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John Gospel chapter one and verse 41. The first fight of his own brother Simon and stayed under him.
We found the Messiah which is being interpreted to Christ.
He brought him to Jesus.
But Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou son, son German.
Doctor, because Jesus by interpretation of storm.
Today following, Jesus would go forth into heavenly and find his Philippines said unto him, Follow me.
Well.
Moses of the law and the prophets did right. Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
And Nathaniel said unto him, and there they could think about the pleasure.
Philip shares, and unto him come and see.
Jesus told us Daniel coming to him, and said on him the old miserable indeed, in whom is no God.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip, call me, When thou was done with the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathaniel 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 shall see greater things than these.
They said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter you shall see heaven open.
Of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. See at the beginning of an entirely new family now on the earth. That's what's referred to in the.
Well first as many as received him to then gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. I really do family.
The oldest has to go.
All that belongs to Adam's race has to go.
The end of all pleasures come before me.
And the only way, the blessing and the only way entrance into this family is first there has to be the Spirit of God Himself working in the soul.
Because we find at the start of this gospel that there was absolutely no response from the natural man to God. He came to his own, his own received him not. And that was from the best the choices, the men, those who had the oracles of God and everything. He came to him. There wasn't any response whatsoever until the Spirit of God began to work.
And there has to be the Spirit of God, a divine revelation.
And faith is given of God to receive it.
How dependent? We are absolutely dependent and it's humbling, but it's good for us to realize this, that there's absolutely nothing salvage from the flesh. It's all new. Brother Lundin, at the beginning of these readings you mentioned about these days. Would you elaborate on that, the what's indicated by these?
Days, yes, well, we mentioned three. I know there is a.
I know there is a line of things that brings in seven days. One brother spoke of four well.
I believe the three are sufficient for us because at least at this time our object is not letters or numbers our our object is to have Christ before us. And I like to just mention that up to the 29th 1St we have what might be spoken of as John's day.
Fulfilling scripture because he's the last of the prophets.
Except the Lord Himself. And then we have these 2000 years from the 29th verse on.
00:05:00
Or really, until Christ comes.
The the period of spoken of as the period of Christianity, or the period when the Spirit of God is here on earth.
Then at the beginning of the following chapter, we have the third day, which is introduced at the end of these verses, where Nathaniel is brought in as the little remnant, and that is Israel's coming back into blessing again. But let's call it the wedding feast, because there will be a wedding feast for Israel and there will be a wedding feast for the Church.
Israel is the earthly bride.
And although what the Spirit of God is doing here in John and leading us into heavenly things, He does not set aside the relationship with Israel as a nation, at the new nation, if you please, that will be brought in on the same ground as the church as far as the basis is concerned. They have to be born again and they have to have.
A savior they have to trust in that precious blood.
But to him, of course, he is the king. So the basis is the same. There will be a people on the earth in the Kingdom, and there'll be Israel, but a new Israel, and they will be trusting in the blood. And there will be a, as it were, a wedding feast. At the same time the church will be called away to heaven just before.
To be with Christ.
So we have the three days, John's day, the present day and the Millennial day.
So that this day began in verse 35 through 42 would especially bring out what we have in the present day when you say seems to indicate some of the features that belongs to this.
Particular day in which our lot has been cast, and I recall that it's already been referred to in prayers that we are living in the most privileged time of all of the Lord's people. This wouldn't puff us up, but it is true, is it not, that we're living in a time that.
God has.
Given such revelation of himself, and such blessing as as never been known by any of the Saints of God.
In previous dispensations, nor even in the future, and I was thinking of that in regard to the dwelling with him that day, the that.
Is a seems to be a special privilege that belongs to the Saints in this present day to to be able to dwell in the place where the Lord Himself dwells in communion and fellowship with the Father.
Were brought into the Kingdom of the Son of his love into a place that Saints of God of old who though they were devoted and faithful, never had such a privilege and then also as you've mentioned now about the bringing to light the family of God you see the in the Old Testament there were those who were born of God, no doubt and in that sense they were morally of.
Of God. But they could never take the place of being the children of God. They were, if they were Israelites, they were children of Israel. But when the Lord comes, He gives them in that first chapter, the power or the right to take the place of being the children of God.
Privilege, and that's a privilege. It belongs to those in this day, is it not that they have the right? We might just refer to that verse. Maybe some are not familiar in verse 12, but as many as received him to get to them gave me power. And that word power literally means authority or the right to become.
And it should not be sons, but children of God because as I say, the even though there were those born of God in the Old Testament times, they never took that place. They didn't have that privilege of being here in this world.
God, and now those of us who have received the Lord Jesus, that family is brought to light, the family of God, the children of God. I think it's well to keep in mind that it's not the one body that's before us in John. That truth is not revealed until later, and it isn't exactly that character anyhow. It's the family character that's developed and it's so it's the Father that is revealed.
00:10:24
To the children.
It's a family line of things. You get it in the epistle as well. Perhaps a little different way, but the Lord Jesus came down to reveal the Father. Now you know what that means when you start thinking of what it means.
To be associated with your father.
Because.
There's affection connected with it, but it's because of relationship. When you think of God, you think of nature. God has a certain nature and you have a certain nature.
It's true.
Pardon. He has given us of that nature.
Still, He's God and we are creatures, but He's be given us to partake of that nature.
Why? So that we can enter into and understand and appreciate the things of God.
We're still creatures though.
But we've been given a life and a nature that can enter into the things of God. And when we get home to the Father's house, we'll be perfectly at home. And the first moment that we enter will be perfectly at home. My brother was referring to the passage where the apostle Paul says for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And I, I, I suppose the question is really how do we apply that?
Well, you see, Paul?
Was here on a mission. Woe was me if I preached not the gospel.
And he wanted to remain as long as that was necessary.
As far as his heart was concerned, he'd rather be with Christ. But he had a commitment and a responsibility, which there really was a privilege, but it still was a responsibility. And as long as he could be a help to the Saints, he wanted to remain. And so instead of Nero deciding his destiny, he says, well, I think I'll take care of that myself. I'll stay with you. And he did.
Later on, of course, Nero was allowed to execute him.
But that wasn't until he could say I finished my course. And you know, the apostle finished his course with joy. And that is always so when one is walking into communion. That's the abundant entrance of the first chapter. 11 first of second Peter.
Entered with joy.
The Everlasting Kingdom.
Finished his course with joy. What a wonderful thing that would be if we could finish our course with joy. Wonderful thing that in God's purposes all will be finished according to the glory of his way. I was thinking rather you're referring to God's ways with Israel. And it's a thrill to our souls to recognize that, that restoration.
Be accomplished according to His good purpose. I was thinking of the wording in Ezekiel 37. Very plain for our hearts and very instructive along the lines of what we have before us. Verse 11, Ezekiel 37, plain language for the end of the verse. Our hope is lost. Let's go on verse 13.
And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your prayers.
My people brought you up out of your graves.
And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live. I shall place you in your own land. Then shall you know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it. Set the Lord his martial grace. Nothing is different. The circumstances different, the scenery is different, the people are slightly different. The furtherance of God's purpose.
But as to the fact that it's his glory is accomplishment and.
Is activities and all is of grace. It's a thrill to even look forward in the sense that as we have the Romans 11, the gifts and calling of God or without perfectness and the wonder of it is that it's all is her percentage. Nothing is going to be wrought out except I enjoy that connection with struggle.
00:15:08
By thy hands and shall be finished. Oh, it's a wonderful thing the blessed Savior is finished.
That glorious work, and I believe we all hear, no, even I would assume our younger president heard again and again that the work of Christ, that glorious finished work upon the cross, is the ground with all bus, whether past, present or future. In our hearts bow glorious. How true that the hymnators that speak of the center of two eternities, even though we recognize that eternity.
Eternity and time is measured motion. Hard for our minds to grasp, but well said to my own soul as to the glory of that cross being the center to eternities. Our souls might just count on these things, particularly that we might sense, but it's all grace and all of itself and has enjoyed noticing that when.
The two followed the Lord Jesus. They acted upon the statement, Behold the Lamb of God.
But after they had spent the balance of the day in the presence of the Lord Jesus, they came out saying, we have found the messiahs which is being interpreted to Christ. And I believe, brethren, we have just perhaps a suggestion there for our hearts how that as we spend time in the company of the Lord Jesus.
He delights to reveal himself to us now, the apostle Paul.
As he drew near the end of his life, he still spoke about that. I might know him.
And the to spend to find time in the midst of this very busy life that we're leading.
To find time to spend alone with the Lord Jesus, the result cannot help but be that we'll come to know more of Him, to know more of him, and to be able to go out, as it were, being able to speak of that which we have learned of Himself. And then when he goes on to say 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.
It seems to me, and I trust I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that we have two thoughts suggested to us here.
That the Lord is bringing in this very unusual way, unusual language here, two thoughts before Peter and before ourselves. First of all is the principle that to have to do with the Lord Jesus, it must be on the basis of being new creatures.
Peter Simon needed a new name, and he's given the name of Cephas, an indication of a new creature needing to be a new creature. And then secondly, perhaps there is a suggestion here of that line of things that Peter was one day going to bring out in his epistle of living stones. A little suggestion here that to have part with Christ.
We must be living stones person words in that verse 42.
Are very suggestive to my own soul. Brought him to Jesus. We can speak to other souls about the Lord Jesus.
We may do our best to present Christ to them.
In a way of dissertation, but isn't the question.
Have I brought that so really into the process of the Lord? Perhaps most of us have heard this little story. It's always spoken to my soul. There was a preacher.
We need church who faithfully delivered his sermons on the Lords day and 1 Lords day found a little slip up in the pulpit.
Said, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Took the slip, looked at it, finished off that day, and it brought him into the presence of the Lord, so that he got saved.
The next time he went up with the puppet and he preached Christ.
And the following Hearts Day found a little slip up in his coffin again.
Then you are the disciples, glad when they saw the Lord.
If we do not deal with souls, to bring the Lord, the person of the Lord Jesus to them.
00:20:02
I think that that's what this is meant to be brought into Jesus. Andrew could have deliberated for a while on that person, on their find on wonderful. It's been to be with him and all this so very simple. He brought him to Jesus.
A new a new name is a new beginning, entirely new beginning. So Peter has a new beginning now when we begin as Christians.
It is a beginning and we have a great deal to learn and they say we have found him.
But they had to learn that he had found them.
That they had found him. But it's a very sweet thought that we have found him just the same. And you'll find in the Song of Solomon that the bride at the very beginning, she says, my beloved is mine.
Well, let's never forget that my beloved is mine.
But then later she learns that I'm my beloved. My beloved is mine.
Because she's grown a little bit and she realizes that his thoughts are towards her as well as hers are thoughts are toward him.
And at the close in the 7th chapter, why I'm my beloved and his desires toward me. That sort of leaves her out entirely, doesn't it? Well, that's maturing in Christianity. So it is with Israel. In the coming day. There is that which will bring Israel to a very similar place.
To the enjoyment of the person, not like the church, but still to the enjoyment of the person.
Brother John, it's interesting to notice that it was the same two men, Phillip and Andrew, who had that happy privilege in bringing these Greeks or speaking. 12Th chapter of John it is.
The 20th verse. And there were certain Greeks among family that came up with worship as a beast. The same came therefore to Phillips, which was the beset of Galilee, and desire to say, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip, Hamilton, Philip, Andrew. Again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus, the same two that are mentioned here in John on their dust, seems to have something about them.
That.
Made these Greeks feel.
If I want to see Jesus, I'll go develop. Philip finds Andrew, and together they have the joy of communicating this to the Lord Jesus. I just wonder, should that speak to us if somebody at the school that we attend, if somebody where we work is somebody in our community?
At a heavy park and a real sorrow.
And they wanted comfort. Perhaps deep down they wanted to know the Lord Jesus do home when they come, when they say I know the one to whom I present this request. I believe there ought to be something about our testimony. Perhaps Lord knows, perhaps even an unspoken testimony that what makes most common say.
Sir, we would see Jesus tell. The scripture says we should be ready to give an answer to every man that asked the reason of the hope that is in US.
Everyone that asked why would they ask must be because they see something in us that would make them inquire. They see that we have a hope and a day of much despair at this apartment. And it really speaks to me when I see them choose Phillip. Phillip gets answering them. Together they come to the Lord Jesus. So it is a privilege in a day like this where we are surrounded by so much that is disappointing and frustrating.
To have a sure and certain hope in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, we might trust sufficient delight in him that would make others recognize that if they want to know the Lord Jesus, perhaps, perhaps they just might have to someone here and say, Sir, we would see Jesus. I remember my brother Kohler saying years ago he he spoke in a meeting room and I think that text was at the front of the meeting room.
Sir, we would see Jesus.
She said. I told them after, I think it would be better if they put that verse around the other side where the speaker standing up and see it every time it's cut up to deliver a message. It's a good thing for us. Always remember. Just let me say this, it's quite personal.
00:25:16
Years ago.
When our children was very old English script.
Practice on this holding this strip.
I happened to walk in the room and she immediately covered what she was writing. Don't look now, Daddy, I'm writing something for you.
After a while she brought it into me.
And that was the verse.
Sir, we would see Jesus.
And something from father to receive from his own child, dear fathers and mothers.
Let's not look at it merely as a little account in the Word of God. Let's take it as a present application. We are our children seeing something of this fulfilled in a whole. And if your son or daughter came to you and said, Father, Father, we would see Jesus.
What a challenge. And yet I believe, though it may be unspoken, they're entitled to this.
Would it not also indicate that?
They recognize that they were unable to do anything for the ones that they brought brought to the Lord and how good that even is for us as parents to realize that if there is to be real blessing in their souls and has to be accomplished by the Lord Himself. I'm not trying to.
A little our responsibility of living Christ before them, but who would not be ready to admit how we fail in this?
But as parents that we can already, even before the children are born, and when we know that the Lord is about to give us another child, already bring it as it were to him. And realizing it is to be blessing in that child's soul and life that is to be accomplished by the Lord himself. And to really realize this and how sometimes the Lord allows us to come to.
Just like the father that had his son in all that he had others had tried to help. Well he had only one recourse and that was regular one to the Lord. He is able to change and think about that which we ourselves, but never and how often we fumble around and try to accomplish something which we should actually know a lot alone can do it.
Can't expect the Sunday school to bring our children up spiritually for us. There may be a help, but.
It's a responsibility of the parent.
In the case that you referred to.
Of the of the Drakes. It was an act of faith on their part to go to Philip and so on because.
It was through Israel that the heathen got light. They it was a real act of faith. They're doing it. Remember, the centurion went to the elders of the Jews and besought them about the servant.
Well, that was an act of faith, and the Lord makes notice of it.
They didn't go directly to the Lord Jesus in the case of Luke, but they went to the elders of the Jews. And so it wasn't these. They went to certain ones. And Sir, we would see Jesus. Well, it does put a responsibility in the hands of the one for whom they went to, surely, but bring it closer home.
Those who have been had the privilege of being gathered.
To the precious name of the Lord Jesus and those who have had the privilege of knowing the gospel.
They certainly would have not only the privilege, but a very, very great responsibility to see that their children saw Jesus.
That is, you can't transfer faith, but you can instruct the children and you can bring your children up as Christians because in a Christian home, the child should be brought up as a Christian regardless of how much light they have. That's the responsibility of the parent. It's a Christian home and that's the character of the home.
00:30:24
And the light of that character should flow through the hole.
Their parent cannot say, well, the child doesn't see it so I won't bother him with it. Well, that's a terrible attitude to take and we find that God is going to hold the parents responsible. But why look at it that way? What a privilege it is. What a privilege to bring Christ before the children. And there really isn't a happy Christian home.
If Christ isn't the center of the home, and if Christ is the center of the home, that children will know.
About Christ.
And if there's real exercise with the parent, God says thou in thy house. It may come later, but or it may come earlier, but God never disappoints faith never that responsibility is heavy, brother, isn't it? I was thinking of versus we had read to us and Deuteronomy 6.
And there's a verse there exactly answering to what you've been saying before us.
Perhaps we could read it together, so many of us parents here and humbled by these things rather than because we're not able to point to one another as perfect examples of working in the good of the truth. There's surely no reason to ever say anything. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 7.
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children.
Shall talk of them when thou citizen thine house, as we have before us before lunch barring house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou lies the supper concept of redeeming the kind of what before ones heart, and how difficult to speak of these things as we have.
Of our own.
Teenage.
Young folks in the room and they enforce to look back on.
The life and all that would be before God as in your home stone mine, but the responsibility rested years ago and rest right now in my home and in yours. Teach them diligently on site children, the other ones own heart.
Would recognize, not right now, but some years ago, that teaching implies several things. Teaching implies knowing the subject.
Teaching implies a measure of diligence in connection with preparation. Teaching implies and organize presentation.
With sufficient time allocated in a manner that's conducive to learning and then Speaking of these things, one could only have ones own my humble today.
Because is that the way it is with each of us? Rather, has there been, and I can only speak to my own heart, and you can listen, Has there been in my heart a real sincere purpose to sufficiently enjoy the truth concerning the glories there in Christ, in all that God would set before us, and have an exercise to present it?
And with all the other elements inherent in Teaching village, it's a very humbling thing, a very severe responsibility. I presume that we can only but hang our heads as to this.
But certainly it's important to us.
I hope it's not a digression to pursue this a little bit.
But I think we see in place put before us here what we see quite often in Scripture, a sort of free fold cord.
We find the way back in the book of Genesis that Joseph addresses his presence with words something like these not felt well in the land of Goshen. And thou shalt be, thou shalt be here unto me, thou and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy thoughts. And I heard that all of thou hast.
Threefold court, myself, my family, and my possessions, Joseph said. I want all to be near unto me.
00:35:09
Now in the days of Pharaoh, he trying to break this up, he said to the parents you that our parents can go and worship the Lord, but they're going to have to leave your children and your possessions back here in the land of Egypt. Thank God for the courage of Moses who said no such thing. We're not leaving our little ones and we're not leaving our cat. So eventually under pressure, Pharaoh says, all right, you can take your little one, but you'll have to leave your cattle.
Your business, if you wish, back there in the world.
Also said they're telling be left behind and so the three fold cord is found out there in the wilderness and here in the scripture before us and also in the 11Th of Deuteronomy. I think we see it greatly emphasized now. So playoff these my words in your heart and in your soul comes I'll find them upon my hands that they may be as frontlets between thine eyes.
A4 Full effect of the word of God upon me. And then comes the child, and each of these of your children.
Now I hope it's all right for me to say he shall teach them your children. I feel that there might be those here who would say, well, I just don't have the ability to organize the material to study the subject. Excuse me, but teach their teach the word of God to our children. That doesn't mean having a dry session of Bible study, but.
I'll just prevent me to recall the memory of my boyhood.
The Word of God was woven into the very fabric of holding family life, I write Charles. It was woven into the fabric of hope and family life. At the table, as we go for a walk, see a little wildflower or whatever, there be something about the Scripture that would be woven into it.
That doesn't take great.
Ability, shall I say.
It does take personal meditation upon the Word of God, and it's a privilege but a happy delight to the family to have the Word of God woes into it. And let me pause here to say how much of the word of God can they have when this was written? How much? It's not very much.
Some of the instructions given today parents bypassed because they say, oh, we don't want to read that in the presence of our children. God intends you to God gave you that kind of instruction in a holy book in order that your children.
Might be instructed in these necessary things from the pages of a holy book, from an inspired source. Now you and I don't read these things to our children. They'll learn in a tragic way not to push the wisdom of God's heart would otherwise teach them from a holy source. Mr. Hale, may I ask a question about both the problem?
Children, that gives a finest definition you can have. Yes, my brother recommended a little bit of proverbs for our children. Then I was going to say the third link is and that shall find them upon the door, most of my house, and upon my game.
Now, if the word of God were bound upon the doorpost of our house, what would come through that door?
What would you, what would I carry to the door of that house as the word of God were bound upon the doorpost? What an effect it would have upon our home by case. That's public testimony, but that comes last. It begins in the heart and soul through the fact our possession, our whole, our business, and the last thing is public testimony. I don't want to pursue it further, but it does continue. This was a word of God, that threefold court.
It's an exceedingly searching.
Beautiful because in the 11Th of Deuteronomy it ends with the promise and the days of heaven upon the earth. God is not exaggerating, but He uses those words, the days of heaven upon the earth. Happy is the whole where the Word of God launches in the heart and soul of the Father, bound upon their hands, frontlets between their eyes.
Put into the fabric and hold the family life upon the doorposts of that home and upon the gates.
Oh, may the Lord grasp this precious book, with all its wisdom and with all its warnings, and with all its plain speaking, may never, never be neglected in our home. And ever there is a day when we needed this book for ourselves, and when we needed to read it with power too.
It is that very day. May I ask another question about Joe, where he got?
00:40:07
Sorry, what's that just?
He was blessed at the end of the household.
Last chapter, Joe.
He asked the Lord, delighted to bless Job abundantly.
When he took the place that he ought to take before God, and when he prayed for those who have been so unjust in their accusation.
Even though it's somewhat of a digression, said brother, I believe it is profitable. I said I want to continue the digression accepted. I believe the Lord is bringing before us some very timely things. And I was thinking of the in regard to what you've been saying in Ephesians 6, the responsibility.
For these things in regard to the household and the children is placed upon the fathers. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, verse four of Ephesians 6. But bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And as our brother Lundeen said, we cannot turn this responsibility over to others.
And we know, at least.
This has come to my attention because in our gathering at home, we have more than one who is.
Employed in the school system and I've been told by those who are employed in it that.
The philosophy of education today is that the home has so broken down that now the schools have to take over to.
To teach moral values or and behavioral ways and so forth because of the breakdown of the home.
And a thing like that can creep in among the gathered Saints, and we can, some can feel that they have to turn to seminars and things like that to be taught as to how to rear their children. But God places the responsibility upon the Father. And as our brother was bringing before us, it's the word of God.
And the Word of God brought not only out in a far away in reading.
But the word of God put into, you might say, living practice in the home so that the children are impressed with the fact that these things are real and genuine. I I think of teaching children, it's not a matter of sitting down and expounding the dispensations, you know, and, and prophetic things and all of these so that they are real Bible scholars.
But the Word of God can be taught in a very practical way.
When they see it carried out, for instance, coming out from among them and be the separate and they see in their parents they they, they do live a separated life. They are not going on in a social way with with ungodly neighbors and associates. And that's teaching the word of God. They're teaching their children in a practical way what separation is and we could go through many things like that and we we don't have to go to seminars and.
Have special sessions like that to learn these things. We have it in the Word of God.
And we can't turn it over to certain brothers in the fellowship to become counselors and guides for our children either. We have to take this responsibility ourselves as fathers and I. I'd also like to refer to First Timothy in connection with the sisters. I think it's in First Timothy chapter 4.
Where we have some of the.
Qualifications.
In regard chapter 5, it is in regard to widows taken into the care of the assembly and verse 10. It speaks of them as being well reported up for good works. If she have brought up children. So it's not only the fathers who have that responsibility to to.
Bring up the children to the nurture and admonition of the Lord. But it's a it's one of the commendations of these.
Older widows could be taken into the number and cared for in the assembly if they have brought up children. What a wonderful work, and sometimes the young persons are exercised about a work for the Lord.
00:45:05
Well, I would say to the young sisters who are married young mothers, what greater work for the Lord than to bring up children for the Lord. And that's what we have here. If she have brought up children, that's a commendation. In fact, when you read through this verse 10, if you do not read anything that would be striking as far as the eye of man is concerned, that someone would say what a great woman of faith and of God she is.
But there are things that God takes account of and He approves.
And I think that we need to emphasize more and more the their responsibility and the privilege of parents, mothers and fathers themselves rearing their children for the Lord and independence upon the Lord and not looking to, to some, as I say, some outside sources, you know, to give you that wisdom.
Because the word of God says if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God would give us liberty to all and afraid of not so we have it in the word of God.
To guides for speaking about the degrees and the children at home. Our government through the League, through the League of Nations, wants to take that power away from her parents right now.
Right up here in our verse 42.
We have a very personal meeting between the Lord and Simon.
And.
When Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah.
Now that's his old character. Thou shalt be called Cephas.
Which is by interpretation a stone or a little stone. So he gets a new name and this is a new beginning. But the point here is.
Have you and I?
Ever had the Lord speak to us directly? Now we we know that.
We've never seen him visibly, nor heard his voice visibly, but he speaks through His word by the Spirit, and there is such a thing as having him speak to us directly so that we know it.
Now I mentioned this because there are so many who make the profession of Christianity.
And still we wonder sometimes if they have had this exact.
Personal contact with the Lord Jesus, because when one is in the presence of the Lord, he discovers he's a Sinner. And we find a little later Peter has to admit more than that.
In the 5th chapter of Luke, not that he was a Sinner.
Depart from me. I am a sinful man, oh Lord.
Now that's, that's learning more. It's learning that the whole thing is bad. There's nothing left that's good. I am a sinful man.
But I'm sure there had to be some sense here in his soul of what he was in the presence of Jesus.
As he realizes who this person is, the one they've been looking for, the Messiahs, which is the Christ or the Anointed one of God, there must have been some sense in his soul who in whose presence he was.
Now I have you and I had this sense in our souls that we've been in the presence of Jesus? Or have we simply assented to a line of doctrines that our fathers or mothers have brought us up with?
I mentioned this because today there seems to be such an indifference.
As to the truth of God.
You remember the Queen of Sheba when she came over those desert sands?
That long journey, what for?
Just to hear the words from a king who knew the true God. But we learned in Luke in that instance where it's referred to a greater than Jesus, greater than Solomon is the one I was going to say thanks. A greater than Solomon is here. It was Jesus.
Now that woman had a burning desire for the truth.
This is what marks reality in a believer, a burning desire for the truth.
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It must be so.
And you'll find in the 12Th chapter of Matthew, we won't turn to it, but there are two things that stand out that the Lord Jesus refers to. One is Jonas and the other is the Queen of Sheba.
Now they ask signs of the Lord, and he said, I can't give you any signs but the prophet Jonas. That's judgment.
Jonas was a prophet of judgment.
But then he says as the Charles was three days and three nights and the whales belly social the son of man be 3 days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
In other words, it's judgment all right, but I'll take it for you if you'll believe on me.
And then the next was the Queen of Sheba.
She gives us the picture of one who was in earnest. She had to see. She had to see Solomon. The Greeks had to see Jesus. The same spirit of earnestness. They had to see Jesus. There was no other way out. Now I say, is this the way it is with you and me? Have we ever come to the place where we have to see Jesus? Or is it simply a doctrine that we've accepted?
You're thinking too, in regard to the name that's given to Simon here.
It says which is by interpretation of stone.
He says Thou shalt be called Cephas, but we know Cephas is the.
Aramaic equivalent of Peter, is it not? And which means a stone?
And it seems that the the Lord would be bringing out.
What he is going to to make of Peter, Peter as to what he was by nature he was Simon, the son of Jonah. That was that was what he was as born into this world, Simon.
As we have him elsewhere, Simon bar Jonah, Simon, this son of Jonah, that's what he was by nature. But there was going to be a work of God in the man, and that work was going to produce an effect so that he would be of the character of a stone. And it's only in that character of a stone that he would be suitable material.
And that which Christ said I will build in Matthew 16 when he says I will build my church.
Who speaks of Peter there as he calls his name? Peter, no longer Simon, but Peter. And upon this rock I will build my church. So I think it speaks of the of the work of God in the individual, the work of God that produces.
Material for his assembly for his building. Now I know that in John's Gospel we don't have the assembly.
As such in view the Church, but we do have the material that belongs to it, the material that that.
Is used in that building and so he's going to make him as a stone. Well I suppose that would would be indicative of the fact that he would be one that that would be as I say suitable. It's the work of God and this is one of the features of the Gospel of John is that.
The man and his works are entirely set aside.
And from the very beginning, those who took the place of the children of God, it says they were born not of the will of man, but of God. It's God's work. And so we see that in the third chapter. It's the work of God. He must be born again, everything of man set aside. And it's the, it's only what is of God that is.
Trustworthy in the Gospel of John.
We read at the end of the second chapter that though there were those that believed on him when they saw the miracles that he did, he did not commit himself under them because he knew what was in man. It was merely a human.
Effort and endeavor, but the work of God is that which endures, and here I think it's an indication that God.
Was going to work in this man so that they would come out in him, in his.
Character that would come out, that which would be an evidence of the work of God. And we see a contrast between Peter and Judas in this regard. There was never a work of God in the soul and heart of Judas.
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And the result was that that man ended up in tragedy. And Peter, there was a work of God in Peter. And even though he denied the Lord, he failed. He denied the Lord with oaths and curses. There was a real work of God in him and that work was maintained. And I have no doubt. But what was he even enhanced after he was restored and recovered? So we see that when there.
Real work of God in the soul that we have in Philippians. He that had begun a good work in you will perform it or perfect until the day of Christ God continues at work. It's the work of God that really counts and if it's not a work of God it will come to know they following Jesus would go forth into Galilee and findeth Philip and Seth unto him.
Follow me. It's a wonderful thing to be saved, isn't it?
But discipleship is another thing. You should always be discipleship, but it is not always so.
I was thinking of Luke 5 where they were all followed the board. That sounds so wonderful.
It sounds like discipleship from what you're speaking about. It sounds so glorious and we love it like.
Forsaking all the following the Lord. But what about what it says in Mark 14?
And verse 50 and they all were stuck in reflect how rapid is that change from list 5 to verse 11, which tells us and they first of all and follow him.
Differences. However, I believe they still were two disciples at heart.
Encourage you. But there is such a thing as losing your life here, and there's such a thing as gaining your life here. Now, one who is willing to lose his life here, we're not Speaking of his life in the sense that he would die, but his life in the sense of the 4050 sixty years he may live here.
Losing it for Christ sake, that's true discipleship following Christ. But there is another path where one may even be a Christian and live for self. He gains his life here, but he loses it in the in the end.
And we find that Lot was just such a person.
Now Abraham, we know that he made mistakes. He went down into Egypt, but he never lost his life in that sense. He lost everything here that people might speak of as what you would want to get like Lot would, but we find he ends up with everything. Abraham was old and well stricken in years, and Lord had blessed him in all things.
That's the way he ended up.
But lot who wanted to gain everything here he ends up a pauper just saved so as by fire.
And so we find that.
Discipleship is what pays.
And if you look at the 18th of Luke, even a disciple gets discouraged perhaps sometimes 28 birds. Then Peter said low, We have left all, and followed thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that has left house.
Or parents, or brethren, or wife or children, for the Kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come.
Life everlasting. I'll turn to first Peter.
Just for a verse, verse, chapter and six verse, here we have manifold temptations. Peter speaking about he hasn't forgotten that word manifold. But when you come to the 4th chapter, in the 10th verse, you have manifold grace. Oh yes, Peter never forgot that word manifold. Manifold more in this present world.
The one who gives up everything.
And if there is a manifold temptations, there's manifold graves. Even the believer can't lose. You just can't lose. I think it's lovely to notice if we can take the time to look at Matthew 9 for a moment. In Matthew 9 and verse nine, it says as Jesus passed forth from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom.
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And he said unto him, Follow me.
And he arose and followed him. Then if we look at Luke chapter 5, I believe it is, yes, Luke chapter 5 and verse 27, this is talking about the same man, Matthew or Levi. And after these things, that's Luke 5 and 27. And after these things, he went forth and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the receipt of custom.
And he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all.
Rose up and followed him. Now some of you may have heard me tell the story before, but.
Some years ago, several years ago at the Gospel tent in the Maritimes.
We were having some young people's meetings in the afternoon and we were looking at the various apostles and what was written about each one of them.
And I asked the children, they were about 12 or 13 years of age. I asked them if any of them could explain to me why it was that when Matthew wrote about himself and the Lord saying follow me, Matthew wrote and said he arose and followed him.
But when Luke tells us about the Lord speaking to Matthew or Levi as he's called there and says follow me, Luke records that he left all arose and followed him. Now I said to the child, I said, can any of you suggest any reason why Matthew would not make any mention at all about what he left?
And one of those little children said, I guess he found the Lord Jesus so precious that what he left wasn't worth mentioning.
But you know here in our chapter we see it come out so beautifully. Here's Phillip. And it says the Lord said to Phillip, follow me. And the 45th verse says, Philip fineth Nathaniel and saith unto him, We have found him. No mention at all about what Philip lacked, about what was left behind. They had found him.
And that made anything that was left behind.
Not worth mentioning. I wonder if we find perhaps a similar little suggestion, but turning to it in the eighth of Matthew, a certain scribe says, Lord, I will follow thee Withers, whoever thou goest. And we don't read them as having done so at all. He just makes this most I will follow me. And just a few verses down, the Lord enters into a ship, and his disciples followed him.
They don't talk about it, they just follow him. The scribe says what he's going to do, but there's no mention that he ever did it.
Sometimes we get just a little uneasy when we hear some of these hymns that boast about what we're going to do for the Lord. I think we do well, and we have been cautious about what we never say that we're going to do for the Lord. They follow him into that ship.
And immediately there was a great storm. That seems rather unusual. Does it not suspect that how sooner did they begin to follow him? And the first thing they encountered was a frightful storm. And the Lord allowed it. He controls the elements. But the result of that storm was real Thanksgiving of confidence in the Lord. So if anyone here feels that as a result of having been together here over the precious word of God.
Company and fellowship of the lost people of God. And there might perhaps be in your heart or mind, no stirring a desire to call the Lord Jesus.
Let it be between our own soul and the Lord. And it may be that if from this day forward He puts that purpose of heart there, and you step out to follow Him, He's not going to promise to remove every obstacle. Next thing you face may be a storm, a difficulty, a real problem, but I assure you of this, according to the Word of God, that you look back at 1940.
In the 11Th of April.
The account of men of faith who, because of those far off promises, embrace them and.
Enjoy the wonder of their portion of my faith. It sounds very wonderful, but then you come to the expression and.
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Others and others, when we have just read of those of two face, of two kingdoms from righteousness, quench the vials of fires, not the edge of the sword, and so on. But then you suddenly read and others of what happened to them. They were not asunder. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, then to the caves of the earth, and saw these all having the same good report through faith. So let us be very careful.
The impression that following the Lord is going to result in what the world would consider wonderful victories and trials. I'm sure that although Daniel came out from the deadline unscape, they dragged me back. Who came out of the burning fiery furnace, living in the smell of smoke them from their clothes.
That there are many others.
Who were their own to the lions and the skin, Many others who were thrown in the flames and into the state, not because they lacked in faith, but because this was the way in which God chose that they should glorify him. So we'll have a brother and particularly he'll have a young people.
To feel from what we have seen here in Don chapter one that we have been introduced one who is worthy to be followed. Let us not close to what we're going to do about it. Let us not say I will follow Jesus live by the grace of God. There stirred in any heart this day and desire to follow him. Let it be between your own soul of the Lord and let us not expect.
That it means he's going to remove every power from The Dirty.
I'll be with you sometime back for the job. I visited with some brethren and one brother related to the price he had paid for coming into the truth and the brother that was relating this walked away and then the other brother who knew him well, he said, Brother Heinz, what would you think?
Of someone who.
Is given a gift of $10,000 and then talks about the money he has to spend to go to the bank and pick it up. I love that because if you occupy with the price we have to pay and obviously isn't much in our hearts, but we have been brought into. That's what the Lord wants us to be occupied.
With and be thankful for, but forsaking all is something we didn't say too much about.
In the case of Elijah and Elijah.
Elijah found Elijah plowing with 12 yoke of oxen and he called him or threw his mantle on him, but he said let me first go and kiss my father and my mother.
He said go back again. What have I done to thee?
So he went back. He didn't go back to his father and mother.
But he went back, and he slew the oxen with which he had been plowing.
And he took the instruments of the oxen, and he made a fire, and he boiled the flesh and distributed it to the people of God.
Feed them. Then he went and followed Elijah.
He left all, he burnt the old expression, he burnt the bridges behind him.
Couldn't go back.
And I believe that's what's meant in Luke the 9th chapter where that's referred to.
One who goes back again is not fit for the Kingdom of God. It isn't a question of service exactly. It's a question of following Christ and showing the reality of it by what you do.
So he just completely severed himself from his old position.
And that's really a picture of the work of regeneration and the soul taking one out of the old place and putting them into the new place. That's Peter. Here it was Simon. Now it's Peter. He follows Jesus. And we see in his history, even though Peter did make mistakes, even after he was used in act, in the book of Acts, he did make mistakes there too. And there is no man on earth that doesn't make mistakes.
But his heart was right.
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And brethren, when you read that word blameless, remember.
God is thinking about your heart.
You may. You may make mistakes. There may be weakness.
But whether it's not will. It's a question of blameless.
The purpose was right, the heart was right, so you're blameless in the sense.
A group of us were discussing with much Thanksgiving, the wonderful place of blessing in which we were found by the very great grace of God and all of us but one in that company, and received this heritage as our brother Luke Smith was Speaking of, without having to pay any great price for it. I mean, when it's handed down to us. And I guess I'm not alone in thanking the Lord for that, but as we were.
Of it, someone said, you know, we have come into all this blessing not really having paid any great price for it except for other so and so. He really had to pay a price. I saw how he looked come over his face when they said this. And Luenom Speaking of how wonders of it was to have his spiritual heritage to be gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus and how easily most of us had complied except for their so and so.
Had to make quite a price and he put up his hand and he said stop it President, don't ever say that again. I want you to know that the Lord pushed me across each bridge and burned it behind me. And if I stand where I do, it's because of the grace of God, not because of some Christ I faith. I thought it was a remarkable state of the Lord pushed me across each frame that burned it behind me.