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With creatures such as we who when we saw these slighted, and they'll be to a tree, unfathomable wonder and mystery divine the voice that speaks in Thunder, says Sinner. I am thine.
#4
Their gold has built.
The world.
Beginning to break up.
And speak.
And mine.
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that you know not of. Therefore said the disciples, 1 to another Hath any man brought him, ought to eat? Jesus said unto them, Might need us to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye there are yet four months, And then cometh harvest. Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest.
And he that reapeth receiveth wages.
And gather fruit under life eternal, that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true. 1 Soweth and another Reapeth, I sent you the reef that were on ye bestowed no labor. Other men labored, and ye entered into their laborers. Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him. For the saying of the woman which testified he told me all that ever I did so When the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them.
And he abode there two days, and many more believed because of his own word, and said unto the woman. Now we believe not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee, where Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
00:05:08
It's wonderful how God preserves his truth.
We find that things had sunk so low and even his own people gone into idolatry and worshipping idols and.
When God and His mercy preserves His truth, and we can see it even here in this.
In this poor woman who led a life of infamy. And yet where did she get that truth? She says, I know that when the science cometh, he will tell us all things. Well, now there was apparently her heart. Her was not. Her mind wasn't altogether closed so in darkness. And where did she get that truth? Well, she got her from the old, from the prophets of old. They were prophesied faithfully of the coming Messiah.
And that's and God and his mercy had along the way and preserved that truth, and we find it in other instances. The thread of the truth is kept alive, and this dear woman was brought into the richest blessing through that.
And every prophecy of the Old Testament was fulfilled perfectly and completely in Jesus. Isn't that a beautiful thought? Every sign they had in their scriptures was fulfilled by Him in His birth, his life, His death and resurrection. They had no question who the Messiah was. They had all the signs. And you know it's beautiful because.
This woman and all the Gentiles around and even everywhere knew that the Jews, the Israelites, were especially chosen and blessed and God was with them. It was wonderful. And they knew they had the word of God. Now what did Paul say in in Romans 3? I think it's verse three. What advantage did the Jews have then? All the Gentiles are being saved.
But his brother in the flesh were not getting saved so much. What advantage did they have? Paul answered it. Every advantage under them was committed. The oracles of God. What advantage do we have? We have the whole word of God. They just had the Old Testament, but they had every advantage. It all pointed to Jesus, who is of course the Messiah, the Christ of God.
And you know, when he spoke parables, he spoke the one parable about the sower. Well, no, not the sower, the Lord of the vineyard. And when he gave that whole parable about their killing some prophets and despising others, casting some out, and finally they killed the son of the Lord of the vineyard, they took account, it says, that he spoke this parable about them.
Were they responsible?
Did they know what they were doing? Of course. But God and Jesus in such grace, he said. Father, forgive them, They know not what they do.
He let himself be the 7th city of refuge.
Isn't that beautiful? Well.
They knew.
At the meetings here about God being light, and we've seen that light shining and this woman is.
Fine, so that all that she is has been discovered in the presence of this light. But I think it's very beautiful to look at that 28th or 29th verse. Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? Well in in the 1St letter of John.
The first epistle that he writes, he first says God is light, and we've had that through this chapter.
But now, with this verse, we're seeing what he writes later. God is love, and it's that love that has been revealed that makes her willing to stand in the presence of one who knows all about her, and to invite others to come into that same presence. I would submit, brethren, that if any of us sitting here knew that there was an individual in this room, another individual who knew absolutely everything there was to know.
00:10:05
About you and about more about me, perhaps the last person we want to introduce anyone to would be that individual.
We would be very hesitant, naturally speaking, to bring anyone into the presence of someone who could say, I know every thought they've ever thought, I know everything they've ever done, I know every word they've ever said. I know all about them. We naturally would not want to bring another individual to meet such light. But God is love, and it's that absolute, divine, perfect love that not only the light has shown what we are.
But it's the love that makes us realize that this is one that we can draw.
To ourselves and that we feel so comfortable and so confident in that we can seek to draw others. So she says, come see a man that told me all that ever I did. That's more than those men even knew about her. They knew a lot about her. They knew about her life. But she says you don't know the half of what this one knows. Come and meet him, not get away from him. I don't want you to find anything more about me because the love had shown her that she had.
You might say a blessing now, an eternal blessing. The water that had so satisfied her that it didn't matter what others thought. It didn't matter what others said. It didn't matter what others knew.
The only one, the God of light, who really mattered and who really knew everything there was to know, had so satisfied her heart that she was comfortable, fully comfortable. Now in that divine and perfect love, brethren, that's what we are. That's what we can enjoy. And for the youngest to the oldest, here you and I have the joy, first of all, of realizing that the one who truly knows everything there is to know about us.
Loves us. You know, it doesn't say in John, in the first epistle of John, God is love. And then it says God is light. Because if it said that, I would say, oh, that's wonderful to know. God loves me. But I wonder if after he's found everything out there is to know about me, if he'll still love me. But instead it says God is light. And so it starts with the realization that this God knows all there is to know. There's not one thing that I can hide from him, nor would I. And beloved young people don't try to hide anything from him because the one that's all light, that knows all about you.
After he knows, and I say this just in terms of making this example, after he knows everything there is to know about you, then he says, I love you. What a wonderful comfort to know that that the one who knows all there is to know and nothing else can be known about me that God doesn't already know. He says, and I love you and that's why this woman said, oh come and see somebody who knows all there is to know about me. Is not this the Christ?
Height is.
And that it's a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the sun.
Well, the light that exposes this has already been said. My sinfulness also.
Presents to me that wonderful Savior whose full and free salvation meets my every need. And the blood of Christ is that which cleans us from all sins, so.
We can in the light to enjoy that work that has been accomplished in our behalf. We know ourselves accepted in the beloved. Now we can say that light is sweet.
I've enjoyed two there in John, one where it speaks of how that.
Is full of grace and truth.
Somebody said that grace is love operating in the midst of evil.
And truth is light at work in the midst of evil.
God's desire was to have a people in the same glory with himself which would which would answer perfectly to all He is, and His Holiness and His nature, and in His love He This was the one of the desires of God the Father to have a people, and just like his own beloved Son, and so He sends them into this world.
In order to accomplish that work.
And the precious blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, every sin.
The Lord Jesus has gone back to heaven after shedding his precious blood there on the cross.
And for the believer, there isn't one sin left. There isn't one sin left. He's gone in there. And this is the this is the ground in which the Lord Jesus could bring, seek to bring this poor soul into into such blessing, into such blessing. He doesn't just know about us, but he knows about our future too. Because when he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, in those past eternal councils, he knew what I was going to be like. Not before, just before I was saved, but after I was saved.
00:15:37
And yet he loved me enough to send his son, the Lord Jesus, to die on Calvary's cross, to redeem me to himself. A person might go and adopt A child, and they might be given some record of that child's past, but those parents don't know about the future of that child. They don't know how that child is going to turn out. Maybe they look back and they're disappointed in that child in the end, and the end result after that child is raised. But think about it, brethren. He not only knew us, knew what we were like going to be like before we were saved.
But knew what we were going to be like after we were saved. He knew all about the ups and downs of my life, all about the discouragements, how cold I would be at times. And yet, as our brother dear has said, there's a day coming when he's going to view his family. There in perfection, in the in the Father's house. And so much did he find his delight in the sun, his well beloved son. That's just as if he said when I have a family in heaven, I want them all to be like my beloved son. So here he knew the past of this woman, but he knew her future too.
And he knows our future. And yet he could walk these many miles to meet this woman in her need, knowing all about what she had been and what she would be like. And the Lord Jesus came all the way to the cross for us, knowing what we were like by nature, and knowing what we would be like after we were saved. But he looks on to the future, when he'll have us all around himself, finally.
And he said. In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him master Eid, But he wouldn't eat. He wanted to teach them something. Here it's interesting. He didn't eat. He said, I have meat to eat. You don't know anything about this. They seldom entered into him what he was doing. Therefore, said the disciples, 1 to another, hath any man brought him ought to eat?
And then this beautiful 34th verse Jesus said unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and finished his work. John 19 It is finished. Wasn't that something? Now here he would need? But you know, in John 24, when he appeared to those women who were there at the sepulchre, and restored them, and appeared to the two on the way to Emmaus, and walked with them.
And then restored them. And then He came to His apostles and disciples in person after he was crucified and buried, and they wouldn't believe so. He said, have you any meat here to eat now? He wanted to eat. Isn't this beautiful, the Lord of glory that created the world? The one that could feed thousands, 5 thousands of men alone, not counting women and children, with nothing. But he did use those two loaves and fishes.
But he wanted something to eat. Why? It said he ate the fishes and the honeycomb before them. He wanted to show them he is not a spirit only he's a man. And there's going to be a man in glory for all eternity, brethren. That's why we can be there. There's a place for us. And so when he ate, it was only to prove to those poor apostles.
They wouldn't believe the women and wouldn't believe the two on the way to Emmaus, wouldn't believe himself when he appeared in their midst. So he said I'm going to eat in front of you. They thought he was a vision.
Even though vision, he's not vision for us when we see him tomorrow, he's real, so it's interesting he wouldn't eat here.
I would like to make a comment about verse 30 just a little.
Seems to me very important principle, but a little principle there.
The woman says come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this is Christ, They went out of the city and came onto him.
00:20:06
We have a wonderful privilege, brethren, if we're those of us who know the Lord Jesus as Savior and realize that this God of light and God of love knows all about us and loves us to invite others to come to him. But sometimes the flesh gets in the way, and I don't set down any rules or anything about speaking to others.
But it's important, brethren, Isn't it in our ways, to attract.
Seek by the grace of God to attract the hearts of those that we're talking to, to the person of Christ.
Not so much what he's done in US or what he is, what rather what we were before we were saved. Sometimes there's a a tendency among believers to kind of try to gain the attention of others by going into a fairly long, detailed history of how terrible they were and how bad they were and so on. Well, there may be a place for that. And I say I'm not setting any rules or anything, but I think it's lovely. Here's a woman who had a pretty checkered history.
And if anyone could have pointed a finger at themselves to show how debase they had gone, no doubt this woman would be one that could do that. But she hasn't taken up with that. She just says come see a man, come see someone else. And we know that the thief on the cross did the same thing in a way, he said this man.
Hath done nothing amiss, so, brethren, it's wonderful if as we go through this life.
Whether it's our actions or our words can serve the intent of turning the view of those who need Christ as Savior to Him, not to us, but to turning them to Him. And so she didn't say anything about herself other than there was a man who knew all about her, and she invites them to come and it says they went out of the city and came on to him. No more expression of anything at this point that she was saying.
Just the simple acceptance of an invitation. If this person that we know has been so captured by this individual and is so demonstrating the love and the peace that she has, we've got to go see him. Perhaps here too, in connection with these disciples who really didn't enter into what was taking place, I felt rebuked, brother, and I was visiting an assembly some time ago.
And a sister was telling me of a young man who had been saved recently in that assembly, saved during a Lords Day evening Gospel meeting. And this sister said to me, she said, I know when this young man was saved, there was joy in the presence of the angels of God. But she said there seemed to be very little joy amongst the people of God in the assembly. I felt rebuked by that. And here these disciples, what was the meat that the Lord Jesus had that they knew not of?
The joy of seeing a soul brought into blessing, and he could rejoice. This was his meat, as the soul was brought into blessing and relationship with himself and the disciples. When they returned, what did they do? They marveled that he talked with the woman. They should have rejoiced that here was another soul brought to himself and brought into blessing and receiving the living water. But they they marveled that he talked with her. Then they were occupied with something temporal. Take a little meat, eat something.
And, brethren, let's be careful, and I can only say this to my own heart, but let's be careful that we're not so taken up with the temporal things of life that when a soul is saved or brought into blessing, we fail to enter in to the joy that heaven experiences, that God the Father experiences, that the Lord Jesus Christ experiences. When a soul is brought into blessing, does it rejoice our hearts when someone is saved? Or do we marvel that that person came to the gospel meeting and got saved, or that person read a gospel tract and got saved?
I think it's very sad note on the part of the disciples here, but I think it's perhaps recorded for your heart and mind as a warning that we need to enter into these things, enter into the thoughts and the heart of the Lord Jesus that we might partake in a small way of that meat and that joy that was his in seeing souls blessed.
Out between you and the Lord. Then you don't think about your past anymore.
You think about your future. It was all out with this woman. He didn't have to tell her all the things she did. She knew He knew it. And that's it. When you confess to the Lord, you don't have to name all your sins, but you'd better tell them. You know your loss. You can do nothing to undertake for one sin. And you know, there was a man in last century, you know, I got to say century. And before last century we're in the just starting a new century.
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Billy Sunday, you've probably heard of him, a great evangelist. But Billy Sunday had a checkered life, like this woman before you were saved. And then he got on fire, and he was really a gospel preacher. But one day he had one of the biggest audience he ever had together. He mounted the pulpit. He had his Bible there ahead of him, and where he had it open to start preaching was a paper with all the list of the awful things he did.
On that paper, a list, an indictment, fornication, being tried by the court and put in prison and on and on. And he said I have a list here on my Bible. And so before I start, I'm going to read that list. So he read all those things that they charged him with. And he said, now I'm happy to tell you they're all true, but I'm happy to tell you also.
They're all washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus. And so he said there's only one thing that whoever wrote this list didn't know half of the things they could have put on. So he was a happy man that is out with the Lord. What's the difference about others accusing him? They're all gone. That's how one feels. This woman felt that way. Isn't that beautiful? She didn't mind facing those that no doubt scorned her before and tell him about the one at the Whale.
The book is that the focus is not any longer under herself, but on the one that knows everything about her, and that's Christianity, brethren. And that's what the light reveals more than what it reveals in US and what it reveals in him, who he is. And that's what is mentioned earlier, what we were talking about, Worship in truth is now in Christianity, the full revelation of God.
We have it in the person of the Lord Jesus and we can revel in that. And that's what makes us worshippers, is to know him in truth. And so it's as you say, yeah, she had a bad past, so do a lot of us. But that's not the point. That's all past. Now what's ahead is this glorious person to be occupied with him for all eternity and will never exhaust.
Knowing the fullness of the glory of this person, just to go back a minute, brethren, in verse 22 he says to the woman who is a Samaritan, You worship, you know not what, in other words, like.
Was mentioned earlier. She had something of divine truth, but it was not real clear. But Jews were the ones who had the revelation of God in the Old Testament, and so he says that there.
End of verse 22. Salvation is of the Jews. They had the revelation of who God was in the Old Testament, but it was not a complete revelation.
What we have in Christianity now is.
A complete revelation of all that God is. Isn't this wonderful to know God through one who is a real man? That man that walked through this world is God in every sense of the word. Oh, what a marvelous thing to have him before our souls.
She had known 5 husbands. She was living with a six. Here was the 7th. Here was the perfect man brethren, and he was the one that was going to satisfy her heart, her heart and our hearts to the more we get to know of him, the more we become worshippers like her.
That's that is really worship, isn't it? What God, the worship that God accepts is that we bring to God what we have learned of Christ. And this is God won't God won't accept anything else?
Only Christ. And it's what we've learned of Him. And this is what we learn as we go on day by day. What we've learned of him is what God will accept, and that's worship, and I believe, dear ones.
00:30:13
After our mornings meeting, I still believe that a poor soul, perhaps a dear child of God, might be way off in an island or out there in the middle of of Australia or someplace with no fellowship. But he loves the Lord and he can still worship the Lord. He's there all by himself. He doesn't have to be where he may not have the privilege of being meeting with two or three. Now that is worship, and we love to be there. But there are those who I believe worship the Lord.
And maybe they're they're they're just solitary souls. And as the Lord becoming a man, an Angel couldn't couldn't meet this, couldn't fell in this situation here, the Lord became a man. I remember dear Willie Martin, years ago, he was saying the Lord became a man.
He says. And he's going to be a man forever, he says. And we're going to enjoy him forever. We're going to enjoy him forever as a man.
Looking for you know, you turn to job chapter nine, Job Chapter 9. And he says if I wash myself it doesn't do any good, I'm dirty again. So in verse 32 he says, for he is not a man as I am who?
God, God is not a man as job that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any day's man or mediator. Same thing, day's man betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both. So he wanted somebody that could put his hand in his hand and bring him together with God. And he knew it had to be a day's man.
And so you have that beautiful thought in Timothy chapter two of First Timothy, God our Savior. Isn't that a nice expression? God our Savior, who will of all men to be saved come into the knowledge of the truth? For there's only one God and one day's man 1 mediator between God and men. Who? The man Christ Jesus. Isn't that something? That's what Job was looking for.
And that's what everyone in this world needs. The day's man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. And everything's perfect timing with God, you know, for this world. But.
That's right. It's always due time every lost in it.
Brothers Deer mentioned that worship is.
That which we have learned of Christ and offering that, and I'd like to turn there seems to be a beautiful picture of that. It's well known, but let's turn to Genesis and I think there's a a very nice picture there of what worship is.
In In the Heart Genesis chapter.
45.
Now Joseph has made himself known to his brethren. You might say that he has acted on the principle of God is light. And what I mean by that is they have realized that what they had tried to conceal was all known, and it's all in the light, and Joseph knows all about it. But then after that he can come out to them and reveal himself in love too. And so he sends them back, now forgiven and blessed, and with this wonderful.
Blessing the wagons and all that he sends, but he says this to them.
In verse 13.
Genesis 45, verse 13. Ye shall tell my Father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen. Well, I just submit, brethren, for each of our hearts can we tell the Father of the glory that we have seen of the Lord Jesus, and that a wonderful thing to do, that we could daily be occupied each one of us. That we're not talking about gifts here, we're talking about heart, affection.
And each one of us, from the youngest here that knows the Lord Jesus as savior, to the oldest, we each one have that privilege. And I suggest we have what is couched in the Old Testament as a desire of the Lord's heart, that we might spend our day communicating with our Father, of what we have seen in the Lord Jesus, and of his preciousness to us. And and it says of all that you have seen.
00:35:19
That leaves it open, and some may see more and do than others. But whatever I've seen of Christ and his preciousness, I have a privilege, and I'd like to suggest at least a responsibility and love. A responsibility born of love, to tell the Father he that delights in his son, what I've seen and what I'm delighting in his son. And I would submit that that's at least.
In one aspect, worship. And it's worship that we individually as well as collectively, but that we individually can and I believe ought to offer to the Lord Jesus every single day of our lives.
In connection with the question of worship, read it 3 verses in Exodus chapter 20.
Of course this is the law of Moses, but it is in figure has something to teach us in connection. Worship is such a tremendous thing. And remember he seeks worshippers to worship him in spirit and in truth. And it's something that the young need to think about. You sit in meetings. It's not for the older brother only to express worship, it belongs to everyone who is.
A priest in the family of God to worship in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 24. Right at the end of the chapter an altar of earth shalt thou make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen. In all places where I record my name, I will come into thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shall not build it of hewn stone.
For if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it, neither shall thou go up by steps into mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Here they were to make their altar, and Alder speaks of worship. Brethren in Christianity, the Lord Jesus is the altar, He is the priest, he is the sacrifice, He is everything. But here in figure we see an altar and it's made of earth.
And I think what we learn here is that, brethren, it should flow naturally and way. The altar would be one time. If there's rain, it would wash off something.
It may not be another time, but it should be the free flow of the Spirit of God in your heart and mind.
No form should this altar be given. It could be build of stones that the stones had to be their natural shape. As soon as you lifted up a tool on it, you polluted it and so.
Worship is by the Spirit of God and how he leads. One may not be how he leads another. The thing is that it be the natural flow of your appreciation.
Of Christ the expression of it to God. And sometimes young people think that perhaps.
In a breaking of bread meeting, I have to get up and I can say it just like such and such. A brother may say it that's putting a tool on the stone and you pollute it. If you try to be something else than what it is in you. Your own appreciation. And I just want to encourage our younger brother and to take part in the breaking of bread, the expression of some small.
Appreciation in your own soul of what Christ is to God.
Doesn't have to be long. It just has to be something that comes naturally from your own heart. Let it be heard to God, express it. That's what we have here. Then in the last verse, it speaks about steps up to the altar and something, brethren that we need to remember is worship is for the exaltation of God and Christ. It is not for the exaltation of man.
00:40:04
And if we ever get the idea that some person is the one to go up the steps, that's where our nakedness may be discovered in our shame. The Lord keep us lowly, not going up by any steps no self man made.
Exaltation. The one to be exalted is our God.
At night, the fifth verse there that you brought up of chapter 20, Exodus.
The altar has to be all of God and none of man. The altar is not only for worship, but his sacrifice, and it's for an approach to God by his beings. You know Abraham had an altar, but it was also his approach to God to find out what God wanted and intended for him. The altar, for the Israelites, was to have their sins forgiven. They approached to God when they needed it. Always the blood.
But Abraham had no altar in Egypt. He had no altar. He had no approach to God at all. And so I think there's a very important principle that nothing of man for an altar, and therefore for true worship, it has to be nothing of man, all of God.
Somebody say something. That part of that 24th verse, in all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee and will bless thee.
Go ahead.
This same chapter that Bob's talking about.
Go ahead.
Well, it compares fairly well.
With Matthew 1820.
There always has to be separation doesn't go forth. Therefore unto him it's to a person. But there has to be a going forth. And I was thinking of it just an application in our chapter in John 4, because it tells us in the 30th verse they then they went out of the city and came unto him. There had to be a going out before they could enjoy the person of Christ. And the city sometimes in Scripture speaks to us of this world and its confusion.
Sometimes it speaks of the political world and its confusion. Sometimes it speaks of the religious world in its confusion. And so there had to be a separation going out of the city. But what was the wonderful result? They came to him, to a person, brethren, and this is the person to whom we are gathered. But if we're if there's not an exercise to separate from that which is evil, that which is not according to his word, then we can't enjoy his company and his presence.
But oh, what a joy it must have been to these souls to leave the city, to leave the place of confusion, and find themselves with the Lord Jesus in their very mids, gathered around him at this well, to hear what he had to say, and to be occupied with his person brother.
24th was really so significant for today, and I would turn to Deuteronomy 12. In Deuteronomy 12, seven times you have this expression.
But under the place verse 5 Which the Lord your God shall choose to put his name there even under his habitation shall ye see, and thither ye shall come.
Verse seven There ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to. And now verse 12 Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to place his name to dwell there. Thither shall ye bring all that I command you, your burnt offerings, etcetera. 13 Same thing. 14 Same thing. You go on and on.
From Deuteronomy 12, even from 11, I think from 12 to 1621 Times you have that expression. You can't worship in any place you think, but.
Where I chose to place my name at there you worship. Now that is so beautiful. And I just mentioned one of the other things in chapter 12, verse 30. Take heed.
00:45:00
This is for all of us. Take heed that ye be not snared. Why?
By inquiring.
After their gods saying, how do these serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so, brethren. For us it says, thou shouldn't even ask how they do it. If you have the right thing according to the word of God, you don't need to know how all the religions in the United States are doing it. You don't have to inquire, he says. Don't even inquire.
I think the worst subject in any college or university is comparative religions.
We don't have to know what they're doing out there. We only know they're wrong.
What do you say to somebody? Said You people think you're the only ones that have the Lord in the midst of them.
I showed them the word of God, and I quoted.
That's the only answer. If I thought it was that I'd leave, we would never. We would never say that, though. The Lord knows he's the one that does the recording.
And say what I just said, but here it is in the word of God.
Expression in connection with Hezekiah. You remember when Hezekiah came to the throne, He came to the throne of Israel at a time when it was divided and other centers had been set up, and Israelites encouraged to go up and worship at other centers which were not owned of God. But when Hezekiah wrote those letters and invited the people of God to come up to the House of the Lord at Jerusalem and worship, which was indeed, as we've been mentioning, where God had placed His name and where he delighted to dwell with his people collectively.
And where it was to be the exercise and joy of every Israelite to come up to the House of the Lord at Jerusalem, there's an interesting expression in connection with those who did respond and come up. It says, And those that were there check it out sometime. And it says that several times of those people. And what about them? Those that were there, and they were the ones that got the blessing, not the ones that remained back in Israel and didn't make the trip up to the House of the Lord. They didn't receive the blessing. Oh, they might have had some appreciation of things in their souls.
As individuals, but collectively those that were there. And so tomorrow when we're gathered around the person of Christ to remember him in the way he has asked us to do, it's those that are there that are going to receive the blessing. Someone might say, well, I can pray, worship the Lord and remember the Lord in my heart anywhere. Well, that's true, and we don't want to take away from that. But there is a place, collectively, brethren, that he has appointed where we can be gathered around himself, and if we're exercised by the grace of God, and it's only the grace of God.
But if we're exercised by the grace of God to be there, then it can be said those that were there.
And will receive a blessing for it.
They are not the reference point, are they? It's Christ himself, blessed thing, to be there where He is. But I think it is important for us to accentuate what's the reference point? It's He himself. And to explain to those that perhaps inquire that the place that we speak about the Lord's table is a place that is large enough that there is a place there for every true believer.
It's not excluding true believers. Perhaps they can't be there for some purpose or for some reason, but there is a place there for every one of them. That's the meaning of large upper room. That's right. It's heavenly. That's big enough for all of us.
Chapter 7. I present this for any who can't quite believe what we've been talking about, that there is a place for collective gathering in the Church of God. That's wonderful, isn't it? And the only reason we say it's wonderful.
We have the privilege, and this is the word that I think should be used of announcing.
The truth of the one body, the Church of God, the Bride and that loaf we have tomorrow as is representing every blood bought St. in the whole world. It's not just a gathered Saints that would be wrong, that would be a sect, but it represents every born again, blood bought saved in the world. Now how do they know how they going to know of what we're saying is right? Well 17th verse of John 7 tells you.
00:50:09
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. That's enough for me. You want to do the will of God, Will? It's spelled out in His word.
We spoke earlier, I believe it was in the last reading meeting, of the difference between the individual aspect of things and the collective aspect of things. And I think it's helpful in connection with what we've been Speaking of, the presence of the Lord to differentiate when you take up the scripture. There are scriptures that apply to the Lord being with us individually and the Lord being in the midst collectively. There's a vast difference between those two things.
And without turning to it, perhaps we could just in thought, go to the 24th of Luke. Because the Lord is with every individual believer wherever they are, wherever they gather for worship or reading of the word or prayer, the Lord is with every individual believer. Because he says I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, brethren, let's not forget that I say again, He's with each individual believer, and perhaps you have the two expressions brought out in the 24th of Luke.
You remember the two as they were on their way to Emmaus. They were really acting in disobedience and discouragement, and they were going away. And it says there that Jesus himself drew near. Now notice the expression and went with them. Because even when we don't recognize or enjoy his presence because of something we've allowed in our lives, he never leaves us. And so they didn't realize who this person was. Nevertheless, he was with them as they turned and went to Emmaus.
And then we find it says as he talked with them. And then when they arrived at Emmaus, he went in and abode with them. And as he sat at the table with them, now it says, there he was known of them in the breaking of bread. But it's interesting that as soon as he was known of them in the breaking of bread, he vanished, because they ought not to have been at Emmaus. They should have been back at Jerusalem with the others. And so as soon as they recognize who he is, he vanishes from their sight.
Their hearts having burned within them, they rise up the same night and they return, and now the language changes.
Now they're back in the place of His appointment. Now they're back with the others thus gathered, and I think it's so precious. It's not that Jesus comes and stands with them. Jesus came and stood in the midst, but it was until they got back where they ought to have been in obedience, and with others who were acting in obedience to the word that they could say He was in the midst. He was with them in their home, in Emmaus, and along the way. But, brethren, isn't it beautiful that there's a place not only where He can be with us as individuals?
But he can be in the midst, collectively. You didn't mean the breaking of bread, did you? No. The Lord broke the bread. That's what happened. And they saw the nail prints in his hands. Brethren, that ought to touch everyone of us. It was not the breaking of bread we're going to do tomorrow. But they saw who he was. He didn't reveal himself until then. He talked with him, walked with him, but they didn't know who it was.
But when the Lord decides to reveal himself, it touched their hearts. Their hearts burned, their feet turned, and he left. And they went back where they should be, and he appeared in the midst. But that's a beautiful thing there, that that thought our brothers bringing out.
Thinking, though. Well, I'd better just leave it. Someone else can never them to go back, did he? But as soon as they recognized him, they knew immediately where they belonged. I think that's beautiful, brethren. What do souls that get away and get discouraged need all the time? They were on their way to Emmaus, their hearts burning. They were still going the wrong direction. He never says, hey, stop, go back.
No, he went all the way with him. He sat down there with him. I think it's so beautiful, the grace in which he deals with our souls when we do get discouraged. But what is it that they need? It is to see him and brethren, those that get away. Sometimes we scold them or something. What they need is to see him. And when they really get to see him, they know where they belong. You don't have to say a whole lot about it.
00:55:02
Now our brother mentioned the Lord indwells A believer and he never leaves you. I love that, don't you? But we've got to be careful by saying it's true worship, or it's even worship just because they're in a sect. He's there, that's true. But you know, I want to quote this verse again where two or three are gathered together under my name. There am I in the midst of them. Now I see it on big edifices which the Lord will not be worshipped in. He's not worshiped in temples made with men's hands. We just had it.
And I see there are signs out in front Matthew 1820, where two or three come together. I will be with them.
Brethren, that's not the truth. They may call it the word of God, but it's not the truth. You can only have the truth by the Spirit of God. It is true, but it's not the truth. And brethren, we want the truth. Now, why did I say it's true? But Jim said the Spirit of God is with them? In those places I had a lot of clients and Catholics and others that were saved.
And when they went to what they called worship, he was there in the beautiful. And I think they got something special when some verses were read. I used to be in that mess. And I remember after he got done, he says, thus reads the epistle for today. But you know, that was blessed to me to hear the word of God. It was always a different, abysmal and a few verses, but I was.
The Lord's then I wasn't saved but I had life and the spirit of God would make that good to my soul. But I wasn't worshiping and not true worship. At least I just feel there's a difference. Unless don't say He's everywhere they worship, therefore that isn't true. He may be there, he'll never leave one who's his, but if they don't leave the evil and I say what the Lord says.
There can't be really what the Lord has ordered.
I may be wrong, but I don't think so. I'd like to go back for something that's an event convicting in my own soul as I've sat here. That's a contrast between the disciples and the woman.
The disciples go into the city.
To buy meat.
And they come back, and they have something for the Lord, and they say to the Lord master, eat.
They bring the Lord that which they had purchased in the city, and they offer it to him.
By contrast, the woman, having been in the Lord's presence as the disciples, had been in the Lord's presence, and in fact they had been in the Lord's presence for days and weeks and months as they traveled with him. But she goes into the city, and she brings back souls.
Isn't that say something to our hearts, brethren? And the Spirit and the disciples, when they come back, they had something that they had bought to offer to the Lord. And they say, Lord Master eight, we have something for you. We're going to offer you something here. And yet they did not enter into the heart of the Lord. The very thing that they had to offer to the Lord from themselves and what they had purchased wasn't that which he could say, I have meat.
This is the meat that you give me? No, it was the woman that provided the meat. She herself really was the meat that he could eat of. And having done that, when she goes out into the city and comes back to himself, it's souls that she brings to the Lord. We have wonderful privileges of being in the presence of the Lord Jesus and sitting at his table, but in another sense of it, we have to go out from time to time into the city.
What do we bring back with us when we collectively enter into His presence?
Is it something we bought our own meat that we want to share with him? Or can I say is it come see a man? Do we draw souls to himself and guide them to himself so that when they come into his presence, it's the man they come to see?
01:00:00
Could we look again at?
At Pretty Well and I think it's that important. Of course it does say in verse 10 we have an altar.
Brethren, there is an altar of God today for an approach to God, and it's only by the blood and through his Son that's the approach to God. We have an altar now notice verse 12.
Rather verse 13 This is the place. Verse 13 of 13 of Hebrews, this is the verse of the place. Let us go forth therefore unto him.
There's 13 words in this verse and him is the center, the midst, without the camp bearing his reproach, where we could spend a lot of time what the camp is. But I just briefly say it's the religions of this world. In Christendom we have to leave that.
And so we go without the camp bearing his reproach. Brethren, there is a reproach. Some places we only see two or three, or we see a handful and a beggarly look, a little company. The the world says we got 3000, you got just three. The Lord doesn't care about that.
He doesn't. He's not concerned with numbers when it comes to worship. He's concerned with the heart and truth when it comes to worship that will exalt his Son always. Well, all right. The first thing is the place, The second thing is worship, and that would be verse 15 by him. Therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Isaiah 5719. God created the Lord creates the fruit of the lips. Now the last thing.
Is doing good. The last thing is works. And it works are never excluded because we were saved under good works. Titus two last verse or next to last we were saved under good work brethren and so. But to do good and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices that's part of worship. God is well pleased, that's why the basket.
Is passed right after the loaf and cup. First is himself and worship and then it's good works and you know that's there even after it. It would be wrong as some thought they should do it for convenience to put the box at the entrance so when they leave they can put their money and it doesn't make a lot of trouble, but that separates it from worship.
And it's part of worship brethren. Tomorrow when we have those baskets passed, that's part of it. It's verse 16 of Hebrews 13. Can we go back to our chapter 35th verse say not ye that are yet four months and then cometh harvest.
The old I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white, all ready to harvest. Well, now they.
The Lord sees those Samaritans coming to him, and he says, see, the fields are white under harvest. Is that what we have here? Is that our behavior done? Yes, I believe it is. I was thinking of that in connection with what Don had just brought out. And I suppose what you say, Brother Dawn, is what prompted the Lord to give this exhortation to the disciples, because He was seeking them to direct them to the need for souls away from the temporal things that they had brought out of the city.
And it really is ought to be a burden of our hearts, brethren. In the society in which we live, we're not taught to make sacrifices. This is the day when we're more concerned perhaps with what we can accumulate and the comforts of life than reaching out to souls. And I I look around sometimes at meetings like this, and I see so much potential. I see young brothers and sisters be exercised, and the Lord said, say not. There are yet four months we were taking this verse up in Greenville recently.
And it was mentioned that the average growing season for a crop more or less is about four months. And so the farmer, he goes out and he sews the crop and then perhaps he can sit back for a little while and say, well, there's four months till harvest, I've got a little time before the business of harvest strikes. The Lord said, don't say that, don't say there's time to sit back and enjoy the temporal things of life. He says, Look, look, the fields are white already to harvest.
01:05:10
Four months, as it were, our past. This is the time. The harvest is right. Go into the harvest. Pray the Lord of the harvest that he'll thrust forth laborers into the harvest brethren. Are we exercised about this? I don't mean that we all have to give up our secular employment in Gaut as missionaries or out in what we term the Lord's work but be exercised. Look around. Look out your front door. Look around the classroom. Look around the office. Look around the factory. Look around the neighborhood.
See souls, the fields are white already to be harvested. And let's turn away from the temporal things that so occupy us and get us bogged down in our own little circle and see these opportunities, these open doors. Let's redeem the time or buy up the opportunities, because water running into a pool and never running out makes the pool stagnant. And I'm glad when the Brethren are exercised to be at meetings like this. And we drink in the truth. I'm glad when Brethren are exercised to be at the assembly meetings at home.
When the young people are together for young people's meetings and the instruction of the word, it's all wonderful, it's all necessary. But I say again, if water only runs into a pool and there's no outlet, it makes the water stagnant. Let's be exercised. We spoke of that outflow earlier that we get in, in John Chapter 7. It's a very, very vital and necessary part of healthy Christianity. I agree with that. It's a very wonderful thing that we're all missionaries. You don't have to go to Sudan or to India or Africa, any place like that, to be a missionary.
You know, I think this country, United States, is a fertile mission field. I really do. They're all around your neighbor. While your teacher, your pupils that are fellow students, they need Christ, they're, they're ripe for harvest. And I would say this to everyone that's saved your mission field or the mission field begins where your yard ends. That's it. You don't have to take a long trip. And I also mentioned if you have children in your home.
Your mission field starts right in the home.
Increasingly.
Hedonistic culture in our country, leaving the true knowledge of God and going after other things. And it's shocking brethren to see what young people grow up with that don't have any exposure to Christianity and going into some of these youth detention homes.
I've been shocked 12/13/14 year old kids that have done just about everything there is to do bad and so many of them have no knowledge of who their real father is. I mean it's it's shocking. This is the culture we live in. Shouldn't the knowledge of God flow out? Think it is a real work that we need to be exercised about doing wherever we are and there is if we just ask the Lord to show us an Ave.
And open up the doors. The Lord can open up the doors to carry out the gospel.
Like to mention here in our chapter, verse 34, what the Lord Jesus says is such a beautiful thing, says my meat, is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. God has a work to be done in this world and we can be instruments as well. The Lord Jesus, as has already been mentioned, had that work to do, but his purpose was not only to do it, but to finish it.
And when he comes to the 17th of John, he could say, I have finished the work thou gaveest me to do.
And then on the cross, he said, it is finished. Brethren, young people, when we get down to the end of our life, will there be any sense in our souls? The Lord gave me a work to do and I finished it. It should be the exercise of our hearts to do that. Paul could say I have finished my course. Maybe, perhaps not the same as what the Lord Jesus says here, but shouldn't we be exercised if the Lord has given us a work to do? And I say if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus.
There is a work the Lord has given you to do. And like Jim said, don't think that to serve the Lord you have to leave your secular employment to go out and preach the gospel. No, that idea has done tremendous damage to the Christian testimony. If you're in the office, if you're in employment to an earthly master, if you are a housewife.
01:10:24
In the kitchen you are serving the Lord in what you are doing. Do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, and that makes a real testimony to souls. I want to say this, that traveling through South America lots of times I've found something that when I'm asked what do you do for a living?
If I say, well, I'm a missionary or I carry the word of God.
I can see people just kind of phase out as if here's somebody that doesn't live in the real world. But if it's a person who says I'm an accountant or I do business, I sell such and such a thing. I can see there they listen to that person because he lives in the real world. I prefer to say something else. They sell Bibles or something. But but when you.
Say your missionary. There's been such poor testimony on those that have, on the part of those that have taken the name of Christ publicly in our culture that people just tune out. That's it. Sorry, I'm not listening anymore. So be exercised wherever the Lord has placed you to serve the Lord right there.
He associated.
Others with him in the work. He chose 12 and sent them out two by two. Then he showed 70 and the Lord is is still sending out. He's still associating others with him in the blessed work of seeking lost souls and bringing them to Christ. And one was thinking you were speaking about where you he that reef has received wages.
And.
Gathereth fruit unto life eternal.
And he that Reapeth excuse me, and that both he that sought and he that Reapeth may rejoice together, well, there's there's a time coming when there's going to be a rewards.
And he It's easier to read than to sow. I believe it's. I believe it's. I believe it as a rule. Why? It's a lot easier to to reap.
Than it is to sow. But anyhow this is what the Lord brings before the disciples. And the time is coming when it says one soul and another reapeth. Well one thinks about Here is this poor woman there She seemed to know about Messiah. She says, I know when Messiah's coming he will tell us all things. But where did she learn from Messiah? Well, she from the words of those Old Testament prophets. Those Old Testament problems had been faithful.
And they had suffered, and for their for their faith, and for their trust in the Lord. And but they work that the Lord gave them to do, and the Word that He gave them to utter.
Has gone preserve that word, and this is where no doubt she learned of the Messiah and she says, I know that when Messiah comes he will teach us all things, but as to what a wonderful future there is for the for the sower and the Reaper.
And it won't be a part. The Lord won't be apart from it. How wonderful it will be. The sower and the Reaper and the Lord himself will be there, and no doubt the fruit will all be there too. What a day is coming for those that that seek to sow for the Lord today.
I want to ask you a question. I'm enjoying so much what you're saying.
Other men labored and he entered into their laborers. Can we then go back to those Old Testament prophets and writers and come right down through John the Baptist to the Lord himself? So we're in his work. It's his field.
01:15:03
And that's the origin of the work that we are set to.
The very in this chapter, the Lord uses the woman with himself as a sower and a Reaper as an object to the disciples who had been with the Lord and really were in that position to be sowing and reaping with the Lord. But they had gone into the city to buy meat, and that's what they bring back. And so the Lord uses this illustration to them, and He's really, in some sense, by teaching them.
Where's the example that he can teach them? It says verse 39. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman. No comment that they had anything to say when they went into the city to anybody. But it's the woman that with the Lord were sowing, as it were. And there's the reaping. And it says many believed on him for the saying of the woman. He told me all things that ever I did. And then verse 40.
The fruit starts to multiply. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them, and he abode with them there two days, and many more believed because of his own word. And so who who gets the, can I say, the greatest enjoyment that's going to come? The woman and the Lord together are going to rejoice eternally in these souls of the city of Sikar that came first by her testimony, and then?
By the others. And so, brethren, perhaps there's a word for us in it too. We are the followers of the Lord, and we are given this same privilege of bringing souls to himself. If we don't do it. The disciples didn't. In this particular instance, they'll still be the souls for himself, but the Lord may use a woman that is someone else than ourselves to fulfill his purposes.
Making sure that each one that the father has given him in the 17th chapter comes to him and is saved. But oh what joy there can be to enjoy as the woman did, bringing souls not to themselves, but to himself.
Everyone here, young or old, children or students or workers, men or women, doesn't matter. Turn to 1St Corinthians 12.
To encourage you along what's been brought out, your mission is laid out for you by God, so it says in verse 14 of First Corinthians 12.
For as the body is 1 and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also the Christ. Now notice this for by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been made to drink in the one Spirit. Now the last thought, verse 18.
But now hath God set set the members, every one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him? Don't look around and think you're going to find a better place to sow seed. The Lord placed you where you are as it pleased him. I think that's so beautiful. Makes it very special. Sometimes you're in a small meeting just because they need.
Your encouragement?
For the little Remnant testimony to go on till the Lord comes. Don't forget that's one of the most important things today.
Saving souls is wonderful, but if the Lord depended on the gathered Saints to save souls, we would be, of all people, most ashamed. He uses who we will, and there's many out there, evangelists not gathered, that are at least given forth the word of God, and God never lets it return. On the invoice, souls are being saved all around the world, and once saved, the spirit of God indwelt them.
And then they can be gathered, they can learn the truth after the spirit of God indwells them. But I just mentioned wherever you are is because you're set. You know set means God did it purposely. It wasn't haphazardly, but you're where you are as a child of God as it pleased the Lord. Let's just notice before we close a verse in or two in the third of Colossians, which I think helps to tie together what?
01:20:15
The last three or four who have made comments have been bringing before us, thinking of it, when Bob was talking about serving the Lord right where we are, and justice noticed in the 22nd verse of the third of Colossians. Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.
Knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. The apostle Paul recognized here that he was writing to individuals in this assembly who may have been slaves or servants to ungodly masters. And they might have wondered, how can we serve the Lord? How can we be servants of the Lord? We've got to get up and go to work every day, and these tasks are just mundane, humdrum tasks that we have to perform out of a sense of duty.
But the apostle says to them, if you do that services unto the Lord, if you submit to your masters and do your work well, you're really serving the Lord. And the Lord can use that in testimony to your ungodly master, maybe even in the salvation of your of your employer or in the salvation of your coworkers. If you live Christ. And he said so much is it considered service that you're serving. It's true. You're serving your master, your employer, you're doing what he wants, but you're really serving the Lord.
And so he says, right where you are, in the shop for the school, Oregon, the the office, the factory, whatever it is you serve. And what's the result? Well, it's what our brother dear was bringing out. He says you'll get a reward for that. And so it says in Galatians, let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. He says, you can rejoice in fulfilling that little sphere, as Bob has brought out as a member of the body of Christ. And he says you'll get a rich reward, and perhaps we'll be surprised when we get to the judgment seat of Christ.
And everything is manifested and rewards are handed out. Perhaps the brother or sister who served the Lord quietly in their neighborhood or in their place of employment. Perhaps we'll get a greater reward than those who had a big public service.
The result of this stopover of the Lord at Samaria verified they came out and they asked him if he would come and stay with him, and he stayed for two days.
Hitherto He had told the disciples they were not to go into any of the cities or villages of the Samaritans. But how precious have we had yesterday that that the Lord is He's, the He's like Joseph is the His branches go over the wall and so.
He is asked to stay for this effect. He stayed for two days, and what blessing there was there, how could there be anything else if he was there? And later on we read about how Philip went up. Philip went up and from Jerusalem, and there was a great gathering in up there. Great gathering in up there at at Samaria. Philip the evangelist, How lovely. Well, this is the the Lord would bring everything to such an end.
It speaks here how that many more believed because of his own word. I believe in Christianity the word believe is synonymous with knowing because in the next verse they say we have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. You talk with people nowadays and they say, well you believe this and that, but you can't be sure but.
I believe for the Christian it is assurance that we have. I think of how Peter too could say in the 6th chapter that we believe in, are sure that thou art the Christ. It's wonderful to have that assurance.
Wonderful privilege. These poor Samaritans are proclaiming him for the first time in history, in the history of the world, that he is the savior, the savior of the world. Now, a Jew would never give him that recognition.
You wouldn't get that from a Jew. But these poor Samaritans, they say this is not this the savior of the world.
Oh, how blessed.
Our time is up.
01:25:13
Oh God of grace.
Our father.
We must.
My holy name.
We.
Will enjoy.
Our dreams may holy without blame.