YP Address—J. Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
216 Lord, we rejoice that thou art gone to sit upon thy father's throne, Thy path of shame and suffering or thy heart shall grieve and mourn no more. With joy our wandering hearts retrace thy ways. On earth of power and grace we sit as learners at thy feet, thy words and honey far more sweet.
I'm going to suggest that we stand up to sing this hymn 216 and if someone will, please start it.
First of all, please to apportion in Luke's Gospel Chapter 7.
00:05:13
Luke's Gospel, Chapter 7.
And verse 36.
And one of the Pharisees desired him, that he would eat with him, and he went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meet.
And behold, a woman in the city which was a Sinner when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house.
Brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet.
And anointed them with ointment. I have it on my heart this afternoon in seeking to encourage us in the path of faith and service.
To look at some scriptures in the New Testament that bring before us some individuals.
Who were at the feet of the Lord Jesus, Because if we get nothing else out of this little talk that we have this afternoon.
I want to encourage not only those who are younger this meeting is particularly for you, but each of our hearts to be at the feet of Jesus, and we're going to look at the blessing that each of these individuals received.
And there's a different character to each of these stories, something that I trust we will learn in a practical way.
Because there's no better place for us than in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's where we're going to receive a blessing. That's where our souls are going to be filled and satisfied.
And I began with this particular portion because here we find the Lord Jesus.
In his pathway invited into this home, a home that it tells us was the home of a Pharisee. And even though the Lord Jesus was invited into this home and provided a meal, yet the Lord Jesus knew the heart of this proud Pharisee. You know, this proud Pharisee. He really didn't understand that he had a need. Perhaps he really didn't understand who this divine guest was.
Oh, he saw the Lord Jesus, no doubt as a Goodman, perhaps even as a great teacher.
As many did in the pathway of the Lord Jesus. But he was far, far more than that.
He was the one who had come down from heaven. He was God manifest in the flesh. He was the Son of God. He was the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who was on his way to Calvary Cross to accomplish that mighty work of redemption.
And though this man didn't realize his true condition in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
Thank God there was one who heard that he was in this home and she comes.
And she stands at his feet, and she weeps. There was one who realized her true condition.
As a Sinner, and she comes to the feet of the Lord Jesus in repentance.
And that's why young people, I began with this portion because as I looked into the faces of an audience like this.
I sometimes am troubled to think that there may be someone who perhaps feels more like the Pharisee.
Than the woman who wept at his feet. You might feel well, you know, the Gospels presented, but I'm not as bad as all that.
I've been a good, moral, upright young person. I've tried to obey my parents. I've always come to the meetings. I've tried to toe the line. I'm not. I'm down and out Sinner like they allude to when the gospel is presented. But all I want to tell you, if you've never come to this point, like this woman who wept at his feet and kissed his feet and wiped her, his feet with the hairs of her head, then you're outside the circle of blessing.
You're still not saved. You're lost and on your way to hell. And the other individuals that we're going to look at who were at the feet of Jesus and the blessing they received, these individuals really will have no application to you unless you have first come to the feet of the Lord Jesus in this way. And so I want to encourage you. I want to exhort you. Oh, realize first of all that like this woman, you have a great need.
Because the Lord said of this woman who much is forgiven, the same loveth much. Do you realize what a great Sinner you are? If you do, then realize that you have a great savior. That's what this woman found out and she received. If we were to read this passage, we find that she received the forgiveness of sins. We never read of the Pharisee receiving the forgiveness of sins. No his heart.
00:10:25
Was was proud. He thought he was pretty good, and he didn't receive the blessing that the Lord had. But this Sinner woman, this woman who came to his feet as such, what a blessing she received. And so this is the first thing. But now I'd like to go on and I would like to address particularly those of us who know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. I thrilled to look into the faces.
Of an audience like this, where I see young people who I know are saved. You know the Lord Jesus. You love the Lord Jesus. And I know deep down in your heart you really have a desire to please the Lord. That thrills my heart as I look at those coming on behind me. I'm glad for young men and young women who really want to please the Lord Jesus. But I know too there's a lot of trials. There's a lot of difficulties in the past of faith. I know the enemy is busy to seek to discourage you, to seek to weary you in the past, to trip you up, to confuse you.
But all I want to encourage you, if you're going to go on for the Lord's glory, it must be to come time and time again.
To the feet of the Lord Jesus. Well, with this in mind, I'd like to just go over a page in our Bibles first of all.
To the 8th chapter of the Gospel of Luke.
Chapter 8 and verse 41.
And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue, and he fell down at Jesus feet and besought him.
That he would come into his house, for he had one only daughter, about 12 years of age.
And she lay a dying, but as he went, the people thronged him.
And then drop down to verse 49. Well, he yet spake. There cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, thy daughter is dead, trouble not the master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the fairest, into the house, he suffered no man to man in, say, Peter and James and John.
And the father and the mother of the maiden, and all wept and bewailed her, but he said weep not, she is not dead, but sleepeth.
And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, made arise.
And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway. And he commanded to give her meat.
And her parents were astonished. But he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
And then just hold your finger here. I want to read a little incident in Mark's Gospel, Chapter 7.
Mark's Gospel Chapter 7.
And verse 24. And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon.
And entered into a house, and would have no man know it, but he could not be hid.
For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by nation, and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil.
Out of her daughter. Well, these might seem strange scriptures to read, but for a few moments I would like to address.
Young parents here, or some of us who are not so young who have young people, perhaps we have young people sitting in this room. Perhaps we have young people that we wish were sitting in this room are going on for the Lord. But I read these two portions as an encouragement both to fathers and to mothers, because in the first incident we have a father and he came to the Lord Jesus on behalf of his 12 year old daughter.
And then we have a mother who had no claim nationally as to any blessing.
But she came to the Lord Jesus and she came on behalf of her daughter as well.
00:15:03
And we find in both cases that when these parents came, the Lord came in in blessing.
Maybe there's a parent here and you're beseeching the Lord on behalf of a child or a young person.
That you don't feel is saved. Or maybe you're beseeching the Lord on behalf of a child or young person that you'd just like to see some fruit in their lives. Maybe you feel pretty confident that they have made a clear confession of faith, but you just don't see that fruit. Or maybe at one time you did see some fruit and the enemy has got the upper hand and they become discouraged or perhaps LED into a path that you feel if they continue on that path.
It's going to be a serious detriment to them. But we find here that both this father and this mother, they knew where to turn in their extremity on behalf of their children. And I just want to encourage you don't give up. Are you praying for that child? Are you praying for that young person, that daughter, that son? Don't give up because it's God's will that if they're not saved that they would be saved. It's his will that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. It's his will too, that if they've got away, they might be restored.
Because it's his desire that they would live for his glory and that there would be fruit and testimony.
In their lives. I know, especially from my own experience, dear parents, that it's not easy. And I know sometimes we wish the Lord would come in in a little different timetable than perhaps he is operating in. But you know, I've been encouraged in going through the word of God to find that the word of God abounds with stories of mothers and fathers who prayed for their young people.
And they didn't always see results right away. Maybe they didn't even see results in their time or this side of glory. But the Lord came in eventually. And mother, Father, we don't know the end of the story. I know sometimes that small consolation, but I'll repeat something that has been a great encouragement to me. You know, Moses mother only had him for a short time, and then she had to send him off to be trained as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
And do you realize that Moses never came out for the Lord or took a stand with the people of God till he was 40 years of age? That was a long time, wasn't it, for her to see the fruit of her labor? Did she see it this side of glory? You know, we don't even know if she was still living when Moses came out for the Lord and with the people of God. Maybe she'll have to wait till the future day. And even if she was living, that was a long time to see fruit. But you know, I say not only do we have Moses, but story after story.
You know Timothy, his mother and his grandmother labored much to bring Timothy up in the fear of God.
And the day came when there was fruit for their labor. Oh, I say. Don't be discouraged. I speak to my own heart as much as yours.
But we must trust God for our children and our young people, and we must come again and again.
To the feet of the Lord Jesus, you know neither one of these individuals perhaps saw results as quick as they would have liked.
The man who came, Oh, he would have wished that the Lord would come before his daughter had died.
But you know the Lord, if I can put it carefully, knowing there was a perfect timetable in God's plan, He took his time, He acted according to that timetable that he knew was perfect. So with the mother in Mark's Gospel where we read, but in the end, the end result was that there was life and there was fruit. I'd like to just make this one other comment too, in connection with Jairus daughter, you know, when the parents received her alive at the hand of the Lord Jesus.
They were given a special instruction to give her something to eat. And I just want to again say to fathers and mothers, maybe you don't always see a lot of fruit right away, but give them something to eat. What do I mean by that? I'm not just talking about physical food. Yes, we need to make sure our children and young people eat good, healthy meals at the table, but they need spiritual food too. And if we are?
Exercised and have the energy to give our children and young people one spoonful at a time.
At in our homes and at our tables of spiritual food, then I believe that we will eventually.
00:20:01
In the Lord's time, we will see that growth that he so desires, and that of course we desire for our young people as well. Now let's just back up to the 8th chapter of Luke.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 8.
And verse 35.
Then they went out to see what was done and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the devils were departed.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
They also which saw it, told them by what means that was possessed of the devils.
Uh. Was was healed, and then just dropped down to verse 39. Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. And then I want to notice this same incident in Mark's Gospel chapter 5.
Just an added little comment there, OK.
Mark's Gospel chapter 5 and verse 18.
And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed of the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
Well, here we find this man. We know the story well. The Lord had cast the demons out of this man.
By dispensing them into the herd of swine that had rundown the hill and been killed in the sea.
And we find this man then sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.
You know, it's a wonderful thing when a young person comes to know the Lord Jesus as their savior.
And I've seen it in the lives of many young people how it's been a complete turn around in their lives. But we find here that as he sits at the feet of Jesus, he's given a special Commission.
First of all, in the portion we read in Luke, he's told to return to his own house.
And I want you to notice this show how great things God hath done unto thee. First of all, he's to return to his own house. And I believe, young people, that this is a special word to us after we get saved, to show that we know the Lord Jesus as our Savior in our own families, in our own home. I know it's difficult. I know you think Mom and Dad don't always understand.
I know that you think brothers and sisters sometimes aren't always on the same page, and it's really the hardest place to live for Christ. But I want to suggest this in the measure in which you spend time in the presence of the Lord Jesus sitting at his feet. And we're going to go on and look at another incident that gives us some insight as to what it really means to sit at Jesus feet. But if you take time to sit at Jesus feet in his presence.
Learning from him, enjoying his company, then I believe you will have the spiritual courage that's needed.
To live like a Christian in your own home. You know, sometimes young people, as they get into their teens and a little older, they can't wait for the minute when they could leave, can leave home. And we know from the incident in the comment in Mark's Gospel of this same incident that this man wanted to go with the Lord Jesus, but it was not the mind of the Lord Jesus for him to go. He sent him back. And so the Lord Jesus, he has a place for you.
Right in the home where you were born and raised and that place is and notice this to show how great things. Because young people, it isn't always what we say that is going to give testimony that we have been in the presence or at the feet of the Lord Jesus. No, it's by our actions. And again, I know it's difficult. I grew up in a Christian home and thank God I had godly Christian parents.
Who brought us to the feet of Jesus encouraged us to sit at the feet of Jesus as individuals.
And I was the oldest of four, and to my shame, I didn't always show by my conduct.
That I was a child of God. I didn't always show how great things God had done for me, but this man was to go home having sat at the feet of Jesus. He was to go home, and he was to show to his family that there had been a real work of of grace in his soul. You know, and I know, brethren, we're not all called to the mission field. Young people were not all called to go out to the other side of the world. I realized that. But you will be. You'll never be called to the mission field.
00:25:28
You'll never be called for a wider sphere of service and testimony if you don't learn to show at home, if you don't learn to be a missionary at home. Because God starts us at home. He starts us in the little things. And it's interesting when we come to the same incident in Mark's Gospel there we find that he's to go to his friends. Do you want to be a testimony to your friends in the neighborhood, at school, at work? It remember, it started at home. He was to show at home. Then the sphere of the circle of testimony widened. And here it's not just showing.
But it's telling. But notice the order. You know, we first have to show by our lives.
What God has done for us, that we belong to the Lord Jesus, that there's been a work of grace in our souls.
And then we need to open our mouths. But I believe it is in that order because you notice that we used to sing when we were young people.
See, your life speaks so loud that the world can't hear what you say. And so he was to go home, first of all to his own house and show by his life, by his actions, that God had dealt with him, that the Lord had dealt with him, and then into his friends, that wider sphere He was to give testimony by his words. And so I want to exercise all of our hearts, but especially again, those who are younger. I know it's tough. I know it takes spiritual energy.
It takes courage and you'll never do it if you don't spend time at Jesus feet. This man could have never done what he did. He could never have gone home and shown. He could never gone back to his friends and told them if it hadn't started with sitting at Jesus feet. Because I believe our testimony to others will only be in the measure in which we spend time in the presence of the Lord Jesus. Before we pass on, I'll just raise this question to challenge my own soul, to exercise my own heart.
Perhaps as much or even more than yours. How much time this weekend have we spent at the feet of Jesus? I'm not asking you to calculate how much time we've sat in this room and had these meetings. That's wonderful. But I'm asking you to calculate in your own mind, honestly, before the Lord, how much time have you set aside to spend in His presence?
Now let's go back over the past week. How much time last week before you came to these meetings did you spend time in the presence of the Lord Jesus? Really get down at his feet? Why is it His feet that we need to get down at? Because that would speak of humility. To get down at someone's feet is humbling, and we need to humble ourselves and get into the presence of the Lord. And when we do that, we learn that we're nothing but that He's everything and that he has every resource in himself.
So that we can get up from his feet and we can go out in testimony in whatever sphere or wherever God has placed us. Now I'd like to notice 3 incidences in the gospel, 3 incidences when you have a lady, the same lady at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and I believe it's very instructive for us.
Let's go first of all to the 10th chapter of Luke.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 10.
In verse 38 now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain village.
And a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving and had come to him and said Lord.
Dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her, therefore, that she helped me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things.
But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away.
00:30:01
From her Now hold your finger here. We're going to come back to this portion, but I want to read in John's Gospel Chapter 11.
John's Gospel, Chapter 11 and verse 19. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him, but Mary sat still in the house and then noticed verse 32 And when Mary was come where Jesus was and saw him.
She fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died. And then verse 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. And then the third incident is in the 12Th chapter, verse one. Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead.
Whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of Spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair.
And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. Well, I want to spend a little time on these three instances. And as we take up these three incidences, I want you to keep in mind a verse in the book of Ecclesiastes that says.
A three fold cord is not quickly broken because I'd like to weave these three scriptures.
In connection with three aspects of our Christian life, I want to take them up in connection with being at the feet of Jesus as individuals.
At the feet of Jesus as families, and at the feet of Jesus collectively.
In the assembly and we're going to find that there are three different aspects.
Of the these three times that Mary of Bethany is mentioned by name at the feet of Jesus, and they are the only times in the Gospels where she is actually mentioned by name, she may be alluded to.
In other portions, but there are three times when she's mentioned by name. Perhaps I'll just say this.
In prefacing my remarks on these scriptures And that is that in the pathway of the Lord Jesus.
There were very few homes where the Lord Jesus was really welcome, you know? On another occasion it says every man went to his own house. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. There were very few homes that he was really welcome at.
But there was one home at Bethany where he delighted on many occasions.
To turn his weary feet and sit down in the midst of those that loved him.
And the Lord Jesus no doubt had his spirit refreshed as he sat in the company of those in this little home that really valued the Lord Jesus and the person of Christ. And we find here that when he comes to this home in Luke's gospel, these two sisters, Mary and Martha, were busy, I have no doubt, preparing for the arrival of the Lord Jesus.
We find from one Scripture that the home is referred to as the home of Martha. And I have no doubt that Martha felt a special responsibility in making things comfortable and conducive for this divine guest. Because when she complained to the Lord, she said, well, there's things need to be done and I thought Mary was going to help me.
During your visit here, But the Lord had to tell Mary there was something more important.
And we find here that Mary, when the Lord Jesus enters this home, it's just as if she would say.
This is an opportunity that can't be missed. I'm going to take time now to sit down at the feet of Jesus.
And hear what the Lord Jesus has to say. Now I said that we're going to try to make it very practical as to what it is to sit at Jesus feet.
And I believe that what it is to sit at Jesus feet and hear his words.
Which is the context here is to get a loan with the Lord Jesus.
With your Bible, open it and listen to what he has to say to you.
How much time do you spend with an open Bible in some quiet place?
Maybe in your room, maybe somewhere where you can slip away and open your Bible and listen to what the Lord has to say.
You know it must have been wonderful when the Lord Jesus was here and walked amongst men.
00:35:03
For people to be able to go out on the hillside or down by the sea or in a home like this, and to listen to the very words of the Lord Jesus. But we have the same privilege. We have the privilege, actually a far greater privilege in a sense of sitting down in the presence of the Lord Jesus with the word of God before us. And do we really have opened ears to hear what he has to say?
Mary had to let something go when Martha complained, she said. Mary hath left me to serve alone, you know, if you take time to sit at Jesus feet and hear his words individually.
You're always going to have to leave something. Maybe you'll have to leave someone or something that you really thought was important, but Mary found there was something more important than all the house necessary housework. And I'm not saying that we let the housework go either, but we need to take time to sit at Jesus feet and hear his word. Mary chose the good part. She chose the one thing that was needful. Maybe there's only one thing needful in your life and that's to take time to sit at Jesus feet. Maybe everything else is in order in your life. Maybe you're getting good grades at school.
Maybe you're upright and honest. Maybe you are a good testimony in the home. Maybe you are a testimony to your friends and neighbors. But if you're not sitting at Jesus feet reading his word, then you're missing the one thing that is so needful in your life. And if you are missing this, you're going to be like Martha, full of care and troubled about many things. You ever feel that way? Sometimes young people, you just say there's so many burdens and so much pressing on me, and I've got to get this project done, and I've got to go here and I've got to get this done, and I just don't know how I'm going to.
Keep up. And there's this problem and that problem. Oh, maybe you're burdened. Maybe you're careful and troubled about many things because you're not taking time to sit at Jesus feet. But I said I want to weave a threefold cord through this.
We need to sit like Mary at the feet of the Lord Jesus individually, but you know, we need to sit as.
Families too, at the feet of the Lord Jesus. And again, I just want to say to young fathers here.
Or any of us who have young people. Are we taking time to bring our children and our families and our wives to the feet of Jesus? Is he really welcome in our homes? Is there a time set aside when the Bible is opened and read? And I know different things work for different people. Perhaps in some homes it works better at the breakfast table. In other homes, perhaps after the evening meal. But whatever works. You need to discipline yourself. You'll have to leave something too, Fathers.
You'll have to leave something. You'll have to let something go. Maybe that little bit of work you wanted to do in the garage or out in the yard, maybe you'll have to let that go a little bit. And I'm not saying we neglect the maintenance of our homes either, but don't neglect to sit at Jesus feet as families. And there are mothers here too. You know, in my raising a family, I've been away a great deal and I was encouraged. There was a couple we know very well and they were staying in our home when I was away.
And they said to me after they said the one thing we appreciated in staying in your home while you were away was that your wife made sure that there was a family reading after the evening meal. I was encouraged by that. Maybe sometimes sisters, it's hard for the father maybe has to leave early for work and so on. And maybe later in the day there can be a time with the father. But you know, you mothers have a responsibility too. I'm thankful for a mother who gathered her children.
Around herself on many occasions and read to us from the word of God. Explain the Bible stories to us. Those are some of the happiest memories of my days growing up as a young child in a Christian home.
But then there's another that's two chords. But there's another chord we can weave into this.
You know, we need those times in the assembly set aside for it to sit at Jesus feet and hear his word.
Don't neglect the assembly meetings for Ministry of the Word. Don't neglect the assembly meetings.
Or perhaps you come in the local assembly and you say we don't seem to get a whole lot. There isn't a lot of gift, and we read a portion and there isn't really anybody to give some great explanation or outline the the doctrinal principles of the portion. But the Lord is there. The word of God hasn't changed. The spirit of God is able to give us something. It may be something very simple, but remember one of the great sins of Israel in the wilderness was that they despised the simple manner that God gave them.
00:40:15
Young people don't despise the simple manner that God gives in the local assembly. Yes, it may be an ever so feeble away, but I want to encourage you. God is able to meet our need even when there's felt weakness. And so I want to encourage you plan your lives around those meetings for ministry. But you'll have to leave something again if you have to leave something to sit at his feet individually. If you have to leave something for a family reading time, you'll have to let something go.
In on the evening meeting that set aside in the local assembly for the reading of God's word.
But I just encourage you how well you'll be repaid. You know, I grew up in an assembly where there was.
A great deal of weakness in the assembly, but I'm thankful for those times when we came together for the reading of the word. And I looked back and I learned a lot of things. Maybe they were just little simple Nuggets here and there. Maybe it was just line upon line, precept upon precept here a little, there a little. But you'll learn it in the assembly. Because while the assembly doesn't teach young people, it's in the assembly we learn as taught by the Spirit of God. And if the Spirit of God is given liberty, then those things can be brought out.
That will be for our edification and for our blessing, but then we find.
In the 11Th chapter of John that Mary is at his feet again.
This time, a sorrow had come into this household. Sorrows come into our homes. Don't, don't they? There's a lot of trials. There's a lot of sorrows. And I have no doubt there's young people here this afternoon. And your heart is sorrowful, you say, Jim. You just don't realize what's going on in my life and the sorrow and the loss that I feel. Well, perhaps I don't, but I trust this little portion will encourage you in that regard. Here we find that Lazarus had died.
And Mary and Martha, they loved their brother Lazarus. And when the Lord Jesus was finally approaching Bethany.
We find first of all that Martha, who always seemed to have to be doing something and helping a situation along. She runs to meet the Lord, but I love what it says about Mary and Mary sat still in the house.
You say, How could Mary do such a thing? Was she indifferent to the situation? No. She loved her brother Lazarus just as much as Martha. But Mary, who had sat at the feet of Jesus as a learner?
I believe entered into the heart of the Lord Jesus and into what he was doing and his timetable in a deeper way than Martha. And she knew that the Lord was coming in his own time and his own way.
And that when the Lord Jesus came, he was well able for the situation. And with that confidence in her Lord, she could sit still even at a difficult time. Now it's true. Then when they came and said the master calls for you, there was immediate obedience. And she rises up and where does she go? She goes straight to the feet of the Lord Jesus. You know, it's interesting. Martha went to the Lord Jesus.
Mary went to his feet. Not beautiful. She got right down there in humility, before the independence, before the Lord Jesus, right at his feet, not as a learner now, but in her her sorrow. Do you want to be able to come to the feet of the Lord Jesus in your sorrows and trials? I don't believe you'll really, truly be able to do it if you don't sit at his feet as a learner, if you're not at his feet, entering into his heart, listening to his instruction and what he has to say to you.
Then you can't truly come to his feet in your sorrow, you know, if you have a friend.
And you don't spend happy times together communing. You don't feel real comfortable to go to that friend in a trial or a sorrow. But if you have a friend and you enjoy happy times together, and you speak together, you listen to what they say. You speak to them. Why, you say I can go to that friend. That friend understands me, knows my heart. That's the kind of friend that Mary had. She'd been there. She'd entered into his heart, and now she goes to him in her sorrow.
And was the Lord able for the situation? Indeed he was. And young people the Lord is able for every situation.
00:45:06
I'm not going to tell you that he's always going to work it out the way you think it should be worked out. I'm not going to tell you he's always going to remove the difficulty. I'm not going to tell you that he there's not going to be further burdens and sorrows. But I'm going to tell you that you'll find a very present help in time of trouble, that there's one who will indeed comfort your heart. And if you commit your way unto him, it says, commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.
It may not be to pass in the way that you had hoped or anticipated, but if you're willing to leave it in his hand to just commit the whole matter to him, it will be to pass in the way that he deems is best. And so, as individuals, we need to come to the feet of the Lord Jesus in our trials and sorrows. Maybe there's no one else you can tell it to, but you can tell it to the Lord Jesus.
But then what about his families? This sorrow affected this little household. It affected this family. There are sorrows come into our homes as families, aren't there? Isn't it wonderful to have a time when we can take our families in prayer to the feet of the Lord Jesus? And if we have scheduled a time when we come as families for the reading of the word of God to hear His word, then it's not hard to schedule a time to come.
In intercession and prayer.
And I don't mean just when there are sorrows, either. Again, we need to develop fathers. We need to develop the habit of bringing our families to the throne of grace, because the enemy is busy to smash the family. He's opposed to everything that God has set up and instituted, and the family was the first institution that God set up for the blessing of man on the earth. And the enemy's busy like never before to smash.
The family and the testimony of the Christian home. And so let's learn to bring our families to the throne of grace.
But then there's the third chord again, and that is to come in intercession, or to come in prayer, an intercession on behalf of others, to the throne of grace collectively as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. Because you get that aspect of things in Matthew's Gospel chapter 18, where it says, if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done, uh, for them of my Father, which is in heaven, where two or three are gathered together.
In my name there am I. In the midst of them, what is to characterize the local assembly? It's dependence. And that's what the assembly prayer meeting is for. Young person, young brother, young sister, are you exercised to set aside time to be at the assembly prayer meeting? You say, well, the brothers pray and I come and what good is it for me to be at the assembly prayer meeting? Your presence there in exercise with your brethren is a tremendous blessing.
And has a great impact on the assembly, and I've often drawn this little illustration from Acts chapter 12, but I'll repeat it.
Because there we find one of the most beautiful examples of assembly or collective prayer in the New Testament.
There we find that the assembly was burdened for the safety and deliverance of Peter, and it says prayer was made for him by the church without ceasing. In fact, I picture them coming together there, not just on their regular assembly, prayer meeting night, but so burdened were they for the deliverance of Peter that I think they came together night after night and they didn't have much faith because they wouldn't even believe, you know, if they had faith, they would have had Rhoda watching at the gate for Peter down the road.
But when Rhoda announced that he was at the gate, they wouldn't even believe it. But God honored the exercise of the assembly in coming together for assembly prayer. But what I really want to bring out is a little encouragement for the sisters, particularly the young sisters, because you know it, we find that Rhoda, who was a damsel or a young girl, was at the prayer meeting and young sister Rhoda might have said, well, not much point of me going to the prayer meeting tonight. I can pray at home and it's the brothers that are going to pray out loud and not much point of me going.
But you know, Rhoda was exercised to join her brothers and sisters.
In prayer that night. And I believe that Rhoda received a special blessing for going to the prayer meeting. The Lord ordered it. It could have been anybody, but the Lord ordered it. So she was the one who went to the door and saw first hand the power of God to answer assembly prayer. You want to see the power of God to answer collective prayer. You've got to be at the assembly prayer meeting. I believe that Rhoda probably never missed many prayer meetings after that because she knew the power of God.
00:50:21
To answer assembly prayer, She knew the importance of a young sister kneeling with her brothers and her sisters at the assembly prayer meeting. And so I want to encourage you to be at the meeting for prayer. And I believe if our assembly prayer meetings were better attended, I believe we would see more answers to prayer. And if they were utilized in the way that God has instituted them, we see more power to in the assembly and we see more power in connection with prayers answered. But then we have Mary again in the 13th chapter or the 12Th chapter.
And here we find her at the feet of the Lord Jesus as a worshiper. It's a very beautiful picture here because we find that the Lord Jesus comes to this home for the last time before he goes to the cross.
And we find here that Lazarus, who's been raised from the dead, he sits at meat with the Lord Jesus. He's in fellowship at the table with the Lord Jesus. We find that Martha serves no rebuke about Martha serving here, nothing about the service being cumbersome or troublesome here. I just suggest in passing that between Luke's Gospel and John's Gospel, Martha learned the lesson that the Lord so graciously sought to teach her.
That true joy in service springs from sitting at Jesus feet.
Because here she serves, and it seems she serves in her proper capacity.
But then we find that Mary comes to again to the feet of Jesus, and she pours out her ointment. And what was the result? Why the whole house was filled with the odor of the ointment. But I suggest that we will only be worshippers.
Individually in the measure in which we sit at Jesus feet as a learner.
And in the measure in which we sit at his feet in come to his feet in intercession and prayer, why was Mary a worshiper here? She'd been at the feet of Jesus because true worship is an appreciation in our souls of the person of Christ. How are you going to have a deeper appreciation of the person of Christ? You must be at the feet of Jesus. And when I see a young person who's just bubbling over with the joy of the Lord?
I feel pretty confident that that's a young person who has spent time privately in the presence of the Lord Jesus at his feet in one way or another. But then what about the family too?
Here we find that when Mary poured out her ointment, the whole household was affected.
Young people, you want to have an effect on the home in which you find yourself.
Learn to sit at Jesus feet so that you'll have a worshipping spirit, so that you will pour out your ointment in your life personally, that there might be an effect on others. You want to have an effect on your parents, your brothers, your sisters, others in the home. You will in the measure in which you're at the feet of Jesus and in the measure in which there's that worship. And it's interesting that Mary says nothing in this chapter.
You know, praise is more to do with the audible. He's put a new song in our mouth, and it's the fruit of our lips. And I create the fruit of the lips and so on. But worship isn't always what's audible. It comes from a heart overflowing with an appreciation of the person of Christ. And Mary doesn't say a word here, but there's an effect on the whole household. But then again, what about in the assembly? You know, I think this is beautiful encouragement for the sisters.
If it was Lazarus that poured out his ointment in worship, you'd say, well, of course the brothers can take part. But it wasn't Lazarus, it was Mary. And again she says nothing here. But I suggest what we learn from this is that a sister who comes on Lord's Day morning with a heart full of praise and worship is a tremendous blessing to the assembly can set the tone for the meeting. How often, sisters, have you been sitting in the breaking of bread and you can't take part? Ought to be like the brothers, but some scriptures pressed on your heart, some him you're enjoying, and some brother gives out that hymn.
A brother suggests the reading of that scripture, or even expresses something in praise and worship when he gets up to pray. That was just bubbling over in your own soul. I know, sisters, you've experienced that. Oh, I say, learn to privately be at his feet as a worshiper. Let's be as worshippers in our homes that when we come together on Lord's Day morning, we might collectively pour out our ointment. That all might be affected by the odor of that ointment.
00:55:23
Now I'd like to turn to one last portion in closing. It's in Revelation chapter one.
Revelation Chapter One and Verse 17.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the 1St and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead, And behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys.
Of hell and of death. Well, I read this in closing. It's in connection with John.
Who sees the Lord Jesus in the character of Judge walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks?
And when he sees the Lord Jesus in this character walking in the midst of his own.
He's afraid and he falls down at his feet and maybe there's someone here and you say, well it's alright to talk the way you have in this meeting.
And it's wonderful to be at these meetings and with others of like precious faith and enjoy fellowship and ministry and the privilege we had this morning of so many of us.
Remembering the Lord Jesus together in the breaking of bread. But you say I've got to go back to my little assembly and there's a lot of problems in the local assembly. There's a lot of things that aren't haven't been dealt with properly. There's a lot of matters need to be taken up. And I have no doubt there's even young people here today whose hearts are burdened as you think of the going back to those difficulties and every sphere of our lives. But John, when he saw this and he fell at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
What does he receive? Why the Lord comes, he picks him up and he says fear not.
And I wanna leave you with this, young people. Maybe you are afraid. Maybe there's trials and difficulties in your life. Maybe you're afraid of things in the assembly back home. But I want to encourage you. The Lord is able. And if we're willing to what? Be at His feet? John was afraid, but at least he fell down at the feet of the Lord Jesus. And if we're willing to fall at His feet, Everyone of us?
Then the Lord is willing to come in. He has a blessing for us, and as if we were to go on and read the second and third chapter.
In all those assemblies, there were things that were wanting, things that he warns them about and how he's going to have to come in, in his governmental ways if these things aren't corrected and dealt with. And the governmental ways of God are indeed very real in our lives, individually, in his families and collectively. But I wanna leave you with this little expression, this little encouragement. Fear not. He's not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love.
And of a sound mind. And so I trust, brethren, our hearts are encouraged to find ourselves.
Every day, in every sphere of our lives, at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
There's no safer or happier place for each one of us.