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The Officials of the Hebrews, chapter 13.
Commencing reverse.
Well, Hebrews, 1312.
Wherefore Jesus also.
That He might sanctify the people with His own blood suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lives, giving thanks to His name.
Trust with your God and to communicate or get knock.
For such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that has the rule over you.
And submit yourselves.
Will they watch for your soul as they that must give account?
But they may do it with joy and not with grief.
For that is unprofitable for you.
Pray for us.
Where 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 appears.
They brought a game from the dead, our Lord Jesus.
That great shepherd of the sheep.
Through the blood of the everlasting Covenant.
Make you perfect and every good work to do is well.
Working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ.
To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
And I beseech you, brethren.
Suffer the word of extortion.
I have written a letter unto you.
In few words.
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty?
With whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.
Salo, all them would have a little over you.
And all the same.
They have Italy. Great be with you all.
I just mentioned as we begin this.
Part of the scripture that.
We have the personal name of the Lord Jesus before us in this 12Th verse. I believe we find this true all the way through Hebrews.
It's the blood of Jesus and so on. It's Jesus. It's his person that's before us in Hebrew.
His person and his work and his officers now in the first chapter we find that the spirit of God sets him before us as the as concerning his personal glory because.
He wanted to establish the Hebrew Saints on a solid foundation, and the foundation must be the person of Christ. There is no other foundation.
And then he goes to work.
One by one to take away from them, shall we say.
Moses, Aaron. The Sanctuary.
The offerings because Christ replaces the mall.
And so now at the end, as though he had taken away everything we might say, the apostle says we have an altar, we have an altar, we have something, it's Jesus. And so he sets before us again at the end the very same person that he sets before us at the beginning. In fact, there is no apostle in Hebrews except Jesus.
And we're told to consider that apostle.
But then may I just say this too, that the character of Hebrews is a wilderness character?
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Where the Lord Jesus is not exactly gathering out the church, although that's true.
But he is gathering companions to himself, like Moses.
And Aaron had companions going across the wilderness.
As we were singing in these two hymns, and that's what we are, brethren, We are pilgrims in a wilderness, but it becomes more of a wilderness as we obey the instructions of this chapter.
To go outside to him and we couldn't go outside unless we went to him.
I'm reminded of what we have in the 14th chapter of Matthew.
Where?
Peter says, bid me come to thee on the water. There was no use of Peter stepping out of the ship unless he was going to Jesus. There was no place, no reason to leave the ship. It's a little picture of the same thing. I believe he's leaving the ship to go to Jesus.
And so let's remember that in this passage that we are going on to the rest.
And we're in good company. The only difference is, beloved, that Moses was on the earth leading the people. But our leader is in the heavens. He's at God's right hand. He's there as our great high priest. And now he's setting before us heavenly things.
And as though in spirit, all the way through the wilderness and we.
Are in the heavens in spirit. I would like to use an illustration.
Supposing when Rebecca left her native land to go down to Isaac.
She had said. Well, I don't see any use of listening to this, Eleazar. I'll just, I'll get interested in the desert. You think she would have been happy?
Why? No. He occupies her with Isaac, and that's what we have here. The Spirit of God is occupying us with the Lord Jesus, but he's bringing before the Hebrew people and ourselves.
The Old Testament types and pictures concerning the Tabernacle and things related that now in the light of the New Testament and in connection with the person of Jesus, well having occupied our hearts or their hearts with the person of Jesus.
Now he says, Let us go forth therefore unto him.
Without the camp, it seems to me that the apostle is just leading these Hebrew believers up to this point. What you were saying Brother Londeen about?
The person of Christ substituting the great ones of the Old Testament economy, and the sacrifices and the Tabernacle, and everything connected with.
With their their service.
Now He are so beautifully, so wonderfully presented, the blessed Lord before the heart.
Showing that he is the one that takes the place of everything.
He just prepared them for this word. Let us go forth therefore unto Him. Let us leave everything behind and go out with this glorious, wonderful, blessed person.
Before us.
I believe, if I'm correct, that you get 13 times in the book of Hebrews. Let us.
And here is, so to speak, the climax. Let us go forth, therefore unto Him without the camp. Now the camp, I doubt not, is Judaism in this place, but Judaism at the present time has been substituted.
For my religious.
Profession taking the name of Christ. And so I trust I have the Lord's mind in saying that we are facing a similar situation where there is that which corresponds to the camp of old.
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That is our religious.
Institutions.
That has been corrupted by.
Man's.
Traditions and bringing in what is of man.
And we are just as much called upon to go out of that which man has set up in a religious way, as they did in the days of the that the apostle here, or the Spirit of God, is ringing this truth before.
And may I say this is one thing to go outside the camp?
Some go outside of all religious organizations and institutions because they see the air and see that things are not right there. But have they in any special way benefited their condition? They're still not satisfied. Something like someone Brother Brown told about.
The man and his wife came to the meeting and said We're religious tramps.
Just tramping around, trying to find some place where the soul will find blessing.
So unless the person of Christ is leading outside, it isn't the way of the Spirit of God at all. But if we get our eyes on Christ, something like the idols of the Thessalonians, they turn to God, and then from idols with God and his, the person of his Son before him.
They found the idols behind them. So it is here. And beloved Saints of God, if we want to be LED in the truth that God has for His own in these closing days, it means that we must have definitely the person of Christ before our souls and if we have that blessed one before us.
We'll find ourselves outside of what man is set up.
What would you say would be the way to have the person of Christ before us? Well, I'd like to hear you tell us. Well, would Matthew and Mark and Luke and John help in the reading of it? To be occupied with the Gospels? Would they not warm our hearts? And then to be established as to the person and our association with him, to be occupied with the particular epistles that the apostle Paul was given by Revelation?
That would establish us in the present grace.
Is that right? Yes, that is.
I like to connect these words. Let us go forth therefore unto Him with the language found in the 19th chapter of John, where the Lord Jesus, having been on trial, is crowned with thorns, the cross is laid on His back, and then the Spirit of God uses these same words. He bearing His cross, went forth.
I remember reading that one day He bearing his cross went forth, and I sat there and bowed my head, and thought of this verse. Let us go forth therefore unto him. And I thought, What a sad one, an incomprehensible thing it would be if I would read that account in John Gospel, and say to myself, I'm so glad he went forth for me.
I'm so glad that he bore that cross and knowing what would befall him.
He went forth for me, and having done so, He now turns and says, Let us go forth therefore unto him. Brethren, could we understand the heart that would say, I'm glad He went forth for me, but I'm not interested in going forth to be where He is. When we connect those two little verses together, it seems to be such a tender appeal to the affection to the heart, and we wonder how we should ever turn anywhere else.
We had our attention called to the parallel of.
This 13th, this portion of the 13th chapter and what we had in John.
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And we surely enjoyed the comments on the 13th verse. But just a few thoughts on the 12Th verse also.
In John we read how the Lord led his people out of Judaism.
And here we have him at the time of his great agony.
And the offering of himself again, being the exemplar, the one to lead out from that religious system.
Those who crucified Jesus, I suppose, felt they were responsible for him sending that hill of Calvary and going to the place called Golgotha where they crucified him.
But we read in this verse that it was really God's order that this was the purpose of the Lord Jesus Himself, that he never the sacrifice of himself would never be appropriate within the confines.
Of that city of Jerusalem, there was lots of religion there, lots of profession.
But the very beautiful thoughts we've had expressed in the 13th verse are focused upon the one who set the example in the 12Th verse. He went out and there he was, the perfect sacrifice, the burnt offering to God outside that camp. And then the call is to us as our brother Hail has brought before us. He went out. Now we are called to go out to him. It would not be appropriate for us.
As those redeemed by His grace to be in the place that He left, how inappropriate for those who profess His name to say, well, the Lord Jesus left that place, but it's good enough for me. No, we go out from it too. But you'll bear His reproach when you go out, if it's a sincere and real thing with you.
And it's his reproach.
It's because the world has rejected our Lord and Savior and has no place for Him.
But there's nothing higher, more glorious than to bear his reproach in this world.
And we'll never be unhappy in our souls if we are bearing His reproach. Haven't we all had experiences where we were cowards on? I haven't had that experience too many times where I was ashamed to speak up and testify for my Lord, and I went away with a sad and heavy heart that I missed an opportunity.
But whatever grace has been given to bear testimony for Christ.
Even though I saw the curl lip down there, laughter and the more crail those who despise him, I went away happy in my soul. Oh what a joy there was.
Remember one time saying to Brother Potter he was talking about along this, this line of thought are being a testimony in witnessing for Christ. I said brother Carter, but suppose we miss an opportunity? He quickly replied, well don't miss the next opportunity.
The the camp is divided if we speak of it in just a.
Characteristic way without mentioning specific names. It's divided into three classes of professing Christians, and whatever one you name will bring you no reproach.
Some will say, well, I belong to one of the national churches.
Others will say.
Our church group is named after a great servant of God.
And others will say.
The name that we take is the name of a certain Christian doctrine.
You can classify yourself when people ask you the question.
By anyone of those three and be specific and you'll not be repro.
But if you say I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
God's gathering center.
I'm gathered to his alone, worthy and precious name. You know, brother, what happened?
That this kind of reproach seems to be exclusive to Christianity. In visiting in lands where they are given over to Mohammed, Nism or Buddhism or something like this, they were very, very proudly, gladly tell you I am a devotee of Buddha, I am a follower of Muhammad. They will identify themselves by these names without any hesitation and without any reproach, and every one of them will take that name, every one of them.
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But to come to this place that is supposed to be a Christian land, supposed to have had its origin in the one whom we know as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And how strangely true are the remarks we've just heard, that if you identify yourself by that name which is above every name in this land, this so-called Christian land, you find.
A surprising reproach. Did you identify yourself by any other name? That's fine. But if you say I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and I'm gathered to his precious name, there is astonishment. Reproach. Probably both. But I say in those other lands they proudly tell you I'm a Buddhist, I am a Mohammed, and I am a Hindu, if you come here in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Is the name of reproach.
May I call your attention to the difference in Revelation chapter two and three?
To a truth related to just what we have before us in Revelation Chapter 2.
To verse 8.
To the church.
In Smyrna.
Myrna has the word myrrh, the term the word murder, Smyrna.
Mer was that which was fragrant when crushed.
And here is the second stage of the church.
After they had left their first love, God allowed them to be persecuted severely, some of them imprisoned.
Some of them put to death.
But I want to call your attention to the term here used in the next verse, verse 9.
I know thy works and tribulation and poverty.
But thou art rich.
And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews.
Now Jew meaning.
Praise Judah does.
And are not they were not at heart that answered to God as to being Jews?
What are the synagogue of Satan?
Religious institution.
Was now that God had allowed to be set up?
In the Old 8 dispensation is now set aside by the crucifixion, their crucifixion of the Messiah.
Jews hated this new testimony.
That regarded not their temple and their priesthood and their traditions.
Their established traditions. They hated this new testimony that had nothing. Met in little rooms or upper rooms, and they had nothing. But they had everything in Christ.
So I believe in chapter 2 The synagogue of Satan was really the religious Jew. But in chapter 3 verse, I want to read verse eight as her brother has been emphasizing the name. The name. I read verse 8:00 and 9:00. I know thy work, behold.
I have set before thee an open door.
And no one can shut it, for thou hast.
A little. Oh, I love the other translation strength.
A little power.
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Yeah, power, I should say. I'm sorry. Thou hast a little power now. That must be the power of the Holy Spirit that is here in our lives to glorify Christ.
To have a little of that which is real, which is of the Holy Spirit.
Is worth everything, so thou hast a little power.
And has kept my word, not disregarded it.
Not defying it by disobeying it according to my will.
But thou hast kept my word.
And hast not.
Denied my name.
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, the very same term used in the earlier history of the church in connection with Smyrna, now used in the end.
And through of our daily we are living in the synagogue of Satan, which I have no doubt.
Are the established?
Religions that are so highly looked up to.
They're all around us, so many many have their names on their books, filled with a massive profession and no doubt, no doubt some real Christians among them. But here I believe it's differently used. The synagogue of Satan and surely.
It is from thence that we do get.
Persecution.
Our brother Eric Smith has described how some of these establishments.
And modernism and so on down in Bolivia and so on have have been enemies to the testimony of the gospel. And our brother Alarcon knows the same truth. Well, I just want to call attention to the establishments which are the camp.
Wherein there is something of scriptures and singing, of songs and prayer and all that, but it is an establishment of men.
And we are to be delivered out of that unto the name of our Lord Jesus Christ brother. By the way, our brother Eric Smith.
So many years in Bolivia.
God has honored His giving emphasis to Exodus 33, verse 7.
To go outside the camp.
Afar off.
No compromising, no borderline dabbling around with a camp. But outside the camp, verse 7, Exodus 33 are far off. Let us walk with the Lord in His way.
We have the expression here, do we not? Wherefore, introducing this exhortation, I believe it's connected, is it not, with two things?
The bodies of those beasts was mentioned in the 11Th verse, and now in this verse the blood.
Is mentioned of the Lord Jesus.
As the basis of blessing now in the 9th chapter of Hebrews, I think we have the blood connected with a purged conscience.
In the 10th chapter of Hebrews we have.
His body mentioned in connection with the believer being set apart, sanctified, and so on.
Now I mentioned this because one might say, well, I'm sheltered under the blood. It's a wonderful thing to be sheltered under the blood.
But a marvelous thing it is.
But we have mentioned here also the body and it it makes me think of Romans 12.
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Where we're to present our bodies.
A sacrifice. I believe the body is brought in here and it reminds us of the position that we take in this world as Christians. Not simply to say, yes, I know I'm covered by the blood, but there is that side in which we exhibit in our bodies down here, that we're a separate people.
We belong to Christ. We're outside of all that that man has set up in a religious way. And I believe that everything that man is set up in a religious way would correspond, Brother Brown, to what you've been bringing before us of of the camp. What man is set up corresponds to what was the the camp.
In in Israel at that time and where to go outside of everything.
And we're going to be gathered just to the person of Christ. But I believe also that we must remember that it's, it's not simply taking something as a doctrine, but it's the practice that's brought before us here.
I would wonder if we might look at it in this way. At least it's going to help to me.
The thought of separation is very often.
Were taken up in a Courier than their attitude perhaps and becomes very unsavory, but I I connect here in verse 12 and 13 the place outside the camp. It's his blood that puts us there. The sacrifice of the cross we find in the 10th chapter of Hebrews that it's the blood that gives us a place inside the veil.
Through the blood of Jesus that we have that boldness to enter within the veil and the same blood as it were and puts us outside the camp. I was thinking this is this is just the contrast with Judaism and Judaism. The people were kept outside the veil and inside the camp and now Christianity puts us inside the veil by his.
Sacrifice and outside the camp by his sacrifice.
Now Christendom has come along and has taken up.
Jewish Judaism. And again, we find in a great segment of of Christendom, there are those who are kept, as it were, outside the veil through false teaching and others have to go in and perform for them and they're kept inside the camp. And then there are those in Christendom who have the light of the gospel. They see the.
Blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin. And so they they have enough light to bring us inside the veil, as it were through the blood, but they seek to connect that with being inside the camp. And I believe this is the the the erroneous position of fundamentalism, evangelical fundamentalism. That is they have the gospel, the truth of the blood of Christ that giveth 1A place inside the veil.
They do not, they do not deny that aspect, but they they do not see that that same sacrifice.
That gives the believer a place inside the veil, also gives him the place outside the council, the 2GO together inside the veil and outside the camp. We don't want to be inside the veil and inside the camp, and we certainly wouldn't want to be outside the veil and in the camp. But the combination is inside the veil through his precious blood and outside the counter by the same sacrifice.
Or I should say the camp. The camp is characterized by sectarianism having their own.
Name government and ways and publications and programs.
So that they have their own bag of doctrine.
And the ways sectarianism, that's one of the outstanding characteristic of the camp.
Contrary to 1St Corinthians 1 and the general truth as to there is one body, then again.
Clericalism.
It is also definitely characteristic of the Camp One Man ministry.
Educated in the seminaries if you please. so-called Bible seminaries and some of them I thank God.
Have a heart.
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Love the Word and so forth, and thankful that there are some real, but clericalism certainly is contrary to God's mind and Word. And yet Saints.
In our generation and before our generation have been taught that that is it Secretarianism and clericalism. Now one other thing, traditions.
Oh how they value and cling to and practice their traditions.
They have their holidays that they wouldn't give up for anything. You cannot.
Hardly help them or show them that it's contrary to the word. But if our hearts are simple, we'll see that these traditions.
Are a hindrance instead of a help.
I think it's very important to make sure that the point, very important point is put across here this afternoon.
That we're not trying to persuade men to join us as a group who profess to be gathered on the ground of the one body.
The position we hold and take and are brought into is only because of the Spirit of God.
We've had some very precious truths brought up to us in the last couple of days about the Shepherd, the way he died and the way he keeps us and the way he guides us along. And the way to happy communion is to dwell close by the shepherds side and He will lead us out of the system. That's around the product, but it's definitely by the Spirit of God.
It says here, let us go forth therefore unto him, without the campaign, his reproach, But that doesn't mean that we just go forth on our own strength.
We can't do this because there's nothing outside the camp to attract us except the Lord Jesus Christ. And when He reveals this truth to us by His Spirit, no one can keep us from it.
But if we don't see it, brethren, we won't stay there after we get there, because there's nothing there to please our place or the desires of our flesh. And the way to find the place is through His precious word. We've often heard the verse that's quoted from John Chapter 7 that says that every man will do his will. He shall know the doctrine. But we don't listen to one another.
We look to the Word of God and and seek guidance by his Spirit and he'll bring us outside the camp and then we'll be happy. There won't be.
May not have three things mentioned in this 13th verse. Let us go forth first.
Unto him.
Christ and without the camp. But the verse doesn't stop there.
And I believe that's this is where the test comes in.
Bearing his enclosure. Christ reproach. Not man's reproach, but Christ reproach. I was thinking of that verse in the 10th chapter of Hebrew and the 33rd verse for the connection, or 32nd verse.
5th Chapter of Hebrews, verse 32. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated or enlightened, ye endured a great fight of affliction. Now they have those things are enumerated partly while she were made of gazing stock or a spectacle, both by reproaches and afflictions.
Immediately were introduced to reproaches.
And affliction.
Not have an example of that in all last letter to her, second letter to Timothy.
As he writes in the first chapter, this thou knowest that all they that are in Asia returned away from me. Why did they turn from the apostles while they were turning from the truth? They would not be. They did not want to be identified with the apostle, as he found himself in prison in jails.
And persecuted on every hand.
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The reproaches.
Being connected with the apostle was too great, but the reproach goes deeper than that, for the apostle knew what it was to go on taking our, including the reproach of Christ as we have in our chapter. And isn't that where a good many stop short today? They may make an attempt to go forth under the camp.
Thinking they're in the right place, but they don't go all the way. The Spirit of God is not free.
Is hindered, quenched to bring the truth before them, or are grieved and they only go Parkway. But then some go further. But when the reproach comes that the the test or they give up. But in that 10th chapter of Hebrews that we read, the end of the pathway is in view.
And that's for our joy, for our comfort and courage and strength. For he says later on, yet a little while, for yet a very little while, he that shall come will come and will not tarry. So you have to keep all these things before us. And it's awfully, it's very easy for us to sit here this afternoon and go over these verses.
A weird taste of the good thing, but then the Spirit of God must work in the heart of the believer.
And Devon would gather them to this place outside the camp under Christ.
I suppose therefore.
Let us offer a note of praise to God once in a while.
When would the extraction a table of demons of?
I'm thinking about what we've had here about the Synagogue of Satan and its application.
Would not be wise to be very careful to advise to any group.
Who names the name of Christ? One way or another, I sing theirs in the table of demons.
Paul was Speaking of what was current at the time, I believe, idolatry and all that went with it. And so there were tables, as it were, to demons, and they were not to associate themselves with idolatry in any way. But you can't apply that to a Christian company who simply are ignorant or even possibly willful.
But still loving the Lord, we couldn't describe such a term, could we? To this?
No, indeed, that would be very wrong.
I believe Brother Smith, you were trying to carry a song to the 15th, 1St Richard by him. Therefore, let us offer the sacrifice and praise and pray to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
If the Lord has drawn us to Himself in the outside place.
The Spirit of God makes us feel in the midst of reproach.
That we're in fellowship with our Lord and that leads to pray.
And I paraphrase it by saying.
By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God once in a while. That is what it says. It says continually.
Many years ago.
Our late brother Wallace told me.
Of a man who rode to work on his bicycle. This would be 50 years ago, and every morning as he went by and heard him singing and a loud, clear voice.
This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all day long, and all the neighbors along the street every morning heard him praising the Lord continually.
And it doesn't cost US1 red cent.
All that's required is that there's a good conscience before God.
I believe that's the point. It really is confessing his name. And that's what he was doing on his bicycle, wasn't it? He was confessing the name of Jesus by his song. I was just going to say there are two. There are two sacrifices brought before us here. The 1St we get in the 15th verse by Him. Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise.
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And then in the 16th verse. But to do good and to communicate, forget not.
And then noted for with such sacrifices in the plural, God is well pleased. Now I found meetings that disagreed about having the collection box on the table on Sunday morning with the bread and the cup.
But I believe that Scripture would teach us that having the box there is very consistent. It should be there because they're giving on Lords Day. Morning is a part of our worship. It's a part of our sacrifice to the Lord, and it's definitely connected with the sacrifice of praise.
How? That may be helpful to some meetings. There's been quite a little disagreement in some places.
More or less unhappy contention about this matter. Someone was telling me that.
At one meeting they put the box under the table. Brother Potter just took the box from under the table and put it on the table has to show the brother and that's where the box belongs. I believe Brother Johnson, you could confirm it that the word sacrifice in verse 16 is identically the same as the word in verse 15, is it not?
So that gives a wonderful character to the portal offering that we bring to the Lord in a material way with such sacrifices. God is well pleased. Well, if he's well pleased with it, we need to be ashamed to have it on the table alongside of the loaf in the car and this door versus 15 and 16.
We have the exercise of the holy priesthood.
And their royal priesthood, Donwyn.
We got a little picture of it in Second Samuel 618.
Second Samuel 618.
Well, we start with this with 17.
17 verse.
And they brought in the ark of the Lord.
And set it in his place in the midst of the Tabernacle that David had featured for it.
And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And as soon as David had made an end of the offering, burned offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of the host. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well as the woman, as men to everyone a cake, a bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flag on a wine.
So all the people departed, everyone to his house. We see him practicing.
So to speak, the holy priesthood and the royal Priesthood priesthood.
I thought two perhaps in the 12Th of Deuteronomy. No need to turn to it, but they seem to be so blended together there. I'll just read a couple of verses. Unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose.
Thither shall he seek, and thither thou shalt come, and thither ye shall bring.
Your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes and heave offerings of your hands and your vows.
And your free will offerings, and the first things of your herds and of your flocks. And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice.
And your household, to me it's a very beautiful picture. There's the place where Jehovah said his name. It was to be sought out. The invitation was to come there, but not to come empty handed, to come bringing burnt offering, first of all. But there are seven things in that verse.
And brethren, I do believe that if we remember something of that which has now been brought before us by easier brethren, that they're coming into the presence of the Lord Jesus would be such a happy experience to us. He shall rejoice, ye and your household. Why, if it were simply coming to a specific place in Israel, it might become very boring.
But they were privileged to rejoice, and not alone either with their households.
But I suppose if they came empty handed, they might not have that joy they came bringing. They brought the burnt offering, but they also brought their ties and free will offerings. And there they ate before the Lord, and there they rejoiced together with their household. Oh, what a wonderful privilege it is. It's not simply a specific.
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I must be careful. It's not simply a specific place or the fulfillment of a certain doctrine.
But the wonder of being in the presence of the Lord Jesus and to come into His presence bringing, oh, what rejoicing it is. There is a bit of rejoicing with us. Think of what rejoicing must be in his heart to see a few of his own respond to this provision that he has made.
To come and his invitation to be where he has invited us, but to come bring it.
Brethren, pardon me again. I've seen that we're getting near the end of our reading, and we haven't yet touched the.
The subject.
Of the.
How that we especially had before us, that is the great shepherd of the sheep.
And right, I just say this that.
The way this subject is brought before us is very precious to our hearts. That is, the apostle is pointing out that they were to go outside of all that that they had gone on with, and which was so, so attractive.
That's a beautiful system, the temple and all its service to leave that and to go out now to a rejected Christ. Why it was just like being cast out without any protection or any any provision for them, but also the apostle when you have acted on the call and gone outside.
Why you have the care?
Of the great shepherd of the sheep in resurrection. And I've known cases where the truth was first preached in the place that something like this was said to those who were listening to the truth. Why, if you go on with those people, well where will you be? Well, you won't have anybody to preach the funerals of your loved ones. It will be just outcast. Well they need.
Exercise in that way about abandoning.
Our religious system that maybe their parents and their grandparents have been connected with and which has been a great.
Place in their history, and to leave it all well, they not only have a blessed assurance of finding Christ Himself outside for their own joy.
And these blessings we have been considering, but they also have the precious care of that great shepherd of the sheep.
I like to read a very precious word, Hebrew the same chapter.
13 verse eight. I have enjoyed some of the thought that I want to pass on to you in connection with his words here.
Jesus Christ.
The same yesterday.
Today and forever and others they have connected these this wonderful verse and I myself, I have enjoyed the three sound of the shepherd, the threefold character as a shepherd of the Lord Jesus, our precious Savior yesterday. You have Psalms 22.
As the sin of him.
Gave himself for us Psalm 22. I believe that in Psalm 22, above everything else, we have the Lord Jesus as a Sinner, that one of the ones that he died in our room and said are substitute and who beloved how we need to feed under rusted land.
And then think of a John chapter 6 and somewhere around verse 57, He that He did my pledge and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him. That's not salvation. Salvation I believe you'll find on the verse before that. He that drinketh my flesh and drinketh my blood had eternal life.
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But I'm the next word. I believe that communion and all how we need to feed on the.
Russet land. But then today I believe that Psalm 23 the shepherd, the shepherd sounds as the great shepherd of the sheep. And what a wonderful rich provision we have in that song 23 in connection with the present. That's the great shepherd of the sheep. And then I connected Tom 24 forever.
Oh, what a wonderful future we have before all 24 Six of the glory.
You and I as soon as common, we're going to be together with him forever. And so our blessed is to notice Jesus Christ yesterday, Psalm 22, he gave his wife the present, the great shepherd of the sheep sound 23 and then glory, the future sounds 24 all united together, and it's all wrapped together in the threefold aspect of the Lord Jesus the Good Shepherd.
The great shepherd of the sheep.
And the Chief Chapel regards the future. And then also efficient Chapter 5. You have the three things together. She returned to that very briefly, and I'll stop.
Character of the Shepherd Brethren and saw in efficient chapter 25.
And.
I'll find the bird.
Verse 25. In verse 25 he gave himself for the church.
In Psalm 26, again I believe you have him as a great shepherd of the King Karen for us verse 26, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with a watching of the water by the word. I believe this is what we have in Hebrew verse 20 over chapter 13.
And then the future you have an adverse 27 of efficient chapter 5, the future glory.
Before we close, brother and I'd like to ask a very practical question.
We were all happy to hear that there may be some here today who are honestly seeking the place, and if they were to come to us now and say no, how do I know? Are there any definite marks that characterize or mark out the place for the Lord to love saves His presence in the midst of the Saints. Now what would your answer be?
What are the definite marks that we have in scripture for the place?
Where? Where? In Deuteronomy?
We referred to Chapter 12 as to the place of Brother Hajo mentioned the place.
How important it is, but 21 * 3 * 7 is 21 Times. In the book of Deuteronomy. It refers to the place the Lord thy God shall choose his choice to place His name there.
Then it's important, as our brother called our attention to it, that we have our praise, our burnt offerings, and that we rejoice. In other words, we come with our heart. You mentioned our having our baskets full, so that's important. So it's the where.
Two or three the minimum. It might be in a day of small things of weakness, like even now, but where two or three are.
Gathered.
Now that would be by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As our dear brother Fleck wrote me years ago, if I am gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.
I am gathered outside of all divisions.
For First Corinthians, one shows how they were to have one mind and one heart is taught in various places and not to be a divided.
Confused, ruined testimony as we see so much nowadays. But where they're gathered by the Holy Spirit unto My name exclusively, and only to My name, There, THERE, there.
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And as our dear Doctor Groff used to say.
Not.
A little Group A few blocks away in competition with them.
He said that over and over again. He used to say that not a few blocks away, but there am I in the midst of them. Now those two last words are definite, specific, and if you please, exclusive because He means what He says. There am I in the midst of such of them.
At the beginning, when the apostles doctrine.
And fellowship.
Breaking of bread and prayers, well, we're the Lord sanctions the testimony. There will be sound doctrine taught and practice.
Finding a personal reference when I was converted all I had known.
Previously as a as a boy and a young man.
One system in two or three aspects.
When I was converted and had a new nature that loved the Bible.
I went and got a Bible.
And I started to read it.
And then I was brought by my friends who were both here today.
To a little tiny place of worship where there was absolutely nothing to attract the natural light. But I discovered that folks had a Bible and that they read out of it. So I started reading out of my Bible and I had many questions to ask, and I think they were honest questions and I got answers from the scripture.
So I became convinced and satisfied in my soul.
That, as far as I could see, I was where Christians were teaching and practicing sound doctrine and.
That satisfied me. I still had a great deal to learn. But if a stranger comes among us?
We must expect of that.
We're obligated before God to set forth sound doctrine from the book, and the Spirit of God will bear witness to him that it is so as he read his own Bible. Like the Thessalonians, they search the Scriptures daily. And what are the things spoken by the apostles themselves? Or so everything was referred to the test of the written Word of God which they had in their possession.
And and therefore the stranger who comes inquiring honestly.
Will judge by whether there is sound doctrine.
And whether the practice goes along with it.
I think our brother Hamilton could probably answer the question himself. I'm sure he had something on his heart when he asked the question.
Well, no. I really wanted a an answer for the sake of these folks. I thought maybe we did have part of it right here in our chapter, but very good.
Well, I'll tell you, Brother Hamilton. Oh, you're our own family. We're gathered out.
About 100 years ago, a man with the name of Wilson Smith preached in Chatham, and then he went out in the country this Chatham ON to the neighborhood where the Moyer family lived.
Or our brother's mother was a lawyer and he preached in the schoolhouse with great power.
Preached the sound gospel they never heard before, and then they began to quarrel about this line of things. He walked nine miles out there one day and planted his Bible on the table, and it must have been in his grandfather's home. And he said these words. If any man will to do his will, he shall know the doctrine.
Well, Mr. Moore, Mr. Robert Moyer was a wild man that wanted to do the will of God and was an inquiring soul, and wasn't long after that before he was gathered to the Lord's name. And that testimony has continued through the years, and here's the fruit of it right here in this meeting inquiring today.
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That is, if the will is right, if there is an honest desire to do the will of God.
Where will you find the will of God? You will not find that in the sex of men. You will find that. You will find it in the Word. And if one in humble dependence turns to the Word, and when they discover what is not according to the Word, why then that isn't? That isn't the place.
I'm sure those here have either read Brother Brown, Brother Tiffard Brown.
Tracked on this subject, taking up the in the second chapter of Acts.
Where we read at the beginning of the church's history this it said they all the the 41St verse or the 42nd and they continued steadfastly and the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer.
Well, the first thing is the apostles doctrine. Some people are guarded by fellowship.
Brother Man came a nice Christian and his wife to our meeting. I met him on the train later on and he said oh we found such lovely Christians at a certain place.
But I said, don't they deny the eternal security of the believer? He dropped his head. What was that? According to the apostle doctrine, to be in a place where they deny the eternal security? The believer, well, the apostle doctrine would have kept him from going there, even though there were such nice Christians and he had such lovely fellowship.
Well, in this tractor, Mr. Browns, or this address.
He just supposes that he starts out from his home in Des Moines, IA and right across the street there's a very nice building and a preacher. He says as a Christian, but he inquired Father about baptism. Oh, we don't baptize here. Don't take the Lord Supper. Oh, I can't go there. That's not the apostles doctrine. Go down to the street to another place and here they have one man ministry too. Well, I don't find that.
Apostles doctrine. I couldn't go there where one man is in charge absolutely of the congregation. Well, I don't remember all. He tests out every one of these places until finally he comes to a little meeting where he finds, he tests out everything and tests it out by the word and he finds there the apostles doctrine. But he says here's another meeting down the street very much.
This one and their meeting, perhaps they could take all their group in along with them. Well, what's the difference? Well, he said this, that every meeting has a history and that meeting has a history. Why are they there meeting not gathered as the place where he has been guided by the truth of God?
Why are they meeting in separation?
Well, you will always find that these groups who meet in that way are very hesitant and usually very much opposed to. You're looking into their history as to why they're in a place of disobedience.