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We read the word, brethren, not so much to know.
That's where the this heady mindedness comes in. But we read the word of God to do.
And if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, or know of the teaching.
I've often told those dear Latins that we read the Word of God not merely to know. It's good to know. The Lord knows that our very thoughts are a vacuum, so we needn't be very proud about it anyway. We read the Word of God.
Not to know, but to do. I think it's very important problem.
Preparing his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to enjoy one Father and to teach.
A great thing that characterizes the day in which we live is the coming of the Spirit of God.
It's the day of the Spirit of God. He's here and it's mentioned here that.
The Lord is praying that.
God would send the comforter that he might, or the Father would, that he might abide with you forever.
Now this is something, of course, that gives us an added assurance of our salvation. The believer knows that.
The Spirit is going to be with him forever. But then we have an added thought in the next verse and that is.
That he shall be in you. Now this was not true in this chapter was written, but it was true in the day of Pentecost. And so the power then of communion in the believers life is the Spirit indwelling. There is no communion outside of this, the Spirit of God indwelling the believer.
And he's.
He was with them at that time.
About he's going to buy forever, but now we are assured from the book of Acts and other places that he has already come and he's indwelling the believer. And so we have the spirit mentioned here, but in a very unique way characteristic of John's gospel, and that is that he is the spirit of truth.
So that it's the constant and not only keeping our souls in communion, but also keeping our souls exercised as to that which is in keeping with the word of God, because there's no communion outside of this that our souls are exercised as to what the Word of God teaches us that we might act on it.
Isn't that beautiful there? He says. If you love me, keep my commandments.
When you contrast that with the 10 commandments.
They were. They were given on Mount Siding Island.
Mountain was all smoke.
Standing afar off, but what was the consequences of not keeping that law? There was nothing but judgment. Every transgression and disobedience received it. Just recompense of reward followed the giving of the law. But how different it is with the commandments of Christ.
He says if you love me, there's there is the power of keeping them love for Christ.
And instead of saying, if you fail, there will be judgment upon you that he says, I will give you another comforter, but if I'll give you the Holy Spirit to enable you to keep false commandments that are pleasing in my sight.
In connection with the 15th verse, I was thinking of the scripture in the 16th of Judges.
Says in our verse, If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16th chapter of Judges and verse 15. These are the words of Delilah to Samson.
And she said unto him, How canst thou say I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?
It appears that Samson had told his wife he loved her, but she wanted a deeper proof than the mere expression of his lips.
She says, Your heart is not with me. Well, if our heart is not with Christ, if our affections are not drawn out to Him, where is the love? It's not merely the expression of our lips. We love the Lord, but we need to show it by obedience to His Word, and that our hearts affections might flow to Him in all its fullness because of His worthiness.
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The subject is continued, of course, in this chapter and in the 21St verse. The.
He says, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and so it supposes in Communion that we have his commandments.
And then it's supposed supposes also that we keep them and that's the test, is it not, of the law?
South Carolina, The circle of John and his commandments are not grievous.
So many think that to obey the Lord and.
Walk in his ways one would be depriving himself of the.
Everything that the heart naturally desires that it would be a very difficult, a very grievous path to walk in.
But the Spirit of God assures us that it's not a grievous path at all.
It's a happy path. That's what is really meant by the law of liberty, isn't it?
The law of Sinai was the law of *******.
For it only awakened in the heart the desire for the thing which the law itself for bad. But now the believer has the new nature, and he has dwelling in him God's Holy Spirit.
And so and walking in obedience to the Word.
And with love in the heart for Christ, there could not be a happier path through this scene. And you're losing nothing. You're gaining everything by walking in that path.
My yoke is easy, says the Lord, And my burden is light.
Most remarkable, how much we have in the Psalms that sets forth a new nature.
And take the 119 Psalm, for instance. There we we can read it and we can see that new nature expressing itself. It may not have a great deal of intelligence in many instances, but it's expressing after its kind. And one of the expressions is thy law. Do I love? And so the believer.
If he's walking in communion loves the word of God.
And even though it's a commandment to him that he may find interferes with the course he's in at present, he bounced to it because he loves the law of God, which is the word of God, of course. And he vows to it because of affection for Christ, because of that nature that he has. It isn't that we have to do certain things because we now are Christians, it's because we love to do these things.
Once we discover them.
We have the nature.
Yeah, our brother mentioned the perfect law of liberty. We get that twice. And the Epistle to James.
And in the Psalm 40 and the verse seven or eight.
As to the Lord Jesus, it says, yeah, I delight to do thy will, oh God. And so this perfect law of liberty is the exercise of that new nature in the power of the Spirit. And as to the 119th Psalm, you mentioned how much, how often we get such expressions as.
Draw me.
Incline my heart.
Quicken thou me, and also many expressions of the godly desire, the attitude that the new nature has to want to please the Lord.
What a wonderful transition is quickly for us. In these verses we think of those apostles who were just about to see the departure of the one with whom they have been associated.
And although they did not yet know, the Lord knew their hearts would be in deep trouble to see Him leave them, or they had been completely dependent upon Him and every need He had graciously provided in their walk. But now He was to leave them. And we have read before how, as He spoke to them of His receipts.
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And things to come. They understood not what things he said unto them.
No 8000 or one who is to come, and what a probably divine title is given of that Holy Spirit be called the Comforter to comfort their heart. Supposing that no such provision existed, how sad these apostles and disciples would have been, and they would never, never have understood what took place.
And they would never be able to respond to the work of Calvary, for they would be responded over it. But God graciously provided.
In answer to that prayer of the Lord Jesus, and since the Holy Spirit, as we read in Acts 2:00 and 11:00, we are none the better than those of old we do would be without the response. We would be without enlightenment as to God's purposes for us, were it not for the Holy Spirit.
Who now indwells every believer we read in the first of these seasons?
That's true and how He will abide with us until the redemption of the purchased possession. And so if our hearts know a little something of responsibility, should we not be thankful that we have that Holy Spirit given to us?
And if our hearts are dull and we have no response?
The precious book is not of meaning to us. We find a little interest in it. Is that?
Something wrong with what God has provided? No, there's something wrong with me. We need to look inside and see what is it that hinders this comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, from drawing our hearts out that we enter into and enjoy the things of God. Well, I just propose that we can be most thankful.
For this wondrous indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every child of God.
Never to be taken from us, to see us right through until we're brought into the glory. We'll find an act. My 9th chapter and 31St. Very first walking in the theater of the Lord and in the comfort of the whole church.
Are there two ways here that the that the Lord will come to us?
In this chapter.
I refer first of all to the fact that he says if I go away, I will come again to you.
But also do we not have in this chapter?
That's coming now in Communion.
I believe that's mentioned twice. First himself and then the father a little later.
But really, in a sense, it's still his person.
And he does come.
He comes by the Spirit, of course, and the conditions upon which we might enjoy this.
Is obedience to his work because there can't be communion?
Without holiness, that is separation from evil, there can't be communion. And then we have the other side too, brethren, and that is.
The verse our brother read in in the end of Peter this morning at the beginning of our reading.
What manner of persons ought we to be the view of His coming? It isn't simply the fact of communion now how precious that is, but what manner of persons ought we to be in view of His coming Now? They're both in this chapter. I believe the fact that He's coming again for it now. If we're going to be in communion, there has to be holiness.
And if we're going to be in that state of Seoul?
That introduces us with an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of Peter says, well, how about our conduct then? How about our communion? Because that's really the meaning there. I believe in Peter, the question of communion, state of soul.
Between.
The love, loving John's ministry and Peter's ministry.
John dwells.
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On the Lord's love for Him.
And Peter dwells more on his love for his Lord.
Herein we sometimes fail to understand.
Matters in view of this need of our behavior, but when we recognize that.
John's ministry deals with the Lord's love for him, and not our poor love for him, but the Lord's love for him, and not our who will love for the Lord Jesus. And it makes a great deal of difference, brethren.
Concerning our walk down here.
I will not leave you comfortless. Really should read. I will not leave you orphans.
That is when parents are taken away from their family.
It's more powerful.
Distressing thing, children left without parents who instruct them and to guide them. How helpless and how sad their position is. Well, the Lord assures his disciples who were mourning at the thought of his soon departure, that he wasn't leaving them, so they were just.
A company of orphans in this world, he says. I'm going to come to you.
And I believe you have the thought, Brother Lundeen, that the coming in this place is his coming in communion. But it's by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, isn't it?
The way we have, the enjoyment of the Lord along the way.
In connection with the orphans as the verse and Jeremiah 49 verse 11.
Says, leave thy fatherless children.
I will preserve them alive.
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive and let thy widows trust in thee.
What words of confident encouragement.
Live communion is reciprocal. It works. It works both ways. To be in accord with God's Word and God to be in accord with our walk.
Now we can ask ourselves God in accord with our walk.
And if he is not, then we have no communion with him.
They come if I lie just once, it breaks up the communion.
Not your relationship, but the communion.
In connection with Brother Gill's remarks as to the provision that we have made for us, for the child of God, I think it's good well to keep in mind that the 16th verse. I will pray the Father that He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive.
Because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him.
But ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you then down in the.
26 verse.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, there the Comforter and the Holy Ghost is brought together, the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Now the 15th chapter.
And one more expression.
Verse 26.
But when the comforter is come, whom I will send you a send unto you from the Father.
Even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Maine, He shall testify of Me, and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. The full provision of the Holy Spirit in that office on high end. Glory for the believer.
As we go through this scene, what for it more do we need?
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Other than the Word of God and the Holy Spirit dwelling within, which is our teacher and takes of the things of Christ and ministers among to us the things of Christ, you will glorify Christ, not himself nor the individual, but he will glorify Christ in all instances. It's beautiful to see the provision, and in each case it is the Comforter.
And I believe here in John's Gospel, John was that one that leaned on the bosom of our blessed Lord. He learned the secrets of his heart. And so you have the relationship brought in in John's Gospel and John's epistle, the Father and the children and the Father's house.
It's been pointed out before.
But it might be well to notice, again in keeping with your remarks, Brother Growth, that we have this mentioned in all three of these chapters, the spirit of truth, the comforter, and in the verse that we're considering.
The father sends the comforter, but there seems to be a reason in each case.
Here, it's because they're orphans.
And so the father sends the comforter.
And he's going to bring all things to their remembrance.
But now in the 15th chapter, as our brothers expressed.
It's the Lord who sends the comforter, because when he goes on high, he receives the inheritance. He's the one who receives the inheritance, so he's going to send the comforter.
And this is in connection with testimony, as our brothers pointed out. But in the next chapter, you'll notice in the 5th, in the 16th chapter.
The 13 first.
And the Spirit simply comes on his own.
And when he does come?
The disciples are seen here as under persecution.
They're seen as those who are losing everything here. They're taking a place of rejection. If they've rejected me, they'll reject you. The Lord tells them so. He's going to show them things to come. They've lost everything here. He's going to show them things to come.
In Exodus 12, in connection with the communion, there are three things that characterize the children of Israel. First, was there to be sheltered by the blood of the lamb, there to feast upon the lamb, roast with fire, and they were to put leaven out of their houses? Well, now the presence or absence of level made no difference to their safety, but it did interfere with their communion.
Because it says.
And the 15.
Even the first day you should put away 11 out of your houses, for whosoever eateth leaven bread from the first end of the seven, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
So the presence or absence 11 There did not make any difference their safety, but I did interfere with their communion.
Another joke and another thought. If you allow there were two things in that chapter that they might eat. I think that's would suggest communion. One they could eat the roast lamb roast with fire. The other is they could eat unleavened bread. Both Speaking of Christ.
Isn't it remarkable?
In these three chapters in John that the comforter is always called the spirit of truth. Verse seventeen of our chapter and verse 26 of chapter 15 from verse 13.
Of chapter 16 and then one John.
The first Epistle of John.
Chapter 4.
And verse.
6 Hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.
In the.
19 First he had a little while, and the world sees me no more.
But ye see me because I live, ye shall live also.
Well, we know that isn't the site of the natural lives by with the eye of faith. We believe fully and absolutely what the Word tells us, that after the Lord had accomplished redemption's work, he went back to the Father and took his seat on high.
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That he's now there as as Hebrews 2 tells us.
Crowns of glory and honor.
And the apostle Paul gives us the same thought, where he says, we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who has made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor.
Isn't that a marvelous thing, that incommunion?
Faith, we have a real side of the Lord. Of course, it's not that we see as far as faith as we'll see His face when we meet him on the cloud, but still we see Him. We know Him there, and what a revelation that is to the soul. And then there's this too, that as he lives.
The Ash.
Because I live, you shall live also.
Well, the sight of Christ and glory, the eye upon Him develops.
The the life of the believer that goes on in communion I fixed on Christ. Then we enjoy the true life that belongs to the one who has in all this blessing.
Doing racism for the washing of the feet though, are they not?
And one of them, of course, as you mentioned, is the cleansing away the defilement. But after a day's journey, one likes to be refreshed. And if we're going to be in the Father's house, we have to not only be clans from defilement, but we have to be refreshed. And that's one of the reasons for washing the feet, so that we might be in a state of soul.
That can enter into communion. We know that if we we rush to a meeting.
We might be clean enough, but it's good to be refreshed and quiet before we get to the meeting so we'll be able to enter into the things that the Spirit of God would would bring before us. If I watch enough, they'll have no part with me.
The Washington would take away the defilement in order that they might be in communion.
It's nice to remember the two chapters in this way. In chapter 13, it's preparing.
Them for the place in chapter 14 at preparing the place for them.
And this expression in the verse 19 is very precious, yet a little while we have that expression mentioned seven times in four verses in the 16th chapter.
How lovely this is. What an encouragement to those dear disciples. The Lord says a little while, seven times in four verses, beginning of the 16th. We have the same expression in the Epistle of the Hebrews for yet a little while. How encouraging these words should be to us today, beloved Saints of God, to know that we're not here for a long time. It's only a little while. And if there are any here today, discouraged because of the journey, remember the Lord's words. It's.
A little while.
Is there a thought in connection with the last part of that verse?
Relative to.
Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Actually, it goes on to his new heavenly position.
Because I live.
Ye shall live also.
In first no no. In Romans 59.
Is it 9? Maybe the next verse to it? Let us see.
Romans 510.
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, that settled that much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved that is now not future, by His living up there for us.
Will be saved by his present life on high. That's a guarantee.
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Another verse is in Hebrews 7, verse 25. Is it? It may be.
That he ever liveth.
On high to make intercession for us his life.
Sustains us.
There's a perhaps a dual thought in that verse though, as you said, it leads on to that line of things. But in our chapter, I was thinking of of the 57 first of the 6th chapter of John, which is truth that he'd already brought before them.
Which?
Would be in keeping as well with our chapter.
As the living father has sent me, and I live by the father.
So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. Now that is really communion, is it not?
And that's our subject in our chapter. And so we have both thoughts.
That as a man, he lives, and that's why we live, but immediately.
We live because.
He lives.
In that communion with the Father, and we live in that same communion.
My commandments and keepeth them. Here it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved in my father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him again. We have a lovely expression of communion.
And there both the Father and the Son are brought before us, loved of the Father, because the Father loves the Son and the.
So when we are walking in communion by obedience to the Word.
Why we have the very same love that the Father.
Imparted to his son, in which the son enjoyed in all his blessed pathway. Through this scene he walked in the sunshine of the Father's love.
Then Judas, not Ascari, had asked the question, How is it that thou was manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? You see the.
Disciples.
We're very slow to realize that what it meant for the Lord to leave the scene and to send the Spirit in this world. They were looking for an outward manifestation of His glory in the setting up of His Kingdom in this world.
So Judas, not his carried, asks this question, how it was possible. Now here we get on a further thought. And Jesus answered and said unto them.
If a man love me, he will keep my words. I believe it's my word there, and my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.
I believe there is a difference between keeping his commandments and keeping his word.
I have read this which I thought was helpful giving us the difference. We think of a mother that is going away from home for a time.
And she tells her daughters to perform certain duties during her absence.
Well, this obedient to her.
Carries out all these duties as carefully and as consistently as possible.
Well, that would be keeping the commandments. Those were things he was told to do.
But we think of this beautiful daughter knowing her mother's desires and thoughts, why she performs a lot of other duties that she was never told to do. Maybe when her mother comes back, she has the house tidied up and maybe has vases of flowers and different parts of the house that she knows would please her mother. She wasn't told to do those things.
But the knowledge of her mother.
Enables her to carry out.
These various things that are so delightful to the mother's heart to find how much the daughter has carried out to please her.
Or would we not then say that keeping his his commandments is carrying out those duties, but those things that were not definitely told her that she should do is more keeping his word?
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Beloved, there are many things that perhaps it wouldn't be so easy to point to a scripture.
Very quickly to tell about what we should do, but the more one goes on to know the Lord's love and walk in his ways, there comes an acquaintance with his ways.
So that there is a knowledge of what pleases and delights His heart, that we could not definitely point out a Scripture to. But with the whole volume of Scripture before us, we become acquainted with His blessed ways. And you notice that in these two verses, the 21St verse.
And the 23rd verse that.
There is.
There is a advancement, for in the 23rd verse He says I will love him and will manifest myself to Him. Well that's like coming and making a visit. But when it comes to keeping his word, he says we will come unto him. That is the Father and the Son, and will make.
All our bold with him.
And you know that the word there, bold, is the same word that you get in the beginning of the chapter where the Lord says In my Father's house are many mansions.
We read that many abodes.
Well if you want to use the word mansion here, you could put it this way that.
And we will come unto Him and make our mansion with Him. So before we're in that semen lost many mansions of those many aboard, we can have the Lord's presence.
Enjoy the presence and the pathway down here.
And the Lord went on, aye to the Father's house, the man and the glory, to prepare and abode.
For you.
A special one for the Church. There are many abodes in the Father's house, but the abiding place, the abode he prepared when he ascended on high as the man, the resurrected man and the glory.
His very presence there has accomplished that. He has prepared a place for us. It is not that He is carrying on a preparing a place, but He has prepared that place by His presence, the man in the glory.
Of this picture of this, I should say we have a picture there of what we have here. That is, it's just in a few words.
First, wilt thou go with this man that's obedient?
Next is we see only a very short journey, it seems, and Rebecca is with Isaac, but all the time she's been in the presence of Eleazar the servant. Well, that's a picture of what we have here, I believe, because it's by the spirit that we enjoy his presence.
And so if we're walking in communion, this will be our experience here.
Now there are two passages in the Old Testament that can be contrasted.
One is the passage I refer to the 24th of Genesis, where the bride is seen.
In the enjoyment of the company of what the Spirit of God would bring before her about Isaac.
But in the Song of Solomon we see the bride passing from 1 testing to another.
Trial experiences.
Until she finally comes to the place where there's one mindedness in the 7th chapter with a bridegroom. So one could have either one experience or the other. We can either go on in disobedience, willfulness, and have to pass through these trials. We all have some trials, but I mean these extreme trials that are.
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Required of those who walk carelessly.
Or we can go on in Communion.
And the enjoyment of his presence. And that's what this chapter would encourage us to, I believe.
Just in that.
Our thoughts, our soul might want to say, well, how can I go on in communion?
This might contribute a little and the most important part maybe.
2nd Corinthians chapter.
Five and verse 14.
The love of Christ.
Constraineth us.
His love.
Known, felt enjoyed.
Dwelled upon.
The love of Christ.
Constraineth us.
And surely the Holy Spirit.
Gives these affections.
To be realized his affections for us.
And then it goes on in verse 15, the end of it's telling us so that we no longer live unto ourselves, but unto him who died for us and rose again. His love attracts and wins our hearts and so fills our hearts that.
We we don't want to live.
A life wastes our life living unto ourselves. We want to live our lives unto Him who loved us, who gave Himself for us, and was on high.
He was raised again for us. He's everything to us. Well, just this thought that if I do not have some sense of this, to win my heart, to devote my heart.
To devote my life in some measure.
That surely his love is the motive that will make the difference. Go ahead. Now if you notice in verse one, it's the Bridegroom speaking and right on through, oh, most of this here is himself speaking. Look at verse nine. I was ravished my heart, my one of my eyes.
In verse 10, my spouse and all that.
Well, in our verse you quoted brother 6 or you read.
He says until the Daybreak or the day dawn, the truth in scriptures to the Old Testament Saints Israel.
I believe the day dawn is the day when the Sun of righteousness shall rise and shine upon that people. The day dawn. Oh, if you look into this subject, you'll see that that's the way it weighs in the Word of God until the day dawn when He comes.
All what, what glory there will be. And he'll take unto him his earthly bride, which the Song of Solomon primarily speaks of.
Israel, the shadows flee away. Oh, what shadows during the hour of Jacob's trouble Fall upon that people, Until the shadows flee away. And the day dawns, that day of glory. And he'll get me. In the meantime, to the mountain. He's on high.
A mountain of myrrh and to the hill of Frankincense.
Brother, do not our hearts well off of this think of.
Wonderful divine.
That operates in US and for us. These chapters in John remind us that all three persons of the Godhead.
Have a personal.
Loving interest in us. They are for us.
The power and the might, the divine love of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit rest upon His people. Should we be discouraged in the way? Surely not.
That we fail to have our hearts lifted up to the place that is ours and the treasure that is ours.
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All we have to confess. Often this is true, but why should it be so when we have God in the free person?
So eminently for us, and assuring us of that love and devotion and attentiveness to us all the way forward.
20th Verse That day he shall know that I am in my father and you.
Me and I in you.
What is the meaningfulness of the expression at that day?
In that Pentecost, Brother Bell.
At that day we we're highly favored figure out the contrast with the disciples that time. They never seemed to understand the Lord or enter into his mind. But when that day came, God the Holy Spirit came down and end well believers, but it was a complete change.
So whatever understanding we have is because of that is spiritual understanding and in communion, it's the fact that we have the Spirit of God now indwelling us.
And I believe the love of theirs. We have considered this subject of communion. We should not forget the importance of meditation, Paul tells Timothy. Meditate on these things. Give thyself fully to them.
It's important to read the word, but it's also important to meditate upon it.
To carefully weigh the words as we go over them, take time to grasp the meaning. And then in our quiet moments, maybe we're lying awake at night. Oh well, it is if we get our thoughts on the blessed Lord. Maybe travel through his life down here. Think of Him, that babe in the Manger.
Think of him and him so service.
As he went on his way, think of this life and teachings and going on to the cross and finally to where he takes them out to Bethany and lifts up his hands to bless them.
All while often what peace we all find in our souls if we put in our quiet moments and just being occupied.
Where the blessed Lord Himself.
And I found too that sometimes taking up the different gospels and speaking to see how much of the Lords life I remember in the way that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have in preventing the blessed Lord.
So we have this occupation with Christ is a very practical.
Way that.
The Spirit of God would keep us in communion, for when we are occupied with Him, the Spirit of God is as active then to bring His person before us.