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77 in the appendix.
I pray God.
Emmanuel's mind.
With mercy and with God.
And my.
Heaven, my hero.
And I.
Desire.
All their lives.
Where they fall, I am.
I am glad my heart, that's why.
When?
From where it was Reign. Wow.
Emmanuel.
Plan.
I am my beloved.
I love and my.
Dearest.
House.
I stand upon him.
I.
Know no.
In red glowing.
Rather.
00:05:46
Respect to this him and.
What the Lord means to us at this moment as we prepare to leave this world.
John 7 and verse 37.
In that last day.
That great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this is this fake key of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because of Jesus was not yet glorified.
Well, just the setting of this portion. They had just kept the feast of Tabernacles, which went on for seven days.
And the feasts of Jehovah, properly kept, should have caused the people to want to feast on and to enjoy more of what they had been enjoying. And we know that in the Book of Nehemiah that did take place, they had seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, and then they added seven more days to it. And the Spirit of God tells us that there was no feast like that since the days of Joshua.
Which went back approximately 1000 years.
And here now it's called a Jews feast, and it didn't produce in their hearts for this wonderful call. They were complacent, which is easy for us to fall into and just to take things for granted. But how wonderful to have these meetings stimulate our hearts To our blessed Lord, here we stand at the end of this most favored dispensation.
And to think that we have been sitting by The Fountainhead drinking the Waters of Life and to have it, we can't extend the time here at the general meetings. But it's wonderful to have the desire that they would go on. But to be stimulated, should I say, for that call to come home to Emmanuel's land, to be with him forever and to acknowledge that?
He became everything to us when we were here in the wilderness.
Verse 52.
The Jews therefore strove among themselves saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, he have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood hath eternal life.
And I will raise him up at the last day, for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven.
Not, as your father's did, eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth of this bread shall live forever.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, this is an hard saying. Who can hear it?
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When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What? And if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before?
It is the Spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.
But there are some of you that believe not, for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father.
Rewrite the chapter.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you.
That no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the 12 Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him.
Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.
And we believe and are sure that thou art, that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you? 12 And one of you as a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the 12.
At the close of that meeting.
With regard to how these chapters fit together and Justice like to suggest some thoughts that might help us in that before we look at the various verses that have been read to us. In the first chapter, the Son of God is brought before us in all His glory and a number of chapters, a number of titles and names are brought forward there giving us the glory of His person. And I think that what we see in these chapters in John's Gospel.
Is the making of a Newman morally? You know, in Genesis chapter one we have God saying let us make man, but in John's Gospel we have God making a new man, and we see the various features that are connected with the building of new men. So in that first chapter we have the Lord brought before us the glory of the person to whom the work has been committed. And then the second chapter we have the depravity of man.
And best that there is a nature is set aside, Mother is set aside, the the joys that there are with the wine run out, and even religiously man after the flesh is put out of the temple. And so we find that everything to do with the first man has set aside, and then we have new birth, and the third chapter, the foundation of that which would belong to the Newman. It must be born again, and the new light is there.
In pardon, but then the 4th chapter we have the, the, the.
Affections the Newman regulated on the object of the Son of God himself. And that's illustrated in The woman at the Well. She finds an object for a heart that is so transcending everything that she has ever experienced before, and it leads her heart out in worship and to let go of everything that may have been drawing upon before the water pot, you know, was left.
And so the affections are regulated upon the object of the Son of God, a very life giver himself. Then the 5th chapter, we have strength. He needs power to walk if he's going to walk for the glory of God. And so in the 5th chapter we have that which pertains to the power for that new life in Christ. We find him raising that man, and he's able to walk, and there is testimony to that given.
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But then the 6th chapter, where we've been reading for the last two days, we have the subject of food. And if that new life is going to be sustained, it needs to be nourished, and that has to be with food. And of course the food for that life is none other than the Son of God himself.
And so I think these chapters do go together, showing us the various features.
Of that life that we now have.
And so it's necessary that the life will be sustained by the food which is the Son of God himself.
The 7th chapter goes on and shows that that life flowing out and blessing and testimony to others. That's the chapter that we have had read to us, where we find the out of the bellies, flowing rivers of living water. And the subject I think of that 7th chapter is to do with that Newman that new life not desiring to put itself forward, illustrated in the lifeguard for himself.
And yet being able to be a blessing beyond all what man can have and search for in the best of religions.
And so I think we have in that 7th chapter, life flowing out.
In testimony and blessing to others.
So I think these chapters work together.
In that sense.
Very nice. Thank you.
It was mentioned a couple of readings ago with regard to the change of the tents in those verses from 51 to 53, and then the change coming in from 54 on to 58. You'll notice in Mr. Darby's translation that he attempts to indicate that as best as possible with the English language, and he shows there in that 53rd verse particularly, but it's also in the 51St.
That it's a one time thing, in that it says accept ye shall have eaten as being, as a past tense one time thing.
Whereas in verse 54 on it is.
Whoso eateth or eats, showing that it is an ongoing continuous thing.
And as the brother have already pointed out, those verses 51 to 53 show us that it's eating to receive eternal life.
But then, in verses 54 to 58, it's eating to sustain that life and communion.
And of course, Christ is that food.
We had the question raised at a former conference. I think it was, yeah, it was Allendale whether we should ever, whether the word of God ever speaks of believing on his work or does it always speak of believing just on him? And I think that 53rd verse might help to answer that.
Verily, verily, I send to you, except ye eat shall have eaten. I think it is the flesh of the Son of man.
And drink his blood, He had no life in you.
That's appropriating by faith the death of Christ in order to have eternal life. So that would be belief in his work, wouldn't it?
You also get it in Romans 3 through faith in his blood, and I think Bob, you pointed out another passage where that was.
Nine, right where it says that thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, it's believing in the Word there.
Thou shalt be saved.
Usually it's the faith in the person that is talked about who did the work, but you can't exclude the work. They're both true.
Actually, until you appropriate his work and come into the good of it, you don't have peace.
Believing in his person you have life, but believing in his work you have peace. And that's what gives peace to the soul, rest of the conscience. And that's where it says eternal life here, because that includes all that, doesn't it?
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The basis of all blessing is the work of Christ. It comes through the person of Christ.
And there are many souls that don't have much understanding of the work of Christ.
Thousands. Millions perhaps, but there is some measure.
Of faith in his person, just like that poor woman that had the.
Issue of blood. She didn't have a whole lot of knowledge of him, but she knew she'd just touched the hem of his garment. That would be sufficient. Than it was that was all she had and that was all it took. And there are many thousands of souls that are going to be blessed because of faith in the person of Christ. But it's the work that is the basis of all blessing. And when we understand that, that gives peace to the soul.
To the conscious rest.
But this seems like a kind of a strange thing, especially for young people. I remember how.
It almost sounded very strange to me as a young person eating the flesh of the Son of God drinking his blood.
What does this mean? It's been explained already, but I'd like to just say it again so that we get a hold of it, especially our young people. It is appropriating the death of Christ for ourselves. When you eat something, when you drink it, it becomes part of you as we stand and see the Lord Jesus at the cross of Golgotha, shedding His blood, giving His body as a sacrifice for us.
And all way through that means.
Can I be brought into blessing? We absorb that. We receive that, We eat of that, we drink of that. Then comes the blessing through that means.
The doctrine of transubstantiation held by the Roman Catholics and consubstantiation held by the Lutherans, which is a modification of transubstantiation. If that were true, all you'd have to do to get eternal life would be to partake of the Mass, and if you didn't, you're lost forever. So that shows how that system.
Has placed and of course it's a corrupted ordinance. It's a corrupted thing. It's not really a remembrance of the Lord. It's a French sacrifice of Christ. It's blasphemous all the way through. But even if it were correct and they only give them the loaf of the wafer to the people and the priest often say he gets drunk on the wine, but sometimes he does. He drinks it to excess sometimes, but he gets the wine. The whole thing is a corruption, isn't it? Of the truth and.
Just that in itself.
Should be enough to.
Chase any diligent soul that wants to be subject to the word of God out of that corrupt system.
I was thinking of, in connection with our other question, Leviticus 5, just to read a couple of comments. In the trespass offering. It says in verse six, he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin, which he hath sinned a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats for a sin offering.
And verse 7 says if you've been unable to bring a lamb then you should bring first trespass which you have committed.
2 turtle doves or two young pigeons on the light 1% offering the other for burn off.
And then it says.
Verse 11. If he be not able to bring 2 turtle doves or two young pigeons, then he that sells that sin shall bring for his offering the 10th part of an EFA of fine flour for a sin offering. Sounds like a meal offering, doesn't it? And yet here it's a sin offering. He shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense around, for it is a sin offering. Now here's this. Here's an offering for the weakest, for the poorest.
Which spiritually would mean the weakest in appropriating the the value of the work of Christ doesn't have any blood in it, just speaks of his person and even it's just like the one that touched the hem of his garment was healed so.
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It's not intelligence so much as getting to him. We can get to him. He's the same deep on the cross.
But.
Verse 13 It was the remnant was to the priest as a meat offering. So the one that had intelligence it was that to meet on but so great is the power and the person of the Lord Jesus. But at touch of faith in his person will bring life.
I'd like to hear more, said We stated on verses 51 to 53 that eating his flesh and drinking his blood.
Brings life in salvation. We talk about what does it mean to continue to eat His flesh and drink His blood as the power of our life down here. Please someone would comment further on that. I'd like to hear more.
I don't know whether this suck. Go ahead guard to that.
I'm asking this now the question.
There is apparently a a difference between verse 56 and 57 where it speaks of eating the flesh, drinking his blood, dwelling in me, whereas in 57 it speaks of.
He lives by the Father.
The Lord lived on account of the Father, didn't he? He lived. That's the read of the way it reads in the new translation that I read it, verse 57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live on account of the Father by reason of the Father, he also who eats me shall live also on account of me. Christ is our life, and the Lord lived for the Father's glory. Everything that He did was for the Father. He was here to reveal the Father. That's what this.
Gospel is all about, isn't it? Jesus the revelation of the Father. And he says he just as I live by the Father of a reason of the Father, so he that eateth me shall live by reason of me. Christ is everything to us, and this is the one we feed on daily for sustenance, Sustenance as we go through the scene.
It's what is characteristic. That's the force of the present participle is what is characteristic. We are characterized as those who eat the flesh and drink the blood of the of the Blessed Lord. The world does not do that.
Only ones who have faith. You can only do it by faith the.
Symbol or figure of eating is appropriating by faith. Himself is our life.
Is our sustenance.
Me and I and him. That speaks more of communion, wouldn't it?
And the next verse to enter your question is more the nourishment that we get out of feeding on him.
But it's so important there's no substitute. We have heard that over and over again for Communion.
With the 50 with 56 verse, the beating upon his death, and that becomes a nourishment and an abiding in him. It says he believes my flesh and drinketh my blood, that's in separation, dwelleth in me, and so we meditate upon that, and that's has a, a, a keeping power, so that we abide in him. But as the living Father has sent me, and I live by him, or on account of him.
00:30:06
Is that the Father was the source of life, and the Son that drew all from him. And now we are in the next part of that verse, So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. That is, we draw everything from the sun. Is it that?
It is potato.
And every day three meals a, day 21 meals a.
Next week, your mom says, well, this is meat week. And so all you eat that week is perhaps chicken one meal and beef the next and pork the next. And you do that through the whole week and that's the only thing you have to eat. You get to the third week of the month. And she says, well, this is vegetable and salad week and the only thing you have all week is, which is good, but you have different kinds of vegetables and salads, but no potatoes, no.
No meat. You get to the 4th week of the month and maybe that's bread week.
And every time you sit down at the table, you have bread. You would think, I think there would probably be some complaining in some of the houses and you'd say, well, that's that's good. Every one of those meals is fine what you serve, but it's not complete. If you look at an example which is well known to all of us in the Old Testament, the eight different things, one of the things that they had to eat and they had it in the just in the wilderness and we're in the wilderness with manna.
And every day of the week, we need to practically have the example of the life of the Lord Jesus. We talk about feeding on the Lord Jesus, but we need the practical example of his life, because what other example is there for us in our lives? And so where are we going to get that? We're going to get it reading in the Gospels more than any other place in the chapters that give us the account of what the Lord Jesus did when he was here. And So what? What do we need to feed on every day?
Well, if we can even get a few verses of some examples from the life of the Lord Jesus, The other kind of food that they had, and they had it in Egypt, they had it in the wilderness, they had it when they were into the land with the Passover and that feeding on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is the one who died for us, the one who died and rose again. And maybe to give an example of that, many of us here most probably know John Kemp. And I remember years ago, not all that many years ago, seven or eight years ago, the one occasionally had to meet his mother.
He said came up and said, young man, do you read the account of the death of the Lord Jesus? I said yeah, I try to read it at least once a week, says no, I didn't say that. Said do you read it every day? Well, I think she was a woman himself. She went home to be with the Lord who had the practice of reading about the Lord Jesus and his sufferings and his death every day. That's the Passover. And then the children of Israel when they got into the land, they had something else. They fed on the so where are we going to get that?
Well, if we can find some time, it would be nice to find an everyday basis that is as often as we can to read the account. There are some verses about his death. And the third thing is that the children of Israel, they couldn't do it in Egypt. They couldn't do it in the wilderness. But when they got into the land, they had time to sell crops. And so one of the things that they had to eat says, was the old corn of the land and the parched corn, well.
I doubt that. Very many of us, I'm sure none of us did on the trip on the way coming here took time to go and plant some seeds, to water them and to harvest from them. You only do that when you're at home, and we'll never be at home.
Completely, until we're in the glory, until we're with the Lord Jesus. But we can enjoy that now. And so the other thing that we can enjoy, that we need to feed on in the Lord Jesus Christ is the man in the glory. And so where are we going to get that reading some, for instance, in the epistles.
And so if we talk about feeding, just again, a comment for the young people or children, if we're going to get it, it's not a generic thing. It's not something we're going to get by just reading. As important as it is about his life, about his death or about the risen man and the glory, we need some of each to have a complete diet. And if we don't have that, there's going to be something missing in our nourishment. So just a very maybe brief comment.
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Some of you are in school and we've all been through that and know that it gets sometimes very busy and it seems like there's not much time. Just pass on a comment that a brother made years ago. That really struck me. He said, well, I try to read in different parts of the word of God every day. But he said if I don't have much time, he said the one place I read every day is a chapter from the Gospels. Why? Because he'll get, He said I can get direct nourishment.
And the Lord? About the Lord Jesus Christ, Rather, if you're busy, you're in the middle of exams or projects or whatever. To read Almost any chapter in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John won't take more than five or 10 minutes. And you can be thinking about it, or I can be thinking about it on our way to school or work or whatever. And so nourishment is not just something of concentrating on one thing at one time and another thing at another time, but it's having a complete diet.
Not perhaps if I can say an overload. It's not a place full of each every day.
It's according to the appetite, but having something of the different things that remind us and teachers of the Lord Jesus every day.
Some of them were not real. They were only outwardly following the Lord Jesus.
They were offended. They did not enter into what the Lord Jesus was trying to convey.
And in that connection, it helps us to understand when the Lord says in verse 63.
It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profited.
Nothing.
The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are like.
Like so. It is so important to realize in our lives that it is the spirit of God that has to make these things good to our souls. And it is not a question of how bright intellectually we are, not that we don't need intellect.
It's just a tool. As Mr. Kelly says, the power is the spirit of God that gives us.
To be able to benefit from the words that the Lord Jesus is given, giving in this chapter or in any part of the Word of God, this flesh profiteth nothing we have to realize and come in humility.
To the Lord and say I need divine help to gather anything out of the Word. And the Spirit of God is that power that helps us to appreciate and enter into these things. The flesh profits nothing.
Embarrass Larry. But when I was down in Hemet, I think he told a story about Mr. Darby telling some young brother that verse, remember? Could you tell it to us?
No, I I asked you first.
Before the punch.
Way. It's not sure which. Hurry to better take the lead in that brother.
Oh yeah, Well, simply this said Brother Darby told him. Study well, these words. The flesh profiteth nothing. What a lesson for us to learn, isn't it, brethren? The flesh profiteth nothing. It's ever true of the flesh. There's nothing for God in the flesh.
There's a proverb that illustrates that. It says if the iron be blunt, he put it to more strength.
But then the verse and the proverb for today it said as iron sharpens iron, so the countenance of the man is friends. Well, I trust we've been doing some iron sharpening here today.
All this, this whole chapter has been taken up with.
An awesome thing that really God has come to this earth. It says this is the bread. The 58th verse. This is the bread which came down from heaven. Not as your father did eat manna and are dead. He did eat at this bread shall live forever and saw.
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But it's almost as awesome in the 62nd verse.
Is it? Is it more awesome that God came down to this earth or that a man has ascended to heaven?
There's a man. Not only has God come to this earth, but there's a man that, as we speak, in the glory. So he says what? And if you shall see, the Son of Man ascended up where he was before.
He said. If you can't receive these things, what are you going to think about that?
One of the things that confirms what you just related, Vern is in the third chapter, and we might look at it because I think it's a vital scripture that was left out in some of the new translations. It's where the Lord is talking to Nicodemus and it's in the 13th verse of John chapter 3. No man hath set it up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the Son of Man, which is in heaven. We're talking about awesome things, but you know, that's beyond my intellect. I have to receive it by faith.
This is God manifest in the flesh. He was upholding all things by the word of his power when he was here.
Now he's in the glory. But you know, when he appeared with Nicodemus, he says, Let me read it again. No man that could set it up into heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man, which is in heaven omnipresent, he was gone. And you and I stand in awe, like our brothers referred as to who this person was.
And yet in the NIV to take it out, they say even the Son of Man, which came down from heaven, period. How we need to be on our guard that we that we hold the the person of who the Lord Jesus is. And that's what John in his witness of all the Gospel of John is so faithful for may we subscribe to that faithfulness?
As to the son.
Chapter 3. He is physically on Earth.
But in spirit, in heaven, that could only be true of a divine person. But it is reversed now, when we think of him promising to be in the midst of the two and three gatherings to the name of the Lord Jesus. He is bodily in heaven. That's what this verse speaks of the Son of Man. When he ascends up, that's where he is now, bodily. But he is in spirit, in the midst of the two and three gathered to his name. It's a wonderful thing.
I brought that thought, came to me in Africa several times and I said isn't it wonderful that we have a person to be the center?
Around whom we can meet. If we had a physical or geographical center like the Jew, how many of you could go to Jerusalem, the poorest people in the world almost. Who would ever be able to be there?
But this blessed person is a divine person, and Christians can gather around him in Africa or China or wherever they are in the world. He has promised his presence. That's a wonderful person to know. He is not just a man, he is God and man in one person.
Our first astronauts landed on the moon.
You'll probably corrected in all The greatest event in history was when God came to earth, when God became a man, and now that man has gone up where he was before.
Nothing like that. And he can never, never change his mind. Really speaks of how much he must love us. So he would become like one of his creatures. Something that he could never undo. He knew that when he did it. You know, there's been something. If he just came, he became a man who died and then he just just was gone. But we we never will cease to be a man. You know, that's that's going to call for.
Praises from our heart when we're there. It's amazing.
You you use the word awesome brother, maybe you could get a better adjective.
I like the words of the poet, His darkness to my intellect, his sunshine to my heart.
00:45:06
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is time.
We can't appreciate it until we have it like our brother was saying. I was thinking of that illustration. Somebody said the parachute doesn't open until you jump out of the plane, and so you don't understand these things until you have them. You don't appreciate what?
What God, this message until you have life.
It's like the saying the living is saying. The world says seeing is believing, but the blind man, you know, he couldn't see, but he had his eyes open when he believed.
Brought out in these verses here and that is the importance put on the word, the words of the Lord Jesus. And I believe this is in contrast with miracles that he did and.
It's so important, you know, people in Christendom, the Pentecostal movement, they're always looking for miracles and things like that.
And then, neglecting the word, the Lord Jesus says, the words that I speak unto you, They are spirit, and they are life. And then we find that some of the disciples left him. And the Lord Jesus asked the question, Will you also go away? What is the answer that Peter gives? It's beautiful. Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal.
Life, you see, it's so important to be attracted to him by what he says.
Rather than by miracles that he might perform, and we find even in the Scripture clearly shown that in the early days of the Church, when there were miracles, it was to give support to the message that had been given.
The messages.
Always more important, the word is more important than Even the miracles that took place in the early days of the churches was only to support the message that was given.
Omniscient in verse 61 when Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured verse 64. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
Verse 61. It speaks of offense.
It's kind of interesting to think about it. It's been mentioned the person of Christ is what is presented here and it's through his word, verse 60. They said it was an hard saying here who can hear it, but it is the word of God and the person of Christ that is the reference point. I think that's so important, brother. And sometimes we act in a way that we are an offense to people.
But if we could simply set Christ's person forward His word in more simplicity. If they are going to be offended, let them be offended in that and not in ourselves. I think we have to all admit, like Scripture says in all in many things we all offend that if we could simply make it a priority in our thinking in our.
Words and are speaking to put Christ forward His precious word. Then if they stumble, that is the stone of stumbling that those that are. Just to quote that verse in First Peter chapter 2.
Verse 8. He's not only that. Elect.
Precious cornerstone. But he's a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient whereunto they were appointed. So if they stumble, let them stumble over Jesus over his word, and the Lord help us to keep out of sight so that they don't stumble over us.
00:50:08
They were not appointed to be disobedient, but they were appointed being disobedient, to stumble.
God never predetermined anyone to be lost.
At 70th verse I should have read it before Jesus answered them have.
Not I chosen you 12 and one of you is the devil.
He knew this beforehand when he chose him. Now that's not the word demon. Oftentimes you read devils as many means demons. Here it is devil, which means a slanderer. Satan means an adversary, The devil means a slanderer. And one of you is a devil.
Peter said the sexy nightmare.
And we have believed, and are sure, that thou art should read.
The living God, or the Holy One of God. But he said, we have believed. The Lord said, Have not I chosen you 12 And one of you as a devil? He says, only 11 of you believe.
Again, he knew he was a mission.
I just want to make things that are mentioned in scripture.
Sometimes we almost recoil from them in reading recently through the book of Deuteronomy.
Some of the things that Moses said, ye have done a stubborn people from the day I knew you and we would say that to our brethren, I'm sure a local brethren would you know, tell me to come aside and be a little kind and but and indeed we do need to be. But notice here Jesus said some very pointed things, therefore said unto you, that no man can come unto me except that we're given him my father.
From that time many of the disciples went back and walked over with him to pick up the thread of what Bob said, Bob, Tony. That if it's our attitude, if it's our expression, if we have a a facial expression that that would would freeze ice. Well, it's not of God. But to think of the things that scripture says and that we should take to heart suppose that that this were spoken today.
No man can come unto me except it were given him of my Father.
There is a circumstance that I remember that these verses were read after the breaking of bread.
About 2:30 in the afternoon.
A telephone conversation ensued and someone in the audience said, were you Speaking of me? And the comment was made, No, there was no thought of you. But within five weeks they'd withdrawn from fellowship because it had touched, it had touched their conscience. And if there's something that my brethren say, whether it's at a conference or if it's in private or if it's in the assembly.
I can't say well that brother has this or that and we set it aside. There's some very pointed things in scripture and we need to take them to our hearts and consciences, don't we? And it may be that some, if there is this type of ministry we like the ministry that encourages that, that builds us up, that that ensues our our poor aching hearts and properly sold. But there is that which we need to stir us up.
And to make us decide that there's some, thankfully that and some of us know about this but are starting to come back.
And they wanted to make a general letter of four or five, six people.
And one brother that would have been in the group said. I don't think that that is proper.
What is needed is an individual exercise concerning returning, and that that exercise should include, did I really understand the ground of gathering and the person of Christ in the midst in the 1St place? Because if it wasn't known in the 1St place, it may not be known in the second place in coming back sooner or later.
God searches our hearts as to the reality and we can quibble about the place and and and dear Hines made it very plain. The place is a person, and unless that person is understood as the place that there's many walked no more with him. We need the searching parts of scripture as much as we do the comfort.
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And it may be that there are those that will go back and walk no more.
The truth presented in love is too pointed, and that's what we need sometimes lose sight of the person of Christ. We're going to be in the state of confusion.
It will affect our state of soul I was just enjoying recently. We might turn to it for a moment.
Second Samuel, Chapter 9, where we see something that is very precious for our hearts, and one would just like to make a little application here regarding the truth of the Lord's table. And at least four times in this chapter, perhaps more, we find the expression my table. Now the setting here is that.
David had Mephibosis there at his table.
And in verse 7 And David said unto him.
Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy Father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul, thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. That word table is not plural. Rather it's not tables. It's table. And then next in the 11Th or 10th verse. And we read there.
Eat bread as always.
My table shall eat bread always at my table. And then in verse 11 again as per Mephibosheth said the king, he shall eat at my table as one of the King's sons. And the last verse, verse 13.
So Mephibosheth wealth in Jerusalem.
God Center for he did he continually.
Might we might underline that thought in our minds. He ate continually at the King's table. O brethren, something so precious comes to one's mind in connection with this. Whose table is it? It's, he says, My table. It's not our table. Beloved brother, I remember years ago eavesdropping on a conversation.
With a couple older brothers there, and they were saying it's important for us to understand that we are brethren with a small B. And as a young man, I wondered, what does that mean? Why does that make any difference, a small B or a capital B? Well, we're just brethren, that's the point. But we're gathered not to a system of men. We're at the King's table. We're at the table where his blessed authority is owned and respected.
To be there. As we could visualize the scene, David had the preeminence there at his table. And so how important it is just to underline this thought in our hearts and in our minds. Let's not lose sight of Christ as we gather together. Let's remember that it is His table, His blessed authority, His preeminence is there.
And here's he lays down in his word the terms for admission to his table. What are they? Very simple. If you're a member of my body, you have a place there, and you don't have to be intelligent as to the truth of gathering to be there. There are many that are at the Lord's table with us that are not intelligent. As to the truth of gathering, that is not a requirement. It's nice if one is.
But if he is a member of the body of Christ, the simple believer wants to remember the Lord in his death. He has a place at the Lords table and should be received as such. Otherwise we're not intelligent as to the ground of gathering. We falsify it if we make other conditions and we make ourselves a sect.
What's table? If we are truly at the Lord's table, anybody leaving?
Leads the presence of the Lord in the midst of his own.
He doesn't leave, brethren, he leaves the presence of the Lord.
And that is a serious thing. I believe there is a possibility of in our individual lives to walk with the Lord. You know, His presence with each individual believer is something that might also be enjoyed by people who are not at the Lord's table. But we have to distinguish between the Lord's presence with the individual believer.
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Or his presence in the assembly, where two or three are gathered together unto his name, and it's a serious thing to leave his presence. And sometimes people say, oh, I've made a mistake, I left the Lord's table. It would be much better to say I have sinned. I left the Lord's presence.
You know we don't leave brethren. Certainly we lose the fellowship of our brethren when we leave the Lord's table. But the important point is we're leaving His presence in the midst of the two and three, and that is not everywhere.
Was at the table with his father. His name was Micah. His father's name? Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth means destroying shame.
At least that's what the Bible dictionary says. But, you know, that little boy's name means who is like the Lord? And there's three ways you could express it as a question. Who is like the Lord? As that little boy sat there, Michael was his name. He sat there and saw his father at the King's fable as our brother was rehearsing. And then he could have the character of who is like the Lord by sitting there. But, you know, I like to think of the last. That might be an expression of overwhelming awe that he could say who is like the Lord.
Maybe we could sing that song #38 in the back of the book. Our time is up and we adore the evermore Hallelujah. Could we stand and sing that song 38th in the appendix?
We adore the heaven.
Illuminati.
For the crowd.
You're.
Making for life for thy blessings.
Slavery.
68 verse of our chapter.
Just to make emphasis. I know it's been spoken of, but feel it's so important.
Peter, Simon, Peter answered him, Lord.
To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.
His person, His word. That is the anchor. It is the reference point in connection with gathering to his name. I think it's so important to keep that clear before us sometimes, I fear.
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That what has been a stumbling block to souls is that we make ourselves a reference point. And I think we unconsciously do that at times. And not trying to take away from the truth of gathering. And that there is one gathering center. If we all gather to him, There can be no other gathering center. But is glorious person. But it's this person. It's not we. I may be there. I may not be there.
My desire is to be there, brethren, but it's his person, his word.
That is the reference point in Hebrews. We often mention that verse in the 13th chapter.
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. It's his person. And if we set forward the glories of his person, those whose hearts are true to Christ are going to be attracted. Sometimes it's because we have been unfaithful.
Brethren, that we have caused souls to stumble, and they go away, and we need to be willing.
To admit that, to humble ourselves. But it's his person, his word, that is the reference point in the full question. I was talking some time ago to a sister who left fellowship and she said you people think you have the Lord's table. I said sister, we do not have the Lord's table. The Lord has his table.
It's his, not ours. I want to be there, but it is not ours, it is his.
And I think we need to keep the reference point clear in our souls in that connection, brethren, because if it becomes.
In people's minds that we are the reference point oftimes, our walk is a stumbling brother.
If you also say what?
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I.
Believe.
My God.
We hate.
The Long Night.
Of the whole world.
A verse in First Corinthians 11 in connection with his comment, and this is in saying Amen to what he said, so you'll know that it isn't a counter to it in connection with being at the Lord's table and maybe not understanding.
And this verse in First Corinthians 11/29. I'm going to be negative 1St and then be positive. It has been taken to mean that he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the the ground of gathering. It doesn't mean that, and it doesn't say it. What it does say is this. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. What does the Lord's body mean?
It means that he died and I died with him and if I conduct myself in my everyday life.
As if Christ hadn't died and I haven't died with him. And I'm careless. I'm going to be eating and drinking unworthily. And how important for each conscience may not understand the ground of gathering. I didn't understand it for several years, and I can go into that. That's not the point. The point is that that isn't what it means. But discerning the Lord's body is to put to death the flesh, because we're at His table and we need to conduct ourselves.
In a way, that is for his glory, because that's discerning the Lord's body. He died, and I died with him.
We might stumble people by coming across, if we are proud of a position where we have absolutely no reason to be proud, because it's the grace of God that has gathered us to the name of the Lord Jesus around the person of Christ. But I'm afraid that more people are stumbled by our lives, the inconsistencies that they see in our lives.
Then.
By both stained statements, and let me say this too, there is absolutely no pride connected with saying by faith. I believe that by God's grace I'm gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
That's faith. It's not pride when the remnant returned from captivity and they were in Jerusalem at the divine center.
They were sure.
That they were at the divine center, and they too had to give thanks to God, who made it possible for them to be there, even moving the heart of the Gentile king in giving them orders to go back. And then it was a matter of their choice to return, and not all returned from captivity. But those who did, they knew and had no doubt in their mind that they were at the divine center where the Lord had said his name.
And I hope we all will come to that If by His grace we are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, that by faith we see that we are where He wants us to be, at His table, gathered to His precious name, I hope all of us will come to see that, and that the grace of God will preserve us there, because many have been there in the past, and the enemy has succeeded to draw them away.
It's the grace of God that gathers us and the grace of God that will keep us, and it's a matter of faith.
And personal conviction to know whether by His grace I am at his table.
I like to say it this way.
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You may not like this, but this is the way I say it. I can't show you where the Lord is in the midst, but I can direct you to one that can follow the man with the picture of water. He will never mislead you. I may. I'm fallible. I can mislead you. I can think I'm right and be wrong. But the Spirit of God will never mislead you. Follow the man.
With a pitcher of water, the Spirit of God will lead you by the Word of God to where he is.
And I believe I'm there. But if you would come there because I believe I'm there and because I said so, then if you become disappointed and disillusioned, you can blame me. But if you're there because you've you're convicted by the Spirit of God using the word of God, then you problem is take it up with him.