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General Meetings Wheaton, August 1976 Last Reading Meeting.
I lost my heart. I'm sorry.
Woe sunshine.
13 and 17.
Gabriel, Chapter 13.
Verse 17.
Obey them that have the rule over you.
And submit yourself.
For the watch for your souls, and say they must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.
Pray for us.
For we trust we have a good conscience in all things, willing to live honestly.
But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do with will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom the glory forever and ever. Amen.
And obviously your brethren suffer the word of exhortation, for I have written a letter unto you, and few words.
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty.
He comes shortly. I will see you.
Salute all them that have the rule over you and all the same.
Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.
There's a very definite connection between what we've been having.
As to the altar and this verse that we have begun with.
This morning.
I'd like to call attention to.
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A scripture to in the Old Testament that I believe would be helpful.
It's in the Psalm 84.
The.
How amiable are thy tabernacles, oh Lord of Hosts?
Yeah, my soul longest. Yeah, even fainted for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my flesh cries out for the living God.
Yeah, the Sparrow have found in house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young. Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
Now the eleven first.
For the Lord God is the Son and shield the Lord will give grace.
And glory.
No good thing will he withhold from them that walk.
Uprightly.
I believe it's very important for us to notice.
That God has.
Provided down here for The Believer.
A place where you can.
Rest assured.
That he can bring his family up in the fear of God and under the precious truth.
And guarded and guided. And that's what we have in this verse in Hebrews.
But we must remember that first it's to be at the altar now. We spoke of that as being Christ himself. But he has provided a place where his people might be together with the Spirit of God is free to minister Christ to our hearts.
And so that we have a place of protection.
And you know, it's it's a sad thing to see.
A young family starting out and neglecting this protection that God has provided.
Because.
How precious it is that this swallow, which is a worthless creature, you know.
Believers likened to the Swallow, or the Sparrow, I should say, and the Swallow, a restless creature. And we realized that this is what we are.
Now we have a place, and where is that place even Thine all hurt. God has provided for us, so that we might have a place not only for ourselves, but for our children, where they might be protected and guarded and preserved.
I think this is very important and when we think of this, we think also that 11Th verse.
That the Lord will give grace.
And glory.
And no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Now, another verse I'd like to call attention to is in the Song of Solomon.
And.
Again, we have similar thoughts in the Song of Solomon, the 4th chapter.
It says in six verse until the Daybreak.
And the shadows flee away. I will get me to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.
Thou art all fair, my love. There's no spot in thee. Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse with me from Lebanon. Look from the top of the Manor.
From the top of.
Sheena and Herman from the lions, den from the mountains of the leopards.
I believe we have an order here that.
The Lord finds His delight in the midst of His people as they gather for that one purpose to remember Him in His death. That's the sixth verse. This is His delight.
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And it's their beloved that we discover His love for us because it's at the cross of Christ as we remember that love that brought Him down to meet our need. It draws out our affections, and that's what produces praise and worship, but at the same time.
In this very same place.
We have that which would guard us.
Someone would say what's wrong with Lebanon and what's wrong with Amana and Sheena and Herman. Nothing. Lebanon was worthy. Tall, strong trees grew that they used for the Timbers of the temple.
Yes, and from the stone cap peaks of these mountains we find the water coming down to fill the Jordan.
But notice the rest of the birds.
From the lion's den, from the mountains of the leopards.
All that which is high and lofty in this world, and it might be of a religious character.
Which this really was to Israel.
This we have to guard against.
I remember when I was a little boy.
My father, on a holiday, would take the children out and sometimes we came to places that were dangerous.
And he would hold our hand and he would say, come with me. Now that's the thought we have here. The Lord is holding our hand. But he says come with me from these places.
Come with me. And he has a hold of our hand. Now in the next chapter we won't go into it, but you'll find that there was a turning away on the part of the bride.
And so the watchman found her.
Now that's our verse that we're considering. The Watchmen obey them. Which have which are your guides? The Watchmen found her.
And so they smote her. And we have had this experience, I'm sure, most of us, when the Watchmen found us. And thank God for the Watchmen.
Correction is the way of life.
But what was the result? And here we have grace coming in again, even in our failures. And that is the result was the daughters of Jerusalem. Say to her, what is thy beloved more than another beloved? She's awakened as a result of this discipline. Oh, she says he's the chiefest of 10,000.
He's all together. Lovely. Well, that's the purpose then, of the Watchmen.
And that's the purpose of the connection of these two verses, that although we are in that place of the altar, and he does hold our hand, sometimes we become willful, and the watchman has to come and speak to us. It might be a brother, it might be a sister.
When I was very young, I had companions that I shouldn't have had.
And a sister who had been my son's school teacher said to me, do you think you should go around with those young men?
That was a watchman.
I mentioned these things because I think they're very important today. Come with me from Lebanon and so on. Come with me in communion, yes, but to be guarded by those that God has set up in the assembly.
To warn us, to teach us, and to keep us in the enjoyment of our position at the altar that he's brought us to.
I thought it might be helpful to call attention to the difference between verse 17.
And verse 7.
In verse seven we went over that.
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On Saturday, remember them which have the rule over that over you, or remember your rulers who have spoken on you, the word of God.
That is, as those that have gone before serve the Lord and left their instructions and their testimonies, that we might be guided by them, but in the verse before us, the 17th verse, its present present thought.
Brother Lundin spoke of your leaders, I believe.
Obey them.
Which have the rule or your leaders?
Or real and submit yourself, or they watch for your souls. And so on. The Lord does have among His dear people leaders.
I know it's a it's a responsibility that anyone who seeks to help God's children is in a very responsible position. The Lord holds him responsible.
As to his care over his sheep, because he loves his flock, he laid down his life as a Good Shepherd to save them. But it is a high and holy privilege, and Brother Gandin has spoken even of a sister giving instructions to one who is in need of instruction now in this case.
I suppose especially brothers who are leaders among God's children.
There were in the early days the elders or bishops who were to be married men.
Man couldn't be a Bishop unless he had a wife and had a family, not just one child, because the children are training to.
Have a leader.
So that him I had to understand the.
Needs in the assembly because he's had experience in household affairs, but it's not necessary that the leaders are always elders or bishops. A leader might be like Brother or Brother Clown Chicago, who was definitely a leader and a very valuable leader, but he was a bachelor.
Cecilia was the leader.
And we have some helpful instructions, it says, for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account. No, don't get the thought that they're going to tell the Lord. Oh, you're that dear brother, that dear sister walking so badly. I have to tell you about it, Lord.
And tell you how wrong their course is. That isn't a thought here at all.
It says for the watch for your souls that they may give an account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief. Instead of the leader going and telling the Lord how badly some of his children are walking, he goes to the Lord and tells him how sad it is that he has failed so.
In his service he has to go to the Lord with grief and a broken heart.
About his lack and his.
Shortcomings in not having shepherded the flock in the more helpful way, so they would not have been this state of things among his people, that he may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.
For for one who is sitting to help God's people to have to go and confess.
Lord, I have failed in my service. I bow before the yes to it. Well, that's humble for the one who is called upon to go to the Lord in that way. And it should be humbling to the Saints that it's necessary for one who seeks to serve the Lord among his people to have to go in that humble way and make such a confession.
Thought then, is that they're not to give account of the sheep, but of their own conduct toward them.
How they have either helped them or not helped them and the exercise about that.
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There's a great deal of difference in following a leader and following the faith.
Brethren, there's a great deal of difference.
When we look back over the testimony of God's dear people.
It's when a man has become a leader.
Instead of a guide, he's become a leader.
And people have followed the leader, but not the faith.
There we have.
A great deal of trouble, even to this day.
Now it was my privilege to sit under the Ministry of Mr. Scott.
And HP Barker.
Mace Syndrome and others.
Those.
Men whose writings we enjoy to this day.
Yet they became leaders.
Of their brethren.
And faith was not followed. May we be careful, beloved, in this.
To follow a leader. We love his dear people and we thank God for them.
But one of the saddest things in my Christian life.
Is that all those whose ministry I enjoyed so deeply in those early days?
There's a sadness, sadness with it.
Could we follow them as leaders? No.
Oh, how very subtle the enemy is.
This is something we have to watch out, isn't it? So, Brother Barry? Yeah. Don't you think that we could sum up the whole subject that you also helpfully brought before us to what the Apostle Paul says? While only even as I also follow Christ, and on one occasion he's writing to the Galatians. He says though we are an Angel from heaven.
Preach any other gospel unto you than that which we, he's really speaking, especially of himself, have preached unto you. Let him be accursed, Paul says. If I divert, or I depart in the least from what I have presented to you, don't accept me at all. Reject me and refuse me. Of course that was something serious that was vital, but I believe in principle that it's also true that.
There are those who Ministry would have preserved themselves if they'd really followed it. Take terpenes, writings, some of the clearest.
Instruction on the place and the privileges of those gathered to the Lords name.
And yet he went astray at the time of the Raven Division, wouldn't take a stand and ended up Anglican preacher. Gave up all the truth he'd held. Well, it failed, one says. Well, Brother Turpin is such a godly man, such a wonderful teacher, such a great leader. I'm going to follow him where he is going. Where would you be?
To follow a man, you're going to go astray, but only Paul says as I follow Christ. Of course I do think that Paul was the pattern St. and there's no one that has ever filled his place, because the only one of God's servants that we have in the instruction of the New Testament that ever faded himself as the following needs was the apostle Paul.
Peter doesn't say that. John doesn't say that, but the one who could say.
So follow me was the man who had seen Christ and glory and the love of us. The only one that we can follow is the man who has seen Christ in glory. But he wouldn't even instruct others that they should follow him if he urged in the least from the path the Lord had given for him to follow in his service.
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This is very, very serious then, for all of us it is not.
That is, we realize the blessing from the Lord that we owe to those who have ministered the Word to us and walked in the truth before us, And we thank the Lord for this. But I think we all are aware that our lives have been influenced by others, and as we realize this, we can't help but realize that our life and testimony is at this very moment.
Influencing others and this is very, very serious and very, very challenging. Your presence and My presence and manner, devotedness or lack of it at this very time, I believe in having its effect upon others.
I think of two verses that stand in remarkable contrast in that connection. One, we shall not turn to it, but Song of Solomon chapter one. Draw me. It is personal. This is individual, and the verse goes on to say.
We will run after thee, draw me, We will run after thee. And in rather sad contrast to it, we see the language of Peter. I go a fishing. We also go with sea and beloved brethren, young and old, brothers and sisters. I believe it's true to say that right now, where you and I stand, we are having either one or the other of these effects.
Upon our dear brothers and sisters, either your light and mine is in some degree.
Expressed in those words, draw me. And the result will be by the grace of God, we will run after thee, the same one whom you and I may by the grace of God, be following the one who would love to draw others to follow him too. But in the testimony of our life is I go a fishing that also is going to have its effect. There will be others who will say we also go with thee.
I never knew a division among the Lords gathered Saints where there wasn't some prominent teacher or leader that they were following my parents before they before my day. They went through the same thing and all that went off in division had much the same story to tell. They didn't treat dear brother so and so right.
He shouldn't have been disciplined and.
They defend some leaders. It's always some leader that they Saints that have turned aside from the pure truth of the word of being gathered to the Lords name alone. They're always following some now and it's a solemn warning to any who seek to help or instruct God's people.
That the more gifted a brother is in giving instruction and expounding the word, the better instrument he is for the enemy to use to divide the people of God. Because they have listened to his teaching, they value it. They esteem him as a teacher and so that the enemy comes in and if you can get one leader to turn aside from the path where he has.
A champion.
To turn God's children from following the Lord in the past, that the truth marks out for them, and that will be on to the end. And we're not at the end of the journey yet. And doubtless, just as Paul warned the visions in his days, he says that men of your own selves are rising to lead others astray.
Your own selves, that is, they were real believers, and yet the enemy comes in. For he says, After my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. But that isn't all. But of your own selves shall men arise? That is to me. The wolf get in and suddenly mislead the people of God with his subtle.
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Christ dishonouring Teacher.
Or there may be some leader that wants the place himself, and rather than to to own his mistake and to humble himself, he'd rather divide the people of God and scatter the flock.
Lovely interest to see that this the apparently the Apostle Paul writing this to the Hebrews. He he says, pray for us. He was, as has been remarked, the most remarkable guide and leader. But the expression here is pray for us, for we trust we have a good conscience in all things, willing to live honestly. That's a sincere desire on the part of a leader, isn't it?
Pray for us. We desire the prayers of the Saints thinking to in connection with the Trust. We have a good conscience in First Timothy.
In chapter one verse 19.
While verse 18 First Timothy 118 this charge I commit unto thee son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them.
Midas War, a good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience.
Some, having put away concerning faith, have made shipwreck. I was just thinking of this holding faith and a good conscience. Well, isn't it true that holding faith would be bringing God into everything in every circumstance? Holding faith and then a good conscience would be that which would be quick to judge everything and to keep sin out. So we need both, don't we, Holding faith?
The truth of God and in exercise bringing God into every circumstance.
Bringing him in and then?
Walking in such a way as to judge that which is evil, to keep it out, having a good conscience.
Not and if you'll read in that preceding verse in First Timothy.
One it says in the 16th verse.
How be it for this cause I obtain mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to ever to life everlasting?
Paul realized that he was in a place not only of special blessing, but of special danger. And he, he adds in another place I think was quoted already. Follow me as I follow Christ, and it's true that God has.
Said in the Assembly those who may be a help to their brethren.
But there's always the danger.
But there was a special danger with the apostle, and he realized it. But he had a special calling to be.
His life would be like an outline for the believer, those who would afterward believe. But I think this expression in the in the 17th verse submit yourselves, is very important.
This is something that nature does not like to do.
And I'm sure that most of us have to confess that this is the hard part if we if we're not walking really in communion.
We will not submit ourselves and sometimes we'll submit ourselves just partially, you know, and not really.
Wholeheartedly take our true place. And not only should we submit ourselves to those who are, who may be guides for us, we should submit ourselves to one another too. And we should always have the spirit of submission with one another in the assembly so that we're ready to receive instruction and help.
From anyone that the Lord may choose to help us.
Remember a very.
Of promising young man that was carrying on a book room seemed to be much use of the Lord, but there were difficulties in the meeting where he lived.
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And a dear old brother that was quite people went down to where he worked and calling him by name, he says, I have one word for you submit.
And he walked off. That brother didn't. He wouldn't submit.
And his history has been very sad, feel away from the face, never been restored.
That one word that he would not accept from the promenade brother who loved him and wanted to seek his good and his blessing at one word. Submit. Submit to your brethren, even sometimes when you're not clear if you're right, is to their decisions.
But that word where where those difficulties come in, could often many things be corrected and not grow into proportions, where they bring much sorrow and trouble.
In translating the Scriptures concerning the Word Moderation.
I remember spending all one day over that to find something that would.
The according to the Incas way of looking at things.
And we found the word yielding this.
Yielding this, let your yielding Ness be known to all men. Let your moderation.
Well, self willed, beloved. We know that It's just pure pride, nothing else.
I have no right to exert myself will if my brother corrects me. I have to listen and take it. And thank God for my brother who loves me enough to point out my ways. This is the joy of a reading meeting, too.
Let your yieldingness be known to all men.
Well, that doesn't mean that you give up.
A doctrine? The doctrine? No, it has nothing to do with that.
It's concerning the this pride that doesn't let you submit to what you're being told.
Oh, I think that's a good word, brother Barry.
To submit. Oh, it's such a such a a wonderful thing to have humility to submit.
Well, you, dear one who have the joys of bringing up families, I'm sure you understand more than I do, because I've never had a child to bless.
But submission.
Is so essential in the assembly.
Sub measure.
What about discipline?
About discipline.
The question was asked to brother does it hold? Does it hold?
And he says, of course it doesn't.
That's our dear brother, Ch Brown.
He says in whole. Well, you might not go along with it. Leave it to the Lord below us. That's what Brother Chapter Brown said to me one day. I went to see him before he he was got a little bit perturbed in his mind. I went to see him. He was forgetful. I could see he was failing. But that's what he said. Leave it to the Lord, Brother Eric. Leave it. Let the Lord work it out.
Well, that was a good word. Good work.
And to that mean we should remember.
In connection with assembly discipline, that no assembly is infallible, but their authority is the authority of Christ in the midst, and that's the only reason that it has any importance, because it's done in His name.
And that name to which we are gathered. But any assembly can make a mistake and we don't have to be insisting that they were right.
Maybe. Maybe they may have heard, maybe they have been too hasty or something. But if they have acted before the Lord, it's something that's binding. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and so that the only path for those who.
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Have to do with the place and the hot concerns about they're concerned about is to submit to that authority.
We we were told when we were young by these old teachers that the assembly is not the truth.
I used to listen to these old brothers.
And they said, you know, the assembly is not the truth. And I thought, well, I wonder if that brother is right.
Now he said, the word of God is the truth.
All that straightened it out for my soul. The word of God, the truth.
Isn't that right? The word of God is the truth.
But the assembly, the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in our midst.
There's the authority there to be maintained and his glory and his honor.
His authority, which that must these excellencies, must be maintained there.
But I have always remembered that the assembly is not the truth, the word of God's the truth.
I believe that in the Assembly there's a responsibility with each individual, as we have in the second and third chapters of Revelation.
And.
Yet we have this expression here. Submit now if a matter comes up in an assembly that we may not feel that we can agree with.
Our responsibility is to present the word of God to our brethren and leave it with them.
We are responsible to present what we feel to be the mind of God.
But to go further than that, and to press it may cause a division is not the mind of God. We're to yield to our brethren, but we are responsible to present the word of God to them. For the conscience is that right?
They impressed me so much in Bolivia.
A brother was put away.
From the table.
Of being guilty of fornication.
Well, considerable time was taken concerning that verdict and he was put away.
That dear brother.
He never said a word. He sat back. He never missed a meeting. He was there at the prayer meeting.
Mouth was closed. He was there when the brave, when they bring the breaking of bread. He was back there in that seat.
And he never missed the meeting.
Which impressed everybody.
The humility of that man.
One year and a half afterwards, a brother got up After a reading on 1St Corinthians 5. He gets up and says I am the guilty one, That brother is innocent.
Well, there was a case where there was a of what we call in Spanish of failure of failure there. But what did that brother do?
He never mentioned one word to his brother, never let on that he was even procured. He just was took his place at the table again and never complained against his brother anything. All he did was to pray for what? There was grace. That was wonderful. That was really a lesson for us, Greece.
Yes, but a fairy. Would you please elaborate and explain what constitutes an attempt reaction?
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Is it only the brothers?
Or what is an assembly action?
Well, the only scripture that I think of where we get to assembly action in connection with sin.
Is in the.
5th chapter of First Corinthians is very familiar with where a wicked man that was living with his father and wife was breaking bread and they're told put away from among you that wicked person.
I know dear brother, Harry Hale told me at one time that he said. We we haven't a book of rules, We have a book of principles.
And you can't lay down any rule as to just what course or what action should be taken, but after years of following various cases.
Although it's done, discipline is done in much weakness.
But if an assembly as an assembly exercises discipline.
It's assembly action, and we should bow to it, even though we may not be clear as to have a right or the wrong, or perhaps mistake, perhaps wrong spirit has been manifested. The best thing is to bow to that action. The only reason I'm gathered here at this time with those who we feel are gathered to the Lord's name alone.
Is because I acted on the principle of bowing to assembly action.
At the time of the Tunbridge Wells trouble, my father was acquainted with Mr. Lowe of England and esteemed him highly as a valuable brother, a leader, a teacher, And he almost thought that Brother Lo couldn't make a mistake.
Well.
Our father and I were about ready to go with those who rejected the action.
Of the putting away at Tumridge Wells of Mr. Wester. Strange as it was, it wasn't really an assembly action that they were. The meeting was in a divided state. Well, I went to see a dear brother Armand in Saint Louis at that time, and Brother Potter was there and the matter came up and.
What Brother Armet said to me, he said you bow to the action of the assembly and leave the matter with the Lord. Well, I came back and told my father what these brothers said and we decided that was the only course for us to take well inside of about two years.
Those who supported Mr. Strange turned around and put him away at a brother's meeting.
Well, those who went off at that time.
Followed rejected the principle of bowing to an assembly action, and time proved that it was an assembly action. And very often when there's confusion in these things, we better do just what Brother Armet told me. You bow to the assembly action and wait on the Lord to clear things up. Well, the Lord preserved us.
Just in that way again, it was simply a matter of following Mr. Lowe and not following the word of God.
That's kept us from making.
Us A mistake that might have landed us in the place of division the rest of our days.
I don't know if that helped you, brother Greg. Run.
Thank you, but it's possible that actions are taken where the sisters who form part of the assembly are never.
Brought into.
The action or the exercise?
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The whole assembly is to act, not brothers like you referred to Cambridge Well and explained, Mr. Strange was put out.
By a broader meeting that really didn't have any authority to act, the brother tweeting as such, but an assembly head which includes not only the brothers, brothers and sisters as well. Is that correct?
Well, I can't hear too good brother, but I doubt not that you're writing as well as I could gather your thoughts. There's something that I don't know if I'm just bringing out what you have in mind.
But.
You'll find it in the 10th chapter of Second Corinthians.
As I was saying that, we must turn to the fifth chapter of First Corinthians to get the assembly action.
And there the assembly was to come together. They had Paul's as an apostle as to his instruction, which we haven't today. But the assembly had acted, and they had put away that wicked person. But if you turn to the second chapter.
And it says in the sixth verse a second Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 6.
And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. That is, there were those that were opposed to the action of the assembly in the 5th chapter of First Corinthians and those who opposed it were brought under were to be brought under discipline themselves for opposing the action of the assembly.
I think that's definitely what that means.
As he says there to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled, that is, when the assembly has acted in faithfulness to the Lord, those who oppose it really become the subjects of discipline themselves. Is that right?
Your brother Mary, I remember my father speaking to us of the same occasion that you speak of.
That you and your father faced together and.
As they saw this decision approaching and realized that there was number avoiding it, he apparently turned to a brother, an older and respected brother, in the assembly in Toronto, and said to him, Brother, what stand will you be taking in this matter? The older brother turned to him and said Brother, I hope I may keep close enough to the Lord that I'll know the shepherd's voice when the time comes.
And he passed that on to us, and I believe it's something very, very good for us to remember. There are certainly infallible guidelines in the word of God. But there are times when we are faced with situations that I believe can only be resolved by nearness to the Lord Jesus and hearing His voice in the midst of the contradictory evidence that we might hear.
And if it did require a complete file of information.
Lawyer to go through it all, where would that leave the most of us? I believe that with the light and wisdom and guidelines of the Word of God and nearness to the Lord Jesus, that we may hear that precious voice in the midst of the confusion, that we will not be misguided. I remember there was a time when our dearly beloved brethren in the West Indies were faced with.
A very very trying situation.
Someone was on their way down there to visit them, to try to lead them astray, And I knew it. And I thought, oh, I must write to them and try to instruct them as to the danger that lies ahead for them. And then I thought, no, I'm just going to get down on my knees and pray that in spite of what they're going to hear from this man, they may hear the shepherd's voice above it all.
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And after a while I got some very interesting letters back. They said, brother, so and so has been here and has told us some very, very strange things, but it didn't sound to us like the shepherd's voice. And we told him to please leave us, that we'd promised to pray for him. Not one of them was turned aside. And I thank God for that. And I believe, brethren, if we keep close to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who has given us this precious book with all its light and wisdoms, our footsteps will not be LED astray.
Someone speaking about him and what is this division? We think it was this division. Someone said what do you think about Brother Dunmark? What do you think how he will go? All the answer was he'll pray himself through.
That he of his brand self into the right course.
And I think, Brother Hale, what you said is very important. There's always the moral or the spiritual side of things. If we just get things technically correct, we may go sadly astray. But if there is that brokenness and humility before the Lord, that is the real guidance that we should have.
There's always the danger of the mind entering in and trying to decide things as they're not. I recall a time when a brother came to me who had left because of difficulties. Sometime later I met him and he wanted to have a talk with me at his home. When I got there, he had a box full of letters that he had secured from various parts of Europe.
And he wanted me to go through these letters to determine the rightness of the decisions that were made.
I said, brother, I think I'll be going, I said.
You're just throwing dust in the air. You were not there when those decisions were made. You don't even know the parties that made them.
What? He said. What would you suggest? I would suggest that we sit down with the word of God.
And we did sit down. And the brother was restored, but he wasn't restored through going through all of those letters that had been written and that he had secured to try to decide his course. That's the mind at work. That's not the voice of the shepherd. But you get the voice of the shepherd here from the word of God. And that's the only place we'll get it.
Word brethren in Acts 20.
And verse 28.
It reads, Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock.
Over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, notice all the flower over the which the Holy Ghost have made you overseers to.
Feed the Church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
The Apostles speaks to this little group gathered to him.
Round him before he went on. I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, and sparing the floor, not sparing the flock also of your own self shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone.
Night and day with tears. Now verse 32 and now, brethren, I commend you to God.
And to the world of His grace, is it not remarkable that the apostle couldn't commend anyone?
But he could commend these few there to God and the word of his grace. Oh, that is wonderful to God and the world of his grace, when my dear father was dying, he said to his daughter.
I don't know who'll even bury me.
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I'm on. I'm ready to depart. I don't know who'll even bury me, so great is the ruin. But he said write a note to Eric and tell him that the God and the word of his grace.
These this fact will keep him, will keep him. And with that he was gone. God and the word of his grace. Isn't that wonderful? We can't go wrong there, brethren.
In connection with the question that our brother Brinkman raised a few minutes ago, do we not get wisdom and connection with that in Acts chapter 15?
We find in Acts chapter 15 the question who had been brought to Jerusalem a very important question, a question concerning circumcision and its connection with salvation. And we find that when the question was brought in the sixth verse of Acts 15, it says, and the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter, and we find that there was much discussion.
Investigation, consideration, statements made by by Paul and by Peter. And then when we come to the 22nd verse, it says then pleased that the apostles and elders with the whole church or the whole assembly to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch. And in the 25th verse they say it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord.
To send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.
And then the decision is given that they were not compelled to be circumcised.
It seems to me that we have here the very important question that the principle that our brother Brinkman raised, and that is that when it becomes a matter of investigation and consideration in an assembly, it is in order scripturally for the apostles and elders, that is, those who are the responsible brothers in the assembly to investigate, to consider. It would not be orderly to be bringing all the details connected with.
The problems, perhaps moral problems or or.
Doctrinal problems to have all the investigation carried out by the Assembly. But before any decision is rendered, before it becomes an assembly decision, the Assembly must meet. And we find here that it is the assembly that they have all come together with the whole assembly in order that the decision might be rendered. And it is there. As our brother Barry pointed out to us a few minutes ago, it's the Lord's authority, it's his presence in the midst.
That gives authority to what the assembly does. And if the brothers meeting has simply met and the brothers meeting has decided something, and the brothers meeting has carried it out, if it's matters such as what we're considering, then they cannot claim the Lords authority for what they have done because.
Put very simply, the Lord is not in the midst of the brothers meeting, but he is in the midst of the assembly as it meets as the assembly, and consequently what they do as an assembly meeting together with one accord, brothers and sisters, it carries the Lords authority. Is that right?
The assembly is not an investigation body. The assembly.
Is whereas the body where the authority.
Exercise, and that's important to understand matters of discipline.
Yeah, it shouldn't be decided in an assembly meeting. It should be decided before and then when it's decided what has to be done and how it's to be stated, the how the action is to be presented, while then it's brought before the assembly, not to be discussed, but to be acted upon.
And then the assembly bowing to it, why it becomes an assembly action?
And should be submitted to. Of course, in our great weakness, brother, we do find many problems, and many times that things are not carried out in the order that.
Was best. And sometimes we have been puzzled, you know, because there has been feelings and and things done in maybe a disorderly way, but it seems to me.
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Through the years that I have observed these matters that the Lord does in some way that is simply beyond man come in and the there is a authority that becomes manifest, that the Lord is acting, and we need to be very careful to oppose anything that really is the carried out by the assembly, though in much weakness and feebleness, and often in.
Maybe in a state that isn't what we would desire most to see.
It's also true, isn't it? That's because the Lord is there in the midst and there is the authority of the Lord there. We have to be very careful what we bind on earth, because it says what service shall bind on earth is bound in heaven.
And of course binding on all others.
So when we realize, and I hope I trust we realize how important it is have the Lord in the midst and to have His authority vested in the assembly, that we we think of that and we act carefully because we're doing in the in the presence of the Lord, and it should be done according to His word. I think you are very right because we have to consider this.
That is not just a local.
Decision that's being made is being made for, as it were, the whole Church of God, or, if we're gathered in His name, on the ground of the one body, where it should function as the one body, just as though there were no divisions, as though it was the same as in in the days of the apostles, we act on the principles of the one body.
And it affects all those who are are gathered in that way.
So that there should be very much exercise, very much humility on getting before the Lord and not just hastily making a decision because it may become a source of much sorrow.
I think that's important because of the in the 5th chapter of First Corinthians. First Corinthians 5 I was thinking they speak about.
Well, there's so much failure that how can they judge evil? Well, I believe the apostle, before he brought their the the action or stirred them up as to their need of judging, this thing at Corinth was in a very sad condition, a very immoral state, they will say. A very sad condition. Well, normally speaking they could have said. He could have said, well, you're in such a condition. I don't think you can judge evil.
Well, I was thinking of the of the, the verses, a verse in the 5th chapter and the.
Well, fourth third verse for I I'm reading in the new translation, Absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged as present to deliver in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ye and my spirit being gathered together.
With the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Him that has so wrought this to deliver him, I say so. It's not the the that the assembly is is doing this as a being so perfect themselves. It's because of the presence of the Lord in the midst. They were gathered together in his name, and by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so there was power there to judge that evil, and it was the whole assembly. It was the assembly that was an exercise. The apostle brought it before them as an assembly.
Very good. You see all we have only 10 minutes to for a reading that it would be.
A precious conclusion to our meeting if we looked at the following subjects, beginning with the 20th verse. Now the God of peace had brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep.
Through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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I remember a brother Ayres when bringing his before us one time.
That going outside the camp to a rejected Christ.
I might look, you know, as we were just left hopeless, helpless.
No one to care for us. We have left all that belongs to a system that religiously looks after our needs. I remember years ago we were having tent meetings in Arlington, KY, and it was all something entirely new, that being gathered to Lord's name, some of the people there remarkable. What are we going to do if we act on this one? Who's going to preach her funerals when we die? Where are we going to leave all the rest we've gone on with and go out to something we know so little about?
Well, it seems to me that when we act on the truth of going outside to a rejected Christ, that the Spirit of God doesn't leave us as it were in a helpless situation, for we have the care.
All that great shepherd of the sheep. What a lovely way to think of being provided for.
As we go on in the seeking to walk in the truth, but have been brought before us, that there is one who cares for us, and who could be looked up to as that one who gave his life as a Good Shepherd for the sheep, and now in resurrection, seated on high as the great shepherd to keep us.
Until it we're at the end of the journey.
Someone has said that this is the greatest miracle.
Take the sheep across the desert all the way home.
I.
We need to remember that he's put us on his shoulders and he'll carry us safely home.
We might struggle. You can imagine that sheep struggling when he's on the shepherd's shoulders.
And he might struggle so much that he would get a foot or two loose, and it wouldn't help him one bit. If he just relax and submit and let the shepherd carry him, he gets safely home.
A lot of the subject here is a subject of peace.
God is not God, of confusion is he. And God is never frustrated by all the happenings in this world.
We dread sometimes to see the progress of communism is making. God isn't frustrated whether Russia gets more and more hold on the people of this country.
He goes peacefully on working out his own counsels and purposes.
And so he would bring you and me into the same piece where we're not disturbed by things around.
15 There's no brother Baron. There is the God of peace, and he's the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace and believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. And he's also the God of patience and comfort in that one chapter. And the last verse is the God of peace. What a God we have to do with.
And there's something there that the God of peace bringing us into that peace in which he abides, never frustrated by things that are happening. But he's not only bringing us into that how that peace that passes all understanding that he has given one who can sustain us in that pathway.
Thus the great shepherd of the sheep. And in order to occupy that place, it's he shed his blood there on the cross to the blood of the everlasting covenant, not just the covenant that Israel was given in the wilderness, but this is something that goes on through the ages that are ahead of us.
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And then we get that keeping grace.
That follows what we've been considering.
That the peace of God in Philippians is connected with our circumstances and.
The leaving them all in his hands, whereas the God of peace in the same chapters, connected with obedience, is it not? And so the apostle speaks of these things. Do, and the God of peace shall be with you.
And I believe that's connected here as well, following the 17th, 1St that we started with closing the chapter because we have the same principle in the 17th, Is that the 17th or the 18th of John? The 17th I believe?
Where we have the safety of the believer with.
The Holy Father, It's the Holy Father. And so it's a question then.
The Father is the one who disciplines his children. So we have the principal then of walking in obedience, and the God of peace being with us. It's one thing for this to be a truth and another thing for us to enjoy it. But we will enjoy this truth of the 20th verse if we walk in obedience.
In the 21St verse, make you perfect in every good work to do his will.
So often our own wills come in to interfere with the Lord's will, so it shows that there is a need of humility and brokenness in His presence. And if we discover in any way that matter is the exercise of our own wills.
Well then we need to judge it. We need to be guarded all the time, because it's easy to even deceive ourselves and thinking we're doing the will of the Lord, when in reality we're just doing our own will because we're unyielding and we're.
We're just not willing to submit.
I have enjoyed connecting this verse here with what we have in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel. It says there in the.
Ezekiel, chapter 37 and verse 29. I'm sorry, verse 26.
Says, moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them.
And I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore. My Tabernacle also shall be with them. Yeah, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. What I have enjoyed in in connecting it up with this is the fact that here these Hebrews were being called upon to go out. They were being called upon to leave all that was connected with the camp and.
The promise in Ezekiel was that there would be eventually for them a covenant of peace, and now they were being called upon to, as it were, leave the hopes of Israel, and then identify themselves with a rejected Christ. But while they don't have the covenant of peace, they have the God of peace. While they don't immediately have the everlasting covenant, it through the blood of the everlasting covenant that they've brought into this place of blessing and favor. And while they don't immediately have the Lord's a sanctuary, as it were in their midst in Jerusalem.
What they do have is the Lord's presence outside of it all. They go forth unto him without the camp.
And Christ and glory and fraud, it is just.
In the world.
We are.
Him is an example of the very thing that we have just been Speaking of, the peace that the author of this hymn enjoyed, Lord Cecil. About 10 days ago we were going through the magnificent halls of his ancestral home. It is just something that can never be forgotten, an absolute palace there that is now one of the renowned tourist landmarks of England.
And as we went through the halls of Lord Cecil's ancestral home, and the guide showed us the magnificence of that home, and all the wealth and the honor that over the centuries have been known in that home, the kings and Queens and statesman of the world that have been entertained in that home, I asked them, as they mentioned this and that renowned ancestor.
Do you know anything about Lord Adelbert Percival Cecil? Who was he?
Well, he came to Canada. Well, whatever did he leave this place and go to Canada for? Well, he came to preach the gospel. Oh, did he leave the established Church of his ancestors? Well, yes, he did. Well, I guess that would put him in considerable disfavor. And we know nothing about him. And, brethren, I think, as I sing this hymn from the pen and heart of Lord Cecil, that here is an example of the peace and the joy of one who was part of the very thing from which I believe.
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The word of God would call us forth to leave all the honors.
That he once knew in that land to come forth and know the wonderful joy of being gathered around the person and under the precious name of a rejected savior. Was it a disappointment to Him? I think, brethren, this Him is the answer.
Number 13.
Lord.
So I do. I can help everything stay in the sun.
Something so good.
I am very fast.
Spirit well.
Gone from.
Breakthrough the Glory.
Our life and.
Drink my friends.
It has changed our name. God's right. I love God. I've been delighted.