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Verse 15 John bear witness off him in Christ. See this was he of whom I spake need to come up after me is preferred before me, for he was before me, and now his fullness has all we received, and graceful grace for the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.
He declared him, and this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not, but confessed I am not at Christ. And they asked him for them Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered No.
Then said they unto him, Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou thyself?
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, to make straight the way of the Lord has, said the prophet Isaiah. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptize us all then, if there'll be note that Christ nor Elias neither that prophet John answered them, saying, I baptize with water.
But there standeth one among you who me know not He it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoes latch that I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in both of our.
You know Jordan, where John was baptizing the next day. John, see if Jesus coming unto him, and sayeth, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me, for he was before me, and I knew him not, that he should be made manifest to Israel.
Therefore am I come baptizing with water, and John Baer records saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same as he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.
And I saw in their record that this is the Son of God again the next day after John stood and to have his disciples and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said.
Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came, and saw where he dwelt, and above with him that day, for it was about the 10th hour.
One of the two which heard John speak and followed him with Andrew.
Simon beat his brother, He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiahs, which is being interpreted to Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah. Thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone. The day following, Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and finest Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
Now fellow for Self Athletic, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Phillips finest Nathaniel, and saith unto them, We have found him through Moses in the law, and the prophets is right Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathaniel said unto him, And there any good thing come out of Nazareth. Philip said unto him, Come and see Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him. Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.
Nathanael saith unto him.
Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, When thou was under the thick tree, I saw thee, Nathaniel. Daniel answered and said unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw the end of the fig tree, believeth thou?
Thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
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As he carries out this ministry that the Lord had given him and speaks the very words that were given him to speak and to preach, he had a wonderful message to present. He was announcing the coming of Christ. He was pointing to that Blessed One. And we see from this portion and other scriptures concerning John the Baptist that that was the whole, the whole thrust of his ministry was to point to this Blessed One later on.
Chapter when he sees the Lord Jesus walking, he points to that one declares him as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world and what was the result? Will John's disciples left off following him, Two of them and they followed the Lord Jesus. His whole desire was to point to the person of Christ, wasn't it? And brethren, that ought to be our desire to by grace, whether it's to speak a word for the Lord Jesus.
In the classroom at school.
Whether it's our testimony at the office, wherever it is in the neighborhood, whether we're with the Lord's people or whatever our situation is, our real desire to make much of Christ and nothing of ourselves. When they came and asked John who he was, why he said I'm just a voice. I'm just speaking the words that have been given me to speak concerning this blessed person.
And so are we content to be just a voice? We're left here for a testimony to speak for Christ and appoint others to Christ.
Are we content to be just a voice? The hymn writer said not. I may live while here below, but Christ our life may be. Are we willing to make much of that blessed One and nothing of ourselves? And what did the Lord Jesus say of John and his ministry of those born among women? There have not risen a greater than John the Baptist. He was willing to make nothing of himself. He said he must increase and I must decrease.
But I only point that out because.
The spirit we see in John, and his whole attitude and desire, we ought to covet for our own souls as well.
It's been said that we can be known in greatness and littleness and one of the charming.
People that we know pretty well from the Bible is.
The writer of the third Gospel, Luke.
Who never once mentioned his name.
He got his name put to a book.
But in his writings he never once mentioned his name.
And the way scripture is written, there are others who are nameless.
Take, for instance, the man we call the Prodigal Son.
He's not even called a prodigal in the Bible that I can find and we don't know his name.
I think God has written it down that way so that everyone of us can put our name in there.
And maybe we could follow Luke in that way. Well, John the Baptist is very charming. And in this chapter, what is soap?
Interesting in that way is that we have two jobs.
We have John Lee.
Forerunner and we have John the follower.
And they just seem to merge.
In their words in this very chapter, I can't tell where.
The sayings of.
Writings are the words of John the forerunner stop and John the Follower go on because he wrote the book John the Follower.
Well, they're both very charming and God used both of them.
There's so many statements that John the Baptist makes.
Verse 15 This was he of whom I spake. He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And again in verse 19 this is the record of John. When they asked him, Who art thou, He said I'm not the Christ. And again he says I'm not, and he says no.
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Who art thou and the voice of one crying in the wilderness?
And asked him why he baptized. In verse 26 Jesus answered them saying, I baptized with water. But their standeth one among you whom you know not He. It is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoes lashes are not worthy to unloose. He seemed. These statements seem to imply he really knew who he was.
And then the next day, verse 29, John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God.
Which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh the man which is preferred before me, for he was before me. And then you have those words, and I knew him not. And again in verse 33, and I knew him not.
I've never been able to really understand that. Wonder if someone could give us help on that. He seems to understand who he is and that he was the one to herald his coming. Points him out, calls in the Lamb of God, calls him later the Son of God.
That says I knew him not. How do we understand that?
Then a little later, he.
Sends messengers to Jesus and says, art thou he that should come or look away for another?
He still seemed not to know for sure. That's not in this chapter, though. That's a little later. That was when he was in prison.
And everything seemed to be going the opposite to what he had expected. Expected the Messiah would come in power and glory and set up the Kingdom. And that wasn't happening. And he was confounded in prison. And we can understand that how the mind works. But these I knew him not here. And there's got to be a good explanation. I always thought the answer was in the 33rd verse.
And I do have not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me.
Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit, the assembly and remaining upon him the same as he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost, that we really don't know truth except by the Spirit. And until the Spirit marked him out, he had to say, I, I wouldn't know him. That is, he wouldn't have known him in a natural way. They're not one of us here who were saved that would say we know the Lord Jesus is our Savior because we're a little smarter than somebody else. And we saw it was a good thing. It was a spirit of God.
Who pointed him out to us?
So that's the one, the only one who can save you. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
And the marking out was at his baptism, and from that point on he certainly must have known that it was the Son of God because the confession of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God was the central element of their confession of faith. So apparently from the baptism, when he took his place in connection with the with the remnant from that point, John did know it, and he pointed him out.
As the Lamb of God.
Luke's gospel says that Mary and Elizabeth were cousins, so evidently being of the same, related in that family in a natural way, certainly must have known the Lord Jesus in a natural way. But it was only then at the baptism that it was marked out, and then he didn't know who this person really was.
And he was the one that gave me after him. He was six months.
John the Baptist was six months older in the flesh. That he was referred before him before he was before him, he certainly must indicate that he realized he was more than human, he was divine.
You see the whole 3 persons that his baptism, don't we? There's the Lord Jesus being baptized.
There was a sphere of lighting upon him. There was the Father's voice saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. So the whole 3 persons of the Godhead were there, and now it was made good in John's soul spirit marking your mouth, Father's voice pointing to him, marking him out. This is my beloved son. On that occasion the heavens were open.
To see that was going on on the earth, that's quite a marked thing there.
The heavens were open.
Spirit of God descended.
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Powerhouse that with the Father's voice on Jesus.
Proclaim to be his son.
But still I still have the problem, Verse 29 says.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
And that's before the baptism. And this is he of whom I said After me cometh the man which is preferred before me, for he was before me. Those seemed statements seemed to say that he knew who he was, but then it says that I knew him not.
It's it's and unless this is not chronological, it could be that it's not chronological order.
You see the question I have.
But we know things, many things intellectually, but until, excuse me, until the Spirit of God makes them good in our souls, they're not really ours. I was thinking of a similar expression in Ephesians chapter 3.
And verse 5.
Which in other ages was not made known under the sins of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets.
By the spirit that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body.
And partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. Now it would seem from other scriptures.
That the other apostles learned through the apostle Paul the truth of the church. But he says here, it was now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, so that Paul might have been one that told it to them, used by God to tell it to them, but the Spirit of God had to make it good to them. And I've often said, we sit in the meetings, we hear the truth ministered.
I don't believe until the Spirit of God has made it good in our souls.
That is really ours. We receive it, and it says they received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh. Well, I heard Paul preach. They learned it through Paul in a sense, but in another sense it was real to them until they saw it through the Scriptures which are inspired by the Spirit of God.
Well, to me it's a comforting thing because I hear lots of things that are said in the meeting.
And I believe they're true and they're very precious. And I might say I learned that from Brother Hendrix A.
I don't believe it's really my own. Make good in my soul until the Spirit of God makes it good.
And sometimes the Lord may bring in special circumstances into our life to make it real to us because we can take it up and as doctrine, as proper as that is, and good as it is. But then some experience happens, maybe in our personal lives, maybe in the family, maybe even an assembly difficulty. And we say, Oh, now I see what that is, really what is really being said. And the Spirit brings that portion back to us.
We knew it, we could quote the Scriptures or the principles, but now when we have to apply it practically in our lives, the Spirit brings it back to us. Brother, hey ho, You were saying about the Spirit being the remembrance, Sir. And so if we read these things who are familiar with them, we hear them in the assembly. Then when the circumstances arises, the Spirit of God brings it back. And I'm sure there's many here who have experienced this. Maybe you read about some Old Testament character and you knew.
You could tell all the facts about their life and all that they did, but then some circumstance arose in your life and the Spirit of God brought that individual and their story from the Scripture back to you. And you said, oh, now it's made good to my soul by the Spirit. Now I see why they acted in that way. It was instruction for us in this particular circumstance. And so I just say that to echo what you say, that we know these things, but often the Spirit of.
Bring circumstances to bear on us so that these things have to be made practical in our lives.
I suspect I'm not interested.
The chronology is.
I don't think it's necessarily giving giving us in John the order knowing, for instance, in.
John, 11 Mary has spoken of as the one who anointed.
The Lord with ointment, but I don't think she's recorded as doing until chapter 12.
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And I don't know that we really actually get the Lord's baptism in this chapter. We get incidents that were consequent upon it and related to it, but the actual baptism is submitted, and I think that's involved in the question.
That's good. You know, you think of John when he was yet in the womb. He leaped for joy. There must have been through his life, some kind of.
All some kind of realization that.
His we say cousin.
By nature.
Was.
Beyond him, but he didn't seem to realize I.
Who he was as the Son of God and killed that testimony from heaven. It's true, isn't it, that we can say a lot of true things about the Lord?
Doesn't mean that we really know him.
Until we have the Spirit of God. And that's probably the point you're making, I think.
He pointed him out. Behold, the Lamb of God. It was the high priest that said this man must die for the nation that it perished. Not this, he said, not that he understood what he was saying, but he was high priest that year. And so he uttered something that was true. I don't know whether that's the case here with John the Baptist, but.
He didn't evidently, really in his soul know him.
Until after the Spirit came.
Would you? Is that the thought you have? There must just been an awareness that he was.
Way beyond what John knew himself to be. Still not clear.
As far as that goes, that even John himself did not necessarily receive all the importance that he occupied in announcing who the Lord Jesus Christ was. But the Lord says there where he said, there's none greater than John the Baptist. This is he of whom it is written. I will send my messenger before my face. So John may not have had himself.
Conceived of the important place that he occupied in the economy of God.
But when the Spirit of God makes.
Things good to the soul.
It becomes a reality. I think that comes right down to the present age and is a.
Very great comfort.
They go back to the words of Job, just asking the question who teaches like Him? Then you go to 1St John and you have a nunction from the Holy One and you know all things. Just look at those verses in First John because they applied to us today and we learned by the Spirit.
And we can't overestimate or over rate.
The teacher that's here this afternoon?
The living God amongst us to teach us.
To bring things to our remembrance that we've heard. But in First John chapter 2, he's mentioned twice as teacher.
Verse 20.
First John 220.
Ye have an unction.
From the Holy One and you know all things.
Verse 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you. And ye not that any man teach you, but the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie. And even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. We are to go on and abide in that spirit, and come back to John.
16 and see what the spirit of God was going to do. John the Apostle was given to write this and it's for us simple truth, but very, very precious and characteristic of the day in which we.
Verse 12 John 1612. I have yet many things to say in you, but you cannot bear them now, even in writing down at that time.
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Those to whom?
The Lord was speaking when he was here. Had to wait.
And then he says, how be it verse 13, when he, the spirit of truth is come?
Now that's the age of Christianity, when Christ is on high for us and the Spirit of God is down here.
For us and in us, He will guide you into all truth, and this is the way we're going to be taught.
It's going to be by the Spirit, it's going to be according to the word, for he shall not speak of himself or independently.
But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, that is, he uses the word of God.
And He shall show you things to come. The future is opened up by this teacher. He shall glorify me, and He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. Or did you say it's comforting? Come down to our age and see the importance of the Spirit of God, and to listen to this word.
We can learn from the teachers amongst us. I remember one of them.
Said.
To us young people.
Said when you've heard the truth.
And learned it and made it your own. You don't have to say, brother. And so and so said so you can put that out as your truth, because there's no corner on the truth. How wonderful to have be taught of the Spirit and make it our own.
2nd is something that the Apostle Paul said in Philippians second chapter. Just turn over there for a moment.
Very lovely the way that he states this here, in contrast to what he was before.
He was saved.
That's the third chapter.
Philippians, Chapter 3.
And verse 10.
That I may know him, he would say, well, Paul, don't you? Don't you know the Lord?
Sure He does, but I may know him. Look at the look at the construction of this verse, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable unto His death, If by any means I might attend under the resurrection of the dead, not as though I'd already attained, neither were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I'm apprehended of Christ Jesus, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
But this one thing I do.
Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth under those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Now that's lovely, isn't it? Subjective knowledge is nice, but.
The objective knowledge of seeing that one in the glory and seeking to follow him. That's the thing.
That's what's going to make the difference. We've heard it said that we only possess the truth as we walk in it, and that is the truth.
But Christ is the glorious object for faith and we need to follow him. This is the great thing. It's it's it's so lovely that verse that I may know him and this is how it's done. Like was mentioned yesterday, we may know a lot of things about him, but are we really acquainted with Him and at peace? That's the thing.
I think that's very important. I was thinking of that verse 2 because Paul didn't say here that I might know about him, but that I may know him. Just turn to an Old Testament scripture in Hosea that I've enjoyed in this connection as well.
I know I'm taking it a little out of its context to apply it to ourselves.
But in Hosea chapter 6 and verse three, it says then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord? Because I believe that the way we know the Lord is in a better acquaintance with himself. It's walking in his company sometimes illustrated it this way, I might know a lot of things about the Queen of England and Prince Philip. I might be able to tell you many things that I've read and heard concerning the British.
Family, but I know about them. But I don't know them personally. I've never been invited to Buckingham Palace. I've never met the Queen and Prince Philip. But suppose I did get an invitation to Buckingham Palace. We'll suppose for the sake of the illustration, I get the invitation in the mail and everything's provided to go to the palace and to spend a month with the Queen and Prince Philip. And so I spend the month with the Queen and Prince Philip. Now I come away.
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Say to me, you know anything about the royal family. Oh, I say, I know lots about the royal family, but I have something even greater than that. I know the royal family. I've sat at their table. I know who these people are. I've communed with them. And so it's not just knowing about Him. Brethren, we've had much precious truth concerning the person and work of Christ and the man in the glory before us in these meetings. But it's not just a question of knowing about him that's important.
But do we really know Him? And how are we going to really know Him? If we follow on, if we walk in company with Himself, then we know Him. Of course, the truth is all for concerning the person of Christ is only made good to us by the Spirit. But it's as we walk in company with Himself that we really know this person. And I say this to my own heart, Do we know this person?
Everything is provided so that we can walk in his company.
And enjoy the his beauties and his glories. And Brother Buchanan was speaking up the Spirit as the teacher and the one who ministers Christ to us according to our need. And isn't it a great comfort to realize that as long as we're here, the Spirit of God is here. He doesn't leave till we leave. That's why it says in the end of revelation in the Spirit and the bride say, come, he's here as the as the great teacher, the one who ministers Christ to us. I say according to our need.
But brethren, may we seek, as we leave this place a little later, and the Lord leaves us here, may we seek not just to know about Him, but to follow on to know the Lord. Paul's great desire was that I may know him.
I want to ask a question in view of these illustrations, which I think would seem to help to know.
I go back and thought to the chapter before this.
In the 24th of Luke, the two from Emmaus.
Just in thought, we don't need to turn to it I don't believe.
But they invited him in.
And there they sat.
And he got up.
And says he was known of them in the breaking of bread.
Now my thought is.
Do we know the Lord Jesus?
Better at the breaking of bread at his table than in any other position down here on earth.
Seems to fit to me to learn him at his table.
Defeat upon him. Literally. Eat and drink that which speaks of his body and his blood.
Well, it's a great, great privilege. I don't think we can overestimate to know him.
And the power of his resurrection, because he's not actually with us. The symbols of his body are there, but he's up there.
Well, it's a nice thing to want to know the Lord and to know all we can from Scripture is taught by the Spirit of God.
Would you say perhaps rather Buchanan is illustrated in Mephibosheth? Because Mephibosheth didn't really know about no David until he sat at his table and ate bread at his table continually. He'd heard things about David. He even assumed things about David that were wrong. But he really didn't enter into the heart of David. But David was a man of grace and wanted to show him kindness. But he certainly learned that at his table. Would you say that's applicable? What a very easy illustration.
Understand and to believe, but I'd like to import to us.
The privilege we have to break bread at the Lord's Table.
And some are not doing it.
It's a great loss. It's a loss of testimony is the loss of joy and communion.
And the Lord wants it. He's worthy of it.
John, Chapter 6.
In verse.
50.
5 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drinking.
Elitist might flesh and drinketh, my blood dwelleth in me.
And I in him.
As the living father had sent me, and I lived by the father.
So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that thread which came down.
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Enjoyment feeding upon that.
It's a double thing, isn't it, L'amour? And we get the life from him.
And the light is sustained.
Like Peter says, if so, be you've tasted that the Lord is gracious.
And then being born of Ghana in the 1St chapter of the Word of God.
And then fed by the word of God in the 2nd chapter of Peter, we get to life and the life is sustained from the Word. Well, we're getting Christ is our life here in this blessed book of John.
We wouldn't say in 1/6 of John it refers to the Lord's Supper though, would we? It's appropriating Christ in death except to eat the flesh and the Son of man and drink his blood. Might be some food sitting on the table, but it isn't mine until I eat it and then it becomes part of me and sell.
There are many people that might believe these things in an intellectual way, but they've never made it their own. But once I see my need as a center that the Lord Jesus had to die on Calvary's cross. She had his precious blood for the blood separated from the body. Is that a thought of death? That's why it says.
Mr. Darby made the comment that when they have a sacrament that leaves out the even blood, if they just eat the wafer and say the blood and the body of Christ are together.
It's a sacrament of non redemption because it's the blood separated from the body that is the sign of death, and it's only through that redemptive work the Lord Jesus accomplished bearing our sins and then shedding his precious blood that salvation.
Use another illustration, Jim. He gave us someone in Mephibosheth the Old Testament right in this same book in the 11Th chapter in connection with Martha.
When Lazarus was raised from the dead.
We know the story of the two sisters and their brother. We know that she was cumbered about with much serving as it says of Mary said at Jesus feet and heard his words. Now here's the point I'm trying to make him it's this that the truth which we possess to hold profess to hold rather God comes in and he tests that and you see that with Martha. He tests that with her. He says to her in the 11Th chapter.
Verse 21.
Said unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it to thee. Now he tends there on that. Just drop down in the chapter and and we'll see.
Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha said unto him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection.
At the last day Jesus saith unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Then he asked her the question, Believeth thou this? And now just to drop down, she sayeth unto him, Yay, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she had said so, she went.
Her way and called Mary her sister and so on. Now just to drop down in the chapter where he actually does raise Lazarus.
That's verse.
39.
Then Jesus said, take ye away the stone. Now notice this phrase right here. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he'd been dead for four days. She's tested, you see, and we're tested, aren't we? God wants to see if there's reality with us. Isn't that interesting? The sister of her that was dead, Yeah, Isn't that? Everything in the Word of God is perfect, isn't it?
It's perfect. Now let's see what happens. Jesus has under said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou should see the glory of God. O brethren, may we be believing believers. I know that sounds like an ambiguous term, but we need to be. We need to take him at his word in that simple childlike faith and believe what He says. Believe what he says. She's tested. Now, what else does it say?
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.
Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee that thou has heard me, and I knew that thou hearest me always.
But because of the people which stand by, I said it that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice. Lazarus come forth, and he that was dead came forth. Isn't that beautiful? That's what we need, brethren. We need to, we need to believe in simple, childlike faith. I want to just give some thoughts as I've listened to all these comments.
00:40:14
In the second chapter.
Verse 24. Jesus did not commit himself unto them.
Because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man.
For he knew what was in them.
And then I think of in Matthew 11 verse 27.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father. It's an absolute statement.
There is that in him that we do not know.
Talking about a divine person, the eternal Son become a man and.
You can fathom that. Who can understand that?
And yet we can say wonderful things about him and make wonderful statements that are true about him. Do we really know him?
Not really. The father does.
Those verses you read at the end of John are practiced by the remark that they believed when they saw the miracles that he did. And that ties in with what we had yesterday before us, that it was himself as an object of faith that brings life to the soul. They did not have the same object of faith that the disciples had we had read to us a moment ago.
Mary, Martha said. We believe that the Son of God, those who saw the miracles, did not have that faith.
So he did not commit himself to them.
Are we not in the school of God?
And there are lessons that we learn in communion with.
Having the Word of God concerning the Lord Jesus. We read that verse in Philippians.
And that I might know him.
But the conversion of Paul he's had. Who art thou, Lord?
And then I just like to read a verse in Second Timothy.
Second Timothy chapter 1, which is the last epistle that Paul gives us.
And looking back at his life.
And all of the things that happened in his life and his sufferings and all he says in verse 12 of the 1St chapter, Second Timothy.
Second Timothy 12 for the witch 'cause I also suffered.
These things.
So we know that.
Heart from the Lord Jesus.
Dear servant. And the Lord said, Go and show him what great things you must suffer, my namesake. Now he's gone down the route, and he's gone through the sufferings, and then he tells us. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed.
And am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. So he knew.
Something that we can all perhaps learn in it.
Some little way, perhaps, but we can learn how He can carry us.
Through our lifespan, and we could end our lifespan with confidence and peace, he said. I'm not saying I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him. So it's all.
Committed to him.
But well, epistle, this is because he speaks of his being going to depart, and he goes out with companies.
In trusting the Lord Jesus.
When we think of what puny mortals we are with our limited knowledge of anything, no matter how much we know of any particular subject, I think of the verse in First Corinthians 82. If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing, Yet as he ought to know, our fancy knowledge of things is just.
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Infinitesimal amount of all that there is to know, which only God knows. And yet a creature such as you and I, Paul could say.
Whom I have believed. Now that's wonderful to be able to say that sometimes the world comes out with some good expressions, and one good one is it's not what you know, it's who you know. And that's good, isn't it? It's who you know. There's a difference between a head belief and a heart belief, isn't there? Those people believe when they saw the miracles because there was evidence there, but there was no heart belief. And that's why Jesus didn't commit himself to them.
The devils believe and tremble. There wasn't one demon that ever failed to know who Jesus was. We know that who thou art the Holy One of God, but they didn't believe in him. They didn't pass from death unto life. They were demons. And so we see with Simon the sorcerer in the eighth of Acts, he believed. He even got baptized, but he didn't believe in his heart. Timothy and Peter said to him.
My heart is not right in the sight of God, so it's possible to believe.
Under convincing evidence, we can't help but accept the evidence, but still.
It doesn't mean anything to us as far as our hearts are concerned and with Paul.
The Lord Jesus was everything to Amino as you were saying. I know whom I have believed. I always remember a brother who was talking to another trying to explain to him the simplicity of salvation is believing on the Lord Jesus and he said he quoted him that verse.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And he said, But I can't believe it. And his brother said, You can't believe who?
You can't believe who? That was the point. Was he just accepting of an evidence that people were saying that's the way of salvation, or did he hear the voice of God in it? Have you heard the voice of God in a spirit of God would have made it good in his soul and he would have passed from death unto life. You can't believe who?
But I believe God that it shall be, even it was told me.
John the Baptist certainly gives evidence. Knowing the Lord Jesus in this chapter doesn't. He's so wonderful. He doesn't speak of one that knew about him, that really had come to know him. And I suppose it was after that baptism when he was marked out.
By the Spirit of God that he knew him, that it's wonderful what the Spirit of God reveals in John.
The whole Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. I like to think of this as the answer to Isaac's question when he was on the way with his father to the Atlanta Mariah. The fire, the wood. But where is the land?
Abraham's answer had been, God will provide himself a lamb.
John seems to be in some measure.
Recognizing the importance of this one, the whole of the Lamb of God, the.
Thousands upon thousands of animals that have been sacrificed in the Old Testament. The fact that they were repeated again and again and again was testimony in itself that this was not God's land. And here the Lord Jesus presents himself, and John recognizes it that.
Behold the Lamb of God, take your daughter.
I've enjoyed these verses in John 3 concerning John.
I think they're so beautiful.
As they try to create jealousy, perhaps in the heart of John because they said his disciples were turning to the Lord and notice what John said. You just read verse 27 and a couple of verses here. John answered and said a man.
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Can receive.
Nothing.
Accepted be given in from heaven.
And receive nothing.
Yourselves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ.
But that I am sinned before him, He that hath to drive is the bright moon. The friend of the Bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoices greatly, because by Jim's voice.
This.
This my joy.
Therefore is fulfilled.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
Therefore.
Is my joy.
Servant of Christ is almost like a sign for points over and over to this one, and yet he doesn't become.
Part of the bride, each of themselves as a friend of the brideman, but he speaks of the Lord Jesus as the one who must increase, and I suppose that happens in our lives.
As we are occupied with the Lord Jesus and his exaltation.
We are brought lower, and that person must have that exalted place.
I think all very much brings us out too, because in the end, he said, I'm a chief of sinners.
It's interesting to notice the difference between these two verses. That is the first time.
In verse verse 29 where John says behold the Lamb of God, he adds which taketh away the sin of the world. So we have the person and the work brought before us. But isn't it interesting that in verse 37 or 36 and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said behold the Lamb of God. So absorbed was John with this person that when he sees him announces him the second time, he doesn't add.
Way, the sin of the world. Not that the work isn't important, brethren, but John was so absorbed with a person that he just simply says, behold the Lamb of God. And what was the result? Well, it was the result of that simple statement that caused 2 of John's disciples to follow up and cease from following John and to turn and follow this person. And so again I say, what a wonderful occupation for us just to point to this one.
But I'd like to just say something to in connection with the Lamb here, just to echo what Bob said a few moments ago, because this is really a tremendous statement in verse 29, behold the Lamb of God. First of all, that is as Bob said, this was the fulfillment of all those Old Testament sacrifices. They were just pale reflections and feeble foreshadows of what was really in the heart of God. And it's interesting in Hebrews 10, it says.
That every priest standeth daily, offering and ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which could never take away sin. And it's been often pointed out, and rightly so, that both in the Tabernacle and the temple there was never a seat for the priests because their work was never finished. And they understood very clearly as those sacrifices were brought from day-to-day and year to year.
That their work was never done, that that sacrifice atoned for that one sin.
And then they had to bring another, and another and another. But what does it go on to say there in Hebrews 10? But this man, after he'd offered one sacrifice for sin forever sat down on the right hand of God. God will never require His Son to rise up and offer himself as the sacrifice again, because He offered himself without spot to God. God is fully satisfied and glorified, and the Lord.
Seated, having offered himself as the supreme sacrifice. But we find here too, that this expression which taketh away the sin of the world.
Encompasses more than just His removing our sins. That's true. By one offering He's perfected forever them that are sanctified and our sins are gone. We sit here as those who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ and brought in the blessing on the basis of that mighty sacrifice. But just turn over to Hebrews 1. I think you get it there again.
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Hebrews, chapter 1.
And verse three, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person.
And upholding all things by the word of his power. And I want you to notice this. You notice Mr. Darbys translation. It's not so much that he's purged our sins, but he's made the purification for sin. And he sat himself down, as we were saying the other day, on the right hand of the majesty on high.
But I think that expression is very important to notice. He's made the purification for sin.
Because at the cross the Lord Jesus not only took up my the question of our sins, but we find that as a result of the fall in the garden, the whole creation came under the effects of the curse. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain. Every level of creation feels the effects of the curse. We had a beautiful Poplar tree outside our kitchen window, and one summer it got a blight.
And when I looked at that tree, didn't it seemed like every leaf on that tree was affected by the blight? That's the effect of the curse of sin. And every level is of creation is still feeling the effects of sin, the animal creation, and so on. But isn't it a thrill rather than to think that he's made the purification for sin and that he is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world? That hasn't happened yet. The work of Calvary has taken place.
And our sins are gone, but there's a day coming when He's going to come forth in righteousness, and righteousness will no longer suffer in this world. And the creation will no longer feel the effects of the curse in the way that it feels now. All creation is going to rejoice in that day. And God's heart is looking on to the full exaltation of His Son, His full vindication here on this globe where He was.
Cast out, and the day when everything gives glory to Him, and this creation feels the effects of His presence in a righteous reign. And I know we're looking for the Lord Jesus to come for us at any moment. But brethren, we ought to love His appearing too, and realize that the work of Calvary is has done. It will be sufficient to fulfill this precious statement that John made the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin.
Of the world in that third verse of Hebrews 1.
It's the work itself which is mentioned. He made the purification of sins.
Not the application of that work to us. That comes later.
But what he's exalting in Hebrews 1 is the person and the work itself that that person accomplished for God's glory. That's so beautiful to see that.
In John 1.
Verse 16 of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace, or grace upon grace? That seems to still be what John verse 15 is saying.
But then the next verse we don't know who says it, for the law was given by Moses.
With grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. And then especially the next verse, Clem was saying, you don't know which John is speaking.
Whether it's John the Baptist or John the disciple who wrote this book, no man hath seen God. Tremendous. Verse 18. No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.
He hath declared him. It seems to me that that verse is. The author of that verse is the Holy Spirit.
No man has seen God at any time.
The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. He never left that place of nearness, intimacy. Mr. Ballet speaks of the Father's bosom as the hiding place of love, the ineffable joy and delights existing among the Persons of the Godhead Trinity.
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And here we have, and it's in John's Gospel that the author of this Gospel.
Lay on Jesus bosom and he tells us the eternal dwelling place of the sun is the father's bosom isn't that beautiful? He who could hear the very heartbeat of the savior as man tells about his eternal dwelling place, the father's bosom that he never really left he he left heaven he came down from heaven, but he was always wasn't he in the.
Intimate, ineffable joy and communion of the Father in that place of love and favor never left that place. Who is in the bosom of the Father? You read Mr. Darby's translation in the 13th of John. It was referred to of F1. And Jesus loved is in the bosom of Jesus. So we are brought into that intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ that He enjoyed with the Father. And so he says in the 17th.
We were visiting about it during the break. That the glory that thou has given me, I have given them in order that the world may know that thou hast loved them as Thou hast loved me. So the intimacy of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, to lie in His booze, the same character that He lies in the bosom of the Father beyond our comprehension.
Beloved, when we, when we hear these words, what you just said.
These are precious words, but do we even begin to fathom them? Do we even begin to fathom John's Gospel? It is. It is such, such a there's just no writing like it. It's the last that was written of the New Testament.
96 AD or something like that. The last chilly first.
The precious.
This of John's gospel I remember 1 brother said to another. He said read John's gospel all the way through.
Then read John's Gospel all the way through. Then read John's Gospel all the way through. You will be a changed person.
Never man spake like this man. Why have he not brought him? I said never man snake like this man. Oh what a what a gospel, what a. There's no literature in all the world from Adam onwards that can touch this Gospel of John. Wonderful. We might go to the 7th chapter to take up some of the similar thoughts.
Because there's a time.
When the Spirit of God brings out truth, and that was taking place when Jesus was down here.
He was the teacher.
And we come to the last day, that great day of the feast in John.
7.
Verse 37.
In the last day, that great day of the feast.
I think this was Tabernacles. Somebody can check that out.
It had an eighth day with it.
Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that eateth, he that believeth on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Now that's that's the believer, it gets the Spirit of God within to pass it out to others, but this fake he of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified and we come down hard on the apostles.
That they walked with the Lord. They seemed to be so slow to enter into the truth that He was teaching them.
Then we have to come around to the fact that we have the Spirit of God and they did not.
And their intelligence.
Didn't have the same opportunity that ours does. They could listen to the Lord all right and get that. But Peter was such a changed man. When you come to past Pentecost and he preaches the gospel and could condemn others for the same thing that he had done so late was coming in and the Spirit of God was given in the Acts and the Spirit of God is still here.
Well, he completed the book, and perhaps it's right that John's Gospel was the last one that was written.
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It just seems to get deeper and fuller. But we have the Spirit of God a great advantage. We have to get the truth as taught by the.
Spirit God who wrote the book?
Dwells in his bosom, knoweth all that in that bosom lies, and came to earth to make it known.
That we might share his joys. What a lovely statement that isn't that him that we sometimes sing. You know, I think it was one of the writers. I can't remember whether it was Mr. Bellard or Mr. Darby. I think her brother Lundeen mentioned it in his time charts years ago. The twofold blessedness of the believer. In that wonderful day to come he will be there and have God at his God. Now listen to this. And he shall lavish upon the children that lie in his bosom all the delights of the sun.
At home in his father's house. Isn't that beautiful? That was what he had before him, to bring that family to himself. Oh brother, may these things just touch your hearts as we think of it.
About to think of that add in connection with what's next in our chapter here with the two disciples here John speak and turn and follow Jesus and Jesus asked them what seek ye and their answer was.
Rabbi, which is the second interpreted Where dwelleth thou? Where was his dwelling place?
How are they to find that place it was?
Come and see, they will follow him and that's.
A direction that we could is this applicable to us today as it was to them in that wonderful.
We can follow him too and then simple way to find what that dwelling place is.
It's beautiful, isn't it? I think another song. Let's just turn back there, Moses.
The prayer of Moses, the man of God.
What a what a prayer. This is the 90th Psalm.
Oh, we've got a profound book in our hands. May we realize it because it speaks.
Of our Savior and it speaks of that of that one who sent him into this world. Look at this Lord, thou has been our dwelling place in all generations before the mountains were brought forth or ever thou hast formed the earth and the world is this phrase here even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. I leave this for your own meditation. But what a statement we have here in this verse from eternity to.
Thou art God. What happened in the past eternity? All this wonderful, all these wonderful councils were put together. The Son carried the Moat in time and that eternity that's coming, You and I are going to be there in that wonderful place, and we're just going to enjoy him forever, as the hymn says, lost in wonder, love and praise. Blessed be his name, brother.
He brought us by His grace into this place.
Could we add the 91St Psalm and go a little further ahead? Sure. I think it's so beautiful.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High.
Or he that dwelleth in the secret place of.
Who the Most High is? Well, that's that's the money.
Title for the Lord Jesus and then the place of security that that person is in shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will save the Lord. He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust various names of God made there known there in power to the one who enters in, to who the Most High is. Well, it's Jesus. It's the one we have in John 1.
I have a dear brother back home in the Pleasantville Assembly.
Who's 99 years of age when I go in and visit him, We have to read this 91St Psalm.
I'll tell you why it's special to him because he was in the First World War.
And one hot afternoon and wipers in Belgium, his whole platoon accepted. Just a handful were wiped out. And he was, he was a survivor looking down at the end of the the end of the chapter.
Well, verse seven, 1000 shall follow thy side, and 10,000 at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. Verse 15. Verse 16. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. Russell likes this chapter and I like to read it with him when we get together. He calls this the Traveler Song. He calls it because he's with us. He's with us every day of our life.
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Always they think of making goodness and mercy to follow us every day of our lives. And David says I will dwell.
In the House of the Lord forever. Oh, what a home. What's that, 127? Yeah, yeah.