometimes we don't always have all the answers. So I think it's well to go into this summer somewhat. This is another question in regard to this.
What?
Was behind the veil at the time of the crucifixion.
We find that in Ezekiel the glory of the Lord had left the chair at me, and it was not as it was in its original character. I'd like to have explained. Perhaps it would be a help to man, perhaps to the younger ones, what now existed behind the veil, that it was so valuable?
That we find that we could now approach through the veil, because it's not true that the glory of the Lord had left what was there.
Photos Empty, wasn't it?
The ark had been lost, and so the arc is gone. And the Lord said that your house is left unto you desolate. But I believe in type, isn't it, that it still stands as far as our understanding of it, That veil that blocked the entrance into God's very presence has been removed. So we we see it, I believe, as a as a beautiful still, a fulfillment of the Old Testament.
That failed the Old Testament then saying that we're we're viewing it essentially as it was in its original character.
That's the way Hebrews presents it. Hebrews. Now let's look at it once. Why you raise the question in Hebrews 9, it says.
There was a Tabernacle, verse two made the first, wherein was the Candlestick and the table and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary.
That was the first compartment, and after the second veil, that's the one that we're talking about. The Tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden sensor in the Ark of the Covenant overlaid roundabout with gold. Wherein was the golden pot that had mana, and Aaron's rod that buttered, and the tables of the covenant, and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak, particularly now. When these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first Tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
But into the second went the High Priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people, the Holy Ghost, this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing.
Which was a figure for that time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service.
Perfect as pertaining to the conscience. That's what you were talking about Charles before now. Once that when that was rent, that was an indication that everything was accomplished for God's glory. And now the way into his presence was opened and the worshipper has a perfect conscience now, no more conscience of sins. So the way Hebrews presents it, the ark's still there even though it wasn't. And that's what it represents, that inner veil. It's the presence of God.
00:55:12
But we suggest that the Tabernacle was more a pattern of things in the heavens.
For us, when the temple was built, it brings before us the time when the Lord Jesus will reign.
And everything will be set up, and he will occupy that place of King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And so the temple has more to do with the thought of the Kingdom and a picture of the time when righteousness will reign. So you have Ezekiel temple brought before us.
But the Tabernacle, which was a passing thing going through the wilderness, is more a pattern of heavenly things.
And so he in Epistle to the Hebrews, he doesn't really talk about the Temple. He talks about the Tabernacle, doesn't he? Because that was the pattern of heavenly things fulfilled in the Lord Jesus in himself and in the work that he accomplished and his sacrifice. Even we as Christians are seen, and to Christian Jews, the believing Jews are seen as on a pilgrimage journey. And so we find that also in Hebrews 11 in the beginning, do we not?
Just like they were looking.
So we as Christians and the Jewish believers are looking for a city. And so this is beautiful to see. It's a wilderness book. But while we're on this wilderness journey, we go outside the camp because we go into the holiest. That's a beautiful thing. We are apart from the religious systems which have been patterned after the Jewish system. We are outside the camps.
But we're in the holiest of all. We enter into that of which the Tabernacle was a picture.
When you ask a question about the Holy Temple in verse 21.
Which is really connected with the present time, in whom all the buildings fitly framed together, grow up under unfolding temple and the Lord. This is the assembly as well.
Yes, but they thought in the Tabernacle is more the thought of access. Whereas of course the temple does bring before us a spiritual building. The Lord said on this rock I will build my church, there are living stones and so on. It's another side of things that isn't so much the thought of approach, but rather what we are now. We are building together the holy temple for inhabitation of God through the Spirit.
We could say that that that 21St verse is like the first chapter and the 22nd verse of the second chapter.
I'd like to make a few comments trying to connect some of these thoughts. I must say I feel a little bit sorry for the young people trying to follow us. We're going all over the place and it's not too easy to follow our line of thought. The what we had in John 20 was mentioned where the Lord says touch me, not Mary. I have not yet ascended to my father. Go to my brethren and tell them I ascend unto my father and to your Father, to my God, and to your God.
And he didn't ascend until 10 days after his resurrection. 40 days after his resurrection he was on earth all that in Acts one. And then he ascended. And then ten days later he sent down the Holy Spirit. Now we don't read of the Holy Spirit forming in this chapter the one body, but we do read in verse 15 of Ephesians 2 The last part of the verse for to make him himself of Twain.
Of Jew and Gentile 1 Newman So making peace now, who constitutes that new man? The new man is Christ the head. And the Jew and Gentile, as members of his one body, united to Christ in glory in the next chapter. That's called the Unity of the Spirit. It's the Spirit of God that has united us to one another and to Christ in heaven, called here. 1 Newman.
It's something that never existed before. And the Spirit of God is mentioned in our chapter in verse 18. It says for through him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father, and in verse 22 The habitation of God through the Spirit. So the Spirit of God unites us to one another and to Christ in glory. That's the one body truth. And then he also inhabits the House of God.
01:00:18
The House of God is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. So these two figures are used in this chapter. The one body and they're both. They're both connected with the Spirit of God. Spirit of God forms the one body. We're baptized by 1 Spirit into one body and united to the head in heaven. He is the connecting link. The Spirit of God is the one who forms that unity and that union. And then he also inhabits the house. He dwells in the house.
And these are two thoughts in the chapter. We also have the family mentioned in verse 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God. So we're part of the household of God, as well as being members of the one body, as well as being the habitation of God by the Spirit Now. And this is a holy temple which is growing, growing to completion.
And it's not finished yet, but it is his habitation now on earth. He dwells here in this, in the in the house, which is the all the Saints. Oh, it's really all professing Christendom. It is really, and for the Spirit of God loves today.
It fits into Acts chapter 2, doesn't it? Also because when the Holy Spirit came down, he baptized all believers.
But also he filled the house. So we see the boat there, don't we? As you were pointing out. I believe that's the introduction of that. When the Holy Spirit came down, that precious truth was developed right there.
Connection with the Tabernacle. We were Speaking of it as our position here while we're still in this world, waiting for the Lord Jesus to come. But in Ephesians we're looked at as seated in the heavenlies, and it's not a temporary thing.
It says as of the heavenly city, and I saw no temple or in for the Lord, God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. So there is the thought of the temple in connection with the heavenly city. But when we talk about our worship now and where we are by we, we're going through the wilderness.
In Ephesians it's growing unto an holy temple. In the Lord, I think we see the two lines of truth brought before us. But in Ephesians it's particularly where God has placed us through the work of Christ, not the thought of access as we have in Hebrews.
And I mean in the present time, but Peter, how you bring now, Peter the second chapter in there you have the house right? And there you have worship right. So that brings a side out and connected with the House of God that speaks of worship similar to what you have in Hebrews, right?
Well, yeah, Estonia doesn't speak of within the veil or something, it just speaks of thee. But the Lord said on this rock, I will build my church.
So we are living stones in the house where we as priests.
OfferUp that is fully free. OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. I have sometimes tried to put it this way that when it ever speaks of the House of God, it seems his portion is in view. You know it's his dwelling place or receiving worship from his own. When it comes to the body of Christ, there seems to be our blessing, our portion.
Our edification, encouragement, and comfort all building ourselves up in love, That seems to be the predominant thought, and we always tend to think of that side of things because we're selfish creatures even in spiritual things. But when it comes to the House of God, it's his holy habitation, and he dwells there. Holiness becomes his House of God forever, and he receives in that house worship from his own holy priests.
We must have more of an exercise that God receives.
That from his people that he is looking for.
Even in Peter it says he's begotten us again unto a living culture to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. And the fate is not a way reserved in heaven for you.
01:05:01
In First Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19.
But know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you're not your own. That is the individual indwelling of the Spirit for each believer.
And in chapter 3 it's the collective. It says in chapter three of First Corinthians it says Know ye not verse 16, that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. That's collective.
6 chapters individual, isn't it?
We sing hymn #57.
On the left of the door.
Thank you. Could we stand?
Young Men
Philemon
Reading
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My girlfriend.
Oh glory.
Somewhere.
And you've been on my heart.
Dangerous. All of the heavens and everything was but played by it.
Oh my God, joy and let's love you forever.
Before Lehman, Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto thy Lehman our daily Beloved and fellow laborer, and to our Beloved Athea and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the Church and thy house. Grace you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God making mention of the always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward All Saints, that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the Saints are refreshed by the brother.
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ, to enjoin thee, that which is convenient.
Yet for Love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the agent, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds, which in time passed, was to the unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me whom I have sent again. Thou therefore receive him, that is my own vows, whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. But without thy mind would I do nothing.
That thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou should have received him forever, not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved especially to me. But how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord? If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself, if he hath wrongly or oweth thee aught put that on mine account?
00:05:25
I fall, have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it, albeit I do not say to thee how thou oest unto me, even thine own self besides. Yeah, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord, refresh my bowels in the Lord having confidence, and I obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou will also do more than I say, but with all prepare me also a lodging.
That through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
There salute the Epiphraz, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.
Marcus, Aristarchus, Dimas, Lucas, my fellow laborers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
It might be good to mention there's only two epistles that Paul wrote entirely with his own hands. This is one of them. The other one is Galatians to the Galatians.
Even to the Corinthians.
He would sign it just enough to make it known as his. If you turn to 1St Corinthians or Second Corinthians, I think maybe it's verse 16 First Corinthians. I think that's chapter 16 towards the end of verse 21. Now all this was written not by Paul, but at 21 he says the salutation of me, Paul, with my own hands. So this and the rest is his, and it's a seal that this is his letter.
But with the Galatians, you wouldn't do that with the Galatians, he said. You've seen how long an epistle. I've written with my own hand, the whole epistle, because it was too serious to let there be even a shadow of a doubt that this was Paul the apostle writing. It was doctrinal air in Galatians. I'm afraid of you all he could say. He didn't say one thing to commend.
Because that trial of air cannot be commended, the man, the assembly that's in doctrinal air cannot be commanded.
With the Corinthians, he commended again and again. But that was moral error. That was looseness and things like that. Now here I believe Paul's heart was as burdened as in any epistle he wrote. This is a very important epistle to let us realize that one brother is important to the whole assembly and the whole body of Christ. That's it. I don't know how much to go this is. You want to go on, Chuck?
I think this is such a tender epistle.
Really brings out the heart of the apostle, doesn't it? The love of the apostle, the affection, and how that he does not insist. He does not use his Apostolic authority to command Philemon to receive an SMS back his runaway slave, but he he appeals to him in such a loving way.
And he says, receive him as myself. It would be very hard to.
To have hard thoughts of Philemon, of Anessimus. Philemon might have naturally had them. Evidently, when an SMS left, he had stolen from his master, and then he'd gotten saved there with Paul. Paul had brought in the gospel in prison. There he'd gotten saved and.
It says in the Old Testament that.
One escapes, His master is he's free, he's not, doesn't have to be returned. But here the apostle wanted to keep an estimates for himself. He could be serviceable to him, but he wouldn't do that without Philemon's mind. So he sends him back and says receive him as myself. Well, it's very tender and it brings out the heart of the apostle, doesn't it? Now I think of that in verse in the ninth verse there where he says that.
00:10:18
Array 8 verses 8 and 9 wherefore though I might be.
A much bold in praise to enjoin thee, which is that which is convenient, yet for loves sake, I rather beseech thee. That's very tender thought, isn't it? For lovesake, I rather beseech thee. So he wasn't commanded.
This teaching has the thought of faking.
When you beseech the judge you're begging for.
And you know, while this is interesting, the character Philemon means affectionate or friendly. I believe that's the type of brother he was. He was a slaveholder. He's a wealthy man. The meeting met in his home.
And his wife's name means, let's see the kind ones. I better think about the dear one, kind one or dear one. So that was a couple that must have been nice to their slaves. They were believers. Nice isn't it? Now in those days slaves were property. They were not people in that way. They were property. Chateau the older and and you're right, if they got away, as long as they stayed away.
They were free, but if they were apprehended they could be put to death as examples to the other place. So you can see how Paul was in turmoil on sending this now brother in the Lord back.
He could have been used as an example for the rest of the slaves, whipped brutally or put to death. So this is really a pistol that you got to think White Ball is riding like he is. He isn't riding as an apothel, he's writing as a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Notice that.
I am a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I am a slave in this place, just like homestimus was to you.
Think what it Think what it was. When Onesimus comes back to Philemon, you think it might think of the feelings that Philemon would have. Here comes that Rascal. I never thought I'd see him again. And then Philemon. And then Onesimus says Here's the letter.
From Paul.
And that was a letter commending Onesimus to Philemon. The letter of commendation. Please read the letter before you trounce me.
But it's a good thing for us to understand that slavery.
Existed during the time of Christianity, but it is not the kind of slavery that we have found.
In this country.
You know the Scripture forbade to steal a man. You know those people that were brought over here as slaves were stolen and then sold. This is not the kind of slavery that you find in the Scriptures or even in New Testament times and those who were finding themselves in that position.
If they were able to become free, according to First Corinthians 7, they should use it so that they would be freer to serve the Lord, that they would no longer be the property of a man, so that they could unhinderedly serve the Lord. But.
Here now this man is sent back.
And to file a man, and if he would receive him, the way Paul is sending him back, that would really virtually set aside this state of slavery, wouldn't it? How can you treat a man that you receive like a brother or receive in false death? Treat him like a slave, like your property. You know he's your fellow member. You know he is a member in the body of Christ.
But.
We have been influenced to quite an extent, not necessarily by scripture or principles, but it's beautiful to see that Grace recognizes the claim, as Chuck already indicated, and sends that slave back. But Grace expects also that that man is going to pre treat it differently than the way he was treated before he, by the grace of God, was touched.
00:15:08
And save. There is just one other thought though, If.
Anathema is going to do the one thing that was so important in those days. Remember the Lord. You'd have to be forgiven there and received there to remember the Lord. It would be wrong for him to go to another assembly and remember the Lord without that sense. I think that was the most important thing, and we find him gathered in Philemon's house in the same year.
Remembering the Lord breaking great. I believe that is also in the thought of Paul.
Can we not see the affections of Christ himself?
And read these words as though they were coming directly from the mouth of the Lord Jesus.
For us.
If he owe thee aught, put that to my account.
Receive him as myself.
Then his brother Chuck was saying.
No, my Lehman might have looked down the road. And justice.
Jumped up to run out to do contrary to the father when he saw the prodigal coming. Much contrary, but.
When he read this letter, it just reduced him down to tears to receive this one back.
And rather than every one of us.
Carry this letter.
Christ is saying, this is my letter of recommendation. I look on a brother and he's bringing this letter. Christ is saying if he owe the alt, put it to my account, receive him as myself.
And our love for one another has to be that which comes from God himself.
And cannot be reduced down to what I think about it. And I was thinking of the way that the new translation, Brother Darby.
Translates verse 6.
Well, verse 5 for the context, hearing of thy love and the fate which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus.
And towards all the Saints.
In such sort that by participation in the faith.
Should become operative.
In the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in US towards Christ Jesus. Not towards me, not towards me.
That's the thing below if we if we can live with near the Lord and these things are natural to us.
And I've enjoyed the application of an expression in Romans 2.
They that do by nature when we do the things of God by nature.
That is when they come out because of my communion with Christ and my joy in Christ, that I just, I just live that way. I have a new nature. But when I have to force it and fake it, I just need to go talk to the Lord about that.
It's not my true proper state that I belong I should be in, but I really do appreciate the thought of the tenderness of this. But we should realize that it is a letter written and so important as we've heard.
And for us to take it for ourselves, not just for Philemon.
One more thing I'd like to say about Onesimus.
I believe it says in the book of Colossians that he was a faithful brother.
God said that about him.
That's the word of God. Final essence. He had been saved, apparently there in the jail, and but had stayed there long enough to learn the truth from Paul at his feet in jail.
Paul could say he's a faithful brother.
Could we say that this characterized Philemon? He said. I thank my God, making mention of the always in my prayers, making mention always in my prayers hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the Saints. And I think that we need to be exhorted on this and to use it as a barometer for our souls.
00:20:03
There are many of God's people that we cannot walk with. But brethren, if our heart and love does not take in all the Saints, Mr. Kelly would say, if it leaves out one.
We don't have the heart of God, what I'd rather and what's on God's heart?
If we're in communion, it will be on our heart. We will love All Saints, not just the gathered Saints.
Although we cannot walk with them, and so I believe that we can take that as a monitor, that each one of our souls individually. If I feel only love for those that I'm in fellowship with, I'm in the flesh. It's the nominationalism, it's sectarianism. If I'm in communion with the Lord, I'll love all God's people, but my feet will walk in the past if you've chosen out for me.
Believe that that's something that we need to be exhausted, because it will narrow our hearts down to sectarianism, that expression. Love to All Saints. All you in in Ephesians 115 towards the Ephesians. They have that too, you know. And then he used it in Colossians 14 towards all the Colossians Saints, not just Philemon. And that's rather nice to see as the one who seems to be.
The Overseer is that temperament, you know, of loving all things. The assembly was identified that way. Very beautiful. We have a nice verse because God loves to prove to us we're saved. He gives us a lot of ways, but I like that one, don't you? Hereby we know we passed from death unto life.
We love the Saints, The Brethren, yes, but I have things. I'm sorry. Thank you. The Brethren. All of them. Isn't that lovely. But you mentioned.
Other war the end of verse 19. I will repay it. You said we can be identified with Christ that way. And think of Christ this way. You know Martin Luther said because of verse 1718 and 19.
We can all be called the Lords on this. Amite all of us. And here's why he said in verse 18 we have substitution and it says if he hath wrong these of or always the art, put that on my account, that's substitution.
And that's lovely. When the Lord died on the cross and said it's finished, that's it. And then on the 17th verse we do have acceptance, and it says, if thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. This morning we were accepted.
By God in his beloved one that's beautiful. Then the last, of course, verse 19 Redemption. And he said, I, Paul, have written with my own hand I will repay, in other words, all my sins when I was saved, who washed away?
But he's taken care of all of them. And I think that's beautiful. Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. It's all inclusive. So I thought that was an interesting thought where all the Lords will Nephemite. It's beautiful to see how he.
Disarms Philemon of any ill feeling towards an estimus, He first says, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus.
And toward all the Saints.
Verse 10 He says, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. He's now one of the Saints, Philemon. And you love all the Saints, don't you, Philemon? So that brings in Onesimus. I was thinking of that verse in Romans 15-7. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
You might say that's stamped right on Philemon, isn't it? Right over the whole book. And but he it's so beautiful. To see how he does not, does not force Philemon. In a way he does. He forces him by the prerogative of love, but not by a legal commandment. But he deals with him in such a way he can say no. He can't refuse an SMS with this kind of an appeal. You'd have to have a Stony heart to do it, wouldn't you? And he didn't. He had a very warm heart.
00:25:01
I like to think. Put yourself. I should put myself. You should put yourself in a position of Philemon here. He had that slave in his house.
How long he had been there, we don't know, but most likely.
While he already was saved, Philemon was saved. Yet God could not use Philemon.
To lead Anisimus to the Lord Jesus, Don't you think there was a rebuke?
Administer to him in the fact that this man had to flee from this home and then meet Paul, and Paul leading him to the Savior could not. Philemon had been that instrument. But don't you think that that relationship of a slave and master might have been a hindrance? You know it's not necessary to be a hindrance, but it seems to have been that way. He was one that God was going to save.
But you see, he had to, as it were, remove him, found him, and now he does not directly rebuke him about that, but I would think that he must have had some thoughts to that effect.
How wonderful. That man did leave my home. And now he is saved, and he comes back as a member of the body of Christ, part of the family of God. And you know, sometimes, beloved, I believe.
Our position in life tends to be a hindrance in dealing with souls, and the Lord might well have to remove people from us in order to use others to lead them to the Lord. Those are exercises that can be aroused by the fact that this man had been in the home of Philemon, but God had to remove him from there in order to save his soul.
Isn't it true? I think all of us can say, especially those that were saved out of system, but it's very hard to talk to your own brothers, sisters, brothers and fathers.
It's just difficult. I can be bold as a lion to a stranger, no problem.
What The close relative is difficult, but the Lord does. He has his own way. Thank God for that. He doesn't need us there. We pray.
The Lord uses who we will. My brother was the hard one to reach and I don't know if he saved Jenna. I think he might be, but I don't know. But my mother, when just before she died, asked me to take her funeral. I had a captive audience, my brother and my sister and all the relatives, you know, I couldn't talk to them before, before I was able to talk to them about the gospel. So Lord provides if you're really exercised, but I think you're right. close relationship is difficult.
Can we not have a boss, you know, instead of a servant of Christ to a lost soul? Can we not apply it to our assembly relationship also that when one falls?
Tribute to all of us.
And here he's coming back. It would be like 2 Corinthians truth, would it not in that, in that scene, and the Lord there through Paul is telling, well, forgive him. The devil would like for us to go on on down the road with our sins and our failures. He doesn't want us to get beyond it.
But the Apostle Paul says we are not ignorant of his Wiles.
Says forgiveness. That comes in there with that man who had fallen and he says forgive him I think twice. And he says if you forgive him, I forgive him. It was all settled. The issue was over with. And here I was noticing also in this verse 5 it's a little different from where we read otherwise in scripture.
In other places in Scripture, we hear of faith in the Lord Jesus and love toward all the Saints.
But here?
It's faith and love.
Toward all the Saints.
Toward the Lord Jesus and All Saints, that is. Now look at my brother. If I can see him by faith, it's fate toward him too. Not only fake toward the Lord Jesus, but fake toward my brother.
See, all of us are brought into the presence of God to live.
And once we're saved, we walk in the light all of us, not just the one who fell or who falls or whatever. It's all of us.
00:30:01
And if I live in the good of that which I have in Christ, and my joy of my soul as I go along every day, I'm going to see by.
Faith. I'm going to look at faith toward my brother called faith toward Christ. And that is, as we've heard, that's what Paul is bringing in. The wisdom of God, of course, moved by the spirit of God to put Philemon there where he really has no other options. He is brought, if he's going to be a Christian, if he's going to walk and live like a Christian, he's going to accept on estimates back. And you and I also think we're going to walk and live like Christians. We're going to exhibit the same character that he's expecting out of Philemon.
There's another ingredient to consider here, and that is that each sphere is necessary. It was necessary for Onesimus to be in Philemon home, and sometimes.
In the assembly where we come from, the Gospels faithfully preached every Lord's Day evening, and and then there comes a general meetings, and here one that has been in the assembly gets saved by an evangelist that has come to town.
Well, we might say, well, didn't we preach the gospel good enough so that this soul can be saved? Well, there's that preliminary work. It's like a farmer. He goes and he plows his ground and he can plow it all he wants, but there isn't going to be any crop. But it's necessary that that ground be tilled. And so we need to.
Say Well, Paul got the credit for his salvation, but not altogether.
Everyone has this part. Very good flight.
Wouldn't that be quite that? Thailand might have wanted to save them and didn't work, and here he goes somewhere else. Or like you said, someone comes to a meeting and here comes evangelist. He's being saved. Wouldn't that be humbling for the other brothers?
We put all our effort in trying to save someone that didn't work.
Well, it's the Lord's doing, isn't it?
He has to do it and if we put our effort in and we want to do it, it doesn't work.
But there's one other difference here besides Paul riding his whole hand. Verse 1-2 and three He's writing a personal letter to Philemon and Aphia because they this is their property. That's why he's writing it firstly to them. But he includes.
Octopus now, I believe he wanted him involved in that assembly here in this letter because he was the chief groomer in Colossi of all the horses and all the transportation. He was a high man and a man who was positive, and so he includes him, but then he also includes the assembly. Well, you don't see another letter like that. There's a letter that was personal, but he includes another person.
And the assembly? Well, now why look at Notice verse 3. Grace to You and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is not the greeting Paul uses when he writes to individuals. Mercy is included. This is a greeting for the assembly. Now the assembly is involved, and that's what we get out of this, the assembly. We're not isolated individuals.
We involve the assembly, and the assembly involved the Body of Christ.
This is so important to Paul, and the assembly had to receive Onesimus. This is wonderful. You think about it, how deep it is. It's the shortest epistle, but it is deep.
Interesting too, that in mentioning has been recalled verse five hearing of thy love and faith. And we know the Galatians tells us that faith works by love. So I just dropping down to verse 7.
For he says. For we have great joy and consolation, not in thy faith, but in thy love. And I thought of how beautiful that is, that faith works by love, and that's that's the source. If it doesn't come from love, if it doesn't produce love, then what is faith?
So we have that here, don't we? For we have great joy and consolation. And I love because the bowels of the Saints are refreshed by thee, brother. Well, that's a good commendation.
He doesn't. He does include Timothy in the address, though. He says, Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother unto Philemon. So we see that others are drawn in not only in the letter that's written, but the ones to whom it is written.
00:35:11
So we as a scripture, so as none of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself, my actions are going to affect my brethren. And we always have to remember that, don't we? We'd say, well, that's just an individual thing. But our actions, even though they may be on an individual basis, do have an effect upon others. And we always have to bear that in mind and act as those who act for the good of all of Saints of God don't read.
I like to look at Anissimus.
Now his master was not able to lead him to the Lord, but I'm sure he heard about the Lord from Philemon.
And he can't get away from the Lord. He can get away from his master, but the Lord leads him in contact with Paul.
Isn't it what has happened in the life of many? You know, they tried to get away from the Lord, maybe even get away from home, you know, because they didn't want what their parents were trying to convey to them. And then the Lord leads them to be in context with believers elsewhere, you know? And many times we tend to take credit for the conversion of a soul because we, as it were, give them the last push, you know?
Ignoring how many might already have been used in their lives to prepare them, you know, So it's beautiful to see that here he thought he got away from Philemon. Maybe that was even part of the factor in leaving, that he didn't like to hear the gospel or be preached to. But then the Lord leads him to meet Paul. Someone has suggested maybe he was the soldier to whom Paul was chained.
You know that he couldn't get away from Paul, and so the Lord uses Paul to lead him to faith in the Lord Jesus. You know we can't get away from God. We heard that in Psalm 139. You know he has his ways to get to us. If we try to get away from one who speaks to us of the Lord, the Lord will bring another one into our lives.
We should leave all of that.
For the judgment seat of Christ, you know, taking credit for anything is a real danger. And someone you know. If if someone preaches the gospel or speaks to somebody and they receive Christ, well, maybe two or three brought them right to the edge and all you did was tipped them over a little, they'll get the credit that the judge would see the Christ. You'll get a little bit. Maybe we all work together and we shouldn't even want to know if if God in his grace lets us know.
Watch out. This is danger because our flesh now moves a little bit and that's awful. So we all work together. If it wasn't a prayer meeting before the gospel, I wouldn't preach. No, no way would I preach if the Spirit of God isn't called upon to get active.
What's the use? And I hope no one does. Well, I shouldn't put you under law. One place I went, they're going to have the gospel, they said. I said, where? Where? Where's the prayer meeting? We don't have a prayer meeting for gossip, I said. Why? There's no room. Just got one room here, I said. There's a stump out there.
We went out, got around the stump, and we had a God. We had a we had prayer meeting. You know we don't have to have any to go in the kitchen. The women will get out for 5-10 minutes anyways. I should do. The Lord himself gave the answer to what we're talking about, didn't he? In the 4th of John He said one soul and another reason other men have labored and ye are entered into their laborers. And then he said that he has He that saw us and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Striving together in the faith of the gospel, isn't it?
Reason Paul said this. Go ahead brother. He does say in verse 10, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds. So he regarded an Estimus as his son in the faith. And then he says which in time passed was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me.
An SMS no doubt had told Paul of some of his ways with his master Philemon, and so Paul says he was.
Unprofitable today, I know that. But now he's profitable to me and also to thee, because now he's the Lord's.
And then he says.
00:40:01
In in verse 18, if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee aught, he doesn't say he does. He suggests that it may have happened and it probably did happen. Put that on mine account. But the way he puts it, he doesn't say what he stole from you. Put that on my account. He says If he hath wronged thee or owe it thee anything, put that on mine account. In other words, he doesn't state it as a positive fact that he had done this.
But if he did regard him in this way, again, it's very delicately put everything that he says, brethren, we're having trouble having some conflict. And one said, let's pause and read the Epistle to Philemon. And they read the Epistle to Philemon. And let's let the spirit of this epistle get into our souls. And then they had a very profitable and nice brothers meeting after that.
I think we should do that more often if we're going to visit one where it's a disciplined matter, and that it might be well, if we would read Philemon, so that we go there in the right spirit, the spirit of Christ. Paul was very slow to boast. This is unusual for him to say this. He even called himself a fool when the Corinthians forced him to tell a few things about himself. I speak as a tool, but he says here I have begotten in my own bond. I have begotten in my bonds on SMS. That's unusual for him, but he had a reason.
Now notice verse 19 at the end. Howbeit, albeit I do not say to thee, he's not going to say it.
How thou always unto me, even thine own self, I begot you too. Please, I'm not going to say it.
He said it that he wasn't saying. I'm not going to say it.
Are there any dissensational applications to the assistance of violent?
I've missed and if there is, but we've got some here who wouldn't have missed it, I don't know.
Well, if there are, I'd rather we pursue it the way we have been. I don't know of any. I think the dispensation is the day of grace, You know, that's what I would get from it. We're in that day, aren't we? And I'm sure that Onissimus also came to acknowledge his fault to his master, the very fact that he would go back.
You know what? An admission of guilt. And you know we don't read anything of him making any acknowledgement to his master. But I'm convinced as one who had been touched by the grace of God, who had wronged his master, he would not ignore it. He would make acknowledgement. And so this is not spelled out here, but we know that is what the grace of God could accomplish in you and me if we have been.
In a relationship where we have wronged a person even before we were saved, that we make an acknowledgement of that here he I'm sure it wasn't easy for him to start back to Philemon, but whatever he had done wrong, there was an acknowledgement. A confession. The name or national bus means profitable.
You know all of us were born for only one purpose. To give pleasure to the Lord. That's all. Give pleasure to the Lord. A Sinner can never give pleasure to the Lord. Never. We're unprofitable. That's him. It wasn't made for that. He was made for the Lords glory. So now he says, which in times past verse 11, to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. That's a beautiful way to put it. It's a play on his name.
That's beautiful. Now you know when you get saved, there are new creature. All things become new. All things passed away. That's that's this one. And it makes enemies. Brothers, beloved. That's what's going to happen. It really was an enemy because on estimates was a fugitive of justice. He had betrayed his master. He was an enemy now. And you know this is beautiful to see the way Paul does it. He says he's profitable make use of this brother.
00:45:06
He also says notice this 15 for perhaps.
Therefore departed for a season, that thou should receive him forever in that wonderful forever. So this is very beautiful. You know, there was a judge, and I thought of it with this. There was a judge who was retired, and he was a Christian, and he had sentenced many to prison criminals. And then he was at a prayer meeting, and there was a circle of them praying. And in walks this man, and kneel down to the empty chair near the judge.
The judge looked over.
He recognized him. He was one. He sentenced for 10 years in prison. The larceny, He was out here, He was praying. He prayed, so beautiful. And after that, the judge didn't introduce himself to him. He's a little awkward, thought he'd have a must be, pardon me, the pastor of that place. And he said, did you see who was praying next to me? And he said, yes, I did. Wasn't that an example?
Of the far fetching grace of God, he says. Yes, I did. I never thought a man like that could ever be saved. Outside of that, come to the prayer. Wait a minute. I didn't mean him, I meant me, he said I was raised to be a good boy. I was raised not to do bad things. I was raised to live a life that I thought was right. It was harder for me to get down to my knees than that man. He knew what he was. And you know, there they were, the one who sent him away.
If their brothers belonged.
Another nice tender thing here is to see the apostle. He says in verse 13, whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. Apparently he was a comfort to the apostle. And so he says, But without thy mind would I do nothing, That thy benefit should not be as it were, of necessity, but of willingness, willing, being willingly. And I think that's a real sweet little comment about this epistle, too. Again, it brings out the tenderness of it, doesn't it?
Paul says he wouldn't do anything without hearing from filing, which is said that he had a gift in the gospel perhaps.
I miss this.
And we apply a few of these statements.
To the Lord.
Saying them to us.
This expression without thy mind would I do nothing, he told his disciples.
I don't call you servants, but friends servant doesn't know what his master does.
That thy benefit should not be as the word of necessity, that is.
That he would with authority make us do. He would desire us to love him and want to do.
Let's see, a brother beloved especially to me.
What I thought it is, especially to me if you count me a partner.
Put that on my account.
Thou oest I do not say to thee how thou OST unto me. The Bible. You know, grace never puts us in debt to God, does it? We're not debtors to the flesh, But he never puts us in debt to himself. We do sing, you know. Who can tell how much we owe thee? But I thought of it recently. In this sense. What's the difference between the sense of debt and the sense of gratitude?
Grace would give us a sense of gratitude, but we don't know how to think that way. I believe. I believe we just have to sing about debt because that's as far as we can reach.
But that's what he says here. I do not say to thee how thou OS to meet thine own self, You say, the Lord would say to you and me, Let me have joy of thee.
Having confidence in my obedience.
Says in Ephesians one, Shall I hide from Abel? No, he says. Not a vet, but and Genesis 18, he says. Shall I hide from Abraham that which I'm going to do because I know him?
You'll keep my word, and you'll teach him to his children. His children's children get confidence in Abraham to tell him that's what love does, love toward us from Christ himself.
Best question, what if this message is not from the Apostle Paul? It's from a brother in assembly That is far off and we never heard of this brother before. Maybe the assembly doesn't have that good of reputation. Do we take it the same way? Does it? Does it have the same application there? No. This particular epistles from the Apostle Paul came to Philemon.
00:50:29
It wasn't from somebody he didn't know, the apostle Paul, somebody that others looked up to, and that the Lord that specially blessed. What if it doesn't come from such a person that's so highly thought of? Is there still an application? I just like some brother to answer that. If it's based on Paul's doctrine, I believe there'd be an application. If it's not, beware if it's based on the presence of the Lord in the midst also.
You know, it comes with a weight to it, the Lord says here, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. What a confidence He would repose in you and me because of his love for us.
And then prepare me a logic. But there is an authority that is acknowledged.
By Paul that existed in connection with Anissimus and that's Philemon now, he said.
Whom I would have retained with me, that in Daisy he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel, but without thy mind would I do nothing. You know, in other words, after now Anissimus is sent back to Philemon. Philemon. Philemon was at liberty to send him back.
To serve with Paul in the gospel as he desired. He would have liked to have seen Anissimus, but he acknowledges God-given authority that Philemon had in connection with anismus. So that's helpful, beloved, that we better acknowledge God-given authority even in connection with those that we labor with when it comes to children, you know?
We must acknowledge there is an authority placed over them, and that's their parents, you know, and that we acknowledge that authority and don't act as if it didn't exist. What I have enjoyed so tremendously in connection with Maria, you know, there came a time in the life of little Moses when the parents lost control, you might say.
They had to put.
The child out put them in that art. But you might say they have lost control. They had to carry out the King's command. But Miriam's service is that she brings that child back to the bosom of the mother. And many times in Christendom dees self appointed counselors in Christendom acknowledge not that God-given order established in the family.
You know, even support the state of alienation to continue between the children and the parents. Well, this I believe is what we can benefit. We can benefit from this the same.
The assembly where I reside, I am under the authority of that assembly and we better acknowledge this God-given authority and don't act as if their local assembly doesn't have authority. These are just.
Principles that commend themselves in connection with.
Paul acknowledging Philemon's authority and he wouldn't do anything without.
Philemon's consent. And it might well be that when Philemon received on Isimo's bag and that he realized how much Paul had benefited and would have benefited from the continued service.
Of this man that he might have suggested that he go back, you know, But Paul would not override and ignore God-given authority like to ask a question. Do you think that Paul prayed for the Spirit in Philemon that he would receive?
On SMS when he came back.
We don't get the Paul Paul's prayers on that matter, but what you bring up. I think brother, it's very important that we would pray where there is a breach comes in and the family with the children that we would be intelligent not to try to interfere as you make a very good point, but to pray that the Lord would heal the breach and that the Lord hears our prayers and that's why I believe that it mentions the assembly here.
00:55:23
You and I in the assembly we have the prerogative and the privilege and also the responsibility to pray for the parents.
In these matters, is that right? Yeah. Brother Henry Short one of the points in his ministry that comes out loud and clear, and that is that the assembly has no right to interfere in the authority that God has placed in the family. And we better recognize that, beloved Brethren. And that has not been done in more than one case, unfortunately. And So what?
What Paul does here with Philemon.
We can benefit from recognizing that, and it can be expanded beyond the relationship of a slave and a master. You were just speaking about that some of us years ago, Brother MW Smith from Greenville. He put out a little pamphlet. I believe it was called A True Church, the Body of Christ, and is a compilation of of order in receiving into fellowship cases of judgment and so on. And he made this comment.
He said the assembly is not a petty tribunal to settle every family difficulty and I, we learned from that. I learned from that many years ago and that time that thing comes up sometimes and.
For one to say, well, would you come and talk to my son? He's kind of rebellious and I sold his brother, I said It's your son and you're his father. You talked, so it's good to remember that.
Not interfere or to because that's not our department. Well, if this is correct what we're saying, please explain Deuteronomy 17 verse 8. Deuteronomy 17/8 says if there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood.
That's family relationships.
Between plea and plea.
That might be a problem between neighbors determining, you know, where the boundary line between their property goes, or something of that nature between stroke and stroke. That's in connection where someone has hit someone else. And this has to be settled. Well, if there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood, I'm thinking of the blood and blood I take that to mean.
Between members of a family.
What does it say to do then Shalt thou?
Matters of controversy within thy gates, then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose. And thou shalt come unto the priest, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire, And they shall show thee the sentence of judgment, And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose.
Shall show thee, Thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee, according to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do, thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall show thee to the right hand, nor to the left, and so on.
Adrian Roach wrote a pamphlet, The Assembly as Judge. He refers to this portion in that pamphlet.
And I believe the way he explains the blood and blood and plea and plea and stroke and stroke is the way I've explained it.
If there's a problem in a family and they need help, we certainly don't recommend they go to a psychologist for that help.
Where are they going to go if they need help?
Where are they going to go to their brethren?
If we can't help them, who can?
Are we not responsible to help when there's a need? This passage seems to indicate that in Corinthians they were going to law to settle a matter before the unjust.
How are they going to get justice before the unjust and not before the Saints?
01:00:03
Are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? That's what Scripture says.
Well, we're going to judge angels. If the assembly isn't the end where we're cared for and and looked after and ministered to, and where problems are resolved, where are we going to go? Well, we don't deal with that kind of an issue in our assembly. So I have to go someplace else. I have to go to the pastor down the street, and he'll help me.
Or to some psychologist, is this God's way? I don't believe so. I think we have shirked some of our responsibilities because some of the problems may be very ugly. But am I wrong? I believe that Brother Smith, what I took about his thought on that was minor things that come in idiosyncrasies in families, little little petty things that come in and we get into it and we interfere with it and it's it's it's harmful.
I just wonder where did where do you draw the line in Deuteronomy? It's the law. There's a difference. We're under grace now. I think the assembly is responsible for everybody at the Lords table of a family. It could be children or girls or so on There we must be involved. But if they have children who are not the Lords, not at the table, we should not get involved. That's another matter, right? Individuals may help, but I think it's Paul didn't get involved.
This was not Paul's business.
But he didn't even ask, certainly not undermining the authority in the family. If a boy or girl runs away from home and then tries to find comfort among the Saints, their responsibility is to say, go home, submit. Just like when Hagar ran away from Sarah.
She might well have been treated too harshly, but the Angel of the Lord said go back and submit and Saints can be in that way of health. But what we have experienced is that people, children run away from home and the gathered saying shelter them and support them in their rebellion that undermining God's authority and there might well be problems arising.
Where the shepherd's care comes in, even in family matters. But what I was contending for is, and I believe it is supported in this passage, is that the authority placed in the family, or in this case given to Philemon over Onissimus, is acknowledged and should be supported. And there are always failure in that is the possibility of failure in responsibility.
But we must not set aside God-given authority. Isn't that the what's contained in this expression within thy gates?
But I have a word, brother.
May I 11Th chapter of Luke please?
And the eleven verse, I have failed as a father myself and I wish someone had given me this verse years ago because I've seen it in operation and I've seen deliverance for parents from it.
I'd just like to make the application.
In the 11Th chapter of Luke, and we're reading the 10th verse for everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh finest unto him that knocketh it shall be opened. Now here's the point that I have brethren to share. Trust me.
If a son shall ask bread of any view that is a father, here's the authority of the Father, and it's going to be a situation now with the father.
If any ask bread of you, which is a father, will he give him a stone?
And this is something that I pondered and I failed in it. How many times the boy says, daddy, I want to ask you a question about something and instead of getting down to his level, I give him some Ephesian truth for an answer and it comes across like a stone. I'm giving him a stone. It's the word of God. But brother and I didn't apply it right, but instead it says.
If, he asked Brett, this is when they're little. They need the nourishment of simple nourishment.
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Of a father. That's the subject. I think it's it's it's it's how a father would act. Or will he give him the next one, the middle of verse 11? Or if he asks a fish, will he, for a fish, give him a serpent? Now I'm making an application brethren, and I hope that I'm not giving the wrong thought. Daddy, take me fishing. I don't have time.
I've had that happen with my children and I didn't win them. I think these verses tell us different stages of winning our children. He wanted a fish when he was a little kid and I bought him a goldfish and he sat there for hours looking at the little goldfish. Daddy, give me a fish. Well, he's getting a little bigger now. First, he didn't know much the difference between milk and bread. It was that nourishment that he needed. Now he needs something a little more advanced. So.
And then he gets a little bigger. Daddy, will you take me fishing? Well, am I going to go out of my way? It's the spirit in which I show and display of love and consideration to my children, brother. And I've failed in this. That's why I feel that it's so important that I maybe tell by my failure. But what's the next word? If they ask a fish, will they give them a serpent? What's the serpent? That's where the enemy gets its advantage when our children, they become a little older.
I know a man that he treats his children with such abject disregard he he's ruined two of his children just about as a brother that comes to our meeting. His father says you're no good, you're no good, you're no good. You never do it right, You never just. Children need encouragement, Alright, the next one if you ask an egg. Now he's getting mature. There's issues in life that have to do with reproduction and the world is quick to have a message.
But I, as a father, I need to get to my children close to them that I can explain to him, if we call it the facts of life. And So what do we find? Will he offer him a scorpion? The world has a scorpion, and all of these things that relate to the reproduction of what the egg might represent as they get older. And so I just have enjoyed these things. And then of course, we find in the 13th verse of ye that being evil, know how to give good, good gifts of your children.
How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? And this is leading us into what the New Testament is about, because it's a Spirit, the Spirit of God. God has given you and me of His Spirit to understand the things that we need to know.
To discern the truth of God, well, I just mentioned there's a naturally, Apostle Paul says there's a natural 1St and then the spiritual time is up. But I would like to say that's nice for individual parenthood. You're talking about assembly and the family.
Now there is a role for the assembly and I think if a family gets to that point where they would have to seek help outside, ask for prayer of the assembly, you don't have to tell all the details, that's wrong. But we don't have enough of that. If there's a problem with the child, ask for prayer of the assembly, right? You were right and I know it was your point. And and the assembly has the power and not going to individuals but to the assembly.
That's that's one more common that I like to make, and that is that obedience is mentioned in verse 21. Having confidence in thy obedience, I write unto thee, knowing that thou will also do more than I say. Now it's true that he appeals to love and kindness in Philemon.
But Philemon was also characterized by obedience.
You know, and I believe even what Paul was saying to Philemon had that effect on him, that he submitted to it and was obedient. And he recognized that what was Paul was presenting to him was indeed for his spiritual good and for the spiritual well-being of his runaway slave, and he would be obedient. I always thought that was through the 11Th commandment.
Well, you know, that's the law of Christ. That's the royal law of James Love.
It was from the beginning. I give you a commandment, a new commandment. Now love. Idiots to the law of Christ. Love.
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Would you think?
Short brethren, but I've enjoyed the commentary on this little book by Lehman. Perhaps we could just.
Ask the Lord's blessing on the gospel.
Our loving God and our Father, We thank thee for the work of sovereign grace in the heart of Philemon and Anesthesis, and those others that are mentioned in this very short letter that the Apostle Paul wrote. And now we acknowledge our God, that thou art not finished with this world, that there is still a work of the Spirit of God going on in those that are lost to bring them nigh.
We know that there are many that are far off, and we just pray that the word is spoken here this afternoon that though it's worked by thy spirit to convict of sin and a lost in a ruined condition before they are gone. And we just asked you that if there's anybody here in this room that is still lost without God, without hope in this world, that they might be saved before it's too late. So we commend thy word to thee and ask thy blessing and the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
I'd like you to turn with me, if you would, to the Epistle of One, Peter.
While you're doing that, I'll just read one of the verses.
In Second Peter chapter 2.
The Apostle Peter spoke of two different things throughout his.
His ministry that are quite characteristic of his ministry. One is the fire.
Of God's judgment.
And what is a result of God's judgment? Fire upon this world is the ashes.
That's what he says in two Peter chapter 2 and verse six. He says turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly. So here these two cities were turned to ashes, the fire of God's judgment was evident, and the ashes was left. But I want to talk this afternoon about those things that are precious to God.
And that will remain for eternity. That will, perhaps some of them have seen the fire, but they'll never turn to ashes. They'll remain forever. And you know this, these two epistles that the apostle wrote, Apostle Peter. There was a time in his life.
When God tested them and he said, I know not the man, I don't know him. And I wonder if there's any boy or girl or young person here that says this afternoon, I know not the man. We don't throw things away that are precious. Our brother here this morning had two packages. One looked precious, one was indeed precious to a little girl. It had something in it that was of value.
But God.
Worked in the Apostle Peter's life and what he threw away in a moment, he said, I know not the man, He threw it away. And it seems to me that the Spirit of God worked in Peter's life. From that moment on he speaks of those things that are precious. And if we look through first and Second Peter, he mentions the word precious seven times. I don't believe there's any other apostle that mentions those things. That word 7 * a seven letter word. Let's just look at First Peter.
Chapter One and verse.
7.
He says there that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Well, the Lord Jesus is coming. Young people, children, older ones. He's coming, and there's something that's precious to him that's going to be that last for eternity is the fruit.
That is born before God when the faith is tried. Do you have faith in God? Have you ever put your faith in the Lord Jesus? Have you ever trusted the Lord Jesus and asked him to wash your sins away? He can do it. He wants to do it. He wants to be precious to you. But here, Peter, it seems the first time that he mentions this word precious is in connection with what God tested him on.
He says I threw it away in a moment, he said. I know not the man. But then he had a private time with the Savior, the Lord. Jesus didn't throw Peter away. He went after Peter, restored him in his soul. And then Peter says that the trial of his faith was much more precious than of gold or silver. And so this world has gold, has silver.
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Calls out to you, wants to show you that gold, that silver wants you to enjoy it. But God says it's perishing. It's going to perish. It'll never, ever last. You've got a dollar bill that you got from brother this morning. I was glad to see so many of you get up and take that dollar bill. But I tell you faithfully, it's going to perish. You won't have that dollar bill for very long. Everything that you see with your eyes is going to be burned up. It's going to turn to ashes. But that which is precious in God's sight will be for all eternity. The fruit.
Of the trial of your faith, do you have faith in God? Have you said you accepted Christ as savior? Well, I want to tell you faithfully too. He's going to test that to see whether it's real.
It's not a small thing to say. I belong to the Lord Jesus. It's not a small thing to confess and say. He washed my sins away. He'll test that faith. You know, we tend to mix things together. We like to mix things together so that they look big. And faith, God doesn't like it to be mixed with anything. He wants it to be pure and so it'll pass through the fire and he'll purify it through your life. If you let him do it, he'll purify it.
And so that it will be to his praise and honor and glory at his appearing.
Well, that's the first time that the Apostle Peter mentions Precious. The second time is in verse 19.
And he says there, perhaps we could read verse 18 for as much as you know.
That you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Father's, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. And so here Peter gave up for a moment. He said the Lord Jesus isn't precious to me. I'm just going to deny that I know him.
But then you know, he said, Here the precious blood of Christ is of a lamb.
Without blemish and without spot, was Christ precious to Peter? I believe he was. I believe Peter remembered the time and you can read of it in the Gospel of John chapter one and how his brother brought him to the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus said your name is going to be Peter Simon Peter a stone. The Lord Jesus gave him a name and he must have remembered how that very day.
Someone the John the Baptist had said.
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. He must have remembered those things. Well, there's the precious blood of Christ, what's seen in the glory of a lamb as it had been freshly slain. All the blood is shed. The blood is shed. The way is open, the price is being paid. It's not just any blood, it's the precious blood of Christ. You know when God speaks of precious in this particular sense.
It's something that can't be valued. It's something of infinite value. We cannot place a dollar value on. I was in a place recently and there was a replica of King Tut's tomb there and there were the priceless treasures of Egypt in that place and it had in some of the glass cases with those treasures in them. It said come and make an offer to the management for those treasures.
They were precious in Egypt, but they'll be burned up. What we have here is the precious blood of Christ.
You and I, who know Christ as our Savior, will rejoice for all eternity.
In that blood that we cannot value, that we cannot measure the value of. And so God mentions here by the Spirit uses Peter to say the precious Blood of Christ. Well the next time we find in chapter 2 and verse 4.
It says to whom coming is unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious disallowed indeed of men, And so to night. You may have disallowed Christ in your life. You may have disallowed yourself to hear these meetings. At these meetings you may have disallowed yourself to come to Christ before you may have put it off. Don't do it. It says here that he's chosen of God.
And precious God has such a value for his Son. He says he's precious. He says, I can't value, I can't place a value on that Son who went to the cross and bore the judgment for the sins of each one of us. If we'll have him, if we'll accept him as savior, the price is paid. And so he says He's chosen of God. Have you chosen him to? Have you chosen him as your Savior? Have you chosen to enjoy the preciousness of Christ at these meetings?
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Or have you chosen something else? Your heart will display what you've chosen. Well, the next time is in verse 6. Here, the 4th time that the Apostle Peter mentions this word, he says, Behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious and so all that God has built.
All that will last for eternity is built on that cornerstone, the Lord Jesus. A precious cornerstone. It's never, ever going. God will never build anything apart from that stone. It'll last forever. And the Lord Jesus, while he was on the cross, bore the judgment for your sins and pass through the fire as it were, as it were. And for all eternity, we'll see that God built.
Upon his Son, the Lord Jesus. And so if you're saved, you're a member of the church, a living stone in the building, and you'll have that which is precious to God. You'll be a member of the body of Christ if you're saved. You are a member of the body of Christ if you're lost.
Says here that he's elect precious. He's not precious to you right now, is he? If you're lost on your way to hell, you see nothing precious about Christ. But you have a need tonight. You have a need to have your sins forgiven. And as soon as you have your sins forgiven, God will begin to make Christ precious to you.
The next time is in verse 7, the fifth time that he mentions this word precious, Mr. Darby uses the word preciousness.
Unto you therefore which believe preciousness.
You believe?
Can you, dear friend, who believes in the Lord Jesus place of value upon Christ?
Tonight.
Judas placed a value on the Lord Jesus. Judas did.
Judas didn't belong to the Lord Jesus. He placed a dollar value on the Lord Jesus. He said. He's worth 30 pieces of silver.
He sold himself for 30 pieces of silver.
Judas is in hell tonight. He didn't find Christ precious. He spent 3 1/2 years with him, and he never saw any value in the person of the Christ, the Son of the living God. He never did unto you therefore, which believe preciousness, Well, I hope you're saved. I hope you have accepted Christ as your savior. If you have not. God wants to make him precious to you and dear young people.
And children, as you have sat in these meetings, I trust that you've asked the Lord to make him precious to you because there's a center of preciousness in the glory. It's Christ. We'll have no other object. And he wants to make himself preciousness to you right here in this scene. Well, the sixth time the apostle mentions that word is in Second Peter, chapter one, the first verse, he says Simon Peter, a servant.
And an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith.
With us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Have you obtained like precious faith? I like Mr. Darby's translation. He says, received like precious faith. What hast thou that thou hast not received? What do you have, dear friends, that you haven't received of the goodness of the heart of God for you tonight, everything that you have, your family, your mom, your dad, everything that you have, your health, if you've received Christ as your savior.
You've obtained or received like precious faith. Now that brings in fellowship. There's only one faith. If you can look that up in Ephesians Chapter 4, there's one faith. You know. There's people in the world that will convince you that there's more than one faith. They talk of the Roman faith. They talk about some other faiths. There's only one faith. And so here you have obtained like precious faith. God hasn't left you alone in this scene.
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And what a sad story it would be if there was only one of us here in this room.
But God gives a desire for the believer to find companionship and other believers, and so we have like precious faith. Are you seeking out the friendship, the fellowship, the love of those that belong to the Lord Jesus and find him precious? Well, the last time the Apostle Peter mentions this word is in verse four of the same chapter, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.
That by thee he might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. What a precious, precious verse.
God has given anyone here who has accepted His Son as their Savior, who has applied the blood.
Who has confessed to God that they're a Sinner on their way to hell and ask for forgiveness? He's applied the blood and he not only gives eternal life, but he says he gives here exceeding great and precious promises, exceeding great and precious promises, one of the promises that is so precious to my own soul.
Is that he's coming again. We won't be here long, brethren and dear friend. Tonight, if you don't know Christ as your savior, there's a promise. He made a promise to come back again. He will come back again very shortly. He is not far off the hour. Perhaps we could sing that hymn together.
Believe it's 282.
No, it's not.
Tis not far off the hour.
287.
So this is a great.
And precious promise that we have of the Lord Jesus that we're not left here for much longer. You don't have much time, dear friend, to accept Christ as savior. I trust as you go on your way before you go on your way, before you leave this room, you'll accept Christ as Savior, and he'll begin to work to make himself precious to you in your soul.
Some brothers start this hymn please.
Rest of our hands every day.
I'm turning.
Off you.
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God and our Father, we thank thee for our precious Savior. We thank thee that the home call is due to take place.
Before we leave the very room.
Open Mtg.
Open—B. Warr, J. Currie, W. Dear
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Florida has drawn.
And I said you're gonna have to go through some Hollywood. There's not any presence.
On the cross of everything.
I smell our glory.
My friends and say to her, I love your dear.
No, Everything can grow.
It's all our computer.
I'm all day for all of our hearts.
Dangerous.
I'm glad you're getting it from.
Ahmedabad.
I spare you.
And we might look at Philippians chapter 3.
Brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you. To me is not grievous, for you it is safe.
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of this concision, for we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath, whereof he might trust in the flesh I more.
Circumcised the 8th day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews.
As such in the law of Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the church.
Stretching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
For what things were gained to me, those I counted lost, for Christ a doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge.
Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
And be found in him not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him.
00:05:07
The power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
If by any means I might attain under the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect, but I follow after.
If that I may apprehend that for which also I'm apprehended of Christ Jesus.
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 for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded, and if anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule.
Mind the same thing.
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example.
From any walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, who's in the destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly thinks.
Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like under His glorious body.
According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Being drawn after Christ and the pathway.
That said, before us.
I was thinking of this chapter.
In chapter 2 we get the Lord's pathway in this epistle.
And in chapter 3 we get Paul's pathway.
As we have been considering Ephesians.
And I believe that Philippians gives us the picture of a.
Of a man who has enjoyed Ephesian truth, but his feet are on earth and he himself is in jail.
But his heart is captured, His heart is left up in heaven of where Christ is.
And he's seen something like the spies that we had mentioned this morning.
Caleb and Joshua they.
They were two spies. They were granted the privilege to spy out the land, and then they saw that which changed their whole life.
And they were spies, and then they became pilgrims and they became soldiers.
To get what they wanted.
And that's what will change my life. And your life is.
Buying out the land.
And how good of our God to let us look in on that land which is awaiting us.
Certain scriptures give us to see into that land. I think often of John chapter 17 where he allows us to spy.
There are some things that we can't spy into it's.
That work that belongs only to God.
Three hours of darkness on the cross of Calvary. There were no spying there.
Some things he does allow us to spy into.
And as we see it, it will change our lives.
There's not so much how well we do with that which we've spied out, but it's the one who sees us and who knows us and the one who is everything to us.
The Philippians are on their way or they present a state of soul which is.
One step down from Ephesians, if I can use that illustration of that thought.
To where they are not, their hearts are not attached to the members of the body. In Ephesians we get the body.
In Philippians, they have lost their sense of attachment to the members of the body.
There's no one who was like minded to go and see how the Saints were doing.
In Colossians, they are in danger of letting go the head of the body.
That is, they represent their epistles written to states of soul that are downward from the wondrous truths which we've been considering.
00:10:00
But I enjoyed contemplating this chapter.
Thinking of it as Paul's pathway.
And if I say anything that might sound contrary to any respect for the apostle Paul I, I only say it. That would be this. He wrote this epistle. He wrote the epistle to the Ephesians for that man who was given to write the highest.
Reveal truth, the highest truth on the face of the earth. The book of Ephesians, probably chapter three I would think.
There's no way you can go in the whole world.
Get anything like the thoughts we've had before us?
And this man was given to write that.
But this man was prepared for that.
Beloved Apostle Paul, and we see here a path that he would present to us in this.
Chapter I believe that just eliminates everything before his view.
Everything but Christ.
And he had a sense of the fact that Christ had laid hold of him.
And he was pursuing to lay hold of Christ.
And with his failures, with his successes.
Neither failures nor successes took anything away from that one single thought. This one thing I do.
I just want Christ.
And if we have anything before our souls, if our past or the present or whatever it is, that.
Is going to occupy us other than himself?
Lord, thou hast drawn us.
Then we will be wrong in so doing.
The Apostle Paul of Saul of Tarsus one day.
Following out his conscience.
Doing that which his conscience said he should do.
Ended up with a letter in his hand or letters in his hand on the road to Damascus to gather up Christians and bring them backward to be disciplined and judged.
He ran into and the road to Damascus. He ran head on into a safe who loved his enemies.
Later on, the apostle Paul, in writing to the Romans, he said, being enemies, we were reconciled. Being enemies. Oh, what tears must have flowed when that man who had been an enemy, an open enemy.
Passed along those truths to you and me being enemies.
And he passed through a time there in three days of blindness in Damascus that.
Time when he sat under the glaring light of the presence of God.
The revelation of a savior who was there. He had seen a man who had saved him.
He had seen the Lord Jesus in glory. He had seen his own enemy who was now a Savior.
And he was permitted to judge all the systems in which he was attached to Judaism, his own path.
In the light of having done all this in the good conscience, and he saw what the flesh really is.
He says in the book of Acts. I thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus.
And now this man, later on, he even caught up to the 3rd heaven. He saw the Lord in glory. He was caught up to the 3rd heaven later on.
He has all this to look back on in his life.
And I kind of look at this as kind of a summation.
Of his life as he's setting it out before them. It's the pathway here in Philippians. It's the very practical book.
The path of a man who has seen Christ and realized that Christ has seen him.
And nothing, nothing he's going to allow to come in to take the place of that man who loved him and whom he loved.
Well, he looks back on his path and he gets down to verse. Verse.
7.
What things were gained to me?
You know, I've mentioned that several times and I really think that love it. That's a thermometer for our souls to measure our path.
Measure where we stand in our thoughts if there's anything that I am.
00:15:02
Holding or doing that I think is gained to me.
That's not right.
I have to call that what it is.
Sin and I don't mean gain to me in the sense of not gain to my bank account.
But gain to me if I have a gain in my bank account.
That's blessing from God, but if it's gained to me, if I get the credit for it.
That's sin. I have to call that what it is.
The apostle says whatsoever. But what things were gained to me? These I counted not gained at all, but lost.
For Christ. Now I put this these words as the apostle Paul.
Is dictating them there, I would assume, and I put them as he's rehearsing in his own thoughts by the Spirit of God, his own pathway, and I put them as he thinks backward.
To three days of blindness in Damascus.
I counted.
Lost anything that was gained to me.
For Christ.
He had seen that man.
There in glory.
That man who looked on him and loved him saved him.
The man who was he had made himself an enemy to that man, Jesus Christ.
What a sight it is, beloved to weigh everything.
As it appears in the presence of Christ.
Verse eight he says yeah, doubtless, and I count.
All things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Now here's the wider thought. Not only those things that were gained to me.
Everything because he has things that would not be considered gain to him too.
But none of that deterred his single eyed devotion to Christ.
I count this and I look at this verse.
Not only, not for three days.
Blindness in Damascus, but four years in jail.
Sits, as it were, four years in jail and says I count all things.
But loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Do count them, but dung that I may win Christ.
One thing was beforehand.
One thing that he kept in mind always before him.
You know, in the Old Testament we have a warrior had a requirement to carry a shovel with him.
And intimately directly connected with warfare was.
The situation, the question of dumb.
The Apostle Paul.
Had not become to any state of progress by which the flesh became anything else but that.
And here he's willing to bury it all.
Judge it all, call it what it is.
So as not to be offensive to God.
What he says here I do count it all.
But dung that I may win Christ.
And be found in him. Now I believe I look at this as the end of his path. He as I look at three points in his pathway.
One is 3 days of blindness in four years in jail and here before the Lord Jesus. One of these moments he's going to stand before the Lord Jesus and he says and be found in him.
Not having mine own righteousness.
This is the end of the path where the Lord is, where he will stand before the Lord Jesus.
And all he wanted was what God would give him, according to what God thought of Christ.
Be found in him at that time not having anything I could say.
About what I had done or my path.
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But just to have what God wanted to give me in his own righteousness.
For the glory of Christ.
Not having mine own righteousness, which is or would be of the law or of law.
But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God by faith.
Now we get to this point where he's looked at.
His path and he's got it before him, so to speak, in his mind and his thoughts, and he's laying it out in these steps and he comes to this point that I may know him.
And you know, that's the thing that the father has.
For you and me, the righteousness of God.
I look at the righteousness of God as God rewarding the Lord Jesus.
For his work on Calvary's cross, God.
Owes.
The Lord Jesus, all the glory.
And him paying the Lord Jesus, if we can say that, paying that obligation, paying what he owes to the Lord Jesus.
Part of that is to give us to know him.
That I may know him.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Don't we know him? We believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
That I may know him.
You know the path of faith brings me to share.
The same path that the Lord Jesus walked.
The fellowship of his sufferings, but to know him.
And to walk in the same kind of obedience, certainly not the same amount or same degree, but to walk in that obedience the same path he walked.
And to know what he did, to do what he did.
In the path of faith.
To know him.
And the power of his resurrection.
And the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformal unto his death.
Now it's the view of Christ.
That is seen that brings all of this about.
Lord Dallas drawn us. We will follow thee.
And he presents himself as an attractive object before our souls.
By which we measure everything, gain to me, lost to me everything in this whole scene.
Fades out that I may have Christ for my gain. That's what the apostle is saying.
If by any means I might attain and the resurrection of the dead.
The resurrection of Out from among the dead here in this verse, I believe includes the rapture.
It's the first resurrection. It's the resurrection out from among the dead.
And all he had, he was living for that one moment.
He was living for that moment when he would stand before the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he said I have not yet attained.
Neither already perfect or mature, but I would follow after.
And I may apprehend that.
Now that's the thing that begins in the heart.
It's the it's the weakening of this desire.
For Christ, that brings about the first step out of Ephesians, downward out of Ephesians.
And connected with that.
Are my things.
My thing gained to me.
And the apostle, in this path he walked.
He is now in a certain place, in jail, in chains.
For a failure in that path.
But nothing has dampened his desire just to have Christ.
Whenever that is evident to me, about me, myself.
I need to talk to the Lord about it because that's the first thing.
That will bring about that downward step and we've talked much about.
Place in Christ.
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And enjoyment of it.
The first step out of it is when that man is not the one soul object and my being with him is not the one thing I'm living for.
It's the first step downward.
Verse 13 he says one thing.
I enjoy the word we find in a New Testament. It's used. It's called the mind.
Having the same mind, the mind of the flesh, etcetera. And I've thought of it in this sense.
To substitute a word, the word priority.
Having the same priority that Christ had, the priority of the flesh, is always against Christ.
Prior to the spirit noise foil is a way to grasp that the apostle he is just says one thing. That was that was his whole path didn't say the first thing, but he said just one thing I do.
I pressed toward the mark, the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He knew what that calling was.
Sad to say that in the book of Colossians they had lost sense even what the calling was.
But he knew what that calling was. He knew his privileges in Christ.
He knew where God was going to take him, and not because of his own worth, but because of God designed to honor His beloved Son He was going to bring.
This man, Paul, into the highest of all blessings.
And Paul says, I want that. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.
In Christ Jesus.
Just to bring these thoughts before us.
Connected with those verses we've had in Ephesians which bring God's side of.
His own blessing to us. It's his blessing to us that we get in those early verses of Ephesians 2.
And here is a man who has seen that.
And he's seen the one who made it possible and the one who says that's what I want, that's all I want.
And that's what Spine will do, if I can see the Lord Jesus.
That's what I will want.
And his path, as he sets it out before us in this chapter, brings it down to one thing. This one thing I do.
Press toward the mark of the prize.
For the prize, the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
And justice to read verse 15 for us as an exhortation and give time for other. But I let us therefore as many as be perfect.
I enjoy this word, perfect in the sense that it's somebody who understands what Romans 8 is saying about him.
When I understand what Romans chapter 8 is saying about me.
Let us therefore, as many to be perfect, be thus minded.
Let us rather be thus minded.
My turn to.
The first Epistle of John.
I, John. Chapter One.
And I'd like to read this chapter in a verse or two in the next chapter.
First John chapter one verse one that which was from the beginning.
Which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon.
And our hands have handled of the word of life, for the life was manifested, and we have seen it. And bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us. That which we have seen and heard declare unto you.
But he also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father.
And with his son Jesus Christ.
And these things rightly unto you, that your joy and may be full.
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This then is the message which we have heard of him. And declare unto you that God is light.
And in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
We walk in the light as He is in the light. We have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we see that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.
And the truth is not enough.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
And to cleanse us from our unrighteousness, if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in US.
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father.
Jesus Christ the Righteous.
And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only.
But also for the sins of the whole world.
Now there's an expression, a word used.
And I'd like to look at that a little.
Comes before us more than once in the chapter, and that is the word fellowship.
Fellowship.
We use this expression.
Quite often.
To speak of different things in connection with those of us gathered to the precious name.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We speak of having fellowship.
We know he connected with the Lord's table.
We connected with the Lord's Supper.
And we are brought to enjoy.
Through singing hymns and offering praise.
In the remembrance of the Lord Jesus that we share together in our soul something of what it costs the Lord Jesus to go to the cross of Calvary to put away our sins. Fellowship.
Now we hear a great deal around us about membership.
And it's always connected, perhaps with some organization.
And it's very important in the eyes of many real Christians.
To belong to some organization.
Well, we realize that there is a membership, but it's not something that we join.
It's something we're joined to or someone we're joined to.
And it happened on the Day of Pentecost.
When the 120 people in that upper room.
Were baptized into one body by 1 Spirit.
United to one hand.
And since that time, the members of that body have been added to that body.
Once we look at that and realize that there is one bonding, and so when it comes to the Lord's Table, we look on the one loaf and we realize that there is one body of which every child of God is a member of that one body.
And so these things in connection with fellowship.
But there's something very different perhaps here.
And for those of us.
Perhaps.
That we might be able to enter into something.
From Luke 15.
And I'd like to go there just for a little.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 15.
And I like to read from verse 11.
We know this portion of the Word of God.
And it's used very much.
In the Gospel.
But I like to think of that, perhaps in a little different way.
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So we read from verse 11 of John of Luke 15.
Then he said a certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father.
Father, give me the portion of goods.
They had fallen to me, and he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after.
The younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country and there.
Who wasted his substance with riotous living?
And when he had spent all their arose a mighty famine in that land.
And he began to be in want.
And he went and joined himself to his citizens of that country.
And he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would soon have filled his belly with the husk of the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said, How many servants of my father's have bred enough and despair, and I perish with hunger. I will arise and go to my father.
And we'll say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight.
And have no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me one of thy hired servants.
And he arose and came to his father, but when he was a great way off, his father saw him.
Had compassion, ran and fell on his neck.
And kissed him.
And the son said unto him.
Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and have no more worthy to be called thy Son.
But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best room and put it on him.
And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
Bring hit her the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry.
For this, my son was dead and is alive again.
He was lost and is found.
And they began to be married.
Well, we see perhaps in this son in the father's house.
But he wasn't content.
Then perhaps you have been brought up in a Christian home.
And you've been there, enjoying the reading of the Word of God or?
Been there anyway to for the reading of the word and for prayer, and there have been many blessings, though it seemed that this was quite a comfortable home.
But.
This boy wasn't satisfying.
Is it possible for a Christian to have the advantages?
Of a Christian home, and to enjoy all that there is there in that home the care.
And all the things that perhaps others around you haven't.
Enjoyed and yet you're unhappy.
You're anxious to leave.
That's the way it was with this boy. He was in that place.
With his father.
But he wanted to be away.
He wanted to be on his own.
He didn't want perhaps the restrictions.
For undelivered his own life.
And, you know, very often.
When we have a desire like that, we can make a real mess of our lives.
I'm sure you would look at this boy.
And as he leaves.
And goes out from that place where he had perhaps very.
Special care and perhaps real protection.
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From the claims of this world and the attractions of this world and many other things, and he.
Leaves them.
Would there be anyone here this afternoon?
Who is anxious to be on their own?
They're more anxious and so they want to leave, they want to try.
What they think is going to give them happiness.
We know that there's only one can satisfy our hearts.
One person alone, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
When he was going to leave home and he was going to leave his father's care and perhaps the restrictions.
There, when he was going out, he.
And what a picture this is for us. You know, it's all downward once he leaves. It's down learning. And if we leave God out of our lives, the course is always downward.
Going down, down, down.
And it's not a very pretty picture.
And to see him.
They're wasting his life.
And ending up in a pigpen.
With nothing.
But the muck and mire.
No such a place.
Well, I suppose this was a real pigpen.
But perhaps there are many pig pens for people in this world.
They're worse than a real pig then.
Would bring more sorrow.
Dear young people.
Why did the Lord Jesus give us this?
Story.
Could it happen in my life?
I think it already happened in my life.
Could it happen in your life? Would it be possible?
Do I have a life even as a Christian that would want this?
And would go in this direction.
Have IA nature.
That would take me down this road.
Well, there was an opportunity to turn around.
And if you have these thoughts, maybe you should be touched today.
To buy what it is to have.
What this boy received when he turned around in his life.
I wonder if we're all in this room this afternoon, enjoying something.
It really stands out.
As you look at this story.
Because I believe this is the most beautiful picture.
That we have in the word of God.
To make God's heart known to us.
To make us stop and consider that God is really for us.
You know the scripture said God is for us.
Do I really believe that?
You know faith takes hold.
Of all of these things which we have been enjoying from Ephesians 2.
But faith takes hold of the truth.
That we need for the very situation we are in.
Perhaps we're going through a real trial.
And we have many concerns.
And God brings us to the place.
We were able to accept what is happening in our lives and He gives us peace.
And that's very sweet.
So I think this boy was really concerned, wasn't he? He wasn't really quite sure.
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What was going to happen when he got back home?
Perhaps you're going as this boy was and you don't turn around because you're not quite sure.
What would happen?
When you napped or when you knead?
Your father.
Because this is something that we wouldn't expect.
We would expect that after this boy had spent all his money, wasted it in our land, that he would be punished severely.
And our thoughts of God very often.
Are not as they should be.
For here we come, and here is this boy.
When I say this to the young people, do you know the heart of God?
Do I know God's heart?
Do I really understand?
You this story.
Do I really understand that God is waiting?
Long to rundown the road.
And throw his arms around me and crush me to his bosom.
And cover me with kisses.
Is that the God of the Bible?
Is that the God of Christianity? Is he that real?
Grandster.
Do you know what it is to be in his arms?
Do you know what it is to have those everlasting arms under you?
Holding you up.
This poor boy.
So anxious because he had nothing and God has to bring us there. He has to bring us. He woke this boy up. How neither was there in the pigpen, but now he's in the arms of his father.
I just asked myself, do I have a right thoughts of God? Do I really know the God of the Bible? Well, I really know the one that has been revealed to me.
By the Lord Jesus Christ who came down into this world.
We talked about fellowship.
And I just turned to these scriptures in Luke because to me they seem to present.
Fellowship.
And here I find with this boy in the arms of the father.
Jesus wept.
Over Jerusalem.
I'm not saying that God weeps.
Well, I'm sure there were tears in the eyes of this boy.
Wraps to the fathers too.
They were brought so close to another. The Union was so rear.
Heavy tasted of that.
Or are you going in the direction? Are you still running from God? Are you not too sure that this is what God longs for? I think the Father longed for this, The father of this boy longed for it, or he wouldn't have been going down the road to meet him when he in all his rags.
In all the smell of that pigpenny, the Father longed that the Son might understand his heart. Is that what God wants us to do? To know what's in his heart? To know that God is really for us?
Well, as you stop and think of this, here is a boy.
When is the picture of each of us and he has nothing, Nothing.
He's tried. He's tried to find happiness. He spent on. He's wasted years of his life perhaps.
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And he hasn't found it.
And he has nothing, but the Father has everything.
God is the great provider, isn't he?
From day one it was so in creation it was so. What do you have it's good that hasn't come from God? What do I have this good that hasn't come from God?
I said I know God.
Well, this is really the Lord Jesus showing us that there was nothing this boy needed that the Father didn't have.
Does God have everything for us?
Well, here was the best robe.
Think of those.
Old smelly clothes. So that pigpen. Yes, we can get pretty dirty in this world. We can bring in many strange things into our lives. But here is the best Rob.
Well, do we know it's Christ?
When we dressed in his righteousness and here is this boy in this picture and he has on the very best world.
And as you stand in the presence of his father.
And that's how we stand before God.
We couldn't have on a better dress. We have the righteousness of God, God's own provision, righteousness because of the sacrifice of Calvary. What else does he have?
He has a ring for his hand.
He has shoes for his feet so had it long.
A love that was real.
Oh, God's love is so real.
Because.
It never changes.
And he has to bring me back to the cross.
Have you come to the place where you've said in the presence of the Lord Jesus at the Lord's Supper?
And you have gone by the Spirit of God and through the Word of God, and you have viewed for yourself.
The Lord Jesus who died in the cross for you.
Died for me.
Have you been there?
Say I go to meeting.
I partake of the bread and of the cup. Whether have I discerned the Lord's body?
As those hymns we sing together and that praise that's offered.
Do I really see for myself the love of God and the gift of His beloved sin?
Now the scripture says.
They didn't discern the Lord's body.
And for this cause, many were weak and sickly, and many slapped.
Weak, sickly and many Why?
And I asked myself.
What come week after week? I said, in the very presence of the Lord Jesus. And do I discern?
For myself, what it cost my precious loving Savior to go to the cross and die for me.
To bear the judgment of God from our sins.
And sometimes.
I get a little taste in fellowship with God.
As I see.
The sacrifice, the death of my savior.
What a savior Jesus is. Oh Christ indeed, my soul has found and found in the alone.
The joy of peace I sought so long, the bliss till now and now. Now none but Christ can satisfy another name for me.
Dear child of God.
The ring, his issues, you know, we have to walk in the truth.
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Faith is individual. Someone else can't believe for you.
And no one else can believe for me.
When so faith as we've been learning.
Is connected with.
Walking.
Walking.
You know, looking unto Jesus.
The first look is salvation. The first real look at Jesus Christ who died in the cross for you as his senior saves your soul for eternity. Every after look. He's the power of living and there.
12Th chapter of Hebrews. It's looking.
You don't just take one look.
You keep looking.
Looking where?
At your brethren, at your leader.
Where do you look?
Looking unto Jesus.
Looking unto Jesus.
Are we looking at Jesus in these meetings?
I were looking daily at this wonderful, precious savior.
Walking. And so this boy, where does he walk?
Down the road now he goes hand in hand with his father into the father's house to enjoy with the father fellowship, and it's delayed.
It's the valid calf.
Let us eat and be merry.
Are we happy? Are we rejoicing? Are we married?
But your joy might be full. That's what you have in fellowship. I just leave these few thoughts with us.
Oh, in need who he needs so much in these days, they have Christ.
Jesus before us. No one.
So wonderful as he.
He's the bread of God.
The bread of God. He is the bread that come down from heaven.
He's the one.
That will satisfy your heart.
And he will satisfy my heart.
It's the Lord Jesus.
Have you enjoyed fellowship? Are you enjoying fellowship now?
Are you up on the Mount of Transfiguration? Are you looking there and you're seeing this one and you're hearing God saying this is my beloved son?
Here John Curry know this is my beloved son.
Hear him.
Listen for his voice.
He'll lead you aright.
Could you turn with me, please to Psalm 139?
A few thoughts that.
Have come before one in this Psalm I'd like to share.
With you this afternoon, we've already had reference to this sound.
Versus.
15 and 16, but I'd like to read the entire Psalm.
Psalm 139.
Oh Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising.
As I understand is my thought of far off. Thou compassed my path and my lying down, and aren't acquainted with all my ways, for there is not a word in my tongue. But lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand.
Upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high I cannot attain.
Unto it Whither shall I go from thy spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
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If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me.
Ye the darkness hideth not from thee.
But the night shineth as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
For thou hast possessed my reins, thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect. And in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God.
How great is the sum of them? If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.
When I awake, I am still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked. O God, depart from me therefore, ye bloody men, for they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
Do not I hate them, O Lord that hate thee and them not, I grieve with those that.
Rise up against thee. I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in a way everlasting.
This appears to be a very searching sound.
The Psalm begins with searching.
O Lord, Thou has searched me and known me.
Does that.
Strike terror into your soul.
Is the thought of God searching you and me that which?
We would.
Considered to be very undesirable.
Well, if we didn't know God, if you don't know him this afternoon.
I believe it is a terrible thought.
But you know.
Here the psalmist says.
Thou hast.
Not me.
And God knows me this afternoon, He knows you.
He knows what.
Wretched beggars of the dunghill we have been.
And we have read about our condition apart from.
God, they're in Ephesians 2 That we are controlled by the power of Satan.
And.
Walking in disobedience according to the course of this world.
And then to your thought of how that we were once dead in trespasses and in sins. What an awful condition.
And God knows all about it.
But I'm here this afternoon.
To tell you.
And I know others can join with me and say he knows me, but I know him.
You know, dear ones, it's.
Wonderful to be acquainted with the God of.
The universe, the God of whom we've been hearing this afternoon.
The one who desires your blessing and mine, and even though he would search us.
And.
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See what we are by nature.
Wonderful to realize that God.
Is a God of grace.
And he has made.
Every provision so that you and I.
Can be cleansed from our sin and be made perfectly fit to sit in His holy presence. How wonderful it is to know God.
To know him is to love him.
To know Him is to enjoy peace.
And to know that all is well for time and for eternity.
Is there somebody here this afternoon who is a stranger?
To this wonderful God of whom we are speaking.
Acquaint now thyself with him.
And be at peace.
And thereby good shall come unto thee.
Here we find David.
Being searched, I was searched.
And known me.
Does he resent the searching? Well, when we come to the end of the chapter.
Notice what he says verse 23. Search me O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me.
And lead me in the way everlasting.
I believe David was a man after God's own heart, because David.
He lived in the enjoyment of God's mercy.
And he could speak of how that God.
He was plenteous in mercy and ready to forgive.
One who is gracious. David knew God.
And I believe you and I, we ought to know him.
In a more fuller way than David, because he has revealed himself to us in Jesus.
Now wonderful to consider that we know God through the person of his dear Son, the Lord Jesus, that blessed One, who perfectly fulfilled the will of the Father, glorified him in life but also in death, demonstrated his love for the Father, but also his love for you and me, the Son of God.
Lay down his life. No greater love as a man than this.
And so we find that David's desire is that he might be searched.
So that if there was anything that would hinder.
His enjoyment of fellowship with God it might be judged.
In order that there might be perfect joy.
Happiness. We've been speaking about that fellowship with the father.
The apostle John could say there's no greater joy than this to enjoy fellowship with the Father.
And with his son Jesus Christ.
This afternoon.
Is it your desire? Is it mine?
That the Lord would search our hearts so that if there is that which is offensive.
It might enable us to judge that in order that we might.
Walk with him in the enjoyment of his company. We know he does walk with us.
But are we in the enjoyment of his companionship? You know, this is a beautiful Psalm.
I believe it.
Simply.
Divides itself into 4 sections.
Of 6 verses each.
I really enjoyed this thought. You know the 1St.
6 verses could we say, present to us God as the one.
Who is omniscient? Big word?
Simply means all knowing.
And so we find here God is omniscient in the next 6 verses.
We have God as the one who is omnipresent.
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Another big word, but it simply means all present or ever present.
The next 6 verses we find God as the one who is omniscient.
All powerful and then the last 6 verses I believe is the psalmist's reaction.
To this wonderful knowledge of God.
Well here David, he says, thou knowest my down sitting in verse two, and mine up rising without understandeth my thought of far off.
Here we have God.
Understanding our thought in verse three, our actions.
He knows all about them and in verse four, our words.
Our thoughts, our actions, our words, nothing is hid from the Lord.
He sees us sitting down here this afternoon.
It tells us in verse 2.
And I believe it delights his heart to see those that are sitting down here in their seats.
Because your desire is to hear the word of God.
Your desire is to with others of like precious faith worship.
The Lord.
And.
To come together to express our dependence on Him in prayer.
He sees this, he values it.
But you know, perhaps, and I speak to myself as much as to anyone else.
There are times when we are sitting in places.
That perhaps God would not find his delight in.
Well, it's a searching thought that God sees where we sit.
And in Psalm 1, the psalmist, he says, there blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you didn't feel comfortable because.
You know the Lord.
Would never leave you nor forsake you. But you knew the Lord wasn't happy where you were sitting. You were sitting in the seat of the scornful.
Among those that were ridiculed, your savior.
Oh dear, once mate, we.
Watch Our Town sitting and here.
God sees our uprising and then too he understands our thoughts.
Far off we've had in this.
Conference how that the mind is that which I believe can become the plaything of the enemy.
The mind.
We had read to us. I believe it was from 2 Corinthians.
Where the apostle he was concerned that the Saints.
Their minds would be corrupted and they would be removed from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Well, this is what the enemy would seek to do to corrupt our minds.
With the thoughts of men. Vain philosophy.
Anything but Christ.
We used to hold meetings in a nursing home.
And.
The activity director.
In that nursing home, I'm sorry to say.
He was a skeptic, perhaps I should say an infidel. He really had.
No appreciation for the gospel, even though for a time we were allowed to hold meetings in that place.
But he told me, he said. You've been speaking about John 316.
And he said that maybe all right for you, but he said that's too simple.
He said. I can't accept that.
And so it is that.
Man today.
He is seeking, I believe, to exalt the intellect.
And.
It's taking him farther away from the truth of God and the simplicity that is in Christ.
01:15:06
Well, may we desire that our minds would be controlled.
By the Lord that you know, we might cast down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. This is the happy pack and the Lord. This afternoon He looks right down into your brain and he sees your thoughts and he knows them from afar off. Well, He's acquainted with our ways. He sees our actions.
And then there are the words.
And it says there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
You know it only takes one.
Word.
To spoil.
A lovely situation to shatter a beautiful picture. Just the wrong word.
And we need to be careful, don't we, about our words. I believe our words. They can be health to the bones, but then too they can be like the piercing of a sword.
Our words.
May the meditation of our heart and the words of our mouth be acceptable to the Lord. Well, I believe our words really are the index of our heart. It's out of the abundance of the heart. The mouth speaks. We betray, I believe, what's in our hearts.
By our words, something to consider.
Well then he goes on and speaks of the fact that the Lord is with us wherever.
Verse 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Whither shall I flee from thy presence? And so on.
You can't go anywhere but what he is there, but why would you want to flee from his presence?
Dear ones, in his presence is fullness of joy. Why would we want to flee from fullness of joy? Oh, what a precious savior we have and.
Heaven will be what it is because Jesus is there.
I distinctly remember I was in a 10th grade world history class and.
The instructor.
He was.
Rather, a flippant type of person had really no concern, I believe, for the things of God. But he did ask the question, he said, now what is it that will make heaven so wonderful? Is it going to be ice cream cones?
Passed around up there.
You know, everybody just sat in a class.
Real quiet, nobody made a move and all of a sudden the girl is sitting right next to me. She put up her hand.
And she just said.
It will be.
Because Jesus is there. That's what's going to make it so wonderful.
You know, that was a word to my conscience as well as to my heart. All my heart was warmed up, but my conscience told me I should have put up my hand first.
That was a wonderful confession that she made.
You know there once we can enjoy the days of heaven right here upon earth.
Because here we find that the Lord is with us wherever we might be.
And we can enjoy his companionship. And then it goes on to say.
In verse 11, if I say surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. You know, we look about and we see the world. It just seems to be getting worse and worse. And you read the newspaper and it's filled with murder and corruption, immorality and all sorts of violence. It's just a terrible.
Description of condition of things about us and we might think, well, we're going to be just overwhelmed by.
The darkness. But notice what we have here. It's beautiful.
Even the night shall be light about me. Isn't it wonderful? Even in the midst of a condition of things in the world, this afternoon we can enjoy a light of heaven, the glory of His presence.
Yeah, the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Well may we find comfort in God and His Word. It is that which will support us, illuminate our, illuminate our pathway. I remember seeing a display one time, I think it was set up at the high school.
01:20:24
And here were these various pieces of equipment that the soldiers used.
In their military military endeavors.
And they had this.
Pair of goggles. I never had seen anything like this, but apparently you could put on these goggles.
And even at night, they would allow you to see quite a distance through the darkness. I thought that'd be interesting to be able to try those goggles. Well, you know, dear ones.
This book I hold in my hands.
Are the goggles for you and for me during the night of this world. The power of the darkness is great, but oh, wonderful to realize we've been translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son and through this blessed book.
We can enjoy light.
In our souls, the entrance of His word, it gives light, and we can have direction.
Well, then we go on and we find that God is omniscient in connection with creation and the very fact that you and I are here this afternoon. It's the work of God. What a miracle to consider how he could put Adam together out of the dust of the ground and then breathe into his nostrils the breath of life. He becomes a living soul. And here we are, part of Adam's race, God.
Is indeed the Creator.
He is the one that is all powerful and I suppose this has been brought out. We do have perhaps a reference to the Church.
In his thoughts even before the world came into existence, verses 15 and 16.
Well, the psalmist here, you know, he says these thoughts.
In verse 17, they're precious. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God.
How great is the sum of them? If I should count them, they are more in number.
Then the sand when I awake, I am still with thee. And so we find that the psalmist is in the enjoyment of God's goodness. You know David, he could say he would have fainted if he had, unless he had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Well, he saw it, didn't he? Here we are in the land of the dying. We too can enjoy.
The goodness of God May we ever keep ourselves in the love of God.
And if there is something in our lives that would hinder?
Our enjoyment of His love, of His person and fellowship. May our prayer be as that of David of old. Search me, O God, know my heart, try me, know my thoughts, see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in a way.
Everlasting, this is the happy path to go.
God's way.
01:25:56
So it is therefore.
I am not scared.
Open Mtg.
Open—R. Klassen, B. Bauman
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.
Oh.
Inspiration.
Thy waving.
On your life.
Hands down, breaking girls.
Run the bride's graveyard before I'm going to hear her and hurry, hurry, hurry.
Let's open this very precious book to 1St John Chapter 2.
First John chapter 2 dropping down in verse 13.
I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.
The next verse, the middle, I have written unto you.
Young men, because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you.
And ye have overcome the wicked one. Love, not the world.
Neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
The stanza, the hymn that we have sung together.
Stanza 2 is the wilderness before thee.
Desert land where drought abides.
Was thinking of the many young brothers and young sisters that are here in this company.
And the desert is before you.
There are testings in the way, as you well know.
And as John writes here, he writes with such sweet confidence to the young men.
And I'd like to particularly notice the three things that he brings out. I write unto you, young men, because you are strong.
And the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Perhaps you're like I was when I was a young man and I kind of looked around and I wondered who answers to.
What John is saying here?
But John is directing it.
To each one of us personally, and there's nothing so refreshing to one's heart now being in the older years, to see a young man or a young sister begin to take up the word of God and to be exercised as to what the rest of the stanza says. Heavenly springs shall there restore thee.
Fresh from God's exhaustless tide. That's why many of you are here.
These general meetings is to gain from that tide of God's wonderful grace.
That is going to form in your lives the very image.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I enjoy thinking of John as he lay upon the Lord's bosom.
What were his thoughts?
He was there for a while, and he leaned upon the one.
Who had walked that life of perfection to the glory of God?
And perhaps the very impetus of these three things reigned in his heart at that moment. He felt strong as he rested upon that blessed man, and he felt that the Word of God was abiding in him and that he had overcome the wicked one. You know that's going to be our soul's experience when we lean upon the Lord Jesus.
00:10:02
That these things are going to come before us, but we realize that they need to be worked out in a practical in our lives practically day by day. And so this is where we go into prayer.
Experience travail of soul. There's so many blendings together. The Spirit of God residing over all that He's going to work out in our lives. And I'd like to view a young man in scripture to see these things carried out, trusting that the comments will be helpful if we turn to 2nd Kings chapter 6.
I'm going to read three parts.
And it may not be the same young men, but I'd like to treat it as though it was because I believe it's a divine pattern as to how God takes up young men and young women in a spiritual way. So begin reading with the first verse.
Second Kings chapter 6 and the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha.
Behold, now the place where we dwell with thee is too straight for us.
Let us go, we pray Thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there where we may dwell.
And he answered, Go, ye, the one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood, but as one was felling a beam.
The axe head fell into the water, that he cried and said, Alas, master, for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, where fell it? And he showed him the place, and he cut down a stick and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim. Therefore he said, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand and took it.
Verse 15.
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold and host compassed the city, both with horses and Chariots. And his servants said unto him, Alas, my master, how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not, for they be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elijah prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes.
That he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man.
And he saw and behold a mountain was full of horses and Chariots of fire round about Elijah. And when they came down to him, Elijah prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee with blindness. And he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elijah.
Now, if we turn over.
To.
Chapter 9.
And Elijah the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins.
And take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, And go in and make him arise from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber. Then take the box of oil and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed the king over Israel. Then opened the door.
And flee and tarry not.
Well, if we turn back to the.
Place where we began Second Kings chapter 6.
There was a remark that was made in the Reading meeting.
00:15:04
That I'd like to reinforce, and that is that Satan is gaining his best victories over God's people.
In the religious side of things.
Now we might ask the question, why did these young men feel that the place was too straight and they wanted to go down to the Jordan?
Well, I'd like to suggest that when naming, the leper was cleansed there in the Jordan.
That, that was no small thing. That was a marvelous thing that you might say caught everybody's attention.
And perhaps, these young men thought as they spoke among themselves, well, you know.
There's many lepers here in Israel, and we've got the recipe for their blessing. Let's go down to the Jordan and we'll just resurrect a place down there and we'll just go where all the action is. You know, we have hearts like that.
That we just love action and to be able to put the name of the Lord to it whether it belongs there or not.
And we know that there's a great movement afoot called the Promise Keepers.
And there's action.
And to think of putting a million men in the streets of Washington, DC next year.
For the Christian cause.
Sometimes in our assembly life, back in our little assemblies, we feel kind of like we're turning in circles.
There just isn't the action there that we hear about in other places.
But there's a brother here in this room that made a comment.
That I enjoyed so much, he said at the divine center.
And in Judah, there's plenty of work to do.
We don't have to join with forces with what appears to be great things.
Now if we could go to Washington, DC and begin to.
Check out this large force. The first question we would ask is how many of these men are saved?
That are for the Christian cause.
Probably would reduce the ranks quite greatly.
Maybe we would go a little further and say, well, how many of them know the Lord Jesus as their own personal Savior?
How many of them are enjoying the forgiveness of their sins through the work of the Cross of Calvary?
Begin thinning the ranks down and to begin to search.
For reality of heart.
Well, here's Elisha.
A wise man.
And he met that situation with naming the leper. He had received divine instruction from God for the blessing of this man.
And so we might have thought that Elijah would have been enthusiastic about this move to go down to the Jordan.
You know, there's a lesson that everyone of us have to learn personally, and that is let God be sovereign.
And that's a difficult thing to do because we want to jump in behind it and help God be sovereign instead of justice, resting in that wonderful fact of just letting God be sovereign and let me be in sympathy with his sovereign ways, but I don't have to to help him in any way. And so I see this enthusiastic bunch all packed up and ready to go down to the Jordan.
And one young man, as it were. He looks back and he sees Elijah still standing there.
And he looks puzzled at him as much as to say, Well, aren't you going with us?
Well, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Is seen here in that Elijah goes with them.
But for what reason does he go?
00:20:00
Perhaps this very young man.
Maybe he had a little bit of uneasiness about this move.
But it just seemed like the thing to do. It was the popular going thing. But he had an uneasiness.
And Elisha could discern that.
Or we should be thankful for our older brethren.
That have their eye upon the Lord and their stability there.
We may not always understand their ways, but their hearts are reaching out to the young.
To sucker them, to help them into the pathway of richest blessing that they themselves have already proved.
And so can't you just see these young men? They're strong.
See that physical strength and just laying that axe into the end of the trees and dropping them and all of a sudden.
This one man has his axe head slide right off of the handle and into the Jordan, into the place of death.
Well, perhaps we don't enter into the pain of this experience, but here he has his axe and he's making such good progress, but when the axe head slides off.
Breaks into the cry. Alas, master, for it was borrowed.
And so there are those painful experiences when we borrow the truth of God and we haven't proved.
What is right in the presence of the Lord? And so this that was so essential.
We were so sincere in our actions. It all comes to confusion.
And we say, why did the Lord allow that? My heart is so sincere? My whole heart is.
In what we're doing here for the blessing of others.
You know, the Lord Jesus could say that there were many lepers in Israel.
But not one of them was cleansed. Save name in the leper.
So we can see that this whole operation, there was nothing for God in it.
And so he might say, well, we've got to learn a bitter lesson of walking after the council of our own will.
And so the bitter lesson brings us to the value.
Of entering in to the grace and goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To instruct us in his ways.
So I can see this face of anguish looking there in the water and saying, is there any remedy to think of Elijah taking this stick?
Casting it in and up comes the axe head.
It's not floating.
It's swimming.
There's life.
And so here we are. We've been using our strength for not.
And hoping to accomplish something and we've missed the whole point of life.
So he sees that axe head swimming and Can you imagine how he reaches out?
And Justice would have pressed that thing to his heart, that axe head.
Now, true spiritual strength. Dear young brothers and sisters.
Is to promote life among God's people.
There are those things that promote death among God's people. There are contentions.
There are schools of thought, there are such diversities of things that we.
Face that they cause a lot of damage.
And so the true strength of the young man and the young sister is to be in that realm.
Of encouraging others in the right pathway. Now the question is.
Do you suppose that young man stayed on there? I don't think so.
I think he realized that they were in a false position.
And so we find that instead of the assembly being a straight place where you say you can't do anything or you get into trouble, or everybody's watching you to to put a case on you. So there are many reasons why we conclude that. But oh, when the spirit of life in Christ Jesus convicts our souls, we find that the assembly is a sphere of liberty and joy.
00:25:23
Where life is brought forward, that's what we're here this afternoon.
That we might have life and to have it more abundantly and to be able to return to our assemblies.
And we can say the Lord is wrought with us.
Well, perhaps this young man came to Dothan, which is a little picture.
Of the assembly.
It was a refuge for his soul.
He enjoyed being with Elijah now.
Sometimes we contend with the generation gap and we have a situation.
Where? Well, there's just too much age gap here and we just can't seem to see eye to eye or pull together.
Well, it's wonderful. When that begins to melt away, we realize that we are a part of the body of Christ.
And to work together for the cause of Christ.
And so as we're in the assembly, we go on happily and we realize the assembly is a refuge for our souls, and we say everything is just wonderful and safe here.
And then we realize that there is the spiritual warfare that goes on.
Spiritual warfare that's deadly. And as we had brought before us so faithfully this morning about the airwaves.
They take a deadly toll, do they not?
And that sphere that is between US and heaven called air.
To try to suppress our thoughts down here and to try to find out the Daily News and to find out how the scores are going in the athletic world.
Taking up those precious.
Energies that we have in putting them in an unprofitable course. And so the spiritual warfare comes.
And can you not feel with this young man as he saw these gorillas gathering around with just one thing in mind, and that was to charge and to kill?
To get their reward to kill the man of God.
I can stand there with him.
And you're there, defenseless.
And you say, what are we going to do? We can't survive this situation.
But there again is that steadying influence to have Elijah pray for this young man, that his eyes might be opened to see that there are more forests than are against this.
There were two young sisters in Brazil that were going to night school.
And there were some desperate men that jumped them. They were defenseless and.
Ordered them into their own car.
And they ordered one of the sisters in the front seat and the other in the back. They had their guns out loaded and who knows? Who knows what was intended or was going to happen?
But as one of these sisters was rehearsing the story, I just, I just enjoyed it so much.
Because she said I was there in the back seat with that gun ready to go off. As she said, you know, I had the sweetest piece. I came to the conclusion there in the back seat that it doesn't make any difference what happens. What I thought, was she out of her mind?
No, there was that realization at such a time that there were more.
That are forests than are against us, and to think of the heavenly hosts that were there.
Over that car to make sure that these desperate men.
Were cut down from their purpose and they were let go harmless.
Ought to have our eyes open because these things are real as spiritual warfare.
00:30:03
But as this young man was getting his eyes open, just to think of these hardened men that went in for the kill suddenly stopped.
Helpless, Defenseless themselves. What a sight that must have been.
Well, that's the God that we have as we go on in our spiritual warfare. Many of stories could be told in this room that just as desperate as that. And the story is that we were delivered because there were more that were forced than ever against us.
And we didn't read it, but we're taking up the book of Ephesians.
And these men that were smitten blind were taken into Samaria.
And the king, he said, shall we kill them? And Elijah says, Oh no.
You put on bread and water for them. You know what it says.
He gave them great provision, like to suggest that's the book of Ephesians where there we have great provision given to us that we might have the word of God abide in us. Oh, to have the word of God abide in us. That's our defense, that's our offense. And going on in the past of His choosing, that is marked by His wonderful grace.
Well then, we.
To this other young man. But I want to hold the pattern.
The last is that ye have overcome the wicked one.
Yes, there are those.
Should I say conflicts?
That we have with Satan when we become exercised as to how the Lord is going to use us.
In the Christian pathway, how is he going to use us among God's people?
And sometimes we develop ideas of what we would like to do.
Of how we would like to be known.
And we find that it doesn't workout. It doesn't work that way because we must submit our wills to the will of God, which isn't an overnight work.
Perhaps we see brethren that we so admire.
We see how they've given their lives to the Lord. We have seen with their own eyes how he has blessed them. We said like the pattern my life after that. And that's where we get into difficulty. And that's where we have to learn how to overcome the wicked one because he's right there to interfere with everything that comes before you, to interfere with being useful and fruitful among God's people.
But now, as I think of this young man, it's on a certain day.
At a certain time.
And there's an appointment that's given to him.
I don't believe that there's a young man.
That has been used of God in a public way.
That when they realize the responsibility that that is coming upon them, your first reaction is, oh, I can't do that. I've never done this before. And so can you not feel with this young man to hear Elijah say to him, gird up thy loins. That's very important. Take this box of oil in thine hand and go to Ramoth Gilead.
This young man.
Had witnessed terrible declension among God's people in his day.
He had just seen the enemy. Just.
Taken a hold here and a hold there, and justice see the light of testimony waning.
Maybe you have too?
And you want to do something about it. You'd like to be a help, instead of seeing this downward course to lift the spiritual tone of the assembly in which you're in. How are you going to do it? Maybe you don't want to do it. You say it's not my place. Well, you know, we have the exhortation not to despise the youth.
00:35:09
Because God is pleased to use a David when he's maybe in his late teens.
For a very real situation now, to me, this was a desperate situation.
To rise up and go to a company of military men.
Say this isn't normal. I'm not used to this kind of an atmosphere.
But you know, this young man goes.
That's nice too, if that comes to you to submit yourself to the will of God.
And so he goes to these seasoned men to anoint a man there that God had.
Ready to turn this terrible tide of evil and declension in those days to put away the kings that were promoting it in their Kingdom.
Well, I didn't read it, but we'll read it now in verse 11.
Then she who came forth to the servants of his Lord, and once said unto him as all well.
Wherefore came this mad fella to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man?
And his communication.
Sometimes.
That which the Lord would give a young man or a young woman to do.
This reproach connected with it.
It isn't very nice to think of being called a mad fellow.
No, but that was just their thoughts. It wasn't God's thoughts.
And so he went and he carried out. That responsibility was given to him, and then it tells us that he ran.
He fled. He opened the door and fled.
And I'd like again to say to the young as you take begin to take up responsibilities.
This is a good spirit to have possess your souls. Sometimes you may give a wonderful word to God's people.
You're kind of expecting perhaps some comments afterward to see just where you came in at.
But let that go by. Learn to flee into the presence of the Lord.
That the soul might be emptied of pride, and you're going to experience perhaps giving.
A message and nobody says a thing about it doesn't make any difference.
The important part is is to be willing to act when the Lord calls us to act in wisdom, act in carefulness, act in love, and so may these three things come before all of us in a real way. I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome.
The wicked one. And so if you're going to take out, take up any responsibility that God gives, there's going to be the opposition of the wicked one. But you go on independence upon the Lord, and by and by you perhaps will be able to see that instead of there being declension downward and losing ground, that there's a turning and an answering.
To the light.
Of God's Word, and that's a wonderful reward for any heart who has been engaged in that work.
We've been occupied with the loving kindness.
Of God this morning came out in Ephesians and came out in Titus. It came out in our hymn.
The loving kindness. And you know Jonah knew all about it. Jonah said Thou art.
Forgiving and loving and thy great kindness.
And Joel knew about it and Job knew about it, and we know about it. And so I was thinking it demonstrates it very nicely in the Book of Beginnings, which I love. Everything's there that we need. And I'm going to just read a few verses part of them, and then that'll give me the basis of what's on my heart.
00:40:08
Genesis 1 verse one in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Three God said let there be light, there was light.
And God said, let there be firm in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. At the end of verse seven, it was so.
11 God said, Let the earth bring forth.
It was so.
And verse 21, well no, we'll go over to the girth. 24 God said let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, etcetera.
And it was so verse 26 and God said, let us make man in our image and likeness.
Verse 27 So God created man in his own image, and in the image of God created him. Male and female created he them and God blessed them.
31 God saw that everything he had made, and behold, it was very good.
And the evening in the morning were the 6th day. Now you know, this is beautiful and it's very simple. It's creation. I love creation, you know.
For through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.
So that things that are seen were not made from things that do appear. That's creation.
Only God creates. Man invents, He designs, He devises from what God has made, but God creates, and so this is a simple statement of creation in his marvelous simplicity. I like that. It's direct and it's positive and it doesn't leave any room for a thought from man at all, or any reason or objection. That's the way God does it.
Very simple, very forthright, very positive.
And.
Thank you. All must simply be believed by faith.
That's the only way, by faith.
All of his thoughts and his purposes that we read about this far were in the distance, past eternity.
Were included in those thoughts and purposes. That's the marvelous thing, isn't it? In.
Proverbs 8 just turned quickly for one place. Proverbs 8 and I won't read many, but we could read many there. It's very beautiful. I'll read just verse.
27.
And maybe one more Proverbs 8/27.
When he prepared the heavens, I was there. When he set a compass upon the face of the depth. When he established the clouds above. When he strengthened the fountains of the deep. When He gave to the sea his decree that the water should not pass his commandment, When he appointed the foundation of the earth.
Then I was by Him as one brought up with Him, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth. My delight with the sons of men. That's before anything was made. That's lovely, isn't it? His delight was in you and I really, individually and collectively, because the Church was in the purposes of God before anything was.
And that's very beautiful.
Now all we enjoy by this Marvelous Universe.
And the planet Earth and its variety of grasses and shrubs.
And flowers and trees and streams and rivers and lakes, oceans and seas.
And all the living creatures in the land, in the air, we enjoy those things, don't we? All by the word of his mouth, Psalm 33, he spake. And it was he commanded, it stood forth. Now that shuts man's mouth, that if he wants to argue with that, there's no basis because it's absolute truth. This is it. And it's very beautiful, all he had to do.
Was to speak, that's all.
Now we turn to chapter 2, Chapter 2 of Genesis. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished.
And all the hosts of them. Verse 4.
00:45:02
There are these are the generations of the heaven and the earth, which they, when they were created in the day of Jehovah, the Lord God really made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For the Lord God had caused it to rain upon the earth. The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground, but there went up amiss from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Man became a living soul. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden. Eden meaning delight.
And there he put the man whom he formed.
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the river went out of Eden.
To water the garden.
I'll just in verse 15, the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of delights.
It's really paradise to dress it and to keep it. Verse 18 and the Lord God said it's not good.
That man should be alone. I will make him a helpmeet for him. Verse 21. And the Lord God caused the deep sleep to fall upon Adam. Then he slept, and he took one of his reflection stead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
You know, this is just all loving kindness. It's just coming pouring out. Now there's one thing different in the second chapter really than the 1St. The 1St is God said. That's all God said. But now we get to the second and man.
You know what it said? God planted a garden.
You know that's different. God planted a garden. You know all gardens are planted. There's a lot of gardens in this world, aren't there? I've enjoyed many of them.
Bouchard, which you probably have seen in Victoria, the island, beautiful garden. I think it's 50 acres, I'm not sure, in a cavern or a Canyon or something. And it's magnificent. You know, I remember the garden in Singapore. It's all orchids.
All orchids, all the different kinds, not just an orchid and another different orchid.
Fields of the same type of orchid and then another field of the same type of orchid.
They're beautiful, but that was planned, purposed and planted.
That's what we have. God planted a garden for man. You know, I saw a garden in Ottawa.
And impella Tulips. Tulips. Beautiful one, but they were planned and purposed and planted by man. They just didn't happen. You know that way purposely well.
There was a man in Lake Park, was it? No, Oak Park, IL? He had a garden, He had a garden. He was a banker, and he had this little garden in the backyard, fenced in all wildflowers.
He planted them, He got them, He planned it, He planted those wildflowers. The neighbors said he has a garden of weeds made fun of him. They were beautiful, though when they came into blue, they were weeds, but they were flowers on those weeds. So this is it. Now the Lord had all this made and it was good, very good. But He wanted something special for man. Loving kindness. That's all it is. You know, I look around today.
As I travel.
And after 6000 years of sin ravaging God's creation and man polluting it the best he can.
I can still see many places I would have been satisfied.
If God put me there.
Because they can't ruin it all. You know man can't ruin all the creation he's done good.
In polluting, he's done good in defiling it, and sin has touched everything.
I remember when I used to collect leaves, the teacher would say bring the leaves in and so on, and different trees. I couldn't find one that didn't have a spot on it, didn't have a sign of sin on it wasn't eaten by an insect someplace. That's that's what sin did to God's creation. But I found many places I felt God could have put man. Think about 6000 years ago before sin came in. That didn't satisfy God, that didn't satisfy the Lord. He wanted something very special.
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For man.
You know he planted a garden in Eden place of delights.
And then he provided a river out of Eden to water that garden. In other words, God provided everything that was needed, everything an ample provision and supply for that garden he planted for man. This is marvelous when you think about it, isn't it? It's marvelous to me, all right.
Now we read Genesis 2 where he said it's not good that man enjoy all this alone.
I'll give him a help me and he provided him a help me and he gave her to him.
You know, as loving kindness. You've got to help me, brothers.
She loved the Lord and she's one of Christ. That's loving kindness well.
This is what we're talking about when we're talking about loving kindness. God wasn't satisfied with just paradise.
Down here he wanted something very special.
How long did this last?
We're not told, are we? We're not told. Well, it didn't last past Genesis three. We know that it didn't last past Genesis 3.
Now in Genesis 3 verse 22 to 24, we see.
What happened?
Therefore the Lord God sent Adam forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden cherubims and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of life, the way of the tree of life. I don't know, I sort of think the Garden is gone now.
That place of delight.
He prepared purposely for Adam and gave him a helpmeet in it.
Tree of life isn't the tree of life isn't. Well, I was thinking how beautiful this is. The loving kindness of God to provide something like that.
Now.
When the Lord his Son came here.
This wasn't paradise, you know?
Wasn't a place of delight when he came here.
It was a valley of the shadow of death.
It was a groaning creation.
It was sin rampant. It was hatred from his creatures. This is what he found.
This is what the Son of God found.
It was defilement, disease, corruption, deformity of his creation. All this was there.
Strife and violence, that's what he found.
You know, there's a bright note. I like these bright notes. So we'll turn to John, John's gospel, for a little bright note here. And I like it. John, chapter 18. John chapter 18. Yeah.
Let's see here.
John 18 verse one.
Well, first of all, 26 and 17 And I have declared unto them thy name, and well declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. And when Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the Brooke Kedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew of the place, For Jesus OFT times resorted thither with his disciples.
I love those words.
Where was a garden into which the Son of God could enter? How wonderful. That is beautiful. You know, it's not a garden like he planted for man in paradise. Not like that, no, no. But it was a garden where Jesus could resort and could be apart from the din of this world and the sin of this world.
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And could pray in that nice, you know, God makes sure that the Father makes sure that there was a garden. I liked that language where was a garden, you know, turn to Luke 21, Luke 21 and.
Verse 37. I think it's the last verses. Verse 37.
In the daytime Jesus was teaching in the temple, and at night he went out and abode abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives.
Where was the garden? That's it, That's where the garden and all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple for to hear him.
That's where he lived that night, that's where he abode, that's where he dwelt.
Why You didn't have any home? You didn't have any home here.
But there was a garden.
That nice there was a garden turn to a Luke 9. Luke 9 just mentioned this. It's good to get it in focus in Luke 9.
1St.
58 Loop 95857 And it came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Jesus, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. So he abode in the Mount of Olives at night, but there was a garden.
So nice, isn't it? There was a garden. Now back to our portion in John 18.
You know, in Matthew 26 verse 36, it's called Gethsemane.
Gethsemane that means the oil press place the oil press place spirit function there where Jesus abode at night. Isn't that beautiful contact directly with the Father That's that's Gethsemane. I think it's very beautiful to see that and and not only that it was at the Brooke Kidron right there Kidron children means.
A dark and gloomy place.
You know, at that place was where the Lord could.
Receive his direction and the Father's will.
That place turned into a dark and gloomy place for him.
That's right. And it's very simple to see that say, you know, but it was there right there.
In that garden place that the Lord prayed in agony.
Prayed in agony and he said, Father, if it be possible.
Let this cup pass for me nevertheless. Not my will, but I will be done. That's the oil press place. Isn't that lovely? That's the spirit, I think it's so beautiful to see that.
Well.
Our Lord during his lifetime, and I think it's wonderful, did have a garden.
Not like Adams, not like that beautiful place and delights, but.
It was a garden, I think, made available by his father. I don't see any other reason for it. He could find peace and quietness and rest apart from this world.
You know but our Father.
Had ready a garden for his son in his death too.
And I think that's very beautiful. Turn to chapter 19 of John, Chapter 19.
And let's see 38.
And after this, Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly.
For fear of the Jews besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus.
And Pilate gave him leave, and he came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of Vern elos about 100 LB weight. Then took day the body of Jesus, and wounded in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury now in the place.
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Where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden.
A new sepulchre where was never man yet laid.
There laid they Jesus. Therefore, because of the Jew, preparation day for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Here's 2 disciples.
Joseph Nicodemus, Two of them.
You know there's three kinds of disciples.
In John 666, notice the number. Those are disciples in Word only.
Professing believers, they follow Jesus till a time.
And then they leave him and follow him no more.
You know, there's a lot of those. There's a lot of those in Chrysanthemum.
But the next would be disciples indeed, and that's John 831.
I'd better read it. I could say it maybe John 831. These are real and and 8:31.
See if I find it, click here. I know that's about where it is.
Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him.
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. So there's there's professing disciples word only. There's those disciples indeed. And then there's a third group. That's Joseph of Aravathi and many others.
Secret disciples. They're real, but they're secret disciples. Sort of sad though, isn't it? But the Lord honors everything and He brings these two secret disciples out in the open after the death of Jesus. They didn't have the privilege of walking with the Jesus down here. You and I have it. They didn't have the privilege of suffering for Christ down here. You and I have that.
I hope you're taking advantage of it. Come out. Don't be so secret about this thing. This is wonderful. But the Lord allowed them to do his mission for Jesus after his death. And you know many of the secret disciples will be able to do that up there after his death. But their secret disciples here, that's not so nice. Well, the Lord is faith both. So he used Joseph and he used.
Dear Nicodemus, isn't that wonderful? You know Joseph means add thou Jehovah.
He did after his death. He added him after his death. He had him before, but it wasn't known. That's sad. You know the Jews said anybody that that I should quote this right will be.
Excommunicated, kicked out of the synagogue like the blind man. And so they didn't. They fear the Jews. They didn't come out now for Jesus. Well, Nicodemus means he has risen.
Victorious. There's these two men coming out now. Isn't it beautiful? I think it's lovely what the Lord allows.
I won't get into it. They had frankincense and they had aloes and they had I'm myrrh and aloes, I think. But you know, at the beginning the worship for Jesus was myrrh, was frankincense, gold frankincense and myrrh. Now it's myrrh and Alice here.
Gold was Jesus Disney Gold now it was Jesus. Isn't that nice? Same thing. Well.
Joseph had a garden in Calvary. Turn to Luke 23. Luke 23. It's beautiful to see this. God had it already, you know, for his Son. No problem with that. Luke 23.
And verse 52.
All right.
No verse. I think that'll do it 52.
This man went on to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus and he took it down.
And wrapped it in litter and laid it in a sepulchre that was eun and stone.
Where never man before was laid.
As our Father's work, that's our Father's work. Isn't that beautiful? And you know, you can see in Mark 15, we won't turn to it. It takes too long. It says Joseph of Arimathea came and went in boldly of the pilot, craving the body of Jesus, and he laid him in a sepulchre which was yoon out of rock.
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In Matthew 27, maybe we better look at that 57. I didn't quote the last one all the way. Matthew 27 and verse 57.
When the even was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph who also himself was Jesus disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus and then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb which he had used out in the rock. That's beautiful. Well, I'm just showing you how God had everything already.
For his son at this time now.
There was a garden, Joseph had a garden right near Calvary. Isn't that lovely, in which he had a new tomb. You not a stone and this God had ready for his Son in the fulfillment really of Isaiah 53, listened to it. Isaiah 53 verse nine, I think Isaiah 53 verse nine. This had to be fulfilled and that's how it was Isaiah 53 verse 9.
I'm going to read it from another translation I believe. And men appointed his grave with the wicked.
But he was with the rich in his death. There it is. Man appointed his grave with the wicked, but he was with the rich in his death. Joseph of Arimathea, that rich counselor. Isn't it lovely? And so God had this all planned. I want to do one more thing. Don't take it all here.
Chapter 20. Chapter 20. There's something else that we should bring out here.
Verse 10 Then the disciples went away again in their own home, But Mary stood without at the sepulchre, weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. And she seeth, 2 angels in White City. The one on the head, and the other at the feet, were the body of Jesus had Lane. And they say unto her, Woman, Why weep us now? She says unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, I know not where they played Him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back.
And saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus.
And Jesus said unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?
Whom seeketh thou? And she is supposing him to be the gardener, says unto him, Sir.
If thou have borne him hands, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. And Jesus said unto her, Mary. And she turned herself, and said unto him, Rabbi, and I, which is to say, Master. And Jesus says under her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend under my father, and your father unto my God, and your God. And Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples.
She had seen the Lord and that He had spoken these things to her.
Now we read that Joseph had this sepulchre.
And there was a garden, and in the garden was this new sepulchre where never man was laid.
God our Father had it already for his Son in his death, and included in all his plans was this garden by a rich man and a simple curse so he could have he could have his.
So, so he was with the rich in his death. That's the way I think it was. You know, all prophecy has to be fulfilled. All of it is in Jesus. To think in his death there was this garden.
And a garden, a new sepulchre, and a rich man's tomb where never man had laid. We're not beautiful to think about that.
Will we rejoice and we praise God for this. I want to mention something. This was not a garden like the Lord prepared for Adam.
In in Paradise wasn't like that. There. There was no weeds, no thistles, no thorns. It was watered.
Just purposely and beautifully from the ground, by a river coming out of the place of delights. Everything was perfect in that garden.
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Nonetheless, there was a garden for the Lord, but it wasn't like that. And I want to just mention, do you notice in verse 15 she's supposing Him to be the gardener?
Well, I'll tell you something. This is the only time in the Word of God Gardner is found. Now, I know you're going to get your computers going and all these other things on coordinates, and if you find Gardner, let me know. Other than here. Why is it here? Because God wanted us to know He couldn't give a garden to His son like his son did to mayor.
He couldn't. It's a cursed earth. The gardener is a caretaker.
Of that garden.
This is the only time you'll find it. God wanted us to realize that it wasn't the garden.
Like his loving kindness provided for man. But I want to say something else.
The Lord Jesus is now at the right hand of God on high.
And he has gardens now. He has gardens and that, lovely to think about it, He has gardens right here.
And you know.
In those gardens he finds all his delights, all of his delights in those gardens.
I better go return to Song of solemn. I better just mention it here. Song of song.
Which is Solomon's Song of Songs and chapter 4. I'm not going to take too much on this.
A garden enclosed a spring. Shut up.
A fountain sealed separation for himself.
Exclusiveness for himself. That's all that verse tells us.
And the next two verses tell us about how each Lily has a different fragrance for him.
And now 15. A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, streams from Lebanon. He doesn't just have a garden, he has many gardens around the world. A fountain of gardens of continuous flow.
For his delight from these gardens it's the Assembly's brethren, those gathered to his precious name. You know, Sister Chris used to sit alone in San Antonio with a loaf and cup, as many others do, and she broke bread when a brother came.
But she said, I sat here last Lord's Day, now that was here two years ago, last Lord's Day, and I thought how wonderful. There's a continuous flow of fruit for the Lord and our Father all the time on Lord's Day because of the change of time and all she was thinking about that, it never stops. There's breaking bread.
Continuously I never thought of that either. That's from his gardens here he has gardens now and they're perfect and you know it says here awake north wind and come thou S blow upon my garden. Why that the spices thereof may flow out five one I am come into my garden. I'm come and he doesn't neglect any of us. If you read the rest of that verse one of five you'll see it. He takes something from all of us. That's what he wants to do.
Now let's see at the end of the song.
13 The last chapter 8 thou that dwell us, isn't that beautiful?
You know, at night he abode, He dwelt in the mana valleys. Where was the garden? But now that thou that dwellest in the gardens thy companions hearken to Thy voice caused me to hear it. Caused me to hear it. Oh, you know, it's beautiful to see this. The gardens are filled with lilies.
That's your new name. When you're saved, you're a Lily.
But each one gives off a little different fragrance, different fruit. Isn't that nice? Because he said Solomon in all his glory.
Was wasn't wasn't closed like one of these lilies?
You're much more. I don't know how it says it now valued in Solomon. I don't know. I'd have to go back. I'm not going to take time. But we're lilies. That's what he calls the bride in the Song of Solomon. You're a Lily. You're a Lily among Fords. That's right among Fords. But that's the nice thing. And then the Lord is intimately concerned about each Lily.
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In his garden, and you know he finds his delight there.
They're exclusively for him and now I would say sometimes he just gathers a Lily for himself.
I like that. Don't you just take the Lily home? I don't mind. We miss them.
Wants to take a Lily home just for himself. That's all right, too. He comes down and he gathers lilies.
I think that's beautiful too. Now everything committed to man.
There's failure.
And these beautiful gardens, and by the way, they're planted.
They are planted by his father for him. That is true.
I think I'd have to use a verse for that. Matthew 1515. No, Matthew 1513. I think I can quote it. Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted out.
And that's something rooted up. But then which thou hast given me, I'll have. I think it's lovely. Every plant which my father has not planted. Just as the Lord God planted this garden for Adam and man, God plants this garden for his Son. I think it's so beautiful. Don't you? You were planted. You were set in it as it pleased the Lord. Well, OK, I say everything committed to man.
Goes to failure. So I'm going to read Isaiah Isaiah show you and it's sad to see this but we've got to read truth and it's not all beautiful. You know we we are not much I have to say that Isaiah.
65 Isaiah 65 and MEC.
Verse 3. Verse 2.
I have spread out my hands all day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts, a people that provokes me to anger continually to my face, and that sacrifices in gardens.
And burneth incense upon altars of brick.
That's man's design. That's man's way. They should be stolen.
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the mountains, which each swine's flesh.
And broth of abominable things in their vessels. Now turn to 66 Isaiah 66 and verse.
Three at the end. Yay. They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions and will bring their fears upon them. Because when I called.
None did answer when I spake they did not hear, but they did evil before mine eyes and chose that in which I delighted not. Verse 17 that they that they that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouth.
Shall be consumed together, says the Lord, for I know their works.
And their thoughts.
I said that's sad, but it's true, brethren. But he will have his gardens. Doesn't matter about the number. He'll have his gardens where he finds his delights.
I have to remind you, it isn't like the Garden of Eden.
That the Lord had when he was here. But the one we are is much better. I just want to read at Revelation.
Revelation.
20.
Two verse one, and he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear and crystal breeding, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, and in the midst of the street of it on either side of the river, the tree of life, which bear 12 manner of fruits.
And yielded her fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of nations.
And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God, and the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads. There shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun. For the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. I could have read in 21 as well.
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But their brethren, there's no mention of a garden. There's no garden. Why? It's all paradise. It's all delight. You can't improve upon where we're going by a garden. I think that's so beautiful. Garden here. That's right. But not where we're going. You can't improve that Where sin will never come. I see the times out, so I'll call a hymn.
Who knows where that hymn is? Oh bright, oh oh, bright and blessed. Seen 64. It's a bright and blessed scene. I think we're sin can never come.
That's why you don't need a garden up there.
It's very beautiful. 64, I think, if I ever get to it here, I think.
Yeah.
O'Brien and the same where?
You fall.
As far as?
You can do.
It all the way to the home.
Let's do it all, I hope.
01:25:03
Appreciate you.
And.
Let me.
Why I can't Grace will bring you.
I think the end of it is more time for anything.
God's Provision for His People's Pleasure
Address—B. Bauman
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've been occupied with the loving kindness of God.
This morning came out in Ephesians, It came out in Titus. It came out in our hymn.
The loving kindness. And you know Jonah knew all about it.
Said, Thou art.
Forgiving and loving and thy great kindness. And Joel knew about it, and Job knew about it, and we know about it.
So I was thinking it demonstrates it very nicely in the book of beginnings, which I love. Everything's there that we need and I'm going to just read a few verses part of them and then that'll give me the basis of what's on my heart.
Genesis 1 verse one. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Three, God said, let there be light, there was light.
And God said, let there be firm in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. At the end of verse seven, it was so.
11 God said, Let the earth bring forth.
And it was so.
And verse 21, Well, no. We'll go over to the GURPS.
24 God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, et cetera, And it was so verse 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image and likeness.
Verse 27 So God created man in his own image, and in the image of God created him. Male and female created he them and God bless them.
31 God saw that everything he had made, and behold, it was very good.
And the evening and the morning were the 6th day. Now you know, this is beautiful and it's very simple. It's creation.
Creation, you know.
For through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things that are seen were not made from things that do appear. That's creation. Only God creates, man invents, He designs, he devises from what God has made. But God creates. And so this is a simple statement of creation.
In its marvelous simplicity, I like that it's direct and it's positive.
And it doesn't leave any room for a thought from man at all, or any reason or objection. That's the way God does it. Very simple.
Very forthright, very positive, and.
Thank you. All must simply be believed by faith. That's the only way by faith.
All of his thoughts and his purposes that we read about this far, we're in the distance past eternity.
Were included in those thoughts and purposes. That's a marvelous thing, isn't it? In.
Proverbs 8 just turned quickly for one place. Proverbs 8 and I won't read many, but we could read many there. It's very beautiful. I'll read just verse.
27.
And maybe one more. Proverbs 827. When he prepared the heavens, I was there. When he set a compass upon the face of the depth. When he established the clouds above, When he strengthened the fountains of the deep. When he gave to the sea his decree that the water should not pass his commandment, When he appointed the foundation of the earth.
Then I was by him as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.
Rejoicing in the have a little part of his earth and my delight.
With the sons of men.
That's before anything was made. That's lovely, isn't it? His delight was in you and I really, individually and collectively, because the Church was in the purposes of God before anything was. And that's very beautiful. Now, all we enjoy by this Marvelous Universe and the planet Earth and its variety of grasses and shrubs and flowers.
And trees and streams and rivers and lakes, oceans and seas and all the living creatures in the land, in the air. We enjoy those things, don't we?
00:05:07
All by the word of his mouth.
33 He spake, and it was he commanded.
It stood forth. Now that shuts man's mouth that if he wants to argue with that, there's no basis because it's absolute truth. This is it, and it's very beautiful. All he had to do was to speak, that's all.
Now we turn to chapter 2, chapter 2 of Genesis. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them. Verse 4.
There are these are the generations of the heaven and the earth, which they, when they were created in the day of Jehovah, the Lord God really made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For the Lord God had caused it to rain upon the earth. The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
But there went up amidst from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Man became a living soul, and the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden.
Eden meaning delight. And there he put the man whom he formed.
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the river went out of Eden to water the garden.
I'll just in verse 15, the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of the lights. It's really paradise to dress it and to keep it. Verse 18 And the Lord God said it's not good that man should be alone. I will make him help me for him. Verse 21 And the Lord God caused the deep sleep to fall upon Adam. Then he slept and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead.
And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
You know, this is just all loving kindness. It's just coming pouring out. Now there's one thing different in the second chapter really than the 1St. The 1St is God said. That's all God said.
But now we get to the second and man.
You know what it said? God planted a garden.
You know, that's different. God planted a garden. You know, all gardens are planted. There's a lot of gardens in this world, aren't there? I've enjoyed many of them. Bouchard, which you probably have seen in Victoria, the island, beautiful garden. I think it's 50 acres. I'm not sure in a can, in a cavern or a Canyon or something. And it's magnificent. You know, I remember the garden in Singapore.
It's all orchids.
All orchids, all the different kinds, not just an orchid and another different orchid, fields of the same type of orchid and then another field of the same type of orchid in that beautiful, but that was planned, purposed and planted. God planted a garden for man. You know, I saw a garden in Ottawa and in Pella tulips.
Tulips. Beautiful one, but they were planned.
And purposed and planted by man. They just didn't happen, you know, that way purposely well.
There was a man in in Lake Park, was it? No Oak Park, IL He had a garden. He had a garden. He was a banker and he had this little garden in the backyard fenced in all wildflowers. He planted them. He got them, he planted. He planted those wildflowers. The neighbors said he has a garden of weeds.
Made fun of him. They were beautiful, though when they came into blue they were weeds, but they were flowers on those weeds. So this is it. Now the Lord had all this made and it was good, very good.
But he wanted something special for man Loving kindness, That's all it is.
You know, I look around today as I travel.
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And after 6000 years of sin ravaging God's creation and man polluting it the best he can, I can still see many places I would have been satisfied if God put me there.
Because they can't ruin it all. You know, man can't ruin all the creation. He's done good in polluting, he's done good in defiling it and and sin has touched everything.
I remember when I used to collect leaves, the teacher would say bring the leaves in and so on different trees. I couldn't find one that didn't have a spot on it, didn't have a sign of sin on it wasn't eaten by an insect someplace. That's that's what sin did to God's creation. But I found many places I felt God could have put man. Think about 6000 years ago before sin came in that didn't satisfy God.
That didn't satisfy the Lord. He wanted something very special.
For man.
You know he planted a garden in Eden.
Place of delights. And then He provided a river out of Eden to water that garden. In other words, God provided everything that was needed. Everything an ample provision and supply for that garden He planted for man.
This is marvelous when you think about it, isn't it? It's marvelous to me, all right?
Now we read Genesis 2 where he said it's not good that man enjoy all this alone. I'll give him help me and he provided him a help me and he gave her to him, you know, as loving kindness.
You got to help me, brothers. She loved the Lord, and she's one of Christ. That's loving kindness.
Well, this is what we're talking about when we're talking about loving kindness. God wasn't satisfied with just paradise.
Down here he wanted something very special.
How long did this last?
We're not told, are we? We're not told.
But it didn't last past Genesis three. We know that it didn't last past Genesis 3.
Now in Genesis 3 verse 22 to 24, we see what happened.
The Therefore the Lord God sent Adam forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden cherubims and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of life.
The way of the tree of life. I don't know, I sort of think the garden is gone now.
That place of delight he prepared purposely for Adam, and gave him a helpmeet in it.
Which tree of life is it? The tree of life isn't well, I was thinking how beautiful this is, the loving kindness of God to provide something like that now.
When the Lord his Son came here.
This wasn't paradise, you know?
Wasn't a place of delight.
When he came here.
It was a valley of the shadow of death.
It was a groaning creation.
It was sin rampant. It was hatred from his creatures. This is what he found.
Is what the Son of God found.
There was defilement, disease, corruption, deformity of his creation. All this was there.
Strife and violence, that's what he found.
But you know, there's a bright note. I like these bright notes.
So we'll turn to John John's gospel for a little bright note here.
And I like it.
John, chapter 18. John, chapter 18. Yeah.
Let's see here.
John 18 verse one.
Well, first of all, 26 and 17 And I have declared unto them thy name, and well declare it, that the love wherewith thou hath loved me may be in them, and I in them. And when Jesus has spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the Brooke Kedron. Where was the garden?
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Into the which he entered, and his disciples, and Judas also.
Which betrayed him, knew of the place, for Jesus OFT times resorted thither with his disciples.
I love those words.
Where was a garden into which the Son of God could enter? How wonderful. That is beautiful.
You know, it's not a garden like he planted for man in paradise, not like that, no, no. But it was a garden where Jesus could resort and could be apart from the din of this world and the sin of this world and could pray.
Isn't that nice? You know, God makes sure that the Father made sure that there was a garden. I like that language. Where was a garden?
You know, turn to Luke 21, Luke 21 and, uh.
Verse 37, I think it's the last verses. Verse 37 in the daytime Jesus was teaching in the temple and at night he went out and abode, abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives.
Where was the garden? That's it, That's where the garden and all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple for to hear him.
That's where he lived at night, that's where he abode, that's where he dwelt.
Why you didn't have any home?
We didn't have any home here.
But there was a garden.
That nice there was a garden turned to a Luke 9. Luke 9. I just mentioned this. It's good to get it in focus in Luke 9.
Verse.
58 Luke 958.
Seven And it came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain man.
Said unto Jesus, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head, so he abode in the Mount of Olives at night, where there was a garden.
So nice, isn't it? There was a garden. Now back to our portion in John 18.
You know, in Matthew 26 verse 36, it's called Gethsemane.
Gethsemane. That means the oil press place. The oil press place.
Spirit functioned there where Jesus abode at night. Isn't that beautiful?
Contact directly with the Father. That's that's Gethsemane.
It's very beautiful to see that. And and not only that, it was at the Brook Kidron right there. Kidron. Kidron means a dark and gloomy place.
You know that that place was where the Lord could receive his direction and the Father's will.
That place turned into a dark and gloomy place for him. That's right, it is very simple to see that so you know, but it was there, right there.
In that garden place that the Lord prayed in agony.
Prayed in agony and he said, Father, if it be possible.
Let this cup pass for me nevertheless. Not my will, but I will be done. That's the oil press place. Isn't that lovely? That's the spirit, I think it's so beautiful to see that.
Well.
Our Lord, during his lifetime, and I think it's wonderful, did have a garden. Not like Adams, not like that beautiful place and the lights, but it was a garden, I think made available by his Father. I don't see any other reason for it. He could find peace and quietness and rest apart from this world.
You know but our Father.
Had ready a garden for his son in his death too.
And I think that's very beautiful. Turn to chapter 19 of John, Chapter 19.
And let's see 38.
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And after this, Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly.
For fear of the Jews besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. And he came therefore and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of Vern elos about 100 LB weight, then took day the body of Jesus.
And wounded in linen clothes, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury now in the place where he was crucified.
There was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre where was never man yet laid.
There laid they Jesus. Therefore, because of the Jew, preparation day for the sepulchre was nigh.
At hand.
Here's 2 disciples.
Joseph Nicodemus, Two of them.
You know there's three kinds of disciples.
In John 666, notice the number. Those are disciples in Word only, professing believers.
They follow Jesus till a time, and then they leave him and follow him no more.
You know, there's a lot of those. There's a lot of those in Christendom.
But the next would be disciples indeed, and that's John 831.
I better read it. I could say it maybe John 831. These are real and and 8:31.
See if I find it quick here, I know that's about where it is.
Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed? And he shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. So there's, there's professing disciples word only, there's those disciples indeed, and then there's a third group.
As Joseph of Aravathi and many others.
Secret disciples. They're real, but they're secret disciples. Sort of sad though, isn't it? But the Lord honors everything, and he brings these two secret disciples out in the open after the death of Jesus.
They didn't have the privilege of walking with the Jesus down here. You and I have it. They didn't have the privilege of suffering for Christ down here. You and I have that. I hope you're taking advantage of it. Come out. Don't be so secret about this thing. This is wonderful, but the Lord allowed them.
Do his mission for Jesus after his death and you know many secret disciples will be able to do that up there after his death, but their secret disciples here that's not so nice. Well he's the Lord is faith. Both were used Joseph and he used Nicodemus Isn't that wonderful You know Joseph means add thou Jehovah.
He did after his death.
He added him after his death. He had him before, but it wasn't known. That's sad. You know, the Jews said anybody that that.
I should quote this right? Will be?
Excommunicated, kicked out of the synagogue like the blind man. And so they didn't. They fear the Jews. They didn't come out now for Jesus. Well, Nicodemus means he is risen, victorious. Here's these two men coming out now. Isn't it beautiful? I think it's lovely what the Lord allows.
I won't get into it. They had frankincense and they had aloes and they had Murray aloes, I think. But you know, at the beginning the worship for Jesus was myrrh, was frankincense, gold frankincense and myrrh.
Now it's Myrrh and Alice here.
Gold was Jesus Disney Gold now it was Jesus. Isn't that nice? Same thing. Well.
Joseph had a garden in Calvary turned to Luke 23. Luke 23. It's beautiful to see this. God had it already, you know, for his Son. No problem with that. Luke 23.
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And verse 52.
All right.
No verse. I think that'll do it 52.
This man went unto Pilate and begged the body of Jesus, and he took it down and wrapped it in litter, and laid it in a sepulchre.
Was union stone were never man before was laid.
That's our Father's work, That's our Father's work. Isn't that beautiful? And you know, you can see in Mark 15, we won't turn to it. It takes too long. It says Joseph of Arimathea came and went in boldly of the pilot, craving the body of Jesus, and he laid him in a sepulchre which was yoon out of rock.
In Matthew 27, maybe you better look at that 57. I didn't quote the last one all the way.
Matthew 27 and verse 57.
When the even was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus and then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb which he had used out in the rock.
That's beautiful.
Well, I'm just showing you how God had everything already for His Son at this time.
Now.
There was a garden.
Joseph had a garden right near Calvary in that lovely in which he had a new tomb, you not a stone and this God had ready for his son in the fulfillment really of Isaiah 53 luster into it. Isaiah 53 verse nine, I think Isaiah 53 verse nine. This had to be fulfilled and that's how it was.
Isaiah 53, verse nine. I'm going to read it from another translation I believe.
And men appointed his grave with the wicked, but he was with the rich in his death. There it is. Man appointed his grave with the wicked, but he was with the rich in his death. Joseph of Arimathea, that rich counselor. Isn't it lovely? And so God had this all planned. I want to do one more thing.
Don't take it all here.
Chapter 20. Chapter 20. There's something else that we should bring out here.
Verse 10 Then the disciples went away again in their own home, But Mary stood without at the sepulchre, weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. And she seeth, 2 Angels in White City. The one on the head, and the other at the feet were the body of Jesus Hadley. And they say unto her, Woman, Why weepest now? She says unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, I know not where they played Him. And when she had thus said.
Turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus.
And Jesus said unto her, Woman, Why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? And she's supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. And Jesus said unto her, Mary. And she turned herself, and said unto him, Rabbi, and I. Which is to say, Master.
And Jesus set under her Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.
But go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my father, and your father unto my God, and your God. And Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her.
Now we read that Joseph had this sepulchre and there was a garden, and the garden was this new sepulchre where never man was laid. God our Father had it already for his Son in his death, and included in all his plans was this garden by a rich man and a simple curse so he could have.
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He could have his.
So, so he was with the rich in his death. That's the way I think it was. You know, all prophecy has to be fulfilled. All of it is in Jesus. To think in his death there was this garden.
And a garden, a new sepulchre, and a rich man's tomb Whenever man had laid. We're not beautiful to think about that.
Well, we rejoice and we praise God for this. Now I want to mention something. This was not a garden like the Lord prepared for Adam.
In paradise wasn't like that.
There there was no weeds, no thistles, no forts. It was watered just purposely and beautifully from the ground by a river coming out of the place of delights. Everything was perfect in that garden.
There was a garden for the Lord, but it wasn't like that. And I want to just mention, do you notice in verse 15 she's supposing Him to be the gardener?
Well, I'll tell you something. This is the only time in the Word of God Gardner is found. Now, I know you're going to get your computers going and all these other things. Concordance. And if you find Gardner, let me know. Other than here, Why is it here?
Because God wanted us to know He couldn't give a garden to His Son like his Son did to man.
He couldn't. It's a cursed earth. The gardener is a caretaker of that gardener.
This is the only time you'll find it. God wanted us to realize that it wasn't the garden.
Like his loving kindness provided for man. But I want to say something else.
The Lord Jesus is now at the right hand of God on high.
And he has gardens now. He has gardens and that, lovely to think about it, He has gardens right here.
And you know.
In those gardens he finds all his delights, all of his delights in those gardens.
I better go return the Song of Solemn. I better just mention it here, Song of Songs, which is Solomon's Song of Songs and Chapter 4. I'm not going to take too much on this.
A garden enclosed, A spring shut up. A fountain sealed.
Separation for himself.
Exclusiveness for himself. That's all that verse tells us, and the next two verses tell us about how each Lily has a different fragrance for him. And now 15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, streams from Lebanon.
He doesn't just have a garden, he has many gardens around the world. A fountain of gardens, a continuous flow.
For his delight from these gardens, it's the Assembly's brethren, those gathered to his precious name.
You know, Sister Chris used to sit alone in San Antonio with a loaf and cup, as many others do, and she broke bread when the when a brother came.
But she said, I sat here last Lord's Day. Now that was a year, two years ago, last Lord's Day, and I thought, how wonderful. There's a continuous flow of fruit for the Lord and our Father all the time on Lord's Day because of the change of time and all she was thinking about that. It never stops.
There's breaking bread continuously. I never thought of that either. That's from his gardens here, his gardens now and they're perfect. And you know, it says here.
Awake north wind, and come, thou S blow upon my garden. Why, that the spices thereof may flow out. Five one, I am come into my garden. I'm come. And He doesn't neglect any of us. If you read the rest of that verse 105, you'll see it. He takes something from all of us. That's what He wants to do.
Now let's see at the end of the song.
13 the last chapter 8 thou that dwelleth in that beautiful.
You know.
At night he abode, he dwelt in the mana valleys. Where was the garden, But now that thou that dwellest in the gardens?
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Companions hearken to thy voice. Caused me to hear it. Caused me to hear it. Oh, you know, it's beautiful to see this. The gardens are filled with lilies.
That's your new name. When you are saved, you are a Lily.
But each one gives off a little different fragrance, different fruit. Isn't that nice? Because he said Solomon in all his glory was, wasn't, wasn't clothed like one of these lilies?
You're much more, I don't know how it says it now, valued in Solomon. I don't know. I'd have to go back. I'm not going to take time. But we're lilies. That's what he calls the bride in the Song of Solomon. You're a Lily. You're a Lily among Fords. That's right, among Fords. But that's the nice thing. And then the Lord is intimately concerned about each Lily in his garden. And you know he finds his delight there.
They're exclusively for him and now I would say sometimes he just gathers a Lily for himself.
I like that. Don't you just take the Lily hole? I don't mind. We miss them.
But he wants to take a Lily home, just for himself. That's all right, too. He comes down and he gathers lilies.
I think that's beautiful too. Now everything committed to man.
There's failure and these beautiful gardens and by the way they're planted.
They are planted by his father for him. That is true.
I think I'd have to use a verse for that. Matthew 1515. No, Matthew 1513. I think I can quote it. Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted out.
And that's something rooted up.
Them which thou has given me, I'll have. I think it's lovely. Every plant which my father has not planted, Just as the Lord God planted this garden for Adam and man, God plants this garden for his Son. I think it's so beautiful. Don't you? You were planted, you were set in it as it pleased the Lord. Well, OK, I say, everything committed to man goes to failure. So I'm going to read.
Isaiah show you and it's sad to see this, but we got to read truth and it's not all beautiful. You know we we are not much. I have to say that Isaiah 65 Isaiah 65 and let me see.
Verse 3. Verse 2.
I have spread out my hands all day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that was not good.
After their own thoughts, a people that provoked me to anger continually to my face and that sacrifices in gardens and burneth incense upon altars of brick.
That's man's design. That's man's way. They should be stolen.
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the mountains. Which each swine's flesh and broth of abominable things in their vessels. Now turn to 66 Isaiah 66 and verse.
Three, at the end, yeah, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them. Because when I called, none did answer. When I speak they did not hear, but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Verse 17.
That they, that they that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree, in the midst eating swines, flesh, and the abomination, and the mouth shall be consumed together, says the Lord. For I know their works and their thoughts.
That's sad, that's sad, but it's true, brethren. But he will have.
His gardens doesn't matter about the number, he will have his gardens where he finds his delights.
I have to remind you it isn't like the Garden of Eden that the Lord had when he was here, but the one we are is much better. I just want to read at Revelation.
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Revelation.
20.
Two verse one. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear and crystal breeding, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, and in the midst of the street of it, on either side of the river, the tree of life, which bear 12 manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of nations, and there shall be no more curse.
But the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him.
And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads, and there shall be no knight there, And they need no candle, neither light of the sun. For the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. Now I could have read in 21 as well as.
But their brethren, there's no mention of a garden. There's no garden. Why? It's all paradise. It's all delight. You can improve upon where we're going by a garden. I think that's so beautiful. Garden here, that's right. But not where we're going. You can't improve that.
Where sin will never come.