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Appendix.
46 in the appendix.
Many sincere person I know that.
In the fourth chapter of Ephesians.
Patient Step 4, verse 4.
There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called, and one hope of your calling. 1 Lord, 1 faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But under every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore He said, 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 up 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 perfect Dean 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 of 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 ahead, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier, according to the effectual working and the measure of every part, making 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, who work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ. If so be that ye have received that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by him. As the truth is in Jesus. That she put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, 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.
Where we're putting away line, Speak every man truth with his neighbor. 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 need it. But 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. That 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.
00:05:16
Just like to make a few comments on the verses that we had this morning, not to go back at all, but it's always interesting during the meetings to get a little feedback in between the reading meetings. And there were a number of older brethren from different assemblies who came to me and they said that there are.
A number of problems in different places as far as.
People being discouraged because of an attitude of criticism that exists within the gathering. And I just want to make a few comments on those things, brethren, that we've been talking this morning about loneliness and meekness and patience or long-suffering, forbearing one another in love. And I say again, how easy it is for us to speak on it, how difficult for us it is to put it into practice.
And I want to encourage us to be in prayer about these verses, not to go into them again, that God will deepen our understanding of them in a practical way.
I invited a young man to my home.
And last night, his name is Jeff Leben. Jeff is in my home many, many times. Last night he came and I offered him some candy when he came. And then I I challenged him to a little game.
And this game kind of tested your reflexes. And I lost. And afterwards I offered him a bed to stay in. And when he got up this morning, I gave him some oatmeal pancakes that I sometimes make at my home. I love that young man. I love him as I would love my own son. And I have no difficulty in exhorting Jeff.
For my own children on certain subjects. But you see, if the spirit of love is not there or if the person does not feel loved, and this is a common problem today, we might say I love someone, but do they feel it? Do they feel loved? I believe that Jeff feels loved. If he doesn't, I can't do a whole lot more than I've done. And I feel that when God lays an exercise on my heart, I can exhort him.
And.
On almost any subject.
And I believe that that therein lies the difficulty, beloved brethren, that oftentimes were short on the love side. We're out of balance.
And I just want to, I want to make a few comments about criticism, because criticism sometimes wears the spirit of criticism, wears a godly mask, and it is very difficult to deal with at times. Remember that it is in offense. We were talking about loneliness and meekness. That loneliness does not take offense. Meekness does not give it. So an offense. There are two people involved. There is there are the offendor, the person who does it.
And the offended, the person who gets offended. I often work with the offended person and I want to speak a little bit to the open door. That sometimes includes meat.
Out here on the coast, if you go down the coast, sometimes, in fact, if some of you go out to the beach, there are times when you will see, well, you may not see it, but but there are times when there's what they call a riptide, that this riptide goes out and it's a strong current that goes underneath the surface.
And it will carry people way out in the ocean. And it is very difficult to detect. And when there is a spirit of discord in the assembly, when there is a spirit of criticism, when there is an absence of love and lowliness and meekness and all of those things, that what happens is just like when there's a riptide, there's a lot of rescues that take place right along our beaches here. And I say when there is this riptide of discord in the assembly.
Then it results in a lot of rescues. One of the work of the small jobs that I try to do for the Lord is to work in the area of rescuing people who are carried out by the riptide of discord. And I just say this, brethren, as an encouragement to us to humble ourselves and to go home from these meetings and ask God to deepen our understanding of what loneliness and meekness and long-suffering and love.
00:10:24
And keeping the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace really is.
There's some very good practical thoughts for us as we could give them serious thought and prayer.
Our thinking is our fourth verse today is the first one to consider.
Of the distinctive identity of so many things that are of great value to us.
And as we read in Acts 2, we were brought into.
A.
Discourse on the subject of the Body, the body of Christ, the Church. It's mentioned here. There is one body and the same portion of X. We had considerable thought and expressions in regard to there being one Holy Spirit, and here added to that we're called in one hope of Our Calling. It mentions 1 Lord, one fate, one baptism.
One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. I think it's very impressive to us and very lovely to see that there's not a conglomerate thing to Christianity or to the persons of the Godhead who have brought Christianity to us.
By the love of God, the work of Christ, now the exercise of the Holy Spirit, each has given his distinctive place. Here the body is a distinctive.
Component mentioned here and yet we look at them as so worded. We value them in their essence in that way, each distinctive of great eternal value.
And yet we group them together in that which unites us to our Lord and Savior, and through our Savior to God. And so we have that one body, perhaps emphatically in our thoughts and what we had in our meetings that brings to our should bring to our affection and to our meditations in delightful thoughts concerning this one body is the.
Fruit of the purposes, eternal purposes of these three persons of the Godhead, each distinctive, but all in perfect accord, each having a an object. And that object was for us here on earth. The object originated before we came here, but it's going to take us out soon into a new realm where we will be with these of whom we have the expressions.
One God and Father, one Spirit, 1 Savior. Wonderful heritage that we have, is it not?
In our house we have something that's called super glue.
You know that's a marvelous thing. Super glue.
It's amazing what super glue will do.
Well then verse two of our chapter, we've got super spiritual glue.
And according to what our brother Dan has said, that's really needed to hold things together. So verse two is super spiritual blue. And that takes us to verse three of our chapter. And we might say that this is where the rubber hits the road. This is really where we knuckle down to the issue of practically making the unity that we're a part of be displayed in this world. And it says in verse 3, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the.
Uniting bond of peace.
Well, the question arises then, what is the unity of the Spirit?
What is the unity of the Spirit? Well, I'd like to give you a definition of the unity of the Spirit, which has been helpful to me. The unity of the Spirit is that oneness.
00:15:11
And to which we are brought by the Spirit of God.
Wherein we have things in common with all of God's people.
I think it's a pretty good definition, so I'll say it again. The unity of the Spirit is that oneness.
Into which we have been brought by the Spirit of God.
Wherein we have things in common.
With all of God's people.
And so verse three talks about the unity of the Spirit, and verses 4-5 and six.
Tell us what we have in common with each other. And it's kind of like the seven branched Candlestick that was found in the Tabernacle, wherein you had seven branches on the Candlestick and they all had the same oil and they all gave the same light, but there were seven branches.
And so verses 3, verses 4-5 and six give us the spiritual application. There we have 7 branches of of a unity. In other words, we have a unity in seven parts. Because if you notice in verse 4-5 and six, you have the word one mentioned seven times. So there are seven things that you and I possess in common with all of God's people.
And we're told in verse three to see to it that we keep that unity working properly with the Super glue applied of verse two. Well then these seven things that we have in common are mentioned in verses 4-5 and six. We're all part of the same body. That's why we help one another.
And we all have the same spirit. We learned about that in our readings on Saturday. And we all.
Have one hope of Our Calling.
We have that all in common with each other and verse five it says we have one Lord. We work for the same boss.
Why, why, why should we get get mad at each other, one another, if we all work for the same boss, one Lord, we have our master in common and it says 1 faith. We just have one Bible, the faith once delivered to the Saints, We have that in common. One baptism, that's water baptism. We've all been baptized into water and we've all acknowledged by that act that nothing will do for us but death.
Nothing will do for us.
In the flesh, but death, we all have that in common and we've all been raised symbolically to a new life. We all have that in common. What baptism is brought in here for and it says we all have one God and Father. We're all children of the same Father. So this is a 7 branch unity and we're encouraged to see to it that all the branches of this unity that that exists.
Wherein we have these things in common, we are encouraged to see that every branch of that unity is functioning properly and held in a practical state of unity and we get along together in these seven aspects that I have spoken of.
Yes, yes, spirit is something that we can have pain if we're going on with the Lord by the spirit, but the unitive body is that which is spirit alone maintains. Man cannot have that in his way of work.
This pistol is addressed to the Saints and I was looking here. Perhaps we may just take a moment to touch on it. There is one body.
I am sure that we are aware that when that loaf is on the table of a large day morning, it has a dual meaning. But primarily what we're talking about today is the unity of the body of Christ. It represents one body which includes all the Saints.
Believers.
And they're all represented there. Wife and I have occasion to go to Salem every now and then. We say, well, we were in Salem. Did you see any of the Saints? I have a little pleasure in saying yes. We saw John and Helen Hunt, and we saw so and so and so. I don't remember them, dear brethren. They are not gathered, but they are.
00:20:12
In that one body I wish they were gathered, and I trust that we and I don't say that we do. But just as a warning that that loaf does not represent the gathered Saints in any one locality here or in the fellowship that we have, we might say is in the list of gatherings. It includes the whole body of Christ. Why are we here? Because the Lord has drawn us off.
Unto himself a very precious position.
Will you bring out brothers? I feel it's real important what you're bringing out because it's been discouraging to some too to see that. Well, let me say this first. It's very striking to me that that these 7 ones, their statements of doctrine, there, there is one body, but they're in a chapter that has to do with a practical walk. And so basically what it's saying, what God I think is saying here is.
In the expression that we give forth in Christianity, in that practical walk, if someone was looking on, would they be able to say, if they sat in on one of our prayer meetings, would they be able to say, you know what? There is one body, you know, did did my prayers embrace merely gathered Saints and their interests? If they did, it may be a practical denial, maybe not in doctrine, but a practical denial of the fact that there is one body and we of all people who are on the right proper ground.
Representing that one body.
Maintaining that there's a place at that table for every true child of God who's walking in an upright way. If we don't embrace them in our affections and in our prayers in a practical public way, it's a denial. It's a practical denial of the very fact that there is one body. The same thing holds true for each of these things. We, we might say 1 spirit. There is one spirit. Well, if I, if I maintain, if I hear a comment in a, in a meeting, in a reading meeting, while you're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine, that's a practical denial of the fact that there's one spirit who teaches.
All the same.
And we could go down through each one of these things, but I, I feel it's real important because some who have been saved and who have been gathered to the Lords name and come in newly amongst us, they they pick up on it right away. If there's a practical denial, even though doctrinally you couldn't find fault with it because the groundwork that we're set up on is purpose. It's orderly. It's what God has. But let's be careful that the expression of it put yourself when you walk into a reading meeting or a prayer meeting, say I'm going to I'm going to treat my thoughts tonight as if I was.
A soul who just walked in and I and I want to see what is the expression that's being manifested here.
And I hope I pray that when they got done, they say, you know what, there's one body, there's one Lord, there's one faith, there's one baptism, there's even one God and father of all. That's if there's any super glue, it would be verse six too, where he's above all through all and in you all. But that's the important thing. I think today we have our doctoring straight and we can without a flaw. We can put it forth doctrinally, but if my life practically denies it, that's a there's there's something seriously wrong. And and I believe this is one of the main reasons why.
There are so few being gathered to the Lord's name. The situation of this city is pleasant and we have in another place in Scripture. But let's be sure the practical expression is right on because if it is the truth of God is behind us and and it's got power in it. If that practical lines up with the with what the Scripture teaches.
Some time ago I had the depression of reading something about a brother that was gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus and there was one that was on the denomination. And every time we saw the sea brother, he would say today to him, what are you doing there, Sir Rosa? You're only two or three, you're nothing. Why don't you come and join us? We have a big company, good singing, good vision. And that brother, that money, that was the Lord said money saying to say.
Brother, you know I saw you to you there in my meeting this morning. What? I've never been there. Oh, you say. But I saw in that one love that you belong to one love. And that includes everybody, doesn't it?
I remember about a man that was talking to another and wasn't in 1000, but that's but then talking about the various things that belong to believers in common. But when he mentioned about the divisions or things like that, well then he he broke the unit of the spirit. The unto the spirit is maintained along the lines of that which is common to all, all believers and especially of force.
00:25:14
With those that are gathered.
Is the testimony worth maintaining?
By thinking well we get along in assembly, that's got quite a few people in it. We don't have see this many people in our Lords Day morning meeting.
But I'm thinking of those who value that testimony to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I wish the whole body of Christ did it. I just heard of two sisters in a certain city in the Midwest. I did not know this. They gather of a Lords Day morning, two sisters, no brother.
They value that position. I don't think that's a form, they value it. Our brother Dave Graham was here today and I know his father Merle, and I believe my memory serves me correctly, there are he and his daughter in Springfield, IL and they have been going on his wife until the Lord took her home. I think the three of them and that is all.
I must confess, brethren.
I don't know what I do. I like to have people around. I like to see people and talk with them. I wonder what I would do. I were put in either one of those places. Is the testimony of such great value to me that I would be sitting there large day morning, like those sisters, nobody there, or like Brother Graham, who opens the meeting, gives out the hymns, praise, breaks the breath and closes the meeting?
He and the others value the testimony of being gathered to the Lord. That doesn't put us in an exalted place over the rest of our brethren that are in the one body.
The wonderful thing to see what you've just been mentioning, how much it means to them to maintain the truth of this in a manifestation, in a way that the Lord can honor the lights there. And I was thinking over in the Isle of Wight off of England, those dear sisters maintain a meeting room. They don't own it, they rent it, but they come together. There was 6. There's five now, I think maybe 6 yet.
And they have the loaf in the cup and the basket, and they sit there godly, and they pray beforehand that a brother will come across to the island and they can break the bread. And you know what happened in Bermuda where those virtual sisters continued on? And didn't the Lord honor itself with an assembly there now? And it happened in Nassau. Gladys Kelly.
Continuing on, and she told me because she's 91 or two now, she told me I never anticipated that the Lord would have here of breaking a bread, which I hoped, but a gospel meeting, a prayer meeting and a reading meeting and even children, you know, the Lord honors this. And what we should do is cherish the grace that's reached us and let us by grace.
Be there, and then, as it's been mentioned, realize that the Lord would have them all there. The Lord would have them all there, and we should pray for them too. Where are the 9? What a burden on his heart. But that just humbles us, doesn't it, That we're there.
It really humbles me that I'm there. And brother is one other thing we should think about, brethren, Unless we're kept by Him, we're not kept. We'll have to pray for one another that when He comes, we'll still be gathered and watching because that has to come from himself too. So the one body is a very precious state, and let's cherish it in our heart. And let's let's admit that it's all His grace.
That we had that privilege yesterday morning.
I have enjoyed the toast and all, Although the testimony of the one body has been ruined, and it is to our shame too, I confess, yet the oneness of that body remains eternal because of the Person of Christ and the work that He did on the cross.
Remains eternal 1 by I like to read a verse in Deuteronomy chapter 33 and the other side, I believe that God loves all his people. Beloved people of God, He does.
00:30:08
Chapter 33 of the Deuteronomy and say yeah, he loved the people.
All his Saints are in thy hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Everyone shall receive of thy words. And I believe that the Lord that loves every members of the body, no matter what they are, and that's the attitude that we have to take it.
Whether it could be just a guess. That last meeting we only got 3 verses out of this very practical chapter. And I look at the clock and there's only 45 minutes left of this reading and I I feel that there's so much here that's in a practical.
Line for this truth of the Spirit being here. Perhaps we could keep that in mind and try to go through this whole chapter. There are some here, I'm sure, who could take us through this chapter in an upright way and with an outline in 45 minutes, but it might be helpful otherwise we if we stay on each point.
It's going to, not that it's, it's wrong, it's not that it's not good, but it's, I feel that we could glean so much more. There's such practical health here. We might want to proceed down through the chapter more.
We've been talking about how in verses 4-5 and six, there are things that we have in common and things wherein we are equal with all of God's people, and we might say things wherein we are the same.
But when we come to verse 7, now we branch into a new subject, and we are taught that there are things wherein we differ. And so verse seven says, But on the other hand, unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. So now we're launching into a new thought, and that is each one of us is different according to the grace God has given in unto each one of us.
To serve His particular purpose in his testimony. And then it takes us to verse eight that gives us the source of these gifts that He has received.
Before, he said, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. That's a very important thought because there are many people in the world who are still lost and they have great talents, great capacities. Some are good speakers.
Some are good singers, some are personal workers.
Some have real abilities, artistic ability, all kinds of wonderful talents. But those talents are captive. They're captive and they're being used to the service of Satan.
But the Lord Jesus comes in and saves the soul, and he releases those captives, and now he takes those talents and uses them for himself. And so these are the things wherein we differ. You have different talents than I do, and I need you. Maybe you need me.
But we all have different talents and capacities and abilities according to the grace that is given unto us, and these things wherein we differ are for the benefit of the entire body of Christ.
The object of that is.
Mentioned, isn't it in the 12Th verse? These are gifts given from above for the perfecting.
Of the Saints, and the 13th verse. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, and so on.
How wonderful this provision is, and I thoroughly concur in what is said. I think our brethren in Buena Park get a little tired of hearing me speak of this, but I've always been greatly impressed with the.
Great variety of gifts that God through the Holy Spirit has given to his people and we should never despise one another and say, well, that brother doesn't have much to give, but perhaps just his very faithful attendance at our meeting may be a gift. That's all the brothers capable of, but he's there. We can count on him. He's an encouragement to others. Be thankful for him. Accept it as one of those things for the perfecting of the Saints.
00:35:01
And this applies to sisters as well. Now, it isn't their place or their privilege to have ministry in a general sense, other than perhaps to other women. But in the assembly, the women are silent. But all how many assemblies over the years have had the wonderful help of sisters who have been faithful in their service to the gathered Saints?
In one way or another, and their prayers privately offered before the Lord, have been used of him. I've known such sisters and.
One one has had occasion to visit them older sisters when I was younger going with the thought of encouraging them.
Found just the opposite took place. They encouraged me so we have a great diversity of gifts.
But we are told to exercise the gift that is given us, and I believe that's important. I've had the question asked, well, how do we know what our gift is? The only way we can know that is to be before the Lord about it and ask Him. And I'm sure He will make clear to us in what way we can serve best that gift that He has provided for us.
Thank you also.
In the gifts on the men has a real purpose for you and me.
That purpose is in the.
Following purchase from verse 15 isn't it? But speaking the truth in love may grow up into Him in all things. That's what His desire is for us, which is the head. Even Christ. He is the head of the body.
From whom the whole body Bentley joined together and compacted by that which every joint supply, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, make an increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Well, now God wants the body to grow, and it's not going to grow accepting by this method.
From the head, from the head, which is the head, even Christ. And so it's true that he has given gifts. The gifts is for the edifying of the body, the edifying of the church that it might grow. And how is it going to grow? It's got to receive nourishment from the head, and that's the only place it can come. And that body is joined together, It says in verse 16 by joints. And then the brother was mentioning the sisters. Well, they're part of the body.
They're just as much a part of the body as the men are, and so they help that body to grow and it's fitly joined together. God has put every band and every joint in its right place. We don't attempt to do that. In fact, I might say here that the body we got don't believe we find anywhere in the Word of God that we're the key community of the body. That's the job of the person who is ahead, the head.
And in that process he has had administers to that body the essential and needed parts and the needed food.
The nourishment comes from Him. If anything comes that's not of Him, there's not going to be any nourishment. And there's a purpose for it all. And that purpose is that He might, and I mentioned it this morning, that He might take that assembly to himself. That assembly might be to His glory and to His praise throughout eternity.
And brethren, we can be that right here and now, in this day, in this age, we can be to the praise of His glory. But the source is all from Himself, from the Head.
I'd like to think of the verses before we pass them by here, what it took for Him to do that for us.
He ascended on high, descended. He had to lead all our captivity captive. We know in the Gospels as he'd come into the strong man's house. If he's going to take out the strong man's goods, he must be stronger than he.
We're in the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus as I sanctify myself. That is, I'm going up on high up in the highest of all glories.
They'll sanctify them for their sakes. I sanctify myself and look at this as now. He took my papers up on high. He transferred my citizenship to glory. Now he's sent down by the Spirit. All I need to take my heart up there too, to be with Him.
00:40:16
And you know, as we read this, it's God. The Holy Spirit is carrying this out. I enjoyed the comments of something I was reading the other day. He said the two grand subjects of the Gospel of John are the coming of the Son and the coming of the Spirit.
You know, beloved, it's if someone were to be able in this room to raise the dead this afternoon, we would be impressed.
But I said you, it's the same power that sends ministry to the assembly, that raises the dead. It's just a different manifestation. What did it take for that? Oh, our Savior, when he came down, passed through the heavens, came out of glory, came down here, took us all up in his heart and his work, all the way back up to glory. For our sakes, He was, He sanctified himself.
To have us there with Himself. And these are the gifts that He gives here, isn't it? Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers from His side, that is, from His love. It will never fade, never fail. You'll always have that again because He is. Can we use the expression Brother Dave just mentioned? He wants to present us to Himself.
Can we use the expression His love would come out to court us So when our poor hearts over to himself. It all be for him and I know we have to maintain these truths and testimony and so forth, but it's for him and we follow with him in our eyes. The Spirit of God will be here. We'll always have what we need for the perfecting of the Saints and so forth till we all arrive at what nothing less.
And the perfect man, the measure of the stature, of the fullness of himself, because nothing would satisfy his heart unless we were in that, in that place.
Unless I'm being I'd be misunderstood. I don't think that the Lord Jesus commends it where they are, but he loves them. He loves them and you and I.
Be the need to commend them because they are in the system, but we can.
Have a little fellowship for them if they didn't undeny the glory of the person of the Lord Jesus and the wake that is entered for them, we can have a little sort of a fellowship, but we can go on to them. But these are wonderful truth that every member of the body of Christ, the Lord Jesus takes care of it.
Beloved brethren, isn't that wonderful to see that in all these things, God is working?
He's working through the gifts that he gives, through little instruments that he will give a gift to, and in his hand, they become useful to him. And I was thinking we were talking earlier, we've talked quite a bit, in fact, about the the work of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of God in this world.
And if we could just turn for a moment few pages back to the book of Galatians, we find an interesting expression here.
Verse one that says, Brethren, chapter Excuse me, Chapter 6, Galatians 6. And verse one, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fall, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest I'll also be tempted. But I was thinking especially of that expression, ye that are spiritual.
Which one of us shall raise our hands when those are this kind of people are called upon, ye that are spiritual? Well, I think if we go back just a few verses before that into chapter 5, perhaps we get a little idea as to who the spiritual ones are. And perhaps we can measure in this a little bit of what spirituality there might be in our own lives.
One who is spiritual would be one who would manifest something of the fruits of the Spirit. Now earlier our brother Dan was speaking about those who have been offended, those who are discouraged, and those who are in need. And how can they be reached? All beloved brethren, I think we see something of the Spirit of Christ and may it characterize our lives and.
Our our ways with our brethren.
00:45:00
And with all and there to read just a few verses starting with verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love. Perhaps we could spend the rest of the meeting talking about that, the need of that love of Christ that should be shown in all of our character. And then from that we get joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Get such. There is no law.
And so on. But I would just like to say a few words about a little example a story that I recently heard.
About a a little family and we get in the story, I think an example of of the love that was shown that that brought a great deliverance to this family.
The father had gotten away from the Lord, and he thought he would go into the world. The world was passing him by, so he left his wife and his children.
And he was gone and he had a little 11 year old girl who decided that she would paint for her father a word picture. And so she wrote a letter to him. He wasn't living at home anymore. And she said, dear daddy.
I had a dream the other night and in my dream we were driving along in the car. You were not there, so mom was driving.
I was sitting next to her and Johnny was sitting in the back and we came around a curve and we had an awful accident and just before we crashed, I noticed that in the other car you were sitting, you were sitting there with a lady.
And daddy, she said. I'm wondering, did you get hurt in that accident?
Mommy has a very has a broken heart. She has some broken ribs. I have a concussion.
And Johnny's legs are broken.
Well, the father received this letter.
And it wasn't long before God used this letter, loving letter that was written by her, his little 11 year old daughter, to bring them back together. All beloved brethren, what I'm trying to say is I would pray to God, I would seek of God wisdom to know how to react, how to, how to perform among my brethren, that I might be an encouragement to them, that I might show the love of Christ to them.
And I think of it in view of that coming day of glory. What will it be, Beloved brethren, when we sit down in the presence of the Lord Jesus, and there we look into his blessed face, and we see in that face that infinite love that no words could begin to explain. We see His wisdom. We see his omniscience. There's nothing He doesn't know. And as we gaze into that face, we know that we're looking into the face of the One who could do all things.
He is omniscient. He is omnipotent. Or may we know more of fellowship with Him even now, that of which we're going to enjoy, beloved brethren, for all eternity.
We've been reading a list of gifts really for the church that lists us more or less that and thank God for it. There are shepherds, there are evangelists, there are teachers among us, and not just those that go around, but as I go to assemblies, I find them those with the Father's heart, the shepherd's and the teachers in the assemblies. Those are gifts that the Lord has raised up for us and we should be thankful for it. But you know, it says.
In First Corinthians 12.
That each one of us are members in the body in particular. That's not a group, just a group thrown together, each one, our members in particular. And then it says the Lord has set.
Each member in the body as it pleased him. Now this portion our brother was bringing out in Galatians there is very important because your gift may be restoring one. Your gift may be encouraging another so he doesn't get away or have a fall. I mean it may be what the Lord has you to do it. What a great work that is. And you know we had that verse brought out in James was it I'm sorry it was in the Philemon.
Paul.
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Said he heard of thy love to All Saints. That word All Saints is so precious to me. But that's a gift too, you know, to be able to show that love to everyone. But then if you read on in Philemon, you find out that Paul commends him more because the bowels of the Saints have been refreshed by the brother. He not only loved them, but he practically showed it and comforted them and encouraged them and refreshed them.
Now that's a gift. I think that's a gift. We, we all should have things that that that we can do. It's not something manifested. That's great. Now here in the Galatians, I just want to mention this. I believe that word if is, although could be better said brethren, although a man be overtaken in the fall.
Ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of weakness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. And you know, unless you can say, but for the grace of God, there am I, you're not ready to help a brother or to bring him back if he got away or a sister. And that's really what it means. And I just like to mention a little example that really touched my heart when I heard it wasn't Catholic Saints, doesn't matter. They were brethren, but it was a little group in the country.
Let work saved going on in the truth they had. They had a pastor, but one of their brethren was overtaken. Not a matter of assembly discipline, not that, but he was gone and discouraged and overtaken in the fall. And they had a special prayer meeting and they prayed for his restoration. And the leader among them.
Said to one brother, William, you've been among us, I believe longer than any, and I would just wonder what would happen if you'd been tempted like our brother was. And he said, I don't believe I would be tempted that way. I commit myself to the Lord every morning and ask for his help that I'm not. And he looked at another brother and asked him the same question. And he said, well, if I were tempted like that, I would quickly have my brethren pray for me.
And so I wouldn't have a fall like that. And on the round and he came to this one brother who was had his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees. And he said, John, what about you? What have you been tempted like our brother has?
When he lifted up his head, his eyes were filled with tears. He said, Brethren, pray for me that I'm never tempted like that. I feel I would have failed more than our brother ever failed. You know what that leader said, John let you and I go visit that brother. That's what we're talking about here. He with he which are spiritual and whoever would volunteer for this would automatically disqualify him.
Brother, we have to just say, but for the grace of God, these are so important. This is what we're talking about, the one body. This is the gift maybe you could be using just to bring them back and and to restore them or to see that they don't get away. Well, I don't want to take too much time, but since you mentioned that and in verse two of that 6th chapter, bear you one another's burdens. That's a gift and so fulfill the law of Christ.
What's the law of Christ love? That's the law of Christ love. It's the royal law of change. You read it. It's the new commandment, Brethren, I give you a new commandment, love. All the others were nailed to the tree. Love did that. Now he's left love and we can all exercise this and and that's the unity of the Spirit.
Not to to keep going in that same subject, but there are many in this room that might say what is a spiritual brother.
Who is one that is spiritual? Many years ago, one who was much esteemed amongst us was asked that question and I remember his comments. It was this one who judges himself.
Brethren, if we can judge ourselves, then maybe we'd be in a position to fall before the needs of others.
He that judges himself.
Waiting here that he has given these gifts.
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For the perfection of the Saints verse 12 and skipping quickly down to the 14th verse that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, carried about by every wind of doctrine slight of men cutting this practice while by they lie in wait. We have an enemy out there that would just like to take We can't take our soul. They're safe in Christ, but he can take us and he's out there but if the gifts.
These that are given here are not being exercised. When we put it in the negative souls are going to be tossed to and fro and not know where they are going. Now also it says here.
The 17th verse I say therefore I testify in the Lord that she henceforth walk not as other Gentiles. This is again something that the gifts should do to us to change our way. The Gentiles emptiness of mind, dark understanding, alienated life from God, ignorance, blindness, past feelings, giving themselves over to the citizens to work, all uncleanness and greediness.
But because the gifts have been functioning, ye have not so learned Christ. And I often think of that portion in Romans, the renewing of your mind. I have a mind contrary to God, and the general system of the world of education and everything that is in the world has tried to change me into the world has changed me, and I have a mind.
Set on the world, I need my mind renewed by the ministry of these gifts.
We don't want to. We don't want to miss a very important point that's given to us in verse 12.
The glorified Christ in heaven gives the gifts from heaven, and we have.
Mentioned just a few of them here. These gifts are persons. These are the permanent gifts.
Apostles, Prophets. But those two gifts have passed off the scene, and what is left for us now are the evangelists.
The pastors and the teachers. Now if my understanding of verse 12 is correct.
It is saying this.
That these gifts were given for the perfecting of the Saints.
Unto the work of the Ministry.
By that I understand that these persons were given for the purpose of preparing God's people to do the work of this service, so that the building up of the body was not dependent upon these particular gifts. But these gifts that God gave were to prepare God's people to take care of this building on their own. And that's the way I understand verse 12, the perfecting of the Saints.
Unto the work of the service for the edifying of the body of Christ.
I believe there is a tremendous weakness among us, brethren, because we have become over dependent upon certain leading persons. And when they don't show up we say what are we going to do? And.
A person who is functioning properly as a gift from Christ will work himself out of a job because he prepares God's people to take care of their own problems and do the work of the service on his own without his help.
And so these gifts were given to prepare God's people to take care of this building a process without them so that there would be maturity in the body and not dependent upon these gifts to make it happen. And this is one of the weak spots among us. We, we lean awful hard on certain people that we like and we say, well, we just wait till he comes and we'll ask him these questions and he'll solve it all for us.
Well, if we really were in tune with God, we would have been taught to go to God ourselves and get the answers from him instead of wait for brother XYZ to come and settle everything. So I believe that's the thought of verse 12 and when when this healthy condition is produced by.
These gifts that the glorified head had given, then the body makes you get that in verse 16, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, compacted by that which every joint supplies. They didn't wait for some particular brother to come around and sell everything. It says every joint supplies unto the effectual working, and the measure of every part makes increase of the body and to the edifying of itself in love.
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Well, that's what some of our dear brethren here.
I'm looking at one right now. He studied chiropractic, and his mission in life is to help his patients so that their body is functioning properly, so that the body will take care of itself. And he doesn't have to live with these patients, but he can help their body to function properly so that the nerves are working well and the blood is flowing well, and the body will take care of itself. You might have to give a little push now and then to get things moving, but then he can get out of the picture and the body will make its own progress.
And solve its own problem and correct its own mistakes and and build itself up. It says make of increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. I think it's a precious point to see that God has given gifts, but let us not hang our our everything upon them because it won't be long. We're going to be disappointed.
I agree with you brother. That's that's really what it's about. But at the same time, let's don't ignore.
When God raises up one among us who has a gift of teaching, who has a gift in the evangelizing, let's don't ignore that gift. Let's thank God for it. And so it is for the edifying of the body. So whatever the gift is, is to be used among any assembly because it's only a representation of the body to let that assembly be strong in Christ always. I agree with you. It's it's so it goes out and each member is functioning. Then that's the purpose of the gift.
So everyone's functioning and as I say, I find teachers in the little assemblies that almost make me hesitate to get up and say anything because that's wonderful truth of the Word of God. They're strong, they're well taught. They may not take the podium, but they could. And that's where the Lord can raise up who we will by the Spirit for our needs. One of the one of the most pathetic things, one of the most pathetic things I find as I get around among my brethren.
Is that in certain areas in certain assemblies?
There are brethren that won't give up their jobs.
And they think they got to be functioning in their local assembly until they're 95 or 100 years old. They got to write all the letters, they got to write the checks. And they don't understand the the valuable contribution by delegation. Well, it's a real shame in an assembly when the leaders in that assembly do not develop those that are coming after them. And the crown, the crown of an elder, is that he works himself out of a job.
And develops those coming after him to carry the responsibility. And I just feel so sad when I get into an assembly.
And I say, who writes your letters here? Well, brothers owns all and he can just barely hold the pencil. Well, it's high time for him to give up that job to a younger man. But some of them won't do it. And they think they got to run the show. But God would have us develop those that are coming after us. And that's the crown of an older person is that they have properly developed the talents of those that follow them to be strong.
So that they can work themselves out of a job.
I'd like to comment.
How sobering it is to read the 17th verse when we consider that this is addressed to believers.
This I say therefore, in testifying the Lord, that she henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, and so on. We won't read it all for lack of time, but here the simile that is given is one who is without.
The Lord, a stranger to the Lord, one of the world. And the warning is given to believers. Do not be tempted to go in their pathway.
How striking it is that a believer would need that admonition. But beloved, we need it, I need it, we all need it, and then we we have the reason why we should not. In the 20th verse, ye have not so learned Christ.
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You have heard him, been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. And beloved, that's what we have. We have sought to look a little into that during our meetings here to realize that we have a wonderful gift given to us through Jesus our Savior, the Holy Spirit, the minister of that to us. We explored that at some length. I think we all enjoyed that. But there still is this hazard. I may be a little covetous of my neighbor.
My fellow worker whatnot, and I want to be like him and so I partake of his ways. Oh, what a hazard this is. So we're told given here in the 22nd verse, putting off the former conversation, the old man of our life. That is the I don't believe actually it is that we put off physically ourselves that old man that's been done by the work of the Spirit of God, but it's the application now that that old man is considered dead in the sight of God.
We let us consider it dead too, and not yield to its subterfuges and.
And then we have these following admonitions. We'll just run through them quickly because our time is up.
25th 1St Putting away lying, Speak every man's truth with his neighbor.
Be angry and sin not. How can we do that?
All our blessed Lord was angry when there were those things that were spoken that affected the one who had sent him. And so we can be angry when we hear our blessed Lord, his name or the name of God defamed in the world and.
Then we have further give not a place to the devil, Let him install steal no more. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.
All beloved, to think that we need to be reminded to guard against these things. And how can we do that? Oh, just by walking in dependence on the Lord and keeping this word before us. Don't neglect the word of God and attend the meetings where the word is spoken. Ministered may not be in great power, but it's the Word of God and we need it and that will keep us in the pathway. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Oh.
How sad it must be for the Holy Spirit to discern.
A child of God who is walking in a pathway undispleasing to God. We're warned not to grieve Him, put bitterness, wrath, and so on away. And now here, this last verse, we do want to think of it. We spoke a little of it at the beginning of our meeting.
Be a kind one to another, not just to your relatives, not just to certain ones that you have favor toward, but to one another.
To all the members of the body, tender hearted.
Oh, that's sometimes speaks a little to one for giving one another in what measure, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. I know that we, if we happen to turn in a Christian program on the radio so often we hear them reciting the so-called Lord's Prayer, forgive us our debts as we have forgiven others.
Well, if they really realize what they were saying, they weren't asking your God to forgive anything because they don't forgive others.
But, beloved, we need to forgive others. That was the measure of the love that brought us to God was forgiveness through the work of Christ and our acceptance of Him. May we walk in the good of it. Shall we sing #2524 In the appendix #24 In the appendix.
Nothing for Christ as.
Lord.
God, they were crying.
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No.