Address—A.C. Hayhoe
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Last evening we endeavored to trace through the pages of the Old Testament something of a wondrous desire of the heart of God for the company of His people. Oh, I hope something of this stirred within our hearts as we share that hour together.
Never, never to forget that this desire originated in the heart of God and that His purposes will not be frustrated. No matter how sadly we have failed, no matter how vigorously the enemy has tried to rob him of the fulfillment of that purpose, yet the purpose remains, and it will be fulfilled.
And as we came toward the end of the Old Testament, we found a little remnant if we not having returned from captivity.
Having built the House of the Lord and having had their hearts encouraged by the wonderful words of Haggai the prophet, that threefold resource which was intended to gladden their hearts and give them courage, and then they're pointing onwards to the promise.
That the latter glory would be greater than the former.
If we had turned to the very last book of the Old Testament, we would have found there that Jehovah looked down upon that very company and found that there had crept in among them a coldness and indifference, a carelessness, and beloved brothers and sisters, as we read the word of God tonight.
Let's bow our heads and admit that this is true.
And I can only lay my hand upon my heart. He loves me, He loves you. But forgetfulness of His love has crept into our poor hearts. We notice in the opening words of the very last book of the Old Testament.
The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you.
Set the Lord. Those words are particularly dear to my heart because I remember long ago searching that word love in the Old Testament.
I discovered I know you have enjoyed the same, but it's mentioned for the very first time in connection with Abraham.
With these words, take now thy son, thy only son Isaac, who thou lovest and offer him up for burnt off. The preeminence of love in all of the Bible is the love in the heart of that father toward his only Son, whom he's about to lay on the altar of sacrifice.
Or how beautifully it points to that preeminent love of all, the love in the heart of God toward His own beloved Son. And yet He sent that Son to Calvary for you and me. And the second mention of loving all the Bible is a lot of that very same son.
Having been received back again from the dead in pictures, and he takes to himself a bride, Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her, for how beautiful is the picture. The second mention of love in all the Bible is the sun having been laid on the altar of sacrifice. Having been received back again takes a bribe, and you love that bride.
Oh, there we find the love that so stirs our hearts.
A lot is not part of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who loved his pride and gave himself that he might enjoy her affections and her love for all eternity. And I remember as I traced it, I thought to myself, I wonder where I will find the last mention of love in the Old Testament. Well, I was too pessimistic to think about Malachi. I thought, I know I won't find it there because Israel had by that time.
So far dishonored the Lord, so far departed from his ways. So I won't find mention of love there. But where will I find it? Well, I better start at Malachi and I'll go back and see where I find it first. And I started at Malachi and I just choked up as I read that. The very last message to the very last prophet. Go and tell them.
I still love them. And what do they say? Wherein hast thou loved us? That was their response.
All beloved, when I come to the end of the Old Testament and I see that love so coldly rejected, I think I would naturally say to myself, what I'm going to do, Is God going to give up? Is he going to say, if I can't get any better response than this, I'm not going to display my love any further? Turn to Matthew love.
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Matthew One, verse 23.
Be fully virgin, shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.
Isn't that wonderful God with us after all those centuries of man's cold ignoring of God's love, turning away bail Ashtaroth idols of all kinds, and he pleads with them, with one prophet after another.
And it seems to be of no avail. And at last God comes down in the person of his well beloved side, and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ we see those words fulfilled. Emmanuel, God with us. Why did He do this?
You know the answer. It was that love that would not be turned aside, that love that still yearn over 4 fallen sons of Adam. If he comes personally, he comes, and there in Bethlehem lies God, manifest in the flesh, here to display before men the wonder of that love, not only to tell it out, but to display it.
Deeds of kindness and miracles of love. And truly, that heart was displayed before men, displayed in a wonder of love that thrills us as we read again and again through the Oscars.
Will you turn off me please to Matthew 6?
Matthew 16.
Or in outlining in the New Testament the desire and the purpose of the heart of God to enjoy the company of His people. I believe we'll find it focused particularly in this wonderful provision that was so dear to His heart that you and I, by the grace of God and joy, that is the truth of the church.
The wonder of the Lord Jesus.
In the midst of his people here in Matthew, he says in verse 18 and chapter 16 And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church at the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Aren't those wonderful words?
Upon this rock I will build. My church at the gates of hell shall not prevail. Against it I will build. He does not say I have built, nor does he say I am building. But he points ahead to that which is future, that which had not yet begun. He says I will build what?
My church. Now we may go into this a little more fully as we go through the pages of the New Testament.
But here we notice when it's mentioned for the very first time, what does he call it?
My church? Isn't that something very, very wonderful? Whose church is this?
Who is the builder who claims it as his own Emmanuel, God with us, whose name was chosen before ever he was conceived in the world? Jesus.
Oh, feel Well, it is a joy in my heart to look at you tonight and realize that each and everyone of you, sheltered by the precious blood of Christ, constitutes a living stone in this church, so dear to His heart that as we shall find presently, He gave Himself for it. Oh, I tell you, that's a wonderful.
Precious reality. It is not just simply a point of doctrine to be read and then forgotten.
I was visiting some time back.
With a very dear brother in Christ.
I'm glad to say that every time we treat it was brother and Angel Brother Warren. He was a minister of a sizable church in our town. He really loved the Lord very dear. A born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And one day I was visiting with him in his thoughts adjoining the church.
And as we were chatting, he said to me, by the way, that little he hesitated. That little church that you go to on George St. What church is that anyway? And I said, Brother Ward, you and I belong to the same church. I belong to the same church you do. He looked quite taken aback. And then he all of a sudden smiled.
Oh, I know what you mean. I said, Brother Ward, What do I mean? He said, well, you probably referred to that church that is spoken of in the Bible that cuts across the bounds of all denominations. I said to him, Brother Ward, is there any other?
Now he's just kind of squirmed around it and changed the subject.
May I ask that question tonight? I will build my church. Are you part of that church? Of course you are. You are a living stone in that church if you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. And I simply ask the question, is there any other? It's true that the imagination of the hand of man has changed and has to the precious beautiful.
Left which we find in the Word of God. I am a living stone in the Church of God, and so is every other redeemed believer on the face of the earth. From every kindred and tongue, and people and nation, those stones are being gathered together to be formed into an inhabitation of God through the Spirit. And here before ever it began the Lord Jesus with delight.
Mentions I will build.
My church, well, some people of course reading this say well.
Doesn't this rock refer to Saint Peter? And of course, reading this verse, we might have casual reading think, well, it could, you know it could. But suppose we turn to a couple of witnesses, that we turn to 1St Corinthians.
First Corinthians chapter 3, verse 11.
What other foundation can no man lay? Then that is lay which is Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of this church, which is spoken of in the Word of God as my Church, the words of the Lord Jesus.
None other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
This is the testimony of the Apostle Paul, who was caught up to the 3rd heaven in order that he might receive that glorious revelation, that you and I might know the manager of this church so dear to the heart of the lower field. If we were to turn over also the first Peter chapter 2, we would find the testimony of the very one to whom these words were addressed in Matthew 16.
First, Peter.
Chapter 2.
First quarter to whom coming as under a living stone disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. He also has lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture. Behold, I lay inside a chief cornerstone elect.
And he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded Under you, therefore, which believe, He is precious, but none of them which be disobedient. The stone which the builders disallow, the same is made the head of the corner. To whom does Peter point as the chief cornerstone? To whom does Paul point as the foundation? None other than the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, what a grand thing it is to know that the desire of the heart of God, of the Lord Jesus Christ is fulfilled in the forming of this which He speaks of in Matthew 16. I will build my church. I'm going to mention something now, and I may repeat it more than once before the evening is over. This can be.
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To you and me.
Either a theory or a very precious reality.
Now that dear man that I was speaking to.
Knew full well the things that I'm telling you. He knew that if he inspired, tells us Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. And he wouldn't waste time trying to argue that that referred to the Church of which he was an ordained minister. Oh no. He quickly recognized and freely admitted that this referred to as sort of.
Theoretical Church.
That crossed the boundaries of all denominations. All my heart is stagnant, beloved, when I see that around me continually. This is only a theory. This need have no present claim over you or me. It's only a theory. Let's make our own arrangements. All the love of the heart of God is great when we speak that way.
The heart of the Lord Jesus is saddened when men speak this way.
I address myself to the husbands who are present tonight.
And I'm going to ask you a strange question. Do you know where your marriage certificate is?
I won't ask you answer, but I wonder how many husbands here know where your marriage certificate is and when did you last look at it?
We probably don't know where it is and you wonder when you last looked at it. Well, I'll ask you this is it to you. A piece of paper with a few words and a few signatures, and that's all it can be put out of sight and forgotten. It need have no blame upon you. It's only a piece of paper with a few names. It's only a theory. It really doesn't have any claim on you. Or does it?
So you say. Indeed it does.
It has brought us into a relationship that has meant a great deal and means more and more all the time. Am I speaking the truth? You husbands know that I speak the truth, and I know, I know that your heart will be very, very green if your wife treated it merely as a piece of paper, as a theory that had no claim ever upon her.
Oh, how sad of you or I would be if such were the case.
We have up there in the glory the one who was. He was yet here said, I will build my church, and as we go on with the subject, we will find how costly, how dear, how precious it was to heal. Why so precious? All because it afforded him with joy and privilege of being in the midst of His own. It unfortunately joy of looking forward to the moment when He will have united to Himself in the glory.
That church for which he gave himself. How dare I or anyone else treat this as a theory that needs have no claim whatever upon me. There are two ways in which my wife publicly proclaims her relationship to me. One is he wears a ring whereby anyone will recognize a married lady. But that ring wouldn't tell anyone to whom she belongs, it would identify her as.
The married lady thank you enough to sort of ask her her name.
What? She hesitate, which he fumble and say, well, it's kind of a queer name.
Or would she gladly say my name is Missus Hackel, that's all she needs to say. And you would promptly say, oh, I now know the name also of your husband, the one who loved you and chose you to be his wife.
What a privilege. What a privilege, I say.
To be gathered to the main and around the personal high, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A despised privilege. Yes, I know it is because it doesn't honor man at all. It only honors him who loved us and went to Calvary to redeem us.
But don't you really walk through him? Now? How would I feel?
My wife hesitated a moment and said, well I, I'm Mrs. Smith 1St and I'm Mrs. Halo second. I would be very disappointed. Or even if she put it the other way around and said, well I Missus Hale 1St and Mrs. Smith second. I heard people talk that way when perhaps they realize the action that I would like to hear them give. They say, well I'm a Christian first and a so and so 2nd and they will identify one of these names that men delight to honor.
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That really honor our Lord Jesus. Oh, what else can we say but to say I belong to the one who loved me, who died to redeem me, and I am gathered to his precious name alone. Let's turn just briefly to Matthew 18, verse 20.
This verse was gone into a happy detail back to the meetings in Regina, but I would like to read it after 18 verse 24 where two or three are gathered together in my name.
There and I in the midst of them. Isn't that most delightful? Two or three? Why doesn't the Scripture say two or more?
Have you ever heard of that before? It says two or three as much as to say that it is that the light of the heart of the Lord Jesus to be her. Even two or three are gathered together. More than three is something most delightful to see. But he didn't say two or more, as though it would be natural and expected that there would be great crowds right down to the minimum #2.
Oh no, he says. Two or three.
And leaves it at that. But I want to tell you that I know you've experienced it too, that when you sit down to remember the Lord Jesus and there are but literally two or three, you feed yourself disappointed. Do you feel as though you're missing something? I think everyone here who has had that experience will just say there's something so special. There's something so precious and wonderful about being where 2.
Are gathered around the first under the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ to feel that he wants his delight in being there all what a joy. I want to add this thought, brethren, because it's so dear to my heart. If your heart feels gladdened.
Privilege of being where He is given it. If your heart is stirred with joy because you know that He has gathered around himself, remember that His joy far exceeds your own. You remember those words in Hebrews chapter 2. In the midst of the church, will I say praise under Thee Now I read that often and thought of it. Oh, what a privilege to be around the Lord Jesus and to sing.
Raises In the midst of the church, will I sing praise under thee? But that's not what it's really saying. If you leave the context, you'll find that it's the Lord Jesus Christ himself who is speaking there. Not me, not Paul. In the midst of a congregation, the church will I, the Lord Jesus, sing praise unto thee, my God, my Father.
His doing, yes. His singing, yes. What brings about that joy, that song? The joy of being surrounded by his own. It's such a joy to his heart that he, the Lord Jesus, sings for very gladness of heart in the midst of the church. Will I, the Lord Jesus, sing praise unto me, as you know, dear brother, dear sister, that you bring joy to his heart.
You remember when the Queen of Sheba came to visit King Solomon, she stood in admiration at the privilege of those who were there before him, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, the meat of his table, his cup bearers. Let's pause there for a moment. His.
Cut there.
The Queen of Sheba watched them with admiration, and her admiration is recorded in a word of God. Why are the cup bearers singled out? Because it was their privilege to present to King Solomon that which was a picture of joy.
That which was intended to gladden the heart of so great a man as Solomon, the king. Oh, and the queen of Sheba saw this. She looked upon him and said, happy, are these by him? Oh, a privilege to be a cup bearer to King Solomon, to present to him that picture of joy. Now, dear brother, I'm going to make this personal, dear sister.
This can be your privilege. Can you? Can I be a cup bearer?
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To the King of Kings, yes I can. Can I bring to him that which will gladden his heart? Yes I can. Do you know that as you leave your hope and come to share in the joy and privilege of being gathered around himself?
That in itself brings joy to him.
Just to see you here, gladden his heart with joy.
May I use an illustration? My father never spoke very much about the recording days, but I remember he did tell us that years ago in Toronto when he was visiting Irene, who became his wife and my mother. I think about two evenings a week he used to share the joy of walking from his home, which was quite a long way over to her home.
It was no other way of getting there in those days but.
And he did tell us that one night as he opened the door to go out, there was a howling Blizzard flow. Yes, they had blizzards in Toronto as well as in Saskatchewan. So what did he do? Oh, I think I'll stay home tonight. No, he didn't. And he pulled his hat down tighter, had a scarf around his neck, put his hands deeply down in his pockets and took off the visit. Irene.
And when he got there, he said I knocked at the door and I reopened the door and she took one look at me and said.
Harry, I didn't think you'd come to see me on a night like this, he said some. That was about the happiest evening we ever spent together. He didn't give me any more detail than that, but I think you know what he meant.
All she thought is Harry would come to spend an evening with me through a Blizzard like that. I know he must love me and remember this dear brother and sister, remember of a prayer meeting.
On five a leading night.
He loved your company. Yes, he does. You know, my father said one time he met my brother who had not come to Beans for a long time. And when my father went to visit him, he said, look, I can enjoy the Word just as much at home as I can in the meeting. My father said. Not all of it, brothers. Yes, I can, brother Hagel. I can enjoy my Bible just as much at home as I can in the meeting. Not all of it, brother. Yes, I can enjoy all of it right here at home, father.
Brother, can you sit at home and enjoy that verse, not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together? His head went down. He had to admit that he couldn't stay home and enjoy that. And I want to say this, did you want to be a cup bearer for the King of Kings?
What a privilege, what a privilege 7 days in the week. I will admit you can enjoy the wonder of His company, you can give Him the joy of your company, but there is something special about being where He is in the midst. If you were to think back to Calgary, we find those very words used what we might have on either side, one or two manufacturers and Jesus.
In the midst of the Spirit of God chose that word in order. I believe that it might stand out in our memory. And I look back and you look back to Calvary and you're saying I was one of those.
Who would ascribe to the Lord Jesus that very treatment? My heart is no better. My heart is no different. I was numbered among those who would see Him in the midst of this world's manufacture and approve of it. But then we turn and look in the future, and we think of Revelation 5, where we read of the worshipping host of heaven. And what do we find in the midst? A Lamb. And it had been slain. Now I ask you.
What would you think of me if I look back to Calvary?
And I said, I'm so glad that he took my place in the midst of those manufacturers and there died for me. And I'm so glad that in the coming day when he's in the midst of the worshipping host of Adam, that I'll be there tumbled among them. But I don't know that I'm very greatly interested in being here. He is in the midst here on the way home. Or wouldn't that be a strange attitude?
And then when I turn to John chapter 20 and I see him with the cross on his back.
And he has been tried before, Pilot. And the Scripture says He bearing his cross, went forth out of a place called Golgotha. And you read that, and I know your soul says, I'm glad He went forth for me. And then he turns around, and he says, Let us go forth therefore unto him again. What would you think of me if I said, Oh, I'm so glad that He went forth for me, if he.
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So I would have been lost forever. I don't know that I want to go for him. For him. There's reproach involved. To bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone brings reproach. I know it does. Precious privilege. That's what it is, precious privilege. You'll never be able to make up for it. When you reach home, you remember Mary took a pound of ointment and poured it upon the Lord Jesus. And what is said about that boy? It was very.
It could have been sold for 300 pence, one year's wages.
And the perfume of that white country filled the house, and stirred the soul of Jesus, as he experienced the tenderness of that love. But do you remember after it was too late, till I put it that way, Nicodemus came along with 100 pounds, 100 lbs. What does the Scripture say about it? Nothing.
No mention of how costly nor how beautiful was the odor of those perfumes. He was dead. Mary brought it while he was yet alive. Nicodemus brought 100 times as much after he was dead. Beloved brothers and sisters, to know the wonder of his love who died, that he might be redeemed, is so precious. And we're going to see his face in a coming day, and our hearts are going to overflow in gladness.
But are we going to be able to look down the little sign that was entrusted to us here?
And have him say, I remember the the kindness of volume, the love of our espousal. For now it is after me in the wilderness. I'm quoting from Jeremiah 2 verse two. Oh, what a day that will be when you and I see the Lord Jesus.
And he remembers, and tells us that he remembers any little responsible part to the tenderness of his love, and to the privilege of his own most faithful providing. Could we turn please to Ephesians chapter 5?
Verse 25.
Husbands loved your wives, even as Christ also loved the church. Here it is again in the singular, the church and gave himself for it. Isn't that wonderful language? I remember years ago in Montreal, our brother James Mark Hill spoke about this verse. I think paused when he came to those words.
Gave himself, he said. I believe that means his whole being.
Went into that giving well, if you remember, brother, they are killed. You will remember that there was an illustration with every point rather in elaborate illustration. And he pictured a man reading his newspaper. And his boy came along and said that may I borrow your pen? So without looking up he continued to read and he handed his pen over to his boy. And then a little while later he wanted to make a note about something he was reading and.
With my pen.
He had given it to his son, but the giving was so casual that it scarcely registered. He soon forgot it. He said he wouldn't say that his whole being went into the act of giving that pen. But when I leave. Christ also loved the church and died for it. That would be true, but it's not what it said. Shed his blood for it. That would be true, but that's not what it says.
Gave himself precious word. I'll never fathom the death of it.
Gave himself for it.
Oh, but my heart is saddened when I think of those who live there. All this and theory dare to suggest that it need to have no claim upon us. Their love of bread and the truth of the Church is in some little measure dear to my heart. It's not a barren doctrine that we discuss and turn to a lot of scriptures to explain. It's a wonderful, precious reality of nearness, of love, of relationships and.
Unspeakable privilege.
Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. And then it's just relegated to the background, while men have asked their own ideas, their own theories, their own arrangements. If you don't like this one, try that one. If you don't enjoy that one, try another one. Whereas the Word of God presents to us.
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In all the simplicity and wonder of his own loving heart that what he has provided, and I repeat, in order that he might have the door of a company of his own.
He wants to be in the midst and He has made provisions for this to closely turn them back to First Corinthians chapter 10. And you know the short time is not possible to go through this very wonderful truth very thoroughly. But I know that practically all here are well aware of the background of what we refer to 1St Corinthians 10 verse 16.
Let's have a blessing which we bless. It is not the communion of the blood of Christ.
The bread which we break, and it's not the communion on the body of Christ.
Now perhaps it's a little surprising when we read this, the part of the cup is mentioned before the bread, and that's not the order in which we remember the Lord. Why is the cup mentioned? 1St? I believe in Doctor family reading about the Lord's Table and your privilege to be there.
What is the status of your village or mine to be there, the practice lifestyle by virtue of that shed blood and if that's location to my needy soul, I am redeemed and I am a member of the body of Christ and so is every other believer and my privilege to be at the Lord's table is one thing.
Am I a member of the voice of Christ?
Thank God I asked, and thank God you also are a member of that body. You have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in your favor. Are you then entitled to be there at the table of the Lord and lead you off? There is no other requirement but to be a member of a body press, and this comes about by accepting the Lord being of Christ as Jesus.
Now I believe that we leave elsewhere in Scripture that there are those things that would hinder and member of the volume fight from being there where he has his rightful place. You remember that in Israel every circumfined Israelite was foolish to partake of.
A Passover.
But there were a pain that caused a fire that required cleansing and those occasions where not to be treated. Likely you remember that that Israelites became defiled by anything that God called the firemen. He was not allowed because he had to go through the protesters and he might say that I'm an Israelite.
And I'm fighting today.
These older voices are no longer heard among us. You can think of many a brother who stood right here and opened up the word of God to us. They'll never be here again. They're gone, and there are among you here at Cravenette. Rejoin those who have stood for the truth over the years. And if the Lord leaves us here a little longer, they'll be gone too. But all my dear brothers, ancestors, particularly those who are yet younger, I feel absolutely.
I look at you, I'm looking at the generation that will still be here. They hear that shout. Wouldn't you like to be gathered around the person under the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ when that show comes?
Now in First Corinthians 11.
We find the actual Lord's Supper and the order of it, the breaking and the partaking of that look in remembrance of the very body of the Lord Jesus Christ given His death for us, and the partaking of that cup in remembrance of His precious blood that was shed, that we might be redeemed. You know, only once in the Bible do we find any mention of the Lord's Day.
One mention of the Lord's Table.
One mention of the Lord's Supper, the Sabbath day is repeated. I don't know how many times the Lords day, but once the Lords Table, but once the Lords Supper but once of these things are very precious to you, I hope. But they're only mentioned. Why? Why are they only mentioned once? Oh, I believe that to the the bonds of true love.
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Every request has the power of a command.
Every request just once mentioned has the power of a command.
A strange illustration but I remember some years ago I was living in a Glendale, CA. That so happens that our China where came from a factory in Glendale was given to my wife for a shower before we were married and we still have.
But she had broken a teacup as he wrote to me when I was out there in Glendale and said, my dear, if you have opportunity and are anywhere near the factory, see if you can get for me a replacement tea cup. And what would you think of me if I'd written back and said, is that a request or a comment?
She would have wondered what had happened to her husband if I asked her a question like that. I went straight to that factory the day after I got the letter and I got two production sausage and brought them home. And you know when I opened my Bible and I find one mention of the Lords day, I say what a privilege, one mention of the Lords table, I say thank God for that privilege to one mention of the Lord's Supper, shouldn't I say?
Thank God for that privilege too. He doesn't need to repeat it. He can't on our lives.
I'd like, just in a little time that remains, to ask you please, to turn to the 20th chapter of Acts, for I believe we have there a lovely little picture of the testimony from the time of Pentecost, when the church was founded.
Until the moment that we're called home.
We certainly haven't had the time to start Acts chapter 2 and go through the truth of the Church and its establishments. Others have done this, I know, and you're well acquainted with it, but I believe in Acts 20. We have an interesting picture beginning at verse 7.
And up on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached under them, ready to depart on the moral, and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Beautiful being fallen into a deep sleep. And as Paul was long preaching, he sat down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
And Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. Now permit me briefly to try to outline what I think I see in this little account. I see a picture beginning with.
A company of people well separated.
From all that was going on down there in this world, they were up there in the third lot that speaks of death and resurrection between US and all that pertains to this world, their religious world, the social world, the political world, all that's going down on down here. They were thoroughly separated from up there in the third law.
They were listening to the ministry of the Apostle Paul and they were breaking bread. Three things characterized them. Separation.
Valuing calls, particular ministry and breaking bread. And that's a happy picture. If we look our way back to that which we see in the days of the apostles, this was the picture. They were a separated company.
They value the particular ministry known as Paul's ministry, and they shared together the happy privilege of breaking bread. But what happened? Well, I was alerted in reading this by the words ready to depart on the Morrow. I thought, that's strange. Why does it say of any of us ready to depart on the moral? Why not today?
Why tomorrow?
Well, it occurred to me that this was a little miniature picture of the history of the testimony. For the Spirit of God knew a way back in that early testimony that they would not be going home that day. The Spirit of God knew that there would be a dark midnight, which we call the Dark ages. The Spirit of God knew that there would be a restoration again of the very truth and privilege that had originally been entrusted, and then we would be called home.
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Notice what happens here. Midnight comes. There is a deaf ear to the ministry of the apostle Paul. There is an interruption to the breaking of bread. There is a fall right back down to the level that has been left by faith. And now we see midnight darkness and a lifeless form back down there and the level of the world. And I believe in that. We see what's commonly called the dark apes.
It puzzled me when it said taken up there.
Paul says his life is yet in him, which was I used to puzzle over. But I believe again, as you and I think of and read about the dark ages, we would be very much inclined to say license dead. But the deserting eye of the Lord could look down and say, I can see light there. And you and I know that all through those dark ages, even though it didn't sign out in a public testimony, there was indeed life there. But then what happened?
Aren't we glad that the midnight was not the end of the story? Aren't we glad to see that original picture resumed again and accompanied back up there in that third law? All dear brethren, when we read about it, let it search our hearts. Is that where we are?
Are we willing to be separated from this poor world without its boasting and its achievement and its arrangements contrary or added to the Word of God? We belong in separation from all this. And so here we see this restored privilege. The company up there once again with an open ear and heart for the ministry and trusted to the apostle Paul. The breaking of bread mentioned again.
And this place of separation.
And what does it say anything now about tomorrow? No, just a break of day. The break of day. And they love that. That's where we are. We look back to Pentecost and we see the history fade in the darkness and we see by the grace of God, a restoration of those privileges. And here we stand. What are we waiting for? The break of day, The break of day. All heart and joy awaits us. You love it if you had crime, those flights of stairs and appeared among.
Room and said, what denomination is this? They would have looked at you in astonishment and you know that they would have said why we are believers gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And that wonderful privilege, that desire the heart of the Lord Jesus expressed in so many ways and verses in the New Testament, passed by His sovereign and Maxwell grace been restored in this very year, 1977. Fine, the privilege still granted to us of being around on the person.
And gathered under the name of our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. All beloved brothers and sisters.
Let it not simply be a form to us, let it never be, but a theory. Let it be a precious reality that grows sweeter and sweeter as the years roll by, as the break of day draws near. I just got a quote from Ephesians 4, for you know it so well there is.
One body, isn't that how wonderful truth. There are so many dear believers.
Equally dear to my heart of the Lord Jesus Christ, who do not share in the privilege of being gathered the name of the Lord Jesus. There they are here, here Yonder, varying various names, upholding and building up the systems that men have established. Are they living stones in the church? Yes, they are. Are they members of that one body? Yes they are. There is one body. But that very same chapter says to us.
Endeavoring to keep.
The unity of a spirit in the bond of peace. Now as I close, I want to use an illustration that might help us because this is a challenge to us, beloved. I think perhaps we have seen something of the truth of it in a word of God. Let the challenge of it then search our hearts. What does it mean? Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace?
You have heard this illustration. It takes a bit of imagination, I know that. Here it is.
Suppose a husband and wife have ten sons, and those ten sons always play together, plan together, work together in unbroken harmony. They never disagree, they never argue, they always get along perfectly together as your imagination. After this. And one day the father goes to the back door of his ten sons are out there in the garden, and he calls them and he.
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Son, please come in here to father. Now listen carefully. Three of those songs slowly turn and start toward the door.
And the other seven get quite disturbed and they say where are you going?
Where are your real brothers? You don't love us very much. We wouldn't walk out on us like this. We've always done everything together and now you three are going to walk out on us and break up this unity. What are the neighbors going to say? You know how they've noticed that we were always together and now you three are going to turn your backs on if you just don't love us or you wouldn't do that. Tell me now.
Would you recommend that those three should turn and say, you're right, you are our brother, we love you very much. We've enjoyed this unity. We're going to stay right here with you so that we can still all be together. Would you recommend that? I know very well you say immediately, no, that would be disobedient. What then can I do? I'll tell you what they can do. They can turn to their seven brothers and say, indeed we do.
We belong to the same family you do. You are our real brother. But we're going to obey the call of our Father. Won't you obey it too? And then we can still all be together. We intend to obey Father, won't you obey him too? And then we'll still all be together. This is endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
How do I keep it? By opening up this precious word, By bowing before it's light and its guidance.
The unity of the Spirit, that which the Spirit of God brings to us from the pages of this book that are adding to it without taking from it.
I turned my back on that because it separates me from dear brothers and sisters in crops. I dare not, I cannot. I trust I never will. I trust I'll turn to those brothers and sisters in Christ whom I love, whom he loved, who are members to get a renewal meet of the same body and say, let's all obey the call of this precious word. Let's all find ourselves gathered around the same person under the same precious name. Then we'll.
Seven, if they don't want to, if they don't accept it, what shall we do, beloved? Can't we just bow our heads and thank God for the wonder of His love And so desired our company even now that He has made this provision? And it's going to be realized what we read in Revelation 21. In closing, let's turn to it. It's too good to miss Revelation 21.
Verse 3.
This is the conclusion.
You remember where it began. Exodus 25 Let them make me a Tabernacle, that I may dwell among them. Let them make the a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. And then come century of failure, coldness, forgetfulness, disobedience.
How's it going to happen? Here it is.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, as God himself shall be with them and be their God, and lies ahead, beloved.
He's not going to be frustrated. He's going to enjoy the wonder of his beloved people. You and I are going to enjoy the wonder of it too. But I just ask you this question.
When we stand together in the presence of the Lord Jesus and see the gladness of His heart reflected in his countenance, the joy of having us around here are you, Am I going to have the memory up there in the glory? This is the one.
Around whom I was gathered in the place of his reproach. This is the name I bore when it was the name of reproach. In the world of castimony. His name shall be in their forehead up there. I wouldn't want him to have to take some other name off in order to put his name on, Would you? What name would you like to bear alone?
Oh beloved, as I see the desire of God's heart in the Old Testament.
Again, the mule in the person of his beloved Son, desiring the joy of being surrounded by his people, as I see the provision for it in the Old Testament. And again, in a closer, sweeter, costlier way, in the new. My heart is overclothed with the joy of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I pray, dear brothers and sisters, that this joy, this privilege, may never become simply accustomed or accrued to anyone.
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So that it may ever be as glad to be a light of our oxygen.