Open—L. Smith
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Turn with me, please, to John's Gospel.
End.
The 19th chapter.
As our brother Bruce was speaking, I was thinking.
Of these.
Thinking patterns and so forth that he mentioned and.
The blessedness of having divine revelation.
From the word of the living God.
In chapter 19.
Verse 30.
We find ourselves at the end.
Of the Lords.
Crucifixion.
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar.
He said.
It is finished.
And he bowed his head.
And gave up the ghost.
Another verse, he tells us.
The foxes have holes.
The birds of the air have nests that the son of man have not were to lay his head.
This isn't.
An earthly rest of sleep.
He bows his blessed head.
On his own breast.
And as a conversation on the Mount of Transfiguration.
His his decease.
Which he should accomplish.
At Jerusalem.
All of divine revelation.
Comes to a focal point.
At Calvary.
That is unequal in all of history.
Let's go to Chapter 20.
Well, perhaps chapter 19 and verse 38.
We find Joseph.
Ine.
End.
Says after this Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews.
Besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave.
He came, therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and Alice, about 100 LB weight.
Then took they the body of Jesus, and bounded in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
Knowing the place where he was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
There laid they Jesus. Therefore, because of the Jews, preparation day for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
We read in Isaiah 53 he was with the rich in his death.
So many wonderful prophecies.
That could not have been planned to be fulfilled.
By this blessed man.
No mere man could cause this to happen.
God's whole purpose is being accomplished.
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But I was on my there was on my heart particularly.
The next chapter, the first day of the week, cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark unto the sepulchre. And see if the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Then she runeth and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them.
They have taken away the Lord out of a sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
Peter therefore went forth and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
So they ran both together, and the other disciples did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulcher.
And he stooping down and looking in.
Saw the linen clothes flying yet went, he nodded.
What is happening in these hearts?
Mary Magdalene.
Peter and John.
They have one object.
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and believed.
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Then the disciples went away again under their own home.
What was it John believed?
That the body was gone.
These are.
Very important moments.
We read of the disciples. They all forsook him.
And fled.
Verse 11 but merry.
Stood without at the sepulchre, weeping.
And as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre.
And see if 2 angels in white sitting, the one at the head, the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain.
Lacey under her woman.
White weepers style.
She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
She has one object.
You could say there's a lack of.
Understanding as to what's going on.
But, beloved brethren.
She has.
The right person in view.
The heart will have nothing less than its object. What is her object? A dead Christ.
We could say that's not very intelligent.
From a Christian point of view.
But its blessed instruction to your heart and mind to say.
That heart will not settle for less than its object.
Has anyone here ever seen an Angel?
I don't think I have. I'm not aware that I have.
I've seen things happen that made me feel they were quite near.
But how does an Angel affect Mary?
Her heart says you're not my object.
Not even an Angel or two angels deters her from this.
I want Jesus, isn't that wonderful?
Is my heart like that?
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I feel the need in my own heart.
Of that.
To apprehend himself.
Do we dare do with less?
As we read his word.
And when she had thus said.
She turned herself back.
She's weeping. How much do you see when you're weeping?
You don't see very well, do you?
Things are blurry.
But she has one object in view.
She turns herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus.
Where's John and Peter?
They went home.
Perhaps they reasoned about it.
What do we do now?
We learned a little later there's really quite a bit of fear because.
Of what the Jews had done. When they do come together, they close the doors for fear.
Verse 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?
Whom?
Seekest thou?
I ask my own heart.
Would you ask yours?
Who do I seek?
She is supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir.
If thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him.
And I will take him away.
Have you ever dealt with a dead weight?
Of a human body.
Her love said this.
But that'd be pretty difficult.
For any man or woman to take a full size human being by themselves.
Deadway.
What do we learn from it? A heart that wants its object, Unintelligent it may be.
But at once, Jesus.
Let's turn to Chapter 10.
And come back to this other this same chapter.
Chapter 10 and verse four, the last five words. Read about his sheep.
They know his voice.
Verse three says.
He calleth his own sheep by name.
Back to our chapter 20 and verse 16. Jesus saith unto her.
Mary.
She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabona.
Which is to say, master.
I've heard it. Rab means teacher.
Rabbi means teacher of my mind, and rabona means master of my heart.
I don't have any way of verifying that I don't know but.
This is not used.
Maybe what this once in the scripture?
What a revelation.
This one man, if I may use Bruce's words, is going to do good.
To all that will happen.
What a revelation. Let's look briefly at.
Luke's Gospel chapter one.
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We are familiar with this portion, I trust.
There's an old man.
A priest who goes into the temple.
To offer incense at the hour of incense.
And he's been praying for years.
For a son.
And now he's very old. His wife is barren. Verse 7.
Both smell well stricken in years.
And verse 11 There appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord.
Standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zechariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
You know when Mary saw those angels?
Her object is so much the Lord Himself.
You don't read of fear there.
Isn't that amazing?
Those mighty beings are.
Is it miracles?
Is it having life the way you were used to it?
Or is my object.
Jesus, this man is told verse 13. Fear not Zechariah, for thy prayer is heard. Thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John, and thou shalt have joy and gladness.
Many shall rejoice at his birth, for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord.
Well, we know the rest of the story. How Zacharias?
Didn't believe it and we got a rebuke from the Angel.
And the point I want to make is this.
For nine months, this man could not speak.
Can imagine.
How to use the expression the gears turned in his head.
And he had to write notes.
Annette Hart.
Watched as his wife.
Pregnancy.
Waxed greater and greater.
In his heart began to believe.
In ways that maybe he hadn't for some time, but after nine months of silence.
You just see praise and prophecy. That is amazing.
Wonderful.
If I didn't say that right, I'm sorry. I'm not sure how I said it, but anyway.
Here in chapter 20 I was thinking how you get a deaf situation with echoes.
They're both advanced in age and God brings life out of death.
In our chapter in verse 16.
Jesus has been down into death, many deaths.
And now there's a bursting forth with life and life and immortality through the gospel, like it was never ever known to man and is yet proclaimed today.
When he says and she says.
For she says.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not.
You see this?
Precious soul, though unintelligent in apprehending the situation, she has the right object.
And.
But she's touching him and he says don't go on touching me.
I'm not ascended to my father, but.
Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your father.
And to my God and your God.
What a revelation.
All that Zachariah said in Luke the earlier chapters.
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You know, this is such a tremendous thing.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, has had that sword go through her own soul.
She's not the Mary here. Isn't that amazing?
Who's Mary Magdalene?
What's why is she getting this?
Direct divine revelation.
Of the resurrected Lord.
Because of heart.
It's not the mind that's at work.
It's the heart that will have nothing less than Jesus.
For its enjoyment.
And that's my need.
That's your need. This blessed man has just broken the power of the grave.
Completely.
Verse 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and he had spoken these things unto her.
What a precious revelation.
Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews.
Came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.
Then said Jesus unto them again, Peace be unto you.
As my Father hath sent me, Even so send I you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive the Holy Ghost.
How wonderful.
This divine revelation, this breaking of the power.
Of the grave, you know, in Luke chapter 8.
It speaks of the woman that followed him.
It says I think in verse 3.
Certain women out of whom he had cast out of Let's read it. I don't remember the exact words. Luke chapter 8.
Verse 2.
We'll read from verse one. And it came to pass afterward that he went throughout every city and village preaching and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God. And the 12 were with him, and certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Mary Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils.
It's interesting that in other gospels it says out of whom are cast.
Seven devils.
In this gospel it says they went out.
You know when the heart and even in verse Chapter 7, the woman of the city that was a Sinner was likely Mary Magdalene.
So occupied with that one who was so good.
The Devils could not feel at home.
They had to leave.
Is Jesus your object?
Is Jesus my object?
Mary at his grave would have nothing less than himself.
If we turn to.
First Peter chapter one.
Inverse.
Tim speaks of.
The salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand? The sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, under whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you.
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With the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which things the angels.
Desire to look into.
We read in Hebrews that they are ministering spirits sent forth on account of those that shall inherit salvation.
They're learning as they observe the redeemed.
The power of the message of the gospel. Think of those two angels sitting there at the head and the feet of where Jesus body had lain.
And they are observing a human heart.
So broken that we have no one but Jesus for its object.
Are they observing that in my heart today? In your heart today, God delights to reveal Himself.
In his sun to your heart and mine.
Let our affections be warmed and filled.
With what is so real, you think of it at his birth, suddenly there's a heavenly host.
Crazy they had never seen their creator before.
He was a spirit, but there's suddenly a little baby in a Manger.
And the heaven is filled with heavenly ghosts. And here at the grave.
Where you'd say, oh, this is so hopeless coming to a grave.
No it wasn't. Not this grave.
You know, when I think of the many dear Saints we've.
Laid their remains to rest.
I couldn't help feel the need of meditating a little on this portion.
Hear.
Where the heart gets filled.
Directly with.
The person of the Lord Jesus in resurrection life.
Death's power is broken. Let's look at another verse in Revelation 1.
Verse 5.
From Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness.
And the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.
And hath made us kings and priests under God and his Father, to whom be glory.
And dominion, forever and ever.
Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him.
And all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen.
This victorious man.
All what He's done for you and I who know him as Savior and Lord.
Verse 17.
John writes and when I saw him.
I fell at his feet as dead.
And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not.
Back in John 20 we had there are various. Fear not at least two. I am 1St and the last.
I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.
And have the keys of hell and of death.
Ephesians, chapter one.
The victor has risen.
He has the keys.
Of hell and death.
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Ephesians 1.
In verse 17, Paul's prayer.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling.
Brother Bob touched that.
Today, And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints.
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us? Would who believe?
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named.
Not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
The death of Christ, many deaths.
There on Calvary's cross, he bore my sins. He was.
He had to go into death for me. I hope each one in this room can say that personally. Jesus had to go into death for me.
That I might be delivered.
That power in verse 19 and 20 included the resurrection of any believer that needs it.
The power was so great.
It reaches into those graves.
In fact, it'll empty every grave.
He breaks Death's power soul.
Triumphantly.
Heart and your heart.
Have that purpose.
To say I will have nothing less.
Then thee, Lord Jesus.
I don't want to settle for less than apprehending thy person.
As I read.
They were as I said.
Around thy table as I partake of those emblems.
I want to apprehend the.
Mary's heart.
Saw him.
She doesn't use his name when she answers the angels.
She just says.
I know not worthy of laid him.
It's wonderful.
And to that heart he reveals himself.
May it be so with each one here.
And as you.
Saints of God, leave these meetings.
I believe He would covet for each of our hearts His words.
To His disciples in the 21St verse of John 20.
Peace be unto you.
He had showed them his hands and his side.
And then there is this, as my Father hath sent me.
Even so, send I you.
Sometimes we get up in the morning and it's kind of like a daily grind.
But how sweet those moments, those mornings when you have a sense in the soul.
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From himself.
As my father had sent me.
So I send you.
To grade school.
To high school, to college, to business, to farming, to motherhood.
The home keeping.
To whatever your calling is.
How elevating to hear from himself.
As my father has sent me, so send I you.
He seated at the Father's right hand. He's waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool, and he's waiting.
For his bride, and we certainly say Even so, come.
Lord Jesus.
Convert 37 in the appendix.
M37 in the back of the book.
The Lord of life is raised.
And as I am all.
Done today.
I'm staying with him, I pray.