Address—J. Curry
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I ask you to turn to Luke's gospel once again, the Gospel of Luke and chapter 15. Perhaps this chapter is one of those portions in the Word of God that really is so well known and so often used in the gospel.
And perhaps it's outstanding in the light of the Gospel. But what I would like to consider.
For a few moments.
Is what takes place.
In the father's heart, when the son returns.
They often think of the sun, and we know that when he was away and he was enjoying all that the Father had provided for him of that inheritance, he was finding pleasure in the things perhaps he was doing, and only when it was all spent and gone did he have any desire to think of the Father.
But I believe that we can see that the Father.
Heart was so overcome that the loss of his son, that he was so overcome by such a loss, that to have him back was such a great toy to the father. That's what I'd like to focus on is the joy of the father.
And we trusted everyone has come back.
As the prodigal came back in repentance, but as he came, we know that every provision.
Was the provision of the father.
But there was one thing.
That had to come from the sun and that was that. He would appreciate, he would accept and he would enjoy what the father had for him.
And I'm afraid sometimes we miss this in the reading of the Word of God. Oh, you missed this side of things.
That God is looking for that, that will give him joy. And that is a response that perhaps could come from each of us here just to look at this very simply.
John, That's Luke's Gospel, chapter 15.
And we'll read from verse 22.
But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and I'm sure it gave the father's.
Heart, real joy and pleasure in providing these things for this returning boy.
And these were the provisions that the father had for the son. The part I want to look at has to do.
More with what follows.
And bring hit her the fatted calf and kill it.
And let us eat and be merry. Let us eat and be merry.
Wasn't a feast just for the sun, but it was a feast for the Father and the Son together.
And how sweet it is to our souls when we rise to the place, when we gather God's thoughts.
From the Scriptures by the Spirit of God concerning His blessed and beloved Son.
Perhaps it's in the night season when we wake up. Perhaps it's sometime when we're alone. Perhaps it's sometime in the assembly.
But I don't think that we'll have a greater joy in our life here.
Nor will God our Father find greater joy in our life.
And when we come as it is here to enjoy.
In communion with God, that blessed, glorious person that we've had before us all, the Father made every provision that He might be accepted in the home. But I have to say to my own heart, and I say to each of us, it was necessary that the Son be willing to accept.
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The feast that the Father was providing so that they could eat it together, so that they could share together. Perhaps it's not coming over very clearly, but I think if we meditate a little, we'll see that the grave joy in this home at this time.
Was this feast that they had together?
The father and the returning son.
And we could say I believe that the fatted calf.
Speaks to us of the Lord Jesus.
And you think that God, who finds its great delight in his beloved Son, who wants to share?
With each of us the redeemed His joy that He has in His beloved Son.
And this is really heaven on earth in this home. I believe this is a foretaste. And so each time, whether we're by ourselves or whether with some other Christian or we're together in a meeting.
This is so important because it gives him such joy to share.
With his redeemed.
What the Lord Jesus is to him to have fellowship. Now I'd like to turn to the scriptures I read at the breaking of bread in the 22nd chapter. And again they seem lost. Sweet occasion.
We have in Luke 22 is that night before the Lord Jesus went to the cross.
What a very important time it was.
Because the great work of Calvary was before him to bring glory to God.
Up here again.
And these are such human experiences, it seems, such real experiences as we drawn aside here. Think of it this very night he had directed his disciples to go to a certain place.
To an upper room, a place separated, but a place of his choosing.
And there in that upper room.
He was going to communicate to them.
Many things which we have in John's Gospel from chapter 13.
Through 17 and that beautiful prayer in the 17th of John that was all going to be part of that upper room that night.
But what I want to speak about?
Is that there were those?
And there were very few.
Of all that the Lord Jesus had come in contact, all that he had healed, all the blessing that had flowed forth in that blessed man, Christ Jesus.
And here are but eleven people.
Perhaps in that upper room. What a very small company.
But they were going to give joy to the Lord Jesus.
And so it is before us.
Us in verse 13 and day when.
They had to decide that they would go.
Like the prodigal, he returned and here they go, directed by the Lord Jesus.
And found they weren't disappointed, as we often hear. And He as he had said unto them. And they may dreary the Passover when the hour was come.
The hour was come. He sat down.
And the 12 apostles with him. And he said unto them, He has a message.
And He has the message for each of us when we come together, when we come to the place, and there we take our place at that table. And there is the precious Savior and these wonderful words that have rung out in the hearts of the redeemed over the years.
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The first time I heard a brother take up this verse, it was a good many years ago.
I couldn't believe that there could be such a message.
As was given by the Lord Jesus. Such a message. Think of it, the Lord of glory desiring the company.
Of.
A few.
There was Peter. He denied that he knew the Lord.
Eats one of them that very night forsook him in fled.
And yet, as we come back to this place.
We find these beautiful words with desire.
I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
With desire I have desired. That was what was in his heart. That's what was in the heart of the one who was going to the cross to redeem them. This is the heart of Jesus.
This is the heart of my savior. This is the language.
Of one who has made himself real and dear to each believer, because he's precious to the believer and these precious words.
Reaching out to us Even to this day in 1987, these same blessed words are reaching out to each heart here in this room.
And as we give him joy in response.
You think of Ruth who said I will go, I will go. How important for those disciples to have been there to hear these words. Do we hear them this morning?
Did they feel our heart this morning with desire I have desired or greatly desired?
I suppose language can't express what was in his heart.
But it was there, and he reaches out with those words and he shows them what he would have them to do.
A very.
Feeble response, perhaps from them, but oh, the heart of Jesus, the love of Jesus, the love of this one for their company. He wanted their company and he wants our company.
And so he places that loaf in that cup, and he gives thanks.
And he eat of it, and he says, this dear, in remembrance of me, Is it beyond us?
We still have the privilege, thank God.
Will you still hear his voice saying, but desire I have desired.
To eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
And I believe we've lost a great deal.
If we haven't heard those words each time we come to that remembrance feast, and perhaps he has lost a great deal if we haven't heard because it's his desire that is spoken about here that is expressed.
I just want to turn to John 14, John 14.
Verse 3.
These are some of the words they heard in that upper room.
That night.
If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am.
There you may be also that where I am.
We long to go.
We long for the coming of the Lord Jesus.
We know he has a purpose in waiting.
And that is, he set out to do something.
And he must finish that work before he can come. He told his disciples, he told Peter and others, I will build my church in the gates of hell, shall not prevail against it. So we know he won't come until that work is finished, that church is complete, that last stone is put in the building. But can we say that as soon as at last stone?
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Has put in that building.
He will hasten to fulfill the desire in his heart by taking us up there, that we might be with Him.
Can we think of it? His home, the Father's house, His people, the great joy you have in receiving us into the Father's house?
We've experienced the welcome. When we came to the Father, we experienced the welcome.
In coming into the Lords presence in the Remembrance feast.
But when we experience this welcome, when we see the joy in his expression.
In his face as he looks upon.
That which gives him joy.
That redeemed company, O beloved, He paid an infinite price to have your bride.
It hurts and when he takes that bride to himself, that where I am.
There you may be also where I am.
He wants us there, He would have us there, His longing to have us there.
Are we anxious to see him?
Is that the Great Expectations we have?
Or are we disappointing him?
Are we getting a little too occupied to spend much time with the father?
Are we getting too occupied to come into the presence of the Lord Jesus to answer to His desire? Are we getting a little too occupied that we don't have much thought?
Of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
These are just questions we might ask ourselves. I'd just like to turn finally to Revelation.
Chapter 21.
Revelation chapter 21.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the 1St heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea than I. John saw the holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold.
Behold.
The Tabernacle of God is with men.
I used to hear quite often a brother say that Jesus Christ had become a man.
And would remain a man for all eternity that he might have us.
As his companions there God tabernacling with men.
Is this what God had before him in that past eternity? Is that what God has before him now? Is that what is before him when he has?
Those redeemed ones, those who are there where everything is suited to God and He is dwelling with man.
He housed the company that he longed to have.
But you know, this is the eternal day.
This is the day of God.
This is when everything suited to God. This is when everything is in perfect harmony with God and God's heart desire is fulfilled in a tabernacles with men.
I don't grasp it.
I try to enjoy it.
And I believe that's what God would have us to do to really.
Absorb the reality that God is going to be pleased. Tabernacle having our company is going to give him the satisfaction and joy He's anticipated from a past eternity.
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For the beautiful, glorious eternity, and He will dwell with them.
And they shall be his people.
And God himself shall be with him, and be their God.
Eternity, eternity, God, All in all.
And then?
For those who have deep sorrows and trials in the journey.
Here it is as we close in God.
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. What a wonderful moment if you've passed through a trial, if you shed tears, if you felt the sorrows of life.
God.
The wipe away all tears from their eyes.
May we give Him joy. May He have the right place in our hearts.
As our Father.
And as our Savior.
Our friend.
As we walk through the hours that are left to us, how precious to know.
That God is for us.
That God is with us, that God loves us, that God cares for us.
That Jesus died for us. That Jesus lives for us. He carries us on his shoulders.
He carries us in his bosom, and that Jesus is coming for us.
And that we are coming back with Him in His glory as we look on into the future.
We're looking for the blessed hope.
And the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.