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We didn't get very far enough. I'd like to suggest if the mind of the brethren that we begin at verse one and then move on to verse two and three and on. We don't want to miss what we have in verse 2-3 and four and so on. Some practical instructions. So perhaps we could start at verse one and.
Ephesians 4, verse one.
I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith your call.
With all loneliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, there is one body and one spirit, even as you are called, and one hope of your calling, 1 Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all and through all, and in you all but unto every one of us has given grace according to the measure of Egypt of Christ.
Wherefore, he says, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended of far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.
And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the working of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, and unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness.
Whereby they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth and love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint suppliant according to the effectual working in the measure of every part.
Make an increase of the body onto the edifying of itself in love.
I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not, as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling, having given themselves over onto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye have that ye have heard him.
And have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that he put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the Newman, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying? Speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
00:05:14
Be angry and sin not, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands, the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that need it. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.
But that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace under the hearers, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby year sealed under the day of redemption, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice, and be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
If you'll bear with me just for a few moments, I'd like to make a couple of comments in connection with verse two and go back to the Old Testament for an Old Testament illustration. Because in the previous reading meeting we spoke a great deal about our walk and walking, worthy of Our Calling and so on, and we spoke of it perhaps more in the context of individuality, and we often speak of our individual walk.
We had some expressions in the previous meeting as to one who went on, against all odds, a day of absolute ruin and indifference to the things of God. And certainly the last days are always characterized by individual out individuality and individual faithfulness.
But I believe too, brethren, in Scripture, we always find that when there is individual faithfulness, then God provides others that we can walk with. And so we've talked a great deal about our individual walk. And when we come to the third verse, then there's a collective aspect of things, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But I believe that verse two bridges what we have in verse one and what we have in verse 3.
Just hold your finger here and go back to an example in the Old Testament that I hope will help illustrate this in the Book of Numbers.
Numbers, Chapter 13.
We'll just read a couple of verses here and there to get the context. It's a well known story, the story of Caleb and the spies that went in to spy out the land.
Notice verse 30 of Numbers 13 and Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and possess it. For we are well able to overcome. And then go over to verse six of chapter 14 and Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jefuna, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes and then going down in the chapter.
Verse 24 But my servant Caleb. And this is what I want to particularly notice, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully. Him will I bring into the land where unto he went, and his seed shall possess it. Now in our chapter we have an exhortation in verse two to walk with all loneliness and meekness and long-suffering, forbearing one another in love. As I say, he's now introducing A collective aspect of things.
It's not just individual walk, but it's going on with others. And what he's bringing out is the spirit and attitude that is needed, brethren, if we are going to go on in fellowship with those who have similar desires and motives to please the Lord and to walk in His truth.
If we're going to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, it must be with a proper spirit and attitude. And that's what I've appreciated about Caleb, you know, it says of Caleb a number of times that he wholly followed the Lord. That is individual faithfulness denoted. But it's interesting when he and Joshua with the other 10 spies brought up the report, 10 of the spies brought up an evil report.
And ten of the spies stirred up the people. In fact, there's a solemn comment about them in Deuteronomy. It says they discourage the hearts of their brethren. Not a solemn comment. Little did they realize as they brought up that report and stirred up the people of God that it would be recorded in God's eternal record that they discourage the hearts of their brethren. But Joshua and Caleb brought up a good report of the land, and Caleb, particularly it, says he stilled the people.
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Now, brethren, isn't that what we need in the days in which we live? We don't need to stir up the people of God. There's enough to stir us up. I'm talking not in a good way, but in a bad way. The enemy is busy to stir up strife and difficulty and trouble of one kind and another amongst the people of God. And you come from local assemblies and you know exactly what I'm talking about. The enemy is busy in these last days, but Caleb sought to still the people. But what's to me? What is the most remarkable?
Comment that scripture makes about Caleb is that he has promised a personal inheritance and that he would take possession of it by and by my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him. It is the spirit of Caleb that God noticed particularly and because he had a proper spirit In seeking to steal the and encourage the people of God, God said that he would eventually enter the land.
And he's the only one, I believe, that we read of that received a personal inheritance when they eventually entered the land. But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him now, brethren Caleb was faithful. He brought up a faithful report. But you know, Caleb might have said, well, I'm going to wholly follow the Lord. I'm going to go on for the Lord. But I'm not going to go on with those rebellious people. Why they even want to stone me. They don't believe the report. They're not trusting God.
They. I'm not going to go on with them. I'll follow the Lord. Isn't that sometimes the reaction of our hearts? We say, well, I'm going to follow the Lord. But look at my brethren. They don't. They don't appreciate what I do. They don't appreciate the truth sometimes. And I'm going to follow the Lord, but I'm not going to go along with them, you know, Brethren. Caleb.
With the proper spirit turned quietly back into the wilderness with the people of God. And do you realize that from this point on you don't read of another thing that Caleb says or does in the wilderness until they cross the Jordan and he goes into possess his inheritance? He went on for some 40 years quietly with the people of God. He saw lots to impinge his heart and discourage him. There was plenty more failure to come.
And he would see the governmental ways of God in dealing with those around him and sin and fault finding and murmuring and complaining. And for 40 years he went on with the in a proper spirit with the people of God. Did God overlook that? No. God rewarded that and brought him into his inheritance. Even at 85 years of age, his strength, natural strength, hadn't abated. And so I just point this out that I believe what we have in verse two of our chapter is the spirit and attitude that needs to be practically manifest in our lives.
If we're going to go on not just individually, but with the people of God.
Of the fact that we are members of one body. In fact, it's good to realize here in chapter 4 you mentioned the other day, Jim, that it's the beginning of the practical part of the epistle. And that's true. But verses 1-2 and three?
Are practical exhortation as to our walk. But from 4 through 16 it is not exhortation that we have, but.
Teaching again and verse four says there is one body.
And one spirit, it's not saying you should be there is it's stating a fact. And so in view of the fact that we are one body, these first three verses show how we can walk to show that truth. It's not something that should just be a doctrine we hold, but it should be something that's practically evident in the way we go on together.
And so in verse 2, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering forbearing one another in love.
Anybody have all loneliness and meekness?
I don't think any of us would raise our hand and say I've got it all and taking master this part. No brethren, we are learning it. I trust. I trust we are lowliness. That which does not cause offense in my brethren.
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Meekness. That which does not take offense. Sometimes there's lowly people that are not meek.
Maybe they don't give offense in their ways, but they're quick to take offense. So that brother didn't shake hands with me. I wonder what he's got against me.
We can be that way too.
But where are we going to learn these qualities? It's so important if we're going to walk together as members of one Body brethren, to go on with all lowliness and meekness reminds me of the verse in Matthew 11 That says, take my yoke, the Lord Jesus says, take my yoke and upon you and learn of me whom am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest into your soul.
No better place to learn.
Than united to the Lord Jesus in our individual walk to learn those qualities, brethren, we don't use yokes like they do in some parts of the world, but it was interesting to me some years ago down in Bolivia, we were out in the countryside.
Walking through the countryside, giving out the gospel and came on a place where they were.
Training a new ox for the yoke, and I'd never seen it happen before. Maybe some know that this is the way they do it, but they put it on one side of the yoke, an old ox that is well accustomed to using the yoke, and they put the new one that has never had a yoke on him in the other side. And then they turn him loose and it was really interesting to watch.
That new ox just throw.
Threw his head up in the air and shook it. Rushed ahead and backed up and tried to go One Direction another.
That poor old ox, how it had to suffer. And I thought about myself with the Lord, how much I must make him suffer in the yoke with him. And yet he invites us. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me.
Oh, what lowliness in the king of kings. What lowliness as he walked through this world, had time to take little children in his arms to bless them. What meekness, brethren? In that person, meekness is not taking offense. And I think of Moses, who's called in the Old Testament the meekest man in all the earth, and it was in the place. I think it's the 12Th of numbers you were reading from the 13th.
Where Moses.
His to his two siblings, Miriam and Aaron, complained about Moses.
That he had taken an Ethiopian woman as white as a wife, and he says, as the Lord only spoken by Moses, hasn't he spoken by us too? And Moses didn't defend himself. In fact, you never get the feeling in that chapter that he got resentful towards his brother and sister at all.
And when the Lord defended his servant and smoked Miriam with leprosy.
What did Moses do? He prayed for her, he said. Lord, heal her now. I think that's a beautiful example of meekness. And I ask you, sometimes there's brothers that may speak very hard against you. What is your reaction when that happens?
You know what your natural reaction is, But can you?
Just get down on your knees and sincerely pray that the Lord will bless that brother that spoke so hard against you.
That's meekness. And if we could have that spirit brethren, how many problems that would totally disarm? Oh, the Lord help us in going on together in all loneliness and meekness. And there's a couple other words here, too, that we need to look at with long-suffering.
Remember Brother **** Gorgas? He says. We don't pronounce this word right.
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Long-suffering.
We want somebody to learn in 5 minutes what took us 10 years to learn.
We need to be patient, brethren, with each other. Things don't come like we think they might at times. We need to have patience with one another And another word here is love. Love, brethren, is so important in our relationships together. It's what's to characterize us in the Christian testimony. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have love one to another.
Remember that love, that agape Love is love that loves when there's nothing lovable in the object. It loves because of the source. It does not love because of what it sees in the object. And that's important because sometimes we look and we say, man, that person isn't that lovable. How do you think I can love him?
Because he loved us first. You can love him. If you have that divine nature, you have the capacity to love. And so that's what we are to do in our relationships together, brethren.
Spirit, there's a verse at the end of Timothy. Last verse of Second Timothy, The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy Spirit, Grace be with you. Amen.
There was a meeting once at Gordon. Hayes gave a bit of time on that verse and one of his comments was.
We can have a right spirit.
In the midst of wrong circumstances.
Or wrong situations. And that was pretty impressive. And certainly that's what Caleb had. He had a right spirit when the circumstances were wrong.
That we make an effort to cover ground.
You know, we had a whole meeting on verse one. I think we can cover more ground. I'm not saying that what was presented was not good, but we should make an effort to cover more ground. You know, this is a chapter that has a lot of good instructions. Don't just get stuck to some verse, but I like to also mention something on verse 3.
It's important that it doesn't say to keep the unity of the body.
In the bond of peace, if he would have to keep the unity of the body, we would have to go on in with every Christian who is truly a member of the body of Christ. But the unity of the Spirit refers to that which gives practical expression to that truth, a path consistent with that truth. You know, the Spirit does not lead in all these different directions that we find.
In Christendom, even in all these different directions that we find among so-called brethren, I had to come out from where my grandparents already were in fellowship in Germany, because the Lord gave me, and I believe it was His grace to do so, to see that they were in a wrong ecclesiastical position. The amalgamation principle was accepted.
And practiced, the spirit does not gather in division.
And we have to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bonds of peace.
The Lord can show us by His spirit, where there is a testimony that is giving practical expression to the truth, that there is one body, and then ask Him for grace to walk in that path. The unity of the Spirit is not, as I have said here, the unity of the body, but that which gives practical expression.
To the truth, meeting on that ground, and practically expressing the truth of the body of Christ.
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Is a reality today as much as it was on the day of Pentecost. There is one body, isn't it? And 1St Corinthians chapter 12. I just like to read those verses there because it's so important to get it. This is the ground upon which we seek to gather. This should be the exercise of our hearts and if we minister, the truth of God.
Properly, it does not make us complacent. It exercises us so young people understand what we're saying. Get a hold of it for yourself. But here in chapter 12 of First Corinthians, it says in verse.
12:00 As the body is 1, notice that and have many members and all the members of that one body.
Dean, many are one body, so also is Christ.
For by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been made, all made to drink into one spirit. How often that word one is mentioned? I remember as a younger person, hearing brethren, minister, and speaking about the ruin, the present ruin of the public testimony.
And I think it has helped me to understand. I didn't understand it all at the moment but.
To realize that the body is just as much one today as it was on the day of Pentecost when it was outwardly evident. But what is in ruin is the public testimony. If a heathen person would come to Pella, Iowa, and walk down the street and ask persons, where are these Christians I hear about?
I'd like to meet up with them. Where would they stay? Well, there's some that meet over here. There's some that meet over here, There's some meet over there. They would never get the idea that there's one body they would think, well, there's a lots of different bodies of believers.
But the scripture says there is one body and that's what we have to recognize. How is that body formed in the beginning?
The Holy Spirit came down and through what is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the one body was formed by those believers that were there at that time. There were about 120 in Acts chapter two they were baptized into one body and then God continued to add to that one body. And every time a believer accepts the Lord as a person accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior.
When he believes the gospel of his salvation, the Spirit of God is comes as the seal and also unites that person to the body of Christ. So it is a work of God. It is not something that you and I can do.
It is something that God is, has done and is doing continues to do.
There is one body, the same today as it ever was, so that a person when he accepts the Lord as Savior, the Spirit of God, coming as the seal for security, also unites that person to the body of Christ. Now what you were mentioning, brother Heinz in verse three, what we are exhorted to do is keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Remember speaking about this some time ago? And I made a mistake in the way I expressed it and I said something like this. We need to be careful not to break the unity of the Spirit.
And the brother came up to me afterwards and says, brother, we don't break the unity of the spirit.
Either in my actions I keep it in the bond of peace, or maybe I don't keep it like I should, but the spirit of the unity of the spirit is a unity that the spirit keeps, and I'm responsible to act in that unity of the Spirit. But let's be encouraged, brethren, the truth of the body of Christ, It's unity is a reality, a practical reality, today as much as any time.
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You said, Brother Heinz, we can't walk with all our dear brethren in the faith, but if we meet together, we meet together in view of the fact that the body is 1.
And that includes every true believer on this ground. There is room for every true believer that wants to walk according to the direction of the Holy Spirit of God. So we need to be exercised about that rather. And it's not like you say it's if we accept all believers in any group that they meet as equally valid places of meeting, that would mean that God by his spirit, is in agreement with all the division that is taking place.
In the outward testimony is that right? That cannot be right. The Scripture is so clear that there is one body, and that we are to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The Lord help us to be exercised about this.
Thank you.
Is 12 disciples that followed him and heard everything he said and.
He had to keep them together and.
He said once. He said, What was it you were talking among yourselves about while they were talking? Who should be the greatest and?
Here we have a room, I don't know 300 or something like that.
That's a That's a momentous task.
But the spirit of God dwells each in each one of us, in each one of us, And if we're subject and to Him and allow him to lead us, there will be unity. I've often found, quite often, almost never fails. If I'm at odds with my brethren at home for some reason, I have to go home and I have to look at the mirror and see that fellow that's looking back at me.
And get him straight 1St. And then usually the problem goes away. And I strongly recommend you do that because we have different views, different opinions. Just think of all the members in the body of your human body if any one of them decides.
To function as it should be, as directed of God, or if you want to call it the Spirit of God, there's going to be a problem. We're going to be sick. And I must say that that's not an easy expression to understand, to endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. It's not my thoughts versus your thoughts that we might both be wrong.
But it's to be LED of the Spirit of God.
Follow the man with a picture of water.
He won't lead you this way and me this way and another one this way, but we'll we'll we'll be going on together by laying aside our own thoughts and just be subject to his leading by the word of God.
It's I've heard of everything that's been said today, and I agree with it. I think your illustration in the Old Testament is excellent.
But it's it's allowing the spirit of God. It's it's a unity. It's a collective thing. It's not individual here, it's a collective thing. And that's much more difficult to carry out practically than me carrying it out individually.
And it's not an easy thing. We have to set our own wills aside, and by the word of God be directed under the power of the Spirit of God, and then our problems will go away. It's in the bond of peace. And if you insist on your way and you and yours and me on mine, it's not going to be peace. And the sometimes some of the of this last trouble we've gone through.
Just you can't help it. But we some of our beloved brethren, that they're not with us anymore. And that's just just one small fraction of the whole Church of God.
The enemy has done done his dirty work all right.
He hates to see God's people together in unity, going on in subjection to the head and led by the Spirit of God and the word of God.
00:35:07
May it be so, with each one of us not insisting on our own rights, we might be dead right and dead wrong at the same time.
There are two help me in connection with what you have been saying, brother Chuck and the previous comments. One is it says let each esteem others better than himself. We quote that verse, but how practical is it really in my life and yours? In other words, if I look at a brother or sister in Christ, and I really in my soul, esteem that brother or sister in Christ greater or better than myself.
I'm not going to be striving like the disciples who amongst us is the greatest. But I'm going to and I'm going to be very careful in my spirit and attitude toward that member of the body of Christ. And I will be very careful what I say about that person to others if I really, practically in my soul, esteem that person better than myself. The other scripture that's helped me in this regard is that verse that says he hath placed the members in the body.
Not as it hath pleased me, but as it hath pleased him. You know, sometimes I look around the meeting room and maybe there are those that naturally I don't click with, and those sometimes I'm at odds with on various points and maybe even scripture and so on. But to look at that person and realize that he has or she has been placed in the body not as at us, pleased me. Not my choice, but his choice.
We won't turn to it, but another Testament illustration that I've appreciated in this regard is in connection with Gideon. When Gideon went out to fight the enemy, Gideon had no choice as to the men he was to associate with. It was all the choice of God, and God allowed circumstances that brought out who was to go up with Gideon and who wasn't. In fact, the Lord said to Gideon, who whom I say shall go with thee shall go with thee.
And whom I say, shall not go with thee, shall not go with thee. Gideon had no choice as to the ones that he was to associate with. If you just allow me to to go back to what Bob said a moment ago. We had on the table this morning connection with the one body we had one loaf.
You know, we had some folks come to the assembly in Smiths Falls time ago, and their comment after the breaking of bread was and especially the sister had been many places with many groups of Christians. They had never seen one loaf on the table before. You know, that humbled me, That spoke to my soul. But brethren, when we look at that loaf and we remember what 1St Corinthians 10 says, we, being many, are one bread.
And one body. When we look at that loaf, we need to realize that represented in that one loaf is not just those who are there on that occasion, Not just those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the world who seek by the grace of God to practically express the truth of the one body in the breaking of bread. But that loaf, to the eye of God represents every believer alive on the face of the earth.
Every member of the body of Christ. That's why it's one loaf. It's not many loaves, it's not wafers, it's not crackers, it's one loaf. And we if we lose sight of that brethren, then we become narrow and sectarian in our view. Yes, there is a path of faithfulness and yes has been said, there are brethren we cannot go on with because of things that are not according to the word of God in the mind of God. But every believer I say is represented in that lobe.
We hear a little expression. I've even used it myself. The church is in ruin. I don't like to say that I know what brethren mean when they say that. But if I say that unequivocally, I'm saying God has failed. The Lord Jesus said on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Our verse in Ephesians 4 says there is one body. Brethren, the church is not in ruin but the testimony as to the truth of the one body.
Is in ruin because what is committed to man, he always breaks down. He always fails in. But thank God, the committing of the unity of the body was not given to man. That is safe in the hand of God, safe in the hand of the Lord Jesus. And there is one body, though we must hang our heads as we see Christians in various pockets and fellowships of Christendom. We must hang our heads. And you know, it's interesting that Caleb and Joshua.
00:40:15
When they saw the failure that came in, they didn't stand back and rent their clothes. Why? They identified with the failure and the ruin that came in. Brethren, if we are at the Lord's table by the grace of God, we cannot stand apart from the failure and the ruin that has come in. We must, in the presence of God, rend our clothes to and admit that we are part of it, but then go on by grace in the truth that God has given to us.
Your clothes, Brad.
Give us I've just appreciated in the fact that they humbled themselves and realized that they were no better than their brethren. They were no better than the other 10 spies that brought up the evil report. If they brought up a good report, that was only by grace. But they identified with the failure and the ruin in humbling themselves and rending their clothes, is that right? They carried in themselves the sense of the failure.
Of their the failure of the people of God to walk, and what God had in mind, and the dishonor it brought to God. And I you see that spirit with Daniel in the book of Daniel. Daniel was a lone individual. Earlier in the book of Daniel, you find you had three friends. But Daniel Chapter 9, he's all by himself one man who identified fully with the ruin of God's people.
And prayed and confessed his sin and the sin of his people. Israel notice the order, his sin first. So often we can see the failure out there and we exonerate ourselves. That is not the right spirit, brethren. It is identifying with the ruin and confessing it to God. Maybe the others don't confess it. Somebody's got to confess it. And then Daniel becomes in the end of that chapter.
The recipient of one of the most useful pieces of prophetic of the prophetic scriptures, the prophecy of the 70 weeks.
And the future of God's people, why was God able to give him that? Because of the place he took and basically, like you say in spirit, rent his clothes.
Stands for that truth. There is one body, you know. The story is told that I think it was Albert Hayhoe that walked on a Sunday afternoon in town and met a dear Christian.
And he said to him, I saw you in the meeting this morning. Well, brother said I wasn't in your meeting this morning. Yes, he said I saw you in the meeting this morning. I've never ever been in your meeting. Well, he said I have to explain. There was a loaf on the table. And that loaf expressed the truth of the body of Christ, of which all true believers are a member.
And I saw you in the loaf. I think that truth, if we really keep that in mind.
Prevents us from our hearts affections to be too narrow, you know, And when we need a Christian and we find out he is true or she is truly a Christian.
It's nice to say nice to meet another family member, you know, and to enjoy what we can enjoy with that person. Although they might not exactly walk in the same path that we walk in. But it's so important. There is one body, you know that we see that in that law. Sure, it speaks of the body of the Lord Jesus, but it also speaks of that one body.
Of which he's had. And all believers are a member. That's the truth that is not dependent on us. He is the one that has formed it, and they're all part of the church, the body of Christ.
The common expression to hear it everywhere in Christendom is go to the Church of your choice. That's the exact opposite to endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the uniting bond of peace.
Just the opposite to that. Go to the Church of your choice. We have no right to choose what brethren, we're going to walk with.
00:45:08
That's not up for us to choose. He chooses, He directs, he guides by his spirit, and when we're subject to his leading by the word, we'll walk together. But.
It's.
The church is promoting. Leaders in the in the church are promoting.
A principle which is diametrically opposed to what we're looking at here.
Intermediate during Bolivia one time had the custom of going from church to church, visiting all over.
And one time she was in the home and she said to me brother, she says we all ought to be 1.
I said, Sister, it's not that we all ought to be one. We all are one. We're just not acting like it.
Not walking in the unity of the spirit and sometimes brethren, we get the mentality. I fear we get the mentality of division, division.
Lord, help us to conform our thinking to the scriptures. Here there is one body and the exhortation to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. That is the exhortation of Scripture. Is that like?
Having a beautiful jewel.
And he says, now you keep it in this lovely jewel box.
In the jewel box is a uniting bond of peace.
Practically, I believe that the talented were careful not to limit the expression, the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace to only one aspect of it, which is the truth of the one body.
We don't tend to apply the truth to our own heart and our own conscience if we limit it in that way. We need to recognize the force of the Scripture. It absolutely does apply to the truth of the one body, but it is not limited in its force to that the assembly and Corinth was not keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
They were not divided externally into two different places of gathering in the city of Corinth at the time their letter was written to them. But because the flesh was working in contrast to the Spirit among them, there was not the bond of peace that the unity of the Spirit would maintain. And I think sometimes when we look at these verses, we need to make sure that we apply them.
To our own heart and conscience in the assembly or gathering, where we are as to is that unity being maintained even in that small expression of it.
And I'd also just one more comment. There is one body. We've emphasized that over and over and over, but I think we need to emphasize as well with the same force. There is one spirit, there is one spirit, there is one spirit and the spirit of God.
Always acts in unity with the mind and heart of God.
And the Lord Jesus is the perfect life to see the unity of the Spirit in an individual maintained so that when it's maintained in His heart, if it is maintained in my heart and your heart.
There will be the collective expression of it together, but it starts. Even though it's a collective, there's a collective aspect to it. It starts in the individual. Am I this afternoon, walking?
In complete uniformity to the spirit of God and His work in my soul with God. If I'm not, then I am going to disrupt the peace.
That that spirit would maintain in my soul with God, and in you, my brother or my sister in Christ.
00:50:05
So again, just two comments. Don't limit this truth to the divisions in the public testimony that's given or professes to be given to God. It also has its application to us in this room to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
And there is one spirit, and He will always cause us to hold one.
And to recognize one God. That's the difference between Christianity and all these other false religions. There's one God, there's one head. There's one spirit, There's one body.
There's been one unity formed by the Spirit, and you and I are.
I think at the end of the chapter we get kind of a practical chairing out of this. How do we go about endeavoring easy use of the spirit? Well, every individual one has a responsibility that you're bringing before us. And let's suppose we're Francis brothers and skipped on the belt on and starts talking to someone else and and what is the conversation about what? How are we conducting a what are we talking about?
Or are we talking about somebody? It says here. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor.
And evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice, and be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another.
Is that what our conversation is about? If it's not, we're not endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace because.
What you and I do to one another individually, as you say, disturbs the peace, and it brings in this wrath, this malice and discontent and unrest in an assembly. And you and I are are each one responsible to endeavor to to keep that unity.
And to keep that peace and to do that which is edifying 1 to another.
And and seek that peace. But to to to go on and as though you and I individually what we do means so, so very little. It doesn't really affect that much. It does brother. It does. And we have to be careful that we aren't contributing to that. It says you're left.
That doesn't mean that it's that we we do it first. It means that we don't do it at all.
And so to let means that we keep ourselves from it, and it's the spirit of God that will help us to do that. These things are little foxes that spoil the vine, and we need to be careful we don't contribute to it, sisters and brothers. We're all guilty of it, and we need to judge ourselves for it. Can we read the first Chapter 2?
First, Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 12 together and bear with me. Just a couple minutes on this and I'll get back to the topic of unity. I'm not trying to distract away from that.
1St Thessalonians 2 and 12 That you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you into His Kingdom and glory this morning, just before this, or just a few minutes ago this afternoon. I mean, we heard our brother have an address to the young children.
And I just wanted to talk just one moment here on this. The word called CILLED. In our English language we quite often look backward as it as a one time calling only. And I do not believe that that pertains to this. I believe that Our Calling is continuous.
It is a continued calling to his Kingdom and his glory. We heard about the calling of Sam of Samuel this morning. If you turn to 1St Kings Chapter 19, you could read about Elijah going to a cave. And the Lord passed him by there and spoke to him. And it says he did not speak into the mighty and the strong wind to him, and it says he did not speak to him in the earthquake, but it says he spoke to him in a still small.
Voice, young ones, the Lord will speak to you in a still small voice.
Through his word, he is continually calling you to walk worthy. It is not a one time thing and it takes discipline to walk worthy. Now if we may, let's look at Ephesians chapter 4, verse 30 together.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed unto the day.
00:55:06
Of redemption, the sealing of the Holy Spirit is in.
Three different ways. One is let's read for Gospel of John chapter 19.
The Gospel John, chapter 19 and read a very familiar verse, verse 30.
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said it is finished and he bowed his head and he gave up the spirit. He seals us into a finished transaction when we sing.
The hymnal Happy day. There is one verse that says I am my Lords and he is mine.
We are sealed into a finished transaction the day we trusted and believed and was saved.
That is a seal that cannot be broken. It was finished by the Lord Jesus Christ and we immediately get into the unity because there was one that finished the work of Calvary. And the Holy Spirit doesn't really help us a lot to speak about himself. He likes us to speak about the Lord Jesus Christ and edify him. That is the Holy Spirit's job, but the Holy Spirit himself is the one who does.
The ceiling. And he seals us into a finished transaction that nothing never needs to take place again because there never need to be another sacrifice and we're sealed under one and we are sealed into one body and also in second Timothy.
Chapter 2. I believe it is my Bible there.
Second Timothy Chapter 2.
Verse 19.
Nevertheless the foundation of God is sure, having this seal, that the Lord knoweth them that are his. Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. We have been sealed into the ownership. We are His.
He owns us, and the Holy Spirit sealed us into that ownership. When we look at Ephesians 4 and 30, it is the ownership or it is the ceiling of security.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption. I am currently redeemed now, but there is a day of redemption when I will be taken off the face of this earth, and I will receive a body like unto His and my salvation as that part of it is a full and complete. I'm full and completely saved now, but it's a full and complete the day of redemption. So I have security, and He has sealed me into that security, hasn't he? I'm standing.
Promises of God. I am preserved and I have assurance and I'm sealed in security. When you look at verse 13, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and malar, our clamor and evil speakings be put away from you with all malice. What is that? That is our fleshly reactions that we can have. We can have these freshly fleshly reactions, but when you read verse 33, our brother was referring to?
But be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, for giving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.
That is our standard, our standard that we have to walk by and we need to walk by that standard in love, in unity, together.
One faith, one baptism, verse five He is not the Lord of the body. He's the head of the body, but he's the Lord of every individual believer. It's for us to acknowledge that he is our Lord. It's not some human being.
One Lord and one faith that is not here referring to.
Practical faith demonstrated in the life of the individual believer. That is what we believe in. There is one faith, the Christian faith, one baptism.
01:00:00
If somebody has been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, he doesn't have to be rebaptised when he comes among us. There is one baptism Now. We had the experience years ago that somebody was saved and came to meeting. She had been baptized and she wanted to be baptized.
Again.
Well, we said to her, really, you don't need to be baptized again. There is one baptism. Well, she wasn't satisfied with that, so she was baptized again. And that's what even the early brethren have said. If somebody isn't satisfied with what has taken place in connection with baptism before, even somebody was saying.
If they're not satisfied with that, baptize them again. But it isn't necessary. There is one baptism, and by baptism we take the place in the company of the Christian.
Professingly.
Salvation is not connected with water baptism.
But we find in the Church's history that when somebody accepted water baptism, then he was persecuted as a Christian, you know, because by doing that submitting to baptism, they took their place in the ranks of the Christians and they were being persecuted. There is one baptism now if.
A person has been baptized before they really had personal faith, and they're not satisfied with that. Baptize them again. But it is not necessary. There is one baptism, you know, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That is Christian baptism. And a lot of people are baptized. And by that fact that they are baptized, they join the ranks of the Christians.
And that's how it was in the early church. They were being persecuted from that day on. So there is one baptism.
Sometimes when people find out you but are a Christian and belong to the Lord Jesus, their next question is what faith are you? Meaning I suppose what place do you attend from week to week? What group of Christians are you associated with? But we never get that thought in Scripture. There's one faith and one baptism. I'd just like to go back to something that was alluded to, but just to clarify it. Sometimes in scripture when you have the word faith, it has to do with confidence in God. He that is set to his seal, that God he that hath received his testimony have set to his seal that God is true. That's confidence in God. That's faith in God.
But sometimes faith as it is here is taken up in connection with the truth of God, the deposit of truth that we hold in our hands the word of God. And that's why Jude begins his epistle in writing up to the Brethren in a day of ruin, and giving up of the truth and subverting of the souls of the Saints. He begins by saying, Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation.
It was needful for me that I write unto you and exhort you that she earnestly contend for the faith once the once committed to the Saints. That is, it's the faith. It's the deposit of truth. God hasn't given in this dispensation. Some of the people of God one truth and other of the people of God another truth. No, it's the common salvation. It's the faith that we need to to earnestly contend for.
And that's why the two are connected here. 1 Lord, one faith, and then what's connected with one faith? 1 Baptism. And I believe, brethren, we need to be very careful that we never give the thought that we baptize to a certain group of believers.
My wife was baptized or christened in the Anglican church as a baby, brought there by her parents, and she was christened when she came to know the Lord as her Savior and eventually took her place at the Lords table. She never was rebaptised because she was originally baptized.
01:05:04
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And I believe that is what is very important when someone comes. It's not a question of.
Were they of being rebaptised? It's a question of were they baptized in that name? Because the Commission the Lord gave to his disciples in resurrection was to go forth and to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And if we insist on someone being rebaptized, because?
Of who baptized them or we felt there was certain amount of water was or wasn't used, or whatever the circumstances.
We're really denying practically the truth that there's one faith and one baptism, and so she was never rebaptized because she had been baptized on that ground previously. And so we never, I'll put this very bluntly, we don't baptize to Brethren, or we don't baptize to any group of Christians. 1 Lord, one faith and one baptism.
Doesn't say the games. It says the name of the Father, the Son of the Holy Spirit. That's the Trinity. That's Christian truth, Christian ground. And once you're brought onto that by a baptism, you don't have to do it again and again and again to identify it to us or to any other group. It's not us or any other group that we are baptized to. It's to the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and baptism.
Identifies with the Lord Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection. That's what's important to see. It's not identifying with a group of Christians. It's identifying with the Lord Jesus and his death and resurrection. I'd like to say here in these verses 4-5 and six.
All 1111.
It's God that unifies. Man is the one that divides and separates, and it's interesting. It's often been mentioned, but I think it is helpful. Verse four is the circle of.
Christian Reality. Only those who are truly believers in the Lord Jesus are members of the one body.
Verse five is the circle of Christian profession, and there are many people who perhaps in an outward way are baptized. They profess the Christian faith in an outward way. Simon the sorcerer in Acts chapter eight was baptized. It ended up. He wasn't real, but he took that ground of Christian profession and.
When he took that ground, he was responsible. And when Peter and John came down to Samaria, they discerned that he wasn't real. They didn't get after Philip for baptizing him. They got after him for taking that position. He was responsible. A person is responsible for the profession that they make, and so it includes those who may not be real, but it is the circle of Christian profession.
Verse six is the circle that embraces all creation, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all. So that is the circle of all creation. There's one God and Father of all. Even though people may not recognize him, he still is the God of all, and He's the one that gives life to all creation and then that little last little expression in you.
All refers back to verse 4, the one body.
Reality and goes reality, profession, creation and then back to reality.
Of all, the originator of all. That's the universal aspect.
Father is used in more than one way, I mentioned in these meetings. We only know him as Father that is in the relationship as being in the family of God, being children of God or sons of God through faith in the Lord Jesus. But here you have the fatherhood of God.
In a universal sense, as the originator of it all.
Have the genealogy, and it goes right back through the genealogy from the Lord Jesus to Adam, which was of God. In that sense he's the father of all.
01:10:15
There is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Once again, First Corinthians 8:00 and 6:00, thank you.
And the apostle Paul was wasn't yet the Apostle Paul he saw on the road to.
Damascus. He asked the question, he said. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And, you know, that's a question we're taught.
To ask and that's a very valuable question. But I can see another question that is very valuable also after we really know that there's one body and that there is one Spirit and we know that there's one faith and one Lord and one baptism and if that kind of.
Hits us.
Then we might ask another question, and that is what do you want Christians to do rather than what do you want me to do? I'm not saying the first question is not important, but it seems like once these things gel in our mind that we can then ask what do you really want Christians to do? And I being a Christian.
Then that will be what?
I should do. It's a more inclusive type of thought, and it helps to put the whole sense of unity in a practical way in our minds, to inquire from the Scriptures what God wants Christians to do.
Has not been given. According to verse 7. All Christians have been given something, you know, and we have functioning members in the body of Christ. We have sometimes pointed that out when somebody from the outside wanted to remember the Lord, we told them after they were saved. Remember you received as a member of the body of Christ. You're not joining, brethren.
And a functioning member of the body of Christ. You might not at this point know what your function is, what your gift is, but you have received something, be exercised to find out what that gift is, And then in humility and dependence upon the Lord, exercise that give for the glory of God and of the Lord Jesus, and for the blessing of all.
Whether that be lost or Saints, you know the evangelists especially for the lost. So there's everybody that has received something you ought to be exercised. Lord, show me what it is. What wilt thou have me to do?
There says be therefore followers of God as dear children. The dear children is all Christians, isn't it, that are born again. And when it says be therefore followers, it would make you think of a little son that is imitating his dad.
In a positive way, hey, may we all be imitators in a positive way of our father be therefore followers of God. When you look over in Titus chapter 2 and verse seven, it says in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. A pattern is a type if I need a part to repair something.
Say I needed a an electrical switch to run a power window on an automobile. You go to the parts department and you have to order the part by the year, the mate, the model and everything for your car. And there has been a mold set before. There been has a pattern and there has been a type. And therefore I can get a piece that will work exactly like the one that was in there before. And therefore we are to be patterns or types for these young ones around us.
01:15:11
And we have a pattern or a type that we can follow or be imitators of. In other words, in a positive way. We can be like unto Christ in our walk, can't we? We have one that walked before us, that was perfect, holy, spotless, and undefiled.
Given in scripture, it's always in connection with the truth of the body of Christ. It's interesting, in First Corinthians 12 you get gifts mentioned and it's in connection with the truth of the body. In Romans 12 you get the gifts mentioned and it's in connection with the truth of the body of Christ. And here it is again in connection with the body of Christ. Body of Christ is a functioning body here in this world.
And I think it's so important to get that in verse 7, everyone is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. There's not one member who has exactly the same measure as another. But how does the body function? If it functions properly, every member has to be active, like you were mentioning. It's not coming just to be become a member of that group and occupy a seat during the meeting.
But to come there in exercise of heart, the Lord Jesus is present in the midst, He is the head of His body through the Holy Spirit exercises those present to take part and.
I don't like it, brother. And when we get our eyes on certain individuals and we're looking at them and to them, there should be an exercise to look to the Lord Jesus as present in the mix and let him lead each one. I know it's hard sometimes for younger brethren to begin taking part, but I think you need to come in exercise of heart, and it's not that you're going to.
Start teaching when there are other able teachers there.
But come there in exercise. I really believe that. Many times a younger brother who has a good question or a comment is very helpful Sometimes. Some young people have said to me, boy, that meeting was completely over my head. It all went sailing across my head. And I think of you younger brothers were exercised. Sometimes the younger brothers say, well, I don't want to show how stupid I am.
Well, maybe if you have that accident, if you have that question, maybe there's a whole bunch more that have that question too. And it would be a help if you would just humble yourself and ask the question if you have it. It's very helpful to keep things down to the level of reality where we are brethren. So as we come together, let's all be exercised. That's the way the body is to function. The sisters too.
They don't take part in ministry. The scripture is clear about that. Does that mean that they can just go to sleep there and it doesn't make any difference? I notice in many parts of the world that sisters are sometimes more alert than the brothers, and let me tell you, they understand things well.
Thank God for the sisters that are sitting there and are seeking to give liberty to the spirit of God, even though they're not going to take part in an audible voice.
Their presence there is just as important as any brother.
So let's be exercised as we're in His presence unto everyone of us is given grace.
According to the measure of the gift of Christ, it's Christ the Giver. Here in Romans it's the Spirit. I should say First Corinthians, it's the Spirit of God who gives the gifts. In Romans it's God the Giver. So the whole Godhead is occupied in this question of the gifts and their function in the body of Christ. Let's remember that we don't as members of the body of Christ when we come to meeting. I think it's very important to see that. And it's interesting that the statement in the seventh verse.
Comes before what follows and the list of gifts that is given in the 11Th verse. Just notice what it says in verse 11. And he gave some apostles and some prophets. Well, we don't have apostles and prophets today, but we have their writings. They laid the foundation and so in that sense we do have them. Not physically in the form of people amongst us, but we do have them. But then he says.
01:20:19
And some evangelists and some pastors and teachers.
And maybe we read that list and we look around, we say, well, I don't have that gift. I'm not an evangelist. I'm not a pastor. I'm not a teacher. And so we say, well, that's for a certain few that have a gift. Well, it is true. Thank God we do. And I believe on the basis of this portion and other scriptures, we will have these gifts until the Lord Jesus comes, until the church is complete and raptured home. But just go back to First Corinthians 12 for a moment to another list.
Because as I say, before he takes up this list in our chapter, he brings before us, as has been expressed, that everyone of us is given a gift, some function, as a member of the body of Christ. There's a list here given in the end of First Corinthians 12. It says in verse 28. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets.
Thirdly, teachers. After that, miracles, then gifts of healings. I'm going to skip one governments, diversity of tongues and so on. You say I have none of those. I don't. I don't fit into any one of those categories. But what about the one I skipped helps? Can any one of us get out from that one? Every one of us can be a help where he's placed us. As we said earlier, he's placed the members in the body as it hath pleased him.
And we understand this in a natural body, if we lose a hand or a foot, the other one can take over and we can get along through life like that, but not as well as with two hands or two feet. We feel the loss. And I want to make this very, very practical and bring this down even to our local assemblies. I believe that there are many assemblies. Brethren who suffer, suffer a lot, because there are those in the assembly who are not exercised to function as a member of the body of Christ.
And to exercise the gift of the ministry that the Lord has given them. In fact, I've wondered if when Paul wrote to the Saints at Colossi, he didn't have something on of that on his heart when he said and say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry that thou hast received of the Lord, that thou fulfill it. We're not told what that ministry was, but Paul felt that the Saints at Colossi were suffering a lack because Archippus wasn't exercised to take up and fulfill the little ministry that the Lord had given him.
Timothy was reticent, perhaps shy held back. He was to stir up the gift that was in him. You can't stir something up unless you're you know what it is, and it's good to be exercised as to before the Lord as to what your function or your gift is. Not that you'll go a lot round boasting of it. A man's gift maketh room for him, but be exercised and stir it up and use it. Maybe it won't be publicly in the meetings, especially for the sisters, but carry that out.
And it will be for the blessing, the up building, and the maintenance of the body of Christ. It will be for the blessing of others, maybe ever so humble a service, ever so quiet and done in in in secret. But carry it out and don't look for the praise of man.
We labor that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. Look for his approval. It's not the greatness of the gift, not the greatness of the service that counts. It's doing it before the Lord may not even be appreciated by your brethren or those that you seek to serve and help, but leave that with the Lord. Paul was mistreated by the Corinthians, questioned his authority as an apostle, questioned his ministry, and so on. He said, that's all right, we just leave it with the Lord.
We serve him, we exercise what he's given us, and we wait for the day of his approval.
Sisters in the church today. What about sisters in the church today? There's a lot of them that are preaching and they're taking the place of men. Give some comments on that, Chuck. I've appreciated how in John chapter 12 you have Mary, we might say a sister, and she comes and she pours out her ointment at the feet of the Lord.
But it's interesting, in that portion, you don't read of anything that Mary says. She doesn't take a public part, as it were. You don't read of anything, she says. But when she comes with a heart full of Christ and pours out her ointment, it says the whole house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
01:25:14
It's like a sister on Lord's Day morning who comes to the breaking of bread with a heart full of praise and worship. It's true that she doesn't take a public part in the way that the brothers do. I realize she does, but she doesn't take a public part in the that the brothers do by reading scripture, are praying or suggesting him. But I do believe that like Mary, a sister who comes in tune with the spirit of God and a heart full of praise and worship overflowing.
With an appreciation of the person work of Christ, she is going to have an effect on those that do the whole house and those that do take a public part. She really does exercise her priesthood in that way. She doesn't take a public part. And as you say women have stepped out of their sphere in taking a public part. But nevertheless, she has a tremendous influence. And let me say one more. Let's give you one more example before you say what's on your.
Yes, OK, but here's another Here's another situation.
Because we said we don't just exercise our gift. In the assembly there were women in the days of the Lord Jesus. Three of them are mentioned by name, Johanna, Mary Magdalene and Susanna. And it says that they followed the Lord and ministered to Him of their substance. You don't hear of them preaching, you don't hear them taking a public part. They didn't eat. We don't read of them distributing the food to the multitude when the Lord used the disciples, but they in their sphere follow the Lord.
And ministered to him in a proper way. Nickel head, I want to add First Corinthians, 1434.
Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak. But they are commanded to be under obedience, as also sayeth the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is a shame for women to speak in the church. That verse has been blotted out to our to many of our Christians in in the system. That's wrong now.
Say help. So that's the one you skip now she could be a help, couldn't she? But not publicly, not speaking and and taking the place that is the man's place.
She's going to move away from Smiths Falls.
She's a sister that's going to be missed, I think, more than anybody that has ever moved away from Smiths Falls in recent years, at least in my recollection. Not because she's ever stepped out of her spear as a sister or taken any public part, but because she's been such a help in her quiet sphere to the people of God and functioned as a member of the body of Christ. And it breaks my heart to think that she's going to leave us in Smith's Falls, although she's going to be in happy fellowship at another assembly, and I know they will benefit from them, from from her ministry. And for that I rejoice.
That's a couple they took a palace in and they taught him the way more perfectly. She had part in that. In the home, in the home sphere, a woman can be a tremendous help. Aquila and Priscilla taught Apollos the way more perfectly. She was involved. You know, it's good to get a balanced view of things. The home is a sphere where a woman can be a tremendous help, even to brethren.
In #200.
Spirit with the Lord, O blessed wondrous word, what heavenly light? What power divine does that sweet word afford? #210.
01:30:25
Make a comment. It really is in connection with what our brother Jim said about.
Mary and Martha and Lazarus. What is significant is that the the the point of that passage is Mary in the alabaster box of ointment, because there's nothing said quoted that Lazarus said either. He was absolutely silent but.
He was a living testimony by being there of resurrection life. You.
So Mary didn't say anything, Martha didn't say anything. Lazarus didn't say anything. But the alabaster box appointment said it all, and Lazarus was was eloquent by his presence and testimony of a resurrection life in verse 26.
How is it then, brethren?
When you come together.
Everyone of you.
Half the Psalm.
Hath the doctrine half the tongue, half the revelation, half an interpretation?
Just to go along with that verse in our chapter.
Gift according to the measure, the gift of Christ.
I was thinking of the reply of the disciple to the Lord Jesus.
There's a lad here that has.
5 loaves to.