Address—C. Buchanan
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The first scripture I want to read is in Ecclesiastes.
There are two.
Scriptures we will read first to introduce the subject we have in mind.
Tonight.
And Ecclesiastes Chapter 7.
And the eighth verse, We are all of us.
I speak now to believers in a race.
To pass through the world.
Some have just begun. Oh, that's wonderful.
The only way to get in this race and reach the goal is to start.
But we all, I trust want to finish it.
And come in like that ship that reaches harbor with the sails up.
And has a beautiful ending. Read that reading this verse 8.
In Ecclesiastes 7 it says better is the end of a thing.
Than the beginning thereof.
And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Does that. Does that verse speak to your heart and conscience? It does the mind. Well, that's good. You know, none of us have reached that goal yet. It's very sad to see an old brother or sister falter fall, by the way.
But we do at times.
I think if Paul the apostle.
He at the end of his course could say I have fought a good fight.
I have kept the faith.
All could say that.
For myself, I think I have the best mother that there ever has been.
In the world today.
Some few here knew her.
On her deathbed.
I read this verse to her about Paul saying I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith.
I said mother, you can say that too, can't you?
She would not answer me.
She would not answer me. It astonished me, but as I've gotten older, I respect her very much for it.
Well, it would be wonderful, you know, to be like Paul. Let's turn to another verse in.
1St.
Kings 20.
No, I guess it's. I'll have to look here. Just a minute.
Second Kings 20 Perhaps it is.
No, it's first Kings 20. I'll find the verse here.
First Kings 20 and the 11 verse.
First Kings 20 and verse 11.
And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him.
Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself, as he that put it. All this is the principle of the thing, you know.
I'm not saying that the word teaches boasting, but we all hear it in the world, you know, and.
With young people in their strength, there's often a a boastful attitude.
Well, this is a good verse for such.
Of course, the Scriptures does teach us that young folks are strong, and in my own little service in Latin America, I have valued very much to have young brothers along with me.
I find that they are strong physically, and sometimes it's an endurance test for the body to walk those miles. Often they'll get a horse, or a few times I should say, and I love that, to get on a horse and let the horse use his muscles. But young men are strong. And John says, I have written unto you young men because you are strong. But they're not only strong. Young people are not only strong.
Physically, but in mental things too.
Well, this is the truth. But here the lesson is let not him that girdeth on his harness, a horse harnessed is ready for service.
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And it says, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that put it off. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. When I thought, in connection with these verses, it would be good to look at some of the outstanding characters in the Bible, and pick up the first words that they said.
Or wrote.
And then pick up the very last words that they gave utterance to. So we'll turn to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12. And I think you may be astonished to find out what the first spoken words were that Abraham used that came out of his mouth in the 12Th chapter.
Of Genesis. I know. I was rather surprised when I looked this up.
And it's very, very interesting in the 12Th chapter.
Genesis.
And the 11Th verse.
We have.
The first words in the Bible spoken by Abraham.
Genesis 1211 And it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt that he said, now this is Abraham, and he was talking to Sarah, his wife. Behold, now I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon. Now, if we stop there, it's very lovely, isn't it? Here's a young man and he's telling his wife she's beautiful. Well, that's all right.
But he goes on here, and what does he say?
Therefore it shall come to pass, and when the Egyptians shall see thee.
That they shall say, this is thy one, this is his wife, and they will kill me.
But they will save thee alive. Say I Pray thee thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee. Well they formed this pact.
And really, what they were practicing was deceit.
This is the very first utterance of Abraham, that chosen man.
Deceit. Practicing deceit.
Kind of astonishing, isn't it? Well, he was that wonderful character, Abraham.
Where we get election and promise given to him. Now we'll go to the 24th chapter.
To get the last spoken words of Abraham in that well known.
Story.
Rebecca brought to Isaac the son of Abraham.
And.
The servant is chosen and instructed to go.
To get away from his own people.
And the servant has a question in verse five. Very adventure. The woman will not be willing to follow me under this land. Must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from which thou camest. And Abraham said unto him, Beware that thou bring not my son thither again.
The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my Father's house.
And from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and swear unto me, saying, unto thy seed, will I give this land.
He shall send his Angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath only bring not my son thither again. Now these are the last recorded words of Abraham.
I believe they have some very particular importance in them.
In being the last ones that God gives us that were spoken by that chosen man.
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Where we often draw from this instruction for young people as to getting a partner, and that is all very good and wonderful and helpful and important.
She wants to come from his own country. Money. It was not to be an unequal yoke.
And it was the father who ordered that.
So the principle is.
That a young man is to get his guidance to get his wife from God the Father, not from his earthly father. That's not the principle here. It's from the Father in heaven and Isaac and in Abraham. We have a picture of the God the Father and God the Son, and it's well known to have that. Rebecca is a type of the church.
But what is so important here is that twice over?
Abraham says, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again in the end of verse six, and only bring not my son thither again in the end of verse eight. He double s this warning to the servant not to take Isaac down there again.
Well, it's an emphasis upon the finished work of Christ. He came once to be the Savior.
And he is not coming back to the earth to do any work at all.
The principle fits. He finished his work on the cross and the Holy Spirit has been sent down here to this country to get a people and suit them for Christ in glory and to bring us there. Well, the the emphasis is don't bring my son to there again. The work is done. It's something like.
The guilt of Moses when he.
When God told him to speak to the rock, he disobediently.
Smoked the rock twice.
The rock had been smitten earlier in the book, which was a type of Christ as the.
Sin bearer on the cross, bearing the judgment of God, and that work was complete.
On the cross and Christ is not coming to work that kind of a work again.
So that when Moses said, when God said to Moses the second time.
Speak to the rock, he didn't say Smite the rock. All you and I have to do today is speak to the rock.
Up there, our high priest, that's prayer. We don't and God won't have Christ brought down again. We reach him through the intercession of prayer. Just speak to him. He's finished the work the first time. I thoroughly believe that's the same thing as what we have here. Bring not my Son thither again. Well, we must go to Moses to get the next one in Exodus chapter 2.
It's so interesting to see what these very important characters in the Bible.
Said at the beginning and what they said at the end of their lives, we noticed that Abraham was practicing deceit.
When he first talked and he was giving from God a very important truth.
That says the work of Christ is done.
He doesn't have to do anymore. It's all finished now. Moses in chapter 2.
Of Exodus begins to talk.
When he sees these, this struggle of his brethren down there in Egypt.
Verse 11 to get the picture. Exodus 211. It came to pass in those days when Moses was grown. Now he's a grown man.
That he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens, and he spied an Egyptian smiting his Hebrew.
One of his brethren and he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was number man, he slew the Egyptian and hit him in the sand when he went out the second day.
Behold, 2 men of the Hebrews strove together. And he said unto him, That did the wrong whereforest might as thou thy fellow.
And he said, Who made thee a Prince or a judge over us? Intend us now to kill me, as thou killest the Egyptian. And Moses feared. And surely this thing and said, surely this thing is known.
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And when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses, but Moses fled, while here is.
The sad account of what happened when we get the first utterance of Moses, which is this question.
Addressed to his fellow countrymen, where force midest thou, thy fellow he in his strength?
Set up to deliver his own people and murdered one of those Egyptians.
Now that's the strength of the flesh, and that could do that much.
And then it was exposed, and then he had to flee.
This is the beginning of Moses talking.
He said, Wherefore might as thou thy fellow?
What a big ending for Moses, and he had to run, had to flee. Oh, the strength of the flesh won't prevail. That's the lesson we get all through Scripture.
But we come over to the end of Moses, and better is the end of a thing than the beginning. You'll clear over to Deuteronomy at the end. Moses, one of those characters so wonderful in the Bible to study about and to learn from him. He wrote all these books here at the beginning and in the 33rd chapter he.
He finishes his work.
And we have his last utterances in the 33rd chapter.
Now let's begin reading with the 26th verse.
Of Deuteronomy 33.
There is none like unto the God of Joshua, who writeth upon the heaven in thy help, and in His Excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy thou.
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone. The fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine. Also his heaven shall drop down dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people.
Saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy Excellency. And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon the high places.
And Moses went up into the plains of Moab unto Mount Nebo.
The top of Pisgah that is over against Jericho.
And verse five So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab just before they went across the Jordan end of the land. Moses passed away and was buried by God. But oh, what beautiful words he utters at the end of his course. He certainly goes in under full sail in his.
Race that he ran those.
Many years.
As the servant of God.
And he is so wonderful. Take this 27th verse. The eternal God is thy refuge. He had learned to trust in God. No more was he trusting in the arm of his strength, as when he smoked that Egyptian and had to run away.
They're young people. You can't trust the strength of the flesh, be it your mind or your physical body. We must for the course that we're in, the race that we're running, trust in God, learn that he is the refuge and he is the strength and that always those everlasting arms. What a contrast to the arm of Moses that could smite one Egyptian and then had to run.
Later on, he led the people through and none of the nations could stand before him.
Our king of Beijing and the other, I've forgotten the other kings there, Moab and Ammon, they couldn't stand before Moses.
Now, so he learns these lessons and talks about the future too. He shall thrust out the enemy before thee, and shall say destroy them. He told them they would do that when they got into the land. Oh, Moses learned so much. Then he's going to come down, and he says, Happy art thou, O Israel.
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Who is like under the old people saved by the Lord? I'm talking to people that are saved by the Lord.
That's the way we're saved, aren't we happy? Well, we certainly ought to be.
Well, we should be the happiest people on the face of the earth.
Old people saved by the Lord.
Now we'll go to First Samuel to get a bit of a contrast.
To the first in the first king that Israel was given.
At their own request.
In Seoul.
We're getting a notable character now that is very different.
From Abraham and Moses in King Saul.
The man of the People's Choice. Oh, he was a wonderful man as the eye looked at him.
He stood out.
Like one of our tall American brethren stands out when they go down amongst the small short people in southern Mexico and Olaha.
Head and shoulders above the rest. That's only a physical thing, and we learn that the physical.
The strength of the nature does not prevail before God.
No, it is faith and trust from this people who are saved by the Lord.
In the strength and refuge of God that does prevail in this endurance test that all of us are in first Samuel 9 verse one, there was a man.
First Samuel 9.
And verse one, there was a man. What a man he was now Benjamin.
Whose name was Kish, the son of Abuel, the son of Zeera, the son of Bakota, the son of a fire, a benzemite, a mighty man of power. Now that's the father, and he had a son.
His name was Saul, a choice young man.
That is the best that the human race can produce. A choice young man and goodly.
And there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he.
Around his shoulders and upward, he was higher than any of the people.
And the ***** of Quiche, Saul's father, were lost, and Keith said to Saul his son.
Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise. Go seek the *****. He passed through Mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, and they found them not. Then they passed through the land of Shalom, and there they were not. And he passed through the land of Benjamin of the Benjamites, and they found them not.
And when they were come to the land of Saul, said unto his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave caring for the ***** and take thought for us. These are the first words of Saul.
Well, I believe that Scripture brings this before us to instruct us as to the difference between the People's Choice, the man of the People's Choice, and David, which we will take up next, a man after God's own heart.
And the contrast in the animals that they were caring for or looking for.
In the case of Saul brings before us.
Again, the natural man.
Saul is a picture of the natural man in all his strength and vigor.
And we don't make light of it. Man is the highest creation on the earth.
He was given dominion over the lower creation. Here was the choices of Israel.
Head and shoulders above the rest. But what was he looking for? Not sheep, as with David. He was looking for ***** which is a picture of man in his untamed state. Job says vain mind would be wise, though. Born like the wild *****. Cold. That's our natural.
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Nature which can never be improved. And Saul didn't even find that.
He gave up.
Well, these are his first words. Let's go to his last words in Second Samuel 1.
And we'll find suicide.
Second Samuel.
1.
And verse one.
Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites.
And David had abode 2 days in Ziklag. It came to even to pass in the third day.
That behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes, rent and earth on his head.
And so it was when he came to David that he fell to the earth and did obeisance. And David said unto him.
From whence cometh down? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel, am I escaped? And David said unto him, How went the matter, I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, that the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead, and Soul and Jonathan his son are dead.
Also. And David said unto the young man that told him how.
Knowest thou that?
Find him. He saw me and called unto me, and I answered him. Here am I.
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said unto me again, Stand, I, pray thee upon me.
And slay me, for anguish is come upon me.
Because my life is yet in me. So I stood upon him and slew him here, this young Amalekite.
Tells us the last words of that great king, great in stature.
And the last words are these, Stand I pray Thee upon me, and slay me, for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
Oh, it's the saddest picture. You know, he tried to commit suicide and it was fatal, so he asked an Amalekite to finish the job.
Oh, what a sad picture. And what a picture of the flesh. Because I do believe that in the Amalekite.
And in Amalek and you can follow this all through scripture, we have a type.
Of the flesh has taken over by Satan.
Because the Lord swore that he would have war with Amalek from generation to generation. I think it's Exodus 17. And that is a lesson that God gives us, that there's always going to be battle.
By God himself against the flesh that is in US.
Wasn't so here it's the flesh against the flesh, and it's just death. There's going to be death to it in the end anyway.
So here we have this awful lesson in soul as to the flesh, the natural man, the flesh profiteth nothing. We are continually to learn this very important thing.
So we'll go now to David and get something very, very much brighter in back in First Samuel chapter 17, that chapter where he slays the giant, you know.
That young man, David, we find his life begins quite well, and of course it ends well also. But we don't speak about some of the things in David's life tonight. We're talking now about the first words that they utter and the last words they utter. What is so important is the end of a thing.
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To go on steadfastly all through this race as a Christian.
Finish our course with joy. That's what God wants us to do. Surely we want it to.
Well, in the 17th chapter.
One Samuel.
David is sent down to the people there when they're cornered by the giant.
Where we just read the 26th verse. I think you know the story.
And they would speak to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying.
So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
Well, there was a great reward promised for the man that would deliver Israel from their enemy, this giant Goliath. And these words of David are the very first ones we hear from his mouth. We must read it again in the 26th verse. What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach from Israel?
For who is this uncircumcised uncircumcised ballista that he should defy the army's of the living God?
He takes God into account right at the beginning, right in the first words, the utters.
He says to you Israelites, why these are the armies of the living God? Why be afraid of one giant?
Faith to start with faith in God, we find that he had come from keeping the sheep. He had come from keeping the sheep to be there to.
To go down there to combat that giant.
Maybe we ought to read the next verse here, Eliab the elder brother, verse 28. He is, you might say, jealous and a little bit angry with his brother. He's older than David, and he speaks roughly to him.
When and alive his eldest brother heard, when he spake unto the men, and alive anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why Kemest out down hit her? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? We wanted to read this. This tells us where David came from.
He wasn't looking for ***** no, he was keeping sheep. He was already a shepherd. Oh, to have a shepherd's heart. This is the training that God gave David, a man after his own heart. And oh, for a shepherd's heart. To look out for the young amongst us, to seek their good. This is a wonderful thing.
Look at verse 34.
David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep.
Well, there are a few here that we might notice besides that verse 15.
David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep.
Verse 20 David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep.
With a keeper, there's still others. What a lesson we have in David as to the sheep, as to who the sheep belonged to. They were his father's sheep. That's what we have here.
One day down in.
Bolivia, The town where Bob and Barbara Ann live. Montero.
When the work was very new there, some 1618 years ago, I visited for the first time and there's a brother there named Avellino Chavi still there. He was one of the early brothers to come in there and seek to care for the sheep. Our brethren, their young, young brothers they were at that time. Oh, the work of the Lord is so interesting, you know.
In that town, it just seemed God singled out boys. I'll call them boys or young men about 15 years of age.
I think there were a dozen of them were saved right there at that time, young men.
And there were cults. Or sex, I should say.
Of Christians in their gathering together, their congregations and one of them knew Avelino and was a little bit distressed that Avelino was in town knowing Avelino's faithfulness in the gospel and so on and he was afraid of the little congregation he was gathering together in this sect and he.
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He met Avelino on the street one day and he said to him, What are you doing over here? Trying to steal some of my sheep.
And Avelina looked at him and said.
Whose sheep are they? I thought they belonged to the Lord.
He was calling my sheep, you see.
Well, there's a difference. They belong to the Lord. David kept his father's sheep.
Well, David's first words are just lovely. He takes God into consideration and why should this Philistine defy the armies of the living God? Now we want to get his last words in Second Samuel.
23.
They're very lovely too.
Second Samuel 23 and verse one.
The second Samuel 23 verse one. Now these be the last words of David.
David, the son of Jesse, said. And the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob.
And the sweet psalmist of Israel said.
The Spirit of the Lord speak by me, and His word was in my tongue.
The God of Israel said the rock of Israel speak to me.
He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God, and He shall be as the light of the morning when the sun rises, even a morning without clouds, as the tender grass bringing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God, yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant.
Ordering all things and sure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire, although he maketh not to grow.
Well, a lovely ending of the conversation that comes from.
David.
Just beautiful this is. He says the spirit of the Lord. Speak by me. You'll find in the book of Acts that David is called a prophet, and indeed he wants.
The whole of the Book of the Psalms, or five books, are prophetic.
And.
He when he talks to solemnly his Son and gives him the pattern of the temple, he says I received it by the Spirit, and that's what he's saying here. The spirit of the Lord spake by me. His word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said the rock, who's the rock? And Corinthians, 1St Corinthians 10. It says they drank of that rock which followed them, and that rock was right.
Yes, Christ is the rock.
The rock of our salvation.
Going on in the third verse, he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God.
You know that man hasn't come yet. He's coming. He's coming.
Isaiah 32 one, behold, a king shall reign in righteousness. We won't get a righteous reign until that king comes. It's because of that we get the overturning out here in the nation. Don't worry about the next political election. Leave it in God's hands. He'll take care of it. He'll put his men up there until he gets his mind there and we'll he'll just keep overturning. You'll find it in Ezekiel 21. I will overturn, overturn, overturn until.
Who's right it is and I will give it in Christ is going to get the throne of the earth. It will be taken away from the Gentiles. Meanwhile, it's the times of the Gentiles and we are heavenly people are just to go on in our course, beginning by taking the gospel, finishing. How I hope it's a bright ending for all of us, just to go on steadily and waiting for this man.
Who will bring a just rule to the earth? Well, he shall be as the light of the morning.
When the sun rises, even a morning without clouds, this for the Christian, will be the Lord's coming.
That bright day, although we meet him on the cloud.
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These are just typical terms. The clouds of the trouble on the earth will all be gone.
No more troubles in that day when the Lord comes.
Well, now let's go to the New Testament, to John's Gospel, chapter 12.
And get a few lessons from the New Testament.
The first one we're going to use is that notable Judas Iscariot.
Now you know that this is not going to be very bright, but we need to get the other side of the picture and to learn a little bit what brought in Judas's downfall in the 12Th chapter of John.
After Mary had anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. In verse four it says Then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him. Why was not this ointment sold for 300?
And given to the poor. Here are the first words that we read in the Bible that were spoken by Judas. Don't they signal his course?
The love of money is a root of all evil.
Our brother Brown that some of us remember chapter Brown remarked about Judas. You know, it was prophesied that there was going to be a Judas, something like this, which has helped me ever since to understand the case of Judas. He said there had to be a Judas, but Judas didn't have to be that Judas. He made himself a candidate for it. That's what we get here. Oh, this is so sound we.
The solemn side of this truth too, that we begin our course. Well, if you don't begin it, you won't finish it.
I don't believe Jodis had any beginning. Of course he did not. As a man of faith, he loved money.
And he shows it right here.
He didn't say that because he loved the poor.
Going on reading it here in the sixth verse, this he said not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief.
He was a thief at the start.
He had the bag and beer that was put therein. Now go to Matthew 26 and we'll get his last words.
And they come in the 49th verse.
And he comes up to betray the Lord.
And says.
Forthwith when he came to Jesus, Jesus.
Forthwith he came to Jesus and said, Hail Master.
And kissed him.
And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?
And there's no answer.
There's no answer.
He was like that man in Matthew.
Well, I think it's 22 you can look it up. That came into the wedding garment without a wedding feast and the master of the feast came and said to him whence Camest out in hit her and he was speechless. He had no answer.
People brazenly talk about replying to God when they meet him at the judgment seat, but not one of them will have a word to say.
This gives the account not a word to say. No, you give your account to God now.
Well, what a warning in the Gospel.
Well, it's better to pass on from.
Judas Iscariot to.
Luke 5 and get something that's bright again connection I believe with Peter.
Luke 5 and verse 5.
We get the first words of Peter.
The Lord had come and he had, he told Peter in Vermont. Into the deep and let down your Nets for a draft.
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Luke 5 verse five. And Simon answering, said unto him, Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing. Nevertheless that thy word I will let down the net.
Now that's this plural in verse four, but Peter answers the Lord and said.
Well, we're pretty good fishermen. We know how to fish. We've been out there all night and haven't caught anything. But if you say so, we'll let down one net. And then he got it so full he was astounded. You see, the Lord really reached Peter's heart through this. He didn't turn the Lord down, but he he didn't fully obey him. This is the beginning of Peter.
And he does listen to the Lord, but he doesn't fully believe him until he gets his eyes open.
Now let's go to Acts 15 and get his last spoken words, and then we'll possibly get.
His last written words.
The last spoken words are in Acts 15.
And the 11Th verse, and it's in connection with the solution to the question of whether the agendas are going to be put under the law of Moses.
Down at Antioch and Peter makes a wonderful statement here.
Now we should read verses 10 and 11.
Acts 1510 Now therefore white, empty God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we, that's the Jews were able to bear, But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we we Jews shall be saved, even as you Gentiles.
This is wonderful to think that Peter brings this out so clearly in his last spoken words and he's talking about grace.
And he's talking about the way of salvation, and it's the common salvation. The Jew is going to be saved today, has to take the same ground as a Gentile and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved by grace through faith. So he's talking about salvation in his last spoken words. Let's go to his last written words in Second Peter chapter 4.
Chapter 3 There's only three chapters.
Two Peter, Chapter 3.
And the last verse.
Peter, 318.
Now Peter says, but grow in grace.
And in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to Him.
Be glory both now and forever. Amen. What a beautiful ending.
To his book. What a lovely ending to his spoken word, that dear Apostle Peter.
He fumble around, made mistakes like all of us, but oh so often he was right too. And what a beautiful ending he had. Better is the ending of a thing than the beginning thereof.
Now we'll go to Paul to conclude our remarks tonight. And in Acts 9, we get the beginning here.
As you all perhaps know.
He was that persecutor.
Going to distant cities to apprehend and to.
Hailed to prison men and women who were Christians. If you know I'd been living over there in Damascus in those days, we would have been in danger from the soul of Tarsus.
And the Lord met him and smote him down to the earth.
Verse four. He found to the earth, heard a voice saying unto him, Saul.
So why persecutest thou me? He said. Who art thou, Lord?
These are the first words we get in Scripture from the lips of Saul.
Who art thou, Lord? Do you know who the Lord is? He found out that day. He was a converted man from that moment on.
Nice beginning he had. He's a pattern to those which should hereafter believe. That's the way you get saved. You just speak to Jesus and known him as Lord. That's what he's in effect doing. And he learned who the Lord was and he got the truth of the church and embryo here too.
Now we will go to.
Acts 28 in the last verse to get the last words that we know that he spoke orally.
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Then we will go to the second epistle of Timothy in his last written words.
I want to bring in this end of acts because it.
It's it's lovely too.
And verse 28.
Paul says, Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent under the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. That's his last spoken words we know of, and the book ends with preaching and teaching. A lovely ending to what came out of his mouth. Now let's see what he says when he finished his last epistle. We believe the second Timothy.
And it's a real lesson for us who are Christians to learn these things.
As to finishing our course?
In Two Timothy 4, verse 20, he leaves.
Triumph of us sick, although he had power to heal.
There was no apparent purpose in healing this dear brother for the Apostle.
But he's thoughtful of the Saints.
And I like this next expression. Do thy diligence to come before winter.
If you have been in 18 and 20° below 0 weather, you know what winter is when the winds blowing. I hear you had a little winter here last December, but very mild compared to some parts of the country. Well, it just shows us that God is mindful of our comfort. But I think it's a typical thing and I think it speaks to us in the gospel. You're going to be saved. You've got to come before the winter of God's judgment fall.
Now is the summer when the gospel is going forth.
This is grace and the winner of judgments coming. So the Gospels in this verse. Then he goes on, says Eubulus greeteth thee, and Prudence and Lydon and Claudia and all the brethren he's taking note of very special.
Names here in his love for the Saints. He loved them personally.
And sends greetings. Then he ends his book. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy Spirit. Oh, what a charge to us, even the spirit in which we live, and in which we walk with our brethren. Is it that that Spirit that was manifested by Christ?
Are we known as Christians?
Paul knew who they were. When he was persecuting them, he sought them out. They were behaving like Christians.
And could be found now he ends up and says, the Lord Jesus Christ be with thy Spirit, the very spirit in which we behave.
And he finally says, Grace be with.