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John's Gospel.
Chapter 15 and verse 10 if you keep my commandments.
You shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
These things that were spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love is no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends if you do with whatsoever I command you, henceforth I call you, not servants.
For the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I've told you, friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go.
And bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever He shall ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I command you that you love one another.
If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they have kept my saying they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no clue for their sin.
He that hateth me, hateth my father also.
If I had not done among them the works which none of the men did, they had not had sinned. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father.
For this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will ascend unto you from the Father, even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me, and He also shall bear witness, because He have been with me from the beginning. Acceptance of John is.
Of life, isn't it?
That the general character, but it's really also family life.
So we see how love that is so important.
You go back to the 13th chapter.
In the 34th verse of the 13th chapter.
A new commandment I give unto you, that she loved one another, as I have loved you that she also loved one another.
By this shall all men know that she are my disciples. If you have love one to another.
Now, as long as the Lord Jesus was in the world.
It could be seen that they were his disciples as they followed him.
But when he went away and that's what he's speaking to them about.
What would be the testimony when he went away?
And this should be a real exercise for our souls because.
We should manifest that character.
Now that he's away of that family relationship, bound together in love.
That's what holds it together.
Holds the family together, and in that 13th chapter we see that heavenly family in the presence of the Lord Jesus, and he's telling them he's about to go away.
Another thing in that 13th chapter we notice that in their midst there was a betrayer.
And also in the midst there were and there was one who was to deny him. In fact, they all had the spirit of it, because thus said they all.
And the only thing that.
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Would bind the Saints together.
Is love, That is love for the Lord Jesus and one another.
And so it's very important this portion we've come to in this chapter.
It comes just before he speaks of friends, but it's it's manifested now and keeping his commandments.
How? How will the world know? How will anybody know that we love the Lord Jesus or one another?
It's by keeping his commandments.
And that's the, that's the evidence down here that we love him so that it's very important that we consider what his commandments are. Now you might say, well, are you Speaking of the 10 commandments? No, not Ten Commandments.
We're Speaking of the the entire Word of God.
Entire word of God there is such a thing as certain commandments.
That is, in a home, you might know what your father would expect of you.
In your conduct regularly, and that read is a commandment too, although it isn't written out.
But then there are certain things that he specifically may say to you he wants you to do.
That could be a commandment in a special way.
And I believe they're both found in the Epistle of John brought out there. But it's all in connection with love, is it not? And that love is the result of a of a new nature expressing itself down here and giving evidence to whom we belong.
Love is the very atmosphere of heaven, isn't that?
By the faith, hope, love. But the greatest of these is love that goes on is the very atmosphere of heaven. And so in John we get the family, but it's in that character as being heavenly, or heaven as it were brought down to us, the proof of love.
Is not faith but obedience.
It's obedience that's the proof of love. So we have here, if a man keep my command, machi shall apply in my love. It's going on in the character of the family in heaven, brought down to us in love.
The new nature in life that we have.
As born of God.
It's not a selfish nature or life.
Because it's a very life of the Son of God himself, and he was not selfish, He gave himself.
He loved the church and gave himself for.
This was his very nature, love.
And we have that life and nature too.
And so when it speaks of commandments here, as our brother said, it doesn't refer to the law, the 10 commandments, because the law was given for man in the flesh. But there are certain principles, all of the things that are mentioned in the Scripture that give us the mind of the Lord. That's what the new nature delights to do.
And if we are doing those things that please the Lord, that are according to his mind, not only that, we have love.
That love of God should have brought in our hearts, but we're abiding in that love is that new life.
That's going on in an unselfish way and loving in the same way that the Lord loves. Of course, we come short because we're down here and we have an old nature. We have a lot of hindrances, but it's wonderful to know that it's divine love that's been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that's been given to us.
And So what spoken of his commandments are not grievous things, but the new man delights to do these things that the Lord reveals to us according to His mind in the Word.
God would have us to do where love is operative in the heart as the power of a commandment. If you love someone and that person asks you to do something, you wouldn't reply. Do I have to? If love is operative, why? Immediately the heart responds and it has the power of a command, even the laws. Our brother has been saying it's true liberty.
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Because it's just exactly what the new life wants to do.
And the Lord Jesus found his true joy and liberty in doing His Father's will. We should never forget, though, that the character of the new man is obedience. And the Lord Jesus came into this world. He took that place here, as we have in Philippians chapter two. He was in the form of God.
Thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but he came down into this world, not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him.
And so his whole life was characterized by obedience. He said in another place I came not down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And another place I do always those things that please him. And so it's very important because.
We might distinguish perhaps between requests and his words and his sayings, but whether it's his words or his sayings, or as our brother said, some things that are very definite and clear, they all have the power of a command where love is operative. The Lord Jesus walked in that enjoyment in his pathway.
As the obedient one. And now he's exhorting us to walk in that past too.
And seeing God is a God of love, then just as the Lord could love his own, it says having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. We might love people because we see likeable features in them and we love them from a really selfish point of view. We see a lot of nice things that make them lovable, but divine love acts because of what it is in itself.
So nothing the disciples did change the love that the Lord had toward them.
It was an unchanging love. And brethren, this is very important for us, that we don't just love one another because we see likeable features, but we love one another because divine love is operative in our hearts. And that's why that verse quoted, we love him, but it's simply in the new translation, we love. We have that.
Power. More than that, we have that varying life and nature.
Saw that we love, we love the most unlovable people because he first loved us possessing his life. We're able to love without any response. That's the character of the heart of God, and I think it's beautifully brought out. And it is, as we have here, a happy path. There's nothing more unhappy than to carry an unforgiving spirit toward anybody makes you most unhappy.
Why? The Bible speaks of a person who doesn't forgive being delivered to the tormentors. And if any of us have ever held an unforgiving spirit toward anybody, we were delivered to the tormentors. We were most miserable inside. Maybe the other person didn't even care, but we were the ones that were suffering because we carried that unforgiving spirit.
Well, may the Lord help us to be so occupied with His love and how He has acted toward us.
That just without effort, just as an overflow, that love flows out to others. Now I just add here, the display of it may be somewhat restricted because it says by this we know that we love the children of God because we love God and keep his commandments.
The parent who has to tell his child to stand in the corner loves that child just as much in the corner. But the child is not enjoying the display of the father's love in the same way. But the father's heart is the same, and he's perhaps more hurt than the child that he can't display that love. So if it gives us any pleasure to have to.
Deal differently with one who is walking in disobedience.
If it gives us any pleasure, there's something wrong. We ought to feel it. Feel it more than the person.
That we cannot display the love towards and it should always be there and all its freshness.
The joy mentioned in the next verse is, is the joy that the Lord Jesus had down here in doing the Father's will and He wants to leave that joy with His people because He came here to manifest the love of God and everything He did. That was His work down here to reveal the heart of God.
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And so he says in this next verse, these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. And so as you've just remarked, whether that it's a path of joy and it's not a path of joy otherwise, but it's a path of joy, but it's the same joy.
That the Lord Jesus had in walking in obedience.
Down here as.
The father has directed him. You get that in the.
End of the 14th chapter where it says.
31St verse. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, Even so I do.
What a commandment.
He was now starting for the cross, but.
He manifested the love to the Father in everything that He did down here.
We find that.
Really. In the same divine thing as the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because he speaks of keeping his father commandments and abiding in his love.
And the very same thing is mentioned of us, that it's expected of us that we should do that same thing. Now we know that the Lord didn't have any old sinful nature, but we do. But still we have that same divine nature, and we're in that same divine thing as it were. So we can do the same thing.
Abide in His love as we're obedient.
And.
It keeps on with that thought here. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. There it's linked together again. Love one another as I have loved you. In all of this, we cannot disconnect ourselves from the Lord Himself.
And this is important, isn't it, that we see this, that we're in connection with the Lord?
It's a it's a very important thing that we're in this thing together with the Lord and he's our pattern in this. And that helps us too, doesn't it? And he gives us the grace that we need in our time of need as well. And if the Lord has laid this upon us.
As a request.
That we should keep His commandments. Is He going to leave us alone to do it? No. He's so interested in the manifestation of this divine life down here in this way that He is going to be at our beck and call every moment. We can go to Him for grace and mercy to help us in our time of need.
To have his joyful when he wrote the epistle to the Philippians, but there certainly wasn't anything in the circumstances of Paul then to to merit it was there. It's just that he was had a sense in his soul that he was doing the will of the Lord and where he was and that it was being fulfilled in every measure in his life. And it didn't matter that he was in bonds to him.
It was the same when he was at Philip by in prison.
He could sing. He had the sense in his soul that he was doing the will of the Lord. And it's hard for us to get that thought that circumstances have nothing to do with this because we do get involved with our emotions and our thoughts and our hearts with circumstances. But really, when we realize, if we realize what we're doing is the will of the Lord, if that could be true of us, then we'd have that joy, isn't it? It's an inner thing that is.
Wonderful. And Paul exhibited it there when he wrote that epistle in prison.
Christ is spoken of and oftentimes as the Man of Sorrows, but there never was a man walked in this world that had more joy, but it wasn't the kind of joy that the world thinks about.
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The joy he speaks of here that He's going to leave with his disciples, a joy that will lift one above all circumstances, and a joy that takes us right into the presence of God Himself. And that's what the Lord.
No doubt speaks of when He speaks of my joy. It was a continuous, flowing joy, uninterrupted, and it had its source in heaven and His end there too.
I think it's expressed in Luke 10 if you want to look at one first there just what you're saying. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, I thank the old Father Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hit these things from the wise and prudent, and hast reveal them unto faith, Even so far there, or so it seemed good in thy sight.
He rejoiced in spirit. He couldn't rejoice in the circumstances around him.
Misunderstood by the disciples and are really on the way to the cross, rejected by man. And he found his joy in communion with his father and said, I thank the old father. That was his joy as he went through the world and it never changed. It was communion.
In perfect obedience, doing the Father's will, so that we.
Need to be reminded of that, that this joy might be fulfilled in us in the same way, in obedience to Him and in full communion with Him.
I'm glad that you brought that up, Brother London, because I was sitting here wondering about that and I thought perhaps some might have a question about it. And it's really wonderful to see that, isn't it, those two things in the Lord's life. Man of Sorrows, yet the man of joy.
It's been for every child of God, even the Old Testament. When we think of Jeremiah, weeping prophet was certainly a man.
Passing through a lot of grief and sorrows, and yet the reason the 15th chapter or 16th. Thy words were found, and I didn't eat them. And Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.
Wasn't a matter of circumstances either, was it?
The word was found, and he rejoiced in that.
And there was a path of obedience for Jeremiah, too, wasn't it?
The question, in a certain sense is a paradox in that way, isn't he? Paul speaks of that in Second Corinthians chapter six. He says Second Corinthians chapter 6.
The ninth verse has unknown, and yet well known, has dying. And behold we live as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich.
As having nothing and yet possessing all things. So the Christian is really a paradox. And when we speak of having this joy, it doesn't mean that we're without feeling. And so the Lord could weep at the grave of Lazarus, entering fully into the results of sin that had brought this sorrow into that home. And so the Lord enters fully into all that we have to pass through here.
And I believe it was the results of sin that caused him sorrow of heart, but at the same time he found that joy in doing his Father's will.
And he knew that that the will of the Father was going to bring blessings a man. He knew that through that cross of Calvary, the river of God's grace was going to throw flow out in all its fullness and blessing to man. I say that because it's a kind of a feeling sometimes that if we're really going to have this joy, then we don't feel things. We don't feel sorrows. I've often thought what it says about the Lord.
Reproach hath broken my heart. I am full of heaviness. I look for some to take pity. And there was none, and for comforters that but I found none. So the Lord was perfect in all His feelings, feeling all the sorrows of earth here, feeling the rejection of man can get on the other side the joy of doing His Father's will. And so with us.
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We feel things, we should feel things, but on the other hand, in the mall, we can be sustained by that joy.
Which sustained the heart of the Lord Jesus in His blessed pathway here.
Spoke of another joy of the Lord when he read there quoted in Hebrews 12/2, the joy that was set before him. Now that was a future joy for the Lord which lay on beyond the cross. And I believe the answer is very preciously put.
In Acts 228 this too is for us an example.
And something to desire, to have the joy that the Lord had as He went on toward that cross in anticipation which was before him. And in Acts 228, thou hast made known to me the ways of life. And that's beyond death, that's resurrection.
And then he says, Thou shalt make me full of joy.
With thy countenance He had left the Father, He had left that glory, and come down to do the work, and he could say, How am I straight till it be accomplished? So he went on to finish that work, and looking forward to returning with that work all done. That was the joy.
Set before him well, we know the goal at the end of our life too.
It has been told us in the Scriptures and the Lord has gone there. There is one man there. The end of the course is just as sure for us As for him, so we can go on while we're down here.
I think in anticipation of arriving there into the Father's house.
No doubt that's what in the mind of the writer here in Hebrews 12 verse two, because in that same verse it goes on to speak of.
Is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Well, he was looking forward to that, sitting down there at the right hand of the throne of God, and God being glorified in the work that he had done.
The Lord has, has, perhaps we might say, a fuller joy than we have. We'll rejoice when we're in the Lord's presence and see Him face to face. But this joy that the Lord has exceeds.
We see that the paradox that you're mentioning in the 126 song.
Verse 6.
Psalm 126 and six, He that goeth forth and weepeth.
Bearing precious seed.
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing.
Bringing his sheaves with that could very well apply to a gospel preacher, could it not?
Because the.
The force of that is in connection with.
Where it's taken from?
The.
Jew who planted the Jewish farmer would.
He didn't have the territory like the open plains, but he had the little valleys where he planted his grain and he depended on the rain from heaven.
And so after he planted his crop.
Sometimes the seed would rot under the clouds.
And he would have to take a part of that which he had reserved for his food.
That was stored away for the winter and he'd have to recede his garden again, or his farm. And so in as much as it was his own very food that he was planning.
He wept as he planted it.
It's been said that.
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It was not an uncommon sight for some who went through that country to see farmers weeping as they planted their seed. Well, now that's a beautiful illustration of how the gospel should be given out.
And I believe that it has its force there, because it says he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed is that which he needed for his own soul. And the one who preaches the Gospel preaches what he needs for his own soul, not exactly for salvation of his soul, but for the enjoyment.
Of the refreshment of Healy again, even though he's preaching himself.
That marvelous message of salvation, he needs it for himself.
Of the Lord weeping over Jerusalem. He came there and when He came, He came. And if you remember, they were crying about Him coming on the ***** colt coming and bringing salvation. So He had come for their blessing. He had come to bring deliverance and blessing to that city, but they rejected Him and saw He wept.
And I believe it's the same when the wonderful message of the gospel is proclaimed. Sinners are told of a full and free pardoned, offered through the work of Christ. Then to see sinners rejected, we ought to feel it. And the solemnity of sinners having to stand before God in their sins and be judged when the pardon has been offered and they've refused it. And so there is weeping, there is a sadness connected.
With the proclamation of the gospel, but as we find there are some results, just as the sowing of the seed by the Lord in the 13th chapter of Matthew, there were forecasts of seed, but only one brought forth fruit. So we shouldn't be discouraged as we tell it out.
Because there will be some fruit. And so even though we might feel at times discouraged, God is going to make manifest the results of that labor of love in the coming day. And I think it's a very precious thought that the reason that the one who serves will be.
Associated with those among whom he has served in that day of manifestation. We find that thought in connection with Paul when he writes to those at Thessalonica. He says, what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming. So just as the farmer comes back and the very.
Sheaves that he reaped he brings with him with rejoicing.
Paul said, I'm going to be identified with those Thessalonians believers in that coming day, and it's going to be a crown of rejoicing to me to see these dear ones who were saved and who have in some measure gone on for the Lord. Well, it sought to be in our hearts in serving the Lord.
I think we don't take the Lord's service seriously enough. We don't feel identified as we should file. The results are all in the hands of God, and He's the only one who can cause the seed to bear fruit or can produce desires in the heart of the believer, and nevertheless He can.
The privilege of being workers together with and for him. And in his matchless grace, he's going to identify us with the results of that labor of love. I think it should encourage us, but it also should make us very serious, whether it's in the gospel or whether it's in serving his own.
Bringing his sheaves with him, I believe that some who are older here have experienced.
What we don't see today very much.
Because there is a coldness that has come over us. I have seen souls, not one but many at one time, weeping over their sins. And I've seen those who are preaching moved in their preaching, and the souls weeping as they were confessing Christ. We don't see that, brethren, today as we should.
If we're living in a day when?
We're used to facts and all these things, and our hearts grew cold.
We hear the facts over and over again, but you know the preaching of the gospel should move our souls, each one as we hear it, and should move the speaker too. And you know it's not a shame to shed a tear.
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His his death before us again, as often in the Gospels.
And so he says here, greater love hath no man.
Than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.
And then he says, Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
In the.
In the.
11Th chapter of Luke.
The disciples say, Lord teach us to.
Pray.
The answers in the next chapter, Which of you shall have a friend?
There was a man who was visiting a sick home.
He was no doubt of one who was working in the gospel.
And as he entered the home, he saw a little piece of paper on the on the table.
And he read it.
And he turned to the son of this mother who was sick, very sick.
And he said, could you tell me who wrote this?
And the boy said I did, Sir.
There was that little him.
What a friend we have in Jesus.
And that son wrote that him for his mother.
This man took and had it published and we've enjoyed it ever since. What a friend we have in Jesus.
This was a real thing in this home.
And it was felt by the sun.
And the Spirit of God no doubt moved him to write that which has been such a blessing to many, many souls. What a friend we have in Jesus, would you not, brother? Applied is also to ourselves, because it certainly speaks of the Lord giving His life for His friends. In the 10th chapter it was His sheep. But preceding this he says we should love one another as He has loved us.
So that this principle applies also in our relationship.
As friends, you might say those who belong to the Lord, we see the sacrificial love in David when he went to fight that giant, and while he was doing this, his motives and all were misunderstood, and he had come to see the battle, and all of this his brethren rebuked him.
But Love was willing to risk his life for the well-being of his brethren. We see that with the lion and the bear as a shepherd. The same spirit, beloved, I believe if that spirit would be more prevailing among us.
Especially in view of difficulties that we have among us in the local assemblies and so on, there isn't enough of this willingness to lay down our lives for the brethren or for our friends. Perhaps we are afraid to get ourselves into trouble, but the Shepherd's heart would desire.
Conditions of peace and happiness.
And that the flock can feed in the green pastures and besides the still waters. So there is that spirit that should characterize us, that we are willing to lose ourselves, as it were. Maybe even that scripture Brother Heho.
Rat dying yet living. You know, there is the self denial. And this spirit should characterize us, shouldn't it? But I think it's so lovely here, that beautiful hymn that's so precious to many of us. What a friend we have in Jesus. But it seems to me this is far more wonderful here. We're speaking in that hand of the friend we have in Jesus.
But here is Jesus, the Lord of glory, calling us his friends. That is something far more wonderful to our hearts.
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Than to think that he identifies us in this way and a friend as we have here.
Here one that you pour out your heart and you tell them things that are on your heart. I think that's what is brought out here. He hasn't called us servants. We have the privilege of serving, but not serving as servants. I haven't any doubt myself that when that prodigal was received home as a son, not as a servant.
He was going to say to his father, Make me as one of thy hired servants. But his father cut him off and didn't allow him to say that he received him as a son and brought him into all the happiness and blessing of the home. But I would dare to say that he was probably the best servant his father had from then on.
I would expect that he probably was most devoted to his father and served him, but he wasn't doing it as a servant, He was doing it as a son. And you and I have been brought into this position that our precious Savior has not only brought us into the family, but the thought of friends is.
He has made known to us all that's in his heart, and here it is that we're sitting here in this room.
And justice to thank that he has made known to us all his purposes and councils and has often said that Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what is going on in the world. Men of the world are puzzled and perplexed what is going to happen? But here are a few people and we're just as far as the world concerned is concerned, we're insignificant nobodies. But why do we know these things?
Because the Lord of glory has called us his friends, and He's told us all that's in His heart. The blessing that's in store for us, yes, but also He has told us about the time when his Son is going to have his rightful place, and we'll share it with him.
And now as we seek to serve him, not just as servants but as friends, I think this is what is so lovely in this passage. And I'm sure that if that is so, then, as our brother has said, any sacrifice that we can make for one another is is nothing.
It says the verse you quoted in John's epistle. By this was known the love of God to us manifested the love of God to us, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brethren.
I suppose it's more or less a natural thing for us to want to be friends to somebody that is, have someone that takes an interest in US and makes a friend of us. Perhaps young people have that problem and sometimes maybe they don't find that there's anyone that takes them in as a friend.
Well, we have something in us that looks for someone to make a friend of us.
Well, here's the Lord Jesus says, you're my friend.
If you do whatsoever I command you.
You're my friend if you do whatsoever I command you. Well, certainly if we want the Lord Jesus to take us in as a friend, we will want to do what He asked us to do, because it will bring us into an intimate place.
The being a friend is being more intimate than being a servant and to be on intimate terms with the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's worth everything. And to think that we come into such an intimate place where He makes known to us his good things, all the precious things, oh, this is really worth something.
It's a very important thing and an added incentive to us to obey.
Ought not to be necessary, but there is a reward that goes with it, and that is the future revealed. I believe, as we have here make known in the next chapter, where the Spirit of God is sent down, and he shows things to come, but that, I believe, is given to those who do the will, God. Abraham believed God, and was counted to him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of.
And God said, shall I hide from Abraham, my friend, that thing which I do, The future was revealed to him what was coming. And I think we have seen it in the past 200 years that God has opened up to the future, to those who have obeyed the Scripture.
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We have prophetic books on our shelves which were written 100 years ago.
Which?
Are very accurate yet, and I say this for the young people. It's a wonderful thing to know a little bit about what is God is going to do. It's a very great encouragement. It won't come to us if we're not obedient to the word. We've got to obey it. Do his wealth and be in this place of a friend where he can come in.
His spirit and make known these coming things.
That's connected with the 7th 1St that we've already had.
Having that confidence in prayer, the verse in first John 331 was read to us if our hearts condemn us.
If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And so one couldn't really be in the place of friendship.
And having confidence in prayer unless they were walking.
In.
Communion, seeking to walk in obedience to the word that they know. And so this is the confidence, but it's connected with friendship, is it not? As we have in our chapter, not only that we'll know his mind, which he reveals to one who's close to him, his friends, but also we can ask what we will and he will do it because we have that confidence when we ask.
Not to get sidetracked, but could you, Brother Lindeen?
Give us some thoughts on 3rd John the last verse. Our friends salute thee. Greet to friends by name. Like I say, I don't hope we get off the subject, but is there some special meaning, perhaps in a day of ruin or something that there would be?
Those that could be classified as friends or what is the thought there?
Well, I don't know that I can say anything particularly on it.
But I believe that this goes along with the subject we've had before us all the way and.
There is.
That line of things in the third epistle where there were those in the assembly who were going on with God, and there seemed to be one who was opposing.
But still John wants to insist on this truth about the friends that not what you feel he wanted to insist on the the fact that this is the position that believers in one in the assembly may be out of communion. He may even try to put some out of the church as it says, but.
We're friends, we're in that position, the believers in that position.
In the last days we have John's epistles that bring those particular truths before us in a special way. And as the days close in upon us, all evil around us, it makes us more realize this position we're in, drawn together in one bundle of life of the Lord our God.
That's all I can say about it.
Blessed is this verse 15, isn't he? Beloved brethren, a servant can never come in into the secret of the family, isn't he?
And so the Lord see, I have called your friend, and I say for all things that my father that that I heard that I have heard from my father, I have made known unto you my the wonders of thy grace. Not just something is Isaiah a double L all things I was thinking of Deuteronomy chapter 29 and verse 29 say the sick of things.
Belong to the Lord thy God.
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For those things which are revealed now in the person of the Lord Jesus.
Oh, what a wonderful thing that is. Those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever. And then again there is obedience that they might do all the ways of the law. It's always in connection with obedience.
I would like to be able to greet all the friends by name, dear brother, But our brother Arthur Brown says the only way to do that is to pray for them all, every every day by name, and then you'll remember the names. But I'm not able to do that.
Is it not Who is there with the friends? I was thinking of a verse in Proverbs when it says a friend loveth at all times and I have thought when the Lord speaks to these here, He especially emphasizes of course the privilege.
They have of being brought into into an understanding of his thoughts and mind. But there's also, I believe, the thought of that he would desire that we would be as it were, a friend who would love at all times that he can count upon them by thinking of the of the woman of worth. In Proverbs, it says that her husband could safely trust in her.
Well, a friend is one really in whom we can trust.
And to love at all times. And so the I was thinking there in in 3rd John, there might be a little hint of of contrast between those who were seeking to seeking to go on in the truth like gas and others, in contrast to one who was really seeking to destroy.
And to hurt the Saints, damage them and really wasn't showing.
The true character of a friend The character of a friend is one that loves at all times, and there may be difficulties arise in a gathering, but the Lord should the Lord would look to his friends to to express that love at all times, even though there might be difficulties, rather than to to take up an attitude like the doctor fees who was was.
Really had no.
Love, not concern for the Saints, but for his own position in place.
There's some to whom you can sort of pour out your heart. There's a verse in the 119th Psalm, the 63rd verse. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. And so I believe that in the things of God, the Lord called Abraham his friend, and so he communicated many things to Abraham.
Well, he loved every one of his own, even Lot, who had taken his position in Sodom. But Lot is never called a friend.
Because he had taken up his position in Sodom. But I'm sure as far as God's love toward them, we read in the 33rd chapter of Deuteronomy. Yeah, he loved the people. All his Saints are in my hand. And we ought to have a love for all the Saints of God.
But only those who are walking in the path of obedience do we feel close enough, perhaps, to be able to speak of some things. We meet many dear Saints of God even, whom we meet from day-to-day, who are not walking in the truth. We can go so far with them and talk about things that we can enjoy just in the simple way of salvation.
But we feel a bit restrained that there are things that are precious to us that we can't talk about to them.
Because there isn't a willingness to walk in the truth. And it seems to me that that's the thought that the friend is a much more intimate connection than just loving one another. We should love all the Saints of God. There's something wrong if we don't. But there is that other side of things, and that is the importance of.
Counting those who seek to walk in the truth a little closer in our hearts and in our relationships with one another.
There's such a thing as the rebuke of a friend too, which is faithful. But I was thinking, sometimes a person best a young person may be poor, poorly taught, and they bring a problem to someone that they can rely upon.
And a true friend will be able to see their viewpoint.
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And listen without rebuking, unless it was necessary.
I believe this is quite often the case, that one who wants to be a help, especially two younger ones, that they try to see their viewpoint because if you're judging from your own viewpoint, you're not judging or helping them at all.
You may have to bring the truth before them in a way that is necessary, but it's necessary that you try to see the problem that they have, and that's real, true friendship.
Made in name and story.
Or she exemplifies all these things, doesn't she? She was a servant there.
But she had two things. She had confidence in God that he would be able to cure Naaman of his leprosy. So she was walking close to the Lord. And she didn't only act as a servant, but in love to her Master. She spoke to him, to the wife, and then to him. But when he's cured and.
Naman returns, I'm sure we can just imagine what an embrace he would have for that little maid, and he would no longer treat her as a servant, but now as a friend.
Yes, God open to Abraham.
In a vision in the 15th chapter, The whole course of Israel.
Down.
Through their history ahead of time, he opened that to Abraham and he actually told them the the very mounds of the territory that they were to possess. Well, he didn't tell anyone else that, but he told it to Abraham because he was his friend.
And that's a wonderful thing, I believe marvelous for us to realize the same principle for ourselves, that he is made known to us, all of his councils. Now, that doesn't mean that we can enter into the the mall immediately, but little by little.
By the Spirit of God opening them to us, we can enjoy already those councils that lead us on to the very end.
A time and into the eternal state. We have not chosen me.
But I have chosen you. I have chosen you well, this is for some particular thing, and ordains you that you should go and bring forth fruit.
That your fruit should remain.
That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
This seems to be that the Lord has chosen us.
To go and bring forth fruit chosen us. We haven't chosen him. Well, we know that we haven't chosen him, but he has chosen us. But there's something added and ordained you.
We know in Christendom that word ordained is used in a.
In a way that's not according to the word of God at all.
But here's the Lord doing it. Ordaining us to what? That we should go and bring forth fruit?
Now the question is why does he say go? Why not just say that you should bring forth fruit? That word go seems to be an added word here.
I'm just wondering as I'm looking at it.
If it can be connected with that last verse of the 14th chapter.
When the Lord says, arise, let us go. Hence where was he going?
While he was going to the cross, he was going to suffering.
And as we go down in the chapter here, it begins to speak of the world.
Going into the world.
Well, we need a special.
Ordination of the Lord to do this, we couldn't do it without it. Were to go into the world, a world that hates us, to go there and bear fruit.
What do you think about that? I was thinking of the prayer in the 17th of John in that connection, what you were saying, the 17th of John and the 15th verse. I pray not that Thou should just take them out of the world, but that Thou should has keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth.
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As thou hast sent me into the world.
Even so, have I also sent them into the world that is now He was about to leave them. They weren't to be just a little group that had no contact with the world about them. Instead of that, there was to be a manifestation of the life of Christ in the world during his absence. They were given that privilege and it says we walk in the truth.
And the enjoyment of his love and of this relationship that he calls us friends.
That there's a testimony now that's rendered to the world. We know that.
Men have set up ways where people can be set up behind walls in a place where they can be apart from the world. But he said no, that we might be in the world but be preserved from the evil and be a testimony.
And so the world ought to see, and those of us who believe the character of the one who has gone away and of that blessed one who has gone up as friends here in this world, who represent him, who show this character, I think it's very lovely the way it's brought up, brought out in our chapter.
That he's chosen us to this particular work. A young person at school might consider himself very honored if he's chosen to represent his school in connection with some particular project or something, but how much more that we have been chosen by the Lord of glory.
Representatives in his absence, not to be taken out of the world, but to be sent into it to be for him here. I I think it's very lovely. And then do we need help? Well, he said, if you need help, you can ask in my name.
The same thought is brought out in the 17th chapter of John Two, and there we find that.
The Lord says after mentioning those things that we spoke of, He said for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. How has the Lord sanctified himself? Well, He knew that we were going to be left here. And so He's gone up in the glory, just like Moses going up on the top of the mountain holding up his hands so that while Israel were in conflict with Amalek that there would be a way that they could.
Victorious over Amalek, so the Lord tells them what their Commission and position was. Then he says I'm going up, I'm setting myself apart. For what? To give you the grace and strength that you need and that we might be preserved in this world. We have this very one up on high on our behalf.
How beautiful it all is in connection with what we have here. And so we have chosen, and that we have the privilege of coming to Him, coming to the Father in His name, to ask for all that we need in order to fulfill this desire of His heart.
That ordained ordination that you're Speaking of, would that be applying to just the fossils or without the applying to to all?
The Gospel of Mark, that the Son of Man is like to a man going into a far country, and he gave authority to his servants and to every man his work, and commanded the Porter to watch. There wasn't a single Levite of all the tribes.
That of all the tribal Levi I should say, who was not appointed to some particular service. Some might seem more important than others, but in reality the importance was doing what they were appointed to do, wasn't it?
Go there.
Which seemed to me to indicate that there should be some exercise on our part, that is, there should be some move on our part to be exercised about this, to bear fruit for the Lord.
Well, it might be all kinds of fruit we can think of in connection with gospel work. Well, there has to be some movement and exercise in connection with that. We can't just go out on the street corner and start preaching as a as a sort of an automatic thing or a thing that's just done in mere motion.
01:05:02
But there has to be exercise of soul about it.
And I think perhaps we need to have more exercise about that in these days, real exercise of soul. And we've been speaking about having a love for souls and a desire to preach the gospel to people that they might be saved. Well, that there has to be that. And I believe if we see what the Lord has in mind for us.
And we are really in tune with the Lord. We want to do those things.
Now we've been speaking about bearing fruit. Perhaps the what is spoken of as a fruit of the Spirit, about fruit can be manifested in other ways. And there can be a zeal in the preaching of the gospel. And we've been connecting, connected with it as we have heard, and going forth and bearing the the seed.
Weeping. And there can be exercise too in connection.
With helping one another because it speaks of loving one another here. All of these things are brought in here, it seems to me, as part of the fruit. And of course love we know has many, many different branches to it and it's something we need to be dwell upon and be exercised about because.
As children of God, not only servants.
Friends of the Lord, we do have a great responsibility here and need to be exercised about being a help and a blessing to anyone and everyone, sinners and Saints alike.
Exodus, brother Anderson, that would go along with what you're saying. I'll read it in Exodus 18 and 23.
If thou shalt do this thing.
And God command thee, so then thou shalt be able to endure.
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able.
To endure. I believe that it's very important in serving the Lord that we have a sense in our soul that He has sent us to do it.
Otherwise, how can there be any real?
Feeling of that position that we're Speaking of friendship.
If He has set us a sense in our soul that He has sent us, I believe that's very important. Now we wouldn't go around in saying that I know this and I know that, that the Lord.
Has sent me to do this. But to have the sense in your soul between the Lord and yourself that He has sent you is a very important thing, I believe. And so I'll read this again if thou shalt do this thing.
And God command thee, so then thou shalt be able to endure. It's been said that.
If the Lord sends you to preach the gospel, you really feel that he has sent you. You can be sure.
That the message will reach where he has intended it. That doesn't mean the soul will be saved.
Or that the person will be restored. But it means they've got the message. It means that God has sent a message and they'll receive it because he has sent you together. And I believe that we should have that confidence. And this goes along with friendship, doesn't it?
Christian has the hatred of the world because the world hated the Lord Jesus and so.
19 First, if you were of the world, the world would would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. And now he says, Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord, if they have persecuted me.
They will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying they will keep yours also.
In the next chapter, he's going to speak of that persecution. And this is the this is the path that the believer can expect because.
It isn't only that He's given us to believe, but also to suffer for His sake, as we have in in the Philippians. I believe it isn't enough that we simply we believe, but we're in a path of where we may have to suffer for His sake.
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In fact, we're told definitely that he that will live godly in Christ Jesus will have such a path and it it only makes exercise our souls that when we don't have that persecution or trial that perhaps we're not in that position.
A. Really.
Devoted to him in such a way that we're willing to bear the shame and reproach.
That comes our way.
Hatred of the world and the reproach of the world isn't because.
What a friend we have in Jesus. That's a wonderful thing we've been speaking about, that he calls his friend so he could let us know these things. But it's because He's our Lord and we're the servant. We belong to him and we shouldn't lose that character, should we? Even though we've been enjoying the fact that he calls us friend so he can let us in on all these things. His Father's faith known to him.
Servant would know that, but we should never lose the servants rule in our heart, should we? And that he's our Lord. That's the reason of the hatred of the world, and that's why he says the servant is not greater than his Lord. The friend may not have that reproach, but a servant, one who belongs to the Lord, would.
I was thinking how nice the 21St verses committee gives us the real reason when it says.
These things will they do unto you for my namesake.
You can talk to people of religion, you can even talk to them of the creator God. Bring in the name of the Lord Jesus and you'll find out the hatred goes up.
Immediately my name is.
Question is, do we want to give up that reproach and hide his name?
How he prepares them in the 16th verse by encouraging them and saying that she should bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. He shows that there would be results from this labor in the path of obedience to him. But then he follows by telling them that they must expect this kind of treatment from the world.
And so, if we do have, and we will have, the opposition of the world and its hatred, let us not be discouraged. A testimony rendered in obedience and in the name of Christ will be fruit that remains. We are under God, a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish.
And then too, I've been struck in that 20th verse. The servant is not greater than his Lord. It's often spoken to my heart. Do we really expect better treatment in this world than our Lord received? When people laugh at us and despise us, we know how it hurts, and we think they shouldn't act that way toward us. Why should they show that kind of attitude?
But do we really expect?
Better treatment in this world than our Lord received.
When people laugh at us and despise us, we know how it hurts and we think they shouldn't act that way toward us. Why should they show that kind of attitude? But do we really expect better treatment than our Savior? Well, a servant is not above his master, and if we're going to follow him, we're going to get the same kind of treatment that he received. But let's not be discouraged by this kind of thing, brethren, because.
He's telling us before this that there will be fruit that remains, and it remains to His glory and praise. Then he goes on to show that we might get much opposition because of our unlovely ways. We're not always wise. We don't always show the right spirit in the way that we do things about the Lord. Jesus was the perfect servant, and so he could say.
In the verses that follow, they hated me without a cause.
So often with us it's our lack of wisdom and the way we act and so on. But we should be careful that the opposition that we receive is not because of our unlovely ways, but because it's the name of the Lord Jesus as our brother just mentioned.
It's the name of the Lord Jesus that brings reproach, and so we can be exercised when there is opposition. Is it something about ourselves or is it just for that name? If it's for His name and then we can only expect it because we're not greater than Him.
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Hate us if we're like him.
We've been speaking about.
Fruit. Fruit bearing.
And.
The way the Newman behaves itself in obedience to the desires, commands of the Lord, how it acts Well, if that new life is seen by the world and it will be seen when there's fruit and these other things are seen by them, that we obey the Lord and we think much of the Lord and we speak much of His name.
They just can't help but hate us.
They are very present, sometimes will just make them feel that they hate us and they don't want us around. It seems that that's what happened when the Lord was here. They just felt His presence as the presence of God and they didn't want Him.
Well, if there's that divine life and nature and activity in off bearing fruit and being obedient to the Lord and wanting to exalt the Lord.
The world is going to hate us. It's going to have its effect upon them. And still, on the other hand, there will be a good effect on certain ones.
They will be convicted. The Spirit of God will use whatever little words we might have to say to speak to them and turn them to the Lord. And there will be fruit. There will be fruit there. And I don't think the word of God could go out anywhere but what There's going to be converts.
We may not ever know who they are. We may try to count them, and maybe we will not count enough because it will all be counted up when we get up there. And we don't need to worry about counting them here, but just to be for the Lord here and be exercised in our testimony for the Lord and He's going to take care of the results.
Chapter begins with fruit bearing and it ends with testimony doesn't from the last verse. And ye also shall bear witness, because you have been with me.
From the beginning.