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And joyful.
Please.
Trouble and sorrow and pressure.
Judges Chapter 9 and verse 21.
And Jotham ran away.
And.
Fled and went to beer and dwelt there.
Steer man had experienced.
Terrible tragedy and the massacre of his.
Generation of his family.
And he went up to Mount Griazam to give perhaps one of the richest.
Parables that we have in the Old Testament.
And.
Mount Griazam was appointed to Joseph to stand upon with five other of the tribes.
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The amount of blessing. The other was Mount Ebo. That was a mount of cursing, and we might have thought that he would have selected Mount Evil to pronounce a terrible curse upon those that had brought in the tragedy.
Instead, there's a message of grace and truth given from Mount Goryism.
But what has touched one's heart is to the place that he fled to. He had to hide himself before the massacre because he was a prudent man, foreseeing the evil hid himself, and now he must hide again. So if we turn to Exodus 21.
Our numbers 21.
The children of Israel had passed through the experience of the fiery serpents.
And we read in verse 16 And from thence they went to deer, That is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses.
Gather the people together, and I will give them water. Then Israel sang this song, sprang up Oh well, singing unto it. The Princess digged the well. The nobles of the people digged it by the direction of the lawgiver with their staves.
Well, as this dear man Jotham anticipated as to where he should hide himself, I don't believe he could have chosen a better place to go where the Children of Israel were refreshed after.
Very sad exposures of their own hearts, their bitterness because of the way and so on, and I believe that we can say probably spent three happy years there.
At this well, and I suppose we've wondered what it must have been like for the camp of Israel to have been there.
But it just tells us that they put their staves into the ground. I don't believe that they have to dig deep holes to get water.
But just push the stave into the sand, and up came the artesian springs. Well, it's not three years for us here. It's three days. But to think of being the Lord's hidden ones, and to be able to enjoy the artesian waters that are given to us of the Spirit of God with praise, Ask him for his blessing.
Or verse 11.
And he gave some apostles and some prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers.
For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and to the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, 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 supplier, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, make us increase of the body under the edifying of itself in love.
This 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, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greedious with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ. If so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you 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.
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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.
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 needed.
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 ye are 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 has forgiven you.
It's important to remark that these gifts that the Lord gives these apostles that He establishes here.
It's a it's an entirely different Commission.
That they have, they are associated with a glorified Christ. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all things, that he might fill all things so.
It's the ascended Christ that now gifts men, gives men as gifts. And just to make this come he gave some comma apostles. Take the comma out. It's not that he gave to some apostles and to others prophets, and that he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers. So the comma that should really shouldn't be there.
It obscures the thought, but these apostles.
Are not necessarily the same ones that he commissioned in in the in the gospels he sent them out with a Commission to Israel. It's true that the 12 were also recommissioned by the Lord from His glorified place, but he also selected Saul of Tarsus to be the apostle, and Barnabas is called an apostle. So there were others that were apostles besides the original 12.
And their Commission in the Gospels, and entirely of a different character than what we have here. Here we have it. We read it yesterday in the the third chapter of Ephesians, verse 5, which in other ages was not made known. He's talking about the mystery of Christ in the church was not made known under the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
That was not revealed to them. When the Lord was on earth, those apostles that he commissioned to go to the 12 tribes of Israel or to the to Israel, now it's revealed to them so that they can understand it. Paul was the one that brought it out. They understand when it was brought out. Says it was altogether new truth. It wasn't something that like the Bereans, they could search the scriptures to see whether these things were so. They could not find the mystery. They could search all they wanted in the Old Testament. They wouldn't find the mystery.
Christ in the Church, they would find the principle that the Gentiles would be blessed subordinate to Israel. That's in the Old Testament. But the Jew and Gentile united together into one body by the Spirit. Absolutely not a trace of it in the Old Testament except in type. It was hidden God.
A mystery, a secret that when God finally divulged so those apostles that were the foundation apostles for the Church, particularly the Apostle Paul.
They were commissioned by Christ in Glory. I think it's very important to see that it's a different Commission altogether, A Heavenly 1.
There was nothing on earth.
Even that he could remake.
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That would do justice to the glory of Christ. He had to have a new thing.
Because there's a man in glory now.
And I believe we get this. Yesterday I was thinking we had a lot of the walls, the things that would determine within and without.
And here we have what's within.
In the umm.
Book of Ecclesiastes, it says.
It's better to go to the House of mourning. That is where death is.
In the House of feasting, but the Lord Jesus has made the House of mourning where death is.
His death, House of Feasting.
And outside it says outside that house. It's fools. It's the ********* of the.
Thorns under the pot.
And so there is a House of feasting in a world of fools. And that's what we're getting. We're getting his provision.
For us in this House of feasting, consequent upon his victory, it's part and parcel of his victory, He ascended up on high, and what could on earth properly represent that truth? The wondrous victory of Christ. It's a new thing that God has set on the earth. It's his church.
Not feel that the apostles include both the ones who were commissioned by the Lord.
And also the apostle who received his Commission from the Lord in glory.
Because it's important that we understand the purposes of God in connection with the blessing of Israel.
And it's the putting together of the blessing of Israel as an earthly people, as we have in Ephesians one and 10, that he's made known to us the mystery of his will, not only the blessing of the church, but the gathering together in one of all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are upon earth.
Even in him. And so we see it. I think it's beautiful to see the apostle Peter, who was the apostle of the circumcision, working happily with the apostle Paul, who was given the heavenly truth. And all are brought together. And we by the wondrous grace of God, have been brought into the understanding of the counsels of God, not only in connection with the blessing of the church, but also the blessing of Israel and the nations upon the earth.
And so that the apostles and prophets that we have here, I would say would bring before us.
The whole revealed truth of God and the putting together of these councils of God, which was not understood, it's true in the Old Testament, but in now in the light of Christianity, both are brought together and one fits in perfectly with the other. You turn to the end of Romans Chapter 11, I believe it is.
Well, the apostle Paul, led by the Spirit of God, brings these together, the 25th verse of the 11Th of Romans. For I would not brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own conceits. That blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles become in and so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written. There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And then in the end of the chapter in the.
32nd verse.
God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all all the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
How unsearchable are his judgment and his ways past finding out for who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counselor?
Or who hath first give them to him, and shall be recompensed unto him again. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever and forever. Amen. I believe in this portion. The apostle Paul sees the bringing together of the blessing of Israel, and all those promises made in regard to Israel fulfilled, and the blessing of the church now in this present period.
He sees that's the completion of the counsels of God, and he sees that it's all founded upon the work of Christ and upon grace alone, and that there's only one way in which Israel is going to be brought into blessing. Not by keeping the law, not because of their own faithfulness, but they are going to be the objects of mercy. I think Mr. Darby makes this clear in his translation. They are the objects of mercy, even as we are. And so I would suggest that the apostles.
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That are mentioned here, include both and bring before us the fulfillment of the counsels of God.
As revealed and I think it's beautiful to see that in Galatians where Paul and.
And Peter, they he's the messenger of the of the circumcision. Peter was Paul of the Uncircumcision. And they are both working together for a common purpose to the understanding and entering into this wonderful fulfillment of the councils of God now made known to us to know and enjoy.
As to the Apostles who were commissioned by the Lord when he was here.
Just a few verses and in the Luke 24.
And verse some. 33 They rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 11 gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, the Lord is risen indeed. And then down in verse 44 And Jesus said unto them, These are the words which I speak unto you, while I was yet with you.
That all things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moses.
And the prophets in the Psalm concerning me then opened he.
Their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them.
Thus it is written, and thus it behooves Christ to supper, and arise from the dead the third day, And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, humming among all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my father upon you, tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with the power from on high. I believe that's the thought. He opened their understanding.
To a degree or to an extent, at that time they were not indwelt by the Spirit of God. But when that happened, those apostles were able to bring forth these wonderful things from the Old Testament even which which once Paul's doctrine and the mystery was revealed, that could be revealed as well.
I've enjoyed the thought in the the vast glories that belong to the Lord Jesus.
He will head up all things as we read and has been referred to in chapter one.
We enjoyed the thought of all the creation, everything around him.
That has come in under redemption and the value of his blood and.
There, as it were, various choruses of praise forever around him who is worthy. But there's one voice in all these choruses he's listening for. He wants to survey the the vastness of all his glories and pick out. He's got one voice he's listening for, and I find that in the end of Ephesians 3.
Unto him be glory in the church.
Oh, he's producing a note of praise in his church.
That nothing else will be like cannot be duplicated.
And that's what he's going to listen for.
All the glories that will be his.
Be that which he would delight the fullness of his heart. He loved the Church, gave himself for it. And that's where we find a kind of a central point. The Queen is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but they're at his side, his bride, his wife.
In Colossians chapter one, we have something too of this. We just turn to it.
In the This was read yesterday in the 24th verse.
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church.
Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill or to complete the word of God, even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his Saints.
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It's a striking expression here in this 24th verse, that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. The Lord Jesus was the minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made under the fathers were told in Romans he suffered from the nation of Israel, but the Apostle Paul suffered in bringing out that which had not been revealed until Christ was in glory. That is the truth of the Church.
And so as the Lord Jesus suffered, because he was rejected by that nation whom he had come to bless.
Paul suffered in bringing out that revelation that came from Christ in glory. And now that's why he says about I am made a minister and completing the word of God and then going on maybe read these verses 27th verse to whom God would make known. What is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man, perfect or full, grown in Christ Jesus. Where unto I also labor striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. For I would that she knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love.
Unto all.
Riches and the full assurance of understanding of the mystery of God, of God, and of the Father in Christ. And I want to notice that third verse, in whom or wherein are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It was a great burden of the heart of the Apostle that the Saints might understand what true Christianity is, and that there's a great mixture, as we know and Christendom of Judaism and Christianity.
And so we see the two often mixed together in the systems of men.
But isn't a very blessed thing that now God has given us to distinguish between the blessing of Israel is God's earthly people, and the blessing of the church associated with Christ in glory, and that expression wherein are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? And may I be bold to say that there is no Christian that can really understand the Bible and the revelation that God has given who doesn't see those two things?
Christianity doesn't in any way negate or set aside the blessing of Israel.
And we see that time drawing near and what is happening in the Middle East, but we who have the wisdom of God through His Word.
We understand and we see that we're not to expect this blessing. There's great movement in Christendom to save the nation and all that kind of thing. This world is going to come under the judgment of God. And brethren, what a marvelous thing that God has made known to us, His will.
And unless we see those two distinct purposes of God, we'll never be able to understand what God is doing in this world and how He is accomplishing His purposes. Oh, how blessed that He's brought us into the knowledge of these things. And so the Ascended Christ has.
Provided the apostles and prophets to lay the foundation, but then as we go on in the chapter, we'll see He's also provided.
Teachers, he's also provided pastors. He's also provided evangelists, so that the message might go out and that we wouldn't be carried about with the winds of doctrine of which Christendom is full, because he cares for his church and he wants us to enter into and enjoy what is in his heart.
And his purposes of blessing, and to understand them by the Spirit.
But it's helpful, but it's helpful.
I already pointed out that two distinct lines of truth the Church and Israel. And in Christendom there is.
A teaching which explains the mystery in this way that all the mysteries about is bringing the Church into Israel's blessing.
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And there is no further.
Blessing for Israel. All the promises made to the Fathers are fulfilled in the Church and that era because the promises made that have not been fulfilled.
If to Israel, that is, if they're not going to be fulfilled, what assurance do we have that our promises will be fulfilled? God does not go back.
On his unconditional promises that he has made to his people Israel, he could not fulfill them because it became a conditional thing at Sinai.
The fulfillment of unconditional promises given in the Old Testament to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were unconditional, not depending on any faithfulness on their part that changed at Sinai. That's why they couldn't be let into all that God had for them. But that has changed now, you see.
The new covenant that he will make with both the houses of Israel is new not only because it follows the first of Sinai. It's new in character. It's no longer a conditional thing. It's grace. All based upon the finished work of Christ and their promises are going to be fulfilled. But there are those things connected with Christ and the Church.
The mystery and out of Jews and out of Gentiles, some have been brought to be fellow heirs, fellow heirs with Christ, and that's the church. Ephesians 3, verse 6. And these things are important for the young people to get a hold of because these covenant theologians are gaining influence, you know, and they're really setting aside dispensational truth.
Undermining it. You can't understand the word of God unless you understand dispensational truth. And presently God has set his people aside, the earthly people, and He's gathering out of the nations of people for his name, and that's the church. And when that work is complete, he will take up again with Israel and will fulfill these promises. And there is going to be a Millennium.
And it is not only that Israel will not lose out and not receive the promises given to them. That Millennium is going to be the day where he will be glorified. In the scene where he was rejected and despised, he will have his day of glory. He would lose out if there would be no Millennium. He is the King of King and Lord of Lords. He's in the King of the Church. He is our head where he's our bridegroom.
We are not in that relationship to him, but we certainly with joyful anticipation look forward to the day when he will have his day of glory here where he was rejected and crucified. But what a wonderful blessing it is to be part of the Church of God in that intimate relationship to the blessed Lord Jesus, and to be his bride, to be his body, be a member of the body of their Christ. What a privilege It is no thing.
In any previous dispensation or in any future will have that place of nearness.
That we have in Christ. But beloved, if that's all, what should that do for us? How should it affect our life? You know, we should walk worthy of that calling because we are so honored and so blessed and all based on grace, not on us fulfilling anything like it was in the Old Testament. It's all based upon the work of the Lord Jesus, and sovereign grace had given us that place.
We might read that verse. It was referred to in chapter one of Ephesians because it seems to tie it all together.
Ephesians one and verse.
789101011 is the one I was thinking of.
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In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.
Wherein yet abounded toward us in all wisdom, and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery.
Of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times this is the Millennium, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him.
In whom also we have obtained inheritance. It's his grace he desires to bring us into his confidence.
As God spoke of Abraham, well till I hide from Abraham what I'm going to do because I know Abraham.
By telling what I'm going to do, he'll keep my word. You'll guard it.
So there is a confidence in this these verses that God and his grace is rests on us and he tells us.
These wondrous things. And he says that there is a center point of all glory.
Is Christ himself in Christ? Not in the church? He's going to head up all things. And the brother asked me one time, well, where's the church? He says in heaven and earth. Where's the church? And I said well in heaven. He says no, that's wrong, it's in Christ.
So we have the vantage point. There is not a university in this world that will tell you these things. They never reached that far. They never partake of this wisdom. I mean the grace that comes to us in the form of wisdom, where he would tell you and me all the wonders of the mystery of his will.
And place us in Christ to survey from that vantage point all that he's going to do and rejoice in the glory of Christ. Because everything we see of His glory in a day yet to come will just thrill our hearts as we're seated there with Christ in Him in whom we also have obtained an inheritance.
And our path, then, is to reflect the wonder of these things in a daily life here on earth from within.
The vantage point where we survey inside, we have the full provision and that's where our chapter is. Bring us to the provision he has made for his own. We don't need to draw.
From the world, even the Israel, even Israel. We don't need to draw from that. We wonder at it as we behold God's dealings with Israel. But we have a vantage point that they will never have. And he is producing in you and me. I repeat a note of praise for his own joy that will not be produced anywhere else that is in the church. You'll be glorified ages, about ages, without Him. And that's our place, by the grace of God.
In verse 11, where we began, he gave some apostles.
And some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers.
He gave those from the glory.
Commissioned them from heaven.
Some of them were the same ones that he had already commissioned on Earth.
And I used to wonder, and what what Gordon said before put it all together for me, that it says in the second chapter the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
Jesus Christ being the cornerstone.
The Foundation truth.
Christ is the foundation and they brought out. We learn who He is. We learn the truth of His person and the truth of His work from these men who are here called apostles and prophets. It's their ministry. It's the New Testament ministry. We learn a few details of of Christ in the Old Testament, but the.
The fullness of it is brought out here. That's foundational. But only only the apostle Paul brought out the truth of the mystery. You don't get that in any of the other writings. Peter didn't, John didn't. The truth of the mystery. Christ in the church being one. Even when Peter said in Acts 15 that we may be saved even as they.
That is, he's saying, we Jews are saved just like the Gentiles.
Very extraordinary statement for a Jew to make. He still didn't enter in.
Fully to the truth of the mystery, He did realize that God was bringing the Gentiles in, but that they would be united in one body by the Spirit. That truth was brought out by the Apostle Paul. And Peter does say in his second epistle our beloved brother Paul in his epistles There are some things hard to be understood. Be very hard for a Jewish mind to understand the truth of the mystery. Christ in the Church united together.
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And the Church composed of Jew and Gentile.
As it says in chapter 3, verse six, this tells you what that mystery was, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, joint heirs with the Jews.
And of the same body, a joint body with the Jews and joint partakers. I'm quoting from Mr. Darby's translation of his promise in Christ by the Gospel that never entered the Jewish mind that these promises in the Old Testament they took for themselves. Now he says, the Gentiles are joint heirs with that the joint heirs.
Joint heirs and of the joint body and joint partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. That's the mystery that Paul brought out. And.
It and I used to wonder, and why it said in chapter 3, verse 5, which in other ages was not made known, the mystery which in other ages was not made known under the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. They didn't bring it out, but it was revealed to them by the Spirit, so that when it was brought out by Paul, they didn't charge him with error. They didn't say show us that in the Old Testament.
It's not there, no. It's a mystery. So it had to be revealed to them so that they could say Amen when he did bring it out.
Two brothers, Galatians 2 Says, what you're saying might just look at it, what you mean there in Galatians. 2 Paul says. Then 14 years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And he says I went up by Revelation and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles.
But privately to them, which were of reputation.
Lest by any means I should run or had run in vain, that is.
All checked out the gospel that he had given been given from God with those that were apostles before him. But they learned that revelation through Paul, and they they accepted it. And as Gordon was bringing out before us, the apostleship to the circumcision was committed to Peter.
And that's verse 8 of Galatians 2 He's at wrought effectually and Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision. The same was mighty and me toward the Gentiles, so that the the apostles beside Paul had to learn this mystery from Paul who had got it from heaven. Is that the way it is?
It might be added to what has been said relative to it being difficult for the Jewish mind to conceive these things. It's equally as impossible for the Gentile mind to conceive them apart from the revelation of God. And so these gifts that we have brought before us in verse 11 are given in order to bring both Jew and Gentile into the understanding of this new thing that God has brought about. And so it's referred to as the perfecting of the Saints, the bringing them into the maturity of Christian understanding.
Of this mystery that is New Revelation.
If the evangelist and pastor and the teacher are still with us today and these gifts still have the same purpose, but.
Someone might ask, are there these the only ones that can contribute to the edification and encouragement and comfort of the Saints? No, we have not commented too much on verse 7.
But unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Then further down we have the statement that which every joint supplier. I believe. This clearly shows that everyone who is a member in the body of Christ has received some gift. There's nobody that does not have received a gift, but.
We do not all have the gift of teaching. We do not all have the gift of shepherding. We do not all have the gift of evangelization. But we all have something to contribute. You know, it's beautiful to see that this truth of the body of Christ, of a body, is presented to function as a body. You know, the church is not an organization. It's an Organism.
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And every member in that body has a function to perform. And it is not impossible for every in the assembly, you know, if we leave it up to only one or two brothers.
You know we will develop our own system of clergy. You know, we have to realize that we are all functioning members in the body of Christ.
Let's not try to do something for which the Lord hasn't qualified us, you know He has given us.
To everyone of us something it's grace that has bestowed it, and we can function there for the glory of the Lord Jesus and for the blessing of all.
It was mentioned yesterday, though, that in the 11Th verse there is no comma properly He gave some apostles, he gave some prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers. That comma has been inserted. You know, in other words, in this particular passage the people themselves are gifts that the ascended Christ has given. That is, he gave the Apostle Paul a man whom he raised up saved, on the road to Damascus.
And gave him these revelations and I believe he raised up at going to speak in this way.
Mr. Darby and men like this, they were gifts to the church. They were man whom God gave. Then what we have in Corinthians is the other side, perhaps, that every one of us have some enablement from Christ in glory. We wouldn't take the same position, perhaps, but there is a naval man, and every one of us contributes. And so as it was mentioned, we have in the 16th verse, this was also mentioned, but.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body under the edifying of itself in love. So there may be as there was, I believe, Mr. Darby Kelly, those men whom God raised up, who were special gifts to the Church. But every one of us have some enablement, and we have in the.
Parables. The Lord spoke of the talents that are given, and also in Mark's Gospel it says perhaps we could turn to it. I think it's the 12Th or 14th chapter.
The 13th chapter of Mark and the 34th verse.
For the Son of Man is a man taking a far journey, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the Porter to watch. So every believer has some function, brother or sister, in the body of Christ. But there are those whom God has raised up in order that the truth of God might be clearly given forth and maintained. And I believe we should be thankful for those gifts that God has given.
They are people whom he has raised up. I believe that's the thought in the passage.
Thinking of the way you mentioned the road of Damascus on the road to Damascus.
Thinking recently of the three hours.
Of blindness.
Of that man, Saul of Tarsus.
What a preparation to enter into these things, to leave one sphere of God's work.
And enter into another sphere of God's work.
And to go from one to the other.
He brought he was brought to three hours, 3 days of blindness.
And I think, you know, whenever he was there in those three days of blindness, and it dawned on his soul.
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That the very best efforts that the flesh could ever do, even instructed by what he could see in the Old Testament, he could see in the Bible.
Ended up being against Christ.
And not only was it his own personal failure inside or within a good system, he had credentials given to him by the authorities in the system itself to go and kill Christians.
What a stunning, sudden stop for a man who had lived his life with a good conscience, seeking to please God when he finds out he's going exactly against the will of God.
And I often think if I could have been there in the room.
In those three days and listen to the groans.
Of that man who desired to please God.
And when he found out that all of his efforts.
Even seeking to do the very best he could and the knowledge he had of God.
Was against Christ.
What a preparation it is.
To go on beyond that point, beloved, I think sometimes we want to go beyond that point without.
Getting there, we want to go on into that which is new, and we want to carry something from the old, something from man, something from outside, some wisdom of man, as we've heard of the so-called covenant theology.
They haven't seen, they haven't been there those three days and sat down and seen the end of that old Covenant, even in the hands of a man who wanted to do it right.
Everything has to be Christ, any movement.
From our side will only be against Christ.
He has to be everything and he knows that. Therefore he hasn't left us to come up with anything from our side of the fence in this pathway.
Know the Apostle Paul.
He said, not having my righteousness.
I've connected that with what it says in Ecclesiastes. Be not righteous over much.
How much righteousness is righteous over much?
Any righteousness from our side is over much.
Be not wise in your own eyes. How much wisdom?
Is too much.
Any wisdom from our side is too much.
That we could have seen left behind as an enemy of Him who loves us So leave it all behind and justice. Have Christ and listen closely to what he says as understanding that is only from him and to Him that our life will be safe and to his glory and our joy. And to walk in fear of again picking up anything that's the other side of those three days of blindness.
May he give us a little sense of what it is to be brought to Christ, brought to God in Christ, and the wonder of all that it is according to his own heart, beyond everything man could ever have thought or produced, or anything about the dreams of men.
Would be the first thing that's that's mentioned in verse 12 and you you kind of missed the full force of it because the in our King James translation they they render 2 distinctly different prepositions by 4. I'll I'll read it as it is in Mr. Darby's and look at it in verse in verse 12 for the perfecting of the Saints. This is why these gifts were given he's he gave these gifts for the perfecting of the Saints with a view to the work of the ministry.
With a view to the edifying of the body of Christ. So the main purpose of the gifts is stated first the perfecting of the Saints and then you might say the secondary purpose is the the work of the ministry. How can we work together in the ministry everyone, every joint supplying something that is needed, every member having a gift and and working together for the good and blessing of all if if you as a member.
Are not established in the truth of the gospel yourself. If you don't have, for instance, eternal security in your own soul, how can you help someone else? You're not even clear yourself on the gospel. So the perfecting of the Saints is first. That's the main purpose, that we know who we are and and what we are in Christ. We're established in Christ and we have eternal life. Our sins are all forgiven, we're justified by faith and all those precious truths, and then we can function properly in the ministry.
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One with another, and that will result in the building up the edifying of the body of Christ.
So that's these last two the work of the ministry and the edifying. The body of Christ, our our, our collective and the the perfecting of the Saints is being brought individually into the full understanding of Christianity and our position in Christ and that we're heavenly citizens and we're not earthly. That's why what we've said earlier in this meeting about dispensational truth is so absolutely essential to the right understanding of scripture.
I don't know that I'm a heavenly person, Brother said recently. We are to be, to be righteous people. And another added, and heavenly that's the distinctive truth that ought to be rendered in this day. And that's what's being denied by the bulk of Christians in Christendom Today is our heavenly calling, our heavenly hope, our heavenly citizenship are being united to a heavenly man.
Instead, they're promoting that the earth is an earthly institution, the church is an earthly institution.
And it's to set right the wrongs of society and so on. Well, that's wrong. That's not what we're called to. We're called to bear witness to this world that it has crucified our Savior, our Lord, and seek to rescue souls out of that and you and bring them into association with a heavenly man. That's Christianity.
It's an interesting expression here. The unity of the faith too. We never find the word truth in the plural in the Bible.
Nor the word faith. We know in Christendom why we speak of people having a lot of truth or certain truths. But in the Bible it all stands together and the faith, it stands together. And so whether it's the blessing of Israel, it's by faith that they're going to be blessed. And whether it's the blessing of the church, it's by faith. And the truth of God is the whole revelation that God has given. So in the Old Testament, a certain amount of revelation was given.
Those who believe that entered into what God had given to them at that time.
But now since the work of Christ and the Lord Jesus has gone up on high and sent down the Holy Spirit.
More of the counsels and purposes of God have been revealed, and the Christian well taught of God.
Knows the whole truth of God, the unity of the faith. It's a very lovely expression, I think, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. He was known by those in Israel as their Messiah, and those who received him acknowledged him as such. But isn't it very wonderful, now that we have the knowledge of the Son of God, all his purposes made known to us, and so that we come to that which the Scripture calls the perfect manner of full growth?
Knowing these councils entering into them the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, well, God wants us to know these things, and our conduct cannot be properly carried out unless we understood it. If I was the heir to the throne, we'll say the son of the King. I'm the heir to the throne. If I don't know that, I don't know how to act. If I know that, I then can learn what my actions need to be because of the position that he's mine.
And so that's why doctrine comes first, because God would have us to know where He has placed us.
Not here, as it's been remarked, to improve the world, but shows us what our position is.
So we present the gospel to sinners, tell them what's in the heart of God for their blessing, and how gracious and full the provision is. We meet one who has been saved. So we bring him a little further on in the knowledge of the Son of God and, as I think was mentioned yesterday, ministry. If we're really in communion with the Lord, we see the need of a soul. If it's a Sinner, he needs Christ as Savior. If it's one who knows Christ as his Savior, he needs to know the standing into which he's brought.
And the conduct that is due to that standing. And so it's to me, it's very.
Lovely. And This is why the gifts have been given, so that Saints instead of floundering around.
Would be brought to the knowledge of the Son of God, the unity of the faith and.
The blessed truth that is now made known of the Church as the body of Christ. I think the expression, the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God is so precious in this verse.
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Plan read at the beginning today in Matthew 5, and we are the salt of the earth and we are the light of the world. Now some young people might say, in the light of what has been said, that we are not here to set the world right. And they might think of those verses and they say, well, how does that fit in well?
The Earth.
In the Word of God.
Refers either to the.
Prophetic world or earth Israel and those nations round about or it refers as it does in Matthew 5 to Christendom. And so it says we are the salt of the earth. Salt is a preservative. Before there was refrigeration, how were things preserved? You know they butchered and then they put the meat in salt. Salt is a preservative and.
So this is.
How we are a preservative in the world by.
The way we are living by our example and we see in Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 2. There's a good example that the man of sin cannot be revealed until that which hinders and he that hinders is taken out. That is the Spirit of God and the Church. Taken out before the man of sin can be revealed. It shows that the presence of the Spirit of God and the Church on earth is hindering.
The full display of evil and wickedness. But then we are the light of the world. That is a larger scope, you know. And by the gospel and the truth of God that we bring before men, we bring in the light of God in the darkness that exists in the world. Satan's world, you know, it's the world in general. And in that way, dear young people, we are the salt and delight.
It does not mean that we join an organization to fight homosexuality or any of these evils, abortion and all this kind of a thing. By our life we are a preservative. We are an example and we live the way God expects us to live. Or a brother once said. Although the Lord isn't here yet reigning as king, our life should be such as if he was here.
You know, and so that is beloved Saints of God, how we can be the salt and the light and not by joining organizations and to become a political force that is out of character. You know, we know that the only one that has the answers for all the problems in the world is the Lord Jesus himself. And there has been good men in government that have tried.
Very much to try to write and things and so on.
Impossibility. You see, God, the God and Prince of this world is Satan.
And if you see that, we can see that our position is outside of it. You know, we're not part of that system.
Taken out of the world, but then sent into the world to be a light and to be a preservative to evil.
Pretty mostly on verse 11 and those that follow, but we have to remind ourselves these are gifts to and for the church.
Generally, these are gifts that Christ says, provided it's men, that he's provided for the good of the church. But there are things, as we've been mentioning, gifts to each one, and we should at least acknowledge that so others don't feel they have nothing to do but be fed. They have things to do, and it's nice just to bring that in shortly.
And I'll be short in First Corinthians 12, the Body of Christ chapter.
And it does say in verse 12, for as the body is 1, and as many members and all the members of the one body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. For by 1 Spirit we're all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit for the body.
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Is not one member but many. And then it says the foot can't say I have no need of the hand. And so on. Notice verse 18. But now half God said the members, every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. Now these are the joints we were talking about and they have purpose. Verse 27. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular.
Each one set as it pleased God in the body. Now there's many gifts told to follow. And they're not all apostles. They're not all prophets. They're not all teachers, but one among them is helped. And that's very precious. And you know, everyone has a gift and they're so needed. We have not official deacons or elders today, but we have deacons and elders today.
And well taught ones as you go around from assembly to assembly.
And ones who are behind the scenes, and they're perhaps the Deacon Rule. It's a gift.
It's a gift that perhaps you and I can't exercise, but oh how it's needed and how it really brings about the perfection in an assembly. So each one of us have real purpose where we are. And I'd like to just mention deacons. I'll just finish with that on the Timothy, First Timothy where the church is in order, and verse 12 of chapter three, First Timothy 312, Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife.
Ruling their children in their own house. Well, for they that have ministered the office of a Deacon well purchased to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. These things I write unto you. You know, we do not look down on those different gifts. We thank God for those different gifts. And I'm away from my assembly more I'm there and many others.
But when we get back, we see it's going on beautifully sometimes, most of the time. But there are those who are looking after things that must be taken care of that are sort of behind the scenes, but.
They're really acknowledged in God's heart and they got a good degree in His heart and the Lord's. So we all have purpose, we've all been set in the body as it please. The Lord we might mention in in connection with these things that have been said in.
14 Verse 23 It says, And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed, and that was the apostles Barnabas and Paul. They ordained them elders, and in Titus in Titus chapter one verse 5 For this cause left ID and Crete, that thou should have set in order.
The things that are wanting and ordained elders in every city. As I had appointed thee, Titus would be what is called an Apostolic delegate. He was delegated by the Apostle to appoint elders, elders which are bishops and deacons. They're not gifts, but they are.
Appointed by the apostles for their local charges is what they are.
And they are appointed. Every local assembly had them not. I shouldn't say everyone had them. The only one that that's recorded that had them in the New Testament was the Philippians, the the elders and deacons that were there and others no doubt had them. But it's we shouldn't confuse gift which is given by the ascended head in heaven, which is for the whole body of Christ. It's not confined to a locality. One has the gift of a teacher.
He has that gift that can exercise it wherever he goes in the body, but if he's an overseer at Walla Walla, he's not an overseer at Spokane. They have their own, but he's an overseer at Walla Walla or a Deacon at Walla Walla. That's the difference. And they're they were appointed. The reason we don't have official ones is because we don't have Apostolic authority to appoint, so we do have the qualifications for such.
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And we can recognize one that fills those qualifications and fills that office. But that's different than gift. And what we have in Ephesians 4 is gift, isn't it?
Do you have any efficient in Ephesus we have elders, remember, in Acts 20 and what is significant, there's never just one elder in one assembly. And there were apparently quite a few elders in Ephesus, a large church. And there's an interesting statement there in Acts 20 that the Holy Spirit had made them overseers.
So that is still with us today. The Holy Spirit still can give someone the charge of oversight. They are responsible for the spiritual needs of the Saints to look after the spiritual well-being of the Saints. That's their responsibility. And also in First Thessalonians 5 there had been no elders officially appointed, but.
Paul admonishes them that they should know them, that take the lead among them. That was the responsibility of the Saints to recognize those who in an unofficial way would serve in the capacity of an overseer. Also in Romans chapter 12.
We have rule mentioned there had been no apostle ever in Rome, that the assembly developed or came into being.
To laborers of others than apostles. But there were those who were in a position of rule. And in First Corinthians 12, the verse that our brother Bob has read helps and government helps refers to deaconess, service and government to those who take the lead in the local assembly. What is interesting to see in First Timothy that one of the things that are mentioned.
For an overseer is apartment to teach.
He didn't necessarily have to have the gift of teaching, but ability to apply the truth of God that he himself.
Had come to understand in connection with the spiritual needs you can see.
That this really makes the office of an overseer effectual.
That he can bring in the truth of God and help the Saints in their spiritual needs by bringing in the truth of God. And there are those beloved that are in that position in the assemblies today, not officially. And we have to recognize them and we should esteem them worthy of double honor that says in First Timothy.
Timothy 5, especially those who serve in Word and doctrine.
So there were those who were overseers but also served in Word and doctrine. They didn't have to be able to do that, but it was desirable that they would. So these are things that are helpful also to see that there might be those who do not claim to have the gift of teaching, but have ability to teach, you know. And this is where we fall back on in many assemblies where there are no distinct teachers.
But there are brethren who have to faithfully going on with the Lord.
Come to understand and appreciate the truth of God and have a measure of ability.
To apply it and minister it to the Saints and these are helpful things and encouraging us people might be discouraged when we overemphasize gift. They might be discouraged and might say well we don't have gifted teachers in our local assembly. Well you'd still have those hopefully that have the ability to teach. You know able to teach who can who can bring the truth of God before the thing and can edify the same and even in their.
Dealing with individual souls. Because shepherd care is connected with oversight, you know they can't bring the word of God to bear and thus help things. Let's look for a minute at Romans 12 Though, just to read how it reads in Romans 12 verse 6.
Having then gifts differing. He's talking about gifts now, he's not talking about office.
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Gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. Whether prophecy let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith or ministry, let us wait on our ministering. That would be the that would be a very similar thing to that of of a Deacon similar function, or he that teacheth on teaching, or he that exhorted on exhortation. He that giveth and do it with simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence, he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Now their ruling is spoken of as a gift.
In fact, everything in this list is having gifts differing.
So it's one might have the gift of rule that could be used not just locally but in in other places too, to help the Saints to know how to conduct.
Matters matters in their assembly if they if they are not.
You might say they know they have very little of that in in assembly, where many of our assemblies are very small and weak and feeble, and one that might have the gift of rule. He could come there and be a help to them.
So there is such a thing as the gift of rule, and you mentioned in First Corinthians the gift of.
Governments. That's it. That's a gift.
Two, when you mention apartment to teach and these other things that accompany one who takes a lead or has the lead, we must remember the only teacher is the spirit of God and he's in the assembly. And that's where we receive the ability to give forth the word of God. Whether you're a gift to the church, which we're getting in that Ephesians 4 or able to teach now in in.
Corinthians 12. It just read one thing. It says.
4 To one is given by the Spirit, the Word of Wisdom, etcetera, Now that nothing can be but by the spirit of God. And I don't say they're gifts as a person, but they can be used that way in their assembly.
Read the scriptures that support what Chuck has said, that there is rule beyond the local assembly but it is not connected with.
Oversight in the local assembly and that is in Hebrews 13 verse 7.
Remember them which have to rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. So here we have rule or leadership, if we may use that word, which probably conveys the truth more correctly, those who lead by bringing the truth of God before the Saints.
Is this not what is taking place?
At a conference like this, and in years past, there were those who brought the truth of God before the Saints of God, And by doing this they let them in the right way. They were leaders. And but then later on, now they have gone evidently according to this verse. 7 But we still remember what they have taught us, and by remembering that we still can be helped today.
And we do not do wrong in quoting Mr. Darby, Mr. Kelly, or.
Old Brother Hejo, and men like that, chapter Brown, based on this scripture, we remember what they have taught us, and they helped and leadership that they have provided. But now in verse 17 obey them that have the rule over you, or take the lead among you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls.
As they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grieve.
For that is unprofitable for you. This is obviously local oversight, you know, it is such a thing. And we have in Peter five that the young brothers are admonished to obey the older ones and submit to them. And we have again in the end of Hebrews 13 salute all them that have to rule over you and all the Saints you know. We have to recognize beloved Brethren. Of course, the danger is.
That those who are in that position do not rule well. That's why Paul tells Timothy, Those who rule well should be counted worthy of double honor. And the danger is that they rule as if it is their possession. In Peter Five, First Peter 5 That's the danger for those who are in that position, that they do it in humility and independence upon the Lord, realizing that isn't my flock, that isn't their flock, It's the Lord's flock.
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And if he honors us to give us a position of helping the Saints, we can only do that.
As we are dependent upon the Lord and do so in humility, and many times I'm afraid we haven't done that and it has done harm to souls.
Speaking Heinz, I was thinking of Mr. Darby as an excellent example of one who is not an overseer. He was not an elder, he was not married, he did not have children, he could not fulfill that office. But he was certainly a leader, and he certainly had the gift of rule to guide the Saints. And on the all these difficult things that came up as you read his letters and you see the attacks that he went under and so on, he was a real leader, most remarkable.
Thinking of this verse in Hebrews 1317.
There are those who watch over me.
And they have to give account.
But not to me.
They have to give account to the Lord.
Not for my soul.
But for how they've watched.
And with me.
I am to see that and say that brother is going to have to give account to the Lord for how he's watched.
And I certainly don't want to cause him any problems.
I want him to watch over my soul with joy.
And love would submit.
And Love would say, well, I don't want to 'cause that brother any problems. He's got to have going to do that with joy. He has to give account to the Lord and if he doesn't do it for to the Lord's standards, so to speak.
He won't have his joy.
Love is the is the motive for the submission that I see here. Understanding his responsibility and the fact that he can have problems and love would not want to cause him that problem.
Really love is that which would motivate him properly to watch over my soul.
In such a way as he would before the Lord, he would be take a place before the Lord and and and watch over my soul as from the Lord and answerable to the Lord that would love would motivate him into that position or into that place of leadership. And love would also motivate into obedience. But I wouldn't want to cause him any problems, I would want him to do his work with joy.
In respect to the gifts having been given to the assembly.
If we recognize where the assembly is in her history.
We must surely realize that many of these gifts that were given.
Have been scattered as the sheep have been scattered.
Zephaniah tells us.
That God would leave in Israel of poor and afflicted people.
Recognizing where we are in our history. That's what we are.
And so we're going to have to realize that there is a delusion of gift so that we may have to be satisfied with one who is apartment to teach.
We may have to be satisfied with one who does the work of the evangelist who is not an evangelist.
This is where we are, isn't it? We're in the end of our history, a poor and afflicted people.
But the window of opportunity is still with us.
To carry on in the way that the Word of God prescribes an Adequate abilities have been left to enable us to function in the very way that the Scripture prescribes that we should function. And we can indeed lead our beloved brethren and go on together to reach perfection so that we are no longer children. We are not misguided sheep.
That do not hear the voice of the shepherd. That we must realize that the giver of the gifts, the head of the assembly, is going to maintain his sheep in the capacity that he enjoins here of growing up to the unity of the faith, so that we become mature Christians, not long, not children, but those going on in the pathway that is still available to us, even though we are not.
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Overwhelmed with gift, as it were.
Number one.